UGenesisi
17 U-Abrama wathi eseleminyaka engu-99 uJehova wabonakala kuye wathi: “NginguNkulunkulu uSomandla. Hamba ezindleleni zami, utshengise ukuthi umsulwa.* 2 Ngizakwenza isivumelwano phakathi kwami lawe+ futhi ngizakwandisa kakhulukazi.”+
3 U-Abrama wathi ekuzwa lokhu waguqa wakhothamisa ikhanda, uNkulunkulu waseqhubeka ekhuluma laye esithi: 4 “Mina ngokwami ngenza isivumelwano lawe+ njalo uzakuba nguyise wezizwe ezinengi.+ 5 Awusoze uphinde ubizwe ngokuthi ungu-Abrama* kodwa usuzabizwa ngokuthi ungu-Abrahama* ngoba ngizakwenza ube nguyise wezizwe ezinengi. 6 Ngizakwenza ukuthi uzale abantwana abanengi kakhulu, ngenze ukuthi kuwe kuvele izizwe ezinengi njalo amakhosi azavela kuwe.+
7 “Ngizasigcina isivumelwano esiphakathi kwami lawe+ lenzalo yakho ezalandela* ngemva kwakho, kuzo zonke izizukulwane zenu. Lesi yisivumelwano esingapheliyo, esokuthi mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wakho lowenzalo yakho ezalandela* ngemva kwakho. 8 Kanti njalo ilizwe ohlezi kulo ungowezizweni+ ngizalinika wena lenzalo yakho ezalandela* ngemva kwakho, lonke nje ilizwe leKhenani. Lizakuba ngelabo kokuphela njalo ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wabo.”+
9 UNkulunkulu waphinda wathi ku-Abrahama: “Kumele ugcine isivumelwano engisenze lawe, wena kanye lenzalo yakho ezalandela* ngemva kwakho kuzo zonke izizukulwane zabo. 10 Nansi-ke isivumelwano esiphakathi kwami lani, okumele wena labantwabakho* lisigcine: Wonke umuntu wesilisa ophakathi kwenu kumele asokwe.+ 11 Kumele lisoke njalo lokhu kuzakuba luphawu lwesivumelwano esiphakathi kwami lani.+ 12 Kuzo zonke izizukulwane zakho, wonke umuntu wesilisa oselamalanga angu-8 ezelwe kumele asokwe,+ loba ngubani ozelwe endlini yakho, laloba ngubani ongasimntanakho labo bonke abathengwe ngemali ebantwini bezinye izizwe. 13 Wonke umuntu wesilisa ozalwa endlini yakho, lothengwe ngemali yakho kumele asokwe+ njalo isivumelwano sami esisenyameni yenu sizakuba yisivumelwano esizahlala isikhathi eside. 14 Loba nguphi owesilisa ongasoze asoke kumele abulawe ngoba uyabe ephule isivumelwano sami.”
15 UNkulunkulu wasesithi ku-Abrahama: “Umkakho uSarayi*+ ungasambizi ngokuthi nguSarayi ngoba usezabizwa ngokuthi nguSara.* 16 Ngizambusisa njalo uzakuzalela indodana,+ ngizambusisa futhi kuye kuzavela izizwe ezinengi; amakhosi ezizwe zonke azavela kuye.” 17 U-Abrahama wathi ekuzwa lokhu waguqa wakhothamisa ikhanda wahleka, wasesithi enhliziyweni yakhe:+ “Kambe indoda eleminyaka engu-100 ingazala umntwana? USara angamzala yini umntwana yena eseleminyaka engu-90?”+
18 Ngakho u-Abrahama wathi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso: “Ngicela ubusise u-Ishmayeli.”+ 19 UNkulunkulu wasesithi: “Umkakho uSara uzakuzalela indodana sibili futhi kumele uyinike ibizo elithi Isaka.*+ Ngizakwenza isivumelwano layo njalo sizakuba yisivumelwano esingapheliyo futhi sizasebenza lakuzizukulwane zayo ezizalandela ngemva kwayo.+ 20 Kodwa okukhulumileyo ngo-Ishmayeli ngikuzwile. Laye ngizambusisa, ngimandise kakhulu, ngimenze abe labantwana abanengi. Kuzavela izinduna ezingu-12 kuye futhi ngizamenza abe yisizwe esikhulu.+ 21 Lanxa kunjalo, isivumelwano sami ngizasenza lo-Isaka,+ lowo ozamzalelwa nguSara ngalesisikhathi esibekiweyo ngomnyaka ozayo.”+
22 UNkulunkulu wathi eseqedile ukukhuluma lo-Abrahama wasuka kuye. 23 U-Abrahama wasethatha indodana yakhe u-Ishmayeli, lawo wonke amadoda ayezalwa endlini yakhe, lalawo ayewathenge ngemali, bonke nje abesilisa ayehlala labo, wabasoka bonke ngalo kanye lelolanga njengokutsho kukaNkulunkulu.+ 24 U-Abrahama wayeleminyaka engu-99 ngesikhathi esokwa.+ 25 U-Ishmayeli yena wayeleminyaka engu-13 ngesikhathi esokwa.+ 26 Ngalo kanye lelolanga u-Abrahama lendodana yakhe u-Ishmayeli basokwa. 27 Bonke abesilisa ababehlala laye, labo bonke ababezalwa endlini yakhe labo bonke ababethengwe ngemali ebantwini bezinye izizwe basokwa kanye laye.