The Meaning of Genesis 34:20 Explained

Genesis 34:20

KJV: And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

YLT: And Hamor cometh -- Shechem his son also -- unto the gate of their city, and they speak unto the men of their city, saying,

Darby: And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke to the men of their city, saying,

ASV: And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Hamor  and Shechem  his son  came  unto the gate  of their city,  and communed  with the men  of their city,  saying, 

What does Genesis 34:20 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 34:20 mean?

And came Hamor and Shechem his son to the gate of their city and spoke with the men of their city saying
וַיָּבֹ֥א חֲמ֛וֹר וּשְׁכֶ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ אֶל־ שַׁ֣עַר עִירָ֑ם וַֽיְדַבְּר֛וּ אֶל־ אַנְשֵׁ֥י עִירָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר

וַיָּבֹ֥א  And  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
חֲמ֛וֹר  Hamor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור  
Sense: the Hivite prince of the city of Shechem when Jacob entered Palestine.
וּשְׁכֶ֥ם  and  Shechem 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם 
Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
בְּנ֖וֹ  his  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שַׁ֣עַר  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
עִירָ֑ם  of  their  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וַֽיְדַבְּר֛וּ  and  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אַנְשֵׁ֥י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
עִירָ֖ם  of  their  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לֵאמֹֽר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.