31 But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"
31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
31 But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?"
31 They said, "Nobody is going to treat our sister like a whore and get by with it."
31 But they said, "Should he treat our sister like a harlot?"
31 "But why should we let him treat our sister like a prostitute?" they retorted angrily.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 34:31
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.