1 UJakhobe laye wahamba ngeyakhe indlela, wasehlangabezwa yizingilosi zikaNkulunkulu. 2 Wathi ezibona uJakhobe wathi, “Leli libandla likaNkulunkulu!” Indawo leyo waseyibiza ngokuthi yiMahanayimi.

3 UJakhobe wathuma izithunywa ukuba zihambe phambili kwakhe kumnewabo u-Esawu elizweni laseSeyiri, ilizwe lika-Edomi. 4 Wazilaya wathi, “Nanku okumele likutsho enkosini yami u-Esawu, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe uthi bengihlezi loLabhani njalo ngihlale khona kwaze kwaba khathesi. 5 Ngilenkomo labobabhemi, ngilezimvu, lembuzi, njalo ngilezinceku lezincekukazi. Khathesi-ke sengithumela lelilizwi enkosini yami, ukuze ngithole umusa emehlweni akho.’ ”

6 Kwathi izithunywa sezibuya kuJakhobe zathi, “Sihambile kumfowenu u-Esawu, okwamanje uyeza ukuzokuhlangabeza, ulamadoda angamakhulu amane eza lawo.”

7 UJakhobe wafikelwa yikwesaba lokukhathazeka okukhulu wasesehlukanisa phakathi abantu ayelabo baba ngamaqembu amabili, wenzenjalo lemihlambini yezimvu leyenkomo lamakamela lawo. 8 Wakhumbula wathi, “Nxa u-Esawu angafika ahlasele elinye iqembu, leloqembu eliseleyo lingahle libaleke.”

9 UJakhobe wasekhuleka wathi, “Oh Nkulunkulu kababa u-Abhrahama, Nkulunkulu kababa u-Isaka, Thixo, wena owathi kimi, ‘Buyela elizweni lakini lasezihlotsheni zakho, ngizakwenza uphumelele,’ 10 mina kangiwufanelanga wonke umusa lokuthembeka okutshengise inceku yakho. Ngangiphethe intonga yami zwi mhla ngichapha iJodani leli, kodwa khathesi sengingamaqembu amabili. 11 Ngiyakhuleka ngithi ngisindise esandleni somfowethu u-Esawu, ngoba ngiyesaba ukuthi uzakuza angihlasele, kanye labesifazane labantwababo. 12 Kodwa wena uthe, ‘Ngempela ngizakwenza uphumelele ngenze lezizukulwane zakho zibe njengetshebetshebe lolwandle elingeke labalwa.’ ”

13 Wahlala khonapho ngalobobusuku, kwathi kulokho ayelakho wakhetha isipho sikamnewabo u-Esawu: 14 imbuzikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lempongo ezingamatshumi amabili; izimvu ezinsikazi ezingamakhulu amabili lenqama ezingamatshumi amabili; 15 amakamela amasikazi angamatshumi amathathu lamathole awo; amankomokazi angamatshumi amane lenkunzi ezilitshumi; kanye labobabhemi abasikazi abangamatshumi amabili lemiduna yawo elitshumi. 16 Wakugcinisa izisebenzi zakhe konke, umhlambi munye wema wodwa, wathi kuzo izisebenzi zakhe, “Hambani phambi kwami, njalo litshiye ibanga phakathi kwemihlambi.”

17 Lowo owayephambili wamlaya wathi, “Nxa umnewethu u-Esawu ekuhlangabeza afike abuze athi, ‘Ungokabani wena, njalo uya ngaphi, njalo ngezikabani zonke lezizifuyo eziphambi kwakho?’ 18 Ubokuthi, ‘Ngezenceku yakho uJakhobe. Ziyisipho esithunyelwe inkosi yami u-Esawu, laye uyeza nje emuva kwethu.’ ”

19 Walaya njalo isisebenzi sesibili, lesesithathu lazozonke ezinye ezaziqhuba imihlambi wathi: “Kumele likhulume into efanayo ku-Esawu nxa lihlangana laye. 20 Njalo lingakhohlwa ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho uJakhobe iyeza ngemva kwethu.’ ” Ngoba wacabanga wathi: “Ngizamthoba ngezipho lezi engizithumela phambili; nxa sengimbona muva mhlawumbe uzangamukela.” 21 Ngakho izipho zikaJakhobe zahanjiswa, zamandulela, kodwa yena wasala ezihonqweni ubusuku bonke.

22 Ngalobobusuku uJakhobe waphakama wathatha omkakhe bobabili, lezincekukazi zakhe zombili kanye lamadodana akhe alitshumi lamunye wawela izibuko likaJabhoki. 23 Esebachaphisile wabuye wachaphisa yonke imfuyo yakhe. 24 Ngakho uJakhobe wasala yedwa, indoda ethile yabindana laye kwaze kwaba semathathakusa. 25 Leyondoda yathi ngokubona ukuthi kayimehluli uJakhobe, yambamba inyonga, inyonga yakhe yakhumuka elokhu ebindana laleyondoda. 26 Indoda yasisithi, “Ngiyekela ngihambe ngoba sokusile.”

Kodwa uJakhobe wamphendula wathi, “Kangisoze ngikwekele uhambe ngaphandle kokuthi ungibusise.”

27 Indoda yambuza yathi, “Ungubani ibizo lakho na?”

Wathi, “NginguJakhobe.”

28 Indoda yasisithi, “Ibizo lakho kalisayikuba nguJakhobe, kodwa u-Israyeli, ngoba ulwe loNkulunkulu kanye labantu wanqoba.”

29 UJakhobe wathi, “Akungitshele ibizo lakho.”

Kodwa waphendula wathi “Ulibuzelani ibizo lami na?” Wasembusisa khonapho.

30 Ngakho uJakhobe wabiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiPheniyeli esithi, “Kungoba ngimbonile uNkulunkulu ubuso ngobuso, kodwa impilo yami kayilinyazwanga.”

31 Ilanga lamphumela esedlula ePheniweli, ehamba eqhugezela ngenxa yenyonga yakhe. 32 Ngakho-ke kuze kube lamuhla abako-Israyeli kabayidli inyama elomsipha osuka enyongeni, ngoba inyonga kaJakhobe yenyela eduze lomsipha.