UYakobi Wayezixabisa Izinto Zokomoya

UBOMI bukaYakobi buzele ziingxaki naziinkxwaleko. Kuyanyanzeleka ukuba uYakobi abaleke kuba iwele lakhe linomsindo yaye lifuna ukumbulala. Kunokuba atshate nentombi ayithandayo, uqala ngokutshatiswa ngamaqhinga nenye yaye ugqibela sel’ enabafazi abane neengxaki ezininzi ezibangelwa yiloo nto. (Genesis 30:1-13) Kangangeminyaka engama-20 usebenzela indoda enamaqhinga. Usukuzana nengelosi yaye iyamenzakalisa. Intombi yakhe iyadlwengulwa, oonyana bakhe babulala abantu, yaye uyalila ngenxa yokulahlekelwa ngoyena nyana wakhe amthandayo nokufelwa ngumfazi. Enyanzelekile ukuba ashiye ilizwe lakowabo ebudaleni ngenxa yendlala, uyavuma ukuba iintsuku zakhe “zimbalwa kwaye zizele kukubandezeleka.” (Genesis 47:9) Kuyo yonke le nquleqhu, uYakobi unoxabiso ngezinto zokomoya yaye ukholose ngoThixo. Ngaba ukholose ngelize? Yintoni esinokuyifunda ngokuqwalasela nje izinto ezimbalwa ezamehlelayo uYakobi?

Wahluke Gqitha Kumntakwabo

Eyona nto yabangela ukuba uYakobi angavisisani nomntakwabo luxabiso awayenalo ngezinto zokomoya, ngoxa yena uEsawu wayengenjalo. UYakobi wayenomdla kumnqophiso owenziwa noAbraham yaye wayezimisele ukunyamekela intsapho uThixo awayeyinyule njengeendlalifa. Ngenxa yoko uYehova ‘wamthanda.’ UYakobi wayeyindoda “engenakusoleka,” gama elo elithetha ukuthi tye. Yena uEsawu wayengenaluxabiso ngelifa lakhe lokomoya kangangokuba walithengisela uYakobi ngenjongo yokufumana nje into encinane. Xa uYakobi wavunyelwa nguThixo ukuba afumane into eyayililungelo lakhe nentsikelelo eyayifanele kukufunyanwa ngumntakwabo, uEsawu wavutha ngumsindo. Wandula ke uYakobi washiya yonke into awayeyithanda, kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo okwenzeka kamva kwaphinda kwamvuyisa.—Malaki 1:2, 3; Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-45.

Ephupheni, uThixo wabonisa uYakobi iingelosi zinyuka zisihla kwileli okanye kwingqumba yamatye eyayiphakathi kwezulu nomhlaba waza wamxelela ukuba wayeza kumkhusela yena nembewu yakhe. “Zize ngokuqinisekileyo zizisikelele ngawe nangembewu yakho zonke iintsapho zomhlaba. Yabona, ndinawe yaye ndiya kukugcina kuyo yonke indlela oyihambayo ndize ndikubuyisele kulo mhlaba, kuba andiyi kukushiya de ndibe ndikwenzile ngenene oko ndikuthethileyo kuwe.”—Genesis 28:10-15.

Hayi indlela ayesomeleza ngayo loo mazwi! UYehova waqinisekisa ukuba izithembiso ezenziwa kuAbraham nakuIsake zaziya kuba yintsikelelo engokomoya kwintsapho kaYakobi. UYakobi waxelelwa ukuba iingelosi zinokubanceda abo bakholekileyo kuThixo, yaye waqinisekiswa ukuba uThixo wayeya kumkhusela. Enombulelo ongazenzisiyo, uYakobi wafunga ukuba uya kuthembeka kuYehova.—Genesis 28:16-22.

UYakobi akazange alihluthe ilifa likaEsawu. Ngaphambi kokuba la makhwenkwe azalwe, uYehova wathi ‘enkulu iya kukhonza encinane.’ (Genesis 25:23) Omnye usenokubuza: ‘Ngaba kwakungayi kuba lula ukuba uThixo enze uYakobi azalwe kuqala?’ Into eyenzekayo emva koko isifundisa iinyaniso ezibalulekileyo. UThixo akazigcineli iintsikelelo zakhe abo bacinga ukuba zibafanele, kodwa ubonakalisa ububele kwabo akhetha ukwenjenjalo kubo. Ngeso sizathu ilungelo lokuba yinkulu lanikwa uYakobi, kungekhona umkhuluwa wakhe, ongazange alixabise. Ngokufanayo, ngenxa yokuba amaYuda okwemvelo njengohlanga abonisa isimo sengqondo esinjengesikaEsawu, ashenxiswa aza athatyathelw’ indawo nguSirayeli wokomoya.(Roma 9:6-16, 24) Ulwalamano oluhle noYehova asinto umntu ayizuza njengelifa, enoba uzalwa yintsapho okanye ukhulela phakathi kwabantu abahlonel’ uThixo. Bonke abo banqwenela ukusikelelwa nguThixo, bafanele bamhlonele, yaye babe noxabiso lokwenene ngezinto zokomoya.

Ukwamkelwa NguLabhan

Ekufikeni kwakhe ePadan-aram eye kufuna umfazi phakathi kwezalamane zakhe, uYakobi wadibana nomza wakhe uRakeli, intombi kaLabhan equleni, waza waqengqa ilitye elinzima elaligqume amanzi ukuze imihlambi awayeyalusa isele.a URakeli ugoduka ngokukhawuleza eye kwazisa ngokufika kukaYakobi, yaye uLabhan ubaleka aye kumhlangabeza. Ukuba uLabhan wayecinga ngobutyebi obafunyanwa yintsapho yakowabo obabuze nesicaka sika-Abraham, wadana wamanzi, kuba uYakobi wez’ ephaca. Kodwa uLabhan wabona ukuba lo msebénzi ukhutheleyo unokuba luncedo kuye.—Genesis 28:1-5; 29:1-14.

UYakobi wabalisa oko kwenzekileyo. Akucaci enoba walibalisa kusini na iqhinga lakhe lokufumana ubuzibulo, kodwa emva kokuva “zonke ezi zinto” uLabhan wadanduluka wathi: “Eneneni ulithambo lam nenyama yam.” Omnye umphengululi wathi la mazwi asenokugqalwa njengesimemo sobubele sokuba uYakobi ahlale nabo okanye uLabhan wayevuma ukuba usisalamane sakhe yaye ufanele amkhusele. Nakuba kunjalo, kungekudala uLabhan wacinga indlela anokumxhaphaza ngayo umtshana wakhe.

ULabhan waqalisa ukumqhatha kangangeminyaka engama-20 eyalandelayo. Wabuza: “Ngaba umele undikhonze ngelize, wakugqiba ukuba sisizalwane sam? Khawundixelele, Woba yintoni na umvuzo wakho?” Nangona uLabhan wazenza ngathi ungumalume onobubele, akazange amphathe njengesalamane sakhe uYakobi kodwa wamphatha njengomqeshwa. Ekubeni uYakobi wayemthanda uRakeli, waphendula: “Ndikulungele ukukukhonza iminyaka esixhenxe ngenxa kaRakeli intombi yakho encinane.”—Genesis 29:15-20.

Ukuze ubani atshate kwakufuneka ilobola. Kamva uMthetho kaMoses wamisela ukuba intombi enyulu eyoniweyo ihlawulelwe iishekele zesilivere ezingama-50. Umphengululi uGordon Wenham ukholelwa ukuba eli “yayilelona khazi liphakamileyo” kodwa amanye “ayengaphantsi gqitha.” (Duteronomi 22:28, 29) UYakobi wayengenalo ikhazi. Wavuma ukusebenzela uLabhan iminyaka esixhenxe. Lo kaWenham uhlabela mgama esithi: “Ekubeni mandulo abaqeshwa bokwexeshana eBhabhiloni babefumana isiqingatha seshekele okanye ishekele enye njengomvuzo wenyanga (iishekele ezinokuba ngama-42 ukusa kwezingama-84 kwiminyaka esixhenxe), uYakobi wayemnika ikhazi elihle gqitha uLabhan ngenxa kaRakeli.” Ngokuqinisekileyo uLabhan wakuvuyela oku.—Genesis 29:19.

Iminyaka esixhenxe yaba ngathi “ziintsuku ezimbalwa” kuYakobi, ngenxa yendlela awayemthanda ngayo uRakeli. Emva koko walindela ukufumana umtshakazi wakhe owayenxityiswe isigqubuthelo, engacingi nakancinane ukuba angaqhathwa nguLabhan. Unokuyithelekelela indlela othuka ngayo ngentsasa elandelayo xa wafumanisa ukuba akakhange alale noRakeli, kodwa ulele nodade wabo uLeya! UYakobi wabuza: “Yintoni le undenze yona? Andikukhonzanga ngenxa kaRakeli na? Kutheni ke undikhohlisile nje?” ULabhan waphendula: “Akwenziwa njalo kule ndawo yakowethu, ukuthi kwendiswe ibhinqa elincinane ngaphambi kwelamazibulo. Yibhiyozele ngokupheleleyo iveki yeli bhinqa. Wothi ke emva koko unikwe nelinye eli ibhinqa ngenkonzo oya kundikhonza ngayo iminyaka esixhenxe engakumbi.” (Genesis 29:20-27) Kungekho nto anokuyenza yaye ebambisekile, uYakobi wavuma ukuze afumane uRakeli.

Ngokungafaniyo neminyaka esixhenxe yokuqala, elandelayo yayingemnandi. UYakobi wayenokuyilibala njani indlela uLabhan amqhathe ngayo? Yaye kuthekani ngoLeya naye owavumelana neli qhinga? Phofu ke, uLabhan wayengenamdla nakancinane kwikamva elimfiliba ababeza kuba nalo uLeya noRakeli. Ekuphela kwento awayenomdla kuyo, yinzuzo yakhe. URakeli wayelidlolo, nto leyo eyamenza wanomona nengqumbo xa uLeya wakhawuleza wazala amakhwenkwe amane. Yaye engasaziva kukufun’ abantwana, uRakeli wanikela ngekhobokazana lakhe ukuze limzalele, yaye noLeya engafuni kushiywa, wenza okufanayo. UYakobi wazifumana sel’ enabafazi aba-4, abantwana abali-12, nentsapho engonwabanga. Sekunjalo, uYehova wayemenza uYakobi uhlanga olukhulu.—Genesis 29:28–30:24.

Wasikelelwa NguYehova

Phezu kwazo nje izilingo, uYakobi wabona ukuba uThixo wayemkhusela kanye njengokuba wayethembisile. Naye uLabhan wakubona oku, kuba umhlanjana wakhe owawumncinane ngexesha lokufika kukaYakobi wakhula wangumhlambi omkhulu ngoxa wawusaluswa ngumtshana wakhe. Engafuni ukumvumela uYakobi ahambe, uLabhan wathi makazikhethele intlawulo ayifunayo ngokumkhonza ixesha elingakumbi, yaye uYakobi wacela yonke imfuyo enombala ongaqhelekanga ezelwe ngumhlambi kaLabhan. Kuthiwa kuloo mmandla, iigusha ngokuqhelekileyo zazimhlophe yaye iibhokhwe zimnyama okanye zimdaka; yaye yayincinane impahla exubileyo. Yaye ecinga ukuba ngoku uziqhathe ngokwakhe, uLabhan wavuma ngokulula waza wakhawuleza wayifudusela kude yonke imfuyo exubileyo ukuze ingahlanganisani nomhlambi owaluswa nguYakobi. Kucacile ukuba uLabhan wayecinga ukuba uYakobi akayi kufumana nto ingako kwesi sivumelwano, wayeqinisekile ukuba uya kufumana ngaphantsi kwama-20 ekhulwini awo onke amatakane asandul’ ukuzalwa eegusha naweebhokhwe awayeqhele ukufunyanwa ngabalusi bamandulo njengomvuzo wabo. Kodwa uLabhan wayephazama, kuba uYehova wayekunye noYakobi.—Genesis 30:25-36.

Esalathiswa nguThixo, uYakobi waba nemfuyo eyomeleleyo enalo mbala awufunayo. (Genesis 30:37-42) Indlela yakhe yokwandisa imfuyo yayingachananga. Sekunjalo, umphengululi uNahum Sarna uthi “ngokwenzululwazi, impahla enombala oxubileyo inokufunyanwa ngokuhlanganisa ngokuphindaphindiweyo impahla . . . enombala omnye naleyo inemizila yemfuza engabonakaliyo yokuba nombala oxubileyo yaye impahla enjalo ibonakala . . . ngokuzala [kwayo] msinya.”

Ebona into eyenzekayo, uLabhan wazama ukusiguqula isivumelwano ngemfuyo eyayifanele ifunyanwe ngumtshana wakhe—enemizila, enamachokoza, exubileyo okanye erhwexu. Enoba uLabhan wayesiguqula njani isivumelwano, uYehova wayeqiniseka ukuba uYakobi wayesoloko ephumelela nangona yena wayecinga ukuba nguye kuphela ofanele azuze. Ngoku uLabhan wayephelelwa ngamacebo. Ngokukhawuleza uYakobi wazuza ubutyebi obuninzi, imihlambi, izicaka, iinkamela namaesile kungengenxa yobulumko bakhe, kodwa ngenxa yenkxaso kaYehova. Kamva wathi kuRakeli nakuLeya: “Ke uyihlo undikhohlisile waza nomvuzo wam wawutshintsha kalishumi, kodwa uThixo akamvumelanga ukuba andenzakalise. . . . UThixo waqhubeka ewuthabatha umhlambi kayihlo, wawunika mna.” Kwakhona uYehova wamqinisekisa ukuba Yena wayekubona konke oko kwakusenziwa nguLabhan kodwa uYakobi wayemele angazikhathazi. UThixo wathi: “Buyela ezweni looyihlo nakwizalamane zakho, yaye ndiya kuqhubeka ndinawe.”—Genesis 31:1-13; 32:9.

Ekugqibeleni emva kokuba emshiyile uLabhan onenkohliso, uYakobi wabuyela kwilizwe lakhe. Nangona kwakusele kudlule iminyaka engama-20, wayesamoyika uEsawu, ingakumbi xa weva ukuba uEsawu uyeza namadoda angamakhulu amane. Wayeza kufane athini uYakobi? Ngamaxesha onke le ndoda yokholo, yayikholose ngoThixo. Yathandaza, ivuma ukuba ayifanelwanga ziimfefe zikaYehova yaye yambongoza uThixo ngenxa yesithembiso Sakhe ukuba ayikhusele nentsapho yayo esandleni sikaEsawu.—Genesis 32:2-12.

Emva koko kwenzeka into engalindelekanga. Mntu uthile wasemzini, ekwabonakala kamva ukuba yingelosi, wasukuzana noYakobi ebusuku, yaye wamchukumisa nje kwakanye uYakobi waphuma usikrotyana. UYakobi akazange ayivumele ihambe ngaphambi kokuba le ngelosi imsikelele. Kamva umprofeti uHoseya wathi uYakobi “walila, ukuze azicelele ubabalo.” (Hoseya 12:2-4; Genesis 32:24-29) UYakobi wayesazi ukuba ngaphambili ukubonakala kwengelosi kwakuhambisana nokuzaliseka komnqophiso ka-Abraham ngembewu yakhe. Ngoko ke wazibhokoxa esukuzana nayo ukuze azifumanele intsikelelo. Ngeli xesha, uThixo waliguqula igama lakhe laba nguSirayeli, oko kukuthi “Osukuzana NoThixo,” okanye “UThixo Uyasukuzana.”

Ngaba Ukulungele Ukulwa Nzima?

Iingxaki zikaYakobi azizange ziphelele nje ngokusukuzana nengelosi nokuphinda adibane noEsawu. Sekunjalo, izinto ekuthethwe ngazo apha zibonisa uhlobo lomntu awayelulo. Nangona uEsawu wayengenakukunyamezela ukulamba nje kancinane ngenxa yobuzibulo bakhe, uYakobi watsala nzima bonke ubomi bakhe ukuze asikelelwe, kangangokuba wade wasukuzana nengelosi. Njengokuba wayethembisile, uThixo wamkhokela waza wamkhusela uYakobi, owaba ngusolusapho wesizwe esinamandla nokhokho kaMesiya.—Mateyu 1:2, 16.

Ngaba uzimisele ukuzibhokoxa ukuze wamkeleke kuYehova, usilwa nzima? Namhlanje ubomi buzaliswe ziinzima neengxaki kwabo bafuna ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, yaye maxa wambi kunzima ukwenza izigqibo ezifanelekileyo. Noko ke, umzekelo omhle kaYakobi uyasikhuthaza ukuba sibambelele kwithemba lomvuzo uYehova awubeke phambi kwethu.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 31]

Bonke ubomi bakhe, uYakobi watsala nzima ukuze asikelelwe