34:1 Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore to Jacob, went to meet 5 the young women 6 of the land.
1 tn Heb “and now.” The words “I understand that” have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
2 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the certainty of the action.
3 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the perfect verbal form to emphasize the degree of emotion involved.
4 sn Yet why did you steal my gods? This last sentence is dropped into the speech rather suddenly. See C. Mabee, “Jacob and Laban: The Structure of Judicial Proceedings,” VT 30 (1980): 192-207, and G. W. Coats, “Self-Abasement and Insult Formulas,” JBL 91 (1972): 90-92.
5 tn Heb “went out to see.” The verb “to see,” followed by the preposition בְּ (bÿ), here has the idea of “look over.” The young girl wanted to meet these women and see what they were like.
6 tn Heb “daughters.”