Genesis 34:11

34:1-19 Young persons, especially females, are never so safe and well off as under the care of pious parents. Their own ignorance, and the flattery and artifices of designing, wicked people, who are ever laying snares for them, expose them to great danger. They are their own enemies if they desire to go abroad, especially alone, among strangers to true religion. Those parents are very wrong who do not hinder their children from needlessly exposing themselves to danger. Indulged children, like Dinah, often become a grief and shame to their families. Her pretence was, to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable among them; she went to see, yet that was not all, she went to be seen too. She went to get acquaintance with the Canaanites, and to learn their ways. See what came of Dinah's gadding. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water. How great a matter does a little fire kindle! We should carefully avoid all occasions of sin and approaches to it.

And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren,.... To the father and brethren of Dinah; he addressed them after his father Hamor had done speaking: let me find grace in your eyes; forgive the offence committed, the injury done to Dinah, and grant the request of her marriage, and it will be considered as a great favour: and what ye shall say unto me, I will give; to her, to her parents, to her brethren and relations; let what will be fixed, shall be given; which showed great affection for her, and that he was willing to do any thing to make amends for the injury done; he cared not what it was that might be demanded of him, so be it that she became his wife.

Verses 11, 12. - And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren (speaking with becoming deference and earnestness, and manifestly prompted by fervent and sincere love), Let me find grace in your eyes , - i.e. let my suit be accepted ( vide Genesis 33:15) - and what ye shall say unto me I will give. Ask me never so much dowry and gift , - literally, multiply upon me exceedingly dowry and gift ; the dowry (mohar) being the price paid for a wife to her parents (cf. Exodus 22:16 ; 1 Samuel 18:25 ), and the gift ( mathan ) the presents given to the bride (Gesenius, Furst, Rosenmüller, Gerlach, Alford); or the dowry being the bride's present, and the gift the wife s price (Michaelis, Keil, Murphy); or the dowry being given to the parents, and the gift to the kindred (Patrick); or the two being the same thing, vie., the compensation offered to the relatives of the bride (Lange) - and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give (or, and ye will give) me the damsel to wife. Genesis 34:11

A conference takes place between the parties. Hamer and Jacob, the parents on both sides, are the principals in the negotiation. The sons of Jacob, being brothers of the injured damsel, are present, according to custom. "Wrought fully in Israel;" a standing phrase from this time forward for any deed that was contrary to the sanctity which ought to characterize God's holy people. Israel is used here to designate the descendants of Israel, the special people. Hamer makes his proposal. "Shekem, my son." These words are a nominative pendent, for which "his soul" is substituted. He proposes a political alliance or amalgamation of the two tribes, to be sealed and actually effected by intermarriage. He offers to make them joint-possessors of the soil, and of the rights of dwelling, trading, and acquiring property. Shekem now speaks with becoming deference and earnestness. He offers any amount of dowry, or bridal presents, and of gift to the mother and brothers of the bride. It must be acknowledged that the father and the son were disposed to make whatever amends they could for the grievous offence that had been committed. The sons of Jacob answer with deceit. They are burning with resentment of the wrong that "ought not to have been done," and that cannot now be fully repaired.

Yet they are in presence of a superior force, and therefore, resort to deceit. "And spake." This goes along with the previous verb "answered," and is meant to have the same qualification "with deceit." The last clause of the verse then assigns the cause of this deceitful dealing. Their speech, for the matter of it, is reasonable. They cannot intermarry with the uncircumcised. Only on condition that every male be circumcised will they consent. On these terms they promise to "become one people" with them. Otherwise they take their daughter, and depart. Our daughter. They here speak as a family or race, and therefore, call Dinah their daughter, though her brothers are the speakers.

When Jacob heard of the seduction of his daughter, "he was silent," i.e., he remained quiet, without taking any active proceedings (ex. Gen 14:14; 2 Samuel 19:11 ) until his sons came from the field. When they heard of it, they were grieved and burned with wrath at the disgrace. טמּא to defile equals to dishonour, disgrace, because it was an uncircumcised man who had seduced her. "Because he had wrought folly in Israel, by lying with Jacob's daughter." "To work folly" was a standing phrase for crimes against the honour and calling of Israel as the people of God, especially for shameful sins of the flesh ( Deuteronomy 22:21 ; Judges 20:10 ; 2 Samuel 13:2 , etc.); but it was also applied to other great sins ( Joshua 7:15 ). As Jacob had become Israel, the seduction of his daughter was a crime against Israel, which is called folly, inasmuch as the relation of Israel to God was thereby ignored ( Psalm 14:1 ). "And this ought not to be done:" יעשׂה potentialis as in Genesis 20:9 . - Hamor went to Jacob to ask for his daughter ( Genesis 34:6 ); but Jacob's sons reached home at the same time ( Genesis 34:7 ), so that Hamor spoke to them (Jacob and his sons). To attain his object Hamor proposed a further intermarriage, unrestricted movement on their part in the land, and that they should dwell there, trade (ἐμπορεύεσθαι), and secure possessions (נאחז settle down securely, as in Genesis 47:27 ).

[Bible] 33:19. And he bought that part of the field, in which he pitched his tents, of the children of Hemor, the father of Sichem, for a hundred lambs. 33:20. And raising an altar there, he invoked upon it the most mighty God of Israel. Genesis Chapter 34 Dina is ravished, for which the Sichemites are destroyed. 34:1. And Dina the daughter of Lia went out to see the women of that country. 34:2. And when Sichem the son of Hemor the Hevite, the prince of that land, saw her, he was in love with her: and took her away, and lay with her, ravishing the virgin. 34:3. And his soul was fast knit unto her; and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words. 34:4. And going to Hemor his father, he said: Get me this damsel to wife. 34:5. But when Jacob had heard this, his sons being absent, and employed in feeding the cattle, he held his peace till they came back. 34:6. And when Hemor the father of Sichem was come out to speak to Jacob, 34:7. Behold his sons came from the field: and hearing what had passed, they were exceeding angry, because he had done a foul thing in Israel, and committed an unlawful act, in ravishing Jacob's daughter. 34:8. And Hemor spoke to them: The soul of my son Sichem has a longing for your daughter: give her him to wife: 34:9. And let us contract marriages one with another: give us your daughters, and take you our daughters. 34:10. And dwell with us: the land is at your command, till, trade, and possess it. 34:11. Sichem also said to her father and to her brethren: Let me find favour in your sight, and whatsoever you shall appoint I will give: 34:12. Raise the dowry, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife. 34:13. The sons of Jacob answered Sichem and his father deceitfully, being enraged at the deflowering of their sister: