UGenesisi 20

1 UAbrahama wasesuka lapho waya elizweni leningizimu, wahlala phakathi kweKadeshi leShuri wahlala njengowezizwe eGerari.

Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,

2 UAbrahama wasesithi ngoSara umkakhe: Ungudadewethu. UAbhimeleki inkosi yeGerari wathuma-ke, wathatha uSara.

Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.

3 Kodwa uNkulunkulu weza kuAbhimeleki ephutsheni ebusuku, wathi kuye: Khangela, ufile ngenxa yowesifazana omthetheyo, ngoba uganile endodeni.

One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”

4 Kodwa uAbhimeleki wayengasondelanga kuye. Ngakho wathi: Nkosi, uzabhubhisa lesizwe esilungileyo yini?

Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?

5 Kayisuye yini othe kimi: Ungudadewethu? Laye uqobo wasesithi: Ungumnewethu. Ngobuqotho benhliziyo yami langobuhlophe bezandla zami ngikwenzile lokhu.

Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”

6 UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuye ephutsheni: Lami sengazile ukuthi ngobuqotho benhliziyo yakho ukwenzile lokhu; lami futhi ngikuvimbele ukuze ungoni kimi; ngenxa yalokhu kangikuvumelanga ukuthi umthinte.

Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

7 Ngakho-ke buyisela umfazi wendoda, ngoba ingumprofethi; njalo izakukhulekela ukuze uphile; kodwa uba ungambuyiseli, yazi ukuthi isibili uzakufa wena labo bonke abangabakho.

Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”

8 UAbhimeleki wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, wabiza zonke inceku zakhe, wakhuluma wonke la amazwi endlebeni zazo; njalo amadoda esaba kakhulu.

Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.

9 UAbhimeleki wasembiza uAbrahama, wathi kuye: Wenzeni kithi? Ngoneni kuwe ukuthi ungilethele mina lombuso wami isono esikhulu? Wenze kimi izenzo ezingafanelanga ukwenziwa.

Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”

10 UAbhimeleki wasesithi kuAbrahama: Uboneni, uze wenze into le?

Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”

11 UAbrahama wasesithi: Ngoba ngacabanga ukuthi: Isibili ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kakukho kulindawo; njalo bazangibulala ngenxa yomkami.

Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

12 Kanti-ke isibili ungudadewethu, uyindodakazi kababa, kodwa kasiyo indodakazi kamama; wasesiba ngumkami.

Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.

13 Kwasekusithi mhla uNkulunkulu engizulisa ngisuka endlini kababa ngasengisithi kuye: Lo ngumusa ozawenza kimi, kuzo zonke indawo esizafika kuzo, uthi ngami: Ungumnewethu.

So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 UAbhimeleki wasethatha izimvu lezinkomo lezinceku lezincekukazi, wapha uAbrahama, wambuyisela uSara umkakhe.

So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.

15 UAbhimeleki wasesithi: Khangela, ilizwe lami liphambi kwakho; hlala lapho okuhle khona emehlweni akho.

And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”

16 LakuSara wathi: Khangela, ngimnikile umnewenu inhlamvu zesiliva eziyinkulungwane; khangela, uyisisibekelo samehlo kuwe, kuye wonke olawe, labo bonke, njalo ukhuziwe.

And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”

17 UAbrahama wasekhuleka kuNkulunkulu; uNkulunkulu wasemsilisa uAbhimeleki lomkakhe lencekukazi zakhe, ukuze bazale.

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—

18 Ngoba iNkosi yayizivalile ngokupheleleyo izizalo zonke zabendlu kaAbhimeleki ngenxa kaSara umkaAbrahama.

for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.