Ukubizwa kuka-Abhrama
UBaba wethu utshela u-Abrama ukuba ashiye konke akujwayele aye ezweni elingashiwongo igama, emthembisa isibusiso esifinyelela kuyo yonke imindeni yomhlaba. U-Abrama uyahamba eneminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu. Bese indlala imqhubela eGibithe, lapho ethi uSarayi ungudadewabo ukuze asinde.
12 1UBaba wethu wathi ku-Abhrama: “Suka ezweni lakini, nasezihlotsheni zakho, nasendlini kayihlo, uye ezweni engiyakukukhombisa lona. 2Ngiyakukwenza ube yisizwe esikhulu, ngikubusise; ngiyakwenza igama lakho libe likhulu, ukuze ube yisibusiso. 3Ngiyakubabusisa abakubusisayo, nalowo okuqalekisayo ngiyakumqalekisa; futhi ngawe yonke imindeni yomhlaba iyakubusiswa.” a a v3 UPawulu ubiza leli vesi ngokuthi yivangeli elashunyayelwa ku-Abhrahama kusengaphambili — yonke imindeni yomhlaba ibusiswa ngaye, kugcwaliseka ngoJesu (KwabaseGalathiya 3:8).
4U-Abhrama wahamba njengoba uBaba wethu etshilo kuye, noLoti wahamba naye. U-Abhrama wayeneminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu mhla esuka eHarana. 5U-Abhrama wathatha uSarayi umkakhe, noLoti indodana kamfowabo, nayo yonke impahla ababeyiqoqile, nabantu ababebatholile eHarana, baphuma baya ezweni laseKhanani, bafika ezweni laseKhanani. 6U-Abhrama wadabula leli zwe waze wafika endaweni yaseShekhemi, emthini omkhulu waseMore. Ngaleso sikhathi amaKhanani ayesekhona kuleli zwe.
7UBaba wethu wabonakala ku-Abhrama, wathi: “Ngiyakunika inzalo yakho leli zwe.” Ngakho u-Abhrama wakhela uBaba wethu i-altare lapho, owayebonakele kuye. b b v7 UPawulu ulifunda leli gama elithi “inzalo” lapha njengenzalo eyodwa — uJesu — okuthi ngaye isibusiso sika-Abhrahama sifinyelele kuzo zonke izizwe (KwabaseGalathiya 3:16).
8Esuka lapho wathuthela ezintabeni ngasempumalanga kweBhetheli, wamisa itende lakhe, iBhetheli lalisentshonalanga, i-Ayi lalisempumalanga. Wakhela uBaba wethu i-altare lapho, wabiza egameni likaBaba wethu. 9U-Abhrama waqhubeka nendlela yakhe, eya ngaseNegebi.
Indlala Nendlela Eya eGibhithe
10Njengoba indlala yayiwubhahela izwe, u-Abhrama wehlela eGibhithe ukuba ahlale khona, ngokuba indlala yayinkulu ezweni. 11Esondela eGibhithe, wathi kuSarayi umkakhe: “Ngiyazi ukuthi ungowesifazane omuhle. 12Lapho amaGibhithe ekubona, ayakuthi, ‘Ngumkakhe lo,’ abese engibulala kodwa akugcine uphila. 13Ake uthi ungudadewethu, ukuze kungihambele kahle ngenxa yakho, ngisinde ngenxa yakho.”
14Kwathi u-Abhrama engena eGibhithe, amaGibhithe abona ukuthi lo wesifazane wayemuhle kakhulu. 15Izikhulu zikaFaro zambona, zamdumisa kuFaro, lo wesifazane wathathwa wangeniswa esigodlweni sikaFaro. 16Waphatha kahle u-Abhrama ngenxa yakhe, u-Abhrama wazuza izimvu, nezinkomo, nezimbongolo eziduna nezinsikazi, nezinceku nezincekukazi, namakamela. 17Kodwa uBaba wethu wamshaya uFaro nendlu yakhe ngezinhlupheko ezinkulu ngenxa kaSarayi, umka-Abhrama. 18UFaro wabiza u-Abhrama, wathi: “Yini le oyenze kimi na? Kungani ungangitshelanga ukuthi ungumkakho? 19Kungani uthe, ‘Ungudadewethu,’ ngaze ngamthatha waba ngumkami na? Nangu umkakho manje—mthathe uhambe.”
20UFaro wayala amadoda akhe ngo-Abhrama, amndulula kanye nomkakhe nakho konke ayenakho.
