Ukubonana kukaJakobe lezihlobo zakhe

29UJakobe wasephakamisa inyawo zakhe, waya elizweni labantwana bempumalangaa. 2 Wasebona, khangela-ke, umthombo emmangweni, khangela-ke lapho, imihlambi emithathu yezimvu yayilele kuwo, ngoba kulowomthombo banathisa imihlambi; kwakukhona ilitshe elikhulu emlonyeni womthombo. 3 Njalo yonke imihlambi yabuthelwa khona, sebeligiqile ilitshe lisuka emlonyeni womthombo banathisa izimvu, basebebuyisela ilitshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo. 4 UJakobe wasesithi kibo: Bazalwane bami, livela ngaphi? Basebesithi: Sivela eHaranib. 5 Wasesithi kibo: Liyamazi yini uLabani indodana kaNahori? Basebesithi: Siyamazi. 6 Wasesithi kibo: Uyaphila yini? Basebesithi: Uphililec; khangela-ke, uRasheli indodakazi yakhe, uyeza lezimvu. 7 Wasesithi: Khangelani, kusesemini enkulu, kayisiso isikhathi sokuthi izifuyo zibuthaniswe; nathisani izimvu, lihambe lizidlise. 8 Basebesithi: Singeke, kuze kubuthaniswe imihlambi yonke, bagiqe-ke ilitshe lisuke emlonyeni womthombo; khona sizanathisa izimvu.

9 Esakhuluma labo, uRasheli wafika lezimvu, ezingezikayised, ngoba wayengumelusikazi. 10 Kwasekusithi uJakobe ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabani umalumakhe lezimvu zikaLabani umalumakhe, uJakobe wasondela, waligiqa ilitshe lasuka emlonyeni womthombo, wazinathisa izimvu zikaLabani umalumakhee. 11 UJakobe wasemanga uRashelif, waphakamisa ilizwi lakhe wakhala izinyembezi. 12 UJakobe wasemazisa uRasheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise lokuthi uyindodana kaRebekag. Wasegijima, wamazisa uyiseh. 13 Kwasekusithi uLabani esezwile umbiko kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyamhlangabezai, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe. UJakobe waselandisela uLabani zonke lezizinto. 14 ULabani wasesithi kuye: Isibili ulithambo lami lenyama yamij. Wahlala laye inyanga yonke1.

UJakobe uthatha uLeya loRasheli

15 ULabani wasesithi kuJakobe: Njengoba ungumfowethu, usuzangisebenzela mahala yini? Ngitshela ukuthi umholo wakho uzakuba yini? 16 Njalo uLabani wayelamadodakazi amabili, ibizo lenkulu linguLeya lebizo lencinyane linguRasheli. 17 Kodwa uLeya wayelamehlo abuthakathaka, kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle ngesimo, njalo wayemuhle ngokukhangelekak. 18 UJakobe wasemthanda uRasheli. Wathi: Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRasheli indodakazi yakho encanel. 19 ULabani wasesithi: Kungcono ukuthi ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda; hlala lami. 20 UJakobe wasemsebenzela uRasheli iminyaka eyisikhombisam; yaba emehlweni akhe njengensuku ezinlutshwana, ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.

21 UJakobe wasesithi kuLabani: Ngipha umkami, ngoba insuku zami sezigcwalisekile, ukuthi ngingene kuye. 22 ULabani wasebuthanisa wonke amadoda aleyondawo, wenza idilin. 23 Kwasekusithi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe wamusa kuye, wasengena kuye. 24 ULabani wasemnika uZilipa incekukazi yakhe, kuLeya indodakazi yakhe, abe yincekukazio. 25 Kwasekusithi ekuseni, khangela-ke, nguLeya; ngakho wathi kuLabani: Kuyini lokhu okwenze kimi? Kangimsebenzelanga uRasheli kuwe yini? Pho, ungikhohliseleni? 26 ULabani wasesithi: Kakwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukupha omncinyane ngaphambi kwengqabuthop. 27 Gcwalisa iviki yaloq, besesikunika lalowayana, ngomsebenzi ozawusebenza lami futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa. 28 UJakobe wasesenza njalo; wagcwalisa iviki yalo; wasemnika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe. 29 ULabani wasenika uRasheli indodakazi yakhe uBiliha incekukazi yakhe, abe yincekukazi kuyer. 30 Wasengena lakuRasheli; wamthanda njalo uRasheli kuloLeyas, wasesebenza laye futhi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisat.

Abantwana abazalelwa uJakobe

31 Lapho iNkosi isibona ukuthi uLeya wayezondwa, yavula isizalo sakhe, kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumbau. 32 ULeya wasethatha isisu, wazala indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uRubeni2, ngoba wathi: Ngoba iNkosi ibonile inhlupheko yamiv; ngakho khathesi indoda yami izangithanda. 33 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana, wathi: Njengoba iNkosi izwile ukuthi ngiyazondwa, inginike lale; wayitha ibizo layo uSimeyoni3. 34 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Khathesi ngalesisikhathi indoda yami izazihlanganisa lamiw, ngoba ngiyizalele amadodana amathathu; ngalokhu wabiza ibizo layo uLevi4. 35 Wasebuya wathatha isisu, wazala indodana; wathi: Ngalesisikhathi ngizadumisa iNkosi; ngakho wayitha ibizo layo uJudax5; wasesima ukuzala.