Genesis 34:12 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 34:12 kjv
Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
Genesis 34:12 nkjv
Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife."
Genesis 34:12 niv
Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I'll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife."
Genesis 34:12 esv
Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife."
Genesis 34:12 nlt
No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it ? just give me the girl as my wife."
Genesis 34 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:16 | "Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named..." | Example of financial negotiation for land |
| Gen 24:53 | "The servant brought out silver and gold jewelry... gave them to Rebekah..." | Dowry and gifts in marriage negotiations |
| Gen 29:18-20 | "Jacob loved Rachel... ‘I’ll serve you seven years for your... Rachel.’" | Jacob's 'service' as bride-price, valuing Rachel |
| Exod 22:16-17 | "If a man seduces a virgin... he must pay the bride-price and make her his wife." | Law requiring mohar for seduction |
| Deut 22:28-29 | "If a man finds a virgin... he must pay the father fifty shekels of silver and she shall be his wife." | Law for defilement and required mohar |
| 1 Sam 18:25 | "...The king desires no bride-price except a hundred Philistine foreskins..." | Unusual 'bride-price' for honor/status |
| Hos 3:2 | "So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethek of barley." | Redemption/marriage through payment, symbolizing cost |
| Prov 21:14 | "A gift in secret pacifies anger, and a bribe concealed... strong wrath." | Appeasing anger through gifts or payment |
| Gen 32:20 | "...Perhaps he will appease him with the present that goes before him..." | Jacob sending gifts to appease Esau |
| Judg 14:12 | "...I will propound a riddle... if you explain it... I will give you thirty linen garments..." | Wager/payment in a challenge setting |
| Num 20:19 | "...Let me pass through... I will pay the price for it." | Willingness to pay for specific access or right |
| Jer 3:3 | "...you had the forehead of a prostitute; you refused to be ashamed." | Contrast with shame; attempting to buy out a bad reputation |
| Ps 72:10-11 | "May the kings... bring tribute... and bring gifts." | Nations bringing gifts to a righteous ruler |
| Is 3:10 | "Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them..." | Contrast to consequence for unrighteous deeds |
| Eph 5:25 | "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." | High price (Christ's sacrifice) for His bride |
| Rev 22:17 | "...whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." | Contrast: salvation is freely given, not purchased |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "...you were ransomed from your futile ways... with the precious blood of Christ..." | Redemption by blood, not by material things |
| Job 15:31 | "Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his recompense." | Deception brings its own recompense |
| Deut 23:18 | "You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the Lord..." | Unclean gains not acceptable to God |
| Acts 8:20 | "But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!'" | Simony; attempting to buy spiritual gifts |
| Matt 26:14-16 | "Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?'" | Betrayal for monetary gain; putting price on a life |
Genesis 34 verses
Genesis 34 12 meaning
Shechem, having violated Dinah, expresses a desperate willingness to pay an exceptionally large dowry and many additional gifts to secure Dinah as his wife. This offer underscores his fervent desire to legitimize their relationship by any financial means, attempting to mitigate his grave offense and satisfy her family.
Genesis 34 12 Context
Genesis chapter 34 details the severe consequences following the rape of Jacob's daughter, Dinah, by Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite prince. Shechem, driven by infatuation, seeks to marry Dinah. His father, Hamor, approaches Jacob and his sons with this marriage proposal, seeking an alliance between their peoples. Verse 12 specifically records Shechem's desperate and extravagant offer to pay an unlimited bride-price and gifts, demonstrating his intense desire for Dinah and his family's wealth, as they try to "buy" legitimacy and reconcile after the defilement. This willingness to concede to any financial demand sets the stage for the deceptive plot by Dinah's brothers, Simeon and Levi, who exploit Shechem’s and Hamor’s desire for alliance.
Genesis 34 12 Word analysis
- הַרְבּוּ (harbu) — Ask much/Increase: From the verb rabah, meaning "to be or become numerous, great, to multiply." In the imperative, it functions as a command to demand extensively. This signifies Shechem's desperate desire to convey his earnestness and willingness to remove any financial obstacle. It highlights his desire for reconciliation, even if superficial.
- עָלַי (ʿalayi) — From me/Upon me: Indicates that the asking and the giving originate directly from Shechem personally. It emphasizes his commitment to meet any demand presented to him.
- מְאֹד (me'od) — Very much/Greatly: An intensifier. It stresses the extraordinary nature of the offered payment. It means "to a high degree," underlining that he isn't just offering a dowry, but one of immense, virtually unlimited value.
- מֹהַר (mohar) — Dowry/Bride-price: This is the legal payment from the groom (or his family) to the bride's father, as compensation for losing a daughter from the family workforce and a guarantee for her welfare. Its mention underscores Shechem's attempt to use customary legal means to legitimize a situation born of violence. Its value was usually fixed or negotiated; here, Shechem says "ask any amount."
- וּמַתָּן (u-mattan) — And gift: From the verb nathan, "to give." This refers to additional, often voluntary, personal gifts given to the bride or her family, distinct from the mohar. By offering both a potentially unlimited mohar and further mattan, Shechem intends to overwhelm Jacob's family with generosity, aiming to pacify their anger and resentment.
- וְאֶתְּנָה (weʾet-tnah) — And I will give: A first-person common imperfect verb, signifying a strong commitment or intention to give. Shechem firmly states his promise to fulfill whatever financial demand they make.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾašer) — As/According to what: A preposition indicating congruence. What he gives will directly match precisely what they demand.
- תֹּאמְרוּ (tomru) — You say/Ask: Second person plural verb, referring to Jacob and his sons. Shechem places the responsibility of naming the price upon them, further emphasizing his boundless willingness to pay.
- אֵלָי (elay) — To me: Emphasizes that their demand is directed to him, as the one capable and ready to fulfill it.
- וּתְנוּ לִי אֶת־הַנַּעֲרָה לְאִשָּׁה (u-tnu li et-han-naʿarah lĕʾiššah) — And give me the young woman as a wife: This is Shechem's core demand and the ultimate goal of his financial offer. Han-naʿarah (the young woman) highlights Dinah's status. The phrase lĕʾiššah (as a wife) shows his intent to transition the illicit act into a legitimate marital bond, bypassing proper justice. This final clause reveals his overwhelming desire to possess Dinah and a transaction-based view of marriage, focused on acquisition rather than remorse or true relational restoration.
Genesis 34 12 Bonus section
- Shechem's proposition highlights a crucial tension in ancient societies: whether economic agreements could override principles of honor and justice for personal affronts. His approach prioritized alliance and property over the inherent dignity of Dinah.
- The text does not explicitly state remorse from Shechem for the assault itself, only an overwhelming desire to possess Dinah as his wife. His focus is on the desired outcome, not on the moral offense itself.
- The very concept of mohar in biblical law was meant to provide a framework for orderly and just marriage, especially in cases of seduction where a woman's honor was compromised. However, here it is offered not solely as restitution but as a means to legitimize the initial wrong, which ultimately subverted the true intent of such practices.
Genesis 34 12 Commentary
Genesis 34:12 articulates Shechem’s extreme eagerness to "buy" Dinah as his wife after violating her. His offer of an immeasurable dowry and gifts highlights the economic dimension of marriage negotiations in ancient societies. This financial leverage, Shechem hoped, would serve to placate Dinah's family and legitimize his forced possession of her. This willingness to pay "whatever you ask" is not depicted as true remorse or desire for justice, but rather a self-serving attempt to gain ownership of Dinah and integrate his people with Jacob's through an alliance, even if by a twisted means. The brothers cleverly exploit this boundless monetary offer to set their deceptive trap, transforming Shechem's proposed economic solution into the very mechanism for their bloody revenge.