Understanding a text from the narrator's point of view is crucial for the tasks of interpreting and translating the Bible. In this volume, Ethiopian scholar Daniel Hankore clarifi es the reading of Scripture by studying it in the light of Ethiopian Hadiyya culture and relevance theory, which facilitate Scriptural interpretation and translation. Hankore's analysis recognises the text of the Bible as a literary document or discourse while also considering its cultural context. He demonstrates that a correct understanding of the concept of the ancient Israelite vow in the framework of a social institution is key to facilitating an accurate reading and translation of this section of Genesis. The conclusion we can draw from this understanding is that the narrative of Jacob is a coherent whole. Furthermore the Dinah story is of vital importance to the narrative, a fact which has frequently been overlooked as has the connection between its different parts. Genesis 28:10-35:15 is revealed in a new light in this detailed study which focuses on relevance theory informed by Ethiopian cultural context and provides original theories about the place of the Dinah story in the narrative of Jacob. Daniel Hankore is Bible Translation Consultant at SIL Ethiopia Branch. 'This is a fresh and original contribution to the interpretation of Genesis. It also contains a full and thorough evaluation of more traditional, critical, and historical approaches to the issues raised by Genesis 25-35. It deserves to be taken most seriously by future scholars trying to understand these chapters of Scripture.' Gordon Wenham, Tutor at Trinity College, Bristol

Daniel Hankore argues that the story of Genesis 28:10--35:15 has been misunderstood and mistranslated for two thousand years. He seeks to shed new light on it from Ethiopia's Hadiyya culture, revealing Genesis 28:10--35:15 to be a votive narrative. Making use of relevance theory Hankore tries to reconstruct the intended message of the story from the narrator's point of view. Genesis 28:10--35:15 is presented as a coherent narrative unit and each episode of the story, including the Dinah story, is a part of the building blocks of the discourse structure of this coherent votive narrative. Hankore shows that a correct understanding of the Hebrew concept (vow) in the context of the ancient Israelite's social institution is fundamental for the reading and translating of Genesis 28:10-35:15.