Genesis 24:1-67
24 Ngoku uAbraham wayemdala, iminyaka ihambile noYehova emsikelele kwinto yonke.+
2 UAbraham wathi kwisicaka sakhe, esona sidala endlini yakhe, nesasiphethe yonke into awayenayo:+ “Ndicela ubeke isandla sakho phantsi kwethanga lam,
3 kuba ndiza kukufungisa ngoYehova uThixo wamazulu noThixo womhlaba, ukuba unyana wam awuzukumthathela umfazi kwiintombi zamaKanan endihleli phakathi kwawo.+
4 Umele uye kwilizwe lakowethu nakwizalamane zam,+ umthathele khona uIsake unyana wam umfazi.”
5 Isicaka sathi kuye: “Ndithini ukuba loo ntombi ayinqweneli ukuza nam kweli lizwe? Ngaba ndimele ndimbuyisele unyana wakho kwilizwe owaphuma kulo?”+
6 Wathi ke uAbraham kuso: “Ungakhe umse apho unyana wam.+
7 UYehova uThixo wamazulu, owandithatha endlini katata nakwilizwe lezalamane zam+ nowathetha nam, wandifungela esithi:+ ‘Eli lizwe ndiza kulinika inzala* yakho,’+ uza kuthumela ingelosi yakhe phambi kwakho,+ yaye nakanjani uza kumthathela khona umfazi, unyana wam.+
8 Kodwa ukuba loo ntombi ayivumi ukuza nawe, uza kukhululeka kwesi sifungo. Kodwa ungakhe ulinge umse phaya unyana wam.”
9 Ngoko isicaka sasibeka isandla saso phantsi kwethanga lika-Abraham inkosi yaso, saza samfungela ngalo mbandela.+
10 Isicaka sathatha iinkamela ezilishumi kwiinkamela zenkosi yaso, sangena endleleni siphethe lonke uhlobo lwezinto ezintle esazithatha kwinkosi yaso. Senjenjeya ukuya eMesopotamiya kwisixeko sakwaNahore.
11 Saziguqisa iinkamela ngakwiqula lamanzi, ngaphandle kwesixeko. Kwakumalunga nexesha langorhatya, ixesha ezaziphuma ngalo iintombi ziyokukha amanzi.
12 Sathi: “Yehova Thixo wenkosi yam uAbraham, ndicela undenze ndiphumelele ngale mini, uze ubonakalise ukuba awugungqi kwindlela oyithanda ngayo inkosi yam uAbraham.
13 Ndim lo ndimi ngasemthonjeni wamanzi, yaye iintombi zabantu besi sixeko ziyeza ukuza kukha amanzi.
14 Kwanga kungathi xa intombi endiza kuthi kuyo, ‘Ndicela uhlise ingqayi yakho ukuze ndisele,’ ize yona iphendule ithi, ‘Sela yaye ndiza kuziseza neenkamela zakho,’ ibe yiyo oyikhethela umkhonzi wakho uIsake. Xa unokwenza le nto ndiza kutsho ndiqonde ukuba uyithanda ngokungagungqiyo inkosi yam.”
15 Wathi engekagqibi ukuthetha, wathi gqi uRebheka, intombi kaBhetuweli,+ unyana kaMilka,+ umfazi kaNahore,+ umntakwaboAbraham, ebeke egxalabeni ingqayi yakhe yamanzi.
16 Yayintle nyhani intombi, ingazange yalala nandoda. Yehla yaya emthonjeni, yagcwalisa ingqayi yayo yamanzi, yaza yenyuka.
17 Ngoko nangoko, isicaka sika-Abraham sabaleka saya kule ntombazana sathi: “Ndicela undirhabulise amanzi akwingqayi yakho.”
18 Yona yathi: “Sela nkosi yam.” Yatsho iyihlisa ngokukhawuleza ingqayi yayo eyayisesandleni sayo, yasinika sasela.
19 Sakugqiba ukusela, le ntombi yathi: “Ndiza kuzikhelela amanzi nazo iinkamela zakho zide zigqibe ukusela.”
20 Ngoko yakhawuleza yawagalela amanzi kwisikhongozelo sokusela, yabaleka kaninzi-ninzi iyokukha amanzi equleni. Yazikhelela amanzi zonke ezo nkamela.
21 Lonke elo xesha le ndoda yayiyiqwalasele le ntombi ithe manga, izibuza enoba uYehova ulwenze uhambo lwayo lwaphumelela okanye akunjalo.
22 Kwathi ke zakugqiba ukusela iinkamela, umfo lowo wathatha icici lempumlo legolide eliyihafu yeshekele* ubunzima, nezacholo ezibini zezihlahla, izezegolide, zinobunzima obuziishekele* ezilishumi, wazinika loo ntombi,
23 wathi: “Khawundixelele, uyintombi kabani? Ngaba likho igumbi esingalala kulo endlini katata wakho?”
24 Yathi kuye: “Ndiyintombi kaBhetuweli+ unyana kaMilka, awamzalela uNahore.”+
25 Yaphinda yathi: “Sinazo neendiza nokutya kwezilwanyana okuninzi, nendawo yokulala.”
26 Emva koko le ndoda yaguqa, yaqubuda kuYehova,
27 yathi: “Makadunyiswe uYehova, uThixo wenkosi yam uAbraham, kuba akayekanga ukumthanda ngokungagungqiyo kwaye uye wathembeka kwinkosi yam. UYehova uye wandikhokelela endlini yezizalwana zenkosi yam.”
28 Yabaleka ke loo ntwazana yaya endlini kamama wayo yabaxelela ngezi zinto.
29 URebheka wayenomntakwabo ogama linguLabhan.+ ULabhan wabaleka waya kuloo ndoda yayingaphandle, ngasemthonjeni.
30 Wathi akubona icici lempumlo nezacholo ezandleni zodadewabo, weva namazwi kaRebheka awayesithi: “Ithethe kanje la ndoda kum,” waya kuloo ndoda. Yayisame ngakwiinkamela emthonjeni.
31 Ngoko nangoko wathi: “Yiza wena usikelelwe nguYehova. Kutheni uqhubeka ume apha? Ndiyilungisile indlu nendawo yeenkamela.”
32 Ngoko indoda yangena endlini, waza yena* wazikhulula iinkamela, wazinika iindiza nokutya kwazo. Wazisa amanzi okuhlamba iinyawo zaloo ndoda neenyawo zamadoda eyayikunye nawo.
33 Emva koko yanikwa ukutya, kodwa yona yathi: “Andizukutya de ndinixelele into endiyizeleyo.” Ngoko uLabhan wathi: “Ungathetha!”
34 Yathi: “Ndisisicaka sika-Abraham.+
35 UYehova uyisikelele kakhulu inkosi yam, yaye uyenze yasisityebi kakhulu, ngokuyinika iigusha neenkomo, isilivere negolide, izicaka nezicakakazi, iinkamela needonki.+
36 Enye into, inkosi yam yazalelwa unyana nguSara umfazi wayo nowayesele ekhulile,+ kwaye inkosi yam iza kunika unyana wayo yonke into enayo.+
37 Ngoko inkosi yam iye yandifungisa isithi: ‘Uze unyana wam ungamthatheli umfazi kwiintombi zamaKanan endihleli ezweni lawo.+
38 Kodwa yiya kwindlu katata nakubantu basekhaya+ ukuze umthathele khona umfazi unyana wam.’+
39 Mna ndithe kwinkosi yam: ‘Ndithini ukuba loo ntombi ayinqweneli ukuza nam?’+
40 Yona yathi kum: ‘UYehova endihambe phambi kwakhe,+ uza kuthumela ingelosi yakhe+ kunye nawe kwaye uza kulwenza luphumelele nakanjani uhambo lwakho, uze umthathele umfazi unyana wam kubantu basekhaya, kubantu bendlu katata.+
41 Uya kukhululeka kwisifungo ondifungele sona ukuba uya kubantu basekhaya, baze bona bangakuniki intombi. Loo nto iya kukukhulula kwisifungo sakho.’+
42 “Xa bendifika emthonjeni namhlanje, ndithe: ‘Yehova Thixo wenkosi yam uAbraham, ukuba uza kulwenza luphumelele uhambo lwam,
43 makuthi njengokuba ndime ngasemthonjeni, intombi+ ephumayo ezokukha amanzi, endiza kuthi kuyo, “Ndicela undiphe intwana yamanzi kule ngqayi yakho,”
44 ize yona ithi kum: “Ungasela kwaye ndiza kuzikhelela amanzi nazo iinkamela zakho,” ibe yiyo eba ngumfazi uYehova amkhethela unyana wenkosi yam.’+
45 “Ndithe ndingekagqibi ukuthetha entliziyweni yam, wathi gqi uRebheka, enengqayi egxalabeni lakhe, wehla waya emthonjeni, wakha amanzi. Emva koko ndithe kuye: ‘Ndicela undiselise.’+
46 Uye wayihlisa ngokukhawuleza ingqayi yakhe egxalabeni waza wathi, ‘Ungasela,+ kwaye ndiza kuziseza neenkamela zakho.’ Ndiye ndasela ke, neenkamela waziseza.
47 Emva koko ndiye ndambuza, ‘Uyintombi kabani?’ yena wathi, ‘Ndiyintombi kaBhetuweli unyana kaNahore, awamzalelwa nguMilka.’ Ngoko ndiye ndamfaka icici empumlweni yakhe nezacholo ezandleni zakhe.+
48 Emva koko ndiye ndaguqa, ndaqubuda phambi koYehova ndaza ndamdumisa uYehova uThixo wenkosi yam uAbraham,+ ondikhokelele endleleni echanileyo ukuze ndithathele unyana wakhe, intombi yesizalwana senkosi yam.
49 Ngoku ke, ndixeleleni ukuba nifuna ukubonisa ukuba inkosi yam niyithanda ngokungagungqiyo kwaye nithembekile kuyo, kodwa ukuba anifuni, ndixeleleni, ukuze ndibone ukuba mandibheke ngaphi.”*+
50 ULabhan noBhetuweli bathi: “Le nto iphuma kuYehova. Asikwazi kuthi ewe okanye hayi.*
51 Nanku uRebheka phambi kwakho. Mthathe uhambe, abe ngumfazi wonyana wenkosi yakho, kanye njengoko ethethile uYehova.”
52 Sakuweva amazwi abo, isicaka sika-Abraham ngoko nangoko saqubuda emhlabeni phambi koYehova.
53 Emva koko sakhupha izinto zesilivere nezegolide nezambatho, sanika uRebheka, saza sanika nomntakwabo kunye nomama wakhe izinto ezixabisekileyo.
54 Emva koko, sona kunye namadoda awayekunye naso batya, basela, balalisa apho.
Xa sivuka kusasa, isicaka sathi: “Ndikhululeni ndiye kwinkosi yam.”
55 Bakuva loo nto, umntakwaboRebheka nomama wakhe bathi: “Khawuyiyeke le ntwazana ikhe ihlale nathi ubuncinane iintsuku ezilishumi. Emva koko ingahamba.”
56 Kodwa isicaka sathi kubo: “Sanukundibambezela, ekubeni uYehova elwenze lwaphumelela uhambo lwam. Ndikhululeni ndihambe, ndiye kwinkosi yam.”
57 Ngoko bathi: “Masiyibize le ntwazana ukuze sive ukuba yona ithini.”
58 Bambiza ke uRebheka bathi kuye: “Ngaba ukulungele ukuhamba nale ndoda?” Yena wathi: “Ndikulungele ukuhamba.”
59 Ngoko bamkhulula uRebheka+ udadewabo, umntu owayemgadile,*+ isicaka sika-Abraham namadoda aso.
60 Bamsikelela ke uRebheka besithi kuye: “Dadewethu, kwanga unganda ube ngamawaka aphindwe kalishumi lamawaka,* ize inzala* yakho izithathele kuyo izixeko* zabo bayicaphukelayo.”+
61 Emva koko uRebheka nezicakakazi zakhe baphakama, bakhwela ezinkameleni, balandela loo ndoda. Ngoko isicaka sika-Abraham samthatha uRebheka saza sangena endleleni.
62 UIsake wayevela ngaseBhere-lahayi-royi,+ kuba wayehlala kwilizwe laseNegebhi.+
63 Wayephumile ngorhatya, ehamba-hamba ethafeni ukuze acingisise nzulu.+ Uthe akuphakamisa intloko, wabona nazo iinkamela zisiza!
64 Uthe uRebheka akujonga phayaa wabona uIsake, wakhawuleza wehla kwinkamela.
65 Wabuza isicaka sika-Abraham wathi: “Ngubani laa ndoda isihlangabeza pha ethafeni?” Isicaka sathi: “Yinkosi yam.” Ngoko wathatha isigqubuthelo sakhe waza wazogquma.
66 Isicaka sambalisela uIsake zonke izinto esizenzileyo.
67 Emva koko uIsake wamsa uRebheka ententeni kaSara umama wakhe.+ Ngaloo ndlela waba uyamthatha ukuba abe ngumfazi wakhe. Wamthanda,+ waza uIsake wathuthuzeleka emva kokufelwa ngumama wakhe.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Ngokoqobo, “imbewu.”
^ Ishekele yayilingana ne-11,4 g. Funda Isihlomelo B14.
^ Ishekele yayilingana ne-11,4 g. Funda Isihlomelo B14.
^ Kusenokwenzeka kubhekiselwa kuLabhan.
^ Ngokoqobo, “ndiye ekunene okanye ekhohlo.”
^ Okanye “Asikwazi kuthetha nto imbi okanye ilungileyo.”
^ Oko kukuthi, umntu owayemgadile, ngoku eza kuba sisicakakazi sakhe.
^ Okanye “ube ngumama weenginginya ezingamawaka.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “imbewu.”
^ Okanye “iyithathele kuyo igeyithi.”
