Genesis 34:12
in Genesis 34Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
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.
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.
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This verse in Genesis 34
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Grant me this favor
on Genesis 34:11-12
Shechem speaks for himself and offers whatever they name, a high dowry and an expensive gift, so money is his answer to what he has done. His own city will be answered in that currency at verse 28, when its flocks and herds and donkeys are carried off. The chapter records no word from Dinah.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Ask me never so much dowry and gift,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Ask me never so much dowry - See Clarke on Gen 29:20 (note), etc. See the law relative to this, Exo 22:16, Exo 22:17.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
‘MOHAR’ (DOWRY) ‘UMATAN’ (AND GIFT). Mohar [refers to the bridal gifts given at the time of] the marriage-contract which is given to maidens, as it is written, according to the dowry of virgins, 129 Exodus:16.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַרְבּ֨וּ | harbu | increase | H7235 → | 227 times |
| עָלַ֤י | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מְאֹד֙ | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| מֹ֣הַר | mohar | a bride price | H4119 → | |
| וּמַתָּ֔ן | umatan | and a gift | H4976 → | |
| וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה | veetenah | so let me give [it] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| תֹּאמְר֖וּ | tomeru | you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵלָ֑י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וּתְנוּ־ | utenu- | and give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֥י | li | to <the> me | ||
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ | hanaara | the girl | H5291 → | 63 times |
| לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ | leishah | to a wife | H802 → | 781 times |
הַרְבּ֨וּincrease
harbuH7235 →227 times
עָלַ֤יon me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
מְאֹד֙exceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
מֹ֣הַרa bride price
moharH4119 →
וּמַתָּ֔ןand a gift
umatanH4976 →
וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔הso let me give [it]
veetenahH5414 →2011 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
תֹּאמְר֖וּyou will say
tomeruH559 →5305 times
אֵלָ֑יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
וּתְנוּ־and give
utenu-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֥יto <the> me
li
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖the girl
hanaaraH5291 →63 times
לְאִשָּֽׁה׃to a wife
leishahH802 →781 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 14:17“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
it leads to
- John 6:5–9
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
- Luke 9:13
But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
- Matthew 15:33–34
The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
- Mark 6:37–38
But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”
- Mark 8:4–5
His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
- John 6:5–9
Through
Genesis 24:53Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.
it leads to
- Genesis 24:22
And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
- Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Exodus 12:35
Furthermore, the Israelites acted on Moses’ word and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold, and for clothing.
- Genesis 24:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.