Genesis 34:4 kjv

And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.

Genesis 34:4 nkjv

So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this young woman as a wife."

Genesis 34:4 niv

And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as my wife."

Genesis 34:4 esv

So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, "Get me this girl for my wife."

Genesis 34:4 nlt

He said to his father, Hamor, "Get me this young girl. I want to marry her."

Genesis 34 verses

Genesis 34 4 Meaning

Genesis 34:4 portrays Shechem's entitled demand to his father Hamor to "get him" Dinah as a wife. This request, voiced immediately after his sexual defilement of Dinah (Gen 34:2), reveals a profound disregard for her dignity and the immense dishonor brought upon her family. It underscores Shechem's transactional approach to marriage and his self-serving attempt to legitimize an act of violence under the guise of acquiring a spouse.

Genesis 34 4 Context

Genesis chapter 34 initiates with Dinah, Jacob's only daughter, going out "to see the daughters of the land" (Gen 34:1). She is then forcibly taken and defiled by Shechem, the son of Hamor, a Hivite prince of the land (Gen 34:2). Following this violent act, Shechem’s "soul cleaved to Dinah" (Gen 34:3), and he spoke "tenderly" to her. Verse 4 then serves as the crucial pivot point, as Shechem formally engages his father, Hamor, to acquire Dinah in marriage, setting the stage for negotiations with Jacob and his sons.

Historically and culturally, marriage in the ancient Near East was a significant familial and economic arrangement, often involving extensive negotiation and a bride-price (mohar). The virginity of a woman was highly prized, and its loss through rape was a profound dishonor to her family, impacting social standing and tribal relations. While later Mosaic Law would mandate that a man who defiled an unbetrothed virgin must marry her and pay compensation (Deut 22:28-29), this pre-Mosaic narrative illustrates the societal pressure to rectify such a wrong through marriage. However, Shechem's direct, almost impatient command in this verse, conveyed via his father, reveals his primary concern is possession and desire rather than genuine repentance or the restoration of honor, laying bare the profound moral gap between Canaanite practices and the evolving standards for God’s covenant people. The incident underscores the inherent dangers for God's people living amidst corrupt pagan cultures, hinting at the need for separation.

Genesis 34 4 Word analysis

• וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo'mer) - "And he said": This is a standard Hebrew narrative structure (Waw-consecutive + imperfect), indicating an immediate follow-up action to Shechem's feelings described in the preceding verse. It marks the commencement of the official communication that escalates the narrative.

• שְׁכֶם (Shekhem) - "Shechem": The proper noun for the main male perpetrator. His speaking here signals his agency in pushing for the outcome he desires, making his intentions clear after his previous act of violence.

• אֶל (el) - "to": A common preposition indicating direction or address. Shechem directs his speech explicitly towards his father.

• חֲמוֹר (Chamor) - "Hamor": Shechem's father and prince of the region. The name Hamor means "donkey" in Hebrew, which might subtly hint at a character who is stubborn, carries burdens, or acts as a transactional figure. He is presented as the patriarch who handles affairs.

• אָבִיו (aviv) - "his father": This highlights the patriarchal structure where a son approaches his father to arrange significant life matters, especially marriage. Hamor holds the authority and social standing necessary to initiate negotiations.

• לֵאמֹר (le'mor) - "saying": An infinitive construct often used to introduce direct speech in Hebrew narrative, much like quotation marks. It simply sets off Shechem's direct statement.

• קַח (qach) - "Get/Take": This is an imperative verb from לָקַח (laqach), meaning "to take," "to acquire," or "to seize." In this context, used after the act of defilement, it conveys a demanding and possessive tone, reflecting a desire to forcibly acquire or appropriate rather than to respectfully seek or woo. It underlines a transactional, rather than relational, approach.

• לִי (li) - "for me": A dative pronoun ("for me," "to me"). This emphasizes the self-centered nature of Shechem's desire; the proposed marriage is primarily for his benefit and gratification, rather than a restoration of Dinah's honor or her family's dignity.

• אֶת (et) - "direct object marker": Untranslated, it simply marks "the girl" as the direct object of the verb "take."

• הַיַּלְדָּה (hayyaldah) - "the girl": The definite article (הַ - ha, "the") makes it specific to Dinah. The word יַלְדָּה (yaldah) denotes a young girl or maiden. This term underscores her youth, vulnerability, and potential innocence at the time of defilement, intensifying the egregious nature of Shechem's act and his subsequent casual demand.

• הַזֹּאת (hazzot) - "this [one]": A feminine demonstrative pronoun, referring directly to "the girl." The phrase "this girl" objectifies Dinah further, treating her as a specific item desired for acquisition. It expresses an immediate, undeniable demand for this particular individual.

• לְאִשָּׁה (le'ishshah) - "for a wife": The preposition לְ (le) indicates purpose or status ("for" or "as"). The word אִשָּׁה (ishshah) means "woman" or "wife." Shechem's stated intent is marriage, which suggests a desire to legitimize his violent act socially and legally, converting a grievous sin into a conventional marital arrangement to serve his own comfort and desire for Dinah.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "And Shechem spoke to his father Hamor": This phrase immediately establishes the mechanism through which Shechem seeks to realize his desire: patriarchal authority. By involving his father, Shechem engages the customary social and legal processes of the day for obtaining a wife, despite the inherently illicit nature of his original acquisition of Dinah.
  • " 'Get me this girl for a wife' ": This concise demand encapsulates Shechem’s deeply flawed moral perspective. The imperative "Get" reveals a sense of entitlement, the possessive "me" highlights his self-interest, and the objectifying "this girl" reduces Dinah to property rather than a person. The ultimate goal, "for a wife," reveals a chilling attempt to legitimize a prior act of defilement by framing it within the acceptable social institution of marriage. This statement, uttered after the violence, exposes his concern for legal ownership over true marital union or Dinah's consent.

Genesis 34 4 Bonus section

• "Love" in Context: While Gen 34:3 says Shechem "loved" Dinah, his subsequent command in verse 4 redefines this "love" not as pure affection, but as a possessive, controlling desire to make her his property. It illustrates that "love" disconnected from respect, consent, and justice is often mere lust or self-serving passion.
• Absence of Dinah's Agency: Throughout the chapter, and explicitly in this verse, Dinah remains silent. Her voice and feelings are entirely absent from the negotiation for her future. She is spoken about, traded, and claimed, highlighting her complete disempowerment in the patriarchal and predatory society of Shechem, and to some extent, within the customs that did not prioritize a woman's consent after defilement.
• A Precursor to Broader Conflicts: Shechem's arrogant demand for a bride, rather than seeking genuine reconciliation and showing deep remorse, directly fuels the righteous anger of Jacob's sons. This incident foreshadows larger tensions between the Israelites and the Canaanite nations, marked by differing moral codes and a struggle over land and power. The chapter becomes an early illustration of the danger and consequences of God's people intermarrying or intermingling indiscriminately with the inhabitants of the land.

Genesis 34 4 Commentary

Genesis 34:4 is a pivotal statement in the tragic Dinah narrative, revealing Shechem's entitled and transactional mindset. Despite having just defiled Dinah (Gen 34:2), Shechem exhibits no genuine remorse; instead, he commands his father, Hamor, to "get me this girl for a wife." This declaration transforms an act of violence into a commodity transaction, seeking to validate his illicit acquisition through the legal framework of marriage. The verse emphasizes his personal desire and immediate gratification ("for me"), along with his complete objectification of Dinah ("this girl"), treating her as property to be acquired rather than a person whose dignity and honor have been grievously violated. It powerfully illustrates how carnal desire, unchecked by moral boundaries, attempts to reshape reality to suit its aims, showcasing the profound clash between pagan self-gratification and the values of integrity and purity central to Jacob's family and the covenant God. The command, not a plea, further underscores the Hivite's societal assumption of dominance.