Genesis 34:30 kjv

And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

Genesis 34:30 nkjv

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me. I shall be destroyed, my household and I."

Genesis 34:30 niv

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed."

Genesis 34:30 esv

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household."

Genesis 34:30 nlt

Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have ruined me! You've made me stink among all the people of this land ? among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!"

Genesis 34 verses

Genesis 34 30 Meaning

Jacob expresses deep distress and fear to his sons Simeon and Levi, stating that their violent actions in Shechem have made his family repulsive and vulnerable to the local inhabitants. He anticipates that the Canaanites and Perizzites, recognizing Jacob's numerical disadvantage, will unite to attack and utterly destroy him and his entire household, jeopardizing the very existence of his divinely promised lineage.

Genesis 34 30 Context

Genesis chapter 34 recounts the horrific events surrounding Dinah, Jacob's daughter. After being defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, Shechem seeks to marry her, and his father proposes intermarriage between their peoples. Jacob's sons, notably Simeon and Levi, devise a treacherous plan, insisting that all Hivite males be circumcised for the union to proceed. On the third day after the circumcisions, while the men were in pain, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's full brothers, violently attack the city, killing all the males, including Hamor and Shechem. They then plunder the city, taking the women, children, and possessions captive. Verse 30 records Jacob's immediate, anguished response to this excessive act of vengeance by his sons. His fear is pragmatic, focused on the security and survival of his numerically smaller household amidst powerful local tribes, rather than an initial condemnation of the moral transgression.

Genesis 34 30 Word analysis

• Then Jacob said: Indicates Jacob's direct, immediate reaction and confrontation with his sons, demonstrating his deep concern after hearing about their actions.
• to Simeon and Levi: Specifically singles out these two brothers, identifying them as the primary instigators and perpetrators of the violent massacre in Shechem. This foreshadows their future disgrace by Jacob in Gen 49:5-7.
• 'You have troubled me':
  • Original Hebrew: עָכַרְתֶּם אוֹתִי (‘akartem ‘othi).
  • 'akhar (עָכַר): To trouble, to disturb, to bring calamity, to make turbid or foul. It's a strong verb implying the stirring up of misfortune or the bringing of distress. It signifies more than annoyance; it's a disruption that endangers peace and prosperity. This verb is notably used in Josh 7:25 regarding Achan, where his sin troubled Israel.
  • Significance: Jacob sees their actions as not just a moral wrong, but as a practical, perilous threat to his entire existence.
• 'by making me a stench':
  • Original Hebrew: לְהַבְאִישֵׁנִי (lehav'ishēnî).
  • ba'ash (בָּאַשׁ): To stink, be foul, become rotten, cause to stink, make offensive. Used figuratively, it means to make one odious, detestable, or repulsive in reputation.
  • Significance: This vivid imagery highlights the profound damage done to Jacob's standing and reputation among the Canaanites. His household has become abhorrent and inviting of violent retribution due to the perceived betrayal and cruelty.
• 'to the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites': Specifies the diverse and potentially hostile groups surrounding them. These were established, powerful peoples in the region. Jacob's fear is realistic given the cultural norms of retaliation and the relative power dynamics.
• 'and since I am few in number':
  • Original Hebrew: וַאֲנִי מְתֵי מִסְפָּר (wa'ănî mətê mispār).
  • mətê mispār (מְתֵי מִסְפָּר): Literally "men of number" or "men few in number." Implies numerical inferiority and weakness, particularly in a military context.
  • Significance: Jacob explicitly articulates his family's vulnerability. They are a small, isolated group in a land populated by numerous and potentially hostile tribes.
• 'they will gather themselves together against me and kill me':
  • gather themselves together: This signifies a concerted, unified military response, a general uprising against Jacob's clan.
  • kill me: The direct threat to his life.
  • Significance: Jacob anticipates a coalition forming against him due to his family's egregious offense, leading to their likely extermination.
• 'and I shall be destroyed, I and my household.': The ultimate catastrophic outcome, the annihilation of his entire family and all he possesses. This is Jacob's greatest fear, encompassing not just physical death but the extinction of his lineage and, implicitly, the unfulfillment of God's covenant promises to him and his descendants. This concern reveals his pragmatic, rather than immediately spiritual, outlook on the situation.

Genesis 34 30 Bonus section

Jacob's reaction underscores a significant point about his spiritual journey: while he is a recipient of God's covenant promises, his faith often fluctuates, giving way to pragmatic fears in moments of crisis. He focuses on the external threat rather than seeking God's counsel or reflecting on the moral failings within his own family. This contrasts with earlier instances where he directly wrestled with God (Gen 32). This passage serves as a stark reminder that even patriarchs wrestled with faith and worldly fears. It also illustrates how God's divine plan proceeds not due to human perfection, but through God's unwavering faithfulness despite human frailty, sin, and fear.

Genesis 34 30 Commentary

Jacob's outburst in Genesis 34:30 reveals his primary concern is practical survival rather than immediate moral outrage over his sons' actions. He is profoundly worried about the consequences for his household – becoming detested, vulnerable due to their small numbers, and facing annihilation from surrounding tribes. His anxiety focuses on reputation, security, and the preservation of his family, which implicitly carries the covenant promises of God. This response highlights a temporary crisis of faith, as Jacob seems to overlook or fail to rely upon God's repeated assurances of protection and multiplication. Despite Jacob's fears, the narrative shows God's hidden hand: no counter-attack materializes, and a 'terror from God' (Gen 35:5) later falls on the surrounding cities, preventing pursuit when Jacob eventually departs for Bethel. This demonstrates God's sovereign protection of His chosen line even in the face of human sin and fearful reactions, ensuring His promises endure through all circumstances.