UGenesisi 29:1-35
29 Ngemva kwalokho uJakhobe waqhubeka ngohambo lwakhe waze wayafika elizweni labantu beMpumalanga.
2 Wasebona umthombo egangeni njalo kwakulemihlambi yezimvu emithathu eyayilele eduze kwawo ngoba yayijayele ukunathiswa kulowomthombo. Umthombo lo wawuvalwe ngelitshe elikhulu.
3 Kwakusithi nxa imihlambi yonke isibuthanisiwe khonapho, abelusi bagiqe ilitshe lelo bavule umthombo besebenathisa imihlambi. Ngemva kwalokho babeligiqa balibuyisele bavale umthombo.
4 UJakhobe wasesithi kubo: “Bafowethu, livela ngaphi?” Bona bathi: “Sivela eHarani.”+
5 Wasesithi kubo: “Liyamazi yini uLabhani+ umzukulu kaNahori?”+ Bona baphendula bathi: “Siyamazi.”
6 Yena wathi kubo: “Uyaphila yini?” Bathi kuye: “Uziphilele. Nanguya loRasheli+ indodakazi yakhe ubuya lezimvu.”
7 Wasesithi kubo: “Khathesi kusesemini. Ayisiso sikhathi sokubuthanisa imihlambi. Nathisani izimvu lizihambise emadlelweni.”
8 Bona baphendula bathi: “Asivunyelwa ukwenza njalo. Kumele simelele ukuthi yonke imihlambi ibuthaniswe besekugiqwa ilitshe elivale umthombo. Ngemva kwalokho sesingazinathisa izimvu.”
9 Wathi esakhuluma labo uRasheli wafika lezimvu zikayise ngoba wayengumelusi.
10 UJakhobe wathi ebona uRasheli indodakazi kaLabhani umfowabo kanina, lezimvu zikaLabhani, wahle wasondela wagiqa ilitshe elalivale umthombo wanathisa izimvu zikaLabhani umfowabo kanina.
11 UJakhobe waseqabuza uRasheli wakhala kakhulu, zehla ezimathonsi.
12 UJakhobe watshela uRasheli ukuthi wayeyisihlobo sikayise* lokuthi wayeyindodana kaRabheka. URasheli wasesuka egijima wayatshela uyise.
13 ULabhani+ uthe esizwa umbiko omayelana loJakhobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima wamhlangabeza. Wafika wamgona wamqabuza, wasehamba laye emzini wakhe. UJakhobe waqalisa ukulandisela uLabhani konke okwakwenzakele.
14 ULabhani wathi kuye: “Wena ulithambo lami lenyama yami sibili.”* Ngakho wahlala laye inyanga yonke.
15 ULabhani wasesithi kuJakhobe: “Kambe sekumele ungisebenzele mahala ngenxa yokuthi uyisihlobo sami?*+ Ngitshela ukuthi ufuna ngikubhadale ngani?”+
16 ULabhani wayelamadodakazi amabili. Ibizo lendodakazi endala kwakunguLeya, encane kunguRasheli.+
17 Amehlo kaLeya ayengakhangi kodwa uRasheli wayemuhle kakhulu futhi elomzimba omuhle.
18 UJakhobe wayesemthanda uRasheli yikho wathi: “Ngizimisele ukukusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze ngithole indodakazi yakho encane uRasheli.”+
19 ULabhani wasesithi: “Kungcono ngimnike wena kulokuthi ngimnike enye indoda. Qhubeka uhlala lami.”
20 UJakhobe wasesebenza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ukuze athole uRasheli+ kodwa kuye iminyaka le yayingathi zinsukwana nje ngoba wayemthanda.
21 UJakhobe wasesithi kuLabhani: “Nginika yena abe ngumkami* ngoba insuku zami sezenele njalo ngivumela ngimthathe ngilale laye.”
22 ULabhani wasebuthanisa bonke abantu baleyondawo wenza idili.
23 Kodwa kwathi kusihlwa uLabhani wathatha indodakazi yakhe uLeya wayisa kuJakhobe ukuze alale layo.
24 ULabhani wathatha lencekukazi yakhe uZilipha wayinika indodakazi yakhe uLeya ukuthi imsebenzele.+
25 Kwathi sekusile uJakhobe wabona ukuthi wayeloLeya, wasesithi kuLabhani: “Kuyini lokhu ongenze khona? Kanti angisebenzelanga uRasheli yini? Pho kungani ungiqilile?”+
26 ULabhani wasesithi: “Isiko lethu alivumi ukuthi sendise intombi encane endala ingakendi.
27 Kholisa idili elenzelwe owesifazana lo okweviki yonke. Ngemva kwalokho ngizakunika umnawakhe kodwa kuzamele ungisebenzele eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”+
28 UJakhobe wakwenza lokhu, wakholisa lowesifazana lowo edilini okweviki yonke. Ngemva kwalokho uLabhani wamupha indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuthi ibe ngumkakhe.
29 Kanti njalo uLabhani wathatha incekukazi yakhe uBhiliha+ wayinika indodakazi yakhe uRasheli ukuthi ibe yisisebenzi sakhe.+
30 UJakhobe waselala loRasheli njalo wayethanda yena ukwedlula uLeya. Ngakho wasebenzela uLabhani eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.+
31 UJehova wathi ebona ukuthi uLeya kathandwa* wasesenza ukuthi enelise ukuzithwala+ kodwa uRasheli wayeyinyumba.+
32 Ngakho uLeya wazithwala wasebeletha umntwana ongumfana wamnika ibizo wathi nguRubheni*+ ngoba wathi: “Kungenxa yokuthi uJehova ukubonile ukuhlupheka kwami,+ khathesi umkami usezaqalisa ukungithanda.”
33 Waphinda wazithwala wasebeletha umntwana ongumfana, wathi: “Kungenxa yokuthi uJehova uzwile ukuthi bengingathandwa wasenginika lalo futhi.” Ngakho wamnika ibizo wathi nguSimiyoni.*+
34 Waphinda wazithwala wasebeletha umntwana ongumfana wathi: “Khathesi umkami usezasondela kimi ngoba sengimzalele amadodana amathathu.” Ngakho wanikwa ibizo wathiwa nguLevi.*+
35 ULeya waphinda wazithwala wasebeletha umntwana ongumfana wathi: “Khathesi ngizadumisa uJehova.” Ngakho wamnika ibizo wathi nguJuda.*+ Ngemva kwalokho wema ukuba labantwana.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “wayengumfowabo kayise.”
^ Kumbe, “uyisihlobo sami segazi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “ungumfowethu.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “yinkosikazi yami.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “uyazondwa.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Khangelani, indodana.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Uzwile.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ukunamathela; Ukusondela.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Odunyiswayo.”
