UGenesise 24:1-50

U-Abrahama wayesemdala, eseneminyaka eminingi; uJehova wayembusisile u-Abrahama kukho konke. Wayesethi u-Abrahama encekwini enkulu yendlu yakhe eyayibusa konke anakho: “Beka isandla sakho phansi kwethanga lami. Ngizakukufungisa uJehova, uNkulunkulu wezulu noNkulunkulu womhlaba, ukuthi awuyikuthathela indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhanani engihlezi phakathi kwawo, kepha uye ezweni lakithi nasezihlotsheni zami, uyithathele khona indodana yami u-Isaka umfazi.” Inceku yathi kuyo: “Mhlawumbe owesifazane akayikuvuma ukungilandela, eze kuleli zwe; imbala ngiyakuyibuyisela indodana yakho ezweni, lapho wavela khona na?” U-Abrahama wathi kuye: “Qaphela ukuba ungayibuyiseli khona indodana yami. UJehova uNkulunkulu wezulu owangikhipha endlini kababa nasezweni lokuzalwa kwami wakhuluma kimi, wafunga kimi, wathi: ‘Ngiyakulinika inzalo yakho leli zwe;’ uzakuthuma ingelosi yakhe phambi kwakho, ukuze ungitholele khona indodana yami umfazi. Kepha uma owesifazane engathandi ukukulandela, uyobe ukhululekile kulesi sifungo sami; kodwa ungabuyiseli khona indodana yami.” Inceku yayisibeka isandla sayo phansi kwethanga lika-Abrahama inkosi yayo, yafunga kuye ngale ndaba. Inceku yayisithatha amakamela ayishumi emakameleni enkosi yayo, yahamba, izinto zonke ezinhle zenkosi yayo zisesandleni sayo; yasuka, yaya eMesopotamiya emzini kaNahori. Yaguqisa amakamela ayo ngaphandle komuzi ngasemthonjeni wamanzi kusihlwa, ngesikhathi abaphuma ngaso abesifazane ukuyokukha amanzi. Yathi: “Jehova, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abrahama, ngiphumelelise kahle namuhla, uyenzele inkosi yami u-Abrahama umusa. Bheka, sengimi ngasemthonjeni wamanzi, amadodakazi abantu bomuzi eza ukukha amanzi. Makuthi intombazana engizakusho kuyo ukuthi: ‘Mawubeke phansi imbiza yakho, ngiphuze,’ ithi: ‘Phuza, ngizakuphuzisa namakamela akho,’ ibe yileyo-ke oyimisele inceku yakho u-Isaka; ngalokho ngizakwazi ukuthi wenzele inkosi yami umusa.” Kwathi ingakaqedi ukukhuluma, bheka, kweza uRebeka owazalelwa uBetuweli indodana kaMilka, umkaNahori, umfowabo ka-Abrahama, enembiza yakhe ehlombe. Intombazana yayibukeka kahle, iyintombi, engaziwa yindoda; yehlela ngasemthonjeni, yagcwalisa imbiza yayo, ibisenyuka. Inceku yayisigijima ukuyihlangabeza, yathi: “Ake ungiphuzise ingcosana yamanzi embizeni yakho.” Yathi: “Phuza, nkosi,” yashesha yehlisa imbiza yayo esandleni sayo, yayiphuzisa. Kwathi isiqedile ukuyiphuzisa, yathi: “Ngiyakukhelela namakamela akho, aze aphuze onke.” Yashesha yathululela imbiza yayo emqengqeni, yabuye yaphuthuma emthonjeni ukuyokukha, yakhelela onke amakamela ayo. Indoda yayibhekisisa ithule ukuba yazi, uma uJehova ebephumelelisile indlela yayo noma qha. Kwathi amakamela eseqedile ukuphuza, indoda yathatha icici legolide, isisindo salo siyinxenye yeshekeli,* namasongo amabili ezandla zayo, isisindo sawo singamashekeli ayishumi egolide, yathi: “Wena uyindodakazi kabani na? Ake ungitshele. Kukhona indawo endlini kayihlo ukuba silale na?” Yathi kuyo: “Indodakazi kaBetuweli indodana kaMilka, amzalela yona uNahori.” Yaqhubeka yathi kuyo: “Sinotshani nefoliji eliningi, nendawo yokulala.” Indoda yayisikhothama, yakhuleka kuJehova, yathi: “Makabongwe uJehova, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abrahama, ongayekile ukwenzela inkosi yami umusa neqiniso; uJehova ungiholile mina endleleni kuze kube sendlini yabafowabo benkosi yami.” Kepha intombazana yagijima, yatshela abendlu kanina lezo zinto. URebeka wayenomnewabo ogama lakhe linguLabani; uLabani wagijimela endle kulowo muntu ngasemthonjeni. Kwathi esebone icici namasongo ezandleni zikadadewabo, wezwa amazwi kaRebeka udadewabo, ethi: “Washo njalo lo muntu kimi,” waya kulowo muntu; bheka, wayemi ngakuwo amakamela ngasemthonjeni. Wathi: “Ngena wena obusisekileyo kaJehova; umelani ngaphandle na? Mina sengilungisile indlu nendawo yamakamela.” Wayesengena endlini lowo muntu, wakhumula amakamela, wapha amakamela utshani nefoliji, waletha namanzi okugeza izinyawo zakhe nezinyawo zamadoda anaye. Kwabekwa phambi kwakhe ukudla ukuba adle, kepha wathi: “Angiyikudla ngingakakhulumi indaba yami.” Wathi: “Khuluma.” Wayesethi: “Ngiyinceku ka-Abrahama. UJehova ubusisile kakhulu inkosi yami, yaze yaba nkulu; uyinike izimvu, nezinkomo, nesiliva, negolide, nezinceku, nezincekukazi, namakamela, nezimbongolo. USara umkankosi yami wayizalela inkosi yami indodana esemdala; kuyona inikele konke enakho. Inkosi yami yangifungisa yathi: ‘Ungathatheli indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhanani engihlezi ezweni lawo, kepha uye endlini kababa nasezihlotsheni zami, uyithathele khona indodana yami umfazi.’ “Ngase ngithi enkosini yami: ‘Mhlawumbe owesifazane akayikungilandela.’ “Wathi kimi: ‘UJehova, engihambe ebusweni bakhe, uzakuthuma ingelosi yakhe nawe, aphumelelise indlela yakho; uyakuyithathela indodana yami umfazi ezihlotsheni zami nasendlini kababa. Lapho uyobe ukhululekile esifungweni sami, nxa ufika ezihlotsheni zami; noma bengamniki kuwe, uyobe usukhululekile esifungweni sami.’ “Ngase ngifika emthonjeni namuhla, ngithi: ‘Jehova Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abrahama, uma uphumelelisa indlela yami engiyihambayo, bheka, sengimi ngasemthonjeni wamanzi; kuyakuthi intombazana eza ukuyokukha, engisho kuyo ukuthi: “Ake ungiphuzise ingcosana yamanzi embizeni yakho,” ithi kimi: “Phuza wena, futhi ngizakuwakhelela namakamela akho,” kube yiyo engumfazi uJehova ammiseleyo indodana yenkosi yami.’ “Ngingakaqedi ukukhuluma enhliziyweni yami, bheka, kweza uRebeka enembiza yakhe ehlombe; wehlela emthonjeni, wakha; ngathi kuye: ‘Ake ungiphuzise.’ “Washesha wehlisa imbiza yakhe ehlombe, wathi: ‘Phuza; ngizakuwaphuzisa namakamela akho;’ ngaphuza-ke; namakamela wawaphuzisa. “Ngambuza ngathi: ‘Wena uyindodakazi kabani na?’ “Wathi: ‘Indodakazi kaBetuweli indodana kaNahori, amzalela yona uMilka;’ ngase ngifaka icici emakhaleni akhe namasongo ezandleni zakhe. Ngakhothama, ngakhuleka kuJehova, ngabonga uJehova, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abrahama, obengihole endleleni elungileyo ukuba ngithathele indodana yayo indodakazi yomfowabo wenkosi yami. Manje-ke uma nithanda ukuyenzela inkosi yami umusa neqiniso, ngitsheleni; uma kungenjalo, ngitsheleni, ukuze ngiphendukele ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo.” Base bephendula oLabani noBetuweli, bethi: “Le ndaba ivela kuJehova; asinakusho lutho kuwe, noma okubi noma okuhle.