34:25-29
As we can imagine, circumcision for a grown man is not a pleasant process, and the men of Hamor were feeling rather delicate! Initially only Simeon and Levi were involved, and they killed Hamor and Shechem. Then it seems that the rest of the brothers (and possibly their servants?) launched a wider attack. So many people were killed, and much livestock plundered.
34:30,31
Jacob is not pleased, knowing that this would only bring lasting trouble for the people. However, he has been rather passive in the whole affair. Jacob is concerned for self-preservation (both for himself and the people as a whole), the sons are concerned about the honour of the people. Kidner points out that Jacob had settled at Shechem (33:18) when he was supposed to go to Bethel, Shechem seeming to be a pleasant and prosperous place to settle. There is a way that seems right to man, but it leads only to death, as the proverb says (Prov 14:12). We see the results of man going his own way, even a man chosen by God.
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