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.
Kwasekusiba lendlala elizweni, ngaphandle kwendlala yakuqala eyayikhona ngesikhathi sika-Abhrahama, u-Isaka waya ku-Abhimelekhi inkosi yamaFilistiya eGerari.
2 Bwana akamtokea Isaki, akamwambia, “Usiende Misri, bali ukae katika nchi nitakayokuambia.
UThixo wabonakala ku-Isaka wathi, “Ungehleli eGibhithe; hlala elizweni engithi hlala khona.
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.
Ake uhlale kulelilizwe okwesikhatshana, mina ngizakuba lawe ngikubusise. Ngoba wena lezizukulwane zakho ngizalinika wonke amazwe la njalo ngiqinise isifungo engasifunga kuyihlo u-Abhrahama.
4 Nitafanya wazao wako kuwa wengi kama nyota za angani, nami nitawapa nchi hizi zote na kutokana na uzao wako mataifa yote yatabarikiwa,
Ngizakwenza izizukulwane zakho zibe zinengi njengezinkanyezi emkhathini, ngizinike wonke lamazwe, njalo kuthi ngenzalo yakho zonke izizwe emhlabeni zizabusiswa,
5 kwa sababu Abrahamu alinitii mimi akatunza kanuni zangu na maagizo yangu, amri zangu pamoja na sheria zangu.”
ngoba u-Abhrahama wangilalela, wagcina izimiso zami, lemilayo yami, kanye lemithetho yami.”
6 Hivyo Isaki akaishi huko Gerari.
Ngakho u-Isaka wahlala eGerari.
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.”
Kwathi lapho abantu baleyondawo bembuza ngomkakhe wathi, “Ngudadewethu,” ngoba wayesesaba ukuthi, “Ngumkami.” Wacabanga wathi, “Amadoda alapha angangibulala ngenxa kaRabheka, ngoba muhle kakhulu.”
8 Wakati Isaki alipokuwa amekaa huko siku nyingi, Abimeleki mfalme wa Wafilisti akachungulia dirishani, akaona jinsi Isaki alivyomkumbatia Rebeka mke wake.
Kwathi u-Isaka esehlale khona okwesikhathi eside, u-Abhimelekhi inkosi yamaFilistiya wakhangela ngefasitela wabona u-Isaka egone umkakhe uRabheka.
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.”
Ngakho wasebiza u-Isaka wathi, “Kanti ngumkakho ngeqiniso! Kungani uthe ungudadewenu?” U-Isaka wamphendula wathi, “Ngoba ngakhumbula ukuthi ngingalahlekelwa yimpilo yami ngenxa yakhe.”
10 Ndipo Abimeleki akamjibu, “Ni nini hiki ulichotufanyia? Ingewezekana mtu yeyote akawa amekutana kimwili na mke wako, nawe ungeleta hatia juu yetu.”
U-Abhimelekhi wasesithi, “Kuyini lokhu okwenzileyo kithi? Omunye wamadoda ubezaqabuka elala laye umkakho, ubususibangela icala.”
11 Hivyo Abimeleki akatoa amri kwa watu wote, akisema, “Yeyote atakayemnyanyasa mtu huyu au mkewe hakika atauawa.”
Ngakho u-Abhimelekhi wasekhupha umlayo ebantwini bonke wathi, “Lowo ozake ayithinte indoda le loba umkayo ngempela uzabulawa.”
12 Isaki akapanda mazao katika nchi hiyo, kwa mwaka huo huo, akavuna mara mia, kwa sababu Bwana alimbariki.
U-Isaka walima amabele kulelolizwe, ngalowomnyaka wavuna okuphindwe ngekhulu, ngoba uThixo wambusisa.
13 Isaki akawa tajiri, mali zake zikaendelea kuongezeka mpaka akawa tajiri sana.
Umuntu lo wanotha kakhulu, lemfuyo yakhe yanda kakhulukazi.
14 Akawa na mifugo ya kondoo na ngʼombe, na watumishi wengi sana, kiasi kwamba Wafilisti wakamwonea wivu.
Waba lemihlambi yezimvu lenkomo emikhulu kakhulu, kanye lezisebenzi ezinengi, amaFilistiya aze aba lomona ngaye.
15 Kwa hiyo visima vyote vilivyochimbwa na watumishi wakati wa Abrahamu baba yake, Wafilisti wakavifukia, wakavijaza udongo.
Kwasekusithi yonke imithombo eyayigejwe yizisebenzi ngesikhathi sikayise u-Abhrahama, amaFilistiya ayivala ngokuyigqibela ngenhlabathi.
16 Ndipo Abimeleki akamwambia Isaki, “Ondoka kwetu, kwa maana umetuzidi nguvu sana.”
U-Abhimelekhi wasesithi ku-Isaka, “Suka kithi; ususuke waba lamandla kakhulu kulathi.”
17 Basi Isaki akatoka huko akajenga kambi katika Bonde la Gerari, akaishi huko.
Ngakho u-Isaka wasuka lapho wayakuma eSigodini saseGerari, wahle wakha khona.
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.
U-Isaka wayiphanda imithombo eyayigejwe ngesikhathi sikayise u-Abhrahama, eyayigqitshelwe ngamaFilistiya ngemva kokuba u-Abhrahama esefile, wayibiza ngalawo mabizo uyise ayeyibiza ngawo.
19 Watumishi wa Isaki wakachimba katika lile bonde wakagundua huko kisima chenye maji safi.
Izisebenzi zika-Isaka zagebha esigodini zafumana umthombo olamanzi amahle khonapho.
20 Lakini wachungaji wa Gerari wakagombana na wachungaji wa Isaki wakisema, “Maji haya ni yetu!” Ndipo akakiita kile kisima Eseki, kwa sababu waligombana naye.
Kodwa abelusi baseGerari baxabana labelusi baka-Isaka bathi, “Amanzi la ngawethu!” Ngakho umthombo lowo wawuthi yi-Eseki, ngoba bawubanga laye.
21 Kisha wakachimba kisima kingine, lakini hata hicho pia wakakigombania, akakiita Sitna.
Ngakho basebesimba omunye umthombo, kodwa lawo bawubanga njalo; wasewubiza ngokuthi yiSithina.
22 Akaondoka huko, akachimba kisima kingine, wala hakuna yeyote aliyekigombania. Akakiita Rehobothi, akisema, “Sasa Bwana ametufanyia nafasi, nasi tutastawi katika nchi.”
Wasuka lapho wayagebha omunye umthombo, akwabe kusaba khona owubangayo. Wawuthi yiRehobhothi, esithi, “Manje uThixo usesiphile indawo, sesizaphumelela kuleli ilizwe.”
23 Kutoka pale akaenda Beer-Sheba.
Esuka lapho waya eBherishebha.
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.”
Ngalobobusuku uThixo wabonakala kuye wathi, “NginguNkulunkulu kayihlo u-Abhrahama. Ungesabi, ngoba ngilawe; ngizakubusisa ngandise ubunengi bezizukulwane zakho ngenxa yenceku yami u-Abhrahama.”
25 Isaki akajenga madhabahu huko, akaliitia jina la Bwana. Akapiga hema lake huko, nao watumishi wake wakachimba kisima.
U-Isaka wakha i-Alithari khonapho wamemeza ibizo likaThixo. Wamisa ithente lakhe khonapho, izisebenzi zakhe zemba umthombo khonapho.
26 Wakati huo, Abimeleki alikuwa amemjia kutoka Gerari, akifuatana na Ahuzathi mshauri wake, pamoja na Fikoli jemadari wa majeshi yake.
Ngalesosikhathi u-Abhimelekhi weza kuye evela eGerari, elo-Ahuzathi umeluleki wakhe loFikholi umlawuli wamabutho akhe.
27 Isaki akawauliza, “Mbona mmekuja kwangu na ninyi mlinichukia na kunifukuza?”
U-Isaka wababuza wathi, “Lilandeni kimi, njengoba lalingizonda laze langixotsha?”
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
Bamphendula bathi, “Sabona kamhlophe ukuthi uThixo wayelawe; yikho sasesicabanga ukuthi kumele kube lesivumelwano esibotshiweyo phakathi kwethu lawe. Kasenze isibopho lawe
29 kwamba hutatudhuru, kama jinsi nasi hatukuwanyanyasa bali tuliwatendea mema wakati wote na kuwaondoa kwetu kwa amani. Tena sasa umebarikiwa na Bwana.’”
esokuthi kawusoze usihlukuluze, njengoba lathi singazange sikulimaze ngalutho kodwa sakuvalelisa ngokuthula. Khathesi usubusisiwe nguThixo.”
30 Basi Isaki akawaandalia karamu, nao wakala na kunywa.
U-Isaka wasebenzela idili, badla banatha.
31 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema, wakaapizana wao kwa wao. Kisha Isaki akawaruhusu waende zao, wakamwacha Isaki kwa amani.
Ekuseni kakhulu ngelanga elilandelayo amadoda wonke enza isifungo omunye komunye. U-Isaka wasebavulela indlela bahamba ngokuthula.
32 Siku hiyo watumishi wa Isaki wakaja wakampa habari kuhusu kisima walichokuwa wamekichimba, wakamwambia, “Tumepata maji!”
Ngalolosuku izisebenzi zika-Isaka zabuya zamtshela ngomthombo ezaziwugebhile. Zathi, “Sesiwatholile amanzi!”
33 Naye akakiita Shiba, mpaka leo mji huo unaitwa Beer-Sheba.
Wawuthi yiShibha, osekuze kube namuhla idolobho kuthiwa yiBherishebha.
34 Esau alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini, akamwoa Yudithi binti Beeri Mhiti, kisha akamwoa Basemathi binti Eloni Mhiti.
Kwathi u-Esawu eseleminyaka yobudala engamatshumi amane, wathatha uJudithi indodakazi kaBheri umHithi njalo loBhasemathi indodakazi ka-Eloni umHithi.
35 Hawa walikuwa chanzo cha huzuni ya Isaki na Rebeka.
Baletha ukukhathazeka kakhulu ku-Isaka loRabheka.
