UGenesisi 26
1 Kwasekusiba lendlala elizweni, ngaphandle kwendlala yakuqala eyayikhona ngesikhathi sika-Abhrahama, u-Isaka waya ku-Abhimelekhi inkosi yamaFilistiya eGerari.
Basi njaa ikatokea katika nchi, mbali na njaa ya kwanza iliyotokea siku za Ibrahimu. Isaka akaenda kwa Abimeleki, mfalme wa Wafilisiti huko Gerari.
2 UThixo wabonakala ku-Isaka wathi, “Ungehleli eGibhithe; hlala elizweni engithi hlala khona.
Basi Yahwe akamtokea na kumwambia, “Usishuke kwenda Misri; kaa katika nchi niliyokuambia.
3 Ake uhlale kulelilizwe okwesikhatshana, mina ngizakuba lawe ngikubusise. Ngoba wena lezizukulwane zakho ngizalinika wonke amazwe la njalo ngiqinise isifungo engasifunga kuyihlo u-Abhrahama.
Kaa katika nchi hii hii niliyokuambia, nami nitakuwa pamoja nawe na kukubariki; kwani kwako wewe na uzao wako, nitawapa nchi hii yote, nami nitatimiza kiapo nilichomwapia Ibrahimu baba yako.
4 Ngizakwenza izizukulwane zakho zibe zinengi njengezinkanyezi emkhathini, ngizinike wonke lamazwe, njalo kuthi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe emhlabeni zizabusiswa,
Nitauzidisha uzao wako kama nyota za mbinguni, nami nitawapa uzao wako nchi hizi zote. Kupitia uzao wako mataifa yote ya dunia yatabarikiwa.
5 ngoba u-Abhrahama wangilalela, wagcina izimiso zami, lemilayo yami, kanye lemithetho yami.”
Nitalifanya hili kwa sababu Ibrahimu aliitii sauti yangu na kutunza maelekezo yangu, amri zangu na sheria zangu.”
6 Ngakho u-Isaka wahlala eGerari.
Hivyo Isaka akakaa Gerari.
7 Kwathi lapho abantu baleyondawo bembuza ngomkakhe wathi, “Ngudadewethu,” ngoba wayesesaba ukuthi, “Ngumkami.” Wacabanga wathi, “Amadoda alapha angangibulala ngenxa kaRabheka, ngoba muhle kakhulu.”
Watu wa eneo hilo walipomwuliza juu ya mke wake, alisema, “Yeye ni dada yangu.” Aliogopa kusema, “Yeye ni mke wangu,” kwa kuwa alidhani, “Watu wa nchi hii wataniua ili wamchukue Rebeka, kwa kuwa ni mzuri wa uso.”
8 Kwathi u-Isaka esehlale khona okwesikhathi eside, u-Abhimelekhi inkosi yamaFilistiya wakhangela ngefasitela wabona u-Isaka egone umkakhe uRabheka.
Baada ya Isaka kuwa amekaa pale kwa muda mrefu, Ikatukia kwamba Abimeleki mfalme wa Wafilisiti alichungulia katika dirisha. Tazama, akamwona Isaka akimpapasa Rebeka, mke wake.
9 Ngakho wasebiza u-Isaka wathi, “Kanti ngumkakho ngeqiniso! Kungani uthe ungudadewenu?” U-Isaka wamphendula wathi, “Ngoba ngakhumbula ukuthi ngingalahlekelwa yimpilo yami ngenxa yakhe.”
Abimeleki akamwita Isaka kwake na kusema, “Tazama, kwa hakika yeye ni mke wako. Kwa nini ulisema, 'Yeye ni dada yangu?” Isaka akamwambia, “Kwa sababu nilidhani mtu mmoja aweza kuniua ili amchukue.”
10 U-Abhimelekhi wasesithi, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kithi? Omunye wamadoda ubezaqabuka elala laye umkakho, ubususibangela icala.”
Abimeleki akamwambia, “Ni jambo gani hili ulilotufanyia? Mmojawapo wa watu angeweza bila shaka kulala na mke wako, nawe ungeweza kuleta hatia juu yetu.”
11 Ngakho u-Abhimelekhi wasekhupha umlayo ebantwini bonke wathi, “Lowo ozake ayithinte indoda le loba umkayo ngempela uzabulawa.”
Hivyo Abimeleki akawaonya watu wote na kusema, “Mtu yeyote atakayemgusa mtu huyu au mke wake atauwawa.”
12 U-Isaka walima amabele kulelolizwe, ngalowomnyaka wavuna okuphindwe ngekhulu, ngoba uThixo wambusisa.
Isaka akapanda mazao katika nchi hiyo na kuvuna mwaka huo vipimo mia, kwa kuwa Yahwe alimbariki.
13 Umuntu lo wanotha kakhulu, lemfuyo yakhe yanda kakhulukazi.
Mtu huyo akawa tajiri, naye akaongezeka zaidi hata akawa mkuu sana.
14 Waba lemihlambi yezimvu lenkomo emikhulu kakhulu, kanye lezisebenzi ezinengi, amaFilistiya aze aba lomona ngaye.
Alikuwa na kondoo na ngombe na familia kubwa. Wafilisiti wakamwonea wivu.
15 Kwasekusithi yonke imithombo eyayigejwe yizisebenzi ngesikhathi sikayise u-Abhrahama, amaFilistiya ayivala ngokuyigqibela ngenhlabathi.
Basi visima vyote watumishi wa baba yake walikuwawamevichimba katika siku za Ibrahimu baba yake, Wafilisiti wakavikatalia kwa kwa kuvijaza kifusi.
16 U-Abhimelekhi wasesithi ku-Isaka, “Suka kithi; ususuke waba lamandla kakhulu kulathi.”
Abimeleki akamwambia Isaka, “Ondoka kati yetu, kwa kuwa wewe una nguvu kuliko sisi.”
17 Ngakho u-Isaka wasuka lapho wayakuma eSigodini saseGerari, wahle wakha khona.
Hivyo Isaka akaondoka pale na kukaa katika bonde la Gerari, na kuishi pale.
18 U-Isaka wayiphanda imithombo eyayigejwe ngesikhathi sikayise u-Abhrahama, eyayigqitshelwe ngamaFilistiya ngemva kokuba u-Abhrahama esefile, wayibiza ngalawo mabizo uyise ayeyibiza ngawo.
Kwa mara nyingine tena Isaka akachimba visima vya maji, vilivyokuwa vimechimbwa siku za Ibrahimu baba yake. Wafilisiti walikuwa wamevizuia baada ya kufa kwake Ibrahimu. Isaka akaviita visima kwa majina aliyokuwa ameviita baba yake.
19 Izisebenzi zika-Isaka zagebha esigodini zafumana umthombo olamanzi amahle khonapho.
Watumishi wa Isaka walipochimba katika bonde, wakaona kisima cha maji yaliyokuwakuwa yakibubujika.
20 Kodwa abelusi baseGerari baxabana labelusi baka-Isaka bathi, “Amanzi la ngawethu!” Ngakho umthombo lowo wawuthi yi-Eseki, ngoba bawubanga laye.
Wachungaji wa Gerari wakagombana na wachungaji wa Isaka, na kusema, “Haya ni maji yetu.”Hivyo Isaka akakiita kisima hicho “Eseki,” kwa sababu waligombana naye.
21 Ngakho basebesimba omunye umthombo, kodwa lawo bawubanga njalo; wasewubiza ngokuthi yiSithina.
Wakachimba kisima kingine, wakakigombania hicho nacho, hivyo akakiita “Sitina.”
22 Wasuka lapho wayagebha omunye umthombo, akwabe kusaba khona owubangayo. Wawuthi yiRehobhothi, esithi, “Manje uThixo usesiphile indawo, sesizaphumelela kuleli ilizwe.”
Akatoka hapo na akachimba kisima kingine, lakini hicho hawakukigombania. Hivyo akakiita Rehobothi, na akasema, “Sasa Yahwe ametufanyia nafasi, na tutafanikiwa katika nchi.”
23 Esuka lapho waya eBherishebha.
Kisha Isaka akaenda Beersheba.
24 Ngalobobusuku uThixo wabonakala kuye wathi, “NginguNkulunkulu kayihlo u-Abhrahama. Ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe; ngizakubusisa ngandise ubunengi bezizukulwane zakho ngenxa yenceku yami u-Abhrahama.”
Yahwe akamtokea usiku huohuo na akasema, “Mimi ni Mungu wa Ibrahimu baba yako. Usiogope, kwa maana mimi nipo pamoja nawe na nitakubariki na kuvidisha vizazi vyako, kwa ajili ya mtumishi wangu Ibrahimu.”
25 U-Isaka wakha i-Alithari khonapho wamemeza ibizo likaThixo. Wamisa ithente lakhe khonapho, izisebenzi zakhe zemba umthombo khonapho.
Isaka akajenga madhabahu pale na akaliita jina la Yahwe. Akapiga hema yake pale, na watumishi wake wakachimba kisima.
26 Ngalesosikhathi u-Abhimelekhi weza kuye evela eGerari, elo-Ahuzathi umeluleki wakhe loFikholi umlawuli wamabutho akhe.
Kisha Abimeleki akamwendea kutoka Gerari, pamoja na Ahuzathi, rafiki yake, na Fikoli, jemedari wa jeshi.
27 U-Isaka wababuza wathi, “Lilandeni kimi, njengoba lalingizonda laze langixotsha?”
Isaka akawambia, “Kwa nini mmekuja kwangu, kwani mlinichukia na kunifukuza kwenu.
28 Bamphendula bathi, “Sabona kamhlophe ukuthi uThixo wayelawe; yikho sasesicabanga ukuthi kumele kube lesivumelwano esibotshiweyo phakathi kwethu lawe. Kasenze isibopho lawe
Nao wakasema, “Tumeona yakini kwamba Yahwe amekuwa nawe. Hivyo tukaamua kwamba kuwe na kiapo kati yetu, ndiyo, kati yetu nawe. Hivyo na tufanye agano nawe,
29 esokuthi kawusoze usihlukuluze, njengoba lathi singazange sikulimaze ngalutho kodwa sakuvalelisa ngokuthula. Khathesi usubusisiwe nguThixo.”
kwamba hautatudhuru, kama ambavyo sisi hatukukudhuru, na kama sisi tulivyokutendea vema wewe na tumekuacha uondoke kwa amani. Kwa kweli, Yahwe amekubariki.”
30 U-Isaka wasebenzela idili, badla banatha.
Hivyo Isaka akawaandalia sherehe, na wakala na kunywa.
31 Ekuseni kakhulu ngelanga elilandelayo amadoda wonke enza isifungo omunye komunye. U-Isaka wasebavulela indlela bahamba ngokuthula.
Wakaamuka mapema asubuhi na wakaapiana kiapo. Kisha Isaka akawaruhusu kuondoka, nao wakamwacha katika amani.
32 Ngalolosuku izisebenzi zika-Isaka zabuya zamtshela ngomthombo ezaziwugebhile. Zathi, “Sesiwatholile amanzi!”
Siku hiyohiyo watumishi wake wakaja na kumwambia juu ya kisima walichokuwa wamekichimba. Wakasema, “Tumeona maji.”
33 Wawuthi yiShibha, osekuze kube namuhla idolobho kuthiwa yiBherishebha.
Akakiita kile kisima Shiba, hivyo jina la mji ule ni Beersheba hata leo.
34 Kwathi u-Esawu eseleminyaka yobudala engamatshumi amane, wathatha uJudithi indodakazi kaBheri umHithi njalo loBhasemathi indodakazi ka-Eloni umHithi.
Esau alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini, akajitwalia mke, Yudithi binti Beeri Mhiti, na Basemathi binti Eloni Mhiti.
35 Baletha ukukhathazeka kakhulu ku-Isaka loRabheka.
Wakamhuzunisha Isaka na Rebeka.
