Genesis 34:8

Genesis 34:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
• New International Version (NIV)But Hamor said to them, “My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Hamor spoke with them, saying, "The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him to be his wife.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But Hamor spoke with them, saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give her to him as a wife.

Context of Genesis 34:8

6Hamor, Shechem’s father, came to discuss the matter with Jacob. 7Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the field as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob’s family, something that should never be done. Hamor tried to speak with Jacob and his sons. “My son Shechem is truly in love with your daughter,” he said. “Please let him marry her. 9In fact, let’s arrange other marriages, too. You give us your daughters for our sons, and we will give you our daughters for your sons. 10And you may live among us; the land is open to you! Settle here and trade with us. And feel free to buy property in the area.”

Genesis 34:8 word by word

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Hamorחֲמוֹרchămôr · HamorH2544
• communedדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• with them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• of my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
• longethחָשַׁקchâshaq · to desireH2836
• for your daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• I pray you giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: give(marriage)H5414
• her him to wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802

Cross-references for Genesis 34:8

• Genesis 34:3But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words.
• 1 Kings 11:2The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.
• Psalms 63:1O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
• Psalms 84:2I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
• Psalms 119:20I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations.

Commentaries on Genesis 34:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-31Verses 1-31 - Dinah‘s Dishonor This chapter records the rape of Dinah and the revenge of her brothers. Genesis 34:1-5 Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land. The Jewish doctors of a later period fix the marriageable age of a female at twelve years and a day. It is probable that Dinah was in her thirteenth year when she went out to visit the daughters of the land. Six or seven years, therefore, must have been spent by Jacob between Sukkoth, where…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-10Hamor suggested a marriage alliance for mutual economic gain. But God had already promised Jacob everything, including the land (34:10; see 14:21–24). Hamor wanted to control Israel’s wealth (34:23). Trusting the Canaanites would not lead to anything good. For some of these reasons, the law of Moses did not allow Israelites to marry Canaanites (see Exodus 23:27–33; Deuteronomy 7:1–5). The exception would be if they converted (see Joshua 2:1–15; 6:23–25…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-108-10. Hamor communed with them--The prince and his son seem at first sight to have acted honestly, and our feelings are enlisted on their side. They betray no jealousy of the powerful shepherds; on the contrary, they show every desire to establish friendly intercourse. But their conduct was unjustifiable in neither expressing regret nor restoring Dinah to her family; and this great error was the true cause of the negotiations ending in so unhappy a manner.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 34:8

• Wife

In the dictionaries

• Hamor
• Shechem
• Ask
• Consent
• Daughter
• Defile
• Dinah
• Folly
• Please
• Archaeology; Archaeology and Criticism

Commentaries on Genesis 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings