Genesis 34:8-10 - Exposition

And Hamor communed (literally, spake ) with them ( i.e. the whole family, or Jacob and his sons), saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for —the root ( חָשַׁק ) signifies to join together, intrans; to be joined together, hence to cleave to another in love (cf. Deuteronomy 7:7 , Deuteronomy 7:10 , Deuteronomy 7:15 ; Deuteronomy 21:11 ); of similar import to the word ( דָּבַק ) employed in Genesis 34:3 , which means to be devotedly attached to any one, as, e.g; to God ( Deuteronomy 10:20 ), to a king ( 2 Samuel 20:2 ), to a wife ( 1 Kings 11:2 )— your daughter . The words are addressed to Jacob's sons as well as Jacob himself, the brothers equally with the father being regarded as the natural guardians of a sister. I pray yon give her him to wife . The absence of any apology for Shechem's atrocious outrage against Dinah need not be regarded as indicating some measure of consent on the part of Dinah, but may be explained on the supposition that Hamor's proposal was considered by himself as a practical admission of his son's guilt. And make ye marriages with us ,—literally, contract affinity with us by marriage, the verb chathan being spoken of the father-in-law ( chothen ) , who makes the alliance ( vide Furst, 'Lex.,' sub voce ) — and give your daughters unto us ,—from this it has been inferred that Jacob had other daughters besides Dinah, which is not improbable ( Genesis 46:7 ), but the words may not imply more than that Humor thought he had— and take our daughters unto you. And (as an inducement to form this alliance) ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein — i.e. he offers them the privilege of unrestricted movement throughout his dominions, with the right of establishing settlements, carrying on trade, and acquiring property.