Genesis 34:22 kjv

Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

Genesis 34:22 nkjv

Only on this condition will the men consent to dwell with us, to be one people: if every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.

Genesis 34:22 niv

But the men will agree to live with us as one people only on the condition that our males be circumcised, as they themselves are.

Genesis 34:22 esv

Only on this condition will the men agree to dwell with us to become one people ? when every male among us is circumcised as they are circumcised.

Genesis 34:22 nlt

But they will consider staying here and becoming one people with us only if all of our men are circumcised, just as they are.

Genesis 34 verses

Genesis 34 22 Meaning

Genesis 34:22 states the condition presented by Hamor and Shechem to the men of their city: the Hivite men would agree to reside among Jacob's family and become one integrated people with them only if every Hivite male underwent circumcision, conforming to the practice of Jacob's household. This proposition, conveyed to their populace, sought to present the culturally significant act of circumcision as a necessary yet beneficial step for economic and social integration, aligning with the deceptive plot hatched by Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi.

Genesis 34 22 Context

Genesis chapter 34 details a significant, violent, and morally complex event involving Jacob's family in the land of Canaan. Dinah, Jacob's daughter, is defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite prince of the region. Shechem, smitten, genuinely desires to marry Dinah, and his father Hamor seeks a peaceful alliance and intermarriage between their peoples, envisioning mutual economic prosperity and amalgamation.

Verse 22 is part of Hamor and Shechem's presentation to the men of their city, seeking their consent for the proposed arrangement with Jacob's family. Earlier, Jacob's sons, specifically Simeon and Levi, had responded to Hamor and Shechem's offer with deceit. Outwardly, they expressed outrage over Dinah's dishonor, declaring it unthinkable to give their sister to an "uncircumcised man." They then proposed a seemingly innocuous condition: that all males among the Hivites must be circumcised "as they are circumcised." While Hamor and Shechem saw this as a cultural prerequisite for economic gain and assimilation, they unknowingly relayed a demand that was a calculated trap by Simeon and Levi, intending to render the Hivite men vulnerable for revenge. The Hivite men, swayed by Hamor's promises of wealth and peace (as seen in Gen 34:21-23), agree to this painful procedure without understanding the covenantal significance of circumcision or the nefarious intent behind the demand.

Genesis 34 22 Word analysis

• Only on this condition (אך זאת - 'akh zo't):

  • Word: 'akh (אך) - "only," "surely," "but." Often functions to restrict or emphasize a singular requirement.
  • Word: zo't (זאת) - "this," a feminine demonstrative pronoun. Refers to the singular requirement mentioned: circumcision.
  • Significance: Highlights that circumcision is presented as the sole, non-negotiable prerequisite for integration and peace, according to the Hivite leaders' report. It simplifies the complex covenant marker to a mere transactional condition for the townsmen.

• will the men consent (ישמעו לנו אנשים - yishm'u lanu anashim):

  • Word: yishm'u (ישמעו) - from root שׁמע (shama), "to hear," "to listen," "to obey," "to consent." Third-person masculine plural imperfect.
  • Word: lanu (לנו) - "to us," indicating the direct address to the Hivite people.
  • Word: anashim (אנשים) - "men," specifically the adult male members of the Hivite community.
  • Significance: Conveys that the agreement must come from the Hivite men, emphasizing collective decision-making and the expectation of their full cooperation. The word "consent" also subtly implies a form of yielding or compliance.

• to dwell with us (לשבת אתנו - lasheveth ittanu):

  • Word: lasheveth (לשבת) - from root ישב (yashab), "to sit," "to dwell," "to inhabit." Infinitive construct with a prefix expressing purpose.
  • Word: ittanu (אתנו) - "with us," referring to Jacob's family.
  • Significance: Expresses the desire for peaceful cohabitation, intermarriage, and integration, framed as mutually beneficial by Hamor and Shechem, masking the underlying deception.

• to become one people (להיות לעם אחד - lihyot le'am echad):

  • Word: lihyot (להיות) - from root היה (hayah), "to be," "to become." Infinitive construct.
  • Word: le'am (לעם) - "into a people," from עם ('am), "people," "nation," "community."
  • Word: echad (אחד) - "one," "unified."
  • Significance: This phrase outlines the goal of complete amalgamation—two distinct communities merging into a single unified entity. This was the superficial allure used to convince the Hivite men, while for Jacob's sons, it represented the very blending of the holy and profane they were, ironically, aiming to prevent through violence.

• if every male among us is circumcised (אם ימול לנו כל זכר - im yimol lanu kol zakar):

  • Word: im (אם) - "if," introducing a conditional clause.
  • Word: yimol (ימול) - from root מול (mul), "to circumcise." Third-person masculine singular imperfect, passive voice, indicating that "the circumcising" is done to them.
  • Word: lanu (לנו) - "to us" or "for us," referring to the benefit/purpose for Jacob's family, though presented to the Hivites for their own benefit.
  • Word: kol (כל) - "all," "every."
  • Word: zakar (זכר) - "male."
  • Significance: Specifies the exact, universal nature of the demand: every single male must undergo the painful, dangerous, and for them, culturally alien procedure. This highlights the absolute scope of the deceptive requirement.

• as they are circumcised (כאשר הם נמולים - ka'asher hem nimolim):

  • Word: ka'asher (כאשר) - "as," "just as," "according to what."
  • Word: hem (הם) - "they," referring to the males in Jacob's household.
  • Word: nimolim (נמולים) - passive participle of מול (mul), "being circumcised."
  • Significance: Directly links the required action to the practice of Jacob's family, legitimizing it as a necessary step to bridge the cultural gap and become "like them." It underlines the perceived symmetry, hiding the true asymmetrical power dynamic and deceptive intent.

Genesis 34 22 Bonus section

The phrasing "as they are circumcised" (כאשר הם נמולים - ka'asher hem nimolim) is significant. It implies a demand for uniformity not just in the act, but in the adherence to the cultural and religious markers of Jacob's household. However, for the Hivites, it was a superficial conformity devoid of the theological depth that circumcision held for Jacob's descendants as inheritors of God's covenant with Abraham. This further emphasizes the deceit and misdirection at play.

This incident also serves as an important backdrop for later Israelite law and narrative concerning intermarriage with other peoples. While Hamor desired "one people," the Mosaic Law later strongly discouraged such unions (e.g., Deut 7), precisely because of the dangers of cultural and religious syncretism, which this tragic episode starkly illustrates. The violence here might have also cemented the future Israelite stance against superficial assimilation driven by self-interest rather than genuine faith.

Moreover, the account sheds light on the patriarch Jacob's evolving character. He is portrayed as largely passive in this chapter until the consequences directly threaten him. His sons take matters into their own hands, demonstrating their independence and moral ambiguity. Jacob's eventual condemnation of Simeon and Levi in his deathbed blessings (Gen 49:5-7) specifically references their "instruments of cruelty" and "anger" in Shechem, highlighting that their actions, while claiming to uphold covenant standards, were ultimately condemned due to their excessive violence and treachery. This shows that the true "judgment" of their deed is reserved for Jacob, implicitly, and ultimately, by divine providence later.

Genesis 34 22 Commentary

Genesis 34:22 serves as a pivotal point in the unfolding tragedy of Dinah's defilement and its bloody aftermath. The verse articulates the manipulative condition put forth by Jacob's sons—specifically Simeon and Levi—but recounted here by Hamor and Shechem to their own people. Its core meaning lies in the deceptive misappropriation of a sacred covenantal sign—circumcision—for ulterior, violent motives.

From the Hivite perspective, as presented by Hamor, circumcision is not about faith or covenant with God, but a strategic negotiation for socio-economic integration. Hamor frames it as a gateway to wealth and unified identity ("to become one people"). He exploits the Hivites' desire for prosperity and security, urging them to accept a painful physical rite as a mere transaction. This highlights a worldly perspective that views sacred observances through a utilitarian lens, seeing them as means to earthly gain rather than acts of worship or covenant loyalty. This is a subtle polemic against superficial religious observance: the outward form (circumcision) is detached from its inward meaning (covenant with Yahweh).

Conversely, for Jacob's sons, the demand for circumcision was a meticulously planned act of treachery. They exploited the deep significance of circumcision as a sign of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 17) to expose the Hivites to maximum vulnerability. Their anger, while understandable in response to Dinah's defilement, twisted a divine ordinance into a tool of bloody revenge. This illustrates how zeal, even for a divine command or principle, can be perverted when not coupled with righteousness, mercy, and God's counsel. It showcases the dark side of "faith" used to justify atrocious acts.

The verse, therefore, captures a profound ethical and theological tension. It exposes the inherent danger when a sacred ritual, given by God as a sign of distinction and belonging, is reduced to a bargaining chip for secular gain, or worse, weaponized for cruel ends. The narrative doesn't condone any party's actions: Shechem's violation, the sons' murderous deception, or Hamor's materialistic persuasion. Rather, it serves as a stark warning about the consequences of deceit, uncontrolled anger, and the profaning of holy things. The events stemming from this proposition would bring Jacob's household into disrepute and perpetual danger in Canaan, demonstrating that violent revenge, even under the guise of upholding family honor or covenant integrity, yields destructive fruits.