1Ɛberɛ a Rahel hunuu sɛ ɔne Yakob nwo no, nʼani beree ne nuabaa no. Enti, ɔka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Sɛ wo ne me anwo mma a, mɛwu!”
2Yakob bo fuu Rahel, ma ɔkaa sɛ, “Meyɛ Onyankopɔn? Ɔno na wasi wo yafunu ano.”
3Ɛnna Rahel ka kyerɛɛ Yakob sɛ, “Mʼafenaa Bilha nie, wo ne no nkɔda, na ɔnwo mma me, na ɛnam ne so ama me nso manya abusua.”
4Enti, Rahel de nʼafenaa Bilha maa Yakob wareeɛ. Yakob ne no daeɛ. 5Ɔnyinsɛn, woo babarima maa Yakob. 6Na Rahel kaa sɛ, “Onyankopɔn adi mʼasɛm ama me. Wate mʼadesrɛ ama me ɔbabarima.” Ne saa enti, ɔtoo no edin Dan a asekyerɛ ne, “Onyankopɔn adi mʼasɛm ama me.”
7Rahel afenaa Bilha nyinsɛnee bio, woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so mmienu maa Yakob. 8Na Rahel kaa sɛ, “Me ne me nua Lea adi yɛn ho aperedie na madi nkonim.” Ɛno enti, ɔtoo abɔfra no edin Naftali a asekyerɛ ne, “Mʼakodie.”
9Ɛberɛ a Lea hunuu sɛ nʼawoɔ ate kɔ no, ɔno nso de nʼafenaa Silpa maa Yakob wareeɛ. 10Lea afenaa Silpa woo ɔbabarima maa Yakob. 11Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Akrayɛ bɛn nie.” Enti, ɔtoo abɔfra no edin Gad a asekyerɛ ne, “Asi me yie.”
12Lea afenaa Silpa woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so mmienu maa Yakob. 13Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Mʼani agye! Afei deɛ, mmaa no bɛfrɛ me anigyeɛ.” Enti, ɔtoo no edin Aser a asekyerɛ ne “Anigyeɛ.”
14Ayuotwaberɛ mu ɛda bi, Ruben kɔɔ afuom kɔhunuu afifideɛ bi a wɔfrɛ no dudaim. Ɔde bi brɛɛ ne maame Lea. Rahel ka kyerɛɛ Lea sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, ma me wo ba no dudaim30.14 dudaim: Yei ne sɛdeɛ wɔfrɛ dua no wɔ Hebri kasa mu. no bi.”
15Nanso, Lea de abufuo buaa sɛ, “Woabɛgye me kunu akyiri no, woresane abɛgye me ba dudaim a ɔde abrɛ me no bi apaa so?”
Na Rahel de awerɛhoɔ kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, ɛnneɛ, Yakob mmɛda wo nkyɛn ɛnnɛ anadwo yi, na ma me dudaim no bi.”
16Enti, ɛda no anwummerɛ a Yakob firi afuom reba no, Lea kɔhyiaa no, ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ wobɛda me nkyɛn ɛnnɛ anadwo yi, ɛfiri sɛ, mede me ba dudaim atɔ wo.” Enti, Yakob kɔdaa Lea nkyɛn anadwo no.
17Onyankopɔn tiee Lea mpaeɛbɔ, na ɔnyinsɛn, woo ɔbabarima a ɔtɔ so enum maa Yakob. 18Na Lea kaa sɛ, “Mede mʼafenaa Silpa maa me kunu Yakob no, Onyankopɔn adom me.” Enti, wɔtoo abɔfra no edin Isakar a asekyerɛ ne “Akyɛdeɛ.”
19Lea sane nyinsɛnee bio, na ɔwoo ne babarima a ɔtɔ so nsia maa Yakob. 20Enti, Lea kaa sɛ, “Onyankopɔn akyɛ me akyɛdeɛ a ɛsom bo yie. Afei deɛ, manya me kunu anim animuonyam. Ɔde obuo ne anidie bɛma me, ɛfiri sɛ, mawo mmammarima baasia ama no. Enti, ɔtoo abarimaa no edin Sebulon a, asekyerɛ ne Animuonyam.”
21Akyire no, Lea woo ɔbabaa too no edin Dina.
22Afei, Onyankopɔn kaee Rahel, tiee ne mpaeɛbɔ, buee nʼawotwaa ano. 23Rahel nyinsɛne, woo ɔbabarima, na ɔkaa sɛ, “Afei deɛ, Onyankopɔn apepa mʼanimguaseɛ, ama me nso mawo ɔba.” 24Rahel too ne ba no edin Yosef a asekyerɛ ne “Awurade mfa ɔbabarima baako nka me ho.”
Yakob Ahonya
25Rahel woo Yosef no, ankyɛre na ɛda koro bi, Yakob ka kyerɛɛ Laban sɛ, “Mepɛ sɛ mesane kɔ mʼankasa mʼasase so ne me fie enti, mesrɛ wo, gya me ɛkwan na menkɔ, 26Fa me yerenom ne me mma a wɔn enti mebɛsom wo no ka ho. Wʼankasa ara wonim ɔsom pa a masom wo.”
27Laban buaa sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, nkɔ nnya me. Makɔ abisa ahunu sɛ, nhyira dodoɔ a manya yi nyinaa firi te a wote me nkyɛn yi so.” 28Laban ka kaa ho sɛ, “Kyerɛ me akatua biara a wobɛgye, na mɛtua.”
29Yakob buaa Laban sɛ, “Wʼankasa wonim som a masom wo, ne sɛdeɛ mahwɛ wʼanantwie ne wo nnwan ama wɔn ase afɛe afa. 30Wʼahodeɛ kakra a na wowɔ ɛberɛ a mebaeɛ no, ɛnnɛ, adɔɔso, abu so. Biribiara a meyɛ maa wo no nso, Awurade ahyira so. Na me nso, ɛberɛ bɛn na mɛtumi apɛ biribi de agya mʼabusuafoɔ?”
31Laban bisaa Yakob sɛ, “Akatua ahe na memfa mma wo?”
Yakob nso buaa sɛ, “Mma me hwee, na mmom, sɛ wobɛyɛ mʼabisadeɛ baako pɛ yi ama me deɛ a, mɛkɔ so ayɛn wo mmoa no. 32Ɛnnɛ, ma menkɔhwehwɛ wo mmoa no nyinaa mu, na mennyi odwan biara a ne ho yɛ ntokontrama, odwan ba biara a ɔyɛ tuntum ne abirekyie biara a ɔyɛ ntokontrama. Yeinom na ɛbɛyɛ mʼakatua. 33Yei bɛma woahunu sɛ, medi nokorɛ anaa menni nokorɛ. Sɛ wohunu nnwan anaa mmirekyie a wɔyɛ fufuo, na wɔnyɛ ntokontrama wɔ me mmoa no mu a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ mawia wɔn afiri wo deɛ mu.”
34Laban buaa Yakob sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, yɛ no sɛdeɛ woaka no.” 35Ɛda no ara, Laban yiyii nnwennini a wɔyɛ ntokontrama no nyinaa ne nnwammedeɛ a wɔyɛ ntokontrama no nso; mmoa no mu biara a fufuo wɔ ne ho ne odwan ba biara a ɔyɛ tuntum no, ɔde wɔn kɔmaa ne mmammarima. 36Na Laban mma no faa mmoa no, de wɔn twaa nnansa ɛkwan, firii baabi a na Yakob wɔ hɔ. Saa ɛberɛ no mu, Yakob tenaa hɔ, hwɛɛ Laban nnwan no.
37Na Yakob faa saa nnua yi: ɔsɛsɛ, ɛdwono ne ɔkyɛnkyɛn mman mono, yiyii ho akamakam, ma ɛkɔtoo dua kwatii no. 38Afei, ɔde mman mono a wayiyi ho no nyinaa guguu mmoa no adidi nnaka mu, sɛdeɛ ɛba sɛ, mmoa no ba sɛ wɔrebɛnom nsuo no bi a, wɔbɛhunu. Saa ɛberɛ no na anini no foro abereɛ no. 39Enti, sɛ mmoa no hyia mu wɔ dua mman ntokontrama no ho, na wɔnyinsɛn na wɔwowo a, wɔn mma no ho yɛ ntokontrama. 40Ɔnam saa ɛkwan yi so yii Laban nnwankuo no mu abereɛ no guu faako, ma ɛkaa anini no. Na ɔmaa wɔne Yakob nnwan a wɔyɛ tuntum no hyiaa mu. Saa ɛkwan yi so na ɔfa gyinaa ne nnwankuo firii Laban deɛ mu. 41Ɛduru ɛberɛ a nnwammedeɛ a wɔwɔ ahoɔden no pɛ sɛ wɔhyia nnwennini no a, Yakob de mman a wayiyi ho akamakam no gu wɔn anim. 42Nanso, wanyɛ nnwan abereɛ a wɔyɛ mmerɛ no saa. Enti, nnwammaa a wɔnni ahoɔden no bɛyɛɛ Laban dea, ɛnna wɔn a wɔwɔ ahoɔden no nso bɛyɛɛ Yakob dea. 43Ɛnam yei so maa Yakob nyaa ne ho tam. Ɔnyaa mmoa, mfenaa, nkoa, nyoma ne mfunumu bebree.
1When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I’ll die!’
2Jacob became angry with her and said, ‘Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?’
3Then she said, ‘Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.’
4So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, 5and she became pregnant and bore him a son. 6Then Rachel said, ‘God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.’ Because of this she named him Dan.30:6 Dan here means he has vindicated.
7Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. 8Then Rachel said, ‘I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.’ So she named him Naphtali.30:8 Naphtali means my struggle.
9When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. 11Then Leah said, ‘What good fortune!’30:11 Or ‘A troop is coming!’ So she named him Gad.30:11 Gad can mean good fortune or a troop.
12Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. 13Then Leah said, ‘How happy I am! The women will call me happy.’ So she named him Asher.30:13 Asher means happy.
14During wheat harvest, Reuben went out into the fields and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.’
15But she said to her, ‘Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?’
‘Very well,’ Rachel said, ‘he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.’
16So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. ‘You must sleep with me,’ she said. ‘I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.’ So he slept with her that night.
17God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. 18Then Leah said, ‘God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.’ So she named him Issachar.30:18 Issachar sounds like the Hebrew for reward.
19Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. 20Then Leah said, ‘God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honour, because I have borne him six sons.’ So she named him Zebulun.30:20 Zebulun probably means honour.
21Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
22Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. 23She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, ‘God has taken away my disgrace.’ 24She named him Joseph,30:24 Joseph means may he add. and said, ‘May the Lord add to me another son.’
Jacob’s flocks increase
25After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, ‘Send me on my way so that I can go back to my own homeland. 26Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.’
27But Laban said to him, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.’ 28He added, ‘Name your wages, and I will pay them.’
29Jacob said to him, ‘You know how I have worked for you and how your livestock has fared under my care. 30The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?’
31‘What shall I give you?’ he asked.
‘Don’t give me anything,’ Jacob replied. ‘But if you will do this one thing for me, I will go on tending your flocks and watching over them: 32let me go through all your flocks today and remove from them every speckled or spotted sheep, every dark-coloured lamb and every spotted or speckled goat. They will be my wages. 33And my honesty will testify for me in the future, whenever you check on the wages you have paid me. Any goat in my possession that is not speckled or spotted, or any lamb that is not dark-coloured, will be considered stolen.’
34‘Agreed,’ said Laban. ‘Let it be as you have said.’ 35That same day he removed all the male goats that were streaked or spotted, and all the speckled or spotted female goats (all that had white on them) and all the dark-coloured lambs, and he placed them in the care of his sons. 36Then he put a three-day journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob continued to tend the rest of Laban’s flocks.
37Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. 38Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, 39they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted. 40Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-coloured animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals. 41Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so that they would mate near the branches, 42but if the animals were weak, he would not place them there. So the weak animals went to Laban and the strong ones to Jacob. 43In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
