Genesis 25:28

25:28 Isaac loved Esau because he had a taste for fresh game, ¹  but Rebekah loved ²  Jacob.

Genesis 29:18

29:18 Since Jacob had fallen in love with ³  Rachel, he said, “I’ll serve you seven years in exchange for your younger daughter Rachel.”

Genesis 34:3

34:3 Then he became very attached ⁴  to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. ⁵ 

[25:28]  ¹ tn Heb “the taste of game was in his mouth.” The word for “game,” “venison” is here the same Hebrew word as “hunter” in the last verse. Here it is a metonymy, referring to that which the hunter kills.

[25:28]  ² tn The disjunctive clause juxtaposes Rebekah with Jacob and draws attention to the contrast. The verb here is a participle, drawing attention to Rebekah’s continuing, enduring love for her son.

[29:18]  ³ tn Heb “Jacob loved.”

[34:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he spoke to the heart of the young woman,” which apparently refers in this context to tender, romantic speech (Hos 2:14). Another option is to translate the expression “he reassured the young woman” (see Judg 19:3, 2 Sam 19:7; cf. NEB “comforted her”).