Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

Shall not their cattle and their substance and all their beasts be ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.

And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, shall be ours: only in this let us condescend, and by dwelling together, we shall make one people.

Their cattle, and their possessions, and every beast of theirs, shall they not be ours? only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.

Will not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent to them, and they will dwell with us.

Then will not their cattle and their goods and all their beasts be ours? so let us come to an agreement with them so that they may go on living with us.

And their substance, and cattle, and all that they possess, will be ours, if only we will acquiesce to this, and so, in living together, will form one people."

Greges eorum, et substantia eorum et omnia jumenta eorum, nonne nostra erunt? tantum acquiescamus eis, et habitabunt nobiscum.

Shall not their cattle and their substance - be ours? - This was a bait held out for the poor unsuspecting people of Hamor by their prince and his son, who were not much less deceived than the people themselves.

[Shall] not (h) their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs [be] ours? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
(h) Thus they do not lack any form of perversion, who prefer their own convenience before the common good.

Shall not their cattle, and their substance, and every beast of theirs, be ours?.... Which would in course come into their families in process of time, by intermarrying with them, or, being more numerous and powerful than they, could seize upon them when they pleased, and take all they had: thus they argue from the profit and advantage that would accrue to them by admitting them among them, upon their terms; and this argument, taken from worldly interest, they knew would have great influence upon them:
only let us consent unto them; in the affair of circumcision:
and they will dwell with us; and what by trading with them, and marrying among them, all their wealth and riches will come into our hands.

Shall not their cattle and their substance be ours? - They observed that Jacob's sons were industrious, thriving people, and promised themselves and their neighbours advantage by an alliance with them: it would improve ground and trade, and bring money into their country.