1 UDina, indodakazi kaLeya ayizalela uJakhobe wasuka wayakwethekelela abafazi balelolizwe. 2 Kwathi uShekhemu, indodana kaHamori umHivi, umbusi walowomango, ebona uDina, wamthatha wamdlova. 3 Inhliziyo yakhe yathatheka ngoDina indodakazi kaJakhobe, wayithanda intombi le, wakhuluma layo kamnandi. 4 UShekhemu wathi kuyise uHamori, “Ngithathela intombi le ibe ngumkami.”

5 UJakhobe wathi ekuzwa ukuthi indodakazi yakhe uDina yayingcolisiwe, amadodana akhe ayesegangeni lezifuyo; wathula nje aze abuya ekhaya.

6 Ngakho usekaShekhemu, uHamori wayakhuluma loJakhobe. 7 Ngalesosikhathi amadodana kaJakhobe ayesebuyile evela egangeni evele esezwile okwasekwenzakele. Babelosizi njalo begcwele ulaka ngoba uShekhemu wayenze into elihlazo ko-Israyeli ngokudlova indodakazi kaJakhobe, into okwakungamelanga yenziwe.

8 Kodwa uHamori wathi kubo, “Indodana yami uShekhemu uyayithanda indodakazi yakho. Muphe yona ibe ngumkakhe. 9 Kasendiselane; sipheni amadodakazi enu, lani lizithathele amadodakazi ethu. 10 Lingazihlalela phakathi kwethu; ilizwe livulekile kini. Hlalani kulo, thengisani kulo njalo lifuye kulo.”

11 UShekhemu wasesithi kuyise kaDina lakubanewabo, “Ngicela ukuthi lingamukele, ngizalinika loba yini eliyifunayo. 12 Khulumani amalobolo lokangaziwe, mina ngizakuletha ngobunengi bakho njengokufuna kwenu, njalo ngizakukhupha konke elikubizayo. Lina ngiphani intombi kuphela nje ibe ngumkami.”

13 Kwathi ngoba udadewabo uDina wayesengcolisiwe, amadodana kaJakhobe aphendula ngobuqili ekhuluma loShekhemu loyise uHamori. 14 Athi kubo, “Asingeke senze into enjalo; ngeke siphe udadewethu indoda engasokwanga. Lokho kungaba lihlazo kithi. 15 Sizavuma kuphela nxa lenze lokhu: ukuthi libe njengathi ngokusoka bonke abesilisa benu. 16 Lapho-ke sesingalendisela amadodakazi ethu lathi sithathe amadodakazi enu. Sizakwakha phakathi kwenu sibe ngabantu banye lani. 17 Kodwa nxa lingavumi ukusokwa sizamthatha udadewethu sihambe.”

18 Icebo labo lakhanya lilihle kuHamori loShekhemu. 19 Ijaha leli eliyilo elalihlonitshwa kakhulu emzini kayise, kalisachithanga isikhathi ukukwenza lokho ababekutshilo ngoba lalitshiseka ngendodakazi kaJakhobe. 20 Ngakho uHamori lendodana yakhe uShekhemu baya entubeni yedolobho bayabonisana lamadoda edolobho lakibo. 21 Bathi, “Amadoda la alomusa kithi. Kabahlale elizweni lethu bathengiselane labantu; ilizwe leli lilendawo enkulu abangahlala kuyo. Singathatha amadodakazi abo labo bangathatha awethu. 22 Kodwa bangavuma ukuhlala phakathi kwethu kuphela nxa abesilisa bethu bengasokwa njengabo. 23 Kambe izifuyo zabo, lempahla yabo kanye layo yonke imfuyo yabo kakukuba ngokwethu na? Ngakho kasivumeni, khona bezakwakha phakathi kwethu.”

24 Wonke amadoda ayekhona entubeni yedolobho avumelana loHamori lendodana yakhe uShekhemu, kwathi bonke abesilisa balelodolobho basokwa.

25 Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu, bonke belokhu besebuhlungwini, amadodana kaJakhobe amabili, uSimiyoni loLevi, abanewabo bakaDina, bathatha inkemba zabo balihlasela idolobho belibele, babulala bonke abesilisa. 26 OHamori lendodana yakhe uShekhemu babaquma ngenkemba bamkhupha uDina endlini kaShekhemu bahamba. 27 Amadodana kaJakhobe afikela phezu kwezidumbu aliphanga idolobho lapho udadewabo ayengcoliselwe khona. 28 Athumba imihlambi yabo yezimvu lenkomo, labobabhemi lakho konke okwakungokwabo phakathi edolobheni langaphandle egangeni. 29 Bayiqukula yonke inotho yabo kanye labafazi labantwana, bathumba konke okwakusezindlini kwaba yimpango.

30 UJakhobe wasesithi kuSimiyoni loLevi, “Selingehlisele uhlupho langenza ngasoleka kakhulu kumaKhenani lamaPherizi, abantu abahlala elizweni leli. Thina sibalutshwana, bangahlangana bangihlasele, mina lomuzi wami sizabhujiswa.”

31 Kodwa bona baphendula bathi, “Bekufanele yini ukuthi aphathe udadewethu njengesifebe na?”