Genesis 34:3
New International Version
His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.

New Living Translation
But then he fell in love with her, and he tried to win her affection with tender words.

English Standard Version
And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.

Berean Standard Bible
And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.

King James Bible
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

New King James Version
His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman.

New American Standard Bible
But he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.

NASB 1995
He was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.

NASB 1977
And he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke to the heart of the young woman.

Amplified Bible
But his soul longed for and clung to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke comfortingly to her young heart’s wishes.

Christian Standard Bible
He became infatuated with Jacob’s daughter Dinah. He loved the young girl and spoke tenderly to her.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He became infatuated with Dinah, daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke tenderly to her.”

American Standard Version
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

Contemporary English Version
But Shechem was attracted to Dinah, so he told her how much he loved her.

English Revised Version
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He became very fond of Jacob's daughter Dinah. He loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.

Good News Translation
But he found the young woman so attractive that he fell in love with her and tried to win her affection.

International Standard Version
He was attached to Dinah, Jacob's daughter, since he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.

Majority Standard Bible
And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.

NET Bible
Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacob's daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her.

New Heart English Bible
Then he became very attached to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman, and spoke kindly to the young woman.

Webster's Bible Translation
And his soul cleaved to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke kindly to the damsel.

World English Bible
His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and his soul cleaves to Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and he loves the young person, and speaks to the heart of the young person.

Young's Literal Translation
and his soul cleaveth to Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and he loveth the young person, and speaketh unto the heart of the young person.

Smith's Literal Translation
And his soul will cleave to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he will love the maiden, and he will speak to the heart of the maiden.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And his soul was fast knit unto her, and whereas she was sad, he comforted her with sweet words.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And his soul was closely bound to her, and, since she was sorrowful, he soothed her with flattery.

New American Bible
He was strongly attracted to Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and was in love with the young woman. So he spoke affectionately to her.

New Revised Standard Version
And his soul was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the girl, and spoke tenderly to her.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And his soul longed for Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl, and spoke kindly to the girl, and won her heart.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And his soul went forth after Dinah the daughter of Yaquuv, and he loved the girl and was filled in his heart with the girl.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And his soul did cleave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke comfortingly unto the damsel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he was attached to the soul of Dina the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and he spoke kindly to the damsel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Defiling of Dinah
2When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the region, saw her, he took her and lay with her by force. 3And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly. 4So Shechem told his father Hamor, “Get me this girl as a wife.”…

Cross References
2 Samuel 13:1-15
After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom. / Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her. / Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man, ...

Judges 14:1-3
One day Samson went down to Timnah, where he saw a young Philistine woman. / 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.”

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.

2 Samuel 13:32-33
But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. / So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

Judges 16:4
Some time later, Samson fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

1 Kings 11:1-2
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. / These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.

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.

1 Samuel 18:20
Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.

1 Kings 11:3
He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines—and his wives turned his heart away.

2 Samuel 11:2-4
One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. / So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” / Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

Matthew 14:6-8
On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod / so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked. / Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Mark 6:22-25
When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” / And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” / Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” ...

John 4:7-9
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” / (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) / “You are a Jew,” said the woman. “How can You ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

1 Corinthians 7:2
But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.


Treasury of Scripture

And his soul joined to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spoke kindly to the damsel.

soul.

Ruth 1:14
And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

1 Samuel 18:1
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

kindly unto the damsel.

2 Samuel 19:7
Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

2 Chronicles 30:22
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

Isaiah 40:2
Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

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Attracted Clave Cleave Cleaved Cleaveth Comforting Consolingly Damsel Daughter Deeply Dinah Drawn Fastened Girl Heart Jacob Joined Kindly Loved Maiden Soul Speaketh Tenderly Words Young
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Attracted Clave Cleave Cleaved Cleaveth Comforting Consolingly Damsel Daughter Deeply Dinah Drawn Fastened Girl Heart Jacob Joined Kindly Loved Maiden Soul Speaketh Tenderly Words Young
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.














And his soul was drawn
The phrase "his soul was drawn" indicates a deep emotional and psychological connection. The Hebrew word for "soul" is "nephesh," which often refers to the life force or inner being of a person. This suggests that Shechem's attraction to Dinah was not merely physical but involved his entire being. In the biblical context, the soul is the seat of emotions and desires, indicating a profound, albeit misguided, attachment. This highlights the complexity of human emotions and the potential for them to lead to both positive and negative actions.

to Dinah
Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah, is a central figure in this narrative. Her name means "judged" or "vindicated" in Hebrew, which is significant given the unfolding events. Dinah's presence in Shechem's life becomes a catalyst for a series of actions that lead to conflict and moral questioning. Her account is a reminder of the vulnerability of individuals, especially women, in ancient societies and the importance of justice and protection within a community.

the daughter of Jacob
This phrase emphasizes Dinah's identity and lineage. As the daughter of Jacob, she is part of the covenant family chosen by God. This connection underscores the gravity of Shechem's actions, as they are not just against Dinah but also against the family and, by extension, the covenant community. The mention of Jacob highlights the patriarchal structure of the society and the protective role expected of fathers and brothers.

He loved the young girl
The word "loved" here is translated from the Hebrew "ahav," which can denote a range of affections from familial love to romantic desire. In this context, it suggests a complex mix of emotions that Shechem feels towards Dinah. However, given the preceding events, this love is tainted by selfishness and lack of respect for Dinah's autonomy. This serves as a cautionary tale about the nature of true love, which should be selfless and respectful.

and spoke to her tenderly
The phrase "spoke to her tenderly" indicates an attempt by Shechem to express affection and perhaps remorse. The Hebrew root "dabar" for "spoke" implies communication that is intentional and significant. "Tenderly" suggests a softness or gentleness in his approach, which contrasts sharply with his earlier actions. This juxtaposition highlights the inconsistency between words and deeds, reminding readers of the importance of integrity and genuine repentance in relationships.

Verses 3, 4. - And his soul clave (vide infra on ver. 8) unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, - it was in some degree an extenuation of the wickedness of Shechem that he did not cast off the victim of his violence and lust, but continued to regard her with affection - and he loved the damsel, - on the use of na'ar for a youth of either sex vide Genesis 24:14 - and spake kindly unto the damsel - literally, spoke to the heart of the damsel, ἐλάλησε κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν τῆς παρθίνου αὐτῇ (LXX.), i.e. addressed to her such words as were agreeable to her inclinations (cf. on the import of the phrase Genesis 1:21; Judges 19:3; Isaiah 40:2; Hosea 2:14), probably expressing his affection, and offering the reparation of honorable marriage, as may be legitimately inferred from what is next recorded of his behavior. And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife - cf. the case of Samson (Judges 14:2).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And his soul
נַפְשׁ֔וֹ (nap̄·šōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

was drawn
וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק (wat·tiḏ·baq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1692: To impinge, cling, adhere, to catch by pursuit

to Dinah,
בְּדִינָ֖ה (bə·ḏî·nāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1783: Dinah -- daughter of Jacob

the daughter
בַּֽת־ (baṯ-)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 1323: A daughter

of Jacob.
יַעֲקֹ֑ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

He loved
וַיֶּֽאֱהַב֙ (way·ye·’ĕ·haḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 157: To have affection f

the young girl
הַֽנַּעֲרָ֔ (han·na·‘ă·rā)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden

and spoke to her tenderly.
וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue


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OT Law: Genesis 34:3 His soul joined to Dinah the daughter (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 34:2
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