Genesis 34:5-12 - Please give her to him to be his wife

34:5-7

Jacob learnt about what had happened, but waited till his sons came in from the field before doing anything. Hamor came to Jacob to ask for Dinah as a wife for his son. Jacob’s sons learnt about what had happened and were outraged by the fact that Shechem had raped their sister. We see Israel here mentioned as a people.

34:8-12

Hamor tried to appease them. He talks about Shechem’s desire for Jacob’s daughter, and proposes intermarriage between their two peoples. Within his own terms he is trying to bring peace to the situation. Hamor sees things going beyond marriage. We know that throughout the Bible we are warned against intermarriage, not inter-racial marriage, but marriage between the people of God and those who are not. Part of the reason for this is that it has effects beyond simple marriage. Shechem also offers to pay a significant bride price.