Genesis 34:9

9 Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us, and take ours for yourselves.

Genesis 34:9 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 34:9

And make ye marriages with us
There was no objection on their side, it lay on the other; Abraham's servant was charged by him not to take a wife of the Canaanites to his son Isaac; and the same charge was given Jacob by Isaac, ( Genesis 24:3 ) ( 28:1 ) ; and therefore Jacob would never agree that his children should marry any of that nation; and marriages with them were afterwards forbidden by the law of Moses, ( Deuteronomy 7:3 ) ;

[and] give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you;
for though at present there were no other daughters in Jacob's family, yet there might be hereafter; and the request is, that for the future there might be intermarriages between them, as would be practicable in a course of time.

Genesis 34:9 In-Context

7 Jacob's sons came in from the open country as soon as they heard the news. The men felt outraged and very angry because Shechem had committed such a godless act against Israel's family by raping Jacob's daughter. This shouldn't have happened.

8 Hamor told them. "My son Shechem has his heart set on your daughter. Please let her marry him.

9 Intermarry with us; give your daughters to us, and take ours for yourselves.

10 You can live with us, and the land will be yours. Live here, move about freely in this area, and acquire property here."

11 Then Shechem said to Dinah's father and her brothers, "Do me this favor. I'll give you whatever you ask.