The Meaning of Genesis 34:24 Explained

Genesis 34:24

KJV: And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

YLT: And unto Hamor, and unto Shechem his son, hearken do all those going out of the gate of his city, and every male is circumcised, all those going out of the gate of his city.

Darby: And all that went out at the gate of his city hearkened to Hamor and to Shechem his son; and every male was circumcised all that went out at the gate of his city.

ASV: And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And unto Hamor  and unto Shechem  his son  hearkened  all that went out  of the gate  of his city;  and every male  was circumcised,  all that went out  of the gate  of his city. 

What does Genesis 34:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 34:18-31 - Jacob's Sons Spoil The Shechemites
It is not easy to steer our family life amid the rocks and quicksands of present-day worldliness; but we shall not prosper by using the world's weapons of duplicity and craft. The true way is to make our homes so attractive that our children will not be tempted to court the alliances that are offered by those whose only portion is in this life. Our Ruths would not leave our fields if we dropped more handfuls on purpose for them. The treachery of these two brethren was absolutely inexcusable. On his dying-bed Jacob reverted to it, and pronounced their scattering in Israel. Though Levi undid that curse by his obedience and devotion, Simeon seems to have made no effort in that direction, and soon became as water absorbed by the desert-sands. But see Revelation 7:7. What an awful thing it is when our conduct is such as to make religion offensive to those who observe our behavior, Genesis 34:30. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 34

1  Dinah is ravished by Shechem
4  He requests to marry her
13  The sons of Jacob offer the condition of circumcision to the Shechemites
20  Hamor and Shechem persuade them to accept it
25  The sons of Jacob upon that advantage slay them, and spoil their city
30  Jacob reproves Simeon and Levi

What do the individual words in Genesis 34:24 mean?

And heeded unto Hamor and Shechem his son all who went out of the gate of his city and was circumcised every male of his city
וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ אֶל־ חֲמוֹר֙ וְאֶל־ שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנ֔וֹ כָּל־ יֹצְאֵ֖י שַׁ֣עַר עִיר֑וֹ וַיִּמֹּ֙לוּ֙ כָּל־ זָכָ֔ר עִירֽוֹ

וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ  And  heeded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
חֲמוֹר֙  Hamor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור  
Sense: the Hivite prince of the city of Shechem when Jacob entered Palestine.
שְׁכֶ֣ם  Shechem 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם 
Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
בְּנ֔וֹ  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יֹצְאֵ֖י  who  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
שַׁ֣עַר  of  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
עִיר֑וֹ  of  his  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וַיִּמֹּ֙לוּ֙  and  was  circumcised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זָכָ֔ר  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
עִירֽוֹ  of  his  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.