UJakobe engasemthonjeni waseHarana
1Wayesesuka uJakobe, waya ezweni labantu basempumalanga. 2Wabheka, nanko umthombo endle, nemihlambi emithathu yezimvu ilele ngakuwo, ngokuba kulowo mthombo babephuzisa imihlambi; itshe elalisemlonyeni womthombo lalilikhulu kakhulu. 3Kwabuthelwa khona imihlambi yonke, balisusa itshe emlonyeni womthombo, baphuzisa izimvu, balibuyisela itshe emlonyeni womthombo endaweni yalo.
4UJakobe wathi kubo: “Bazalwane, nivelaphi na?”
Bathi: “SingabakwaHarana.”
5Wayesethi kubo: “Niyamazi uLabani indodana kaNahori na?”
Bathi: “Siyamazi.”
6Wathi kubo: “Usahlezi kahle na?”
Bathi: “Uhlezi kahle. Nangu uRaheli indodakazi yakhe; uyeza nezimvu.”
7Wathi: “Bheka, kusesemini kakhulu, akusiso isikhathi sokuba zibuthwe izinkomo; phuzisani izimvu, nihambe niziklabise.”
8Base bethi: “Singekwenze lokho ingakabuthani imihlambi yonke, balisuse itshe emlonyeni womthombo; yikhona siyakuphuzisa izimvu.”
Ukubonana kukaJakobe noRaheli
9Esakhuluma nabo, uRaheli wafika nezimvu zikayise, ngokuba wayezalusa. 10Kwathi uJakobe ebona uRaheli indodakazi kaLabani uninalume nezimvu zikaLabani uninalume, uJakobe wasondela, wasusa itshe emlonyeni womthombo, waziphuzisa izimvu zikaLabani uninalume. 11UJakobe wamanga uRaheli, waphakamisa izwi lakhe, wakhala. 12UJakobe wayesemtshela uRaheli ukuthi ungumfowabo kayise nokuthi uyindodana kaRebeka; wagijima, watshela uyise.
13Kwathi uLabani esezwe indaba kaJakobe indodana kadadewabo, wagijima ukuyomhlangabeza, wamgona, wamanga, wamngenisa endlini yakhe; wayesetshela uLabani zonke lezi zinto. 14ULabani wathi kuye: “Impela uyithambo lami nenyama yami.” Wahlala kuye inyanga yonke.
UJakobe uqala ukusebenza kuLabani
15ULabani wayesethi kuJakobe: “Lokhu ungumfowethu, ubuzakungisebenzela ngeze na? Ngitshele ukuthi umvuzo wakho uyakuba yini na?”
16ULabani wayenamadodakazi amabili; igama lenkulu lalinguLeya, igama lencane lalinguRaheli. 17Amehlo kaLeya ayebuthakathaka, kepha uRaheli wayemuhle ngesimo, ebukeka kahle. 18UJakobe wamthanda uRaheli; wathi: “Ngizakukusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRaheli indodakazi yakho encane.”
19Wayesethi uLabani: “Kuhle ukuba ngimnike wena kunokuba ngimnike enye indoda; hlala kimi.” 20UJakobe wayesesebenzela uRaheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yayisemehlweni akhe njengezinsuku eziyingcosana nje ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe.
21UJakobe wathi kuLabani: “Nginike umkami, ngokuba izinsuku zami seziphelile, ngize ngingene kuye.”
22ULabani wabutha abantu bonke bakuleyo ndawo, wenza idili. 23Kepha kwathi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe, wamyisa kuye; wangena kuye. 24ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipa, abe yincekukazi yakhe.
25Kwathi ekuseni, bheka, kunguLeya; wayesethi kuLabani: “Kuyini lokhu okwenzile kimi na? Angikusebenzelanga ngoRaheli na? Ungikhohliseleni na?”
26Wathi uLabani: “Akwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukuba kuganiswe omncane ngaphambi komkhulu. 27Qeda isonto lalona, sikuphe nomunye ngomsebenzi osezakuwusebenza kimi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.”
28UJakobe wenze njalo, waqeda isonto lakhe; wamupha uRaheli indodakazi yakhe, abe ngumkakhe. 29ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRaheli incekukazi yakhe uBiliha, abe yincekukazi yakhe. 30Wangena nakuye uRaheli, wathanda uRaheli kakhulu kunoLeya; wayesesebenza kuye eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.
Amadodana okuqala kaJakobe
31UJehova ebona ukuthi uLeya uyazondwa, wavula isizalo sakhe; kepha uRaheli wayeyinyumba. 32ULeya wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uRubeni, ngokuba wathi: “UJehova ubonile ukuhlupheka kwami; manje umyeni wami uyakungithanda.”
33Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Lokhu uJehova ezwe ukuthi ngiyazondwa, ungiphile nalena futhi,” waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSimeyoni.
34Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Manje ngalesi sikhathi umyeni wami uyakunamathela kimi, ngokuba ngimzalele amadodana amathathu,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uLevi.
35Wakhulelwa futhi, wazala indodana, wathi: “Sengiyakumdumisa uJehova,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uJuda; wayesekhawula ukuzala.
