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Genesis 33:18

33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. Succoth: that is, Booths
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. Shechem: Gr. Sychem

KJV

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Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan Aram; and encamped before the city.

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan–aram; and pitched his tent before the city.

And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.

33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money. Hamor: Gr. Emmor pieces: or, lambs

What does Genesis 33:18 mean?

Genesis 33:18 is a verse in the book of Genesis, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יַעֲקֹב (Yaʻăqôb), בּוֹא (bôwʼ), שָׁלֵם (Shâlêm). It connects to 10 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
JacobיַעֲקֹבYaʻăqôb/yah-ak-obe'/H3290Jaakob, the Israelitish patriarch
cameבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
to
Shalem,שָׁלֵםShâlêm/shaw-lame'/H8004Shalem, an early name of Jerusalem
a
cityעִירʻîyr/eer/H5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
of
Shechem,שְׁכֶםShᵉkem/shek-em'/H7927Shekem, a place in Palestine
which
is
in
the
landאֶרֶץʼerets/eh'-rets/H776the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
of
Canaan,כְּנַעַןKᵉnaʻan/ken-ah'-an/H3667Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country inhabited by him
when
he
cameבּוֹאbôwʼ/bo/H935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
from
Padanaram;פַּדָּןPaddân/pad-dawn'/H6307Paddan or Paddan-Aram, a region of Syria
and
pitched
his
tentחָנָהchânâh/khaw-naw'/H2583properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch atent; gen. to encamp (for abode or siege)
beforeפָּנִיםpânîym/paw-neem'/H6440the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
the
city.עִירʻîyr/eer/H5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
Shechem:
Gr.
Sychem

Commentary on Genesis 33:18

HENRY_FULL · Genesis 33:18–20
s in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. Here, 1. Jacob comes to Succoth. Having in a friendly manner parted with Esau, who had gone to his own country ( v. 16 ), he comes to a place where, it should seem, he rested for some time, set up booths for his cattle, and other conveniences for himself and family. The place was afterwards known by the name of Succoth, a city in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan (it signifies booths ), that when his posterity afterwards dwelt in houses of stone, they might remember that the Syrian ready to perish was their father, who was glad of booths ( Deut. xxvi. 5 ); such was the rock whence they were hewn. 2. He comes to Shechem; we read it, to Shalem, a city of Shechem; the critics generally incline to read it appellatively: he came safely, or in peace, to the city of Shechem. After a perilous journey, in which he had met with many difficulties, he came safely, at last, into Canaan. Note, Diseases and dangers should teach us how to value health and safety, and should help to enlarge our hearts in thankfulness, when our going out and coming in have been signally preserved. Here, (1.) He buys a field, v. 19 . Though the land of Canaan was his by promise, yet, the time for taking possession not having yet come, he is content to pay for his own, to prevent disputes with the present occupants. Note, Dominion is not founded in grace. Those that have heaven on free-cost must not expect to have earth so. (2.) He builds an altar, v. 20 . [1.] In thankfulness to God, for the good hand of his providence over him. He did not content himself with verbal acknowledgments of God's favour to him, but made real ones. [2.] That he might keep up religion, and the worship of God, in his family. Note, Where we have a tent God must have an altar, where we have a house he must have a church in it. He dedicated this altar to the honour of El-elohe-Israel—God, the God of Israel, to the honour of God, in general, the only living and true God, the best of beings and first of causes; and to the honour of the God of Israel, as a God in covenant with him. Note, In our worship of God we must be guided and governed by the joint-discoveries both of natural and revealed religion. God had lately called him by the name of Israel, and now he calls God the God of Israel; though he is styled a prince with God, God shall still be a prince with him, his Lord and his God. Note, Our honours then become honours indeed to us when they are consecrated to God's honour; Israel's God is Israel's glory. At this chapter begins the story of Jacob's afflictions in his children, which were very great, and are recorded to show, 1. The vanity of this world. That which is dearest to us may prove our greatest vexation, a

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 25:20

And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Genesis 28:6

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

Genesis 28:7

And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;

Genesis 35:9

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.

Genesis 46:15

These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.

Joshua 24:1

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Judges 9:1

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

John 3:23

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

John 4:5

Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Acts 7:16

And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Genesis 33:18.

Ezekiel 10:2

And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight. thine hand: Heb. the hollow of thine hand

Ezekiel 17:4

He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.

Genesis 28:6

When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;

Genesis 31:18

And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

Jeremiah 51:43

Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.

Jeremiah 52:25

He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. were near: Heb. saw the face of the king principal: or, scribe of the captain of the host

Jeremiah 52:6

And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Lamentations 2:15

All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth? by: Heb. by the way

Frequently asked questions

What does Genesis 33:18 say?

Genesis 33:18 (King James Version) reads: "And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. Shechem: Gr. Sychem"

Is Genesis 33:18 in the Old or New Testament?

Genesis 33:18 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Genesis.

Who wrote the book of Genesis?

The book of Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses.

Reflect

As you read Genesis 33:18, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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33:17Read all of Genesis 3333:19