UGenesisi 17:1-27
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.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “akulalutho osolwa ngalo.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ubaba uphakeme.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Uyise wexuku; Uyise wabanengi.”
^ Kumbe, “lesizukulwane sakho esizalandela.”
^ Kumbe, “lowesizukulwane sakho esizalandela.”
^ Kumbe, “wena lesizukulwane sakho esizalandela.”
^ Kumbe, “lesizukulwane sakho esizalandela.”
^ Kumbe, “lenzalo yakho.”
^ Ibizo leli lingabe lisitsho ukuthi, “Ukuxabana.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Owesifazana wesikhosini.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ukuhleka.”
