< UGenesisi 17 >
1 Kwathi uAbrama eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lesificamunwemunye iNkosi yasibonakala kuAbrama, yathi kuye: NginguNkulunkulu uSomandla; hamba phambi kwami, uphelele.
2 Njalo ngizakwenza isivumelwano sami phakathi kwami lawe, ngizakwandisa kakhulukazi.
3 UAbrama wasesiwa ngobuso bakhe, uNkulunkulu wasekhuluma laye, esithi:
4 Mina ngokwami, khangela, isivumelwano sami silawe; futhi uzakuba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi.
5 Lebizo lakho kalisayikubizwa ngokuthi Abrama, kodwa ibizo lakho lizakuba nguAbrahama, ngoba ngikwenze uyise wexuku lezizwe.
6 Ngizakwenza uzale kakhulukazi, ngizakwenza izizwe, lamakhosi azaphuma kuwe.
7 Njalo ngizamisa isivumelwano sami phakathi kwami lawe lenzalo yakho emva kwakho ezizukulwaneni zayo, kube yisivumelwano esilaphakade, sokuthi ngibe nguNkulunkulu kuwe lakuyo inzalo yakho emva kwakho.
8 Ngizanika-ke wena lenzalo yakho emva kwakho ilizwe ohlala kilo njengowezizwe, ilizwe lonke leKhanani, libe yimfuyo elaphakade; njalo ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu kibo.
9 UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuAbrahama: Wena-ke uzagcina isivumelwano sami, wena lenzalo yakho emva kwakho ezizukulwaneni zayo.
10 Lesi yisivumelwano sami elizasigcina phakathi kwami lani lenzalo yakho emva kwakho; sonke isilisa sisokwe kini.
11 Lizasoka inyama yejwabu lenu laphambili; kuzakuba yisibonakaliso sesivumelwano phakathi kwami lani.
12 Lendodana yensuku eziyisificaminwembili izasokwa phakathi kwenu, sonke isilisa ezizukulwaneni zenu, ozelwe endlini, lothengwe ngemali kuye wonke oyisizwe, ongayisuye wenzalo yakho.
13 Ozelwe endlini yakho lothengwe ngemali yakho kumele asokwe. Lesivumelwano sami sizakuba senyameni yenu, sibe yisivumelwano esilaphakade.
14 Lesilisa esingasokwanga, esinyama yejwabu laphambili lingasokwanga, lowomphefumulo uzaqunywa usuke esizweni sawo, weqile isivumelwano sami.
15 UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuAbrahama: NgoSarayi umkakho, ungabizi ibizo lakhe uthi nguSarayi, ngoba uSara libizo lakhe.
16 Njalo ngizambusisa, ngikunike indodana evela lakuye; yebo ngizambusisa abesesiba yizizwe, amakhosi ezizwe azavela kuye.
17 UAbrahama wasesiwa ngobuso bakhe, wahleka, wathi enhliziyweni yakhe: Oleminyaka elikhulu uzazalelwa yini? Kambe loSara oleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye uzazala?
18 UAbrahama wasesithi kuNkulunkulu: Kungathi uIshmayeli angaphila phambi kwakho!
19 UNkulunkulu wasesithi: Hatshi, uSara umkakho uzakuzalela indodana; uzayitha ibizo uthi nguIsaka; njalo ngizamisa isivumelwano sami laye, sibe yisivumelwano esilaphakade kunzalo yakhe emva kwakhe.
20 Mayelana loIshmayeli ngikuzwile-ke; khangela, ngimbusisile, njalo ngizamenza abe lenzalo, ngimandise kakhulukazi; uzazala iziphathamandla ezilitshumi lambili, njalo ngizamenza isizwe esikhulu.
21 Kodwa isivumelwano sami ngizasimisa loIsaka, uSara azakuzalela yena ngalesisikhathi esimisiweyo ngomnyaka ozayo.
22 Wasecina ukukhuluma laye, uNkulunkulu wenyuka esuka kuAbrahama.
23 UAbrahama wasethatha uIshmayeli indodana yakhe labo bonke ababezelwe endlini yakhe labo bonke ababethengwe ngemali yakhe, sonke isilisa phakathi kwabendlu kaAbrahama, wasoka inyama yejwabu labo laphambili, ngalona lolosuku, njengalokho uNkulunkulu akutshoyo kuye.
24 LoAbrahama wayeleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lesificamunwemunye ekusokweni kwakhe inyama yejwabu lakhe laphambili.
25 UIshmayeli-ke indodana yakhe wayeleminyaka elitshumi lantathu ekusokweni kwakhe inyama yejwabu lakhe laphambili.
26 Ngalona lolosuku uAbrahama wasokwa, loIshmayeli indodana yakhe.
27 Lamadoda wonke omuzi wakhe, ayezelwe endlini layethengwe ngemali kowezizwe, asokwa kanye laye.
