Genesis 34:20

Hamor and his son Shekem, they went to the town gate, and they had a meeting with the other men that lived in that town. Hamor and Shekem said to those men,

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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

In Context

19Shekem really loved Dinah, and he really wanted to marry her soon, so he went quickly to do those things. Shekem was the most important person in his father’s family.

21“You know, that man Jacob and his sons, they are friendly to us. So let them live here in our land, and let them buy things and sell things here. Our land is big, and there is plenty of room for them. Our men can marry their women, and their men can marry our women.

Read all of Genesis 34

Cross References

Genesis 22:17So I will do really good things for you. And I will give you a really big family. You see, lots of people will be born into your son’s family later on, and they will become a really big mob of people. There will be lots and lots of them, just like there are lots of stars in the sky, and lots of little bits of sand at the beaches beside the sea. And when other nations get up to fight against them, your family will win, and they will take the towns from those other nations.

2 Samuel 15:2And he used to get up early to go and stand at the town gate. People used to walk through that gate into Jerusalem whenever they went to see the big boss. You see, they used to go and ask David to help them sort out their problems. Absalom used to call out to them, “Hey, where are you from?” That person used to tell him the name of his tribe.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:19-25

18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son. 19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, 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,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 34:20