Tag: Hamor

Israel’s Plunder

Posted on by jovial_cynic

וְאִתָּ֖נוּ תֵּשֵׁ֑בוּ וְהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם שְׁבוּ֙ וּסְחָר֔וּהָ וְהֵֽאָחֲז֖וּ בָּֽהּ׃
You will dwell among us, and the land will be open before you; settle, move about, and acquire holdings in it.”
Genesis 34:10 (Revised JPS, 2023)

I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Exodus 3:21-22 (NASB 1995)

There’s a fascinating and seemingly prophetic statement that Hamor says to Jacob and his sons after Dinah is violated. Jacob already knows that God has promised the land to him. But here, Hamor says “the land will be open before you to settle and move about and acquire possession.” This sounds like a plunder.

Jump to Exodus, after Egypt has violated Israel, and God tells Moses directly: you will plunder the Egyptians.

It’s an interesting parallel.

Wicked Hamor and Shechem

Posted on by jovial_cynic

וְהִֽתְחַתְּנ֖וּ אֹתָ֑נוּ בְּנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ תִּתְּנוּ־לָ֔נוּ וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ תִּקְח֥וּ לָכֶֽם׃
Intermarry with us: give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves.
Genesis 34:9 (Revised JPS, 2023)

הָאֲנָשִׁ֨ים הָאֵ֜לֶּה שְֽׁלֵמִ֧ים הֵ֣ם אִתָּ֗נוּ וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ אֹתָ֔הּ וְהָאָ֛רֶץ הִנֵּ֥ה רַֽחֲבַת־יָדַ֖יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת־בְּנֹתָם֙ נִקַּֽח־לָ֣נוּ לְנָשִׁ֔ים וְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ נִתֵּ֥ן לָהֶֽם׃
“These people are our friends; let them settle in the land and move about in it, for the land is large enough for them; we will take their daughters to ourselves as wives and give our daughters to them.
Genesis 34:21 (Revised JPS, 2023)

The tonal shift is intriguing. We should assume that Hamor and Shechem are more honest in their intentions with their own people than with the Jacob and his sons.

To the sons of Israel: Give your daughters, and take our daughters.

To their own people: We will take their daughters, and give our daughters.

Can you hear it? It sounds like an equal exchange in v9, but in v21, it becomes clear: Hamor and Shechem are bad men who have no regard for the vulnerable, even among their own people.