Genesis 34 · Verse 14

Genesis 34:14

And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
Genesis 34:14, King James Version

Genesis 34:14 in other translations

BSB“We cannot do such a thing,” they said. “To give our sister to an uncircumcised man would be a disgrace to us.
WEBand said to them, “We can’t do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised; for that is a reproach to us.
ASVand said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us.
YLTand say unto them, ‘We are not able to do this thing, to give our sister to one who hath a foreskin: for it is a reproach to us.
DARBYand said to them, We cannot do this, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach to us.
BBEAnd they said, It is not possible for us to give our sister to one who is without circumcision, for that would be a cause of shame to us:
WebsterAnd they said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised: for that would be a reproach to us:

What does Genesis 34:14 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 That were a reproach unto us - Because the uncircumcised were not in the covenant of God; and to have given an heiress of the promise to one who had no kind of right to its spiritual blessings, from whom might spring children who would naturally walk in the way of their father would have been absurd, reproachful and wicked. Thus far they were perfectly right; but to make this holy principle a cloak for their deceitful and murderous purposes, was the full sum of all wickedness

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 34:1-19

Young persons, especially females, are never so safe and well off as under the care of pious parents. Their own ignorance, and the flattery and artifices of designing, wicked people, who are ever laying snares for them, expose them to great danger. They are their own enemies if they desire to go abroad, especially alone, among strangers to true religion. Those parents are very wrong who do not hinder their children…

Read the full comment on Genesis 34:1-19 →

Genesis 34:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.Ruand they saidH559
אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם'a.lei.Hemto themH413
לֹ֤אlo'notH3808
נוּכַל֙nu.Khalwe are ableH3201
לַעֲשׂוֹת֙la.'a.soTto doH6213
הַדָּבָ֣רha.da.Varthe thingH1697
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
לָתֵת֙la.Tetto giveH5414
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲחֹתֵ֔נוּ'a.cho.Te.nusister ourH269
לְאִ֖ישׁle.'Ishto a manH376
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whomH834
ל֣וֹlo[belongs] to <the> him
עָרְלָ֑ה'a.re.Laha foreskinH6190
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
חֶרְפָּ֥הcher.Pah[is] a reproachH2781
הִ֖ואhi'itH1931
לָֽנוּ\׃La.nuto <the> us

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 34:14

  • 1 Samuel 17:36

    Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

  • 2 Samuel 1:20

    Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

  • Joshua 5:2-9

    At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. …

  • Matthew 2:8

    And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

  • 2 Samuel 15:7

    And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron.

  • 1 Samuel 17:26

    And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

  • 1 Samuel 14:6

    And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.

  • 1 Kings 21:9

    And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

  • Matthew 2:13

    And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

  • Romans 4:11

    And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

  • Genesis 17:14

    And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

  • Matthew 23:1-39

    Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
uncircumcised.
17:11; Jos 5:2-9; 1Sa 14:6; 17:26,36; 2Sa 1:20; 15:7; 1Ki 21:9
Mt 2:8,13; 23:1-39; Ro 4:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 34:13

    And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:

  • Genesis 34:14

    And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:

  • Genesis 34:15

    But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;

Read all of Genesis 34

Genesis 34:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y dijéronles: No podemos hacer esto de dar nuestra hermana á hombre que tiene prepucio; porque entre nosotros es abominación.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et ils leur dirent: Nous ne pouvons point faire cela, de donner notre sœur à un homme incirconcis, car ce serait un opprobre pour nous;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und sie sprachen zu ihnen: Wir können dies nicht tun, unsere Schwester einem unbeschnittenen Manne zu geben, denn das wäre eine Schande für uns.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Non possumus facere quod petitis, nec dare sororem nostram homini incircumciso: quod illicitum et nefarium est apud nos.