Genesis 34:13 kjv

And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

Genesis 34:13 nkjv

But the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father, and spoke deceitfully, because he had defiled Dinah their sister.

Genesis 34:13 niv

Because their sister Dinah had been defiled, Jacob's sons replied deceitfully as they spoke to Shechem and his father Hamor.

Genesis 34:13 esv

The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah.

Genesis 34:13 nlt

But since Shechem had defiled their sister, Dinah, Jacob's sons responded deceitfully to Shechem and his father, Hamor.

Genesis 34 verses

Genesis 34 13 Meaning

Genesis 34:13 states that the sons of Jacob responded to Shechem and Hamor with premeditated deception. Their motivation stemmed directly from the defilement of Dinah, their sister, an act that deeply dishonored their family. This verse sets the stage for their subsequent elaborate, deceitful plot aimed at revenge rather than genuine negotiation.

Genesis 34 13 Context

Genesis chapter 34 recounts the egregious act of Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite, who violates Dinah, Jacob's daughter. Despite his act, Shechem professes love for Dinah and requests her as his wife, with Hamor supporting the proposal and suggesting intermarriage between their peoples for mutual benefit. The verse, Gen 34:13, highlights Jacob's sons' immediate and calculated response to this proposal. It marks a decisive shift in the narrative from negotiation to sinister plotting. In the broader historical-cultural context of ancient Near Eastern patriarchal societies, a woman's honor was intrinsically tied to her family's honor. Her defilement was a grave insult to the entire household. This incident presented a severe challenge to Jacob's family honor and their standing as a nascent tribe. The sons' reaction, though understandable in its initial anger, quickly escalates into a scheme of profound treachery, ultimately leading to violence and a serious breach of ethical conduct within the Abrahamic lineage, a behavior Jacob later condemns.

Genesis 34 13 Word analysis

• And the sons of Jacob: This refers collectively to Dinah's brothers, primarily Simeon and Levi, who will later execute the violent retribution. Their actions reflect the collective identity and tribal customs where family honor superseded individual agreements.
• answered: The term indicates a direct verbal response to Hamor and Shechem’s proposal. It signifies the commencement of negotiations, albeit false ones, from the perspective of Jacob's sons.
• Shechem and Hamor: Shechem initiated the defilement, and his father Hamor facilitated the proposed marriage and union. Their names are crucial in identifying the targets of the sons' deceit.
• deceitfully (בְּמִרְמָה, bəmir·māh): This Hebrew term, frequently translated as "deceit," "guile," or "treachery," is highly significant. It implies a deliberate, intentional, and manipulative response, not a spontaneous one. It reveals that their words were not genuine and harbored hidden motives, signifying a pre-planned strategy of betrayal. This reflects a similar quality of deceit seen in Jacob's own life (Gen 27), illustrating a complex family trait or generational pattern.
• and said: Introduces the content of their deceptive reply, which continues into the following verses, proposing circumcision as a condition for intermarriage.
• because: This conjunction directly links their deceitful response to the preceding act, providing their explicit, stated justification or reason for their actions, albeit an inverted and wicked justification for what they were about to do.
• he had defiled (טָמֵא, ṭāmē'): This verb means to make unclean, pollute, or violate. In a ritual and moral sense, it refers not just to physical violation but also to the pollution of purity and honor, bringing shame upon the individual and the family. The Hebrew word emphasizes the severity of the act beyond a mere physical act, encompassing moral and perhaps ritual uncleanness that affected the entire kin group.
• Dinah their sister: Explicitly names the victim and clarifies the intimate family relationship that fueled the brothers' outrage and vengeful planning. It highlights the familial bond and the insult against it.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor deceitfully": This phrase highlights the premeditated and strategic nature of the brothers' response. It signals their intention to engage in treachery rather than honest dialogue. The "deceitfully" characterizes their entire subsequent discourse and actions. This phrase introduces the polemic where righteous indignation for wrong can be corrupted into unrighteous means for revenge, reflecting on whether the ends justify the means. It implicitly raises the question of moral boundaries in seeking justice or honor.
• "and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister": This clause serves as the public and internal justification for their deception and subsequent actions. While the defilement of Dinah was indeed a heinous act requiring justice, the brothers chose deceit as their primary response method, indicating a deeper vengeful plot. This links the gravity of the wrong (Dinah's defilement) directly to the chosen method of redress (deception and eventual violence). The emphasis on "their sister" underlines the profound sense of family dishonor and proprietary anger driving their conduct.

Genesis 34 13 Bonus section

The actions stemming from this deceitful answer pose significant ethical questions regarding the ends justifying the means, especially when involving a sacred rite like circumcision. The sons of Jacob, particularly Simeon and Levi, manipulated a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham as a tool for vengeance. This not only corrupted the sacred purpose of circumcision but also made the name of their family (and by extension, the God they represented) detestable to the surrounding peoples (Gen 34:30). The narrative implicitly critiques such abuse of divine ordinances for human malevolent ends, suggesting that true honor comes from upholding righteousness, not from revenge obtained through treachery. This highlights the dangers of misguided zeal and unchecked anger within the family of faith.

Genesis 34 13 Commentary

Genesis 34:13 serves as a pivotal point, unveiling the treacherous intentions of Jacob's sons. While Dinah's defilement was a grave sin against her and their family honor, the brothers' response was not an appeal to divine justice or peaceful resolution, but a calculated descent into cunning and deceit. The word "deceitfully" underscores their conscious choice to mislead Hamor and Shechem, leveraging cultural and religious practices (circumcision) for a manipulative plot. Their deep-seated anger and desire for retribution overshadowed any potential for righteousness or the guidance of God. This moment foreshadows the subsequent gruesome massacre of the Hivite males, a heinous act Jacob himself would later condemn (Gen 34:30; 49:5-7). The verse exemplifies how legitimate pain or offense, if handled outside of divine principles, can lead to compounded sin, showing that even righteous anger must be expressed without deceit or malevolent intentions. It's a reminder that noble goals cannot justify ignoble means, and personal vengeance often violates God's commands against retribution.