20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city to speak to the men of their city.
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying,
20 So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying,
20 So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the public square and spoke to the town council:
20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying:
20 and he went with his father, Hamor, to present this proposal to the leaders at the town gate.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 34:20
Commentary on Genesis 34:20-31
(Read Genesis 34:20-31)
The Shechemites submitted to the sacred rite, only to serve a turn, to please their prince, and to enrich themselves, and it was just with God to bring punishment upon them. As nothing secures us better than true religion, so nothing exposes us more than religion only pretended to. But Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth, and harden the hearts of many to destruction. The crimes of others form no excuse for us. Alas! how one sin leads on to another, and, like flames of fire, spread desolation in every direction! Foolish pleasures lead to seduction; seduction produces wrath; wrath thirsts for revenge; the thirst of revenge has recourse to treachery; treachery issues in murder; and murder is followed by other lawless actions. Were we to trace the history of unlawful commerce between the sexes, we should find it, more than any other sin, ending in blood.