UREBHEKA waphosa iliso lakhe kuloo maxethuka njengoko ilanga lalisithi ndithenge. Emva kweeveki ehamba, wayesele ede wakuqhela ukugungqiswa kukuhamba kwenkamela njengoko wayethe ngcu phezu kwayo. Ikhaya awayekhulele kulo kwaHaran wayelishiye kude, kumakhulu eekhilomitha xa usiya kumntla-mpuma. Kwakunokwenzeka ukuba angaphinde ayibone kwakhona intsapho yakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo ingqondo yakhe yayibethabethana, ecinga ngekamva lakhe—ngokukodwa ngoku, njengokuba wayesele eza kufika apho aya khona.

Iqela leenkamela awayehamba nalo lalisele liza kudlula kumhlaba wakwaKanan, linqumla ummandla owomileyo, iNegebhi. (Genesis 24:62) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRebheka wabona izimvu. Nangona lo mmandla ungumqwebedu kakhulu ukuba kungalinywa kuwo, wawunamadlelo aneleyo xa ufuyile. Le nkonde yayibakhokela yayiwazi. Yayingathi ayisafiki kwinkosi yayo ukuze iyixelele iindaba ezimnandi—ezokuba uRebheka wayeza kuba yinkosikazi yayo! Kodwa ke uRebheka umele ukuba wayezibuza ukuba, wayeza kuphila ubomi obunjani kweli lizwe. Wayenjani yena umyeni wakhe, uIsake? Babengazange babonane nditsho nasemdudweni! Ngaba uIsake wayeza kuvuya xa embona? Yena, wayeza kuziva njani akubona uIsake?

Kwiindawo ezininzi kweli hlabathi, abantu bayayothuka into yokukhethelwa iqabane lomtshato ngabazali. Ukanti kwezinye iindawo, iqhelekile imitshato elolu hlobo. Enoba unayiphi na wena imvelaphi, umel’ ukuba uyavuma ukuba uRebheka wayesiya kwindawo angayaziyo. Eneneni, wayelibhinqa elinesibindi nelinokholo ngendlela engaqhelekanga. Sizidinga zombini ezi mpawu xa sijongene neengxaki ebomini. Zikho nezinye iimpawu ezintle nezinqabileyo ezinxulunyaniswa nokholo lukaRebheka.

Olu tshintsho lungaka kubomi bukaRebheka lwaqalisa ngendlela eyayibonakala iqhelekile kuye. Wakhulela kwisixeko sakwaHaran okanye kufuphi naso, kummandla waseMesopotamiya. Abazali bakhe babahlukile kubantu abaninzi bakwaHaran. Babengamnquli uthixo wenyanga uSin. Kunoko, uThixo ababemnqula nguYehova.—Genesis 24:50.

URebheka wakhula waba yimbelukazi emanz’ andonga, kodwa ke wayengaphelelanga nje kubuhle bodwa. Wayenesibindi, kwaye eziphethe ngendlela enyulu. Intsapho yakowabo yayinezinto ngokwaneleyo kangangokuba yayinazo nezicaka, kodwa uRebheka wayengatefiswa okanye aphathwe njengeqanda; wayesebenza nzima. Njengamabhinqa amaninzi exesha lakhe, uRebheka wayenemisebenzi emininzi ekwakufuneka ayenze, kuquka ukukha amanzi aza kusetyenziswa yintsapho. Phaya emalanga, wayebeka into yokukha amanzi egxalabeni lakhe aze aye equleni.—Genesis 24:11, 15, 16.

Ngenye injikalanga, emva kokuba ezalise ingqayi yakhe, kweza kuye ingwevu ethile ibaleka. Yamcela kakuhle isithi: “Nceda undirhabulise kula manzi asengqayini yakho.” URebheka wabona ukuba le ndoda yayihambe umgama omde. Ngoko wakhawuleza wathoba ingqayi yakhe egxalabeni ukuze le ndoda isele, ingarhabuli nje, kodwa isele yanele. Waphawula ukuba yayihamba neenkamela ezilishumi ezazilele kufutshane nokuba umkhombe wokuziseza wawungenamanzi. Wayebona ukuba le ndoda iyibukele ngomdla le nto ayenzayo, ibe wakhupha nezokugqibela izinwe zakhe. Ngoko wathi: “Ndozikhelela amanzi nazo iinkamela zakho zide zigqibe ukusela.”—Genesis 24:17-19.

Phawula ukuba uRebheka akazange athi uza kuzipha amanzi nje kuphela, kodwa wathembisa ukuba uza  kuziseza zanele. Xa inxaniwe, inkamela enye inokusela iilitha zamanzi eziyi-95! Ukuba zazinxanwe zolishumi, kwakuza kufuneka uRebheka asebenze nzima iiyure eziliqela. Kodwa ke kuyacaca ukuba zazinganxanwanga kakhulu. * Kodwa ngaba uRebheka wayeyazi loo nto xa wayethembisa ukuziseza? Hayi. Wayekulungele ukusebenza nzima kangangoko anako ukuze enzele le ngwevu angayaziyo izinwe. Yavuma aziseze, yaza yambukela ngomdla njengoko wayesihla enyuka, emana ukuzalisa ingqayi yakhe aye kuyithulula kumkhombe wokuseza izilwanyana.—Genesis 24:20, 21.

URebheka ungumzekelo omhle kakhulu kuthi namhlanje. Siphila kwixesha apho ukucingela isiqu sakho kuyeyona nto iphambili. Njengoko kwakutshiwo kwangaphambili, abantu baye baba “ngabazithandayo,” kwaye abavumi ukwenzela abanye abantu izinto. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) AmaKristu afuna ukuwulwa lo moya aya kuba enza kakuhle xa esiba nombono weli bhinqa liselula, liquqa libuyelela equleni.

Ngokuqinisekileyo uRebheka wayibona le ngwevu ukuba imjongile. Yayingamjonganga ngendlela ekrokrisayo; yayimangalisiwe, ingayikholelwa into eyibonayo, yaye ivuya. Ukugqiba kwakhe, yampha izipho—izacholo zexabiso! Emva koko yambuza: “Uyintombi kabani? Nceda, undixelele. Ikho na indawo yokulalisa endlwini kayihlo?” Wathi akuyixelela ngentsapho yakhe, yavuya nangakumbi. Mhlawumbi sele eqhutywa lihlombe, wongeza wathi: “Sineendiza nokutya kwezilwanyana okuninzi, kwanendawo yokulalisa.” Yayinkulu le nto, kuba kwakukho nabanye abantu ababehamba nale ngwevu. Emva koko wabaleka phambi kwayo waya kuxelela unina into eyenzekileyo.—Genesis 24:22-28, 32.

Kucacile ukuba uRebheka wayeqeqeshwe ukuba abuke iindwendwe. Olu lolunye uphawu oluthande ukunqongophala kule mihla—olusesinye isizathu sokuba simele sixelise eli bhinqa liselula linobubele. Ukuba nokholo kuThixo kufanele kusenze sizibuke iindwendwe. UYehova unezinwe kubantu bonke, kwaye ufuna abanquli bakhe benze okufanayo. Xa nathi sinezinwe nakubantu abangenakuze basibuyekeze, siyamkholisa uBawo wethu osezulwini.—Mateyu 5:44-46; 1 Petros 4:9.

Yayingubani laa ngwevu isequleni? Yayisisicaka sika-Abraham, umkhuluwa katatomkhulu kaRebheka. Ngenxa yoko, wamkelwa kwaBhetuweli, uyise kaRebheka. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba igama lesi sicaka yayinguEliyezere. * Umninimzi wamnika ukutya, kodwa wathi akanakutya de abe uyichazile eyona nto ayizeleyo. (Genesis 24:31-33) Sinokuyithelekelela imincili awayenayo njengoko wayethetha kuba wayezibonele ubungqina obucacileyo bokuba uYehova uThixo uyalusikelela olu thumo lwakhe lubalulekileyo. Njani?

Khawube nombono kaEliyezere echazela uyise kaRebheka, uBhetuweli, into eyenzekileyo, nomnakwabo uLabhan emamele. Wabaxelela ukuba uYehova wayemsikelele kakhulu uAbraham eKanan, nokuba yena noSara banonyana, uIsake, oza kuba yindlalifa yabo. UAbraham wayesithume into ebaluleke kakhulu esi sicaka: Sasimele sikhangelele uIsake umfazi kwizizalwana zika-Abraham ezikwaHaran.—Genesis 24:34-38.

UAbraham wamfungisa uEliyezere ukuba angakhetheli uIsake umfazi kwiintombi zamaKanan. Ngoba? Kaloku amaKanan ayengamhloniphi yaye engamnquli uYehova uThixo. UAbraham wayesazi ukuba, ngexesha lakhe uYehova wayeza kubohlwaya aba bantu ngenxa yobubi ababebenza. UAbraham wayengafuni ukuba unyana wakhe amthandayo abe nento emdibanisa naba bantu neendlela zabo ezingcolileyo. Wayesazi nokuba lo nyana wakhe wayeza kuba nendima enkulu ekuzalisekiseni izithembiso zikaThixo.—Genesis 15:16; 17:19; 24:2-4.

UEliyezere waqhubeka ebabalisela ukuba ukufika kwakhe equleni elikufuphi kwaHaran, wathandaza kuYehova uThixo. Wacela uYehova ukuba ayikhethe ngokwakhe intombi eyayiza kutshata noIsake. Njani? Wacela uThixo ukuba aqinisekise ukuba loo ntombi afuna ukuba itshate noIsake iza equleni. Xa eyicela amanzi okusela, yayimele inganeli nje ukunika yena, kodwa yayimele iseze neenkamela zakhe. (Genesis 24:12-14) Ngubani ke owezayo wafika wenza yonke loo nto? NguRebheka! Khawuthelekelele nje indlela amele ukuba wavakalelwa ngayo ukuba wayemvile uEliyezere ebalisa eli bali kwintsapho yakhe!

Ibali likaEliyezere lamchukumisa uBhetuweli noLabhan. Bathi: “Le nto iphuma kuYehova.” Njengesithethe, benza isivumelwano somtshato, bethembisa ukutshatisa uRebheka kuIsake. (Genesis 24:50-54) Kodwa ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba uRebheka yena wayefanele enze nje loo nto ayixelelwayo?

Kwiiveki ezithile ngaphambili, uEliyezere wayeye wayiveza le nto kuAbraham, esithi: “Kuthekani ke ukuba ibhinqa elo alifuni ukuza nam?” UAbraham waphendula wathi: “Wothi ke ukhululeke esifungweni sam.” (Genesis 24:39, 41) Ukhetho lwale ntwazana lwalubalulekile nakowayo. UEliyezere wayevuye kakhulu ngokuphumelela kwakhe kolu thumo kangangokuba ngosuku olulandelayo, wabuza ukuba angabuyela na eKanan noRebheka ngaphandle kokulibazisa. Kodwa ke, le ntsapho yayisafuna ukuba ahlale nayo ubuncinane iintsuku ezilishumi. Ekugqibeleni, bayilungisa ngolu hlobo le nto: “Masilibize ibhinqa eliselula ukuze sive ngomlomo walo.”—Genesis 24:57.

Ngoku kwakuza kufuneka uRebheka enze ukhetho olwaluza kuchaphazela ubomi bakhe. Wayeza kuthini? Ngaba wayeza kufuna ukusizelwa nguyise nomnakwabo, ecela ukuba bangavumi ukuba asiwe kwindawo angayaziyo? Okanye ngaba wayeza kukuthatha njengenyhweba ukuba yinxalenye yeziganeko ekwakucacile ukuba zazikhokelwa nguYehova? Impendulo yakhe yatyhila indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo ngolu tshintsho luqubulisayo nolunzima olwaluza kwenzeka ebomini bakhe. Wathi: “Ndikulungele ukuhamba.”—Genesis 24:58.

Ngokwenene wayenomoya omhle uRebheka! Kule mihla kutshatwa ngendlela eyahluke kakhulu, kodwa ininzi into esinokuyifunda kuRebheka. Eyona nto yayibalulekile kuye yayingelokhetho lwakhe, kodwa yayilolukaThixo wakhe, uYehova. Namhlanje, xa kufikwa kumba womtshato, iLizwi likaThixo linikela olona khokelo luhle onokulufumana, likucebisa ngohlobo lomntu omele utshate naye nangendlela yokuba ngumyeni okanye umfazi olungileyo. (2 Korinte 6:14, 15; Efese 5:28-33) Kuya kusinceda ukwenza izinto njengoRebheka, senze izinto ngendlela uThixo afuna ngayo.

Intsapho kaBhetuweli yamsikelela uRebheka. Emva koko, yena kunye nempelesi yakhe uDebhora, nezinye izicakazana, bemka noEliyezere kunye namadoda akhe. (Genesis 24:59-61; 35:8) Kungekudala bathi qelele kwaHaran. Olu hambo lwalulude, luziikhilomitha ezimalunga ne-800, ibe mhlawumbi lwathatha iiveki ezintathu. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lwalungemnandanga. URebheka wayeqhelile ukubona iinkamela, kodwa asingetsho ukuba wayenamava okuhamba ngenkamela. IBhayibhile ichaza intsapho yakhe njengabantu bemfuyo, kungekhona abarhwebi ababehamba nemiqodi yeenkamela. (Genesis 29:10) Abantu abaqalayo ukukhwela inkamela badla ngokukhalaza bathi ayihambi kamnandi—kwanaxa behambe umganyana nje!

Enoba yayinjani na imeko, uRebheka yena wayecinga phambili, ezama ukufumanisa kuEliyezere ukuba ungumntu onjani uIsake nentsapho yakhe. Khawube nombono wale ngwevu incokola naye njengoko bothe umlilo emva kokumisa intente ngokuhlwa, imbalisela ngesithembiso esenziwa nguYehova kuAbraham. UThixo wayeza kuvelisa kumnombo ka-Abraham inzala eyayiza kuzisa iintsikelelo kubo bonke abantu. Khawuthelekelele nje indlela awothuka ngayo uRebheka akubona ukuba isithembiso sikaYehova sasiza kuzalisekiswa ngoIsake owayeza kuba ngumyeni wakhe, nto leyo eyayithetha ukuba naye wayeza kuba negalelo!—Genesis 22:15-18.

Ekugqibeleni, yagaleleka laa mini ichazwe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku. Njengoko iinkamela zazinqumla iNegebhi yaye kuqalisa ukurhatyela, uRebheka wabona indoda ihambahamba emasimini. Yayibonakala ikude ngeengcinga. IBhayibhile ithi “wazithi jiwu wehla enkameleni”—mhlawumbi engabanga salinda naloo nkamela ukuba iguqe—waza wabuza kuloo ngwevu: “Ngubani laa ndoda ihamba entsimini isiza kusihlangabeza?” Wathi akufumanisa ukuba nguIsake, wazigquma ngesigquma-ntloko sakhe. (Genesis 24:62-65) Wayeyenzela ntoni loo nto? Kuyabonakala ukuba yayiyindlela yokuhlonipha lowo wayeza kuba ngumyeni wakhe. Kule mihla, abanye abantu basenokucinga ukuba ukuzithoba ngolo hlobo kuphelelwe lixesha. Kodwa ke xa sithetha inyaniso, kokubini amadoda namabhinqa anokufunda nto kuRebheka, kuba kaloku ngubani apha kuthi ongakuthandiyo ukuhlonitshwa?

UIsake, owayeneminyaka emalunga ne-40 ubudala, wayesazilele unina, uSara, owayesweleke malunga neminyaka emithathu ngaphambili. Singatsho sithi uIsake wayeyindoda enothando nethantamisayo. Kuyintsikelelo yokwenene ukuba indoda enjalo inikwe umfazi okhutheleyo, othanda abantu nothobekileyo! Yaphelela phi ke into yabo? IBhayibhile ithi uIsake “wamthanda” uRebheka.—Genesis 24:67; 26:8.

Nathi aba, nangona kudlule iminyaka emalunga neyi-3 900 yenzekile le nto, kulula kuthi ukumthanda uRebheka. Ingangubani kuthi ongakuthandiyo ukuba nesibindi, ukukhuthala, ukuthanda abantu nokuthobeka kwakhe? Sonke—kungakhathaliseki ukuba sibadala okanye siseze ngobuso ezweni, singamadoda okanye singamabhinqa, sitshatile okanye asitshatanga—siya kuba senza kakuhle xa sisiba nokholo njengaye!