Genesis 34:31

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

Complete Jewish Bible:

They replied, "Should we let our sister be treated like a whore?"

Berean Standard Bible:

But they replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

American Standard Version:

And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with a harlot?

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And they said^{H559}, Should he deal^{H6213} with our sister^{H269} as with an harlot^{H2181}?

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 34:31

Genesis 34:31 is part of the narrative known as "The Dinah Incident," which occurs in the Book of Genesis. The verse reflects the outrage of Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, after Shechem, the prince of the Hivite city of Shechem, deceitfully takes and lies with their sister Dinah. Despite Shechem's subsequent genuine affection for Dinah and his father Hamor's proposal for intermarriage between the Hivites and the family of Jacob (Israel), Simeon and Levi respond with anger and a sense of dishonor.

Themes:
1. **Purity and Honor**: The brothers' reaction underscores the cultural importance of a woman's chastity and family honor in ancient Near Eastern societies. Dinah's sexual encounter, whether consensual or not, was seen as bringing shame upon her family.
2. **Retribution and Justice**: Simeon and Levi take matters into their own hands, using the ruse of circumcision to weaken the men of Shechem and then killing them in retaliation, which raises questions about the nature of justice and the proportionality of their response.
3. **Deception and Violence**: The verse highlights the cycle of deception and violence present in the narrative. Shechem deceives Dinah, and in return, Simeon and Levi deceive Shechem and his people, leading to further bloodshed.

Historical Context:
The events in Genesis 34 likely reflect the customs and tensions of the ancient Near East during the patriarchal period, around the 2nd millennium BCE. Intermarriage between different groups was sometimes used as a strategy for alliance but could also be a source of conflict, as it potentially involved issues of inheritance, religious identity, and social status. The narrative also illustrates the precarious position of the Hebrew patriarchs living among the Canaanite city-states before the establishment of Israel as a nation.

This verse and the surrounding chapter provide a complex narrative that touches on issues of morality, ethnic boundaries, family loyalty, and the use of violence, which continue to resonate in discussions of ethics and social norms.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H559
   There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָמַר
   Transliteration: ʼâmar
   Pronunciation: aw-mar'
   Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
   
2. Strong's Number: H6213
   There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עָשָׂה
   Transliteration: ʻâsâh
   Pronunciation: aw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.
   
3. Strong's Number: H269
   There are 301 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אָחוֹת
   Transliteration: ʼâchôwth
   Pronunciation: aw-khoth'
   Description: irregular feminine of אָח; a sister (used very widely (like brother), literally and figuratively); (an-) other, sister, together.
   
4. Strong's Number: H2181
   There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: זָנָה
   Transliteration: zânâh
   Pronunciation: zaw-naw'
   Description: a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah); (cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.