UGenesise 37:1-36

UJakobe wahlala ezweni uyise ayegogobele kulo, ezweni laseKhanani. Lezi ziyizizukulwane zikaJakobe. UJosefa, owayeneminyaka eyishumi nesikhombisa, walusa umhlambi kanye nabafowabo; indodana yayikanye namadodana kaBiliha kanye namadodana kaZilipa abafazi bakayise; uJosefa waletha umbiko wabo omubi kuyise. U-Israyeli wamthanda uJosefa ngaphezu kwabo bonke abantwana bakhe, ngokuba wayeyindodana yobudala bakhe; wamenzela ingubo enemibala eminingi. Lapho abafowabo bebona ukuthi uyise wayemthanda ngaphezu kwabo bonke abafowabo, bamzonda futhi babengakwazi ukukhuluma naye ngokuthula. UJosefa waphupha iphupho, walitshela abafowabo, basebemzonda kakhulu. Wathi kubo: “Zwanini leliphupho engiliphuphileyo.” Ngokuba bheka, besibopha izithungu ensimini, bheka, isithungu sami savuka, saqonda; bheka, izithungu zenu zema nxazonke, zakhothama phambi kwesithungu sami. Abafowabo bathi kuye: “Impela uyakusibusa na?” noma uzosibusa ngempela na? Basebemzonda kakhulu ngenxa yamaphupho akhe langenxa yamazwi akhe. Waphupha elinye iphupho, walitshela abafowabo, wathi: “Bhekani, ngiphuphe elinye iphupho; bheka, ilanga nenyanga nezinkanyezi eziyishumi nanye kukhothama phambi kwami. Wasebalandisa uyise labafowabo; uyise wamkhuza wathi kuye: Liphupho lini leli oliphuphileyo? Ingabe mina nonyoko kanye nabafowenu sizofika ngempela ukuze sikhothame phambi kwakho emhlabeni? Abafowabo basebemhawukela; kodwa uyise waligcina ilizwi. Abafowabo bahamba bayakwelusa izimvu zikayise eShekemi. UIsrayeli wasesithi kuJosefa: Abafowenu abafuyi yini umhlambi eShekema? woza, ngizakuthuma kubo. Wathi kuye: “Ngilapha.” Wathi kuye: “Hamba, ubheke ukuthi basahlezi kahle yini abafowenu nomhlambi; futhi ungilethele izwi futhi. Wamthuma esuka esigodini saseHebroni, wafika eShekemi. Umuntu othile wamfumana, bheka, wayezulazula endle; indoda yambuza yathi: Ufunani? Wathi: “Ngifuna abafowethu; ngitshele lapho abalusa khona imihlambi yabo. Wayesethi lowo muntu: “Bamukile lapha; ngoba ngibezwile besithi: Kasiye eDothani. UJosefa wabalandela abafowabo, wabafumana eDothani. Lapho bembona ekude, engakasondeli kubo, bamenzela ugobe lokumbulala. Basebekhulumisana besithi: Khangelani, nangu umphuphi esiza. Wozani manje simbulale, simphonse emgodini othile, sithi: ‘Udliwe yizilwane ezimbi, sibone ukuthi ayakuba yini ngamaphupho akhe.’ URubeni wakuzwa, wamsindisa esandleni sabo; wathi: “Masingambulali.” URubeni wathi kubo: “Ningachithi gazi, kepha mphonseni kulo mthombo osehlane, ningabeki isandla kuye; ukuze amkhulule esandleni sabo, ambuyisele kuyise. UJosefa esefikile kubafowabo, bamhlubula uJosefa ingubo yakhe, ingubo yakhe enemibala eyayimbethe; Bamthatha, bamphonsa emthonjeni; umthombo wawungenalutho, kungekho manzi kuwo. Bahlala phansi ukuba badle isinkwa, baphakamisa amehlo abo, babheka, bheka, kwafika isixuku sabakwa-Ishmayeli bevela kwaGileyadi namakamela alo ethwele izinongo, nebhalisamu, nomure, behlela ukukwehlisela eGibithe. UJuda wasesithi kubafowabo: Kuzasizani ukuthi sibulale umfowethu, sifihle igazi lakhe? Wozani simthengise kwabakwa-Ishmayeli, isandla sethu masingabi phezu kwakhe; ngokuba ungumfowethu nenyama yethu. Abafowabo basutha. Kwase kudlula abathengi bakwaMidiyani; bamkhipha uJosefa emgodini, bakhuphula uJosefa, bathengisa ngoJosefa kuma-Ishmayeli ngamashekeli angamashumi amabili esiliva; bamyisa uJosefa eGibithe. URubeni wabuyela emgodini; bheka, uJosefa wayengekho emthonjeni; waklebhula izingubo zakhe. Wabuyela kubafowabo, wathi: “Umntwana akasekho; mina-ke, ngiyaphi na? Base bethatha ingubo kaJosefa, bahlaba izinyane lembuzi, bacwilisa ingubo egazini; Bayithumela ingubo enemibala, bayiyisa kuyise; yathi: “Siyitholile; yazi manje ukuthi iyisambatho sendodana yakho noma qha. Wase ekwazi, wathi: “Le ingubo yendodana yami; isilo esibi samudla; Ngokungangabazeki, uJosefa wadwengulwa. UJakobe waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wembatha indwangu yesaka okhalweni lwakhe, walilela indodana yakhe izinsuku eziningi. Onke amadodana akhe nawo onke amadodakazi akhe asuka ukumduduza; kepha wala ukududuzwa; wathi: “Ngokuba ngiyakwehlela endaweni yabafileyo ngilila indodana yami.” Ngakho uyise wamkhalela. AbakwaMidiyani bamthengisa eGibithe kuPotifari, isikhulu sikaFaro, induna yabalindi.