Genesis 34:16

16 Then we'll give our daughters to you and take yours for ourselves, and we'll live with you and become one people.

Genesis 34:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 34:16

Then will we give our daughters unto you
Meaning Dinah, whom they call their daughter, ( Genesis 34:17 ) ; because she was the daughter of their family, and because they were entreating in the name of their father, and in conformity to the language used by those they were treating with, ( Genesis 34:9 ) ; and we will take your daughters to us;
in marriage for wives: and we will dwell with you;
not as sojourners but as fellow citizens: and we will become one people;
being so nearly related by marriage, and professing one religion, alike submitting to circumcision, which was the distinguished badge of Abraham's seed.

Genesis 34:16 In-Context

14 They said, "We can't do this. We can't give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised. That would be a disgrace to us!

15 We will give our consent to you only on one condition: Every male must be circumcised as we are.

16 Then we'll give our daughters to you and take yours for ourselves, and we'll live with you and become one people.

17 If you won't agree to be circumcised, we'll take our daughter and go."

18 Their proposal seemed good to Hamor and his son Shechem.