Genesis 34:3

34:3 Then he became very attached ¹  to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her. ² 

Genesis 24:57

24:57 Then they said, “We’ll call the girl and find out what she wants to do.” ³ 

Genesis 24:28

24:28 The young woman ran and told her mother’s household all about ⁴  these things.

Genesis 24:55

24:55 But Rebekah’s ⁵  brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl stay with us a few more days, perhaps ten. Then she can go.”

Genesis 24:16

24:16 Now the young woman was very beautiful. She was a virgin; no man had ever had sexual relations with her. ⁶  She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up.

Genesis 24:61

24:61 Then Rebekah and her female servants mounted the camels and rode away with ⁷  the man. So Abraham’s servant ⁸  took Rebekah and left.

Genesis 34:12

34:12 You can make the bride price and the gift I must bring very expensive, ⁹  and I’ll give ¹⁰  whatever you ask ¹¹  of me. Just give me the young woman as my wife!”

Genesis 24:14

24:14 I will say to a young woman, ‘Please lower your jar so I may drink.’ May the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac reply, ‘Drink, and I’ll give your camels water too.’ ¹²  In this way I will know that you have been faithful to my master.” ¹³ 

[34:3]  ¹ tn Heb “his soul stuck to [or “joined with”],” meaning Shechem became very attached to Dinah emotionally.

[34:3]  ² 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”).

[24:57]  ³ tn Heb “and we will ask her mouth.”

[24:28]  ⁵ tn Heb “according to.”

[24:55]  ⁷ tn Heb “her”; the referent (Rebekah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “And the young woman was very good of appearance, a virgin, and a man she had not known.” Some argue that the Hebrew noun translated “virgin” (בְּתוּלָה, bÿtulah) is better understood in a general sense, “young woman” (see Joel 1:8, where the word appears to refer to one who is married). In this case the circumstantial clause (“and a man she had not known”) would be restrictive, rather than descriptive. If the term actually means “virgin,” one wonders why the circumstantial clause is necessary (see Judg 21:12 as well). Perhaps the repetition emphasizes her sexual purity as a prerequisite for her role as the mother of the covenant community.

[24:61]  ¹¹ tn Heb “And she arose, Rebekah and her female servants, and they rode upon camels and went after.”

[24:61]  ¹² tn Heb “the servant”; the word “Abraham’s” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “Make very great upon me the bride price and gift.” The imperatives are used in a rhetorical manner. Shechem’s point is that he will pay the price, no matter how expensive it might be.

[34:12]  ¹⁴ tn The cohortative expresses Shechem’s resolve to have Dinah as his wife.

[34:12]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “say.”

[24:14]  ¹⁵ sn I will also give your camels water. It would be an enormous test for a young woman to water ten camels. The idea is that such a woman would not only be industrious but hospitable and generous.

[24:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “And let the young woman to whom I say, ‘Lower your jar that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink and I will also give your camels water,’ – her you have appointed for your servant, for Isaac, and by it I will know that you have acted in faithfulness with my master.”