The Meaning of Genesis 34:27 Explained

Genesis 34:27

KJV: The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.

YLT: Jacob's sons have come in upon the wounded, and they spoil the city, because they had defiled their sister;

Darby: The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister.

ASV: The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because they had defiled their sister.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The sons  of Jacob  came  upon the slain,  and spoiled  the city,  because they had defiled  their sister. 

What does Genesis 34:27 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 34:27 mean?

The sons of Jacob came upon the slain and they plundered the city because had been defiled their sister
בְּנֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֗ב בָּ֚אוּ עַל־ הַ֣חֲלָלִ֔ים וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ הָעִ֑יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר טִמְּא֖וּ אֲחוֹתָֽם

בְּנֵ֣י  The  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יַעֲקֹ֗ב  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.
בָּ֚אוּ  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common 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.
הַ֣חֲלָלִ֔ים  the  slain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָלָל 
Sense: slain, fatally wounded, pierced.
וַיָּבֹ֖זּוּ  and  they  plundered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.
הָעִ֑יר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  because 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
טִמְּא֖וּ  had  been  defiled 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: טָמֵא 
Sense: to be unclean, become unclean, become impure.
אֲחוֹתָֽם  their  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.