UGenesise 35:1-15

UNkulunkulu wathi kuJakobe: “Suka ukhuphukele eBethele, uhlale khona, umenzele lapho uNkulunkulu i-altare, yena owabonakala kuwe mhla ubalekela u-Esawu umfowenu.” Wayesethi uJakobe kwabendlu yakhe nakubo bonke ababe naye: “Lahlani izithixo zabezizwe eziphakathi kwenu, nizihlambulule nina, niziphendulele izingubo zenu, sisuke, sikhuphukele eBethele; ngiyakumenzela khona uNkulunkulu i-altare, yena owangiphendula ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwami, waba nami endleleni engangiyihamba.” Bamnika-ke uJakobe izithixo zonke zabezizwe ezazisezandleni zabo, namacici ayesezindlebeni zabo; uJakobe wakuthukusa phansi kwe-oki* elalingaseShekemi. Base bemuka; ukumesaba uNkulunkulu kwakuphezu kwemizi eyayikhona nxazonke; abawaxoshanga amadodana kaJakobe. UJakobe wafika eLuze elisezweni laseKhanani eliyiBethele, yena kanye nabantu bonke ababe naye. Wakha khona i-altare, wayibiza indawo ngokuthi i-Eli Bethele, ngokuba uNkulunkulu wabonakala kuye khona mhla ebaleka ebusweni bomfowabo. UDebora umzanyana kaRebeka wafa, wembelwa ngenzansi neBethele phansi kwe-oki;* igama lalo labizwa ngokuthi i-Alonibakuti.* UNkulunkulu wabuye wabonakala kuJakobe, lapho evela ePhadani Aramu, wambusisa. UNkulunkulu wathi kuye: “Igama lakho linguJakobe, igama lakho alisayikuthiwa uJakobe; igama lakho lizakuba ngu-Israyeli,” wayeseqamba igama lakhe ngokuthi u-Israyeli. UNkulunkulu wathi kuye: “NginguNkulunkulu uSomandla; mawuzale, wande; isizwe, yebo, ibandla lezizwe liyakuvela kuwe; amakhosi ayakuphuma okhalweni lwakho; izwe engabapha lona o-Abrahama no-Isaka, ngiyakulinika wena; nenzalo yakho emva kwakho ngiyakuyinika lona.” UNkulunkulu wenyuka esuka kuye endaweni lapho ebekhulume naye khona. UJakobe wayesemisa insika endaweni lapho abekhulume naye khona, insika yetshe; wathela phezu kwayo umnikelo wokuphuzwa, wathela namafutha phezu kwayo. UJakobe wayiqamba indawo lapho uNkulunkulu akhuluma naye khona ngokuthi iBethele.