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