New International VersionAll the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.
New Living TranslationSo all the men in the town council agreed with Hamor and Shechem, and every male in the town was circumcised.
English Standard VersionAnd all who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
Berean Standard BibleAll the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.
King James BibleAnd 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.
New King James VersionAnd all who went out of the gate of his city heeded Hamor and Shechem his son; every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
New American Standard BibleAll 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.
NASB 1995All 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.
NASB 1977And 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.
Legacy Standard BibleAnd 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.
Amplified BibleAnd every [Canaanite] man who went out of the city gate listened and considered what Hamor and Shechem said; and every male who was a resident of that city was circumcised.
Christian Standard BibleAll the men who had come to the city gates listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and all those men were circumcised.
Holman Christian Standard BibleAll the able-bodied men listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and all the able-bodied men were circumcised.
American Standard VersionAnd 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.
Contemporary English VersionEvery grown man followed this advice and got circumcised.
English Revised VersionAnd 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.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationAll the men who had come out to the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem. So they were all circumcised at the city gate.
Good News TranslationAll the citizens of the city agreed with what Hamor and Shechem proposed, and all the males were circumcised.
International Standard VersionAll of the males who heard Hamor and his son Shechem, who had gone out to the city gate, were circumcised.
NET BibleAll the men who assembled at the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem. Every male who assembled at the city gate was circumcised.
New Heart English BibleAll who went out of the gate of his city agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd to Hamor and to 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAll the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.
World English BibleAll who went out of the gate of his city listened to Hamor, and to Shechem his son; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd to Hamor, and to his son Shechem, do all those going out of the gate of his city listen, and every male is circumcised, all those going out of the gate of his city.
Young's Literal Translation 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.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd to Hamor and to Shechem his son, will listen all going out of the gate of the city: and they will circumcise every male, all going out of the gate of the city. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd they all agreed, and circumcised all the males.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd they all agreed to circumcise every one of the males.
New American BibleAll who went out of the gate of the city listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and all the males, all those who went out of the gate of the city, were circumcised.
New Revised Standard VersionAnd all who went out of the city gate heeded Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd when all the adults of the town had heard from Shechem and from his father Hamor, they circumcised every male, those that went out of the gate of his town.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd everyone exiting the gate of his city heard from Shekeem and they circumcised every male, all that went out the gate of his city. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And 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.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd all that went in at the gate of their city hearkened to Emmor and Sychem his son, and they were circumcised in the flesh of their foreskin every male.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context The Revenge of Dinah's Brothers… 23Will not their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell among us.” 24All the menwho went outof the citygatelistenedtoHamorand his sonShechem,and everymaleof the citywas circumcised.25Three days later, while they were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons (Dinah’s brothers Simeon and Levi) took their swords, went into the unsuspecting city, and slaughtered every male.…
Cross References Genesis 17:10-14This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. / You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. / Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring. ...
Exodus 12:48If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.
Joshua 5:2-9At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel once again.” / So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. / Now this is why Joshua circumcised them: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of war—had died on the journey in the wilderness after they had left Egypt. ...
1 Samuel 18:25-27Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. / When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived, / David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.
2 Samuel 3:14Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
Acts 15:1Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Acts 7:8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Romans 2:25-29Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. / If a man who is not circumcised keeps the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? / The one who is physically uncircumcised yet keeps the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. ...
Galatians 5:2-6Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. / Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. / You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. ...
Colossians 2:11-13In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands. / And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead. / When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses,
Philippians 3:3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
Deuteronomy 10:16Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.
Jeremiah 4:4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”
Ezekiel 44:7-9In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant. / And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but have appointed others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.’ / This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.
Leviticus 12:3And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised.
Treasury of Scripture And to Hamor and to Shechem his son listened 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. hearkened. went out. Genesis 23:10,18 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth,even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, … every male. Genesis 17:23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. Isaiah 1:10-16 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah… Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Jump to Previous AgreedCircumcisedCircumcisionCityEarGateHamorHearkenHearkenedMaleShechemUnderwentWordsJump to Next AgreedCircumcisedCircumcisionCityEarGateHamorHearkenHearkenedMaleShechemUnderwentWordsGenesis 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.All the men who went out of the city gateIn ancient Near Eastern cities, the city gate was a central place for community gatherings, legal matters, and decision-making. It was a place where leaders and elders would meet to discuss important issues. The phrase indicates that the decision to listen to Hamor and Shechem was made publicly and involved the entire male population of the city, highlighting the communal nature of the society. listened to Hamor and his son Shechem
Hamor and Shechem were influential figures in the city of Shechem. Hamor was the ruler, and his son Shechem was a prominent figure due to his actions involving Dinah, Jacob's daughter. Their ability to persuade the men of the city suggests their significant authority and the trust the people placed in them. This also reflects the patriarchal structure of the society, where decisions were often made by male leaders. and every male of the city was circumcised
Circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants (Genesis 17:10-14). However, in this context, it was used deceptively by Jacob's sons as a means to weaken the men of Shechem for their own purposes. This act of circumcision, which was meant to be a sacred sign, was manipulated for vengeance, highlighting the tension between sacred practices and human motives. The event foreshadows the later biblical theme of the misuse of religious practices for personal gain, as seen in the New Testament when Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matthew 23:27-28). Persons / Places / Events 1. HamorThe father of Shechem, a Hivite prince. He plays a central role in negotiating with Jacob's family after his son defiles Dinah. 2. ShechemThe son of Hamor, who defiled Dinah, Jacob's daughter. His actions set off a chain of events leading to the circumcision of the city's males. 3. DinahThe daughter of Jacob and Leah, whose defilement by Shechem leads to the events in this chapter. 4. JacobThe patriarch of the Israelite family, whose daughter Dinah is defiled, prompting a response from his sons. 5. City GateA place of gathering and decision-making in ancient cities, where Hamor and Shechem persuade the men of the city to be circumcised. Teaching Points The Misuse of Sacred PracticesThe circumcision in Genesis 34 is used deceitfully by Jacob's sons. This teaches us to respect and uphold the sacredness of religious practices and not use them for personal gain or deceit. The Consequences of SinShechem's sin against Dinah leads to a series of tragic events. This reminds us that sin often has far-reaching consequences, affecting not just the sinner but the community. The Importance of IntegrityThe actions of Jacob's sons, though motivated by a desire for justice, lack integrity. We are called to act justly and with integrity, even when wronged. Community InfluenceThe men of the city follow Hamor and Shechem's lead without question. This highlights the importance of discernment and not blindly following leaders or popular opinion. The Role of LeadershipHamor and Shechem's leadership leads to the city's downfall. Godly leadership should guide people towards righteousness and truth. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Genesis 34:24?
2.How does Genesis 34:24 illustrate the consequences of deceitful agreements?
3.What role does obedience play in the actions of Genesis 34:24?
4.How can Genesis 34:24 inform our understanding of covenant integrity today?
5.What scriptural connections exist between Genesis 34:24 and other biblical teachings on deceit?
6.How can we apply the lessons from Genesis 34:24 in our daily lives?
7.Why did all the men of the city agree to circumcision in Genesis 34:24?
8.How does Genesis 34:24 reflect on the theme of deceit in the Bible?
9.What historical evidence supports the events described in Genesis 34:24?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 34?
11.What is Shechem's significance in the Bible?
12.Genesis 34:27-29 - How does the looting and enslavement of the city align with later biblical laws condemning such acts?
13.Genesis 34:22 - Could the use of circumcision as a deceptive tactic reflect an anachronistic or exaggerated element in the text?
14.Joshua 24:32 - What historical evidence, if any, validates the transport and burial of Joseph's remains at Shechem centuries after his death?What Does Genesis 34:24 Mean All the men who went out of the city gate“All the men who went out of the city gate…” • In the ancient Near East, the city gate functioned as the place of public assembly and legal decision (Deuteronomy 21:19;Ruth 4:1;Proverbs 31:23). By highlighting the gate, Moses records that the entire civic leadership—and thus the whole population—took part in the decision. •Genesis 34:20 notes that Hamor and Shechem “went to the gate of their city and spoke to the men,” underscoring that what follows is an official, communal act, not a private agreement. • The phrase underscores corporate responsibility. Just as later Israel would act corporately at covenant renewals (Joshua 8:33–35), so here the Hivite males unite under one resolution.
listened to Hamor and his son Shechem“…listened to Hamor and his son Shechem…” • The men heed their rulers’ persuasive appeal inGenesis 34:21-23, where the promise of intermarriage, trade, and shared wealth is dangled before them: “Will not their livestock, property, and all their animals become ours?” • Their compliance illustrates how easily people can be swayed by economic gain (1 Timothy 6:9-10) and by the words of influential leaders (Proverbs 14:15). • Like Amnon listening to Jonadab’s wicked counsel (2 Samuel 13:3-5), the Shechemites follow enticing rhetoric rather than moral discernment, ignoring the sin committed against Dinah and overlooking the covenant significance of circumcision.
and every male of the city was circumcised“…and every male of the city was circumcised.” • Circumcision was instituted by God with Abraham as an outward sign of covenant faith (Genesis 17:10-14). Yet here the surgery is stripped of spiritual meaning and used as a tool for deception. • The physical act without heart commitment illustrates the danger of empty ritual (Romans 2:28-29). It foreshadows Paul’s warning that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). • This mass circumcision sets up the men’s vulnerability on the third day (Genesis 34:25), when Simeon and Levi strike. Their pain exposes the folly of trusting in outward forms divorced from obedience to God.
summaryGenesis 34:24 records a unanimous civic decision: the Shechemite males gather at the gate, heed their leaders’ promises, and submit to circumcision. The verse illustrates the power of communal authority, the lure of self-interest, and the emptiness of religious rites performed without covenant faith. What appears to be a step toward unity becomes, in the very next verses, the occasion for judgment, reminding us that true covenant signs must always flow from genuine allegiance to the God who instituted them. Verse 24. - And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city. The ready acquiescence of the Shechemites to the proposal of Jacob's sons has not unreasonably been regarded as a proof that they were already acquainted with circumcision as a social, if not religious, rite (Kurtz, Keil, etc.). And every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. Knobel notes it as remarkable that the Hivites were not circumcised, since, according to Herodotus, the rite was observed among the Phenicians, and probably also the Canaanites, who were of the same extraction, and thinks that either the rite was not universally observed in any of these ancient nations where it was known, or that the Hivites were originally a different race from the Canaanites, and had not conformed to the customs of the land (vide Lange in loco). Murphy thinks the present instance may point out one way in which the custom spread from tribe to tribe.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew All the menכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everywho went outיֹצְאֵ֖י(yō·ṣə·’ê)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3318:To go, bring, out, direct and proximof the cityעִיר֑וֹ(‘î·rōw)Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892:Excitementgateשַׁ֣עַר(ša·‘ar)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8179:An opening, door, gatelistenedוַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ(way·yiš·mə·‘ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligentlytoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, toHamorחֲמוֹר֙(ḥă·mō·wr)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2544:Hamor -- father of Shechemand his sonבְּנ֔וֹ(bə·nōw)Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121:A sonShechem,שְׁכֶ֣ם(šə·ḵem)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7927:Shechem -- 'ridge', a district in Northern Palestine, also a son of Hamorand everyכָּל־(kāl-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605:The whole, all, any, everymaleזָכָ֔ר(zā·ḵār)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2145:Remembered, a maleof the cityעִירֽוֹ׃(‘î·rōw)Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5892:Excitementwas circumcised.וַיִּמֹּ֙לוּ֙(way·yim·mō·lū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4135:To cut short, curtail, to blunt, to destroy
Links Genesis 34:24 NIVGenesis 34:24 NLTGenesis 34:24 ESVGenesis 34:24 NASBGenesis 34:24 KJV
Genesis 34:24 BibleApps.comGenesis 34:24 Biblia ParalelaGenesis 34:24 Chinese BibleGenesis 34:24 French BibleGenesis 34:24 Catholic Bible
OT Law: Genesis 34:24 All who went out of the gate (Gen. Ge Gn) |
