Genesis 34:3

3 Then he felt a strong attraction to Dinah, Jacob's daughter, fell in love with her and wooed her.

Genesis 34:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 34:3

And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob
His inclination was to her, she was always in his thoughts; it was not a mere lustful desire that was suddenly raised, and soon over, but a constant and continued affection he bore to her, as follows:

and he loved the damsel;
sincerely and heartily:

and spake kindly unto the damsel;
or "to the heart" F7 of her, such things as tended to comfort her, she being sad and sorrowful; or to soften her mind towards him, and take off the resentment of it to him, because of the injury he had done her, and to gain her good will and affection, and her consent to marry him; professing great love to her, promising her great things, what worldly grandeur and honour she would be advanced to, and how kindly he would behave towards her; which might take with her, and incline her to yield to his motion, which having obtained, he took the following method.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 (bl le) "ad cor", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt; super cor, Montanus, Munster; "cordi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Genesis 34:3 In-Context

1 One day Dinah, the daughter Leah had given Jacob, went to visit some of the women in that country.
2 Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite who was chieftain there, saw her and raped her.
3 Then he felt a strong attraction to Dinah, Jacob's daughter, fell in love with her and wooed her.
4 Shechem went to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl for my wife."
5 Jacob heard that Shechem had raped his daughter Dinah, but his sons were out in the fields with the livestock so he didn't say anything until they got home.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.