Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)In due course Yacob’s sonscamehome from the fields. When they heardwhat had happened, then they were very angry and upset, because Shekem had done something disgraceful to Yisra’el by taking advantage of Yacob’s daughter. Something like that should never have happened.
Key: khaki:verbs, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXΟἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ ἦλθον ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου· ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν, κατενύγησαν οἱ ἄνδρες, καὶ λυπηρὸν ἦν αὐτοῖς σφόδρα· ὅτι ἄσχημον ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ, κοιμηθεὶς μετὰ τῆς θυγατρὸς Ἰακώβ· καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται. (Hoi de huioi Yakōb aʸlthon ek tou pediou; hōs de aʸkousan, katenugaʸsan hoi andres, kai lupaʸron aʸn autois sfodra; hoti asⱪaʸmon epoiaʸsen en Israaʸl, koimaʸtheis meta taʸs thugatros Yakōb; kai ouⱪ houtōs estai. )
BrTrAnd the sons of Jacob came from the plain; and when they heard, the men were deeply pained, and it was very grievous to them, because the man wrought folly in Israel, having lain with the daughter of Jacob, and so it [fn]must not be.
ULTThen the sons of Jacob came from the fields. When they heard, then the men were grieved and it burned within them greatly, because he had done something disgraceful to Israel by lying with the daughter of Jacob, and such a thing should not have been done!
USTSoon Jacob’s sons returned home from the fields. When they heard what had happened, they were shocked and extremely angry that Shechem had dishonored the people of Israel by raping Jacob’s daughter. No one should ever do such a horrible thing!
BSBWhen Jacob’s sons heard what had happened, they returned from the field. They were filled with grief and fury, because Shechem had committed an outrage in Israel [fn] by lying with Jacob’s daughter—a thing that should not be done.
OEBThe sons of Jacob came in from the field, and when they heard the news, the men were indignant and became very angry, because Shechem had committed a shameful crime in raping Jacob’s daughter: such a thing ought never to be done.
WEBBEThe sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. The men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter, a thing that ought not to be done.
NETNow Jacob’s sons had come in from the field when they heard the news. They were offended and very angry because Shechem had disgraced Israel by sexually assaulting Jacob’s daughter, a crime that should not be committed.
LSVand the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard, and the men grieve themselves, and it [is] very displeasing to them, for folly he has done against Israel, to lie with the daughter of Jacob—and so it is not done.
FBVWhen Jacob's sons returned from the fields they were very upset when they heard the news and became extremely angry because Shechem had done something outrageous in Israel by having sex with Jacob's daughter—something that should never be done.
T4TWhile they were still talking, Jacob’s sons came in from the field. When they found out what had happened, they were shocked and very angry. They said, “Shechem has done something that is very disgraceful among us Israeli people, something that never should be done!”
LEBAnd the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it. And the men were distressed and very angry because he had done a disgraceful thing in Israel by having sexual relations with the daughter of Jacob—something that[fn] should not be done.
BBENow the sons of Jacob came in from the fields when they had news of it, and they were wounded and very angry because of the shame he had done in Israel by having connection with Jacob's daughter; and they said, Such a thing is not to be done.
JPSAnd the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it; and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
ASVAnd the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
DRABehold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob’s daughter,
YLTand the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard, and the men grieve themselves, and it [is] very displeasing to them, for folly he hath done against Israel, to lie with the daughter of Jacob — and so it is not done.
DrbyAnd the sons of Jacob came from the fields when they heard [it]; and the men were grieved, and they were very angry, because he had wrought what was disgraceful in Israel, in lying with Jacob's daughter, which thing ought not to be done.
RVAnd the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
WbstrAnd the sons of Jacob came from the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel, in lying with Jacob's daughter; which thing ought not to be done.
KJB-1769And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done. (And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought/done folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done. )
KJB-1611And the sonnes of Iacob came out of the field when they heard it, and the men were grieued: and they were very wroth, because hee had wrought folly in Israel, in lying with Iacobs daughter; which thing ought not to be done. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)
BshpsAnd when the sonnes of Iacob (comming out of the fielde) hearde it, it greeued them, and they were not a little wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel, in that he had lien with Iacobs daughter, which thing ought not to be done. (And when the sons of Yacob (comming out of the field) heard it, it greeued them, and they were not a little wroth, because he had wrought/done folly in Israel, in that he had lien with Yacobs daughter, which thing ought not to be done.)
GnvaAnd whe the sonnes of Iaakob were come out of the fielde and heard it, it grieued the men, and they were very angry, because he had wrought villenie in Israel, in that he had lyen with Iaakobs daughter: which thing ought not to be done. (And when the sons of Yacob were come out of the field and heard it, it grieved the men, and they were very angry, because he had wrought/done villenie in Israel, in that he had lyen with Yacobs daughter: which thing ought not to be done. )
CvdlIn the meane season came Iacobs sonnes from ye felde. And whan they herde it, it greued the men, and they were very wroth, that he had wrought foly in Israel, and lyen with Iacobs doughter: for so was not the vse to do. (In the mean season came Yacobs sons from ye/you_all field. And when they heard it, it greued the men, and they were very wroth, that he had wrought/done foly in Israel, and lyen with Yacobs daughter: for so was not the use to do.)
Wyclhise sones camen fro the feeld. And whanne this thing that bifelde was herd, thei weren wroothe greetli; for he wrouyte a foul thing in Israel, and he hadde do a thing vnleueful in the defoulyng of the douyter of Jacob. (hise sons came from the field. And when this thing that bifelde was heard, they were wroothe greatly; for he wrought/donee a foul thing in Israel, and he had do a thing unleueful in the defoulyng of the daughter of Yacob.)
LuthIndes kamen die Söhne Jakobs vom Felde. Und da sie es höreten, verdroß es die Männer und wurden sehr zornig, daß er eine Narrheit an Israel begangen und Jakobs Tochter beschlafen hatte; denn so sollte es nicht sein. (Indes came the sons Yakobs from_the Felde. And there they/she/them it heard, verdroß it the men and became very zornig, that he one Narrheit at Israel begangen and Yakobs daughter beschlafen had; because so sollte it not sein.)
ClVgecce filii ejus veniebant de agro: auditoque quod acciderat, irati sunt valde, eo quod fœdam rem operatus esset in Israël et, violata filia Jacob, rem illicitam perpetrasset. (ecce children his veniebant about agro: auditoque that acciderat, irati are valde, eo that fœdam rem operatus was in Israel et, violata daughter Yacob, rem illicitam perpetrasset. )
34:1-31 Once Jacob and his family settled in the land, the Canaanite presence became a threat. This account is a stern warning to the Israelites about the possibility of their being defiled by the Canaanites. The nation of Israel was later commanded not to intermarry or make treaties with them, for they were a corrupt and corrupting people. This chapter implicitly warns against becoming familiar with the way they lived (34:1-2). It also taught Israel that in dealing with the Canaanites, they were to keep their integrity and not use the holy things of the covenant for deception and slaughter (34:13); Israel’s reputation was at stake in the land (34:30). For their ruthless violence, Simeon and Levi were passed over in the birthright blessing (49:5-7).
Many translations put “when they heard” with the previous sentence. However, unless someone else told Jacob’s sons the news of what happened, that interpretation contradicts verse 5, which says that Jacob kept quiet about it until his sons got home. Alternate translation: “When they heard that Shechem had raped their sister,”
וַיִּֽתְעַצְּבוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים
and,indignant the,men
See how you translated grieved in Gen 6:6. It may be necessary to translate this term in different ways, depending on the context. Alternate translation: “they were very shocked”
Notice in this verse that the Hebrew text has both of Jacob’s names, Jacob and “Israel,” to emphasize that Shechem had sinned against Jacob and all of his descendants (the people of Israel). You could put that information in a footnote. Make sure that your translation of Israel does not refer here to a place, since Israel was not yet a country or a territory. Alternate translation: “that Shechem had disgraced the family of Israel”
וְכֵ֖ן לֹ֥א יֵעָשֶֽׂה
and=thus/so/as_follows not done
Alternate translation: “Such a wicked thing should never be done by anyone!” or “No one should ever do such a wicked crime!”
Though the patriarch Isaac moved from place to place several times within southern Canaan, compared to his father Abraham and his son Jacob, Isaac appears to have been a bit of a homebody. In fact, unless Isaac resettled in places not recorded in Scripture, the farthest extent he ever traveled appears to have been only about 90 miles (113 km). Yet, as the child of God’s promise to Abraham to build a great nation from his descendants, Isaac’s relatively simple life served as a critical bridge from Abraham to the beginnings of the twelve tribes of Israel, who were descended from Isaac’s son Jacob. It is likely that Isaac was born at Beersheba (see Genesis 21:1-24), and later Abraham offered him as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah (located at Jerusalem; see 2 Chronicles 3:1). Then Abraham, Isaac, and those with them returned to Beersheba (Genesis 22:1-19). When Isaac reached adulthood, his father sent a servant to bring back a bride for him from Aram-naharaim, far north of Canaan. When his bride, Rebekah, arrived, Isaac had just come from Beer-lahai-roi and settled in the Negev (Genesis 24:62). Later Isaac resettled with Rebekah in Beer-lahai-roi, and this may have been where their twins son Esau and Jacob were born. A famine forced Isaac to go to Gerar (Genesis 26:1-6) in “the land of the Philistines.” The distinct people group known as the Philistines in later books of the Bible did not arrive until the time of the Judges, so the term here must have referred to another people group living in this region, and this is supported by the fact that King Abimelech’s name is Semitic, not Aegean (the likely origin of the later Philistines). While Isaac was there, he repeated his father’s error (Genesis 20) by lying to the king that his wife was only his sister. Isaac also became increasingly prosperous at Gerar, so the Philistines told him to leave their region. Isaac moved away from the town of Gerar and settled further away in the valley of Gerar. There he dug a well, but the Philistines claimed it for themselves, so he called it Esek, meaning “argument.” So Isaac’s men dug another well and called it Sitnah (meaning “hostility”), but it led to more quarreling, so he dug yet another well and called it Rehoboth (meaning “open space”). The locations of these two later wells are not certain, but they may have been located near Ruheibeh as shown on this map. Then Isaac moved to Beersheba and built an altar. He also dug a well there, and King Abimelech of the Philistines came and exchanged oaths of peace with him. It was likely at Beersheba that Isaac blessed his sons Esau and Jacob, and both sons eventually left Canaan (see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). When Jacob later returned, he traveled to Mamre near Hebron and reunited with Isaac. Sometime after this Isaac died, and Jacob and Esau buried him there.
Jacob Travels to Southern Canaan
Genesis 32-36
As with many of the stories of the Bible, the events of Jacob’s life are often misunderstood by readers as disjointed pericopes arranged primarily for theological and cultural purposes. Because of this, readers often fail to see that these stories follow a clear geographical progression of the patriarch throughout the land of Canaan. This realistic and coherent geographical framework behind the stories gives strong support to the belief that these stories are authentic, historical accounts of the experiences of Jacob and his ancestors. The overall framework for virtually all of Jacob’s stories is very simple: Jacob is born and raised in southern Canaan but comes into conflict with his twin brother Esau, so he flees to Paddan-aram in Mesopotamia (Genesis 25-28; see “Jacob Goes to Paddan-Aram” map). There he builds a large family and great wealth (Genesis 29-30) and eventually returns to southern Canaan, likely retracing the exact steps he followed when he fled (Genesis 31-35; see also “Jacob Returns to Canaan” map). During this time, Esau moves to the hill country of Seir, likely just south of southern Canaan (“Edom and the Land of Seir” map), and establishes his own family there, giving rise to the nation of Edom (Genesis 36). Though the primary intent of Jacob’s return was no doubt to resettle in Canaan, comments made during his reunion with Esau near Peniel may reveal that he also intended to travel even further to Seir to visit his brother there (Genesis 33:12-14). After crossing from Mahanaim to Peniel in Gilead, Jacob reunites with Esau and settles in Succoth for a time and builds a house for himself and booths for his cattle. He eventually crosses the Jordan River and enters Canaan, stopping first at the ancient city of Shechem. There Jacob’s daughter Dinah is defiled by the son of the region’s leader, and her brothers take revenge by killing all the men of the city. Thus, Jacob is forced to leave, but first he calls upon all his household to purify themselves. He collects their idols and rings and buries them beneath a tree in Shechem. Upon reaching Bethel, Jacob builds an altar and calls it El-bethel. The nurse of Jacob’s mother Rebekah also dies at Bethel and is buried under an oak below the town, leading them to call the place Allon-bacuth (“oak of weeping”). Jacob and his family leave for Bethlehem, but very soon after they start the journey Rachel gives birth to Benjamin and then dies. Jacob buries her along the way, apparently near a place called Zelzah (or perhaps Elzah; see 1 Samuel 10 and “Saul Search for His Donkeys” map). Jacob continues on and camps beyond the tower of Eder, perhaps near Bethlehem, since that seems to have been his original destination. Finally Jacob reaches Mamre and Hebron. Soon after this Isaac dies, and Esau and Jacob bury him. The story of Jacob’s journey ends at Genesis 35, and we are not explicitly told if Jacob traveled even further to Seir. Genesis 36, however, catalogs the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, perhaps indicating that Jacob did indeed fulfill the intentions he stated in Genesis 33:12-14.
