The Meaning of Genesis 33:19 Explained

Genesis 33:19

KJV: And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

YLT: and he buyeth the portion of the field where he hath stretched out his tent, from the hand of the sons of Hamor, father of Shechem, for a hundred kesitah;

Darby: And he bought the portion of the field where he had spread his tent, of the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred kesitahs.

ASV: And he bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he bought  a parcel  of a field,  where he had spread  his tent,  at the hand  of the children  of Hamor,  Shechem's  father,  for an hundred  pieces of money. 

What does Genesis 33:19 Mean?

Study Notes

Shechem's
Called "Sychem," Acts 7:16 .

Context Summary

Genesis 33:18-20 - Jacob With The Shechemites
Jacob was tempted by the fat pastures of Shechem, without thought or care of the character of its people, and he lived to bitterly rue his choice. How many religious parents have made the same mistake! They first encamp near the world, pitching their tent doors in that direction; then they buy a parcel of land, and finally their children contract alliances that end in shame and disaster. He who came of a pilgrim race, and to whom the whole land had been given by promise, bought real estate right against Shechem, one of the worst cities in the country. Like Lot, Jacob bid high for wealth and worldly advancement, risked the highest for the lowest, and was saved as by fire. Poor Dinah! Yet she was more sinned against than sinning. Jacob had put her in jeopardy by his selfish policy; and Leah was not blameless, for she had let her go unwarned and unaccompanied into the middle of that furnace of trial. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 33

1  Jacob and Esau's meeting; and Esau's departure
17  Jacob comes to Succoth
18  At Shechem he buys a field, and builds an altar, called El Elohe Israel

What do the individual words in Genesis 33:19 mean?

And he bought - the parcel of land where he had pitched - his tent from the sons of Hamor father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of silver
וַיִּ֜קֶן אֶת־ חֶלְקַ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָֽטָה־ שָׁם֙ אָהֳל֔וֹ מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־ חֲמ֖וֹר אֲבִ֣י שְׁכֶ֑ם בְּמֵאָ֖ה קְשִׂיטָֽה

וַיִּ֜קֶן  And  he  bought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֶלְקַ֣ת  the  parcel 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶלְקָה 
Sense: portion, parcel.
הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה  of  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  where 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נָֽטָה־  he  had  pitched 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
שָׁם֙  - 
Parse: Adverb
Root: שָׁם  
Sense: there, thither.
אָהֳל֔וֹ  his  tent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
בְּנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חֲמ֖וֹר  of  Hamor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור  
Sense: the Hivite prince of the city of Shechem when Jacob entered Palestine.
אֲבִ֣י  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
שְׁכֶ֑ם  of  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.
בְּמֵאָ֖ה  for  a  hundred 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, feminine singular
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
קְשִׂיטָֽה  pieces  of  silver 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְשִׂיטָה  
Sense: a unit of unknown value.