But if you will not heed us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But if you will not listen to us, to be circumcised, then we will take our sister, and we will be gone.”
- KJV But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
- BSB But if you will not agree to be circumcised, then we will take our sister and go.”
- NASB But if you do not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.”
- NLT But if you don’t agree to be circumcised, we will take her and be on our way.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The brothers warn that without circumcision, they will simply take Dinah and depart.
Overview
This ultimatum pressures the Shechemites to agree, framing refusal as the loss of both alliance and bride. It completes the deceptive bargain that appears reasonable but conceals a deadly plan. The brothers' calculated speech reveals how thoroughly their just grievance has curdled into treachery.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 34:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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