Ukufika kukaYakobi kwaLabhan
1Wenjenjeya uYakobi kuhambo lwakhe, wada waya kufika kwilizwe leentlanga zasempumalanga. 2Wafika kumthombo owawusendle, kukho imihlambi emithathu yeegusha, zithe ncwaba zingqengqe kufuphi nawo. Le mihlambi yayikhelelwa amanzi kuloo mthombo uliso ligqunywe ngelitye. 3Yayisithi yakuthontelana apho imihlambi, abelusi baliqengqe elo litye, bayikhelele amanzi, babuye balibuyisele elo litye, livale umthombo lowo.
4Wafika wababuza abelusi uYakobi, wathi: “Bafondini, nisuka phi?”
Bathe: “Sivela eHaran.”
5Uthe: “Niyamazi uLabhan, umzukulwana kaNahore apho?”
“Siyamazi,” batshilo ukuphendula.
6“Usaphila kodwa?”
“Ewe, usaphila. Nantso selisiza intombi yakhe uRakeli kunye nomhlambi wakhe.”
7Uthe uYakobi: “Ingekabi loxesha lakuphethula imihlambi emadlelweni nje eli, kutheni ningazisezi nje ezi gusha, niziyeke zitye?”
8Baphendula bathi: “Asinakuyenza loo nto ingekapheleli imihlambi. Kufuneka yonke ibekho, ukuze siwuvule umthombo, siyiseze.”
9URakeli wafika nowakhe umhlambi esathetha nâbo belusi uYakobi. 10UYakobi akubona uRakeli eqhuba imihlambi kaninalume uLabhan, waya kuliqengqa ilitye, wazipha amanzi iigusha. 11Wandula wamanga uRakeli, elila luvuyo. 12Wathi kuRakeli: “Ndiyazalana noyihlo; ndizalwa nguRabheka kaloku.”
Wabaleka waya kuxelela uyise uRakeli; 13wathi noyise akuziva ezi ndaba zingomtshana wakhe uYakobi, waya kumhlangabeza wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlwini. Uthe uLabhan akubaliselwa nguYakobi izinto ezenzekileyo, 14wayingqina into yokuba bayazalana. Wahlala apho inyanga yonke uYakobi.
UYakobi usebenzela ukulobola uRakeli
15Wathi uLabhan kuYakobi: “Akunako ukusebenza nje simahla apha kum ngenxa yokuba sizalana. Ufuna ndikunike malini?”
16ULabhan wayeneentombi ezimbini, inguLeya igama lenkulu, encinci inguRakeli. 17ULeya wayetsho ngamehlo angathi anengcume; uRakeli yena eyinzwakazi kanobomi. 18UYakobi wayencwase uRakeli, waza wathi kuLabhan: “Ndokusebenzela iminyaka esixhenxe ukuba unokundivumela ndizeke intombi yakho encinci uRakeli.”
19ULabhan uthe: “Ndikhetha ukumendisela kuwe kunokuba aye kwendela komnye umntu.” Watsho esithi makaselehlala apho kwakhe uYakobi. 20UYakobi waphangela isixhenxe sonke seminyaka, esebenzela ukufumana uRakeli. Lonke elo xesha laba ngathi ziintsuku nje ezimbalwa kuye, kuba wayemthanda uRakeli.
21“Lifikile ixesha; ndikhululele umkam,” watsho uYakobi kuLabhan. 22ULabhan wenza isidlo somtshato, wamema bonke abantu balapho. 23Ngobo busuku uLabhan wasa uLeya kuYakobi endaweni kaRakeli, uYakobi walala naye. 24ULabhan wakhupha uZilipha isicakakazi, wayimpelesi kaLeya. 25UYakobi akazange aqonde ukuba nguLeya lo wayelele naye, kude kwakusasa. Uye kuLabhan uYakobi, wafika wathi: “Yintoni le undenze yona? Bendisebenzela ukufumana uRakeli nje, undiqhathele ntoni?”
26Uthe uLabhan: “Asilosiko lethu ukwendisa intombi encinci, ingekendi endala. 27Linda ke khe kudlule le veki yomtshato, ndikwendisele uRakeli ke xa uya kuphinda usebenze iminyaka esixhenxe.”
28Wavuma ke uYakobi, yathi yakudlula loo veki yomtshato uLabhan wamendisela kuYakobi noRakeli. 29ULabhan wakhupha isicakakazi uBhiliya waba yimpelesi kaRakeli. 30Wamambatha uRakeli uYakobi, wamthanda nangaphezu koLeya. Wasebenza eminye iminyaka esixhenxe.
Abantwana bakaYakobi
31Akubona *uNdikhoyo ukuba uLeya akathandwa, wampha inzala, wamvala yena uRakeli. 32Wakhawula uLeya, wazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe, wathi nguRubhen igama lakhe, kuba wayesithi: “UNdikhoyo ulubonile usizi lwam; ngoku ndiza kuthandwa ngumyeni wam.” 33Waphinda wazala omnye umntwana oyinkwenkwe, wathi yena nguSimon, esithi: “UNdikhoyo undiphe lo mntwana ngenxa yokuba evile ukuba andithandwa.”
34Uphinde wazala enye inkwenkwe, wathi le nguLevi, kuba wayesithi: “Ndiya kudityaniswa nendoda yam ngakumbi kuba ndizele amakhwenkwe amathathu.” 35Uphinde ngenye inkwenkwe kwakhona, wathi yona nguJuda, kuba wayesithi: “Ndiyambonga uNdikhoyo kwesi sihlandlo.” Emva koko wapheza ukuzala.
