Gen 23 | NdeIBE | STEP | USara waphila waze waba leminyaka elikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa ubudala.

Genesis 23

Ukufa kukaSara

1 USara waphila waze waba leminyaka elikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa ubudala. 2 Wafela eKhiriyathi Aribha (kutsho eHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani, u-Abhrahama wahamba ukuyamzilela uSara lokumlilela.

3 U-Abhrahama wasukuma eseceleni komkakhe ofileyo wakhuluma lamaHithi. Wathi,

4 “Ngiyisizwe lesihambi phakathi kwenu. Ngithengiselani isiqinti sibe yindawo yokungcwaba khonapha abami abafileyo.”

5 AmaHithi amphendula u-Abhrahama athi,

6 “Mnumzana, lalela lapha kithi. Uyinkosana elamandla phakathi kwethu. Ngcwaba abafileyo bakini loba kukuwaphi amangcwaba ethu athandeka kakhulu. Kakho owethu ozakwalela ingcwaba lakhe ukuthi ungcwabe kulo ofileyo wakini.”

7 Yikho u-Abhrahama wasukuma wakhothamela phansi phambi kwabantu balelolizwe, amaHithi. 8 Wathi kubo, “Nxa lithanda ukuthi ngimbele abafileyo bami, lalelani kimi, lingincengele ku-Efroni indodana kaZohari

9 ukuthi angithengisele ubhalu lwakhe lwaseMakhaphela olusekucineni kwesiqinti. Mceleni ukuthi angithengisele sona ngentengo egcweleyo sibe yindawo yamangcwaba phakathi kwenu.”

10 U-Efroni umHithi owayehlezi khonapho phakathi kwabantu bakibo wamphendula u-Abhrahama wonke amaHithi ayefikile esangweni ledolobho lakhe ezizwela. 11 Wathi, “Hatshi, nkosi yami. Lalela kimi; ngiyakupha isiqinti, njalo ngiyakupha lobhalu oluphakathi kwaso. Ngikupha sona phambi kwabantu bakithi. Mbela abafileyo bakho.”

12 U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhothamela phansi phambi kwabantu balelolizwe 13 wathi ku-Efroni bona besizwa, “Ake ulalelisise engikutshoyo. Mina ngizayikhupha intengo yesiqinti. Ngicela uyamukele kimi ukuze ngimbele khona abafileyo bami.”

14 U-Efroni waphendula u-Abhrahama wathi,

15 “Lalela kimi, nkosi yami; isiqinti lesi sibiza amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, kodwa kungena njani lokho phakathi kwami lawe? Wena mbela abafileyo bakho.”

16 U-Abhrahama wayivuma intengo ka-Efroni wasemlinganisela ubunzima bentengo ayeyibizile amaHithi esizwa: amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, mayelana lesisindo esasisetshenziswa ngabathengisi.

17 Ngakho isiqinti sika-Efroni eMakhaphela, eduze leMamure – isiqinti kanye lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso, lazo zonke izihlahla ezaziphakathi kwaso – kwabhaliswa 18 ngo-Abhrahama ukuthi sekuyimpahla yakhe, kusenziwa phambi kwamaHithi wonke ayefikile esangweni ledolobho. 19 Ngemva kwalokho u-Abhrahama wangcwaba umkakhe uSara ebhalwini olwalusesiqintini saseMakhaphela eduze leMamure (eseHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani. 20 Kanjalo isiqinti lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso kwabhaliswa ngo-Abhrahama ngama-Hithi ukuba yindawo yamangcwaba.