The Meaning of Genesis 34:8 Explained

Genesis 34:8

KJV: And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

YLT: And Hamor speaketh with them, saying, 'Shechem, my son, his soul hath cleaved to your daughter; give her, I pray you, to him for a wife,

Darby: And Hamor spoke to them, saying, My son Shechem's soul cleaves to your daughter: I pray you, give her to him as wife.

ASV: And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you, give her unto him to wife.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Hamor  communed  with them, saying,  The soul  of my son  Shechem  longeth  for your daughter:  I pray you give  her him to wife. 

What does Genesis 34:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 34:1-17 - Jacob With The Shechemites
Jacob was tempted by the fat pastures of Shechem, without thought or care of the character of its people, and he lived to bitterly rue his choice. How many religious parents have made the same mistake! They first encamp near the world, pitching their tent doors in that direction; then they buy a parcel of land, and finally their children contract alliances that end in shame and disaster. He who came of a pilgrim race, and to whom the whole land had been given by promise, bought real estate right against Shechem, one of the worst cities in the country. Like Lot, Jacob bid high for wealth and worldly advancement, risked the highest for the lowest, and was saved as by fire. Poor Dinah! Yet she was more sinned against than sinning. Jacob had put her in jeopardy by his selfish policy; and Leah was not blameless, for she had let her go unwarned and unaccompanied into the middle of that furnace of trial. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 34

1  Dinah is ravished by Shechem
4  He requests to marry her
13  The sons of Jacob offer the condition of circumcision to the Shechemites
20  Hamor and Shechem persuade them to accept it
25  The sons of Jacob upon that advantage slay them, and spoil their city
30  Jacob reproves Simeon and Levi

What do the individual words in Genesis 34:8 mean?

But spoke Hamor with them saying Shechem my son longs for the soul of your daughter give please her to him as a wife
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר חֲמ֖וֹר אִתָּ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר שְׁכֶ֣ם בְּנִ֗י חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה נַפְשׁוֹ֙ בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם תְּנ֨וּ נָ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ ל֖וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר  But  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
חֲמ֖וֹר  Hamor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמֹור  
Sense: the Hivite prince of the city of Shechem when Jacob entered Palestine.
אִתָּ֣ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שְׁכֶ֣ם  Shechem 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁכֶם 
Sense: son of Hamor, the chieftain of the Hivites at Shechem at the time of Jacob’s arrival.
בְּנִ֗י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חָֽשְׁקָ֤ה  longs 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָשַׁק 
Sense: (Qal) to love, be attached to, long for.
נַפְשׁוֹ֙  for  the  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
בְּבִתְּכֶ֔ם  of  your  daughter 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
תְּנ֨וּ  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
נָ֥א  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
אֹתָ֛הּ  her 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ל֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לְאִשָּֽׁה  as  a  wife 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.

What are the major concepts related to Genesis 34:8?

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