And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
His heart was deeply attached to Dinah, Jacob's daughter, and he loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her.
This verse describes how Shechem became emotionally attached to Dinah after assaulting her, claiming to love her and trying to win her affection with gentle words.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs immediately after Shechem, a Canaanite prince, had sexually assaulted Dinah, Jacob's only mentioned daughter. In ancient Near Eastern culture, such actions against a family's daughter brought great shame and required some form of resolution. The verse shows Shechem's attempt to legitimize his actions through marriage, which was sometimes considered a way to repair the damage in that cultural context.
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