Genesis 34 · Verse 21

Genesis 34:21

These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
Genesis 34:21, King James Version

Genesis 34:21 in other translations

BSB“These men are at peace with us. Let them live and trade in our land; indeed, it is large enough for them. Let us take their daughters in marriage and give our daughters to them.
WEB“These men are peaceful with us. Therefore let them live in the land and trade in it. For behold, the land is large enough for them. Let’s take their daughters to us for wives, and let’s give them our daughters.
ASVThese men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for, behold, the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
YLT‘These men are peaceable with us; then let them dwell in the land, and trade in it; and the land, lo, is wide before them; their daughters let us take to ourselves for wives, and our daughters give to them.
DARBYThese men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade in it. And the land — behold, it is of wide extent before them. We will take their daughters as wives, and give them our daughters.
BBEIt is the desire of these men to be at peace with us; let them then go on living in this country and doing trade here, for the country is wide open before them; let us take their daughters as wives and let us give them our daughters.
WebsterThese men are peaceable with us, therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein: for the land, behold, it is large enough for them: let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.

What does Genesis 34:21 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 34:20-31

The Shechemites submitted to the sacred rite, only to serve a turn, to please their prince, and to enrich themselves, and it was just with God to bring punishment upon them. As nothing secures us better than true religion, so nothing exposes us more than religion only pretended to. But Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth…

Read the full comment on Genesis 34:20-31 →

Genesis 34:21 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.

הָאֲנָשִׁ֨יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
הָאֵ֜לֶּהha.'E.leh<the> theseH428
שְֽׁלֵמִ֧יםshe.le.Mim[are] at peaceH8003
הֵ֣םhemtheyH1992
אִתָּ֗נוּ'i.Ta.nuwith usH854
וְיֵשְׁב֤וּve.ye.she.Vuand let them dwellH3427
בָאָ֙רֶץ֙va.'A.retzin the landH776
וְיִסְחֲר֣וּve.yis.cha.Ruand let them go about inH5503
אֹתָ֔הּ'o.Tah<obj.> itH853
וְהָאָ֛רֶץve.ha.'A.retzand the landH776
הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehthere!H2009
רַֽחֲבַת\־ra.cha.vat-[is] broad ofH7342
יָדַ֖יִםya.Da.yimboth handsH3027
לִפְנֵיהֶ֑םlif.nei.Hem<to> before themH6440
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
בְּנֹתָם֙be.no.Tamdaughters theirH1323
נִקַּֽח\־ni.kach-we will takeH3947
לָ֣נוּLa.nufor <the> ourselves
לְנָשִׁ֔יםle.na.Shimto wivesH802
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּbe.no.Tei.nudaughters ourH1323
נִתֵּ֥ןni.Tenwe will giveH5414
לָהֶֽם\׃la.Hemto <the> them

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

Context

  • Genesis 34:20

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

  • Genesis 34:21

    These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.

  • Genesis 34:22

    Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.

Read all of Genesis 34

Genesis 34:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Estos varones son pacíficos con nosotros, y habitarán en el país, y traficarán en él: pues he aquí la tierra es bastante ancha para ellos: nosotros tomaremos sus hijas por mujeres, y les daremos las nuestras.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ces hommes sont paisibles à notre égard; qu’ils habitent dans le pays, et y trafiquent: et voici, le pays est vaste devant eux; nous prendrons leurs filles pour femmes, et nous leur donnerons nos filles;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Diese Männer sind friedlich gegen uns, so mögen sie im Lande wohnen und darin verkehren; und das Land, siehe, weit nach beiden Seiten ist es vor ihnen. Wir wollen uns ihre Töchter zu Weibern nehmen und unsere Töchter ihnen geben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Viri isti pacifici sunt, et volunt habitare nobiscum: negotientur in terra, et exerceant eam, quæ spatiosa et lata cultoribus indiget: filias eorum accipiemus uxores, et nostras illis dabimus.