KO LEPEKA naʻá ne sio atu ki he malumalu ʻo e ʻū maka takatakai ʻi aí. Hili ha ngaahi uike ʻo e fonongá, kuó ne anga ki he fononga sēlue ʻi heʻene heka ʻi he tuʻa ʻo e kāmelí. Kuo mavahe mamaʻo mai mei hono fonua tupuʻangá ʻa Hālani, ko ha maile ʻe lauingeau ki he tokelau-hahaké. ʻE ʻikai nai ke ne toe sio ki hono fāmilí. Ko e ngaahi fehuʻi ki hono kahaʻú kuo taulōfuʻu ʻi heʻene fakakaukaú​—tautefito ki he taimi ko ení, ʻi heʻene fakaofi atu ki he ngataʻanga ʻo ʻene fonongá.

Naʻe fakalaka ʻa e fononga kāmelí ʻi he kotoa ʻo Kēnaní pea ko ha fononga faingataʻa naʻe fai ʻi he feituʻu ko Tonga. (Sēnesi 24:62) Ngalingali naʻe sio ʻa Lepeka ki ha sipi. Ko e kolo ko ení naʻe lahi e fanga manu kaivaó pea pakukā ke fai ai ha ngoue, ka ʻoku lahi ai ʻa e mohuku maʻá e fanga manú. Ko e feituʻu ko ení naʻe maheni ki ai e tangataʻeiki taki fonongá. Naʻá ne maʻu ʻa e ongoongo lelei lahi ke tala ki hono ʻeikí—ʻe hoko ʻa Lepeka ko e uaifi ʻo ʻAisake! Kuo pau pē naʻe fifili ʻa Lepeka pe ko e hā ʻa e faʻahinga moʻui te ne maʻu ʻi he fonua ko ení. ʻE fēfē nai hono mali ko ʻAisaké? Naʻe teʻeki ai ʻaupito ke na fetaulaki! ʻE fiefia nai ʻi heʻene sio ange kiate iá? Pea ʻe fēfē ʻene ongoʻi fekauʻaki mo ʻAisaké?

Ko e ngaahi feituʻu lahi ʻo e māmaní ʻi he ʻahó ni, ko e aleaʻi fakamātuʻa ʻa e malí ʻoku hā ngalikehe. ʻI he ngaahi feituʻu kehe, ko e ngaahi meʻa ko ení ʻoku anga-maheni. Pe ko e hā pē ho puipuituʻá, te ke loto-tatau naʻe fononga atu ʻa Lepeka ki he feituʻu naʻe ʻikai te ne ʻiloʻi. Ko e fefine ia naʻe moʻoni ʻene loto-toʻá mo ʻene tuí. ʻOku tau fiemaʻu ʻa e ongo ʻulungaanga ko ení ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau fehangahangai ai mo e ngaahi liliu ʻi he moʻuí. ʻOku ʻi ai mo ha ngaahi ʻulungaanga fakaʻofoʻofa mo hāhāmolofia naʻe fekauʻaki mo e tui ʻa Lepeká.

Ko e liliu lahi naʻe ʻi he moʻui ʻa Lepeká ʻi he founga naʻe hā ngali anga-maheni pē kiate ia. Naʻá ne tupu hake ʻi Hālani pe ofi ki ai, ko ha kolo ʻi Mesopotēmia. Ko ʻene ongo mātuʻá naʻe kehe ia mei he tokolahi taha ʻo e kakai ʻi Hālaní. Naʻe ʻikai ke na lotu kia Sini ko e ʻotua e māhiná. ʻI hono kehé, ko hona ʻOtuá ko Sihova.—Sēnesi 24:50.

Naʻe tupu hake ʻa Lepeka ko ha kiʻi fefine hoihoifua, ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai ke toe fehuʻia ʻene fakaʻofoʻofá. Naʻá ne fakalaumālie pea naʻá ne hanganaki maʻa fakaeʻulungaanga. Ko hono fāmilí naʻe tuʻumālie feʻunga ke maʻu ha kau sevāniti, ka naʻe ʻikai ke fakapelepeleʻi ia ke hangē ha pilinisesí; naʻe tauhi hake ia ke ngāue mālohi. Hangē ko e kau fefine ʻi he ngaahi taimi ko iá, naʻe fai ʻe Lepeka ha ngaahi ngāue lahi ʻo kau ai ʻene ʻutu vai maʻa hono fāmilí. ʻI he malu efiafí, naʻá ne hili ʻi hono umá ha siā pea mavahe ki he vaí.—Sēnesi 24:11, 15, 16.

ʻI ha efiafi ʻe taha, naʻá ne ʻutu ʻene siaá, pea naʻe lele atu ha tangataʻeiki ke fakafetaulaki kiate ia. Naʻá ne pehē ange: “Tuku ke u inu ha huʻa vai mei hoʻo siā.” Ko ha kole anga-lelei ia pea naʻe ʻoange leva ia! Naʻe lava ke sio atu ʻa Lepeka ki he tangatá naʻá ne fononga mamaʻo mai. Ko ia naʻá ne fakatovave ke tuku hifo ʻa e siaá mei hono umá pea ʻoange ʻa e inu ʻo e tangatá, ʻo ʻikai ko ha kiʻi fakaai pē ka ko ʻene inu moʻoni mei he vai foʻou, ko ha vai mokomoko. Naʻá ne fakatokangaʻi ko ha fanga kāmeli ʻe toko hongofulu ʻoku nau tākoto teʻeki ai ke fakainu. Naʻá ne sio ki he mata ʻo e tangataʻeikí ʻokú ne sio fakamamaʻu kiate ia, pea naʻá ne loto ke fakahāhā ʻa e nima-homo. Ko ia naʻá ne pehē: “Te u ʻutu foki ki hoʻo fanga kameli, ʻo fai pe ke nau fiu he inu.”—Sēnesi 24:17-19.

Fakatokangaʻi ʻa e ʻikai ke fakaai pē ʻe Lepeka hono fakainu ʻa e fanga kāmelí ka naʻá ne fakainu pē kinautolu kae ʻoua leva ke nau fiu. Kapau ʻoku fuʻu fieinua ha kāmeli, ʻe lava ke ne inu ha kālani vai ʻe 25 (95 L)! Kapau ko e fanga kāmeli ko eni ʻe hongofulú naʻa nau fieinua pehē, naʻe laui houa ʻa e ngāue mālohi ʻa Lepeka  ke fakainu kinautolú. Hangē ko e meʻa naʻe hokó, ngalingali ko e fanga kāmelí naʻa nau fieinua lahi. a Ka naʻe ʻilo nai ʻe Lepeka ʻa e ngāue lahi ʻi he fietokoni naʻá ne faí? ʻIkai. Naʻá ne loto-lelei naʻa mo ʻene vēkeveke ʻi he lahi taha naʻá ne malavá ke fakahāhā ʻa e anga-talitali kakaí ki he tangataʻeiki sola ko ení. Naʻá ne tali ʻene tokoní. Naʻá ne toki siofi ia ʻi heʻene toutou lele fefokifokiʻaki ʻi hono huaʻi mo fakafonu ʻene siaá ki he kumeté.—Sēnesi 24:20, 21.

ʻOku mahuʻinga mālie ʻa e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Lepeká ʻi hotau ʻahó ni. ʻOku tau moʻui ʻi ha kuonga ʻoku pule fakaaoao ai ʻa e siokitá. Hangē ko ia naʻe tomuʻa talá ko e kakaí te nau hoko ko e “kau ʻofa kiate kinautolu pē,” ʻo ʻikai loto-lelei ke nau fakamuʻomuʻa e niʻihi kehé. (2 Tīmote 3:1-5) Ko e kau Kalisitiane ʻoku nau feinga ke faitau mo e tākiekina ʻo e hehema ko iá ʻoku lelei ke nau fakalaulauloto ki he fakatātā ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻo fekauʻaki mo e kiʻi fefine ʻi he kuohilí ʻa ia naʻá ne lele fefokifokiʻaki ki he vaitupú.

Naʻe fakatokangaʻi ʻe Lepeka ʻa e sio fakamamaʻu ange ʻa e tangataʻeikí kiate iá. Naʻe ʻikai ha ʻuhinga hala ʻene sió; ʻoku pehē naʻá ne ofo, ʻohovale mo fiefia. ʻI he taimi naʻe ʻosi ai ʻa e ngāue ʻa Lepeká, naʻá ne ʻoange kiate ia ha ngaahi meʻaʻofa—ko ha ngaahi siueli mahuʻinga! Peá ne toki pehē ange leva: “Ko e ʻofefine ʻo hai koe, ʻine? tala mai pe ʻoku ʻataʻatā ʻa e ʻapi ʻo hoʻo ʻeiki ke mau ʻapitanga ai.” ʻI he taimi naʻá ne tala ange ai hono fāmilí naʻe toe lahi ange ʻene fiefiá. ʻI he fakavave ʻi he vēkeveké, naʻá ne tānaki atu: “ʻOku lahi foki ʻa e hulu [pe mohuku] mo e meʻakai ʻi ʻapi, pea ʻoku ʻataʻatā ke mou ʻapitanga ai”—ko ha fakaafe anga-ʻofa, naʻe ʻi ai mo ha niʻihi kehe naʻa nau kau ʻi he fonongá fakataha mo e tangataʻeikí. Naʻá ne lele muʻomuʻa leva ki heʻene fineʻeikí ʻo tala e meʻa naʻe hokó.—Sēnesi 24:22-28, 32.

ʻOku hā mahino, naʻe tupu hake ʻa Lepeka ko ha tokotaha anga-talitali kakai. Ko e toe ʻulungaanga eni ʻoku ʻikai hā nai ʻi he ʻahó ni—pea ko ha toe ʻuhinga ia ke faʻifaʻitaki ai ki he tui ʻa e kiʻi fefine loto-ʻofa ko ení. Ko e tui ki he ʻOtuá ʻoku totonu ke ne ʻai kitautolu ke hoko ʻo anga-talitali kakai. Ko Sihova ʻoku anga-talitali kakai, ʻokú ne nima-homo ki he taha kotoa pē, pea ko hono finangaló ke fai heʻene kau lotú ʻa e meʻa tatau. ʻI he taimi ʻoku tau anga-talitali kakai aí, naʻa mo e faʻahinga heʻikai ʻaupito ke nau totongi maí, ʻoku tau fakahōifuaʻi ai ʻetau Tamai fakahēvaní.—Mātiu 5:44-46; 1 Pita 4:9.

Ko hai ʻa e tangataʻeiki naʻe ʻi he vaitupú? Ko ha sevāniti ia ʻa ʻĒpalahame, ko e tokoua ia ʻo e kui tangata ʻa Lepeká. Ko ia, naʻe talitali lelei ia ki he ʻapi ʻo Petuelí, ko e tamai ʻa Lepeká. Ko e hingoa nai ʻo e sevāniti ko ení ko ʻEliesa. b Naʻe teuteu ʻe he tokotaha talitalí ha meʻakai, ka naʻá ne fakafisi ke kai kae ʻoua ke fakahā ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻene fonongá. (Sēnesi 24:31-33) ʻOku lava ke tau fakaʻuta atu ki heʻene lea fiefia ʻi heʻene mātā ʻa e fakamoʻoni ʻo e mālohi hono ʻOtua ko Sihová ʻi hono tāpuakiʻi ia ʻi heʻene fononga mahuʻinga ko ení. Anga-fēfē?

Sioloto atu ki hono talanoa ʻe ʻEliesa ʻa e meʻa naʻe hokó kae fanongo tokanga ʻa e tamai ʻa Lepeká ʻa Petueli pea pehē ki hono tuongaʻane ko Lēpaní. Naʻá ne tala ange kia kinaua naʻe tāpuakiʻi lahi ʻe Sihova ʻa ʻĒpalahame ʻi Kēnani pea naʻe maʻu ʻe ʻĒpalahame mo Sela ha foha ko ʻAisake ʻa ia te ne maʻu ʻa e koloa kotoa pē. Naʻe ʻoange ʻe ʻĒpalahame ki heʻene sevāniti ko ení ha ngāue naʻe mahuʻinga lahi: Ko ʻene kumi ha uaifi ʻo ʻAisake ʻi he haʻohaʻonga ʻo e kāinga ʻo ʻĒpalahame ʻi Hālaní.—Sēnesi 24:34-38.

Naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe ʻĒpalahame ʻa ʻEliesa ke ne fakapapau heʻikai ke ne fili ʻa e uaifi ʻo ʻAisaké mei he kau fefine Kēnaní. Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Koeʻuhí he naʻe ʻikai ke tokaʻi pe lotu ʻa e kau Kēnaní ki he ʻOtua ko Sihová. Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe ʻĒpalahame naʻe fakataumuʻa ʻe Sihova ha taimi kotofa ke tauteaʻi ai ʻa e faʻahinga ko ení koeʻuhi ko ʻenau tōʻonga fulikivanú. Naʻe ʻikai loto ʻa ʻĒpalahame ke kau fakataha hono foha ʻofeina ko ʻAisaké mo e faʻahinga tōʻonga taʻetaau ko ení. Naʻá ne toe lāuʻilo naʻe maʻu ʻe hono fohá ha fatongia mahuʻinga ʻi hono fakahoko ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa e ʻOtuá.—Sēnesi 15:16; 17:19; 24:2-4.

Naʻe hoko atu ʻa ʻEliesa ʻi heʻene tala ange ki he tokotaha-talitalí ʻa ʻene lotu ki he ʻOtua ko Sihová ʻi he taimi naʻá ne aʻu ai ki he vaitupu ofi ki Hālaní. Ko hono moʻoní naʻá ne kole kia Sihova ke ne fili ha kiʻi fefine ke mali mo ʻAisake. Anga-fēfē? Naʻe kole ʻa ʻEliesa ki he ʻOtuá ke fakapapauʻi ange ko e kiʻi fefine ʻokú Ne hōifua ke mali mo ʻAisaké ʻe haʻu ki he vaitupú. ʻI he taimi naʻe kole inu aí, te ne loto-lelei ke ʻoange ha vai ʻo ʻikai ngata pē ke inu ʻa ʻEliesa kae fakainu kotoa mo ʻene fanga kāmelí foki. (Sēnesi 24:12-14) Pea ko hai naʻe haʻu ʻo fai ʻa e meʻa tofu pē ko iá? Ko Lepeka! Sioloto atu ki he anga ʻene ongoʻi kapau naʻá ne fanongo ki he talanoa ʻa ʻEliesá ʻo fekauʻaki mo e mēmipa hono fāmilí!

Naʻe maongo kia Petueli mo Lēpani ʻa e fakamatala ʻa ʻEliesá. Naʻá na pehē: “Ko e meʻa ia meia Sihova.” Hangē ko ʻenau anga fakafonuá, naʻá na fakaʻosiʻaki ko ha fuakava mali, ko e foaki ʻa Lepeka ke mali mo ʻAisake. (Sēnesi 24:50-54) Kae kehe, ʻoku ʻuhinga nai eni, naʻe ʻikai fakahaaʻi ʻe Lepeka ia hono lotó?

ʻI ha ngaahi uike ki muʻa, naʻe ʻohake ʻe ʻEliesa ʻa e ʻīsiu tatau ʻi heʻene ʻeke kia ʻĒpalahame: “Ka e fefe oka ikai fie haʻu ae fefine mo au?” Naʻe tali ʻe ʻĒpalahame: “Te ke ataatā mei he e ta fuakava ni.” (Sēnesi 24:39, 41, PM) ʻI he fale ʻo Petuelí, naʻe mahuʻinga ʻa e meʻa naʻe tokanga ki ai ʻa e kiʻi fefiné. Naʻe fiefia lahi ʻa ʻEliesa ʻi heʻene lavameʻa ʻi he ngāue naʻe tuku ange kiate iá, ʻi he pongipongi hono hokó pē naʻá ne kole ke foki mo Lepeka ki Kēnani. Kae kehe, naʻe loto hono fāmilí ke nau kiʻi nofo ʻi ha ʻaho ʻe hongofulu nai. Ko ia, naʻa nau fakaleleiʻi eni ʻi he foungá ni: “ʻOua ke ma ui ʻa e taʻahine, ʻo fehuʻi pe ko e ha hono loto.”—Sēnesi 24:57.

ʻI hení, naʻe puputuʻu ʻa e fakakaukau ʻa Lepeká. Ko e hā nai te ne leaʻakí? Te ne fai e loto ʻene tamaí mo hono tuongaʻané, ʻo kole ke ʻoua ʻe kau ʻi he fonongá? Pe ko ʻene vakai ki aí ko ha monū ke kau atu ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ʻoku hā mahino naʻe tataki ʻe Sihová? Ko ʻene talí naʻe fakaeʻa ai ʻa ʻene ongoʻi tailiili ki he liliu fakatuʻupakē ʻi heʻene moʻuí. Naʻá ne pehē: “Te u ʻalu.”—Sēnesi 24:58.

He laumālie fakaofo ē naʻá ne maʻú! ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku kehe nai ʻetau anga fakafonua ki he malí, ka ʻoku lava ke tau kei ako meia Lepeka. Ko e meʻa naʻe mahuʻinga taha kiate iá, ko e ʻikai ko hono lotó, ka ko Sihova ko e ʻOtuá. ʻI he haʻu ki he mali ʻo e ʻaho ní, ʻoku kei ʻomai pē ʻe he Folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻa e tataki lelei tahá—ʻo fekauʻaki mo e tokotaha te ke filí pea mo e founga ke hoko ai ko ha husepāniti pe uaifi lelei. (2 Kolinitō 6:14, 15; ʻEfesō 5:28-33) ʻOku tau fai hotau lelei tahá ke muimui ʻi he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Lepeká pea kumi ki he founga ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi hono fai e ngaahi meʻá.

Naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe he fāmili ʻo Petuelí honau ʻofaʻanga ko Lepeká. Pea ko ia mo hono fefine tauhí ʻa Tēpola fakataha mo e kau kaunangá, naʻa nau ʻalu hifo kia ʻEliesa mo ʻene kau tangatá. (Sēnesi 24:59-61; 35:8) ʻIkai fuoloa mei ai, kuo nau mamaʻo atu mei Hālani. Ko e fonongá naʻe lōloa, ʻa ia ko e maile ʻe 500 (800 km) pea naʻe feʻunga nai mo ha uike ʻe tolu. Ko ha fononga naʻe ʻikai faingofua. Naʻe ʻosi sio pē ʻa Lepeka ia ʻi he kāmelí, ka ʻe lava ke tau pehē nai naʻe ʻikai ke ne taukei ʻi he heka kāmelí. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe he Tohi Tapú ko hono fāmilí naʻe tauhi sipi kae ʻikai ko ha kau fefakatauʻaki ʻo fefonongaʻaki ʻi ha kāmeli. (Sēnesi 29:10) Ko e kau heka kāmeli foʻoú ʻoku nau faʻa lāunga ʻi he ʻikai faingofua ʻa e fononga kāmelí—naʻa mo ha kiʻi fononga ofi pē!

ʻI ha faʻahinga vave pē ʻo e fonongá, naʻe sio maʻu pē ʻa Lepeka ki muʻa ʻo ʻikai ha veiveiua ʻi he feinga ke ʻiloʻi ʻa ʻAisake mo hono fāmilí meia ʻEliesa. Sioloto atu ki he tangataʻeikí ʻi heʻene talanoa kiate ia ʻi ha efiafi ʻoku nau tafu ha kiʻi afi, ʻi heʻene tala ange kiate ia ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihova ki Hono kaumeʻa ko ʻĒpalahamé. ʻE ʻai ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e laine fakafāmili ʻa ʻĒpalahamé ke hoko mei ai ʻa e hakó ʻa ia ko ha tāpuaki ia ki he kotoa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá. Fakakaukau atu ki he māluʻia naʻe maʻu ʻe Lepeka ʻi heʻene ʻiloʻi ko e talaʻofa ʻa Sihová ʻe fakahoko fakafou ʻiate ia mo hono husepāniti ko ʻAisaké—pea naʻa mo ia tonu!—Sēnesi 22:15-18.

Fakaʻosí, kuo hoko mai ʻa e ʻaho naʻa tau lave ki ai ʻi he kamataʻanga ʻo e kupu ko ení. ʻI he ofi ke aʻu atu ʻa e fonongá ki Tongá mo e kamata ke tāitō ʻa e laʻaá ʻi he fonuá, naʻe sio ʻa Lepeka ki ha tangata naʻe ʻi he ngoueʻangá. ʻOkú ne mataʻi fakakaukau mo tokanga. “Pea ne hopo ki lalo mei he kameli,” ʻoku tau sio heni ngalingali naʻá ne hopo mei he kāmeli ʻoku teʻeki ai ke tulolo hifo—peá ne ʻeke: “Ko hai ʻa e tangata ko ena ʻoku laka mai ʻi he ngoue ke fakafetaulaki mai kiate kitautolu?” ʻI heʻene ʻiloʻi ko ʻAisaké, naʻá ne ʻai hono pūloú. (Sēnesi 24:62-65) Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Ko e founga ko ení ko e fakaʻilonga ia ʻo ʻene fakaʻapaʻapa ki he tokotaha ʻe hoko ko hono husepāniti. Ko e founga ko ení ʻe pehē nai ʻe he niʻihi ʻoku ʻolokuonga. Ko hono moʻoní, ko e tangata mo e fefine fakatouʻosi ʻe lava ke nau maʻu ha lēsoni mei he anga-fakatōkilalo ʻa Lepeká, he ko hai ʻiate kitautolu ʻoku ʻikai ke ne fiemaʻu e ʻulungaanga fakaʻofoʻofa ko ení?

Ko ʻAisake ko ha tangata naʻe taʻu 40 nai, naʻá ne kei mamahi pē ʻi he mate ʻene faʻeé, ʻa Sela, kuo mate ʻi ha taʻu nai ʻe tolu ki muʻa. ʻE lava ke tau fakaʻosiʻaki, ko ʻAisaké ko ha tangata naʻe loto-māfana mo maʻu ʻa e ʻofá. He tāpuaki ē ki ha tangata pehē ʻi hono maʻu ha uaifi naʻe ngāue mālohi, anga-talitali kakai mo anga-fakatōkilalo! Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻena fetaulakí? ʻOku pehē pē ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “Pea ne ʻofa ki ai.”—Sēnesi 24:67; 26:8.

Naʻa mo kitautolu, hili ha senituli ʻe 39 mei ai, ʻoku faingofua ke ʻofa kia Lepeka. ʻE lava fēfē ʻa e tokoni ʻetau saiʻia ʻi heʻene loto-toʻá, ko ʻene ngāue mālohí, ko ʻene anga-talitali kakaí mo ʻene anga-fakatōkilaló? Ko kitautolu kotoa—talavou mo e motuʻa, tangata mo e fefine, mali mo e taʻemali—he lelei ē ke tau faʻifaʻitaki ki heʻene tuí!