Genesis 34 · Verse 17

Genesis 34:17

But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
Genesis 34:17, King James Version

Genesis 34:17 in other translations

BSBBut if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”
WEBBut if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our sister, and we will be gone.”
ASVBut if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
YLTand if ye hearken not unto us to be circumcised, then we have taken our daughter, and have gone.'
DARBYBut if ye do not hearken to us, to be circumcised, then will we take our daughter and go away.
BBEBut if you will not undergo circumcision as we say, then we will take our daughter and go.
WebsterBut if ye will not hearken to us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

What does Genesis 34:17 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 Then will we take our daughter, and we will he gone - It is natural to suppose that the tribe of Hamor was very inconsiderable, else they would not have sought an alliance with the family of Jacob, and have come so readily into a painful, disgraceful measure, without having either the sanction of Divine authority or reason; for it does not appear that the sons of Jacob urged either. And they are threatened here that if they do not agree to be circumcised, Dinah shall be taken from them, and restored to her family; and this is probably what the Shechemites saw they had not power at present to prevent.

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 34:17 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.

וְאִם\־ve.'im-and ifH518
לֹ֧אlo'notH3808
תִשְׁמְע֛וּtish.me.'Uyou will listenH8085
אֵלֵ֖ינוּ'e.Lei.nuto usH413
לְהִמּ֑וֹלle.hi.Molby being circumcisedH4135
וְלָקַ֥חְנוּve.la.Kach.nuand we will takeH3947
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בִּתֵּ֖נוּbi.Te.nudaughter ourH1323
וְהָלָֽכְנוּ\׃ve.ha.La.khe.nuand we will goH1980

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

Context

  • Genesis 34:16

    Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.

  • Genesis 34:17

    But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

  • Genesis 34:18

    And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.

Read all of Genesis 34

Genesis 34:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas si no nos prestareis oído para circuncidaros, tomaremos nuestra hija, y nos iremos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais si vous ne nous écoutez pas, pour être circoncis, nous prendrons notre fille, et nous nous en irons.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn ihr aber nicht auf uns höret, euch beschneiden zu lassen, so nehmen wir unsere Tochter und ziehen weg.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si autem circumcidi nolueritis, tollemus filiam nostram, et recedemus.