UGenesise 29:16-35

ULabani wayenamadodakazi amabili; igama lenkulu lalinguLeya, igama lencane lalinguRaheli. Amehlo kaLeya ayebuthakathaka, kepha uRaheli wayemuhle ngesimo, ebukeka kahle. UJakobe wamthanda uRaheli; wathi: “Ngizakukusebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngoRaheli indodakazi yakho encane.” Wayesethi uLabani: “Kuhle ukuba ngimnike wena kunokuba ngimnike enye indoda; hlala kimi.” UJakobe wayesesebenzela uRaheli iminyaka eyisikhombisa; yayisemehlweni akhe njengezinsuku eziyingcosana nje ngenxa yokumthanda kwakhe. UJakobe wathi kuLabani: “Nginike umkami, ngokuba izinsuku zami seziphelile, ngize ngingene kuye.” ULabani wabutha abantu bonke bakuleyo ndawo, wenza idili. Kepha kwathi kusihlwa wathatha uLeya indodakazi yakhe, wamyisa kuye; wangena kuye. ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uLeya incekukazi yakhe uZilipa, abe yincekukazi yakhe. Kwathi ekuseni, bheka, kunguLeya; wayesethi kuLabani: “Kuyini lokhu okwenzile kimi na? Angikusebenzelanga ngoRaheli na? Ungikhohliseleni na?” Wathi uLabani: “Akwenziwa njalo endaweni yakithi ukuba kuganiswe omncane ngaphambi komkhulu. Qeda isonto lalona, sikuphe nomunye ngomsebenzi osezakuwusebenza kimi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.” UJakobe wenze njalo, waqeda isonto lakhe; wamupha uRaheli indodakazi yakhe, abe ngumkakhe. ULabani wanika indodakazi yakhe uRaheli incekukazi yakhe uBiliha, abe yincekukazi yakhe. Wangena nakuye uRaheli, wathanda uRaheli kakhulu kunoLeya; wayesesebenza kuye eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa. UJehova ebona ukuthi uLeya uyazondwa, wavula isizalo sakhe; kepha uRaheli wayeyinyumba. ULeya wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uRubeni, ngokuba wathi: “UJehova ubonile ukuhlupheka kwami; manje umyeni wami uyakungithanda.” Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Lokhu uJehova ezwe ukuthi ngiyazondwa, ungiphile nalena futhi,” waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSimeyoni. Wabuye wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, wathi: “Manje ngalesi sikhathi umyeni wami uyakunamathela kimi, ngokuba ngimzalele amadodana amathathu,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uLevi. Wakhulelwa futhi, wazala indodana, wathi: “Sengiyakumdumisa uJehova,” ngalokho waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uJuda; wayesekhawula ukuzala.