URABEGA bekasolo aqale indawo emagombegombe njengombana nanti nelanga seliyozilahla kunina. Ngemva kokukhamba iimveke ezinengi, besele wagcina sekakujayele ukuwundulwa likamela njengombana ahlezi le esiqongolweni phezu kwalo. Indawo abelethelwa kiyo eHarana besele ayitjhiye kude ngamakhulu wamakhilomitha etlhagwini pumalanga. Kungenzeka bona angekhe asawubona umndeni wekhabo. Mhlamunye bekazipheka ngemibuzo emalungana nengomuso lakhe—khulukhulu njengombana sekaseduze nalapho aya khona.

Kukhanjwe njalo kudlulwe eendaweni ezomileko zeKanana, njengeNegebhi. (Genesisi 24:62) Kuyatjho ukuthi uRabega wazibona izimvu endaweni leyo. Phela kungenzeka bekuyindawo okubudisi ukulima kiyo, kodwana beyinamadlelo anele ifuyo yalapho. Iqhegu elikhamba nayeli beliyijayele indawo le. Belingakghoni ukuzibamba, lilindele ukutjela ikosalo iindaba ezimnandi zokuthi uRabega bekazokuba mka Isaka. Mhlamunye uRabega bekazibuza ukuthi uzokuphila ipilo enjani enarheni le. U-Isaka yena, bekazokuba yindodakwakhe enjani? Nokumazi abe akamazi! Uzokuthaba na nakabona uRabega? Yena-ke bekazozizwa njani ngo-Isaka?

Eenarheni ezinengi namhlanjesi, indaba yokuthi umuntu uyakhethelwa azokutjhada naye ayizwakali kuhle. Kodwana lokhu kusenzeka kwezinye iinarha. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uhlalaphi, ungavuma bona uRabega bekaya endaweni angayaziko. Eqinisweni, bekamfazi onokukholwa nesibindi. Nathi kufuze sibe nokukholwa nesibindi nasizakukghona ukwamukela amatjhuguluko epilwenethu. Kodwana uRabega unobunye ubuntu obuhle obukangajayeleki obukhambisana nokukholwa kwakhe.

Amatjhuguluko amakhulu la epilweni kaRabega, athoma ngendlela ayijayeleko. Wakhulela eduze kweHarana, idorobho eliseMesophotamiya. Ababelethi bakhe bebahlukile ebantwini abanengi eHarana. Bebangalotjhi usingazimu wenyanga uSin. Kunalokho, uZimabo bekunguJehova.—Genesisi 24:50.

URabega wakhula waba siphalaphala somntazana, kodwana nanyana amuhle njalo bekangasilivila. Bekanomdlandla, amntazana oziphethe kuhle. Umndeni wekhabo bewurege kangangobana bewuneensebenzi, kodwana uRabega wakhuliswa afundiswa ukusebenza budisi, ingasi ukuhlala asetjenzelwa njengekosazana. Njengabafazi abanengi bemihleni leyo, bekunemisebenzi ebudisi ayenzako, njengokuyokukha amanzi. Malangantambama, bewuzamfunyana athwele umjeka emahlombakhe, nanguya atjhinga emthonjeni.—Genesisi 24:11, 15, 16.

Kwenye intambama aqeda ukuzalisa umjekakhe ngamanzi, nanti iqhegu ligijima liza kuye. Lafika lathi kuye: “Ndodakazi, akhese ungiseze kancancani amanzi angemjekenakho lawo.” Qala bona iqhegweli lizithobe kangangani nalibawako nje! NoRabega alemuke ukuthi awa iqhegweli likhambile tle. Athule umjekakhe emahlombe anikele iqhegweli lisele, khenge aliseze kancancani, kodwana waliseza amanzi amnandi naqandako, waliseza lakholwa. Walemuka nokuthi amakamela alitjhumi agugubele eduze nekerebhe nawo kufuze asezwe. Ulemukile nokuthi iqhegweli limqalile, begodu bekafuna ukusiza ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Yeke wathi eqhegwini: “Namakamela wekosami ngizowakhelela abe aqede ukusela woke nje.”—Genesisi 24:17-19.

Tjheja ukuthi uRabega khenge aseze amakamela alitjhumi umthamo munye wamanzi, kodwana wawaseza akholwa. Nalome khulu, ikamela linye lingasela  amalitha ayi-95 bona likholwe! Nangabe woke amakamela lawo bekome ngaleyo ndlela, kuyatjho ukuthi uRabega bekufuze aberege ama-awara amanengi. Nambala kwatholakala ukuthi amakamela la vele bekome ukoma. * Kghani uRabega bekazi ukuthi amakamela asela amanzi angangani? Awa. Yena bekathi uyasiza nje kwaphela ngokusebenza budisi nokuba nomusa eqhegwini angalaziko. Iqhegweli lavuma ukuthi alisize. Belisolo limrhudulele amehlo njengombana aphasiphezulu, azalisa imijeka bekayithululele ngekerebheni. Lokho wakwenza ngokubuyelelweko.—Genesisi 24:20, 21.

Isibonelo sakaRabega sisifundisa okunengi namhlanjesi. Siphila emihleni lapha ukuzicabangela wena kuyinto ekhamba phambili khona. Lokho kwatjhiwo kade, ukuthi “abantu bazakuba ngabazithandako,” abangafuni ukuzinikela isikhathi sokusiza abanye. (2 Thimothi 3:1-5) AmaKrestu kufuze alwisane nomkhumbulo onjalo ngokucabanga ngesithombe iBhayibheli elisakhela sona ngoRabega owaphila kade, obekaphasiphezulu akha amanzi emthonjeni.

Kuyatjho ukuthi uRabega ulibonile iqhegweli njengombana belisolo limrhudulele amehlo. Belingakamqali ngombana liyamkhanuka; ukuqalokhu kuqala kokubamba ongenzasi umuntu athabile. Kwathi bona uRabega aqede, iqhegweli lamnikela izipho—uburhanyarhanya bejuwelari. Ngemva kwalokho lambuza lathi: “Ngiyakurabhela akhese ungitjele, uyindodakazi kabani wena? Emzini kayihlo kungaba khona amalalo lapha singalala khona na?” Kwathi bona uRabega alitjele ukuthi ungewakwabani, lathaba khulu. Ngethabo naye uRabega wathi: “Sineenhlanga nelusereni eyaneleko kanye nelawu lapha ningalala khona ebusuku”—umusa ongaka! Nalo iqhegweli belingakhambi lodwa, kukhona ebelikhamba nabo. URabega wabatjhiya lapho, wagijima wayokutjela unina ngokwenzekileko.—Genesisi 24:22-28, 32.

Kusepepeneneni ukuthi uRabega wakhula afundiswa ukwamukela abayeni. Ubuntu obunjengalobu buyindlala namhlanjesi—okulibanga elisenza silingise intombi le. Ukukholwa kuZimu ngikho okusenza sibe nesandla esivulekileko. UJehova unesandla esivulekileko kiwo woke umuntu, begodu ufuna neenkhonzi zakhe zenze njalo. Nasisiza ngitjho nalabo abangekhe basibhadele ngokubasiza kwethu, sithabisa uBabethu wezulwini.—Matewu 5:44-46; 1 Pitrosi 4:9.

Belingubani iqhegu ebelisemthonjeneli? Beliyinceku ka-Abrahamu umfowabo kamkhulu kaRabega, ngikho lamukelekile kwaBhethuweli ubaba kaRabega. Kungenzeka ukuthi ibizo lenceku le belingu-Eliyezeri. * Wafika bamnikela ukudla, kodwana wathi angekhe agome ngaphambi kobana atjho indaba eze ngayo. (Genesisi 24:31-33) Yewumbone emkhumbulwenakho, akhuluma athabile njengombana abone ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi uZimu, uJehova, ubusise ikhambo lakhe. Kwenzeka njani lokho?

Mcabange u-Eliyezeri achisela uBhethuweli indaba le, noLabani umfowabo lakaRabega alalele. Wabatjela ukuthi uJehova umbusise khulu u-Abrahamu eKanana nokuthi u-Abrahamu noSara banendodana eyindlalifa engu-Isaka. U-Abrahamu unikele inceku le umsebenzi oqakatheke khulu wokuthi ayokufunela u-Isaka umkhamanzi eenhlobeni zaka-Abrahamu eHarana.—Genesisi 24:34-38.

U-Abrahamu ufungise u-Eliyezeri ukuthi angamthatheli umfazi ebantwini beKanana. Kubayini atjho njalo? Ngombana amaKanana awamlotjhi uJehova uZimu, begodu awamhloniphi. U-Abrahamu bekazi ukuthi uJehova ufuna ukuwabhubhisa ngesikhathi esifaneleko ngebanga lezenzo zawo zokukhohlakala. Yeke, bekangafuni bona indodanakhe ayithandako, u-Isaka izibophe nabantu abangaziphathi kuhle. Bekazi nokuthi indodanakhe le izokudlala indima ekulu ekuzaliseni iinthembiso zakaZimu.—Genesisi 15:16; 17:19; 24:2-4.

Nakaraga nendaba u-Eliyezeri watjela bemzini loyo ukuthi nakafika hlanu kweHarana, uthandazile kuJehova uZimu. Wabawa uJehova ukuthi, kube nguye ozokukhetha intombi ezokuthathwa ngu-Isaka. Bekuzokwenzeka njani lokho? U-Eliyezeri ubawe uZimu ukuthi alethe intombi le emthonjeni. Kuzakuthi nakayibawa amanzi, intombi le iseze namakamela eze nawo. (Genesisi 24:12-14) Kwaba ngubani-ke owenza patsi koke lokho? Kwaba nguRabega! Cabanga indlela uRabega azizwa ngayo nakezwa indaba ecocwa ngu-Eliyezeri, acocela umndenakhe!

U-Eliyezeri nakachisa indaba, uBhethuweli noLabani bebabambe ongenzasi. Bathi kuye: “Ndoda, indaba le ivela” kuJehova. Ngokwesiko labo, benza isivumelwano somtjhado, bathi u-Isaka akamthathe uRabega. (Genesisi 24:50-54) Kghani lokho bekutjho ukuthi uRabega bekungakafaneli bona aveze lakhe lobubodlhana ngendaba le?

Eemvekeni ezingemva kwesehlakalwesi u-Eliyezeri umbuzile u-Abrahamu ukuthi: “Alo, ngenzeni lokha umntazana loyo nange angabhala ukukhamba nami?” U-Abrahamu wamphendula wathi: “Uzakutjhaphuluka esifungweni samesi.” (Genesisi 24:39, 41) Nemzini kaBhethuweli bekungiso leso, bebafuna ukwazi ukuthi intombi le yona iyavuma na. Ngendlela u-Eliyezeri ebekangabambeki ngayo ngesabelo sakhesi, ngakusasa ekuseni, wabe wabuza ukuthi angamthatha u-Rabega akhambe naye na mhlokho. Umndeni wathi akakhambe ngemva kwamalanga alitjhumi ngombana basafuna ukuba naye isikhatjhana. Ekugcineni, balungisa indaba ngalendlela: “Yeke, asibize umntazana sizwe bona yena uthini.”—Genesisi 24:57.

Phela isiqunto esizokuthathwa besizokutjhugulula ipilo kaRabega. Uzokuphendula athini-ke kwanjesi? Kghani bekazokudlala ngomusa kayise nomfowabo, athi batjho yena angekhe akhambe aye endaweni angayaziko? Namkha bekaqala indaba le njengelungelo lokudlala indima ezenzakalweni ezinqotjhiswa nguJehova? Indlela ebekazokuphendula ngayo, beyizokutjhentjha ipilwakhe ngendlela angakayilindeli. Nakaphendulako wase wathi: “lye, ngizakukhamba.”—Genesisi 24:58.

Maye ukuzimisela okungaka! Amasiko wokutjhada wanamhlanjesi ahlukile kunewemihleni yeBhayibheli, kodwana singafunda okunengi kuRabega. Into ebeyiqakatheke khulu kuye, bekuyintando kaZimakhe uJehova, ingasi lokho okufunwa nguye. IliZwi lakaZimu lineenqophiso ezihle khulu zemitjhado yanamhlanjesi. Ziyasitjela ukuthi ungamkhetha njani umuntu ofuna ukutjhada naye, nokuthi ungaba njani yindoda namkha umfazi omuhle. (2 Korinte 6:14, 15; Efesu 5:28-33) Sizabe senza kuhle khulu nasingalandela isibonelo sakaRabega, sifune ukwenza izinto ngendlela kaZimu.

Umndeni kaBhethuweli wambusisa uRabega. Ngemva kwalokho, yena noDibhora, ebekayimbelesakhe kwebuncanini, neenceku zabentazana bakhamba no-Eliyezeri namadoda eze nawo. (Genesisi 24:59-61; 35:8) Kwathi ngemva kwesikhatjhana, iHarana besele bayitjhiye kude ngemva kwabo. Bebazokukhamba amakhilomitha angaba yi-800, pheze iimveke ezintathu. Bekungekhe kube likhambo elilula. URabega uwabonile amakamela amanengi epilwenakhe, kodwana angekhe satjho ukuthi bekajayele ukuwakhwela. IBhayibheli liveza umndenakhe njengojayele ukwelusa, ingasi isiqhema sabathengisi esikhamba ngamakamela. (Genesisi 29:10) Abantu abangakajayeli ukukhwela amakamela vane balile ngokuthi liyaguguna—ngitjho nanyana uwakhwele ibangana elincani!

Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, uRabega bekaqale phambili. Begodu kusemtarini bona walinga ukufunda okunengi ku-Eliyezeri ngo-Isaka nomndenakhe. Akhusulicabange iqhegweli likhuluma naye, bothe umlilo ngamarhwaqela, limtjela ngesithembiso sakaJehova ku-Abrahamu. UZimu bekazokuletha isizukulwana esivela emndenini ka-Abrahamu esizokubusisa boke abantu. Mcabange uRabega akarekile ehliziywenakhe ngeenthembiso zakaJehova ezizokuzaliseka ngo-Isaka ozokuba yindodakwakhe, nangaye.—Genesisi 22:15-18.

Ekugcineni, lafika ilanga elingaliko okukhulunywe ngalo ekuthomeni kwesihlokwesi. Njengombana badlula eNegebhi, sele kuthoma ukurhwaqela, uRabega wabona indoda ikhamba emmangweni. Wayiqalisisa, wacabangisisa ngayo. Siyafunda: “Yeke wahlika msinyana ekameleni,” mhlamunye khenge alinde nekamela bona liguqe khona azokuhlika kuhle—wakhamba wayokubuza iqhegu wathi: “Ngubani umuntu loya okhamba emmangwenapha asiza kithi na?” Nakezwa ukuthi ngu-Isaka, wathatha isiyaya wazigubuzesa. (Genesisi 24:62-65) Kubayini azigubuzesa? Ukuzigubuzesa kwakhokhu bekukutjengisa bona uyamhlonipha ozokuba ngubabakwakhe. Indlela kaRabega yokuzithoba le abantu banamhlanjesi bangayithatha njengesikade. Kodwana amadoda nabafazi bangafunda ekuzithobeni kwakaRabega. Alo, ngubani kithi ongekhe athande ukuba nobuntu obuthandeka kangaka?

U-Isaka, obesele ayindoda eneminyaka eyi-40, bekasalilela ukuhlongakala kwakanina, uSara, esekuminyaka emithathu ahlongakele. Singatjho bona u-Isaka bekanomusa nezwela. Cabanga indoda enjalo ithole umkhamanzi okhutheleko, onesandla esivulekileko nothobekileko! Kwagcina kwenzekeni phakathi kwabantu ababilaba? IBhayibheli lithi: “Wamthanda” umkakhe.—Genesisi 24:67; 26:8.

Nathi, nanyana siphila ngemva kweminyaka emakhulu ayi-39, kubulula kithi ukumthanda uRabega. Sibuthanda njani-ke ubuntu bakhe bokukhuthala, ukusiza, nokuthobeka? Soke—abadala nabancani, bengubo nebembaji, abatjhadileko nabangakatjhadi—sizabe senza kuhle khulu nasingalingisa ukukholwa kwakhe!