UJuda Uyaphambuka
UJuda ushiya abafowabo futhi ulahlekelwa ngamadodana amabili uBaba wethu awabulala, bese eshiya umalokazana wakhe ongumfelokazi elenga engazi ukuthi uzokwenzenjani. UTamari uzimboza ngeveli, uthatha isibambiso sakhe njengenkokhelo, futhi asiveze lapho eyalela ukuba ashiswe. UJuda uyavuma ukuthi ulungile ukudlula yena.
38 1Ngaleso sikhathi uJuda wehlukana nabafowabo waya kwenye indoda yase-Adulamu, ogama layo linguHira. 2Khona lapho uJuda wabona indodakazi yomKhanani, ogama lakhe linguShuwa. Wayithatha, walala nayo. 3Wakhulelwa wazala indodana, uJuda wayiqamba igama wathi u-Eri. 4Waphinda wakhulelwa wazala indodana, wayiqamba igama wathi u-Onani. 5Waphinda futhi wazala enye indodana, wayiqamba igama wathi uShela; wayese-Khezibi ngesikhathi eyizala. 6UJuda wathathela indodana yakhe eyizibulo, u-Eri, umfazi; igama lakhe lalinguTamari. 7Kodwa u-Eri, izibulo likaJuda, wayemubi phambi kukaBaba wethu, uBaba wethu wambulala. 8UJuda wathi ku-Onani: “Lala nomfazi womfowenu, wenze umsebenzi wakho njengomkhwenyana kuye, umvusele umfowenu inzalo.” a a v8 Ngokwesiko lasendulo, indoda umfowabo owafa engenazingane yayizala ingane nomfelokazi ukuze kuqhutshekwe igama lomfowabo—umsebenzi u-Onani awenqaba. 9Kodwa u-Onani wayazi ukuthi inzalo ngeke ibe ngeyakhe, ngakho njalo lapho elala nomfazi womfowabo, wayechithela imbewu yakhe emhlabathini, ukuze angamzaleli umfowabo inzalo. 10Lokho akwenza kwakukubi emehlweni kaBaba wethu, ngakho wambulala naye. 11UJuda wathi kumalokazana wakhe uTamari: “Hlala ungumfelokazi endlini kayihlo, aze akhule uShela indodana yami”—ecabanga ethi: “Angafa njengabafowabo.” Ngakho uTamari wahlala endlini kayise.
12Emva kwesikhathi eside, umkaJuda, indodakazi kaShuwa, wafa. Kwathi uJuda eseduduzekile, yena nomngane wakhe uHira wase-Adulamu benyukela kubagundi bezimvu zakhe eThimna. 13UTamari watshelwa kwathiwa: “Uyihlozala wenyukela eThimna ukuyogunda izimvu zakhe.” 14Ngakho wakhumula izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi, wazimboza ngeveli, wazisonga, wahlala emnyango wase-Enayimi, osendleleni eya eThimna—ngokuba wabona ukuthi uShela usekhulile, kodwa yena wayengamnikwanga ukuba abe ngumkakhe. 15Kwathi uJuda emubona, wacabanga ukuthi uyisifebe, ngokuba wayembozile ubuso bakhe. 16Waphendukela kuye eceleni kwendlela wathi: “Ake ngilale nawe”—engazi ukuthi ungumalokazana wakhe. Yena wathi: “Uzonginikani ukuze ulale nami?”
17Wathi: “Ngizokuthumela izinyane lembuzi emhlambini.” Yena wathi: “Uzonginika isibambiso uze ulithumele na?”
18Wathi: “Ngikunike siphi isibambiso?” Yena wathi: “Uphawu lwakho, nentambo yalo, nodondolo olusesandleni sakho.” Wazinika kuye, walala naye, wakhulelwa nguye.
19Wasukuma wahamba, wakhumula iveli lakhe, waphinda wagqoka izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi. 20UJuda wathumela izinyane lembuzi ngomngane wakhe wase-Adulamu, ukuba abuyise isibambiso kowesifazane, kodwa akamtholanga. 21Wabuza amadoda akhona wathi: “Siphi isifebe sethempeli ebeliseceleni kwendlela e-Enayimi na?” Bathi: “Akukho sifebe sethempeli esike saba lapha.”
22Ngakho wabuyela kuJuda wathi: “Angimtholanga, namadoda akhona athe akukho sifebe sethempeli esike saba khona.” 23UJuda wathi: “Makazigcine, funa sihlekwe. Ngimthumelele leli nyane lembuzi, kodwa wena awumtholanga.”
24Emva kwezinyanga ezingaba ntathu, uJuda watshelwa kwathiwa: “Umalokazana wakho uTamari ufebile, futhi manje usekhulelwe ngakho.” UJuda wathi: “Mkhipheni nimshise!”
25Kwathi esakhishwa, wathumela izwi kuyihlozala wathi: “Ngikhulelwe yindoda okungeyayo lokhu. Ake ubone ukuthi lolu phawu, nentambo, nodondolo kungokukabani.”
26UJuda wakubona wathi: “Ulunge kunami, ngokuba angimnikanga uShela indodana yami.” Akabe esalala naye futhi.
27Kwathi sekufika isikhathi sokubeletha kwakhe, kwakukhona amawele esiswini sakhe. 28Kwathi esabeletha, enye yakhipha isandla. Umbelethisi waboshela intambo ebomvu kuso wathi: “Lo uphume kuqala.” 29Kwathi esabuyisela isandla sakhe, kwaphuma umfowabo, wathi: “Yeka ukufohla ozifohlele khona!” Ngakho lowo waphuma waqanjwa igama wathiwa uPheresi. b b v29 UPheresi—ogama lakhe lisho ‘ukufohla’—uba yikhokho wenkosi uDavide, kuthi ngoDavide, abe yikhokho likaJesu (Mathewu 1:3; uRuthe 4:18-22). UBaba wethu weluka uzalo lweNdodana yakhe adabula esahlukweni esingalindelekile kunazo zonke, ehlonipha ukwethembeka kukaTamari, eqala uzalo oluphela emkhombeni. 30Emva kwalokho kwaphuma umfowabo enentambo ebomvu esandleni sakhe, waqanjwa igama wathiwa uZera. c c v30 Igama elithi uZera lihlotshaniswa ‘nokukhanya’ noma ‘nokuntwela kokusa.’
