Mwanzo 22
1 Baadaye Mungu akamjaribu Abrahamu. Akamwambia, “Abrahamu!” Abrahamu akajibu, “Mimi hapa.”
Emva kwesikhathi esithile uNkulunkulu walinga u-Abhrahama. Wathi kuye, “Abhrahama!” Waphendula wathi, “Ngilapha.”
2 Kisha Mungu akamwambia, “Umchukue mwanao, mwana wako wa pekee, Isaki umpendaye, uende katika nchi ya Moria. Mtoe huko kama sadaka ya kuteketezwa juu ya mlima mmojawapo nitakaokuambia.”
UNkulunkulu wasesithi, “Thatha indodana yakho, indodana yakho eyiyo yodwa, u-Isaka, omthandayo, uye emangweni waseMoriya. Khonapho menze umhlatshelo abe ngumnikelo wokutshiswa phezu kwenye yezintaba engizakutshengisa yona.”
3 Abrahamu akaamka asubuhi na mapema siku iliyofuata, akamtayarisha punda wake. Akawachukua watumishi wake wawili pamoja na Isaki mwanawe. Baada ya kuchanja kuni za kutosha kwa ajili ya hiyo sadaka ya kuteketezwa, akaondoka kuelekea mahali Mungu alipokuwa amemwambia.
Kusisa ekuseni kakhulu u-Abhrahama wavuka wabopha ubabhemi wakhe. Wahamba lezinceku zakhe ezimbili kanye lendodana yakhe u-Isaka. Kwathi esegamule inkuni ezaneleyo zomnikelo wokutshiswa, waqhubeka waya kuleyondawo uNkulunkulu ayemtshele yona.
4 Siku ya tatu Abrahamu akainua macho, akapaona mahali pale kwa mbali.
Ngelanga lesithathu u-Abhrahama wakhangela, wayibona leyondawo kude le.
5 Akawaambia watumishi wake, “Kaeni hapa pamoja na punda, wakati mimi na kijana tunakwenda kule. Tutakwenda kuabudu na kisha tutawarudia.”
Wathi ezincekwini zakhe, “Hlalani lapha lobabhemi, mina lomfana sisake siye laphayana. Sizakuthi singakhonza sibuye kini.”
6 Abrahamu akachukua kuni kwa ajili ya sadaka ya kuteketezwa, akamtwika Isaki mwanawe, yeye mwenyewe akachukua moto na kisu. Walipokuwa wakienda pamoja,
U-Abhrahama wathatha inkuni zomnikelo wokutshiswa wazithwalisa umntanakhe u-Isaka, yena ngokwakhe waphatha umlilo lengqamu. Kwathi belokhu beqhubeka bobabili,
7 Isaki akanena akamwambia Abrahamu baba yake, “Baba yangu!” Abrahamu akaitika, “Mimi hapa, mwanangu.” Isaki akasema, “Moto na kuni zipo, Je, yuko wapi mwana-kondoo kwa ajili ya sadaka ya kuteketezwa?”
u-Isaka wakhuluma wambuza uyise u-Abhrahama wathi, “Baba?” U-Abhrahama wasabela wathi, “Yebo, ndodana yami!” U-Isaka wathi, “Umlilo lenkuni nanku kukhona, kodwa iwundlu lomnikelo wokutshiswa lingaphi?”
8 Abrahamu akajibu, “Mwanangu, Mungu mwenyewe atajipatia mwana-kondoo kwa ajili ya hiyo sadaka ya kuteketezwa.” Nao hawa wawili wakaendelea mbele pamoja.
U-Abhrahama waphendula wathi, “Ndodana yami, uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uzasipha iwundlu lomnikelo wokutshiswa.” Baqhubeka bobabili bahamba.
9 Walipofika mahali pale alipokuwa ameambiwa na Mungu, Abrahamu akajenga madhabahu hapo, akaziweka kuni juu yake. Akamfunga Isaki mwanawe na akamlaza kwenye madhabahu, juu ya zile kuni.
Sebefikile endaweni uNkulunkulu amtshela yona, u-Abhrahama wakha i-Alithari khonapho walungisa inkuni phezu kwalo. Wabopha indodana yakhe u-Isaka wayilalisa e-alithareni phezu kwenkuni.
10 Kisha akanyoosha mkono wake na akachukua kisu ili amchinje mwanawe.
Waseselula isandla sakhe ethatha ingqamu ukuba abulale indodana yakhe.
11 Lakini malaika wa Bwana akamwita kutoka mbinguni, akamwambia, “Abrahamu! Abrahamu!” Akajibu, “Mimi hapa.”
Kodwa ingilosi kaThixo yamemeza isezulwini yathi, “Abhrahama! Abhrahama!” Waphendula wathi, “Ngilapha.”
12 Akamwambia, “Usimdhuru kijana, wala usimtendee jambo lolote. Sasa ninajua kwamba unamcha Mungu, kwa sababu hukunizuilia mwanao, mwana wako wa pekee.”
Yathi, “Ungamthinti ngesandla sakho umfana. Ungenzi lutho kuye. Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi uyamesaba uNkulunkulu, ngoba kawuyigodlanga indodana yakho eyiyo yodwa.”
13 Abrahamu akainua macho yake, akaona kondoo dume amenaswa pembe zake nyuma yake katika kichaka. Akaenda akamchukua huyo kondoo dume, akamtoa awe sadaka ya kuteketezwa badala ya mwanawe.
U-Abhrahama wathi uyakhangela wabona inqama esixukwini ibanjwe ngempondo zayo. Waya khona wayithatha inqama wenza umhlatshelo womnikelo wokutshiswa esikhundleni sendodana yakhe.
14 Abrahamu akapaita mahali pale Yehova-Yire. Mpaka siku ya leo inasemekana, “Katika mlima wa Bwana itapatikana.”
Yikho u-Abhrahama wabiza indawo leyo ngokuthi uThixo Uzakupha. Kuze kube lamuhla kuthiwa, “Entabeni kaThixo kuzaphiwa.”
15 Basi malaika wa Bwana akamwita Abrahamu kutoka mbinguni mara ya pili,
Ingilosi kaThixo yabiza u-Abhrahama isezulwini ngokwesibili
16 akasema, “Ninaapa kwa nafsi yangu, asema Bwana, kwamba kwa sababu umefanya jambo hili na hukunizuilia mwanao, mwana wako wa pekee,
yathi, “Ngifunga ngami uqobo, kutsho uThixo, ukuthi ngenxa yokuthi ukwenzile lokhu, kawaze wayigodla indodana yakho eyiyo yodwa,
17 hakika nitakubariki, na nitauzidisha uzao wako kama nyota za angani na kama mchanga ulioko pwani. Wazao wako watamiliki miji ya adui zao,
ngempela ngizakubusisa ngenze izizukulwane zakho zibe zinengi njengezinkanyezi emkhathini lanjengetshebetshebe okhunjini lolwandle. Izizukulwane zakho zizawathatha amadolobho ezitha zazo,
18 na kupitia uzao wako mataifa yote duniani yatabarikiwa, kwa sababu umenitii.”
kuthi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa, ngoba ungilalele.”
19 Ndipo Abrahamu akawarudia watumishi wake, wakaondoka wakaenda wote pamoja mpaka Beer-Sheba. Abrahamu akaishi huko Beer-Sheba.
Emva kwalokho u-Abhrahama wabuyela ezincekwini zakhe, basebehamba bonke eBherishebha. U-Abhrahama wahlala eBherishebha.
20 Baada ya muda, Abrahamu akaambiwa, “Milka pia amepata watoto, amemzalia ndugu yako Nahori wana:
Emva kwesikhathi esithile u-Abhrahama watshelwa ukuthi, “UMilikha laye uselabantwana; sewazalela umfowenu uNahori amadodana:
21 Usi mzaliwa wake wa kwanza, Buzi nduguye, Kemueli (baba wa Aramu),
u-Uzi izibulo, uBhuzi umfowabo, uKhemuweli (uyise ka-Aramu),
22 Kesedi, Hazo, Pildashi, Yidlafu na Bethueli.”
uKhesedi, uHazo, uPhilidashi, uJidilafu loBhethuweli.”
23 Bethueli akamzaa Rebeka. Milka alimzalia Nahori nduguye Abrahamu hao wana wanane.
UBhethuweli wazala uRabheka. UMilikha wazala amadodana la ayisificaminwembili loNahori umfowabo ka-Abhrahama.
24 Suria wake Nahori aliyeitwa Reuma pia alikuwa na wana: Teba, Gahamu, Tahashi na Maaka.
Umfazi wakhe omncane owayethiwa nguRewuma laye wayelamadodana la: uThebha, uGahamu, uThahashi kanye loMahakha.
