UJakobe Wayezazisa Izinto Ezingokomoya

UKUPHILA kukaJakobe kugcwele izingxabano nosizi. Intukuthelo enobuthi yomfowabo oyiwele lakhe iyamphoqa ukuba abaleke ukuze asindise ukuphila kwakhe. Esikhundleni sokushada nentokazi ayithandayo, ngobuqili ushadiswa nenye kuqala futhi ugcina esenabafazi abane nenqwaba yezinkinga ezibangelwa yilokho. (Genesise 30:1-13) Iminyaka engu-20 usebenzela indoda emxhaphazayo. Ubambana nengelosi akhubazeke unomphela. Indodakazi yakhe iyadlwengulwa, amadodana akhe asusa esinamathambo kufe inqwaba yabantu, naye ngapha ukhalela ukushona kabuhlungu kwendodana nomkakhe abayizintandokazi. Lapho ukukhula sekuzinike amandla futhi ephoqelekile ukufuduka ngenxa yendlala, uyavuma ukuthi izinsuku zakhe ziye zaba “mbalwa futhi zaba ezicindezelayo.” (Genesise 47:9) Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, uJakobe uyindoda engokomoya ethembele kuNkulunkulu. Ingabe ukukholelwa kwakhe kuNkulunkulu kuwukuduka? Iziphi izifundo esingazifunda ekuhloleni izinto ezimbalwa nje kwezehlela uJakobe?

Wayehluke Kakhulu Kumfowabo

Isizathu sokungahoshelani kahle umoya phakathi kwakhe nomfowabo sasiwukuthi yena wayeyazisa ingcebo engokomoya kuyilapho u-Esawu eyeya. UJakobe wayenesithakazelo esithembisweni sesivumelwano esenziwa ku-Abrahama futhi wazinikela ekunakekeleni umkhaya uNkulunkulu ayewukhethe ukuba ube izindlalifa. Ngakho uJehova ‘wayemthanda’ uJakobe. UJakobe ‘wayengasoleki,’ okuyinkulumo ebonisa ukuziphatha okusezingeni eliphakeme. Ngokuhlukile, u-Esawu wayengenandaba nefa lakhe elingokomoya kangangokuthi walithengisela uJakobe ngobala nje. Lapho, ngokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu, uJakobe esethatha okwakungokwakhe ethola nesibusiso esasingesomfowabo, u-Esawu wathukuthela wagan’ unwabu. UJakobe wabe esebaleka eshiya konke ayekuthanda, kodwa okwalandela ngokuqinisekile kwamqinisa idolo.—Malaki 1:2, 3; Genesise 25:27-34; 27:1-45.

Ephusheni, uNkulunkulu wabonisa uJakobe izingelosi zehla zenyuka esikhwelweni, noma izitebhisi zamatshe ezikhuphukayo, ezaziphakathi kwezulu nomhlaba, wabe esethi uzomvikela uJakobe nenzalo yakhe. “Ngawe nangenzalo yakho yonke imindeni yomhlaba iyozibusisa ngokuqinisekile. Bheka nginawe futhi ngizokugcina kuyo yonke indlela oyihambayo futhi ngiyokubuyisela kuleli zwe, ngoba ngeke ngikushiye kuze kube yilapho sengikwenzile konke engikukhulume kuwe.”—Genesise 28:10-15.

Yeka indlela okwamqinisekisa ngayo lokho! UJehova wakuqinisekisa ukuthi izithembiso ezazinikwe u-Abrahama no-Isaka zaziyowucebisa umkhaya kaJakobe ngokomoya. UJakobe waboniswa ukuthi izingelosi zingabakhonza labo abavunyelwa uNkulunkulu, waqinisekiswa nangesivikelo saKhe. Lapho uJakobe eqaphela lokho ngokwazisa, wathembisa ukuthi uzothembeka kuJehova.—Genesise 28:16-22.

UJakobe akazange aliqhwage neze ifa lika-Esawu. Ngaphambi kokuba laba bafana bazalwe, uJehova wathi “omdala uyokhonza omncane.” (Genesise 25:23) Omunye umuntu angabuza, ‘Kwakungeke yini kube lula ukube uNkulunkulu wayebangele ukuba uJakobe azalwe kuqala?’ Okwalandela kwafundisa amaqiniso abalulekile. UNkulunkulu akabagcineli izibusiso labo abacabanga ukuthi banelungelo lokuzithola, kodwa uyawubonisa umusa ongafanelwe kulabo abakhethwa nguye. Ngakho ilungelo lobuzibulo laya kuJakobe, hhayi kumfowabo omdala owayengalazisi. Ngokufanayo, ngenxa yokuthi njengesizwe amaJuda emvelo abonisa isimo sengqondo esifana nesika-Esawu, kwafakwa u-Israyeli ongokomoya esikhundleni sawo. (Roma 9:6-16, 24) Ubuhlobo obuhle noJehova abulona ifa esilithola sihlezi singenzi lutho, ngisho noma umuntu ezalelwe emkhayeni noma endaweni enabantu abesaba uNkulunkulu. Bonke abafisa ukuthola izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu kumelwe bazabalazele ukumkhonza, bazazise ngempela izinto ezingokomoya.

Wamukelwa NguLabani

Ekufikeni kwakhe ePhadani-aramu ukuzofuna umfazi ezihlotsheni zakhe, uJakobe wahlangana nomzala wakhe uRaheli, indodakazi kaLabani, emthonjeni futhi wasusa itshe elisindayo elaliwuvalile ukuze aphuzise imfuyo uRaheli ayeyilusile.a URaheli wandiza waya ekhaya eyomemezela ukufika kukaJakobe, noLabani wabe esephuthuma wayomhlangabeza. Uma kungukuthi uLabani wayecabanga ngengcebo eyayitholwe umkhaya wakhe encekwini ka-Abrahama ngaphambili, kumelwe ukuba wadumala, ngoba uJakobe wayezihambela nje engaphethe lutho. Kodwa kusobala ukuthi uLabani wabona okuthile ayengasizakala ngakho—isisebenzi esikhuthele.—Genesise 28:1-5; 29:1-14.

UJakobe wabaxoxela indaba yakhe. Akucaci kahle ukuthi wabatshela yini ngecebo elasetshenziswa ekutholeni ilungelo lobuzibulo, kodwa ngemva kokuzwa “zonke lezi zinto,” uLabani wathi: “Ngempela uyithambo lami nenyama yami.” Esinye isazi sathi le nkulumo ingase ibhekwe njengokumenywa ngemfudumalo kukaJakobe ukuba ahlale noma ukuvuma kukaLabani ukuthi ubuhlobo babumbopha ukuba avikele uJakobe. Kunoma ikuphi, uLabani ngokushesha wabe esecabangisisa indlela ayengasizakala ngayo ngomshana wakhe.

ULabani waqala into eyayiyoba imbangela yombango owawuzothatha iminyaka engu-20 eyayizolandela. Wabuza: “Ungathi ungumfowethu, kodwa ungikhonze mahhala? Ngitshele, Izoba yini inkokhelo yakho?” Nakuba uLabani ashaya sengathi ungumalume onomusa, wabululaza ubuhlobo bakhe begazi noJakobe baba isivumelwano sebhizinisi. Njengoba uJakobe ayemthanda uRaheli, waphendula: “Ngizimisele ukukukhonza iminyaka eyisikhombisa ngenxa kaRaheli indodakazi yakho encane.”—Genesise 29:15-20.

Ukwendiselana kwakwenziwa ngokukhokha ilobolo kubo kamakoti. Kamuva uMthetho KaMose wamisa ukuthi intombi eyengiwe kufanele ilotsholwe ngamashekeli esiliva angu-50. Isazi uGordon Wenham sikholelwa ukuthi leli “kwakuyilobolo elikhulu kunawo wonke” kodwa amaningi “ayengaphansi kakhulu.” (Duteronomi 22:28, 29) UJakobe wayengeke akwazi ukukhokha. Wathi kuLabani uzomsebenzela iminyaka eyisikhombisa. UWenham uyaqhubeka: “Njengoba ezikhathini zaseBhabhiloni lasendulo izisebenzi zetoho zazihola kusukela engxenyeni yeshekeli kuya eshekelini elilodwa eliphelele ngenyanga,” (amashekeli asuka kwangu-42 kuya kwangu-84 ngeminyaka eyisikhombisa egcwele) “uJakobe wayenika uLabani ilobolo elikhulu ukuze athathe uRaheli.” ULabani wavuma ngokunganqikazi.—Genesise 29:19.

UJakobe wayemthanda kakhulu uRaheli kangangokuthi iminyaka eyisikhombisa yaba “njengezinsuku ezimbalwa” kuye. Ngemva kwaleyo minyaka, uJakobe wathatha umakoti wakhe owayezemboze ngemvakazi, engasoli lutho ngobuqili bukaLabani. Cabanga nje indlela athuka ngayo ngakusasa lapho ethola ukuthi akalalanga noRaheli, kodwa ulale nodadewabo uLeya! UJakobe wabuza ngentukuthelo: “Yini le ongenze yona? Angikusebenzelanga yini ngenxa kaRaheli? Pho ungikhohliseleni?” ULabani waphendula: “Akuyona inkambiso ukwenza ngale ndlela endaweni yakithi, ukwendisa owesifazane omncane ngaphambi kwezibulo. Ligubhe ngokugcwele isonto lalona wesifazane. Ngemva kwalokho uzonikwa nalona omunye wesifazane ngenkonzo ongayenza kimi eminye iminyaka eyisikhombisa.” (Genesise 29:20-27) Engenakuthini futhi ebanjwe lapho emncane ngakhona, uJakobe wayengenakwenza lutho ngaphandle kokuyamukela leyo mibandela uma efuna uRaheli.

Ngokungafani neminyaka eyisikhombisa yokuqala, lena eyalandela yayilusizi. Wayengabushalazela kanjani nje uJakobe ubuqili bukaLabani obunonya? Futhi kuthiwani ngoLeya, naye owahambisana nalobu buqili? Yebo, uLabani wayengenandaba neze nekusasa elingenakuthula ayelakhela uLeya noRaheli. Wayekhathalela izithakazelo zakhe. Ngaphezu kokuthukuthela, uRaheli waba nanesikhwele lapho uLeya ethola abafana abane belamana eduze, kuyilapho yena elokhu eyinyumba. URaheli, ezifuna la izingane, wabe esephendukela encekukazini yakhe ukuba ibe umama ngokwesivumelwano, kwathi ngenxa yokubangisana, noLeya wenza okufanayo. UJakobe wazithola esenabafazi abane nezingane ezingu-12, umkhaya wakhe ungajabuli neze. Noma kunjalo, uJehova wayemenza isizwe esikhulu uJakobe.—Genesise 29:28–30:24.

UJehova Wamenza Waceba

Naphezu kokuvivinywa, uJakobe wabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayenaye njengoba ayethembisile. NoLabani wakubona lokho, ngoba imfuyo embalwa ayenayo ekufikeni kukaJakobe yanda yaba umhlambi omkhulu lapho isinakekelwa umshana wakhe. Emadolonzima ngokuvumela uJakobe ahambe, uLabani wamcela ukuba anqume iholo lakhe ukuze aqhubeke esebenza, uJakobe wabe esecela ukuba anikwe imfuyo enemibala engavamile emhlambini kaLabani. Kuthiwa kuleyo ndawo kwakuvame ukuba izimvu zibe mhlophe, izimbuzi zibe mnyama noma zibe nsundu ngokumnyama; kwakuyidlanzana nje elalimabalabala. Ecabanga ukuthi uhlabene, uLabani wavuma ngokunganqikazi futhi ngokushesha wayisusa yonke imfuyo eyayinamabala angavamile wayiyisa kude ukuze ingahlangani nomhlambi owawuzosala unakekelwe uJakobe. Kusobala ukuthi wayecabanga ukuthi uJakobe wayezothola ubala kuleso sivumelwano, ngokuqinisekile okwakungewona amaphesenti angu-20 amazinyane namawundlu asanda kuzalwa ayeba inkokhelo yabelusi bakudala. Kodwa uLabani wayeshaye phansi, ngoba uJehova wayenoJakobe.—Genesise 30:25-36.

Ngaphansi kwesiqondiso saphezulu, uJakobe wayizalanisa yaba namandla leyo mfuyo futhi yaba nemibala ayeyifuna. (Genesise 30:37-42) Amasu akhe okuzalanisa ayenganembile. Noma kunjalo, isazi uNahum Sarna sachaza: “Ngokwesayensi, umphumela owawufuneka wawungatholwa ngokuzalanisa eduze . . . imfuyo enombala owodwa nenezakhi zofuzo ezifanayo zokuveza imfuyo emabalabala. Imfuyo enjalo ibonakala . . . ngamandla [ayo] abangelwa ukuba [kwayo] ingxube.”

Eqaphela umphumela, uLabani wazama ukushintsha isivumelwano mayelana nokuthi iyiphi imfuyo eyayingeyomshana wakhe—emthende, enemibala, emagqabhagqabha noma emabhadubhadu. Wayezifunela inzuzo yakhe, kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uLabani wasishintshashintsha kanjani isivumelwano, uJehova waqiniseka ukuthi uJakobe uchuma njalo. ULabani wayengenakwenza lutho ngaphandle kokumane aququde amazinyo. Ngokushesha uJakobe waqongelela ingcebo enkulu, imihlambi, izinceku, amakamela, nezimbongolo eziningi, hhayi ngenxa yokuhlakanipha kwakhe, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayemsekela. Kamuva wabachazela oRaheli benoLeya: “Uyihlo uye wangikhohlisa futhi uye washintsha inkokhelo yami izikhathi eziyishumi, kodwa uNkulunkulu akamvumelanga ukuba angilimaze. . . . UNkulunkulu ubelokhu ethatha umhlambi kayihlo ewunika mina.” UJehova wabuye wamqinisekisa uJakobe ngokuthi wayekubona konke okwakwenziwa uLabani kodwa uJakobe kwakungadingeki akhathazeke. UNkulunkulu wathi: “Buyela ezweni lakini nasezihlotsheni zakho ngizosebenzelana kahle nawe.”—Genesise 31:1-13; 32:9.

Ngemva kokuhlukana neqili elinguLabani ekugcineni, uJakobe waqonda ekhaya. Nakuba kwase kudlule iminyaka engu-20, uJakobe wayesamesaba u-Esawu, futhi kwaba kubi nakakhulu lapho kufika umbiko wokuthi u-Esawu uza namadoda angamakhulu amane. Yini uJakobe ayengayenza? Njengoba ayelokhu engumuntu ongokomoya othembela kuNkulunkulu, wathatha isinyathelo esibonisa ukholo. Wathandaza, evuma ukuthi wayengawufanelekele umusa kaJehova, wanxusa uNkulunkulu ngesisekelo sezithembiso zaKhe ukuba abakhulule yena nomkhaya wakhe esandleni sika-Esawu.—Genesise 32:2-12.

Kwabe sekwenzeka isimanga. Umfokazi, okwacaca kamuva ukuthi uyingelosi, wabambana noJakobe ebusuku, futhi ngokuthinta kanye nje ithanga likaJakobe lamane lakhumuka esikhoxeni salo. UJakobe wenqaba ukuyidedela leyo ngelosi ukuba ihambe ingakambusisi kuqala. Kamuva umprofethi uHoseya wathi uJakobe “wakhala, ukuze azinxusele umusa.” (Hoseya 12:2-4; Genesise 32:24-29) UJakobe wayazi ukuthi ukubonakala kwezingelosi kwangesikhathi esidlule kwakuhlangene nokugcwaliseka kwesivumelwano sika-Abrahama ngenzalo yakhe. Ngakho wazikhandla ekulweni ngamandla waze wathola isibusiso. Ngaleso sikhathi, uNkulunkulu wamshintsha igama waba u-Israyeli, okusho “Olwa (Umphikeleli) NoNkulunkulu,” noma “UNkulunkulu Uyalwa.”

Ingabe Uzimisele Ukulwa?

Ngaphezu kokubambana nengelosi nokuphinda ahlangane no-Esawu, uJakobe kwadingeka anqobe nobunye ubunzima. Noma kunjalo, izenzakalo okukhulunywe ngazo lapha zibonisa uhlobo lomuntu ayeyilo. Njengoba u-Esawu engakwazanga ukubekezelela ukulamba okungatheni ukuze agcine ilungelo lakhe lobuzibulo, uJakobe yena washikashikeka ukuphila kwakhe konke ukuze athole izibusiso, waze washukashukana nengelosi. Njengoba uNkulunkulu ayethembisile, uJakobe wathola isiqondiso nesivikelo saphezulu, waba ukhokho wesizwe esikhulu noyisemkhulu kaMesiya.—Mathewu 1:2, 16.

Ingabe uzimisele ukuzikhandla ukuze uthole umusa kaJehova, njengokungathi uyawulwela? Ukuphila kwalabo abafuna ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu namuhla kugcwele ubunzima nezinselele, futhi ngezinye izikhathi kuba umshikashika ukwenza izinqumo ezilungile. Nokho, isibonelo esihle sikaJakobe siyisikhuthazo esinamandla kithina ukuba siqhubeke sibambelele ethembeni lokuthola umvuzo uJehova awubeke phambi kwethu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe ekhasini 31]

UJakobe washikashikeka ukuphila kwakhe konke ukuze athole izibusiso