Bible Strands
Genesis 34:23
Will not their livestock, their possessions, and all their animals become ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will dwell among us.”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Shechem and his father Hamor address the men of their city, proposing a conditional agreement to seize the wealth of Jacob’s family after the males undergo circumcision.
The words — The text records נֵא֣וֹתָה (ne’otah), “let us agree,” paired with אַ֚ךְ ('akh), “only,” to frame a conditional consent that precedes the acquisition of מִקְנֵ/הֶ֤ם (miknehem) and וְ/קִנְיָנָ/ם֙ (kinyanam), their livestock and possessions.
The thread — This strategy of using conditional agreement to seize wealth parallels the predatory counsel in Proverbs 1:12 and directly illustrates the greedy pursuit warned against in Proverbs 23:4 and Proverbs 28:20.
Why it lands — The verse requires readers to distinguish between genuine covenantal consent and manipulative terms designed to transfer another’s property, demanding careful scrutiny of proposed agreements.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 1:12 let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit.
- Proverbs 23:4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
- Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
- John 2:16 To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!”
- John 6:26 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it is not because you saw these signs that you are looking for Me, but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
- Acts 19:24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
- 1 Timothy 6:6 Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain.