A Wife for Isaac
1 Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in everything he did. 2 He said to his oldest servant, who was in charge of all that he had, “Place your hand between my thighs and make a vow. 3 I want you to make a vow in the name of the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the people here in Canaan. 4 You must go back to the country where I was born and get a wife for my son Isaac from among my relatives.”
5 But the servant asked, “What if the young woman will not leave home to come with me to this land? Shall I send your son back to the land you came from?”
6 Abraham answered, “Make sure that you don't send my son back there! 7 The Lord, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son. 8 If the young woman is not willing to come with you, you will be free from this promise. But you must not under any circumstances take my son back there.” 9 So the servant put his hand between the thighs of Abraham, his master, and made a vow to do what Abraham had asked.
10 The servant, who was in charge of Abraham's property, took ten of his master's camels and went to the city where Nahor had lived in northern Mesopotamia. 11 When he arrived, he made the camels kneel down at the well outside the city. It was late afternoon, the time when women came out to get water. 12 He prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today and keep your promise to my master. 13 Here I am at the well where the young women of the city will be coming to get water. 14 I will say to one of them, ‘Please, lower your jar and let me have a drink.’ If she says, ‘Drink, and I will also bring water for your camels,’ may she be the one that you have chosen for your servant Isaac. If this happens, I will know that you have kept your promise to my master.”
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebecca arrived with a water jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife Milcah. 16 She was a very beautiful young woman and still a virgin. She went down to the well, filled her jar, and came back. 17 The servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a drink of water from your jar.”
18 She said, “Drink, sir,” and quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and held it while he drank. 19 When he had finished, she said, “I will also bring water for your camels and let them have all they want.” 20 She quickly emptied her jar into the animals' drinking trough and ran to the well to get more water, until she had watered all his camels. 21 The man kept watching her in silence, to see if the Lord had given him success.
22 When she had finished, the man took an expensive gold ring and put it in her nose and put two large gold bracelets on her arms. 23 He said, “Please tell me who your father is. Is there room in his house for my men and me to spend the night?”
24 “My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah,” she answered. 25 “There is plenty of straw and fodder at our house, and there is a place for you to stay.”
26 Then the man knelt down and worshiped the Lord. 27 He said, “Praise the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has faithfully kept his promise to my master. The Lord has led me straight to my master's relatives.”
28 The young woman ran to her mother's house and told the whole story. 29 Now Rebecca had a brother named Laban, and he ran outside to go to the well where Abraham's servant was. 30 Laban had seen the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's arms and had heard her say what the man had told her. He went to Abraham's servant, who was standing by his camels at the well, 31 and said, “Come home with me. You are a man whom the Lord has blessed. Why are you standing out here? I have a room ready for you in my house, and there is a place for your camels.”
32 So the man went into the house, and Laban unloaded the camels and gave them straw and fodder. Then he brought water for Abraham's servant and his men to wash their feet. 33 When food was brought, the man said, “I will not eat until I have said what I have to say.”
Laban said, “Go on and speak.”
34 “I am the servant of Abraham,” he began. 35 “The Lord has greatly blessed my master and made him a rich man. He has given him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, silver, gold, male and female slaves, camels, and donkeys. 36 Sarah, my master's wife, bore him a son when she was old, and my master has given everything he owns to him. 37 My master made me promise with a vow to obey his command. He said, ‘Do not choose a wife for my son from the young women in the land of Canaan. 38 Instead, go to my father's people, to my relatives, and choose a wife for him.’ 39 And I asked my master, ‘What if she will not come with me?’ 40 He answered, ‘The Lord, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family. 41 There is only one way for you to be free from your vow: if you go to my relatives and they refuse you, then you will be free.’
42 “When I came to the well today, I prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, please give me success in what I am doing. 43 Here I am at the well. When a young woman comes out to get water, I will ask her to give me a drink of water from her jar. 44 If she agrees and also offers to bring water for my camels, may she be the one that you have chosen as the wife for my master's son.’ 45 Before I had finished my silent prayer, Rebecca came with a water jar on her shoulder and went down to the well to get water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ 46 She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels. 47 I asked her, ‘Who is your father?’ And she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Nahor and Milcah.’ Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms. 48 I knelt down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me straight to my master's relative, where I found his daughter for my master's son. 49 Now, if you intend to fulfill your responsibility toward my master and treat him fairly, please tell me; if not, say so, and I will decide what to do.”
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “Since this matter comes from the Lord, it is not for us to make a decision. 51 Here is Rebecca; take her and go. Let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord himself has said.” 52 When the servant of Abraham heard this, he bowed down and worshiped the Lord. 53 Then he brought out clothing and silver and gold jewelry, and gave them to Rebecca. He also gave expensive gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 Then Abraham's servant and the men with him ate and drank, and spent the night there. When they got up in the morning, he said, “Let me go back to my master.”
55 But Rebecca's brother and her mother said, “Let her stay with us a week or ten days, and then she may go.”
56 But he said, “Don't make us stay. The Lord has made my journey a success; let me go back to my master.”
57 They answered, “Let's call her and find out what she has to say.” 58 So they called Rebecca and asked, “Do you want to go with this man?”
“Yes,” she answered.
59 So they let Rebecca and her old family servant go with Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words:
“May you, sister, become the mother of millions!
May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!”
61 Then Rebecca and her young women got ready and mounted the camels to go with Abraham's servant, and they all started out.
62 Isaac had come into the wilderness of “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me” and was staying in the southern part of Canaan. 63 He went out in the early evening to take a walk in the fields and saw camels coming. 64 When Rebecca saw Isaac, she got down from her camel 65 and asked Abraham's servant, “Who is that man walking toward us in the field?”
“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her scarf and covered her face.
66 The servant told Isaac everything he had done. 67 Then Isaac brought Rebecca into the tent that his mother Sarah had lived in, and she became his wife. Isaac loved Rebecca, and so he was comforted for the loss of his mother.
Ndobolo ya Isaki na Ribeka
1 Abhurahama wakabe atjikwegula kwazo abe ne makole manjinji, Yahwe bakabe bankombolela mu zwithu zose. 2 Abhurahama kadwa nlanda uwe nkulu pa bamwe bose mu nsha uwe, iye wakabe ali ntjengeti we thundu iye yose kati, “Milidza luboko gugo, 3 ndoshaka kuti utune na Yahwe, Ndzimu we kudzimu ne shango, kuti autowoshakila mwanangu nkadzi mu bakololokadzi be Bakanana bandigele pakati kwabo. 4 Koga unowoyenda ku shango ya kanyi kwedu ku ludzi gwangu unoshakila nkololo wangu Isaki nkadzi ko.”
5 Nlanda kabhuzwa eti, “Pamwe nkadzi iwoyo ungasada kuzha nami ku shango ino. Ha kwakajalo ndibgwilize nkololo wenyu ku shango yamakadwa kene?”
6 Abhurahama kadabila kati, “Aa, ubone kuti autowobgwiliza nkololo wangu ikweno. 7 Yahwe Ndzimu we kudzimu, ibo bakandidusa mu nsha wa tate ne mu shango yandakazwaligwa muili, bakalebeleka nami, bakandigadzabgwe ngotuna beti, ‘Ludzi gugo ndowogupa shango iyeyi,’ banowotuma ntumwa wabo kukutungamila, ndizo wali unotolela nkololo wangu nkadzi ikweno. 8 Koga ha nkadzi iwoyo asingade kubuya nawe unowosununguka mu kutuna kwangu ikoku, ngono tjikulu usitongobgwiliza nkololo wangu ikweno.” 9 Ndizo nlanda kamilidza luboko gugwe katuna edumana na tetshi uwe Abhurahama muna ikoku.
10 Ipapo nlanda katola kamela dza tetshi uwe dzili gumi ne zwipo zwakasiyasiyana zwibuya ngono kamilika kayenda ku nzi wakabe udang'wa Nahori ku bunandzwa gwe Misopotamiya. 11 Kwakati mu matewuko kathama kuti kamela dzilale pasi pa tshime lakabe lili kuzhe kwe nzi nge tjibaka tjinobhuda bakadzi benotjela vula. 12 Ngono katembezela kati, “Yahwe Ndzimu wa tetshi wangu Abhurahama, mundiwatshe ndiwane tjandazhila nasi, mulakidze lubu kuna tetshi wangu Abhurahama. 13 Bonani, ndimile pa nsenya we vula, baanadi be nzi banobhuda kuwotjela vula. 14 Itani kuti mwanadi wandinowoti kunli, ‘Undipebo vula nding'we,’ iye ebe eti, ‘Ing'wani, kakale ne kamela dzenyu ndowodzing'wisa.’ Ngaabe iye wamashalulila nlanda wenyu Isaki. Ikoku kowondilakidza kuti malakidza tetshi wangu lubu.”
15 Kati asathu kapedza kutembezela Ribeka kazha akabiga hali iye pa thudzi. Wakabe ali nkololokadzi wa Bhethuwele, Bhethuwele ali nkololo wa Milikha nkadzi wa Nahori nnung'una wa Abhurahama. 16 Mwanadi iwoyo wakabe ali mmbuya kwazo, ali mwanadi usathu kaziba nlume. Kayenda ku tshime ngono kazhadza hali iye nge vula kabhuda. 17 Nlanda kalabuka kunonshanganidza kankumbila kati, “Ndokumbila, undipebo vula shomanana mu hali iyo nding'we.”Ribeka ali pa tshime
18 Mwanadi kabe eti, “Ing'wani zwenyu tetshi wangu.” Ndizo katula hali iye kayibhata nge maboko kampa vula kang'wa. 19 Kati asinompa vula kandwa kati, “Ndowotjelelabo kamela dzenyu kuti dzing'we dzigukhwe.” 20 Ndizo kadila vula yose imu hali iye mu n'goro kalabukila ku tshime kunotjela imwe vula. Katjelela kamela dzidze dzose vula kuswikila dzagukhwa. 21 Nlume iwoyo kalingilila mwanadi nge tjitu koga kubona kuti kene Yahwe bawatsha gwendo gugwe kene aa.
22 Kukati kamela dzang'wa dzagukhwa nlume iwoyo katola ng'ina le golide linoambagwa mu tjimilo le themba ipezhugwi ne maseka e golide mabili mapabi e themba ipezhugwi kwazo. 23 Ngono kabhuzwa kati, “Undibudze kuti u nkololokadzi waani? Kuna bulalo kene ku nzi wa tate babo patingalonga nsholo?”
24 Iye kan'dabila eti, “Ndi nkololokadzi wa Bhethuwele nkololo wa Nahori na Milikha.” 25 Ngono kapapha eti, “Tina bushwa gwakatjekegwa zwithuwo ne zojiwa zwakalizana ne bulalo guyapobo.”
26 Ipapo nlume iwoyo kathigama enamata Yahwe, 27 ngono kabe eti, “Ngakukudziwe Yahwe, Ndzimu wa tetshi wangu Abhurahama, ibo basaletja kulakidza lubu gwabo ne kugagwabgwe kwabo kuna tetshi wangu. Kundili nge kwangu, Yahwe banditungamila mu gwendo kunoswika ku nzi we bazwagwa ba tetshi wangu.”
28 Mwanadi kalabuka kanobudza nsha wa mmeyabe ngekwe zwithu izwezwi. 29 Ribeka wakabe ana hazwadzi iye yakabe idang'wa Labani wakati kalabukila ku nlume iwoyo ku tshime. 30 Wakati ebona ng'ina ne maseka mu maboko e hazwadzi iye kakale ehwa matama a Ribeka hazwadzi iye eleba tjaabudziwa nge nlume iwoyo, kabhuda kayenda ku nlume iwoyo kawana alimile pa kamela pa tshime. 31 Labani kandwa kati, “Nginani mu nzi, imwi makombolegwa ndi Yahwe, mutjimilileni kuzhe kene? Ndamululwamisila ng'umba ne pamungatethela kamela dzenyu.”
32 Ndizo nlume iwoyo kayenda ku nzi. Labani kabelesenula kamela kadzipa bushwa ne zojiwa. Kapa nlume iwoyo ne baanabo vula ye kungula makumbo abo. 33 Ipapo bakapiwa zojiwa, koga nlume iwoyo kati, “Imi andingaje kuswikila ndaleba tjandazhila.”
Labani kati kunli, “Dwililani mulebeleke.”
34 Ndizo kati, “Ndi nlanda wa Abhurahama.” 35 “Yahwe bakakombolela tetshi wangu kwazo kafuma. Bakampa pkhwizi ne ng'ombe ne kamela ne madonki, bakampa siliva ne golide ne balandalume ne balandakadzi. 36 Sara, nfumakadzi wa tetshi wangu nenguba akabe atjikwegula, wakawanila tetshi wangu mwana we tjilisana, ngono tetshi wangu wakampa tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanatjo. 37 Tetshi wangu wakathama kuti ndin'gadzebgwe nge kutuna, eti, ‘Usitongoshakila mwana wangu nkadzi mu bakololokadzi be Bakanana be shango yandigele muili, 38 koga yenda ku ludzi gwa tate bangu, ku makamu angu ushakile nkololo wangu nkadzi ko.’ 39 Ngono ati kuna tetshi wangu, ‘Pamwe nkadzi iwoyo unowolamba kubuya nami.’ 40 Tetshi wangu kashandula eti, ‘Yahwe bandinohwa mu bupenyu, banowotuma ntumwa wabo we kudzimu kuyenda nawe kuti tjaunoyendila tjibhudilile uwanile nkololo wangu nkadzi mu makamu angu mu ludzi gwa tate. 41 Koga ha ungati uswika ku makamu angu bakalamba kukupa nkadzi, unowobe wasununguka mu tjidumano tjangu.’ ”
42 “Ndati nasi ndiswika pa tshime, abe nditi, Yahwe, Ndzimu wa tetshi wangu Abhurahama, mundiwatshe mu zila yandinoyenda. 43 Ndimile pano pa tshime ileli, itani kuti mwanadi unowotjela vula, iye wandinowoti kunli, ‘Ndokukumbila, undipebo vula nding'we,’ 44 ngono iye ebe eti, ‘Ing'wani ne kamela dzenyu ndowodzitjelelabo vula,’ ngaabe iye washalugwa ndi Yahwe kube nkadzi we nkololo wa tetshi wangu. 45 Ndati ndisathu apedza kutembezela mu moyo wangu Ribeka kazha akabiga hali iye ye vula pa thudzi. Kayenda pa tshime katjela vula, ngono andwa ati, ‘Undipebo vula nding'we.’ 46 Katjimbidza kadelusa hali iye pa thudzi lile kati, ‘Ing'wani ne kamela dzenyu ndowodzitjelelabo vula.’ Ngono ang'wa, kabuya kang'wisa kamela dzangubo. 47 Ambhuzwa ati, ‘U nkololokadzi waani?’ Ngono kadabila eti, ‘Ndi nkololokadzi wa Bhethuwele nkololo wa Nahori na Milikha.’ Abe ndimbadza ng'ina mu tjimilo ne maseka mu maboko. 48 Ndakati athigama anamata Yahwe. Akudza Yahwe, Ndzimu wa tetshi wangu Abhurahama ibo bakanditungamila mu zila yakalulwama kuti ndinotolela nkololo uwe nkololokadzi we gamu lile. 49 Ndizo ngwenu mundilakidze ha muna lubu ne kugalikabgwe muna tetshi wangu, ha musina ndibone tjandingashinga.”
50 Ipapo Labani na Bhethuwele bakashandula beti, “Kuthu ikoku kwadwa kuna Yahwe, iswi akuna tjatingaleba. 51 Ribeka hwoyoyu, untole uyende naye, anobe nkadzi we nkololo wa tetshi uwo, Yahwe sekwa balakidza.” 52 Nlanda wa Abhurahama kati ehwa matama abo, kanamata Yahwe. 53 Nlanda iwoyo kadusa golide ne siliva ne ndalama ne zwiambalo kapa Ribeka. Kadusa zwipo zwinodika kapabo Labani hazwadzi iye na mmeyabe.
54 Ngono ipapo nlanda iwoyo ne balume baakabe anabo bakaja bakang'wa bakabuya bakalala ikoko. Bakati bemuka tjimuka nlanda kati, “Imani ndibgwilile kuna tetshi wangu.”
55 Koga hazwadzi ya Ribeka na mmeyabe bakati, “Imani abe naswi tjibakana kene mazhuba ali gumi, ndizo ekoyendazwe.”
56 Koga kabadwa kati, “Musindibhatilile. Se Yahwe bakathama kuti ndibhudilile mu zila yangu, imani ndibgwilile kuna tetshi wangu.”
57 Ipapo bakati, “Letjani tidane mwanadi timbhuzwe nge kwako.” 58 Ndizo bakadana Ribeka bakambhuzwa beti, “Unoda kuyenda ne nlume iwoyu kene?” Iye kadabila eti, “Ee ndoda.”
59 Ngono bakaletja Ribeka ne nleli uwe kayenda ne nlanda wa Abhurahama ne balume baakabe anabo. 60 Ngono bakayemulila Ribeka zwakanaka beti,
“Hazwadzi yedu, ube mme be bunjinji.
Ludzi gugo gutape zwita zwago.”
61 Ipapo Ribeka ne babhatshi babe bakalulwamisa bakatatha kamela kuyenda ne nlume iwoyo. Ndizo nlanda iwoyo na Ribeka kayenda.
62 Isaki wakabe azha kudwa ku Bheerilahairoyi egala mu Negebu. 63 Ngono Isaki kabhuda kuli madekwana kuzwilobesa phepo, ngono kati emilidza mesho kabona kamela dzibuya. 64 Ribeka kati emilidza mesho kabona Isaki ngono kadeluka kamela 65 kabhuzwa nlanda kati, “Iwouje nlume unothubulidza nge shango kutishangamidza ndiani?”
Nlanda kashandula eti, “Ndi tetshi wangu.” Ndizo Ribeka katola tyali kazwikwididza ndiyo.
66 Ipapo nlanda kabudza Isaki zose zwaakashinga. 67 Ndizo Isaki katola Ribeka kan'yisa mu nshasha wakabe uli wa Sara, mmeyabe, ngono kanlobola. Kabe nkadzi uwe ngono Isaki kan'da ndizo kanyaladzika shule kwe lufu gwa mmeyabe.