< UGenesisi 23 >
1 USara waphila waze waba leminyaka elikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa obudala.
2 Wafela eKhiriyathi Aribha (kutsho eHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani, u-Abhrahama wahamba ukuyamzilela lokumlilela khona.
3 U-Abhrahama wasukuma eseceleni komkakhe ofileyo wakhuluma lamaHithi. Wathi,
4 “Ngingowezizweni lesihambi phakathi kwenu. Ngithengiselani isiqinti sokuba yindawo yokungcwabela khona abakithi abafileyo.”
5 AmaHithi amphendula u-Abhrahama athi,
6 “Silalele, nkosi yami. Uyinkosana elamandla phakathi kwethu. Ngcwaba abafileyo bakini loba kukuwaphi amangcwaba ethu athandeka kakhulu. Kakho owakithi ozakwalela ingcwaba lakhe ukuthi ungcwabe kulo ofileyo wakini.”
7 Ngakho u-Abhrahama wasukuma wakhothamela phansi phambi kwamaHithi, abanikazi balelolizwe.
8 Wathi kubo, “Nxa lithanda ukuthi ngimbele abafileyo bami, lalelani kimi, lingincengele ku-Efroni indodana kaZohari
9 ukuthi angithengisele ubhalu Lwakhe lwaseMakhaphela olusekucineni kwesiqinti. Mceleni ukuthi angithengisele sona ngentengo egcweleyo sibe yindawo yamangcwaba phakathi kwenu.”
10 U-Efroni umHithi owayehlezi khonapho phakathi kwabantu bakibo wamphendula u-Abhrahama wonke amaHithi ayefikile esangweni ledolobho lakhe ezizwela.
11 Wathi, “Hatshi, nkosi yami. Lalela kimi; ngiyakupha isiqinti, njalo ngiyakupha lobhalu oluphakathi kwaso. Ngikupha sona phambi kwabantu bakithi. Mbela abafileyo bakho.”
12 U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhothamela phansi phambi kwabantu balelolizwe
13 wathi ku-Efroni bona besizwa, “Ake ulalelisise engikutshoyo. Mina ngizayikhupha intengo yesiqinti. Ngicela uyamukele kimi ukuze ngimbele khona abafileyo bami.”
14 U-Efroni waphendula u-Abhrahama wathi,
15 “Lalela kimi, nkosi yami; isiqinti lesi sibiza amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, kodwa kungena njani lokho phakathi kwami lawe? Wena mbela abafileyo bakho.”
16 U-Abhrahama wayivuma intengo ka-Efroni wasemlinganisela ubunzima bentengo ayeyibizile amaHithi esizwa: amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, mayelana lesisindo esasisetshenziswa ngabathengisi.
17 Ngakho isiqinti sika-Efroni eMakhaphela, eduze leMamure, isiqinti kanye lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso, lazozonke izihlahla ezaziphakathi kwaso, kwabhaliswa
18 ngo-Abhrahama ukuthi sekuyimpahla yakhe, kusenziwa phambi kwamaHithi wonke ayefikile esangweni ledolobho.
19 Ngemva kwalokho u-Abhrahama wangcwaba umkakhe uSara ebhalwini olwalusesiqintini saseMakhaphela eduze leMamure (eseHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani.
20 Kanjalo isiqinti lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso kwabhaliswa ngo-Abhrahama ngama-Hithi ukuba yindawo yamangcwaba.
