Mwanzo 26
1 Basi njaa kubwa ikawa katika nchi hiyo, kuliko ile njaa iliyotangulia iliyotokea wakati wa Abrahamu. Isaki akamwendea Abimeleki mfalme wa Wafilisti huko Gerari.
There was a famine in the land, in addition to the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, to Gerar.
2 Bwana akamtokea Isaki, akamwambia, “Usiende Misri, bali ukae katika nchi nitakayokuambia.
The LORD appeared to him, and said, “Don’t go down into Egypt. Live in the land I will tell you about.
3 Kaa katika nchi hii kwa kitambo, mimi nitakuwa pamoja na wewe na nitakubariki. Kwa maana nitakupa wewe na uzao wako nchi hizi zote na nitatimiza kiapo nilichomwapia Abrahamu baba yako.
Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For I will give to you, and to your offspring, all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.
4 Nitafanya wazao wako kuwa wengi kama nyota za angani, nami nitawapa nchi hizi zote na kutokana na uzao wako mataifa yote yatabarikiwa,
I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and will give all these lands to your offspring. In your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed,
5 kwa sababu Abrahamu alinitii mimi akatunza kanuni zangu na maagizo yangu, amri zangu pamoja na sheria zangu.”
because Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my requirements, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”
6 Hivyo Isaki akaishi huko Gerari.
Isaac lived in Gerar.
7 Watu wa mahali pale walipomuuliza habari za mke wake, akasema, “Huyu ni dada yangu,” kwa sababu aliogopa kusema, “Huyu ni mke wangu.” Alifikiri, “Watu wa mahali pale wataweza kumuua kwa sababu ya Rebeka, kwa kuwa alikuwa mzuri wa sura.”
The men of the place asked him about his wife. He said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “My wife”, lest, he thought, “the men of the place might kill me for Rebekah, because she is beautiful to look at.”
8 Wakati Isaki alipokuwa amekaa huko siku nyingi, Abimeleki mfalme wa Wafilisti akachungulia dirishani, akaona jinsi Isaki alivyomkumbatia Rebeka mke wake.
When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was caressing Rebekah, his wife.
9 Abimeleki akamwita Isaki akamwambia, “Hakika huyu ni mke wako! Mbona uliniambia, ‘Huyu ni dada yangu?’” Isaki akamjibu, “Kwa sababu nilifikiri ningeweza kuuawa kwa sababu yake.”
Abimelech called Isaac, and said, “Behold, surely she is your wife. Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest I die because of her.’”
10 Ndipo Abimeleki akamjibu, “Ni nini hiki ulichotufanyia? Ingewezekana mtu yeyote akawa amekutana kimwili na mke wako, nawe ungeleta hatia juu yetu.”
Abimelech said, “What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!”
11 Hivyo Abimeleki akatoa amri kwa watu wote, akisema, “Yeyote atakayemnyanyasa mtu huyu au mkewe hakika atauawa.”
Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
12 Isaki akapanda mazao katika nchi hiyo, kwa mwaka huo huo, akavuna mara mia, kwa sababu Bwana alimbariki.
Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year one hundred times what he planted. The LORD blessed him.
13 Isaki akawa tajiri, mali zake zikaendelea kuongezeka mpaka akawa tajiri sana.
The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
14 Akawa na mifugo ya kondoo na ngʼombe, na watumishi wengi sana, kiasi kwamba Wafilisti wakamwonea wivu.
He had possessions of flocks, possessions of herds, and a great household. The Philistines envied him.
15 Kwa hiyo visima vyote vilivyochimbwa na watumishi wakati wa Abrahamu baba yake, Wafilisti wakavifukia, wakavijaza udongo.
Now all the wells which his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped, and filled with earth.
16 Ndipo Abimeleki akamwambia Isaki, “Ondoka kwetu, kwa maana umetuzidi nguvu sana.”
Abimelech said to Isaac, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.”
17 Basi Isaki akatoka huko akajenga kambi katika Bonde la Gerari, akaishi huko.
Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there.
18 Ndipo Isaki akavichimbua tena vile visima vya maji ambavyo vilichimbwa siku zile za Abrahamu baba yake, ambavyo Wafilisti walivifukia baada ya kufa Abrahamu, akavipa majina yale yale ambayo baba yake alikuwa amevipa.
Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
19 Watumishi wa Isaki wakachimba katika lile bonde wakagundua huko kisima chenye maji safi.
Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water.
20 Lakini wachungaji wa Gerari wakagombana na wachungaji wa Isaki wakisema, “Maji haya ni yetu!” Ndipo akakiita kile kisima Eseki, kwa sababu waligombana naye.
The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him.
21 Kisha wakachimba kisima kingine, lakini hata hicho pia wakakigombania, akakiita Sitna.
They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. So he called its name Sitnah.
22 Akaondoka huko, akachimba kisima kingine, wala hakuna yeyote aliyekigombania. Akakiita Rehobothi, akisema, “Sasa Bwana ametufanyia nafasi, nasi tutastawi katika nchi.”
He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. So he called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”
23 Kutoka pale akaenda Beer-Sheba.
He went up from there to Beersheba.
24 Usiku ule Bwana akamtokea, akamwambia, “Mimi ndimi Mungu wa Abrahamu baba yako. Usiogope, kwa maana mimi niko pamoja nawe, nitakubariki na kuongeza idadi ya wazao wako kwa ajili ya Abrahamu mtumishi wangu.”
The LORD appeared to him the same night, and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you, and will bless you, and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
25 Isaki akajenga madhabahu huko, akaliitia jina la Bwana. Akapiga hema lake huko, nao watumishi wake wakachimba kisima.
He built an altar there, and called on the LORD’s name, and pitched his tent there. There Isaac’s servants dug a well.
26 Wakati huo, Abimeleki alikuwa amemjia kutoka Gerari, akifuatana na Ahuzathi mshauri wake, pamoja na Fikoli jemadari wa majeshi yake.
Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his friend, and Phicol the captain of his army.
27 Isaki akawauliza, “Mbona mmekuja kwangu na ninyi mlinichukia na kunifukuza?”
Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, since you hate me, and have sent me away from you?”
28 Wakamjibu, “Tuliona wazi kuwa Bwana alikuwa pamoja nawe, kwa hiyo tukasema, ‘Inabidi kuwe na kiapo cha mapatano kati yetu, kati yetu na wewe. Na tufanye mkataba pamoja nawe
They said, “We saw plainly that the LORD was with you. We said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, even between us and you, and let’s make a covenant with you,
29 kwamba hutatudhuru, kama jinsi nasi hatukuwanyanyasa bali tuliwatendea mema wakati wote na kuwaondoa kwetu kwa amani. Tena sasa umebarikiwa na Bwana.’”
that you will do us no harm, as we have not touched you, and as we have done to you nothing but good, and have sent you away in peace.’ You are now the blessed of the LORD.”
30 Basi Isaki akawaandalia karamu, nao wakala na kunywa.
He made them a feast, and they ate and drank.
31 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema, wakaapizana wao kwa wao. Kisha Isaki akawaruhusu waende zao, wakamwacha Isaki kwa amani.
They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
32 Siku hiyo watumishi wa Isaki wakaja wakampa habari kuhusu kisima walichokuwa wamekichimba, wakamwambia, “Tumepata maji!”
The same day, Isaac’s servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had dug, and said to him, “We have found water.”
33 Naye akakiita Shiba, mpaka leo mji huo unaitwa Beer-Sheba.
He called it “Shibah”. Therefore the name of the city is “Beersheba” to this day.
34 Esau alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini, akamwoa Yudithi binti Beeri Mhiti, kisha akamwoa Basemathi binti Eloni Mhiti.
When Esau was forty years old, he took as wife Judith, the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
35 Hawa walikuwa chanzo cha huzuni ya Isaki na Rebeka.
They grieved Isaac’s and Rebekah’s spirits.
