Ukubizwa kuka-Abram
UBawo wethu uyalela u-Abram ukuba ashiye yonke into ayiqhelileyo aye ezweni elingachazwanga, emthembisa intsikelelo efikelela kuzo zonke iintsapho zomhlaba. U-Abram uhamba eneminyaka engamashumi asixhenxe anamihlanu. Emva koko indlala imqhubela eGibhithe, apho athi uSarayi ngudade wabo ukuze asinde.
12 1Wathi uBawo wethu ku-Abram: “Phuma ezweni lakho, nasezizalwaneni zakho, nasendlwini kayihlo, uye ezweni endiya kukubonisa lona. 2Ndiya kukwenza uhlanga olukhulu, ndikusikelele; ndiya kwenza igama lakho libe likhulu, ukuze ube yintsikelelo. 3Ndiya kubasikelela abo bakusikelelayo, ke lowo ukuqalekisayo ndiya kumqalekisa; yaye ngawe zonke iintsapho zomhlaba ziya kusikelelwa.” a a v3 UPawulos ubiza esi sibhalo ngokuba ziindaba ezilungileyo ezashunyayelwa kuAbraham ngaphambili — zonke iintsapho zomhlaba zisikelelwa ngaye, zazaliseka ngoYesu (Galati 3:8).
4Wahamba ke uAbram njengoko wayetshilo uBawo wethu kuye, ehamba noLote. UAbram wayeminyaka imashumi asixhenxe anamihlanu ukumka kwakhe kwelakwaHaran. 5Wamthabatha uAbram umkakhe uSarayi, enoLote unyana womninawa wakhe, nezinto zonke ababezihlanganisile, nabantu ababebazuzile kwelakwaHaran, banduluka besinga ezweni lakwaKanan, bafika ezweni lakwaKanan. 6UAbram wacanda kwelo zwe wesa endaweni yaseShekem, waya eMiokini kaMore. AmaKanan ayesekhona ngelo xesha kwelo zwe.
7Waza uBawo wethu wabonakala kuAbram, esithi: “Eli lizwe ndiya kulinika imbewu yakho.” Wakhela khona uAbram isibingelelo kuBawo wethu, lowo owayebonakele kuye. b b v7 UPawulos uyifunda “imbewu” apha njengenzala enye — nguYesu — ekuthi ngayo intsikelelo ka-Abraham ifikelele kuzo zonke iintlanga (Galati 3:16).
8Wesuka apho wafudukela entabeni ngasempumalanga kweBheteli, wayimisa khona intente yakhe, iBheteli ingasentshonalanga, iAyi ingasempumalanga. Wakhela khona uBawo wethu isibingelelo, wanqula igama likaBawo wethu. 9Waza uAbram wahamba, enduluka esinga kwelasezantsi.
Indlala Nendlela Eya EYiputa
10Ekubeni indlala yayilihlasele ilizwe, uAbram wehla waya eYiputa ukuba ahlale khona, kuba indlala yayinzima kwelo zwe. 11Xa wasondela eYiputa, wathi kuSarayi umkakhe: “Ndiyazi ukuba uyinkazana entle. 12Xa amaYiputa akubonayo, aya kuthi, ‘Ngumfazi wakhe lo,’ andibulale ke mna, akusindise wena. 13Khawuthi ungudade wethu, ukuze kundilungele ngenxa yakho, ndisinde ke mna ngenxa yakho.”
14Kwathi, akuba engenile uAbram eYiputa, amaYiputa abona ukuba inkazana leyo yayintle kunene. 15Abathetheli bakaFaro bayibona, bayidumisa kuFaro, yangeniswa inkazana leyo endlwini kaFaro. 16Wamphatha kakuhle uAbram ngenxa yayo, waye uAbram eqweba impahla emfutshane, neenkomo, neenkunzi neemazi zamaesile, nabakhonzi nabakhonzazana, neenkamela. 17Kodwa uBawo wethu, ngenxa kaSarayi umka-Abram, wathumela izibetho ezikhulu kuFaro nakwabendlu yakhe. 18Wambizela kuye uFaro uAbram, wathi: “Yenze ntoni na kum le nto? Yini na ukuba ungandixelelanga ukuba ngumkakho? 19Yini na ukuba uthi, ‘Ngudade wethu,’ ndaza ndamthabatha waba ngumkam? Nanku ke umkakho, mthabathe uhambe.”
20UFaro wawisela amadoda akhe umthetho ngaye uAbram, aza amndulula nomkakhe nezinto zonke abenazo.
