Ask me a great amount for a dowry, and I will give whatever you ask of me, but give me the young lady as a wife.”
Parallel translations
- KJV Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
- BSB Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
- NKJV Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife.”
- NASB Demand of me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give whatever you tell me; but give me the girl in marriage.”
- NLT No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it—just give me the girl as my wife.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Shechem offers any bride-price the family names, so long as he may have Dinah as his wife.
Overview
The bride-price (dowry) was customary, but Shechem's lavish offer cannot atone for his crime against Dinah. His readiness to pay any sum sets up the brothers' demand for circumcision instead of money. The verse heightens the irony that what the brothers ask will become the means of slaughter.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Exod 22:16–17“If a man entices a virgin who isn’t pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
- Gen 24:53The servant brought out jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and her mother.
- 2 Sam 3:14David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, whom I was given to marry for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
- Gen 31:41These twenty years I have been in your house. I served you fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times.
- Deut 22:28–29If a man finds a lady who is a virgin, who is not pledged to be married, grabs her, and lies with her, and they are found;
- Gen 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
- 1 Sam 18:25–27Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
- Matt 14:17They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”
- Hos 3:2So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 34:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.