Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 34:18-24”
Categories: Genesis“Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son. The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was more respected than all the household of his father. So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, 'These men are friendly with us; therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them. Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will live with us.' All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.”
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“Now their words seemed reasonable to Hamor and Shechem, Hamor’s son.” (verse 18) Love is a powerful emotion that can embolden people to do things they would otherwise not even consider. “Jacob served seven years for Rachel and they seemed to him but a few days because of his love for her.” (Genesis 29:20) Shechem was so love-stricken by Dinah's beauty that he volunteered to have the flesh of his foreskin sliced off to be her husband. Hamor loved his son so very much that he not only agreed to personally have the same painful procedure performed, but persuaded the entire male population of his community to do the same in order to please his beloved. The words of the prophet have never wrung more true: “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)!
“The young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter.” (verse 19) Shechem couldn't bear to wait an extra moment to bare his flesh to the flint if that was all that stood between him and the object of his obsession. “Now he was more respected than all the household of his father,” which doesn't speak very favorably for the rest of his family. “So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city...” (verse 20) Hamor and son proceeded directly to the town square to pitch their proposal to the rest of the prominent men of the city. Shechem “served as a role model for the others, who were soon influenced by his initiative.” (Nahum Sarna)
“These men are friendly with us...” (verse 21) Some kind of friends the sons of Israel turned out to be to the residents of Shechem! While it was true that Jacob and his sons had proven themselves to be men of character as they lived in peace among the inhabitants of the land, it is a strange thing for Hamor to suppose those friendly terms would persist after the despicable thing that Shechem had done to Dinah! “Therefore let them live in the land and trade in it, for behold, the land is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage, and give our daughters to them.” “Hamor has conveniently omitted the promise of the landed property rights for the newcomers and has perfidiously inserted the assurance of dispossessing them of their belongings. As the occasion is a formal, public ratification of the agreement, Hamor is clearly guilty of double dealing.” (Nahum Sarna) Imagine that!!!
“Only on this condition will the men consent to us to live with us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised.” (verse 22) Okay here's the rub, the big hurdle to be jumped: every last one of you has to be circumcised! And, believe it or not, they all went for it! I'm sorry but I don't care how friendly and useful these fellows might be, I would have to have said: “Thanks but no thanks!” Of course, none of them would have likely gotten on board if Hamor had not added, “Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours?” (verse 23) That lie was probably the bait that set the hook and reeled them in. Even still, universal bodily disfigurement was an awful lot to ask for and commit to!
“All who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and to his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.” (verse 24) “This would encompass the males of military age, the group available for intermarriage with Jacob's clan.” (Nahum Sarna) All the men agreed to the terms, and effectively signed their death warrant. The stage has been set for the brutal bloodbath and gross atrocity that will unfold in tomorrow's verses.
Please read Genesis 34:25-31 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
