UGenesisi 17

1 U-Abhrama eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye yobudala, uThixo wabonakala kuye wathi, “NginguNkulunkulu uSomandla; hamba ngokwethembeka phambi kwami, ungasoleki.

2 Ngizasiqinisa isivumelwano phakathi kwami lawe, ngandise njalo ubunengi benu.”

3 U-Abhrama wawa wathi mbo phansi ngobuso, uNkulunkulu wathi kuye,

4 “Mina ngokwami ngithi lesi yisivumelwano sami lawe: uzakuba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi.

5 Kawusayi kubizwa ngokuthi Abhrama; ibizo lakho selizakuba ngu-Abhrahama, ngoba sengikwenze uyise wezizwe ezinengi.

6 Ngizakwenza uzuze inzalo enengi; ngizakwenza izizwe ngawe, njalo amakhosi azaphuma kuwe.

7 Ngizaqinisa isivumelwano sami sibe yisivumelwano sanini lanini phakathi kwami lawe kanye lezizukulwane ezizayo ukuba nguNkulunkulu wakho, loNkulunkulu wezizukulwane zakho ngemva kwakho.

8 Ilizwe lonke laseKhenani, okwamanje ohlala njengowezizwe kulo, ngizakupha libe yilifa laphakade kuwe lezizukulwane zakho ngemva kwakho; njalo ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wabo.”

9 UNkulunkulu wasesithi ku-Abhrahama, “Wena kumele ugcine isivumelwano sami, wena lezizukulwane zakho ezizayo.

10 Lesi yisivumelwano sami lawe lezizukulwane ezizayo, isivumelwano okumele usigcine: Wonke umuntu wesilisa phakathi kwenu kuzamele asokwe.

11 Wena kumele usokwe, lokho kuzakuba yisiboniso sesivumelwano phakathi kwami lawe.

12 Kuzizukulwane ezizayo umuntu wonke wesilisa ophakathi kwenu oselezinsuku eziyisificaminwembili kumele asokwe, kusitsho lalabo abazalwa emzini wakho loba abathengwa ngemali emuntwini wezizwe, labo abangazalwa nguwe.

13 Loba abazalwa emzini wakho kumbe abathengwa ngemali, kumele basokwe. Isivumelwano sami enyameni yakho sizakuba yisivumelwano esingapheliyo.

14 Lowo owesilisa ongasokwanga, ongazange ake asokwe enyameni uzakhalalwa ngabantu bakibo; usephule isivumelwano sami.”

15 UNkulunkulu waphinda njalo wathi ku-Abhrahama, “Umkakho uSarayi, ungabe usambiza ngokuthi nguSarayi; ibizo lakhe selinguSara.

16 Ngizambusisa, njalo ngizakunika indodana ngaye. Ngizambusisa ukuze abe ngunina wezizwe; amakhosi ezizwe azavela kuye.”

17 U-Abhrahama wawa wathi mbo ngobuso phansi; wahleka wazitshela wathi, “Kambe indodana ingazalwa ngumuntu oseleminyaka elikhulu na? USara angamzala umntwana yena eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye na?”

18 Ngakho u-Abhrahama wasesithi kuNkulunkulu, “Nxa u-Ishumayeli engaphila ngaphansi kwesibusiso sakho kuphela!”

19 UNkulunkulu wasesithi, “Yebo, uSara uzakuzalela indodana, wena uyibize ngokuthi ngu-Isaka. Ngizaqinisa isivumelwano sami laye sibe yisivumelwano esingapheliyo lezizukulwane eziza ngemva kwakhe.

20 Mayelana lo-Ishumayeli, ngizwile okutshiloyo: ngeqiniso ngizambusisa; ngizamnika inzalo enkulu, ngandise ubunengi bayo. Uzakuba nguyise wababusi abalitshumi lambili, ngimenze abe yisizwe esikhulu.

21 Kodwa isivumelwano sami ngizasiqinisa lo-Isaka, ozamzalelwa nguSara ngalesisikhathi ngomnyaka ozayo.”

22 Eseqedile ukukhuluma lo-Abhrahama, uNkulunkulu wenyuka wamtshiya.

23 Ngalelolanga u-Abhrahama wathatha indodana yakhe u-Ishumayeli labo bonke abazalelwa emzini wakhe loba abathengwayo ngemali yakhe wabasoka, njengoba uNkulunkulu wayemtshelile.

24 U-Abhrahama wayeleminyaka yokuzalwa engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye mhla esokwa,

25 indodana yakhe u-Ishumayeli yayileminyaka yokuzalwa elitshumi lantathu;

26 u-Abhrahama lendodana yakhe u-Ishumayeli bobabili basokwa mhlalokho ngalanga linye.

27 Njalo bonke abesilisa ababesemzini ka-Abhrahama, kugoqela labo abazalelwa khonapho ekhaya labathengwa kwabezizwe, basokwa kanye laye.