UJakopo ufika kwaLabani
1UJakopo waraga ngekhambo lakhe lokuya enarheni yabantu bangepumalanga. 2Khonapho wabona umthombo emmangweni, kwakulele imihlambi emithathu yezimvu eqadi kwawo ngombana bekusezwa izimvu lapho. Umlomo womthombo lowo wawugutjuzeswe ngelitje elikhulu. 3Bekuthi yoke imihlambi nasele iphelele lapho, abelusi bagede ilitjelo balisuse emlonyeni womthombo bese baseza izimvu. Nabaqedako basibekele umthombo lowo ngelitjelo.
4UJakopo wabuza abelusi wathi: “Bafowethu, nibuya tjhuba liphi?”
Baphendula bathi: “Sibuya ngeRharana.”
5Wabuza godu wathi: “Niyamazi uLabani, umsa kaNarhori na?”
Baphendula bathi: “Iye, siyamazi.”
6Wabuza wathi: “Usaphila na?”
Bamphendula bathi: “Iye, usaphila. Qala nasiya indodakazakhe uRarheli isiza nomhlambakhe.”
7UJakopo wathi kibo: “Alo, njengombana kusesemini ekulu kangaka nje begodu akukabi sikhathi sokubuthelela umhlambi. Kubayini ningawusezi ubuyele emadlelweni na?”
8Baphendula bathi: “Asikwazi ukwenza njalo kungakafiki yoke imihlambi bese-ke kugedwa ilitjeli emlonyeni womthombo. Ngemva kwalapho-ke sele kungasezwa izimvu.”
9Kwathi uJakopo asakhuluma nabo, kwafika uRarheli nezimvu zakayise ngombana gade angumelusazo. 10Lokha uJakopo nakabona uRarheli nomhlambi kamalumakhe uLabani, wanqomba emthonjeni wageda ilitje, waseza izimvu zakamalumakhe. 11Yeke uJakopo wancwanga uRarheli bewathoma wakhihla isililo. 12UJakopo watjela uRarheli bonyana usihlobo sakayise nokobana uyindodana kaRabega. Yeke uRarheli wagijima wayokutjela uyise.
13Kwathi bona uLabani ezwe ngeendaba zakaJakopo umzukulwanakhe wagijima bona amhlangabeze. Wamgona wamncwanga emhlathini, wamngenisa ngekhaya. UJakopo wadembela uLabani koke kwekhabo. 14ULabani wathi kuye: “Ngambala usihlobo sami seengazi.”
UJakopo utjhada noLeya noRarheli
Ngemva kobana uJakopo sele ahlezi kwaLabani inyanga yoke, 15uLabani wathi kuye: “Ukuthi usihlobo sami akutjho bonyana sekumele ungisebenzele simahla. Ungathanda bonyana ngikukhokhele kangangani?”
16ULabani gade anamadodakazi amabili, izibulo kwakunguLeya, omncani kunguRarheli. 17Amehlo kaLeya gade angasibukhali, kodwana uRarheli gade anejamo begodu amuhle. 18UJakopo wathanda uRarheli, nje-ke wathi kuLabani: “Ngizakusebenzela iminyaka elikhomba mayelana nendodakazakho encani uRarheli.”
19ULabani wathi: “Kuzaba ngcono ngimnikele wena kunobanyana ngimnikele enye nje indoda. Yeke hlala kimapha.”
20UJakopo wasebenza iminyaka elikhomba bona afunyane uRarheli. Kodwana kwaba kwangathi malanga ambalwa kuye ngebanga lethando agade athanda ngalo uRarheli.
21Yeke uJakopo wathi kuLabani: “Nginikela umkami. Isikhathi sami sengisiqedile, sengifuna ukumngena.”
22Nje-ke uLabani wenza umnyanya, wamema boke abantu bendawo leyo. 23Kodwana kwathi sekurhwaqele wathatha indodakazakhe uLeya wayisa kuJakopo, uJakopo walala nayo. 24ULabani gade anikele uLeya incekukazakhe, uZilipha, njengesipho somtjhado.
25Kwathi nakusako, uJakopo wathi: “Madekhethu, nguLeya lo!” Waya kuLabani wathi: “Yintobani ongenze yona le? Angithi bengisebenzela uRarheli? Alo, ungigalajelani?”
26ULabani waphendula wathi: “Kumphambo ekhethwapha bona omncani angenda qangi omkhulu angakendi. 27Lindalinda bekuphele iveke yobukhazi le, ngizabe sengikunikela uRarheli nayibe uzangisebenzela eminye iminyaka elikhomba.”
28UJakopo wenza njalo. Kuthe bona iveke yobukhazi iphele, uLabani wanikela uJakopo indodakazakhe uRarheli bona abe mkakhe. 29ULabani wapha uRarheli incekukazakhe, uBhilirha, njengesipho somtjhado. 30UJakopo wangena uRarheli. Ngambala wathanda uRarheli khulu kunoLeya. Yeke wasebenzela uLabani eminye iminyaka elikhomba.
Abantwana bakaJakopo
31Kuthe uSomnini nabona bonyana uLeya akathandwa, yavula isibeletho sakhe, yavala sakaRarheli. 32ULeya waba sidisi bewabeletha indodana. Wayithiya bona nguRubeni ngombana wathi: “Ngambala uSomnini ubone umtlhagwami. Ngiqinisile indodami izangithanda kwanjesi.”
33Waba sidisi godu, wabeletha enye indodana, wathi: “USomnini ungiphe enye indodana godu ngombana uzwile bona angithandwa.” Yeke wayithiya bona nguSimiyoni.
34ULeya godu waba sidisi, wabeletha indodana godu, wathi: “Kwanjesi indodami izakunamathela kimi ngombana ngiyibelethele amadodana amathathu.” Yeke wayithiya bona nguLevi.
35Godu waba sidisi, wabeletha enye indodana, wathi: “Gadesi ngizakudumisa uSomnini.” Yeke wayithiya bona nguJuda. Ngemva kwalapho imbelekwakhe yajama.
