Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife.” New Living Translation No matter what dowry or gift you demand, I will gladly pay it—just give me the girl as my wife.” English Standard Version Ask me for as great a bride-price and gift as you will, and I will give whatever you say to me. Only give me the young woman to be my wife.” Berean Standard Bible Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!” King James Bible 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. New King James Version 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.” New American Standard Bible 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.” NASB 1995 “Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.” NASB 1977 “Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl in marriage.” Legacy Standard Bible Ask me ever so much bridal payment and gift, and I will give according as you say to me; but give me the girl as a wife.” Amplified Bible Demand of me a very large bridal payment and gift [as compensation for giving up your daughter and sister], and I will give you whatever you tell me; only give me the girl to be my wife.” Christian Standard Bible Demand of me a high compensation and gift; I’ll give you whatever you ask me. Just give the girl to be my wife! ” Holman Christian Standard Bible Demand of me a high compensation and gift; I’ll give you whatever you ask me. Just give the girl to be my wife!” American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version Ask anything, no matter how expensive. I'll do anything, just let me marry Dinah." English Revised Version 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. GOD'S WORD® Translation Set the price I must pay for the bride and the gift I must give her as high as you want. I'll pay exactly what you tell me. Give me the girl as my wife." Good News Translation Tell me what presents you want, and set the payment for the bride as high as you wish; I will give you whatever you ask, if you will only let me marry her." International Standard Version No matter how big or how extensive your demands are for a dowry and wedding presents from me, I'll provide whatever you ask. Only give me the young lady to be my wife." Majority Standard Bible Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!? NET Bible You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, and I'll give whatever you ask of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!" New Heart English Bible Ask me for a very expensive bride price, and I will pay whatever you ask of me, but give me the young woman as a wife." Webster's Bible Translation Ask me never so much dower and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say to me: but give me the damsel for a wife. World English Bible 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.” Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionmultiply on me dowry and gift exceedingly, and I give as you say to me, and give to me the young person for a wife.” Young's Literal Translation multiply on me exceedingly dowry and gift, and I give as ye say unto me, and give to me the young person for a wife.' Smith's Literal Translation Increase to me greatly the dowry and gift, and I will give according to that ye shall say to me; and ye shall give to me this maiden for a wife. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleRaise the dowery,, and ask gifts, and I will gladly give what you shall demand: only give me this damsel to wife. Catholic Public Domain Version Increase the dowry, and request gifts, and I will freely bestow what you will ask. Only give me this girl as a wife.” New American Bible No matter how high you set the bridal price and gift, I will give you whatever you ask from me; only give me the young woman as a wife.” New Revised Standard Version Put the marriage present and gift as high as you like, and I will give whatever you ask me; only give me the girl to be my wife.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAsk me as much as you wish, both dowry and gifts, and I will give you according as you shall say to me; but give me this girl to wife. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Multiply against me a great dowry and gifts and I shall give just as you say to me, and give this girl to me as a wife.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Ask 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.' Brenton Septuagint Translation Multiply your demand of dowry very much, and I will give accordingly as ye shall say to me, only ye shall give me this damsel for a wife. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Defiling of Dinah…11Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, “Grant me this favor, and I will give you whatever you ask. 12Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!” Cross References Exodus 22:16-17 If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged in marriage and sleeps with her, he must pay the full dowry for her to be his wife. / If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin. Deuteronomy 22:28-29 If a man encounters a virgin who is not pledged in marriage, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are discovered, / then the man who lay with her must pay the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she must become his wife because he has violated her. He must not divorce her as long as he lives. 1 Samuel 18:25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. 2 Samuel 3:14 Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.” Hosea 3:2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. Judges 14:2-3 So he returned and told his father and mother, “I have seen a daughter of the Philistines in Timnah. Now get her for me as a wife.” / But his father and mother replied, “Can’t you find a young woman among your relatives or among any of our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me, for she is pleasing to my eyes.” 1 Kings 9:16 Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. Numbers 36:6-7 This is what the LORD has commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehad: They may marry anyone they please, provided they marry within a clan of the tribe of their father. / No inheritance in Israel may be transferred from tribe to tribe, because each of the Israelites is to retain the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Ruth 4:10 Moreover, I have acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, to raise up the name of the deceased through his inheritance, so that his name will not disappear from among his brothers or from the gate of his home. You are witnesses today.” 1 Corinthians 7:36-38 However, if someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward his betrothed, and if she is beyond her youth and they ought to marry, let him do as he wishes; he is not sinning; they should get married. / But the man who is firmly established in his heart and under no constraint, with control over his will and resolve in his heart not to marry the virgin, he will do well. / So then, he who marries the virgin does well, but he who does not marry her does even better. Matthew 22:25-28 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died without having children. So he left his wife to his brother. / The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, down to the seventh. / And last of all, the woman died. ... Ephesians 5:25-33 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her / to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, / and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. ... 1 Peter 3:7 Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as a delicate vessel, and with honor as fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Timothy 5:14 So I advise the younger widows to marry, have children, and manage their households, denying the adversary occasion for slander. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Or don’t you know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” Treasury of Scripture Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as you shall say to me: but give me the damsel to wife. Ask me. dowry. Genesis 24:53 And 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. Genesis 29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. Genesis 31:41 Thus 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. Jump to Previous Amount Bridal Damsel Dower Dowry Exceedingly Gift Girl Great However I'll Impose Lady Maiden Marriage Multiply Payment Present Price Whatever Wife YoungJump to Next Amount Bridal Damsel Dower Dowry Exceedingly Gift Girl Great However I'll Impose Lady Maiden Marriage Multiply Payment Present Price Whatever Wife YoungGenesis 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. Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift In the ancient Near Eastern culture, a dowry was a customary payment made by the groom or his family to the bride's family. This practice was not only a financial transaction but also a way to formalize the marriage agreement and demonstrate the groom's ability to provide for the bride. The mention of a "high dowry and an expensive gift" indicates the seriousness of the proposal and the desire to compensate for the wrongdoing committed by Shechem. This reflects the cultural norms of the time, where marriages often involved negotiations and financial arrangements. The concept of a dowry is seen in other biblical accounts, such as the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24:53) and Jacob's service for Rachel and Leah (Genesis 29:18-20). and I will give you whatever you ask Only give me the girl as my wife! Persons / Places / Events 1. ShechemThe son of Hamor the Hivite, who defiled Dinah, Jacob's daughter. He is deeply infatuated with Dinah and seeks to marry her, offering to pay any dowry. 2. Hamor The father of Shechem and a Hivite prince. He negotiates with Jacob and his sons for Dinah's marriage to Shechem. 3. Dinah The daughter of Jacob and Leah, who is defiled by Shechem. Her situation becomes the catalyst for the events in Genesis 34. 4. Jacob The patriarch of the family, father of Dinah. He is involved in the negotiations with Hamor and Shechem. 5. Simeon and Levi Sons of Jacob and brothers of Dinah, who later take violent action against Shechem and the city in response to Dinah's defilement. Teaching Points The Importance of Family HonorIn ancient cultures, family honor was paramount. The actions of Shechem and the response of Dinah's brothers highlight the lengths to which families would go to protect their honor. The Role of Dowries Dowries were a significant part of marriage negotiations, serving as compensation and a sign of commitment. This reflects the cultural practices of the time and the value placed on marriage agreements. Consequences of Sin The defilement of Dinah and the subsequent actions of her brothers demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of sin, affecting not just individuals but entire communities. Negotiation and Reconciliation The attempt by Hamor and Shechem to negotiate for Dinah's hand in marriage shows the potential for reconciliation, even after grievous wrongs, though it ultimately fails in this account. God's Justice and Human Actions The account invites reflection on human justice versus divine justice, as the actions of Simeon and Levi, though understandable, lead to further violence and deceit.(12) Dowry and gift.--The word rendered dowry (mohar) is the price paid to the parents and relatives of the bride, though taking the form of a present. The gift (matthan) was the present made by the bridegroom to the bride herself. Besides this, her relatives were expected to give her presents, and with some tribes of Arabs it is usual even to make over to her the dowry. Hebrew Demandהַרְבּ֨וּ (har·bū) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great a high עָלַ֤י (‘ā·lay) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against dowry מֹ֣הַר (mō·har) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4119: Purchase price (of a wife) and [an expensive] gift, וּמַתָּ֔ן (ū·mat·tān) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4976: A present and I will give you וְאֶ֨תְּנָ֔ה (wə·’et·tə·nāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular Strong's 5414: To give, put, set whatever כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka·’ă·šer) Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that you ask. תֹּאמְר֖וּ (tō·mə·rū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say Only give וּתְנוּ־ (ū·ṯə·nū-) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 5414: To give, put, set me לִ֥י (lî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew the girl הַֽנַּעֲרָ֖ (han·na·‘ă·rā) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden as my wife!” לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (lə·’iš·šāh) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 802: Woman, wife, female Links Genesis 34:12 NIVGenesis 34:12 NLT Genesis 34:12 ESV Genesis 34:12 NASB Genesis 34:12 KJV Genesis 34:12 BibleApps.com Genesis 34:12 Biblia Paralela Genesis 34:12 Chinese Bible Genesis 34:12 French Bible Genesis 34:12 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 34:12 Ask me a great amount (Gen. 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