Ulwaluko, umqondiso womnqophiso
1Akuba mashumi asithoba anethoba ubudala uAbram, wabonakala kuye *uNdikhoyo, wathi: “Mna ndinguThixo uSomandla. Uze undithobele, uhlale ungasoleki. 2Ndowugcina umnqophiso wam, ndikunike inzala eninzi.” 3Wakhahlela uAbram, ubuso baya kuthi ngqu phantsi; waza uThixo waqhuba wathi: 4“Ndikunika lo mnqophiso; ndithi uya kuba ngukhokho wezizwe ezininzi. 5Akusayi kuthiwa Abram kuwe; uya kuba nguAbraham, kuba uza kuba ngukhokho wezizwe ngezizwe. 6Ndiza kukupha inzala eninzi; abanye kuyo boba ziikumkani; kuya kuvela izizwe kuwe.
7“Andiyi kuwujika umnqophiso wam endiwenze nawe kunye nenzala yakho; uya kuhlala uhleli. Ndoba nguThixo wakho nenzala yakho. 8Lo mhlaba ungumfiki kuwo, ndiza kukunika wona uwume kunye nenzala yakho. Wonke umhlaba waseKanana uya kumiwa yinzala yakho ngalo lonke ixesha, mna ndibe nguThixo wabo.”
9Waqokela wathi uThixo kuAbraham: “Nawe ke, kwakunye nenzala yakho ngokunjalo, ze niwugcine umnqophiso wam nakwizizukulwana ezizayo. 10Nantsi into emaniyenze nina ukuwugcina kwenu umnqopiso wam: Wena kufuneka waluke, kwaluke lonke iduna phakathi kwabantu bakho. 11-12Ukususela ngoku wonke umntwana oyinkwenkwe kufuneka aluke eneentsuku ezisibhozo ubudala; nditsho nkqu nezicaka ezizalelwe phantsi kwakho kwanezo zingeneleleyo. Lowo ke uya kuba ngumqondiso womnqophiso phakathi kwakho nam. 13Makwaluke wonke umntu, oyinzalelwane kwanothengiweyo, ube ngumqondiso obonakalayo lowo wokuba umnqophiso wam nawe awusoze uphele. 14Nawuphi na umntu oliduna ongalukanga uya kuhlanjwa ngamawabo, kuba kaloku uwutyeshele umnqophiso wam.”
15Uqhube wathi uThixo kuAbraham: “Uze ungabuye uthi Sarayi kumkakho, yithi Sara. 16Ndiza kumthamsanqelisa, ndimenze akuzalele unyana. Ndiza kumsikelela abe ngunina wezizwe ngezizwe. Uya kuzala neekumkani.”
17Waqubuda uAbraham, waya kuthi ngqu ngobuso phantsi. Wasuka waphela yintsini akucinga ukuba umntu onekhulu leminyaka angazala umntwana. Yena uSara enamashumi alithoba nje, angamfumana umntwana? 18Wathi uAbraham kuThixo: “Kutheni ungaseluyeka nje ibe nguIshmayeli indlalifa yam?”
19Uthe uThixo: “Hayi, uSara umkakho uza kuzala inkwenkwe. Uzuthi nguIsake igama layo. Umnqophiso wam ndowugcina kuye nakwinzala yakhe ngalo lonke ixesha, ingumnqophiso ongayi kujika nanini na. 20Ndikuvile ucelela uIshmayeli, naye ndiza kumthamsanqelisa abe nabantwana abaninzi nesizukulwana esikhulu. Uya kuba nguyise weenkosi ezilishumi elinambini. Inzala yakhe iya kuba sisizwe esikhulu. 21Kodwa wona umnqophiso wam ndiya kuwugcinela unyana wakho uIsake, oya kuzalwa nguSara malunga neli xesha kunyaka ozayo.” 22Akuba etshilo kuAbraham uThixo wemka.
23Kwangaloo mini uAbraham wamthobela uThixo, wamalusa uIshmayeli nawo onke amanye amaduna emzini wakhe. Walusa izicaka ezazalelwa kwakhe, kwanezo zazithengiwe. 24Ukwaluka kwakhe uAbraham wayemashumi alithoba anethoba ubudala. 25Ukwaluka kwakhe uIshmayeli unyana ka-Abraham wayeneshumi elinesithathu leminyaka ubudala. 26Bobabini baluka ngamini-nye, 27kwakunye nezicaka zika-Abraham zonke.
