Shechem’s plea shows how far a transgressor might go to restore favor once trust has been broken.
“Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me.’” (Genesis 34:11). Here we see a young man named Shechem speaking to Jacob and the sons of Jacob, who were the father and brothers of Dinah. Shechem, who lived around the early second millennium BC, was part of a prominent family in the region that also bore his name—the city of Shechem, located in the central hill country of Canaan (modern-day West Bank area). By offering “whatever” they ask, “Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers……” (v.11), he expresses a readiness to pay whatever price might make amends for his earlier wrongdoing against Dinah.
His words, “If I find favor in your sight” (v.11), highlight his desire to align himself and his family with Jacob’s family, possibly through intermarriage or negotiation. This request signals a recognition that he cannot simply ignore the transgression toward Dinah—Jacob’s only daughter mentioned in Scripture—because family honor and cultural expectations in that era demanded clear restitution or reconciliation. Shechem’s father, Hamor, had also come alongside him to plead the case, indicating the seriousness of forging a peaceful alliance.
At this point in Genesis 34, Shechem’s willingness to do whatever is asked demonstrates both desperation and determination to right a grave relational wrong. Unlike other biblical figures who resist paying consequences, Shechem’s attitude resembles a sinner’s plea for pardon—though he approached it through material or political means rather than true repentance. The New Testament often underscores genuine heart transformation (Romans 12:2), foreshadowing a different kind of reconciliation that Jesus Christ would bring centuries after these patriarchal events.
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Genesis 34:11 meaning
“Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘If I find favor in your sight, then I will give whatever you say to me.’” (Genesis 34:11). Here we see a young man named Shechem speaking to Jacob and the sons of Jacob, who were the father and brothers of Dinah. Shechem, who lived around the early second millennium BC, was part of a prominent family in the region that also bore his name—the city of Shechem, located in the central hill country of Canaan (modern-day West Bank area). By offering “whatever” they ask, “Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers……” (v.11), he expresses a readiness to pay whatever price might make amends for his earlier wrongdoing against Dinah.
His words, “If I find favor in your sight” (v.11), highlight his desire to align himself and his family with Jacob’s family, possibly through intermarriage or negotiation. This request signals a recognition that he cannot simply ignore the transgression toward Dinah—Jacob’s only daughter mentioned in Scripture—because family honor and cultural expectations in that era demanded clear restitution or reconciliation. Shechem’s father, Hamor, had also come alongside him to plead the case, indicating the seriousness of forging a peaceful alliance.
At this point in Genesis 34, Shechem’s willingness to do whatever is asked demonstrates both desperation and determination to right a grave relational wrong. Unlike other biblical figures who resist paying consequences, Shechem’s attitude resembles a sinner’s plea for pardon—though he approached it through material or political means rather than true repentance. The New Testament often underscores genuine heart transformation (Romans 12:2), foreshadowing a different kind of reconciliation that Jesus Christ would bring centuries after these patriarchal events.