Genesis 50

1UJosefa waziphosela phezu kukayise wamkhalela, wasemanga. 2UJosefa waselaya izinyanga ezazingaphansi kwakhe ukuqhola umzimba kayise u-Israyeli. Ngakho izinyanga zamqhola, 3zathatha insuku ezingamatshumi amane ezigcweleyo, ngoba kwakuthatha isikhathi esingako ukuqhola. AmaGibhithe amlilela insuku ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa.

4Insuku zokulila sezedlule, uJosefa wathi kuziphathamandla zikaFaro, “Nxa ngifumane umusa kini, ngikhulumelani kuFaro. Mtsheleni lithi, 5‘Ubaba wangifungisa isifungo wathi, “Sengizakufa; lingimbele ethuneni engazigebhela lona mina ngokwami elizweni laseKhenani.” Manje-ke ake ungivumele ngihambe ngiyongcwaba ubaba; besengiphenduka.’ ”

6UFaro wathi, “Hamba uyongcwaba uyihlo, njengoba wakufungisa ukuthi uzakwenza.”

7Ngakho uJosefa wahamba wayangcwaba uyise. Zonke izikhulu zikaFaro zamphelekezela, izikhulu zakhe zomphakathi kanye lazozonke izikhulu zaseGibhithe, 8ngaphandle kwabo bonke abendlu kaJosefa labafowabo lalabo ababe ngabendlu kayise. EGosheni kwasala kuphela abantwana lemihlambi yabo yezimvu leyenkomo. 9Wahamba elezinqola zempi labakhweli bamabhiza. Kwakulixuku elikhulu.

10Bathi ngokufika esizeni sika-Athadi eduze kweJodani basiqhinqa isililo esikhulu esibuhlungu; kwathi khonapho uJosefa wazilela uyise okwensuku eziyisikhombisa. 11Kwathi amaKhenani ayehlala eduzane ebona ukulila lokho esizeni sika-Athadi athi, “AmaGibhithe alenkonzo yawo yokulila.” Yikho-nje leyondawo eseduze kweJodani ithiwa yi-Abheli-Mizirayimi.

12Ngalokho amadodana kaJakhobe enza lokho uyise abalaya khona: 13Bamthwalela elizweni laseKhenani bayamngcwaba ebhalwini olwalusensimini kaMakhaphela, eduze leMamure, u-Abhrahama aluthenga kanye lensimu ku-Efroni umHithi ukuthi kube yindawo yokungcwaba. 14Esemngcwabile uyise uJosefa wabuyela eGibhithe kanye labafowabo labo bonke ababehambe laye ukuyangcwaba uyise.

UJosefa Ubeka Abafowabo Isibindi

15Abafowabo bakaJosefa sebebonile ukuthi uyise sefile, bathi, “Kambe uJosefa kasibekelanga isikhwili yini abesefuna ukuphindisela ngakho konke esamona ngakho?” 16Ngakho bathumela ilizwi kuJosefa besithi, “Uyihlo watshiya imilayo le engakafi: 17‘Nanku elimele likutsho kuJosefa: Ngiyakucela ukuthi uxolele abafowenu izono leziphambeko abazenzayo ngokukuphatha kubi kangaka.’ Manje siyacela ukuthi uthethelele izono zezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kayihlo.” Kwathi ilizwi labo selifikile kuye uJosefa wakhala.

18Abafowabo beza bafika bazilahla phansi phambi kwakhe. Bathi, “Siyizigqili zakho.”

19Kodwa uJosefa wathi kubo, “Lingesabi. Mina ngisesikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu na? 20Lalihlose ukungenza okubi, kodwa uNkulunkulu wayehlose ubuhle ngakho ukuze kugcwaliseke lokhu okwenzakalayo khathesi, ukuphephisa impilo ezinengi. 21Ngakho-ke, lingesabi. Ngizalinakekela lina labantwabenu.” Wababeka isibindi wabakhulumisa ngomusa.

Ukufa KukaJosefa

22UJosefa wahlala eGibhithe kanye labo bonke abendlu kayise. Waphila okweminyaka elikhulu letshumi, 23wabona isizukulwane sesithathu sabantwana baka-Efrayimi. Njalo labantwana bakaMakhiri indodana kaManase bathi bezalwa babekwa emadolweni kaJosefa.

24UJosefa wasesithi kubafowabo, “Sengiseduze lokufa. Kodwa ngempela uNkulunkulu uzalisiza alikhuphe kulelilizwe alise elizweni alithembisa ngesifungo ku-Abhrahama, lo-Isaka loJakhobe.” 25UJosefa wasefungisa amadodana ka-Israyeli isifungo wathi, “UNkulunkulu uzalisiza, yikho kumele lithwale amathambo ami lisuke lawo kule indawo.”

26UJosefa wasesifa eseleminyaka yobudala elikhulu letshumi. Bathi sebemqholile, isidumbu sakhe basibeka ebhokisini eGibhithe.