UGenesisi 24
1 UAbrahama wayesemdala eselezinsuku ezinengi; leNkosi yayimbusisile kukho konke.
Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
2 UAbrahama wasesithi encekwini yakhe, endala yendlu yakhe, ebusa phezu kwakho konke alakho: Ake ubeke isandla sakho ngaphansi kwethangazi lami,
One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.
3 ukuze ngikufungise ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu loNkulunkulu womhlaba, ukuthi kawuyikuyithathela indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhanani, engihlala phakathi kwawo;
Knowing that Yahweh God [who created] the heavens and the earth is listening, promise that you will not get a wife for my son, Isaac, from the women here in Canaan.
4 kodwa uzakuya elizweni lakithi lezihlotsheni zami, uyithathele umfazi indodana yami uIsaka.
Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
5 Inceku yasisithi kuye: Mhlawumbe owesifazana angafuni ukungilandela kulelilizwe, ngingayibuyisela lokuyibuyisela yini indodana yakho elizweni owaphuma kulo?
The servant asked him, “If I find a woman among your relatives, what if she is not willing to come back with me to this land? Shall I take your son back there to the country you came from, [so he can find a wife and live there]?”
6 UAbrahama wasesithi kuye: Qaphela ukuthi ungayibuyiseli khona indodana yami.
Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
7 INkosi, uNkulunkulu wamazulu, eyangithatha endlini kababa lelizweni lokuzalwa kwami, eyakhuluma kimi, eyafunga kimi isithi: Ngizalinika inzalo yakho lelilizwe; yona izathuma ingilosi yayo phambi kwakho, ukuze uyithathele khona umfazi indodana yami.
Yahweh God, who created the heavens, brought me here. He brought me from my father’s household, and from the land where my relatives lived. He spoke to me and made a solemn promise to me, saying, ‘I will give this land [of Canaan] to your descendants.’ He will send an angel who will go there ahead of you, and enable you to get a wife for my son [there and bring her to live here].
8 Kodwa uba owesifazana engafuni ukukulandela, uzakuba ukhululekile kulesisifungo sami; kuphela ungayibuyiseli indodana yami khona.
But if the woman you find will not come back with you, you are free to disregard the promise you are making. The only thing that you must not do is to take my son to live there!”
9 Inceku yasibeka isandla sayo ngaphansi kwethangazi likaAbrahama inkosi yayo, yafunga kuye ngaloludaba.
So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
10 Njalo inceku yasithatha amakamela alitshumi kuwo amakamela enkosi yayo, yahamba, lakho konke okuhle kwenkosi yayo kwakusesandleni sayo, yasisukuma yaya eMesopotamiya emzini kaNahori.
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and loaded them with all kinds of goods that his master gave him to take along. Then he left to go to Aram-Naharaim, [which is in (northern Mesopotamia/Syria)]. He arrived in Nahor city.
11 Yasiguqisa amakamela ngaphandle komuzi emthonjeni wamanzi ngesikhathi santambama, ngesikhathi sokuphuma kwabakhi bamanzi besifazana.
It was late in the afternoon, at the time when the women go to the well to get water, when he arrived there. He made the camels kneel down near the well, which was outside the city.
12 Yasisithi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami uAbrahama, ake ungiphumelelise lamuhla, uyenzele umusa inkosi yami uAbrahama.
The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
13 Khangela, ngimi emthonjeni wamanzi, kuphuma amadodakazi amadoda omuzi ukukha amanzi.
Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get water.
14 Njalo kuzakuthi intombazana engizakuthi kuyo: Ake ukhothamise imbiza yakho ukuze nginathe, ibisisithi: Natha, lamakamela akho ngizawanathisa; yiyo oyimisele inceku yakho uIsaka; ngalokho-ke ngizakwazi ukuthi uyenzele umusa inkosi yami.
I am asking you this: ‘I will say to some girl, “Please lower your jar so that I may drink some water.” If she says, “Drink some, and I will draw some water [from the well] for your camels, too,” I will know that she is the woman whom you chose to be a wife for your servant, Isaac, and I will know that you have been kind to my master.’”
15 Kwasekusithi ingakaqedi ukukhuluma, khangela-ke, uRebeka waphuma, owazalelwa uBethuweli indodana kaMilka, umkaNahori umfowabo kaAbrahama, njalo elembiza ehlombe lakhe.
Before he finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah arrived there, carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s younger brother Nahor.
16 Njalo inkazana yayikhangeleka kuhle kakhulu, intombi emsulwa, okungelandoda eyaziyo; yasisehlela emthonjeni, yagcwalisa imbiza yayo, yenyuka.
She was very beautiful and still a virgin. She went down to the edge of the well, filled her jar with water, and then came back up.
17 Inceku yasigijima ukuyihlangabeza yathi: Ake unginathise amanzi amalutshwana embizeni yakho.
Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18 Yasisithi: Natha, nkosi yami. Yaphangisa yehlisela imbiza yayo esandleni sayo, yayinathisa.
She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 Isiqedile ukuyinathisa yathi: Ngizakhelela lamakamela akho aze aqede ukunatha.
After she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also get some water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
20 Yasiphangisa yathululela isigxingi sayo emkolweni wokunathela, yabuya yagijimela emthonjeni ukuyakukha, yakhelelela amakamela ayo wonke.
She quickly emptied the water in her jar into the trough [for giving water to animals], and then ran back to the well, and kept getting water for all the camels.
21 Indoda yasiyikhangelisisa ithule ukuze yazi ukuthi iNkosi iyiphumelelisile indlela yayo kumbe hatshi.
The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
22 Kwasekusithi amakamela eseqedile ukunatha, indoda yasithatha icici legolide, osisindo salo sasiyingxenye yeshekeli, lamasongo amabili ezandleni zayo, isisindo sawo saba ngamashekeli alitshumi egolide.
Finally, after the camels finished drinking, the servant took out a gold nose ring that weighed (two ounces/6 grams), and two large gold bracelets for her arms, and gave them to Rebekah [and told her to put them on].
23 Yasisithi: Uyindodakazi kabani? Ake utsho. Kukhona indawo yethu yini endlini kayihlo ukuthi silale?
Then he said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Also, tell me, is there room in your father’s house for me and my men to sleep there tonight?”
24 Yasisithi kuyo: Ngiyindodakazi kaBethuweli indodana kaMilka owayizalela uNahori.
She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
25 Yathi kuyo futhi: Silakho konke amahlanga lokudla kwezinyamazana okunengi, lendawo yokulala.
Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
26 Indoda yasikhothama, yakhonza iNkosi,
The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
27 yasisithi: Ibusisiwe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami uAbrahama, engayekelanga umusa wayo lobuqotho bayo enkosini yami; mina-ke, ngisendleleni, iNkosi ingikhokhelele endlini yabafowabo benkosi yami.
He said, “I thank you, Yahweh God, whom my master Abraham worships. You have continued to be kind and faithful to my master. You led me on this journey straight/directly to the house of my master’s relatives!”
28 Intombi yasigijima, yazisa abendlu kanina ngalezizinto.
The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
29 Njalo uRebeka wayelomnewabo obizo lakhe lalinguLabani; uLabani wasegijimela phandle endodeni emthonjeni.
Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
30 Kwasekusithi esebonile icici lamasongo ezandleni zikadadewabo, esezwile amazwi kaRebeka udadewabo okuthi: Itsho njalo indoda kimi; wasesiya endodeni, khangela-ke, yayimi ngasemakameleni emthonjeni.
He was surprised to have seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms and the nose ring and to have heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So he went out and saw the man standing near the camels, close to the well.
31 Wasesithi: Ngena wena obusisiweyo weNkosi; umeleni ngaphandle? Ngoba mina sengilungisile indlu lendawo yamakamela.
He said to the man, “You who have been blessed by Yahweh, come with me! (Why are standing out here?/You should not keep standing out here!) [RHQ] I have prepared a room for you in the house, and a place for the camels to stay.”
32 Indoda yasisiza endlini, yakhulula amakamela; wasenika amakamela amahlanga lokudla kwenyamazana, lamanzi okugeza inyawo zayo lenyawo zamadoda ayelayo.
So the servant went to the house, and Laban’s servants unloaded the camels, and brought straw and grain for the camels, and water for him and the men with him to wash their feet.
33 Kwasekubekwa ukudla phambi kwayo; kodwa yathi: Kangiyikudla ngize ngikhulume indaba zami. Wasesithi: Khuluma.
They set food in front of him for him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I tell you (what I need to tell you/why I have come).” So Laban said, “Tell us!”
34 Yasisithi: Ngiyinceku kaAbrahama.
So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
35 Futhi iNkosi iyibusisile kakhulu inkosi yami, yaze yaba nkulu. Yayinika izimvu lezinkomo, lesiliva legolide, lezinceku lezincekukazi, lamakamela labobabhemi.
Yahweh has greatly blessed my master so that he has become very rich. Yahweh has given him many sheep and cattle, a lot of gold and silver, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.
36 Njalo uSara inkosikazi yenkosi yami uyizalele inkosi yami indodana emva kokuba esemdala; yasiyinika konke elakho.
My master’s wife, Sarah, bore a son for him when she was very old, and my master has given to his son everything he owns.
37 Inkosi yami yasingifungisa isithi: Ungayithatheli indodana yami umfazi kumadodakazi amaKhanani, engihlala elizweni lawo;
My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
38 kodwa uzakuya endlini kababa lezihlotsheni zami, ubusuyithathela indodana yami umfazi.
Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
39 Ngasengisithi enkosini yami: Mhlawumbe owesifazana kayikungilandela.
Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
40 Yasisithi kimi: INkosi, engihamba phambi kwayo, izathuma ingilosi yayo lawe, izaphumelelisa indlela yakho, njalo uzayithathela indodana yami umfazi ezihlotsheni zami lendlini kababa.
He replied, ‘Yahweh, whom I have always obeyed [MTY], will send his angel with you, and he will cause your journey to be successful, with the result that you can get a wife for my son from my clan, from my father’s family.
41 Emva kwalokho uzakhululeka esifungweni sami uba uye ezihlotsheni zami njalo uba bengakuniki yena, uzakhululeka-ke esifungweni sami.
But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
42 Kuthe ngifika emthonjeni lamuhla, ngathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami uAbrahama, uba-ke uphumelelisa indlela yami, engihamba ngayo;
“When I came today to the well, I prayed, ‘Yahweh God whom my master, Abraham worships, if you are willing, please allow this journey of mine to be successful.
43 khangela, ngimi emthonjeni wamanzi; njalo kakuthi intombi ezaphuma ukukha lengizakuthi kuyo: Ake unginathise amanzi amalutshwana esigxingini sakho;
Listen to me. I am standing beside a well. A young woman may come to draw water. I will say to her, “Please, give me a little water to drink from your jar.”
44 ibisisithi kimi: Natha lawe, futhi ngizakhelelela lamakamela akho; kayibe nguye owesifazana iNkosi emmisele indodana yenkosi yami.
If she says to me, “Certainly, drink some! And I will also draw some water for your camels,” that will be the woman whom you have chosen for my master’s son!’
45 Ngingakaqedi ukukhuluma enhliziyweni yami, khangela-ke, uRebeka waphuma lesigxingi sisehlombe lakhe; wehlela emthonjeni, wakha. Ngasengisithi kuye: Akunginathise.
Before I finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah approached with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got some water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink!’
46 Wasephangisa, wethula isigxingi kuye wathi: Natha, futhi ngizanathisa lamakamela akho. Ngasenginatha, wasenathisa lamakamela.
She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink some! And I will draw water [from the well] for your camels, too.’ So I drank some water, and she also got water for the camels.
47 Ngasengimbuza ngathi: Uyindodakazi kabani? Wasesithi: Indodakazi kaBethuweli, indodana kaNahori uMilka amzalela yona; ngasengifaka icici emakhaleni akhe lamasongo ezandleni zakhe.
Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor and his wife, Milcah.’ I had [a ring and bracelets with me, and] I put the ring in her nose and put the bracelets on her arms.
48 Ngasengikhothama, ngakhonza iNkosi, ngabusisa iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami uAbrahama, engikhokhele endleleni elungileyo ukuthi indodakazi yomfowabo wenkosi yami ngiyithathele indodana yayo.
Then I bowed and worshiped Yahweh, and I thanked Yahweh God, the one my master Abraham worships, the one who led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother to be a wife for my master’s son.
49 Khathesi-ke uba lizayenzela inkosi yami umusa lobuqotho, ngitshelani; uba-ke kungenjalo, ngitshelani, ukuze ngiphendukele ngakwesokunene loba ngakwesokhohlo.
Now, if you are kind and faithful to my master, tell me that you will do what I am asking. If you will not do that, tell me that also, so I may know what to do [MTY].”
50 Khona oLabani loBethuweli baphendula, bathi: Le into ivela eNkosini; kasilakutsho lutho kuwe, olubi kumbe oluhle.
Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
51 Khangela, uRebeka uphambi kwakho; mthathe uhambe, ukuze abe ngumkandodana yenkosi yakho, njengoba iNkosi ikhulumile.
Rebekah is here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master’s son, just as Yahweh has indicated.”
52 Kwasekusithi inceku kaAbrahama isizwile amazwi abo yakhothamela emhlabathini phambi kweNkosi.
When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
53 Inceku yasikhupha imiceciso yesiliva, lemiceciso yegolide, lezembatho, yakunika uRebeka, yabanika lomnewabo lonina impahla eziligugu.
Then the servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave gifts to her brother Laban and to her mother.
54 Basebesidla banatha, yona lamadoda ayelayo, balala; bavuka ekuseni, yasisithi: Ngiyekelani ngiye enkosini yami.
Then they ate a meal together. The men who were with Abraham’s servant also slept there that night. The next morning, the servant said, “Allow me now to return to my master.”
55 Kodwa umnewabo lonina bathi: Kayihlale lathi intombazana izinsuku loba ezilitshumi, emva kwalokho ihambe.
But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us for about ten days. After that, you may take her and go.”
56 Yasisithi kubo: Lingangibambeleli, lokhu iNkosi iphumelelisile indlela yami; ngiyekelani ngihambe ukuze ngiye enkosini yami.
But he replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
57 Basebesithi: Asiyibize intombi, sizwe emlonyeni wayo.
They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
58 Basebembiza uRebeka, bathi kuye: Uzahamba lalindoda yini? Wasesithi: Ngizahamba.
So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
59 Basebemyekela ehamba uRebeka udadewabo lomlizane wakhe, lenceku kaAbrahama lamadoda ayo.
So they allowed Rebekah, a woman who had taken care of her when she was very young, Abraham’s servant, and the men who had come with him. to go.
60 Basebembusisa uRebeka, bathi kuye: Wena dadewethu, woba zinkulungwane zezigidi, lenzalo yakho ibe ngumnikazi wesango labayizondayo!
Before they all left, they [asked God to] bless Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, we ask that Yahweh will cause you to have millions of descendants, and allow them to completely defeat [MET] all those that hate them.”
61 URebeka wasesukuma lamantombazana akhe, bagada amakamela, balandela indoda; inceku yasimthatha uRebeka, yahamba.
Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
62 UIsaka wasefika lapho abavelela khona emthonjeni iLahayi-Royi, njalo wayehlala elizweni leningizimu.
At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
63 UIsaka wasephuma ukuyazindla ensimini sekuntambama; waphakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke, amakamela ayesiza.
One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
64 LoRebeka waphakamisa amehlo akhe; esembonile uIsaka waziwisa ekamelweni.
Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
65 Wasesithi encekwini: Ngubani lindoda ehamba emasimini ukusihlangabeza? Inceku yasisithi: Yinkosi yami. Wasethatha isimbombozo, wazigubuzela.
and asked the servant, “Who is that man who is approaching?” The servant replied, “That is Isaac, my master, [the man you will be marrying].” So she took her veil and covered her face, which was the custom for a woman who was about to be married.
66 Inceku yasilandisa kuIsaka zonke indaba ezenzileyo.
The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
67 UIsaka wasemngenisa ethenteni likaSara unina, wamthatha uRebeka, waba ngumkakhe, wamthanda. UIsaka waseduduzwa emva kokufa kukanina.
Then Isaac took Rebekah into the tent that belonged to his mother, Sarah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted about his mother’s death.
