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

GENESIS 34:4KJV
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Genesis 34:4 (KJV)

What does Genesis 34:4 mean?

Genesis 34:4 describes Shechem asking his father Hamor to arrange for him to marry Dinah, whom he calls "this damsel." Shechem speaks directly to his father, expressing his desire to take Dinah as his wife after having already taken her into his house.

Shechem, the son of Hamor, is speaking to his father in the aftermath of his encounter with Dinah, Jacob's daughter. The verse shows Shechem's eagerness and insistence, as he tells Hamor to "get me this damsel to wife," making it clear he wants his father to negotiate the marriage. This moment sets up the negotiations and tensions that follow between Shechem's family and Jacob's family.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 34:4

  • "Get" (לָקַח, laqach) is a common Hebrew word for "take" or "acquire," often used in the context of taking a wife, which highlights the transactional nature of marriage arrangements in that time.
  • "Damsel" (יַלְדָּה, yalda) means a young girl, emphasizing Dinah's youth and perhaps her vulnerability in this situation.
  • "Wife" (אִשָּׁה, ishah) is the standard Hebrew word for "woman" or "wife," showing that Shechem's request is for a formal, recognized marriage.

Why Genesis 34:4 matters

  • This verse shows Shechem's strong desire for Dinah and his reliance on his father to secure the marriage, which was typical in ancient Near Eastern culture.
  • The language used highlights the imbalance of power and the lack of Dinah's voice in the arrangement, which becomes important as the story unfolds.
  • Genesis 34:4 sets the stage for the negotiations and the conflict that arise between the families, helping the reader understand the motivations and cultural expectations at play.

Where else these words appear

“damsel” Hebrew H3207 · used in 3 verses

  • Joel 3:3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
  • Zechariah 8:5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

“Hamor” Hebrew H2544 · used in 12 verses

  • Genesis 33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
  • Genesis 34:8 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 34:24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.

“Shechem” Hebrew H7927 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
  • Joshua 20:7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
  • Judges 9:31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.