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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.”
- 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 22:16–17And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
- Gen 24:53And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
- 2 Sam 3:14And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
- Gen 31:41Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
- Deut 22:28–29If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
- Gen 29:18And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
- 1 Sam 18:25–27And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
- Matt 14:17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
- Hos 3:2So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer 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
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