Genesis 34 8

Genesis 34:8 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.

Genesis 34:8 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.

Genesis 34:8 niv

But Hamor said to them, "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please give her to him as his wife.

Genesis 34:8 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.

Genesis 34:8 nlt

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.

Genesis 34 verses

Genesis 34 8 meaning

Genesis chapter 34, verse 8 opens the negotiation phase following the defilement of Dinah. Hamor, the father of Shechem (who committed the defilement), approaches Jacob and his sons. His speech attempts to normalize and legitimize Shechem's previous violent act by presenting it as a profound "longing" or romantic desire for Dinah. He formally requests her hand in marriage for his son, seeing it as a resolution to the conflict and an opportunity for a broader alliance between their peoples, without acknowledging the profound violation and honor crime committed against Dinah and Jacob’s family.

Genesis 34 8 Context

Genesis chapter 34 details the horrific events surrounding Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, who was sexually assaulted by Shechem, the son of Hamor, a Hivite prince of the land. Following this grave violation, Shechem, influenced by his intense (though ill-gotten) desire, convinced his father Hamor to secure Dinah as his wife. Hamor, therefore, approaches Jacob and his sons in verse 8. This marks the beginning of the "negotiations" from the Hivite perspective, where the profound moral and spiritual offense against Dinah and Jacob’s family honor is reframed as a mere matrimonial dispute or an opportunity for socio-political alliance. The cultural context likely involves differing views on marriage, honor, and resolution to disputes; the Hivites appear to view the acquisition of a woman, even by force, as something that can be legitimized by subsequent marriage and payment, seeking integration rather than true justice or repentance.

Genesis 34 8 Word analysis

• And Hamor spoke: Hebrew: וַיְדַבֵּר חֲמוֹר (vayədabber Hamor). Vayədabber indicates a formal and deliberate manner of speaking, common for initiating important discussions or proposals. Hamor, as the father and prince, takes the leading role in the negotiation. His name, "Hamor," means "donkey," often seen as a symbolic representation of his stubbornness or perhaps his worldly nature compared to Jacob’s spiritual lineage.
• with them: Referring specifically to Jacob and his sons. Though Jacob is present as the patriarch, the narrative increasingly highlights the growing involvement and influence of his sons in family affairs, particularly in response to perceived injustices against their sister. This shift from sole patriarchal authority to a family council reflects a pivotal moment.
• saying: Introduces Hamor's direct speech, conveying his strategic proposal without internal narrative interpretation, allowing the reader to judge its ethical basis.
• “My son Shechem’s soul longs: Hebrew: נַפְשׁוֹ חָשְׁקָה (nafsho ḥāšəqāh).
  • נַפְשׁוֹ (nafsho): "His soul," referring to Shechem’s entire being, his core essence, his will, and desires. In Hebrew thought, nephesh encompasses the whole person, not merely abstract emotion, thus implying a deep and consuming desire.
  • חָשְׁקָה (ḥāšəqāh): From the verb ḥāšaq, meaning "to long for," "to be bound to," "to set affection upon," or "to cling to." This is a strong verb often used to describe fervent desire or attachment, sometimes even love (e.g., Deut 7:7, "The LORD did not set His affection on you because you were more in number"). Hamor employs this elevated language to legitimize Shechem's violent act as an expression of powerful, albeit misguided, affection. It attempts to frame the rape as the byproduct of an intense, perhaps uncontrollable, "love," thereby seeking to evoke sympathy or understanding rather than condemnation.
• for your daughter: Explicitly Dinah, referring to her simply as property or a female to be acquired, reflecting the transactional mindset prevalent in that cultural context. The focus remains on Shechem's desire and the Hivite benefit, rather than Dinah’s agency, trauma, or honor.
• Please give her to him as a wife.”: Hebrew: תְּנוּ נָא לְאִשָּׁה (tənu na' lə'iššāh).
  • תְּנוּ נָא (tənu na'): "Please give." The particle nā lends a polite, persuasive tone to the imperative, framing the request formally and civilly, contrasting sharply with Shechem's earlier violent acquisition of Dinah. It portrays an attempt to proceed through sanctioned means after the initial transgression.
  • לְאִשָּׁה (lə'iššāh): "As a wife," literally "for a woman." This phrase seeks to establish legal marital status for a relationship that began as a profound defilement. It underscores the Hivite perception that the original offense can be resolved and forgotten by formally integrating Dinah into their family through marriage.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "My son Shechem's soul longs for your daughter.": This statement, offered by Hamor, is a significant attempt to reframe a violent act into a noble, romantic pursuit. By invoking the depth of "soul-longing," Hamor endeavors to cover the disgrace and force inherent in Shechem's actions, seeking to legitimize the union and present a pathway to a formal marriage, as if it were a natural and honorable progression of a deep desire. It ignores the reality of Dinah's trauma and the defilement of the family.
  • "Please give her to him as a wife.": This request solidifies the Hivite position: an expectation that the victim’s family will comply and consent to a marriage that should never have been considered under honorable circumstances. It exposes a profound disconnect between the Hivite's understanding of inter-personal and inter-familial relationships (which prioritize clan alliances and male desire) versus the values (honor, purity, consent, justice) that should govern Jacob's family, or would govern future Israel. The polite request conceals an inherent demand to resolve a grievous wrong in a manner that serves the perpetrating party.

Genesis 34 8 Bonus section

The narrative of Genesis 34 provides a foundational example of inter-cultural conflict rooted in differing moral and ethical frameworks concerning sexual integrity, family honor, and justice in the ancient Near East. While some surrounding cultures might have found a post-violation marriage acceptable, Israel's emerging ethical framework (though not yet fully codified) would condemn such actions. Dinah herself remains entirely silent throughout the entire chapter, highlighting her status as a victim and an object of transaction rather than an active participant with agency in a patriarchal society. Her silence tragically underscores the severity of her trauma and her family’s perceived helplessness or flawed response to her plight. This incident later contributes to Jacob's condemnation of Simeon and Levi in Genesis 49, marking it as a dark episode driven by uncontrolled anger and deceit rather than divine justice.

Genesis 34 8 Commentary

Genesis 34:8 serves as the initial, formal proposition from the Hivite perspective after the sexual assault of Dinah. Hamor, in attempting to salvage the situation and leverage it for political gain, downplays the grievousness of Shechem's crime by describing his son's actions as a deeply-felt "longing." This misrepresentation, where a violent defilement is portrayed as passionate love, underscores a clash of cultural values and moral principles. The Hivite solution is pragmatic and self-serving, viewing Dinah as a means to alliance and treating the defilement as an inconvenience to be formalized through marriage. This transactional approach demonstrates a profound lack of remorse, understanding of the sanctity of an Israelite woman, or respect for Jacob's family honor. Hamor’s polite yet insistent request for Dinah's hand in marriage reflects a desperate attempt to legitimize an illegitimate act and initiate a strategic alliance, setting the stage for the dramatic and tragic deception that follows. It highlights the stark difference in how "honor" and "justice" were perceived across cultures.