Genesisi
35 Ngemuva kwaloko Nkulunkulu watsi kuJakobe: “Suka uye eBetheli+ futsi uhlale khona. Ubongakhela li-al’thare lapho, mine Nkulunkulu weliciniso lengabonakala kuwe ngesikhatsi ubalekela umnakenu Esawu.”+
2 Ngako Jakobe watjela yonkhe indlu yakhe kanye nabo bonkhe lebebanaye watsi: “Lahlani labonkulunkulu betive leninabo,+ nitihlambulule, nishintje netingubo tenu, 3 bese siyesuka siya eBetheli. Ngitawufika lapho ngakhe li-al’thare, ngilakhele Nkulunkulu weliciniso, Loyo lowangiphendvula ngesikhatsi ngicindzetelekile waphindze waba nami nobe ngukuphi* lapho bengiya khona.”+ 4 Ngako banika Jakobe bonkhe labonkulunkulu betive lebebanabo kanye nemacici lebebawafake etindlebeni tabo, futsi Jakobe wakumbela* ngephansi kwesihlahla lesikhulu lebesisedvute neShekhemu.
5 Ngesikhatsi bachubeka neluhambo lwabo, Nkulunkulu wabangela kutsi bantfu lebebasemadolobheni laseceleni kwabo bafikelwe kwesaba lokukhulu, ngako abazange bawacoshe ngemuva emadvodzana aJakobe. 6 Ekugcineni, Jakobe nabo bonkhe labantfu labehamba nabo befika eLuzi,+ lokuyiBetheli, indzawo leseveni laseKhenani. 7 Jakobe wakha li-al’thare kuleyo ndzawo, wase uyibita ngekutsi yi-Eli-betheli,* ngobe kulapho Nkulunkulu weliciniso ativeta khona kuye ngesikhatsi abalekela umnakabo.+ 8 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Debhora,+ labengumnakekeli waRebheka wafa futsi wangcwatjwa entansi kweBetheli, ngaphansi kwesihlahla sem-okhi. Ngako Jakobe wabita lendzawo ngekutsi yi-Aloni-bhakhuthi.*
9 Nkulunkulu waphindze wabonakala kuJakobe ngesikhatsi abuya ePhadani-aramu futsi wambusisa. 10 Nkulunkulu watsi kuye: “Libito lakho unguJakobe.+ Kodvwa angeke usabitwa ngekutsi unguJakobe, sewutawubitwa ngekutsi ungu-Israyeli.” Ngemuva kwaloko wacala kumbita nga-Israyeli.+ 11 Nkulunkulu wachubeka watsi kuye: “NginguNkulunkulu Somandla.+ Ngitawukwenta ube nebantfwana labanyenti, futsi kuwe kutawuvela tive letinyenti+ kanye nemakhosi.+ 12 Lelive lengaliniketa Abrahama na-Isaka ngitawulinika wena kanye nentalelwane* yakho letawuvela emvakwakho.”+ 13 Ngemuva kwaloko Nkulunkulu wamshiya, wesuka kulendzawo lebekakhulume naye kuyo.
14 Ngako Jakobe wemisa litje leliluphawu kulendzawo lebekakhulume naNkulunkulu kuyo, futsi watsela umnikelo walokunatfwako ngetulu kwalo waphindze watsela nemafutsa.+ 15 Jakobe wachubeka abita lendzawo Nkulunkulu lebekakhulume naye kuyo ngekutsi yiBetheli.+
16 Ngemuva kwaloko besuka eBetheli. Nasebakhashanyana ne-Efratha, kwefika sikhatsi sekutsi Rakheli abeleke futsi wahelwa kamatima. 17 Ngesikhatsi asenebulukhuni bekubeleka lomntfwana, umbelekisi watsi kuye: “Ungesabi ngobe utayitfola nalena indvodzana.”+ 18 Kwatsi nje lapho Rakheli sekafa, wetsa lomntfwana ngekutsi nguBhenoni,* kodvwa Jakobe wametsa ngekutsi nguBhenjamini.*+ 19 Ngako Rakheli wafa futsi wangcwatjwa ngasendleleni leya e-Efratha, lokuyiBhetlehema.+ 20 Jakobe wabeka litje lelikhulu ngetulu kwelithuna lakhe; lelitje lisatfolakala nalamuhla ethuneni laRakheli.
21 Ngemuva kwaloko Israyeli wesuka futsi wamisa emathende khashanyana nembhoshongo wase-Ederi. 22 Ngalelinye lilanga ngesikhatsi Israyeli sekahlala kuleyo ndzawo, Rubeni walala naBilha umfati lomncane wababe wakhe, futsi Israyeli weva ngaloko.+
Emadvodzana aJakobe abengu-12. 23 Emadvodzana lawatalelwa nguLeya bekunguRubeni+ litibulo lakhe, kube nguSimeyoni, Levi, Juda, Isakhari, naZebuloni. 24 Emadvodzana aRakheli bekunguJosefa naBhenjamini. 25 Emadvodzana Jakobe lawatalelwa nguBilha, incekukati yaRakheli bekunguDani naNaftali. 26 Kantsi emadvodzana lawatalelwa nguZilpha, incekukati yaLeya bekunguGadi na-Asheri. Onkhe lawa ngemadvodzana Jakobe latalelwa wona ePhadani-aramu.
27 Jakobe wagcine afikile eMamre+ leseKhiriyathi-abha, lokuyiHebroni lapho kwakuhlala khona babe wakhe Isaka, nalapho Abrahama na-Isaka bebake baba tihambi khona.+ 28 Isaka waphila iminyaka lengu-180.+ 29 Ngemuva kwaloko Isaka wafa futsi wangcwatjwa njengabo bonkhe bantfu bakubo, sekamdzala kakhulu futsi enetisekile ngekuphila.* Ngako bo-Esawu naJakobe, emadvodzana akhe bamngcwaba.+