Jenesis 24
1 Ugbu a, Ebraham aghọọla agadi nʼahụ ya ma nʼọnụọgụgụ afọ ya. Onyenwe anyị agọziela ya nʼụzọ niile
Abraham by now was old, really old, and the Lord had blessed him in every possible way.
2 Ọ gwara onyeisi ndị ozi nʼụlọ ya, onye nke na-elekọta ihe niile o nwere sị ya, “Tinye aka gị nʼokpuru apata m.
At that time Abraham told his oldest servant who was in charge of his whole household, “Put your hand under my thigh,
3 Achọrọ m ka i jiri aha Onyenwe anyị Chineke nke eluigwe na ụwa, ṅụọra m iyi, na ị gaghị achọtara nwa m nwoke nwunye site nʼetiti ndị Kenan, ndị m bi nʼetiti ha.
and swear an oath by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you won't arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the these Canaanite people that I'm living among.
4 Kama na ị ga-aga nʼala nke m na ụmụnna m lụtara nwa m, bụ Aịzik, nwunye nʼetiti ụmụnna m.”
Instead, go to my homeland where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.”
5 Ohu ahụ jụrụ ya, “Ọ bụrụkwanụ na nwaagbọghọ ahụ achọghị isoro m lọghachi nʼebe a, m ga-akpọrọ nwa gị nwoke laghachi nʼobodo i si bịa?”
“What if the woman refuses to come back with me to this country?” the servant asked. “Should I take your son back to the country you came from?”
6 Ebraham sịrị ya, “Lezie anya hụ na ị kpọghachighị nwa m nwoke nʼebe ahụ.
“No, you mustn't take my son back there,” Abraham replied.
7 Onyenwe anyị, Chineke nke eluigwe, bụ onye kpọpụtara m site nʼụlọ nna m nakwa obodo nke aka m, onye ahụ gwara m okwu ma kwem nkwa site nʼịṅụ iyi nye sị, ‘Aga m enye ụmụ ụmụ gị ala a.’ Ọ ga-ezipụ mmụọ ozi ya ka ọ gaa nʼihu gị ka i nwee ike inwetara nwa m nwoke nwunye site nʼebe ahụ.
“The Lord, the God of heaven, took me from my family home and my own country. He spoke to me and swore an oath to me in which he promised, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ He is the one who will send his angel ahead of you so that you can find a wife there for my son.
8 Ma ọ bụrụ na nwanyị ahụ achọghị isoro gị lọghachi, mgbe ahụ, ị ga-abụ onye nwere onwe ya pụọ nʼiyi a ị ṅụrụ. Naanị na ị gaghị eme ka nwa m nwoke laghachi nʼebe ahụ.”
However, if the woman refuses to return here with you, then you are released from this oath. But make sure you don't take my son back there.”
9 Ya mere, ohu ahụ tinyere aka ya nʼokpuru apata nna ya ukwu Ebraham, ṅụọ iyi banyere okwu ndị a.
The servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to do as he had been told.
10 Emesịa, ohu a duuru ịnyịnya kamel iri nʼime ndị nna ya ukwu nwere pụọ. O sitekwara nʼaka nna ya ukwu were ihe ọma dị iche iche maka njem a, gawa Aram Naharaim, rute nʼobodo Nahọ.
Then the servant arranged for ten of his master's camels to carry all kinds of valuable gifts from Abraham and left for the town of Nahor in Aram-naharaim.
11 O mere ka ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ makpuru ala nʼakụkụ olulu mmiri dị nʼazụ obodo ahụ. Ọ bụ nʼoge anyasị, oge ụmụ nwanyị ji apụta iseta mmiri nʼebe ahụ.
Arriving in the evening, he had the camels kneel down by the spring that was outside the town. This was the time when women went out to fetch water.
12 Mgbe ahụ, o kpere ekpere sị, “Onyenwe anyị, Chineke nke nna m ukwu Ebraham, mee ka ihe gaara m nke ọma taa. Gosi nna m ukwu Ebraham obi ebere gị.
He prayed, “Lord, the God of my master Abraham, please let me be successful today, and please show your faithfulness to my master Abraham.
13 Lee, ana m eguzo nʼakụkụ isi iyi mmiri a, ụmụ nwanyị ndị obodo a na-abịa iseta mmiri.
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming to get water.
14 Kwere ka o si otu a dịrị na nwaagbọghọ nke m ga-asị, ‘Biko, zie ite gị ka m ṅụrụ mmiri.’ Ọ bụrụ na onye ahụ asị m, ‘Ṅụọ, aga m ekutekwa mmiri nke ịnyịnya kamel gị ga-aṅụ,’ ka onye ahụ bụrụ onye ị họpụtara ohu gị Aịzik. Nʼụzọ dị otu a ka m ga-esi mata na i gosila nna m ukwu obi ebere.”
May it happen like this. The young woman that I ask, ‘Please hold your water jar so I can have a drink,’ and she replies, ‘Please drink, and I'll give your camels water too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac. This way I'll know that you've shown your faithfulness to my master.”
15 Tupu o kpechaa ekpere a, lekwa Ribeka ada Betuel, nwa nwoke Milka, onye bụ nwunye Nahọ, nwanne Ebraham. Ọ na-apụta bukwasị ite nʼubu ya.
He hadn't even finished praying when he saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milkah. Milkah was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor.
16 Ọ bụ nwaagbọghọ mara mma nke ukwuu, onye na-amatabeghị nwoke, nke nwoke ọbụla na-edinabeghị. Ọ gara nʼolulu mmiri kujuo ite ya si nʼebe ahụ na-arịgopụta.
She was very beautiful, a virgin—no one had slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came back up.
17 Ohu ahụ mere ngwangwa jekwuru ya sị ya, “Biko nyetụ m mmiri si nʼite mmiri gị.”
The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”
18 Ọ mere ngwangwa budata ite ahụ nʼaka ya, hulata ya si ya, “Ṅụọ, onyenwe m.”
“Please drink, my lord,” she replied. She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and held it for him to drink.
19 Mgbe o nyechara ya mmiri, ọ sịrị, “Aga m ekutekwa mmiri nye ịnyịnya kamel gị ndị a ruo mgbe ha ṅụjuru afọ.”
After she finished giving him a drink, she said, “Let me get water for your camels too until they've had enough.”
20 Ngwangwa, ọ wụpụrụ mmiri dị nʼite ya nʼime ihe anụ ụlọ ji aṅụ mmiri, gbara ọsọ gaa kute mmiri ọzọ na-agbanye nʼime ihe ahụ. O kugidere mmiri tutu ruo mgbe ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ ṅụjuchara afọ.
She quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the spring to get more water. She brought enough for all his camels.
21 Mgbe ihe ndị a na-eme, ohu ahụ gbara nkịtị na-ele ya anya ịchọpụta ma Onyenwe anyị emeela ka ije ya bụrụ ihe gara nke ọma.
The man observed her in silence to see if the Lord had made his journey successful or not.
22 Mgbe ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ ṅụsịrị mmiri, nwoke ahụ wepụtara mgbanimi ọlaedo nke ọtụtụ ya bụ otu beka, na mgbaaka ọlaedo abụọ nke ọtụtụ ha bụ shekel iri.
Once the camels had finished drinking, he gave her a gold nose-ring and two heavy gold bracelets for her wrists.
23 Ọ jụrụ ya sị, “Nwa onye ka ị bụ? Ohere ọ dị nʼụlọ nna gị ebe mụ na ịnyịnya kamel ndị a ga-anọ nʼabalị a?”
Then he asked her, “Whose daughter are you? Also could you tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to spend the night?”
24 Ọ zara sị ya, “Abụ m nwa Betuel, nwa Milka nwunye Nahọ.”
She replied, “I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.” Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and food for the camels,
25 Ọ sịkwara, “Anyị nwere nri anụ ụlọ, nweekwa ebe ị ga-edina nʼabalị a.”
and yes, we have room for you to spend the night.”
26 Nwoke ahụ hulatara ala kpọọ isiala nye Onyenwe anyị.
The man kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord.
27 Kwuo sị, “Ngọzị dịrị Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke nna m ukwu Ebraham, onye na-esitebeghị nʼebe nna m ukwu nọ wezuga ebere ya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi ya. Ma banyere mụ onwe m, Onyenwe anyị e duola m nʼije a, kpọrọ m rute nʼụlọ ndị ikwu nna m ukwu.”
“Thank you Lord, the God of my master Abraham,” he prayed. “You have not forgotten your commitment and faithfulness to my master. And Lord, you have led me directly to the home of my master's relatives!”
28 Nwaagbọghọ ahụ gbalara gaa kọọrọ ndị ezinaụlọ nne ya ihe ndị a.
She ran to her mother's house and told her family what had happened.
29 Ribeka nwere otu nwanne nwoke aha ya bụ Leban. Leban gbara ọsọ gbakwuje nwoke ahụ nʼisi iyi mmiri ahụ.
Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he ran out to meet the man who had remained at the spring.
30 Mgbe ọ hụrụ mgbanimi, na mgbaaka ndị ahụ nwanne ya nwanyị yi nʼaka ya, ma nụkwa ihe Ribeka kwuru banyere ihe nwoke ahụ gwara ya, o jekwuru nwoke ahụ, hụ ya ka ya na ịnyịnya kamel ya guzo nʼakụkụ olulu mmiri.
He'd noticed the nose-ring and the bracelets she was wearing, and he'd heard his sister Rebekah explaining, “This is what the man told me.” When he arrived the man was still there, standing with his camels beside the spring.
31 Ọ sịrị ya, “Bịa, gị onye Onyenwe anyị gọziri. Gịnị mere i ji guzo nʼebe a. Edozielara m gị ụlọ ebe ị ga-edina na ebe ịnyịnya kamel ndị a ga-anọ.”
“Please come home with me, you who are blessed by the Lord,” said Laban. “What are you standing out here for? I've got a room at home ready for you, and a place for the camels to stay.”
32 Ya mere, nwoke ahụ gara nʼụlọ, ebe Leban nyere aka butukwaara ya ibu nke ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ bu. E wetara nri nye ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ, wetara ya mmiri nke ya na ndị ikom so ya ji saa ụkwụ ha.
So the man went home with him. Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and food to eat. He also provided water for the man to wash his feet, as well as for the men who were with him.
33 E doziri ya ihe oriri, ma ọ zara sị, “Agaghị m eri ihe ọbụla tutu ruo mgbe m kwuru ihe m ji bịa.” Leban sịrị, “Ngwa, kwuonụ.”
Then Laban had food brought in. But the man told him, “I'm not going to eat until I've explained why I'm here.” “Please explain,” Laban replied.
34 Ya mere, ọ sịrị, “Abụ m ohu Ebraham.
“I'm Abraham's servant,” the man began.
35 Onyenwe anyị agọziela nna m ukwu, mee ya ka ọ bụrụ ọgaranya. O nyela ya igwe atụrụ, na igwe ehi, na ọlaọcha na ọlaedo, na ọtụtụ ndị ohu nwoke na nwanyị, na ịnyịnya kamel, na ịnyịnya ibu.
“The Lord has blessed my master so much, and now he is a wealthy and powerful man. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.
36 Sera nwunye nna m ukwu mụtaara ya otu nwa nwoke mgbe o merela agadi. Ihe niile nna m ukwu nwere ka o nyefere nwa ahụ nʼaka.
His wife Sarah has had a son for my master even in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37 Nna m ukwu mere ka m ṅụọra ya iyi sị, ‘Ị gaghị esite nʼetiti ụmụ ndị inyom Kenan ndị anyị bi nʼala ha lụtara nwa m nwoke nwunye.
My master made me swear an oath, saying, ‘You must not arrange for my son to marry any daughter of the Canaanite people in whose land I'm living.
38 Kama ị ga-aga nʼezinaụlọ nna m, na nke ndị ikwu m chọtara nwa m nwoke nwunye.’
Instead, go to my family home where my relatives live, and find a wife there for my son Isaac.’
39 “Mgbe ahụ, ajụrụ m nna m ukwu, ‘Ọ bụrụkwanụ na nwanyị ahụ ekweghị iso m lọghachi?’
I said to my master, ‘What if the woman refuses to come back with me?’
40 “Ọ sịrị, ‘Onyenwe anyị, onye m na-ejegharị nʼihu ya, ga-eziga mmụọ ozi ya ka o soro gị gaa ime ka ije gị nwee isi, ka i nwee ike chọtara nwa m nwoke nwanyị site nʼetiti ndị ikwu m na ezinaụlọ nna m.
He told me, ‘The Lord, in whose presence I have lived my life, will send his angel with you, and he will make your journey successful—you will find a wife for my son from my relatives, from my father's family.
41 Ị ga-abụ onye nwere onwe gị site nʼiyi ị ṅụrụ ma ọ bụrụ na mgbe i gakwuru ndị ikwu m, ha jụrụ ịkpọnye gị nwanyị ahụ. Ị ga-abụ onye nwere onwe gị site nʼiyi ị ṅụrụ m.’
You will be released from the oath you swear to me if, when you go to my family, they refuse to let her return with you.’
42 “Mgbe m rutere nʼisi iyi mmiri taa, ekwuru m sị, ‘Onyenwe anyị Chineke nna m ukwu Ebraham, ọ bụrụ na ọ masị gị, biko mee ka ije a m bịara bụrụ nke ga-aga nke ọma.
Today when I arrived at the spring, I prayed, Lord, God of my master Abraham, please let the journey I have taken be successful.
43 Lee, ka m na-eguzo nʼakụkụ isi iyi mmiri a, ka nwaagbọghọ ahụ bịara ikuru mmiri nke m ga-asị, “Biko kwere ka m si nʼite gị ṅụrụtụ ntakịrị mmiri,”
Look, I'm standing here beside this spring. May it happen like this. If a young woman comes to get water, and I say, ‘Please give me a few sips of water to drink,’
44 ma ọ bụrụ na ọ sị m, “Ṅụọ, aga m ekutekwa mmiri nye ịnyịnya kamel gị ndị a,” ka onye dị otu a bụrụ nwanyị ahụ Onyenwe anyị chọtaara Aịzik nwa nna m ukwu.’
and she says to me, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too’ —may she be the one you've chosen as a wife for your servant Isaac.”
45 “Tupu m kpesịa ekpere a nʼobi m, lekwa Ribeka ka o bụ ite mmiri ya nʼubu ya na-abịa. Ọ gbadara nʼisi iyi mmiri ahụ kute mmiri. Asịrị m ya, ‘Biko nye m mmiri ka m ṅụọ.’
“I hadn't even finished praying silently when I saw Rebekah coming to get water, carrying her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring to get water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46 “Ngwangwa, o sitere nʼubu ya budata ite, sị m, ‘Ṅụọ, aga m ekutekwa mmiri nke ịnyịnya kamel ndị a ga-aṅụ.’ Ya mere, aṅụrụ m, o nyekwara ịnyịnya kamel m ndị ahụ mmiri ha ṅụrụ.
She quickly lifted the jar down from her shoulder and she said, ‘Please drink, and I'll get water for your camels too.’ So I drank, and she got water for the camels.
47 “Mgbe ahụ, ajụrụ m ya, ‘Nwa onye ka ị bụ?’ “Ọ sịrị m, ‘Abụ m nwa Betuel onye bụ nwa Nahọ nke Milka mụtaara ya.’ “Mgbe ahụ etinyere m ya mgbanimi ahụ nʼimi ya, tinyekwa ọlaaka ahụ nʼaka ya abụọ.
I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘I'm the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor.’ So I put the ring in her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 Ehulatara m ala kpọọ isiala nye Onyenwe anyị. Etoro m Onyenwe anyị, Chineke nke nna m ukwu Ebraham, onye duru m nʼezi ụzọ inweta nwa nwanne nna m ukwu dịka nwunye nwa ya nwoke.
Then I kneeled down and bowed in worship to the Lord. I thanked the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, for he led me directly to find my master's niece for his son.
49 Ugbu a, ọ bụrụ na unu ga-egosi nna m ukwu obiọma na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi gwanụ m. Ọ bụrụkwanụ na ọ gaghị esi otu a dịrị, gwanụ m ka m mata ụzọ m ga-agbaso.”
So please tell me now, will you show commitment and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no so I can decide what to do next.”
50 Leban na Betuel zara sị ya, “Ihe niile si nʼaka Onyenwe anyị. Anyị enweghị ike ịgwa gị okwu ọjọọ maọbụ nke ọma.
Laban and Bethuel replied, “Clearly all this is from the Lord, so we can't argue one way or the other.
51 Lee Ribeka, kpọrọ ya laa, ka ọ bụrụ nwunye nwa nna gị ukwu, dịka Onyenwe anyị kwuru.”
Rebekah's here, you can take her and leave. She can become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has decided.”
52 Mgbe ohu Ebraham nụrụ ihe ha kwuru, ọ dara nʼala kpọọ isiala nye Onyenwe anyị.
As soon as Abraham's servant heard their decision, he bowed down in worship to the Lord.
53 Mgbe ahụ kwa, ohu ahụ wepụtara ihe ịchọ mma ọlaedo, na ọlaọcha dị iche iche na uwe nye ha Ribeka. Ọ wepụtakwara onyinye ndị ọzọ dị oke ọnụahịa nye nwanne ya nwoke na nne ya.
Then he unpacked silver and gold jewelry and expensive clothes and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave valuable presents to her brother and her mother.
54 Emesịa, mgbe ihe ndị a gasịrị, ya na ndị ikom so ya riri, ṅụọ, dinaakwa nʼabalị ahụ. Mgbe ha si nʼụra teta, o kwuru sị, “Zilaga m ka m lakwuru nna m ukwu.”
He and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me leave now and go home to my master.”
55 Ma Leban na nne ya zara sị ya, “Ka nwantakịrị nwanyị a nọnyere anyị ihe dịka ụbọchị iri tupu o soro gị laa.”
But her brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us for another ten days or so. She can leave after that.”
56 Ma ọ zara ha sị, “Unu egbochila anyị. Ebe ọ bụ na Onyenwe anyị emeela ka ije m bụrụ ihe gara nke ọma, zilaga m ka m laghachikwuru nna m ukwu.”
“Please don't delay me,” he told them. “The Lord has made my journey successful, so let me leave and go back to my master.”
57 Ha zara sị ya, “Ka anyị kpọọ nwantakịrị nwanyị ahụ jụọ ya ihe bụ uche ya.”
“Let's call Rebekah and find out what she wants to do,” they suggested.
58 Ya mere ha kpọrọ Ribeka jụọ ya sị, “Ị ga-eso nwoke a gaa?” Ọ zara sị, “E, aga m aga.”
They called Rebekah in and asked her, “Do you want to go with this man now?” “Yes, I'll go,” she replied.
59 Ya mere, ha zipụrụ nwanne ha nwanyị Ribeka, tinyere nwanyị lekọtara ya anya mgbe ọ dị na nwantakịrị, na ohu Ebraham na ndị ikom so ya.
So they let Laban's sister Rebekah leave with Abraham's servant and his men, together with the woman who had nursed her as a child.
60 Ha gọziri Ribeka sị ya, “Nwanne anyị nwanyị mụọ ọmụmụ, mụruo puku kwụrụ puku, ka mkpụrụ afọ gị nwetara onwe ha, ọnụ ụzọ ama ndị iro ha.”
They asked a blessing on her, saying, “Our dear sister, may you become the mother to thousands and thousands of descendants, and may they conquer their enemies.”
61 Ribeka biliri, ya na ndị inyom na-ejere ya ozi, ha rigoro nʼelu ịnyịnya kamel ndị ahụ, soro nwoke ahụ. Ya mere, ohu ahụ duuru Ribeka laa.
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got on the camels. They followed Abraham's servant and left.
62 Nʼoge a, Aịzik bịara nʼebe mbata obodo Bịa-Lahai-Rọị nʼihi na o bi na Negev.
Meanwhile Isaac, who was living in the Negev, had just come back from Beer-lahai-roi.
63 Aịzik pụtara ịtụgharị uche nʼọhịa nʼoge uhuruchi. Ọ lepụrụ anya hụ ọtụtụ ịnyịnya kamel na-abịanụ.
He went out into the fields one evening to think things over. He looked into the distance and saw camels coming.
64 Ribeka nʼonwe ya lepụkwara anya hụ Aịzik. O sitere nʼelu ịnyịnya kamel rịdata,
Rebekah was also keeping a look out. When she saw Isaac, she got down from her camel.
65 jụọ ohu ahụ sị, “Onye bụ nwoke a si nʼọhịa na-abịa izute anyị?” Ohu ahụ zara sị ya, “Ọ bụ nna m ukwu” Nʼihi nke a, Ribeka weere akwa mkpudo ya kpuchie ihu ya.
She asked the servant, “Who is this walking through the fields to meet us?” “He's my master, Isaac,” he replied. So she put on her veil to cover herself.
66 Ohu ahụ kọọrọ Aịzik akụkọ otu ije ya niile si gaa.
The servant told Isaac everything he'd done.
67 Aịzik kpọbatara Ribeka nʼụlọ ikwu Sera, nne ya. Ọ lụrụ Ribeka, onye ghọrọ nwunye ya. Aịzik hụrụ ya nʼanya, ma nweta nkasiobi nʼihi ọnwụ nne ya.
Isaac took Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and he married her. He loved her, and she brought him comfort after his grief over his mother's death.
