Genèse 34:21

21 Ces gens-ci sont paisibles à notre égard; qu'ils habitent au pays, et qu'ils y trafiquent. Et voici, le pays est assez étendu pour eux; nous prendrons leurs filles pour femmes, et nous leur donnerons nos filles.

Genèse 34:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 34:21

These men [are] peaceable with us
Meaning Jacob and his sons, pointing to their tents which were near their city; and no doubt more was said than is here expressed, and that these words were introduced with a preface, in which notice was taken of Jacob and his family, and their names mentioned, as here their character is given; that they were men of peaceable dispositions, harmless and inoffensive, as appeared they had been ever since they came into these parts; and there was a great deal of reason to believe they still would be, and which was an argument in their favour, to admit them to a residence among them: therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein;
give them leave to dwell where they please, and carry on what trade and traffic in the land they think fit; since they are not likely to be quarrelsome and troublesome, but will deal honestly and honourably, and pay duly for what they agree for or merchandise in: for the land, behold, [it is] large enough for them;
there is room enough for them to dwell in, and pasturage enough for their cattle, and land enough to manure and till, without in the least incommoding the inhabitants: yea, it is likely to be to their advantage, since they would pay for what they should purchase or hire, and would improve the land which lay uncultivated: let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our
daughters;
this was the thing principally aimed at; and the rest, both what goes before, and what follows after, were in order to this.

Genèse 34:21 In-Context

19 Et le jeune homme ne différa point de faire la chose; car la fille de Jacob lui plaisait. Or il était le plus considéré de toute la maison de son père.

20 Hémor et Sichem, son fils, vinrent donc à la porte de leur ville, et parlèrent aux gens de leur ville, en disant:

21 Ces gens-ci sont paisibles à notre égard; qu'ils habitent au pays, et qu'ils y trafiquent. Et voici, le pays est assez étendu pour eux; nous prendrons leurs filles pour femmes, et nous leur donnerons nos filles.

22 Mais ils ne consentiront à habiter avec nous, pour n'être qu'un seul peuple, que si tout mâle parmi nous est circoncis, comme ils sont eux-mêmes circoncis.

23 Leur bétail, et leurs biens, et toutes leurs bêtes, ne seront-ils pas à nous? Accordons-leur seulement cela, et qu'ils demeurent avec nous.