UBaba wethu uvakashela u-Abhrahama
Izivakashi ezintathu zamukela ukungenisa izihambi kuka-Abrahama ngokushesha, enye iphinda isithembiso sendodana. USara uhleka ngemva kwetende, abanjwe ngobumnene. Bese u-Abrahama encengana noBaba wethu, ehla kusukela kwabangamashumi amahlanu abalungileyo eSodoma kuya kwabayishumi.
18 1UBaba wethu wabonakala ku-Abhrahama ngasezihlahleni zama-oki zaseMamre, lapho ehlezi emnyango wetende lakhe ekushiseni kwemini. a a v1 Kulo lonke iTestamente eLidala uBaba wethu uvela ngezindlela abantwana bakhe abangahlangana naye ngazo — njengamadoda, emlilweni nasefwini, njengesithunywa. Lo oza ku-Abhrahama lapha nguBaba wethu, obelokhu ebaphishekela abantwana bakhe ngothando. 2Waphakamisa amehlo, wabona amadoda amathathu emi eduze naye. Ewabona, wagijima esuka emnyango wetende lakhe ukuyowahlangabeza, wakhothama phansi. 3Wathi: “Baba wami oyiNkosi, uma ngithole umusa kuwe, ngiyakucela ungadluli inceku yakho. 4Makulethwe amanzi amancane ukuze nigeze izinyawo zenu, niphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla. 5Mangilethe ucezu lwesinkwa ukuze niqabule imiphefumulo yenu ngaphambi kokuba niqhubeke, njengoba nize encekwini yenu.” Bathi: “Yenza njengoba ushilo.”
6U-Abhrahama washesha wangena etendeni kuSara wathi: “Shesha, thatha amaphawundi angamashumi amabili nanhlanu empuphu ecolekileyo, uyixove, wenze isinkwa.” 7U-Abhrahama wagijimela emhlanjini wezinkomo, wathatha ithole elihle elithambileyo, walinika inceku, eyashesha ukulilungisa. 8Wathatha amasi, nobisi, nethole elase lilungisiwe, wakubeka phambi kwamadoda, wabe esema eduze kwawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, edla.
9Ambuza: “Uphi uSara umkakho?” Wathi: “Nanguya, etendeni.”
10UBaba wethu wathi: “Ngempela ngizobuyela kuwe ngalesi sikhathi ngonyaka ozayo, uSara umkakho uzakuba nendodana.” USara wayelalele emnyango wetende owawungemuva kwakhe.
11U-Abhrahama noSara base bebadala, beneminyaka eminingi; uSara wayengasenaso isikhathi sabesifazane. 12USara wahleka ngaphakathi kwakhe, wathi: “Emva kokuba sengigugile, ngizakuba nenjabulo yini, inkosi yami nayo isindala?”
13UBaba wethu wathi ku-Abhrahama: “Kungani uSara ehlekile, ethi, ‘Ngizozala ngempela umntwana, mina osengimdala kangaka?’ 14Kukhona yini okulukhuni kakhulu kuBaba wakho? Ngizobuyela kuwe ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngonyaka ozayo, uSara abe nendodana.”
15USara waphika, wathi: “Angihlekanga,” ngokuba wayesaba. Wathi: “Cha, uhlekile.”
Ukubheka ngaseSodoma
16Amadoda asuka lapho, abheka phansi ngaseSodoma, u-Abhrahama wahamba nawo ukuwaphelezela.
17UBaba wethu wathi: “Ngizokufihla yini ku-Abhrahama lokho esengizokwenza, 18njengoba u-Abhrahama eyoba yisizwe esikhulu nesinamandla ngempela, nezizwe zonke zomhlaba zizobusiswa ngaye? 19Ngokuba ngimkhethile, ukuze ayale abantwana bakhe nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe ukuba bagcine indlela yami ngokwenza okulungileyo nokufaneleyo, ukuze ngigcwalise lokho engikuthembise u-Abhrahama.” 20UBaba wethu wathi: “Ukukhala okumelene neSodoma neGomora kukhulu, nesono sabo sibi kakhulu, 21ngizakwehla ngibone ukuthi benzile ngokuphelele yini njengokukhala okufinyelele kimi; uma kungenjalo, ngizakwazi.”
22Ngakho amadoda aphenduka lapho aya ngaseSodoma, kodwa u-Abhrahama wasala emi phambi kukaBaba wethu. 23U-Abhrahama wasondela wathi: “Uzobakhukhula ngempela yini abalungileyo kanye nababi? 24Ake sithi kukhona abalungileyo abangamashumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi—uzawukhukhula ngempela yini, ungayekeli leyo ndawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamashumi amahlanu abakuyo? 25Makube kude nawe ukubulala abalungileyo kanye nababi, ubaphathe ngokufanayo! Makube kude nawe! UMahluleli womhlaba wonke akayikwenza yini ubulungiswa?”
26UBaba wethu wathi: “Uma ngithola abalungileyo abangamashumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi waseSodoma, ngizayiyekela yonke leyo ndawo ngenxa yabo.”
27U-Abhrahama wathi: “Nginesibindi sokukhuluma kuBaba wami oyiNkosi, noma ngiluthuli nomlotha kuphela.
28Ake sithi abalungileyo abangamashumi amahlanu bantula abahlanu. Uzawubhubhisa yini wonke umuzi ngenxa yabahlanu?” UBaba wethu wathi: “Angiyikuwubhubhisa uma ngithola abangamashumi amane nanhlanu lapho.”
29Waphinda wakhuluma kuye: “Ake sithi kutholakala abangamashumi amane lapho.” Wathi: “Ngenxa yabangamashumi amane angiyikukwenza.”
30U-Abhrahama wathi: “Baba wami oyiNkosi, mawungathukutheli, ake ngikhulume. Ake sithi kutholakala abangamashumi amathathu lapho.” Wathi: “Angiyikukwenza uma ngithola abangamashumi amathathu lapho.”
31U-Abhrahama wathi: “Njengoba nginesibindi sokukhuluma kuBaba wami oyiNkosi, ake sithi kutholakala abangamashumi amabili kuphela lapho.” Wathi: “Ngenxa yabangamashumi amabili, angiyikuwubhubhisa.”
32Wabe esethi: “Baba wami oyiNkosi, mawungathukutheli, ake ngikhulume kuphela kanye futhi: ake sithi kutholakala abayishumi kuphela lapho.” UBaba wethu wathi: “Ngenxa yabayishumi, angiyikuwubhubhisa.”
33Lapho uBaba wethu eseqedile ukukhuluma no-Abhrahama, wahamba; u-Abhrahama wabuyela endaweni yakhe.
