Isaki Na Rebeka
124:1 Mwa 17:17; Yos 23:1; Mwa 12:2; Gal 3:9Wakati huu Abrahamu alikuwa mzee mwenye miaka mingi, naye Bwana alikuwa amembariki katika kila njia. 224:2 Mwa 15:3; 39:4-6; 47:29Akamwambia mtumishi wake mkuu wa vitu vyote katika nyumba yake, yule aliyekuwa msimamizi wa vitu vyote alivyokuwa navyo, “Weka mkono wako chini ya paja langu, 324:3 Mwa 10:15-19; 47:31; 50:25; 14:19; Hes 20:14; 2Kor 6:14-17Ninataka uape kwa Bwana, Mungu wa mbingu na Mungu wa nchi, kwamba hutamtwalia mwanangu mke kutoka binti za Wakanaani, ambao ninaishi miongoni mwao, 424:4 Mwa 12:1; 21:21; Amu 14:3bali utakwenda katika nchi yangu na jamaa zangu umpatie Isaki mwanangu mke.”
524:5 Ebr 11:15Yule mtumishi akamuuliza, “Je, kama huyo mwanamke atakataa kuja nami katika nchi hii? Je, nimpeleke mwanao katika hiyo nchi uliyotoka?”
6Abrahamu akasema, “Hakikisha kwamba hutamrudisha mwanangu huko. 724:7 Mwa 12:1, 7; 16:7; Rum 4:15; Gal 3:16Bwana, Mungu wa mbingu, aliyenitoa nyumbani kwa baba yangu na nchi yangu niliyozaliwa na aliyesema nami na akaniahidi kwa kiapo, akisema, ‘Nitawapa watoto wako nchi hii,’ atatuma malaika wake akutangulie ili umpatie mwanangu mke kutoka huko. 824:8 Yos 2:12-20; 9:20Kama huyo mwanamke asipokubali kufuatana nawe, basi utafunguliwa kutoka kiapo nilichokuapisha. Ila usimrudishe mwanangu huko.” 924:9 Mwa 32:4; 33:8Basi yule mtumishi akaweka mkono wake chini ya paja la bwana wake Abrahamu akamwapia kuhusu shauri hili.
1024:10 1Fal 10:2; 1Nya 12:40; Isa 30:6; Mwa 11:29; 43:11; 45:25; Hes 23:7; Kum 23:4; Amu 3:8Ndipo huyo mtumishi akachukua ngamia kumi miongoni mwa ngamia za bwana wake, akaondoka, akiwa amechukua aina zote za vitu vizuri kutoka kwa bwana wake. Akaelekea Aramu-Naharaimu24:10 Yaani Mesopotamia ya Kaskazini-Magharibi. na kushika njia kwenda mji wa Nahori. 1124:11 Kut 2:15-16; 1Sam 9:11; Yn 4:7; Mwa 29:2, 9-10Akawapigisha ngamia magoti karibu na kisima cha maji nje ya mji, ilikuwa inaelekea jioni, wakati ambapo wanawake wanakuja kuteka maji.
1224:12 Mwa 19:19; 26:24; 27:20; 28:13; 31:42, 53; 32:9; 43:23; 46:3; Kut 3:6; 1Fal 18:36; Za 75:9; 94:7; Neh 1:11; Yos 2:12; Ay 10:12Kisha akaomba, “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa bwana wangu Abrahamu, nipatie ushindi leo, uonyeshe huruma kwa bwana wangu Abrahamu. 13Tazama, nimesimama karibu na kisima hiki cha maji, nao binti za watu wa mji huu wanakuja kuteka maji. 1424:14 Amu 6:17, 37; 1Sam 14:10; 1Fal 13:3; Za 86:17; Isa 38:7; Yer 44:29Basi na iwe hivi, nitakapomwambia binti mmojawapo, ‘Tafadhali tua mtungi wako nipate kunywa maji,’ naye akisema, ‘Kunywa, nitawanywesha na ngamia wako pia.’ Basi na awe ndiye uliyemchagua kwa ajili ya mtumishi wako Isaki. Kwa hili nitajua umemhurumia bwana wangu.”
1524:15 Mwa 22:22-23; 11:29Ikawa kabla hajamaliza kuomba, Rebeka akatokea akiwa na mtungi begani mwake. Alikuwa binti wa Bethueli. Bethueli alikuwa mwana wa Milka aliyekuwa mke wa Nahori ndugu wa Abrahamu. 1624:16 Mwa 12:11; Kum 22:15-21Huyu msichana alikuwa mzuri sana wa sura, bikira, ambaye hakuna mtu aliyekuwa amekutana naye kimwili. Aliteremka kisimani, akajaza mtungi wake akapanda juu.
1724:17 1Fal 17:10; Yn 4:7Ndipo yule mtumishi akaharakisha kukutana naye akamwambia, “Tafadhali nipe maji kidogo katika mtungi wako.”
18Yule msichana akasema, “Kunywa, bwana wangu.” Akashusha kwa haraka mtungi mkononi mwake na akampa, akanywa.
19Baada ya kumpa yule mtumishi yale maji, akamwambia, “Nitateka maji kwa ajili ya ngamia zako pia mpaka wote watosheke.” 20Akafanya haraka kumimina maji kwenye birika ya kunyweshea wanyama, akakimbia kisimani kuteka maji mengine na akateka ya kuwatosha ngamia wake wote. 21Pasipo kusema neno, yule mtumishi akamtazama kwa makini aone kama Bwana ameifanikisha safari yake, au la.
2224:22 Mwa 41:42; Isa 3:21; Eze 16:11-12Ikawa ngamia walipokwisha kunywa wote, yule mtumishi akampa huyo msichana pete ya puani ya dhahabu yenye uzito wa beka moja24:22 Beka moja ya dhahabu ni sawa na gramu 5.5. na bangili mbili za dhahabu zenye uzito wa shekeli kumi.24:22 Shekeli 10 za dhahabu ni sawa na gramu 110. 2324:23 Amu 19:15; 20:4Kisha akamuuliza, “Wewe ni binti wa nani? Tafadhali uniambie, je, kuna nafasi katika nyumba ya baba yako tutakapoweza kulala?”
2424:24 Mwa 11:29Yule msichana akamjibu, “Mimi ni binti wa Bethueli, mwana wa Milka aliyemzalia Nahori.” 2524:25 Amu 19:19Akaendelea kusema, “Kwetu kuna majani mengi na malisho, tena kuna nafasi kwa ajili yenu kulala.”
2624:26 Kut 4:31; 12:27; 1Nya 29:20; 2Nya 20:18Yule mtumishi akasujudu na kumwabudu Bwana, 2724:27 Mwa 14:20; 32:10; 47:29; Kut 18:20; Rut 4:14; 1Sam 25:32; 2Sam 18:28; 1Fal 8:56; Za 28:6; 41:13; 68:19; 98:3; 106:48; Yos 2:14; Lk 1:68akisema, “Atukuzwe Bwana, Mungu wa bwana wangu Abrahamu, ambaye hakuondoa wema na uaminifu wake kwa bwana wangu. Mimi nami, Bwana ameniongoza safarini akanifikisha nyumbani kwa jamaa za bwana wangu.”
2824:28 Mwa 29:12Yule msichana akakimbia akawaeleza watu wa nyumbani mwa mama yake kuhusu mambo haya. 2924:29 Mwa 25:20; 27:43; 28:2-5; 29:5, 12-13Rebeka alikuwa na kaka aliyeitwa Labani, huyo akaharakisha kukutana na yule mtumishi kule kisimani. 3024:30 Eze 23:42Mara alipoiona ile pete puani, na bangili mikononi mwa dada yake na kusikia yale maneno Rebeka aliyoambiwa na huyo mtumishi, alimwendea huyo mtumishi, akamkuta amesimama karibu na ngamia wake pale karibu na kisima. 3124:31 Mwa 26:29; Rut 3:10; Za 115:15Akamwambia, “Karibu nyumbani wewe uliyebarikiwa na Bwana, kwa nini unasimama huko nje? Mimi nimekuandalia nyumba na mahali kwa ajili ya ngamia.”
3224:32 Mwa 18:4; Amu 19:21Hivyo yule mtumishi akaenda nyumbani, mizigo ikaondolewa juu ya ngamia. Majani na malisho yakaletwa kwa ajili ya ngamia na maji kwa ajili yake na watu wake ili kunawa miguu. 33Ndipo chakula kikaandaliwa kwa ajili yake, lakini akasema, “Sitakula mpaka niwe nimewaambia yale niliyo nayo ya kusema.”
Labani akasema, “Basi tuambie.”
3424:34 Mwa 15:3Hivyo akasema, “Mimi ni mtumishi wa Abrahamu. 3524:35 Mwa 12:2, 16; 23:6Bwana amembariki sana bwana wangu, amekuwa tajiri. Amempa kondoo na ngʼombe, fedha na dhahabu, watumishi wa kiume na wa kike, ngamia na punda. 3624:36 Mwa 17:17; 25:5; 26:14Sara mkewe bwana wangu amemzalia mwana katika uzee wake, naye amempa kila kitu alichokuwa nacho. 3724:37 Mwa 50:5Naye bwana wangu ameniapisha na akasema, ‘Kamwe usimtwalie mwanangu mke katika binti za Wakanaani, ambao ninaishi katika nchi yao, 3824:38 Mwa 21:21ila uende mpaka kwa jamaa ya baba yangu na ukoo wangu mwenyewe, ukamtwalie mwanangu mke huko.’
39“Kisha nikamuuliza bwana wangu, ‘Je, kama huyo mwanamke hatakubali kurudi nami?’
4024:40 Mwa 5:22; 12:1; 16:7“Akanijibu, ‘Bwana ambaye nimetembea mbele zake, atatuma malaika wake pamoja nawe, na kuifanikisha safari yako, ili uweze kupata mke kwa ajili ya mwanangu katika ukoo wangu na kutoka jamaa ya baba yangu. 41Kisha, utakapokwenda kwenye ukoo wangu, utakuwa umefunguliwa kutoka kiapo changu hata kama wakikataa kukupa huyo binti, utakuwa umefunguliwa kutoka kiapo changu.’
42“Nilipokuja kisimani leo nilisema, ‘Ee Bwana, Mungu wa bwana wangu Abrahamu, ikikupendeza, naomba uifanikishe safari niliyoijia. 4324:43 Mit 30:19; Isa 7:14Tazama, ninasimama kando ya kisima hiki, kama mwanamwali akija kuteka maji nami nikimwambia, tafadhali niruhusu ninywe maji kidogo kutoka kwenye mtungi wako, 44naye kama akiniambia, “Kunywa, nami nitateka maji kwa ajili ya ngamia wako pia,” basi huyo awe ndiye mke ambaye Bwana amemchagulia mwana wa bwana wangu.’
4524:45 1Sam 1:13; Yn 4:7“Kabla sijamaliza kuomba moyoni mwangu, Rebeka akatokea, amebeba mtungi begani mwake. Akashuka kisimani akateka maji, nami nikamwambia, ‘Tafadhali nipe maji ninywe.’
46“Akafanya haraka kushusha mtungi wake begani na kusema, ‘Kunywa na nitawanywesha ngamia wako pia,’ basi nikanywa, akawanywesha na ngamia pia.
4724:47 Mwa 22:22; Isa 3:19; Eze 16:11-12“Nikamuuliza, ‘Wewe ni binti wa nani?’
“Akasema, ‘Mimi ni binti wa Bethueli, mwana wa Nahori, Milka aliyemzalia.’
“Ndipo nilipotia pete puani mwake na bangili mikononi mwake, 48nikasujudu na nikamwabudu Bwana. Nikamtukuza Bwana, Mungu wa bwana wangu Abrahamu, aliyeniongoza katika njia sahihi ili nimtwalie mwana na bwana wangu mke katika jamaa zake. 49Ikiwa mtaonyesha wema na uaminifu kwa bwana wangu, mniambie, la sivyo, mniambie, ili niweze kujua njia ya kugeukia.”
5024:50 Za 118:23; Mwa 22:22; 31:24-29; 48:16Labani na Bethueli wakajibu, “Jambo hili limetoka kwa Bwana, hatuwezi kukuambia jambo lolote baya au jema. 51Rebeka yuko hapa, mchukue na uende, awe mke wa mwana wa bwana wako, sawasawa na Bwana alivyoongoza.”
52Ikawa huyo mtumishi wa Abrahamu aliposikia waliyosema, alisujudu mpaka nchi mbele za Bwana. 5324:53 Mwa 45:22; Kut 3:22; 12:35; 2Fal 5:5Ndipo huyo mtumishi akatoa vitu vilivyotengenezwa kwa dhahabu na kwa fedha pamoja na mavazi, akampa Rebeka, pia akawapa zawadi za thamani kubwa nduguye na mamaye. 5424:54 Mwa 30:25Kisha yeye na wale watu waliokuwa pamoja naye wakala, wakanywa na kulala palepale.
Walipoamka asubuhi, yule mtumishi, akasema, “Nipeni ruhusa nirudi kwa bwana wangu.”
5524:55 Amu 19:3-4Lakini ndugu yake Rebeka pamoja na mama yake wakajibu, “Acha binti akae kwetu siku kumi au zaidi, ndipo mwondoke.”
56Lakini yule mtumishi akawaambia, “Msinicheleweshe, kwa kuwa Bwana amefanikisha safari yangu, nipeni ruhusa nirudi kwa bwana wangu.”
57Ndipo wakasema, “Acha tumwite huyo binti tumuulize, tusikie atakavyosema.” 5824:58 Rum 1:16Kwa hiyo wakamwita Rebeka na kumuuliza, “Je, utakwenda na mtu huyu?”
Akasema, “Nitakwenda.”
5924:59 Mwa 35:8Hivyo wakamwaga ndugu yao Rebeka aondoke, pamoja na mjakazi wake, mtumishi wa Abrahamu na watu wake. 6024:60 Mwa 17:16; 22:17; 27:4; 31:55; 48:9, 15, 20; Yos 22:6; Mit 27:11Wakambariki Rebeka, wakamwambia,
“Ndugu yetu, uwe wewe kumi elfu,
mara elfu nyingi,
nao wazao wako wamiliki
malango ya adui zao.”
6124:61 Mwa 16:1; 30:3; 46:25Rebeka na vijakazi wake wakajiandaa, wakapanda ngamia zao wakafuatana na yule mtu. Hivyo yule mtumishi akamchukua Rebeka akaondoka.
6224:62 Mwa 16:14; 12:9Basi Isaki alikuwa ametoka Beer-Lahai-Roi, kwa kuwa alikuwa anaishi nchi ya Negebu. 6324:63 Za 77:12; 119:15, 27; 143:5; 145:5; Mwa 18:2Isaki akatoka kwenda shambani kutafakari wakati wa jioni, alipoinua macho yake, akaona ngamia wanakuja. 6424:64 Mwa 31:17, 34; 1Sam 30:17Rebeka pia akainua macho akamwona Isaki. Akashuka kutoka kwenye ngamia wake 6524:65 Mwa 38:14; Wim 4:1-3; 6:7; Isa 47:2na akamuuliza yule mtumishi, “Ni nani mtu yule aliye kule shambani anayekuja kutulaki?”
Yule mtumishi akajibu, “Huyu ndiye bwana wangu.” Hivyo Rebeka akachukua shela yake akajifunika.
66Kisha yule mtumishi akamweleza Isaki mambo yote aliyoyatenda. 6724:67 Mwa 31:33; 18:9; 25:20; 49:31; 29:18-20; 23:1-2; 34:3; Amu 16:4Ndipo Isaki akamwingiza Rebeka katika hema la Sara mama yake, Isaki akamchukua Rebeka, hivyo akawa mke wake. Isaki akampenda, akafarijika baada ya kifo cha mama yake.
Isaac and Rebekah
1Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. 2He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. 3I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, 4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”
5The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?”
6“Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. 7“The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring24:7 Or seed I will give this land’—he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. 8If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.” 9So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim24:10 That is, Northwest Mesopotamia and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.
12Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”
15Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
18“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.
22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka24:22 That is, about 1/5 ounce or about 5.7 grams and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.24:22 That is, about 4 ounces or about 115 grams 23Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”
26Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. 29Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. 30As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. 31“Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
32So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. 33Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.”
“Then tell us,” Laban said.
34So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. 35The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. 36My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 37And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, 38but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’
39“Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40“He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. 41You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’
42“When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” 44and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’
45“Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46“She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
47“I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’
“Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, 48and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. 49Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.”
50Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. 51Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.”
52When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. 53Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. 54Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
55But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you24:55 Or she may go.”
56But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.”
57Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” 58So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
“I will go,” she said.
59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. 60And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies.”
61Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. 63He went out to the field one evening to meditate,24:63 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. 64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”
“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
