Gen 24 | NdeIBE | STEP | U-Abhrahama wayesemdala eseleminyaka eminengi, njalo uJehova wayembusisile kukho konke.

Genesis 24

U-Isaka loRabheka

1 U-Abhrahama wayesemdala eseleminyaka eminengi, njalo uJehova wayembusisile kukho konke. 2 Wasesithi encekwini yakhe enkulu, leyo eyayilawula konke ayelakho, “Beka isandla sakho ngaphansi kwethangazi lami. 3 Ngifuna ukuthi ufunge ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini loNkulunkulu wasemhlabeni, ukuthi kawuyikuzuzela indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani engihlala phakathi kwawo, 4 kodwa uzakuya elizweni lakithi lasezihlotsheni zami uzuzele indodana yami u-Isaka umfazi.”

5 Inceku yambuza yathi, “Pho nxa lowo wesifazana engavumi ukuza lami kulelilizwe-ke? Ngizathatha indodana yakho ngiyise kulelolizwe lapho owavela khona na?”

6 U-Abrahama wathi, “Ungaqali ukuhambisa indodana yami khonale. 7 UJehova, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, owangikhupha emzini kababa laselizweni lakithi njalo owakhuluma kimi, wangithembisa ngesifungo wathi, ‘Ilizwe leli ngizalinika inzalo yakho’ – uzathuma ingilosi yakhe ihambe phambi kwakho ukuze ukwazi ukuzuzela indodana yami umfazi khonale. 8 Nxa lowo wesifazane esala ukuza lapha lawe, uzabe usukhululwe kulesi isifungo sami. Kodwa ungaqali ukusa indodana yami khonale.” 9 Yikho inceku yase ifaka isandla sayo ngaphansi kwethangazi lenkosi yayo u-Abhrahama yafunga isifungo kuye ngodaba lolu.

10 Inceku yasithatha amakamela enkosi yayo alitshumi yasuka, yathatha yonke imihlobo yezinto ezinhle zenkosi yayo. Yaqonda e-Aramu Naharayimi, yahamba yaze yayafika emzini waseNahori. 11 Amakamela yawaguqisa phansi eduzane lomthombo ngaphandle komuzi; kwasekuntambama, sekuyisikhathi sabesifazana ukuyakukha amanzi.

12 Yase ikhuleka yathi, “O Jehova, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, yenza ngiphumelele lamuhla, utshengise umusa enkosini yami u-Abhrahama. 13 Khangela-ke, nanku ngimi lapha eceleni komthombo lo, njalo amadodakazi abantu balelidolobho asesiza ukuzakukha amanzi. 14 Kungasake kuthi ngingathi entombini, ‘Ake ungikhele amanzi ngenkezo yakho nginathe,’ yona ithi, ‘Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho’ – kube yiyo kanye oyikhethele inceku yakho u-Isaka. Ngalesi isikhathi ngizakwazi ukuthi usutshengise umusa enkosini yami.”

15 Ingakaqedi ukukhuleka, uRabheka waphuma ethwele imbiza yakhe yamanzi ehlombe lakhe. Wayeyindodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaMilikha, owayengumfazi womfowabo ka-Abhrahama uNahori. 16 Intombi le yayinhle kakhulu, igcwele; ingakaze ilale lendoda. Yehlela emthonjeni, yagcwalisa imbiza yayo yasiqansa.

17 Inceku yaphanga yamhlangabeza yathi, “Ngicela amanzi embizeni yakho.”

18 Wathi, “Natha nkosi yami,” watsho esehlisa imbiza eyibamba ngezandla emnathisa.

19 Esemnathisile wathi, “Ngizakhelela lamakamela akho lawo ngiwanathise.”

20 Wasethululela imbiza yakhe emkolweni, wagijimela emthonjeni njalo ukukha amanye, wawakhelela wonke amakamela akhe. 21 Indoda yabukela ithule ilokhu inanzelela idinga ukubona ukuthi ngeqiniso uJehova wayeluphumelelisile yini uhambo lwayo.

22 Amakamela eseqedile ukunatha indoda leyo yakhupha isongo lamakhala elenziwe ngegolide elilobunzima bebhikha, lezigqizo zegolide ezimbili ezilobunzima bamashekeli alitshumi. 23 Yasibuza yathi, “Uyindodakazi kabani na? Ake ungitshele, kambe singazuza indawo yini emzini kayihlo kesicatshise amakhanda lamhla ebusuku?”

24 URabheka wamphendula wathi, “Ngiyindodakazi kaBethuweli, indodana kaMilikha ayizalela uNahori.” 25 Waphinda wengeza wathi, “Silotshani obunengi lamahlanga, kanye lendawo yokulala ikhona okwalamuhla ebusuku.”

26 Indoda yakhothamela phansi yakhonza uJehova, 27 isithi, “Udumo kalube kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, ongadelanga umusa wakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe enkosini yami. Mina ngokwami uJehova ungikhokhele ehanjweni lwami ngazafika endlini yezinini zenkosi yami.”

28 Intombi yagijima yayabikela abendlu kanina ngalezizinto. 29 URabheka wayelomnewabo owayethiwa nguLabani, yena waphanga waya kuleyondoda eyayise-mthonjeni. 30 Wonela ukubona isongo lamakhala kanye lezigqizo engalweni kadadewabo, njalo esezwile uRabheka elandisa ngokwatshiwo yindoda leyo kuye, wasuka waya kuyo wayifica imi eceleni kwamakamela eduze komthombo.

31 Wathi, “Woza, wena obusisiweyo nguJehova. Umeleni ngaphandle lapha? Sengilungisile indlu ngalungisa lendawo yamakamela.”

32 Ngakho indoda yaya ngekhaya, lamakamela ethulwa imithwalo. Utshani lamahlanga kwalethwa emakamelweni, yena lamadoda ayelawo balethelwa amanzi okugeza izinyawo zabo. 33 Kwasekulethwa ukudla kwabekwa phambi kwakhe, kodwa wathi, “Kangizukudla ngize ngiqale ngilitshele lokho engimele ngikutsho.” ULabani wathi, “Sitshele phela.”

34 Yikho wasesithi, “Ngiyinceku ka-Abhrahama. 35 UJehova uyibusisile inkosi yami kakhulu, isinothile kakhulu. Uyiphile izimvu lezinkomo, isiliva legolide, lezinceku zesilisa lezesifazana kanye lamakamela labobabhemi.

36 Inkosikazi yenkosi yami, uSara, imzalele indodana ebudaleni bayo, inkosi yami yasiyinika leyondodana konke elakho. 37 Njalo inkosi yami yangifungisa isifungo yathi, ‘Ungazuzeli indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani, engihlala elizweni lawo, 38 kodwa yana ezininini zikababa, kwabosendo lwakithi, uzuzele indodana yami umfazi.’

39 “Ngasengiyibuza inkosi yami ngathi, ‘Pho uma owesifazana lowo esala ukuza lapha-ke?’

40 “Yaphendula yathi, ‘UJehova, engihamba phambi kwakhe, uzathumela ingilosi yakhe ihambe lawe, iphumelelise uhambo lwakho ukuze uzuzele indodana yami umfazi kwabosendo lwakithi, lasezininini zikababa.

41 Ngakho uzakuthi ungaya kwabosendo lwakithi, uzakhululwa esifungweni sami loba bangaze bale laye – uzakhululwa esifungweni sami.’

42 “Ngithe ukufika kwami emthonjeni lamuhla ngathi, ‘O Jehova, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, uma uthanda, ngicela uphumelelise uhambo lolu engilapha ngalo.

43 Akubone, ngimi eceleni kwal’ umthombo; aluba kufika intombi ifika izokukha amanzi, ngithi kuyo, “Akunginathise amanzana embizeni yakho.” 44 ingaze ithi kimi, “Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho lawo,” kabe nguye uJehova asemkhethele indodana yenkosi yami.’

45 “Ngingakaqedi ukukhuleka enhliziyweni yami, uRabheka waphuma, ethwele imbiza yakhe ehlombe. Wehlela emthonjeni wakha amanzi, ngathi kuye, ‘Akunginathise.’

46 “Waphanga wehlisa imbiza yakhe ehlombe lakhe wathi, ‘Natha, ngizanathisa lamakamela akho njalo.’ Yikho nganatha, waphinda wanathisa lamakamela njalo.

47 “Ngambuza ngathi, ‘Uyindodakazi kabani wena?’ “Wathi, ‘Indodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaNahori, amzala kuMilikha.’ “Ngasengimgqizisa isongo emakhaleni lezigqizo ezingalweni zakhe, 48 yikho ngasengikhothamela phansi ngamkhonza uJehova. Ngadumisa uJehova uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, obengikhokhele endleleni eqondileyo ngazathola intombi engumzukulu womfowabo wenkosi yami ngayizuzela indodana yayo inkosi yami. 49 Manje-ke uma lizatshengisa umusa lokwethembeka enkosini yami, ngitshelani; loba kungenjalo, ngitshelani ukuze ngazi ukuthi ngithini.”

50 ULabani loBhethuweli baphendula bathi, “Lokhu kuvela kuJehova; kakukho esingakutsho kuwe, ukuthi kunje loba kakunjalo. 51 Nangu uRabheka; mthathe uhambe laye ayekuba ngumfazi wendodana yenkosi yakho, njengalokhu okuqondiswe nguJehova.”

52 Kwathi inceku ka-Abhrahama ikuzwa lokhu abakutshoyo yakhothama phansi emhlabathini phambi kukaJehova. 53 Yikho inceku yase ikhupha amacici egolide lesiliva kanye lezimpahla zokugqoka yakupha uRabheka; yapha njalo umnewabo lonina izipho ezidulayo. 54 Kwasekusithi yena lamadoda lawo ayehamba lawo badla njalo banatha, balala khona. Bathi bevuka ngakusasa ekuseni wathi, “Sesicela indlela, sibuyele ekhaya enkosini yami.”

55 Kodwa umnewabo lonina baphendula bathi, “Ake ume, intombazana kesibe layo okwezinsukwana ezingaba litshumi; lapho selingahamba.”

56 Kodwa wathi kubo, “Lingangibambeleli, njengoba uJehova eseluphumelelisile uhambo lwami. Wothani ngihambe ukuze ngiyofika enkosini yami.”

57 Basebesithi, “Wothi sibize untombazana kesimbuze ngakho.” 58 Ngakho bambiza uRabheka bambuza bathi, “Uyafuna ukuhamba layo indoda le na?” Wathi, “Ngizahamba layo.”

59 Ngakho basebemkhulula udadewabo uRabheka ukuba ahambe kanye lomlizane wakhe, bahamba lenceku ka-Abhrahama lamadoda ayelayo. 60 Njalo bambusisa uRabheka bathi kuye, “We dadewethu, sengathi ungandisa izinkulungwane zezinkulungwane; sengathi inzalo yakho ingathumba amasango ezitha zayo.”

61 URabheka lamantombazana akhe bazilungiselela, basebekhwela amakamela abo bahamba lendoda leyo. Ngakho inceku yamthatha uRabheka yahamba.

62 Ngalesi isikhathi u-Isaka wayesefikile evela eBheyeri Lahayi Royi, ngoba wayehlala eNegebi. 63 Ngenye intambama waya ensimini ehambahamba ukuthi ake ahluze ingqondo, wasesithi uyakhangela wabona amakamela esiza. 64 URabheka laye wakhangela wambona u-Isaka. Wehla ekameleni lakhe 65 wabuza inceku wathi, “Indoda leyana esensimini ngubani, leyana esihlangabezayo?” Inceku yaphendula yathi, “Uyinkosi yami.” Yikho uRabheka wasethatha ilembu elilula wazimboza.

66 Inceku yasimtshela u-Isaka konke lokho eyayikwenzile. 67 U-Isaka wamngenisa ethenteni likanina uSara, wahle wamthatha uRabheka. Ngakho wasesiba ngumkakhe, wamthanda; u-Isaka waduduzeka ngemva kokufa kukanina.