Genesis 23
1 USara waphila iyiminyaka eyi-127.
2 Wafela emzini waseKhiriyathi Arbha, okusho ukuthi eHebhroni eKhanani. U-Abhrahama wangena, walila ngoSara.
3 U-Abhrahama wasuka eduze kwesidumbu somkakhe, wakhuluma namaHithi, wathi:
4 “Ngingowezizwe nomfokazi phakathi kwenu. Ngisikeleni indawo yokungcwaba ukuze ngifihle ithambo lomkami.”
5 AmaHithi amphendula u-Abhrahama, athi:
6 “Silalele nkosi yami. Wena ungowasebukhosini bukaNkulunkulu phakathi kwethu. Akekho phakathi kwethu ongenqaba nendawo yokungcwaba umkakho.”
7 U-Abhrahama wasukuma, wayesekhothamela amaHithi, abantu balelo lizwe.
8 Wathi kubo: “Uma ningivumela ukuba ngingcwabe ithambo lomkami, ngicela ningikhulumele no-Efroni indodana kaZohari
9 ukuba anginike umgede wakhe waseMakhaphela, osemngceleni wensimu yakhe. Makanginike le ndawo phambi kwenu, bese ngimkhokhela intengo yayo ephelele, ukuze ibe ngeyami yokungcwaba.”
10 U-Efroni wayehlezi phakathi kwamanye amaHithi. U-Efroni umHithi wamphendula u-Abhrahama kuzwa wonke amaHithi ayelapho esangweni lomuzi, wathi:
11 “Qha, nkosi yami, ngicela ungizwe kahle. Ngiyakunika le nsimu, futhi ngiyakunika nomgede okuyo. Ngikunika yona phambi kwabantu bakithi, mngcwabe umkakho kuyo.”
12 U-Abhrahama wayesekhothama phambi kwabantu balelo lizwe.
13 Wathi ku-Efroni bezwa bonke abantu balelo lizwe: “Ngilalele, ungizwe kahle mfowethu. Ngizokukhokhela yonke imali oyibizayo ngale nsimu. Vuma ukuba ngenze njalo, ukuze ngikwazi ukungcwaba umkami lapho.”
14 U-Efroni wamphendula u-Abhrahama, wathi:
15 “Mnumzane, ngilalele, lesi siqinti somhlaba singabiza amashekeli esiliva angama-400, bekuyini khona lokho phakathi kwami nawe na? Ngcwaba umkakho kuso.”
16 U-Abhrahama wavumelana no-Efroni, wayesembalela inani ayelibalulile phambi kwamaHithi, ngesisindo salo amashekeli ezinhlamvu zesiliva ezingama-400 ngokwezilinganiso ezazisetshenziswa ngabahwebi baleso sikhathi.
17 Ngakho-ke insimu ka-Efroni eseMakhaphela, eyayisempumalanga neMamre, insimu nomgede owawukuyo, nezihlahla zonke ezazingaphakathi komngcele wayo.
18 Konke lokho kwadluliselwa ku-Abhrahama, kwaba yimpahla yakhe phambi kwamaHithi ayelapho esangweni lomuzi.
19 U-Abhrahama wamngcwaba umkakhe uSara emgedeni osensimini eseMakhaphela ebhekene neMamre okuyiHebhroni eKhanani.
20 Insimu nomgede u-Abhrahama akunikwa ngamaHithi kwaguquka kwaba yindawo yakhe yokungcwaba.