Genesis 34:8

8 And so Hamor spake to them (And Hamor said to them), The soul of my son Shechem hath cleaved to your daughter; give ye her (for) a wife to him,

Genesis 34:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 34:8

And Hamor communed with them
With Jacob and his sons, who came in just at that time:

saying, the soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter:
the daughter of the family, and the only daughter in it; for her Shechem had a vehement affection, a strong desire to marry her, and could not be satisfied without her:

I pray you, give her him to wife;
he not only requests the consent of the parents of the damsel, but of her brothers also, which in those times and countries seems to have been usual to ask and have, see ( Genesis 24:50 Genesis 24:51 Genesis 24:55 Genesis 24:59 ) .

Genesis 34:8 In-Context

6 Soothly when Hamor, the father of Shechem, was gone out to speak to Jacob,

7 lo! his sons came from the field. And when this thing that befelled was heard, they were wroth greatly; for he had wrought a foul thing in Israel, and he had done a thing unleaveful in the defouling of the daughter of Jacob. (lo! his sons came in from the field. And when they heard what had befallen, they were enraged; for Shechem had done a foul, or a vile, thing in Israel, and he had done an unlawful thing in the defiling of Jacob's daughter.)

8 And so Hamor spake to them (And Hamor said to them), The soul of my son Shechem hath cleaved to your daughter; give ye her (for) a wife to him,

9 and (so) join we weddings together; give ye your daughters to us, and take ye our daughters (for yourselves),

10 and dwell ye with us; (yea,) the land is in your power; till ye, and make ye merchandise, and wield ye it (work ye it, and make ye merchandise, and possess ye it).