The Meaning of Genesis 34:25 Explained

Genesis 34:25

KJV: And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, on the third day, in their being pained, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, take each his sword, and come in against the city confidently, and slay every male;

Darby: And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

ASV: And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass on the third  day,  when they were sore,  that two  of the sons  of Jacob,  Simeon  and Levi,  Dinah's  brethren,  took  each man  his sword,  and came  upon the city  boldly,  and slew  all the males. 

What does Genesis 34:25 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 34:25 mean?

And it came to pass on the day third when they were in pain that took two of the sons of Jacob Simeon and Levi brothers of Dinah each his sword and came upon the city boldly and killed all the males
וַיְהִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים וַיִּקְח֣וּ שְׁנֵֽי־ בְנֵי־ יַ֠עֲקֹב שִׁמְע֨וֹן וְלֵוִ֜י אֲחֵ֤י דִינָה֙ אִ֣ישׁ חַרְבּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַל־ הָעִ֖יר בֶּ֑טַח וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ כָּל־ זָכָֽר

וַיְהִי֩  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַיּ֨וֹם  on  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י  third 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם  when  they  were 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כֹּֽאֲבִ֗ים  in  pain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: כָּאַב  
Sense: to be in pain, be sore, have pain, be sorrowful.
וַיִּקְח֣וּ  that  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
שְׁנֵֽי־  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
בְנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יַ֠עֲקֹב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
שִׁמְע֨וֹן  Simeon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְעֹון  
Sense: the 2nd son of Jacob by his wife Leah and progenitor of the tribe of Simeon.
וְלֵוִ֜י  and  Levi 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי 
Sense: the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites.
אֲחֵ֤י  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
דִינָה֙  of  Dinah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: דִּינָה  
Sense: daughter of Jacob by Leah, full sister of Simeon and Levi.
אִ֣ישׁ  each 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
חַרְבּ֔וֹ  his  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ  and  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הָעִ֖יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
בֶּ֑טַח  boldly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּטַח  
Sense: security, safety adv.
וַיַּֽהַרְג֖וּ  and  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
זָכָֽר  the  males 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.