NJENGOBA laselibantu bahle uRabheka wayebuka indawo enhle egcwele izintaba. Kufanele ukuthi wayesekujayela ukuhamba ezunguzeka esemqongweni wekamela ngoba kwasekulamaviki besemangweni. Umuzi wangakibo iHarana kwasekukade bawufulathela. Mhlawumbe wayengasoze aphinde ababone abangakibo. Kungenzeka ukuthi njengoba wayesesemaphethelweni ohambo lwakhe, imibuzo yokuthi kanti vele impilo yayisizakuba njani yayilokhu iphambana ekhanda.

Basebedabule umango omkhulu weKhenani, khathesi basebequma ezikwakweni zeNegebi. (UGenesisi 24:62) Kungenzeka ukuthi wayebona izimvu. Umhlaba wangapha wawomile, ungalimeki kodwa ulamadlelo amahle kakhulu. Kodwa indoda eyayihamba loRabheka yayingawuqabuki umango lo. Yona kwasekuyiphuzele ukuthi iyebikela inkosi yayo izindaba ezinhle eyayizithwele. Kufanele ukuthi uRabheka wayelokhu ezibuza ukuthi wayezaphila mpilo bani eselizweni leli. Lona jaha lelo ayesesiya kwendela kulo lalinjani? Phela babengakaze babonane ngitsho! Kambe u-Isaka wayezathaba yini embona? Yena wayezalithanda yini ijaha lakhe?

Emazweni amanengi isiko lokuthi abazali bayadingela abantwababo umuntu wokutshada laye alijayelekanga. Kodwa kwezinye indawo kulisiko lokhu. Kungelani lokuthi ukhulele ngaphi, uzavuma wedwa ukuthi uRabheka wayesemnyameni ngalapho ayesiyakhona. URabheka wayelesibindi njalo elokholo oluqinileyo. Kuqakathekile ukuthi sibe lesibindi lokholo ikakhulu nxa sekube lontshintsho empilweni yethu. Kunengi okuhle esingakufunda kuRabheka lanxa okunengi kwakhona sekuyimvela kancane.

Untshintsho lonke lolu olwehlela uRabheka lwaqala ngento encane engatsho lutho. Wakhulela emangweni weHarana edolobheni okuthiwa yiMesophothamiya. Abazali bakhe babengafanani labantu beHarana ababekhonza uSin unkulunkulu wenyanga, ngoba bona owabo uNkulunkulu kwakunguJehova.—UGenesisi 24:50.

URabheka wayemuhle eyisiqamulamayezi kodwa engayisiyo inkiwane ebomvu ebolileyo phakathi. Wayekhuthele njalo eziphethe kuhle. Lanxa ngakibo kwakulezisebenzi wayengatotozwa, wayesebenza nzima. Njengabo bonke abesifazana bangalesosikhathi laye wayelemisebenzi enzima ayeyenza njengokuyakukha amanzi. Emini yantambama wayethwala imbiza yamanzi emahlombe aqonde emthonjeni.—UGenesisi 24:11, 15, 16.

Kwelinye ilanga wathi eseyigcwalisile imbiza yakhe, kwathutsha enye indoda esikhulile igijima. Yafika yathi: “Ngicela amanzi embizeni yakho.” Indoda le yayicele kuhle sibili. URabheka laye wayezibonela ukuthi indoda le yayibulewe ngumango. Yikho-ke waphanga wethula imbiza yakhe yamanzi wayinathisa yaze yakholwa. Wananzelela lokuthi indoda le yayilamakamela alitshumi ayefuna ukunatha kodwa kungela manzi emkolweni. URabheka wananzelela ukuthi indoda le yayimbuka ngalomusa, yikho laye wabalefiso sokuthi ayiphathe ngomusa. Yikho wabhoboka wathi: “Ngizakhelela lamakamela akho lawo ngiwanathise.”—UGenesisi 24:17-19.

URabheka wayengatsho ukuthi uzawanathisa okungatsho lutho kodwa wayezawanathisa lawo aze akholwe. Ikamela linganatha amalitha angu-95 nxa liwomile. Cabanga-ke ukuthi aluba wonke elitshumi  ayewomile, uRabheka wayengathatha isikhathi esingakanani ewathelela amanzi. Kwaya ngasifudlana ngoba kukhanya amakamela la ayengawomanga kangako. * Kodwa phela uRabheka wayengakwazi khonokho ngesikhathi esithi uzawanathisa. Wayezimisele ukusebenza nzima ukuze ayitshengise umusa indoda le lanxa nje wayengayazi. Indoda le yakuvuma okwakukhulunywe nguRabheka, yasimbuka ngelibukhali elokhu egijima egcwalisa imbiza yakhe esiyayithulula emkolweni.—UGenesisi 24:20, 21.

Okwenziwa nguRabheka kuyasinceda kakhulu lamuhla. Abantu esiphila labo kabalandaba labanye abantu. Njengoba iBhayibhili lakutsho kudala, kugcwele abantu “abazithandayo” abangelani labanye. (2 KuThimothi 3:1-5) AmaKhristu angafuniyo ukulingisela okwenziwa ngabanengi abangelandaba labanye kumele acabangisise ngoRabheka, ambone ngelihlo lengqondo egijima esiyakukha amanzi emthonjeni esiyawathululela emkolweni.

Kufanele ukuthi uRabheka wayenanzelela ukuthi amehlo endoda le ayengasuki kuye. Ayisikho ukuthi kulokunye okwasekusolisa, kodwa indoda le yayikhanya ithabile futhi ingelankani ngokwakusenzakala phambi kwamehlo ayo. URabheka uthe eseqedile, indoda le yamnika isongo kanye lezigqizo konke kwenziwe ngegolide. Yasimbuza yathi: “Uyindodakazi kabani na? Ake ungitshele, kambe singazuza indawo yini emzini kayihlo kesicatshise amakhanda lamhla ebusuku?” Yathaba yafa isizwa ukuthi uRabheka wayezalwa ngubani. Kungenzakala ukuthi uRabheka waphendula esetatazela wathi: “Silotshani obunengi lamahlanga, kanye lendawo yokulala ikhona okwalamuhla ebusuku,” lo kwakungumusa omkhulu ngoba indoda le yayingahambi yodwa. URabheka wagijima phambili wayabikela unina ngokwakwenzakale emthonjeni.—UGenesisi 24:22-28, 32.

Kuyazikhanyela ukuthi uRabheka wayelomusa ngoba wayekhuliswe ngabantu abaphanayo. Kumele simlingisele uRabheka ngoba ukuphana sekulilihlo lentwala lamuhla. Ukholo kumele lusenze sibe ngabaphanayo. UNkulunkulu ulindele ukuthi izinceku zakhe zimlingisele ngoba yena uyaphana. UBaba wethu osezulwini uyathokoza kakhulu nxa esibona sisiba lomusa ebantwini bonke.—UMathewu 5:44-46; 1 UPhetro 4:9.

Ingubani indoda le eyayisemthonjeni? Wayeyinceku ka-Abhrahama umfowabo kayisemkhulu kaRabheka. Yikho bamamukela ngazo zombili emzini kaBethuweli uyise kaRabheka. Kungenzeka ukuthi inceku le kwakungu-Eliyezeri. * Bamlungisela ukudla kodwa wala ngoba wayefuna ukuqala abalandisele udaba olwalumsuse phansi. (UGenesisi 24:31-33) Ungayibona ngelihlo lengqondo intokozo eyayisebusweni bakhe ngesikhathi elandisa njengoba wayebubonile ubufakazi obulamandla bokubusiswa nguJehova uNkulunkulu kuloluhambo. Wayebusiswe njani?

Ake umbone ubaba kaRabheka uBethuweli loLabani umfowabo, belalelisise u-Eliyezeri elandisa udaba lwakhe. Wayebalandisela ngendlela uJehova ayembusise ngayo u-Abhrahama eKhenani lokuthi u-Abhrahama loSara babelendodana okuthiwa ngu-Isaka eyiyo indlalifa. U-Abhrahama wayephathise inceku yakhe umsebenzi omkhulu: Kwakumele adingele u-Isaka umfazi phakathi kwezinini zakhe ezaziseHarana.—UGenesisi 24:34-38.

U-Abhrahama wamfungisa u-Eliyezeri ukuthi angathatheli indodana yakhe umfazi eKhenani. Isizatho yikuthi abantu baseKhenani babengamkhonzi futhi bengamhloniphi uNkulunkulu uJehova. U-Abhrahama wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi uJehova wayezabajezisa ngenxa yezenzo ezimbi ababezenza. Yikho wayengafuni ukuthi indodana yakhe idlelane labantu abaziphatha kubi. Okunye ayekwazi ngendodana yakhe yikuthi yayilendima eqakathekileyo ekugcwaliseni izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu.—UGenesisi 15:16; 17:19; 24:2-4.

U-Eliyezeri waqhubeka ebalondela udaba lwakhe esithi uthe efika emthonjeni oseduze leHarana wathandaza kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Wacela uJehova ukuthi abe nguye okhetha intombi ezatshada lo-Isaka. Wayezakwenza njani? U-Eliyezeri wacela ukuthi intombi uNkulunkulu ayefisa ukuthi itshade lo-Isaka yehlele emthonjeni. Angayicela amanzi inganiki yena kuphela kodwa inathise lamakamela akhe. (UGenesisi 24:12-14) Ngubani pho owathutshayo wakwenza konke lokhu? NguRabheka! Ubona angani wezwa njani nxa wayethiye indlebe ngesikhathi u-Eliyezeri ekhuluma?

UBethuweli loLabani bahlabeka enhliziyweni. Baphendula bathi: “Lokhu kuvela kuJehova.” Ngemva kwalokho benza isivumelwano somtshado ngokwesiko labo bamvumela uRabheka ukuthi ayekwendela ku-Isaka. (UGenesisi 24:50-54) Kambe ukuthi uRabheka kazange ake aphiwe ithuba lokuthi ake aphose elakhe?

Esesekhaya u-Eliyezeri wayeke wayethula indaba enjalo ku-Abhrahama ngoba wambuza wathi: “Pho uma owesifazana lowo esala ukuza lapha-ke?” U-Abhrahama wamphendula wathi: “Uzakhululwa esifungweni sami.” (UGenesisi 24:39, 41) UBethuweli laye kwakumele aqale azwe ukuthi indodakazi yabo ithini ngodaba lolu. U-Eliyezeri wayethabile ngenxa yokuphumelela kohambo lwakhe yikho kusisa kwakhona wahle wacela ukungena indlela yokubuyela eKhenani eseloRabheka. Abangakibo kaRabheka babefisa ukuthi aluba uyahlala nje okwamalanga alitshumi belaye. Ukuze balamuleke bathi: “Wothi sibize untombazana kesimbuze ngakho.”—UGenesisi 24:57.

URabheka kwasekumele akhethe. Wayezakuthini pho? Wayezazama ukuthabisa uyise lomnewabo yini ngokuthi athi uzaphela abone ukuthi uzahamba nini? Loba wakubona sekulithuba elihle lokuthi abe lengxenye kulesi senzakalo esasizikhanyela ukuthi sikhokhelwa nguJehova? Impendulo yakhe yakwenza kwacaca ukuthi uzimisele lanxa kwasekusenzakala untshintsho olwethusayo empilweni yakhe. Waphendula wathi: “Ngizahamba.”—UGenesisi 24:58.

Wayezimisele sibili! Lanxa amasiko ethu okuthathana angabe etshiyene, kukhona okunengi lathi esingakufunda endabeni kaRabheka. URabheka kazange atshone ekhangela lokho yena ayekufuna kodwa wakhetha ukulandela intando kaNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova. Nxa sekusiza endabeni yomtshado iLizwi likaNkulunkulu liyasitshela indlela engcono kakhulu esingakhetha ngayo umuntu wokutshada laye lokuthi ungakwenza njani ukuthi ube yindoda kumbe umfazi omuhle. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 6:14, 15; Kwabase-Efesu 5:28-33) Kungaba kuhle nxa sonke singalingisela uRabheka ngokwenza izinto ngendlela efunwa nguNkulunkulu.

Imuli kaBethuweli yambusisa uRabheka. Ngemva kwalokhu badla umango yena loDebhora umlizane wakhe, lamantombazane akhe kanye lo-Eliyezeri lamadoda ayebuye lawo. (UGenesisi 24:59-61; 35:8) Ngesikhatshana nje iHarana yayisisele emuva. Umango wawumude ngoba wawungaba ngamakhilomitha angu-800 kanti njalo kwakungathatha phose amaviki amathathu bephakathi kwawo. Lwaluluhambo olunzima sibili. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayeke awabone amakamela amanengi kodwa engakaze ahlale emhlane walo. Nxa iBhayibhili likhuluma ngemuli yangakibo likhuluma kakhulu ngezimvu hatshi ukuthi babengabantu abathengisayo ababejayele ukugada amakamela. (UGenesisi 29:10) Umuntu oqalisayo ukugada ikamela ujayele ukukhalakhala lanxa eligade okwesikhathi esifitshane kuphela!

URabheka yena wayekhangele phambili njalo kungenzeka ukuthi wayelokhu ezama ukuzwisisa okunengi ku-Eliyezeri ngo-Isaka labangakibo. Akumbone u-Eliyezeri exoxa loRabheka besotha umlilo emtshela ngezithembiso uJehova ayezenze ku-Abhrahama umngane wakhe. UNkulunkulu wayezabusisa izizwe zonke ngenzalo ka-Abhrahama. Mbone uRabheka emangala njalo ethokoza ukuzwa ukuthi isithembiso sikaJehova sasizagcwaliseka ngalowo owayezakuba ngumkakhe u-Isaka kanye laye!—UGenesisi 22:15-18.

Lafika elingaliyo leliyana esixoxe ngalo ekuqaliseni kwendaba le. Lathi selithambama sebeseNegebi, uRabheka wabona indoda ethile ihambahamba ensimini. Yayikhanya ijula emcabangweni. IBhayibhili lithi uRabheka, “wehla ekamelweni lakhe.” Kungenzeka ukuthi kazange ake atshone emelela ukuthi ikamela lize liguqe. Wasebuza u-Eliyezeri: “Indoda leyana esensimini ngubani, leyana esihlangabezayo?” Wathi esizwa ukuthi ngu-Isaka wathatha ilembu elilula wazimboza. (UGenesisi 24:62-65) Kuyini okwamenza wamboza ikhanda? Kwakuyindlela yokutshengisa ukuthi uyamhlonipha lowo ozakuba ngumkakhe. Abanengi lamuhla bangacabanga ukuthi ukwenza lokhu sekudlulelwe yisikhathi. Iqiniso elikhona yikuthi sonke siyafunda kuRabheka, kumele sibe ngabantu abathobekileyo.

U-Isaka owayengabe eseleminyaka engu-40 wayelokhu esadabukile ngenxa yokufa kukanina uSara lanxa kwasekuleminyaka emithathu kwenzakele. Lokhu kwenza sibone ukuthi u-Isaka wayeyindoda elothando olujulileyo njalo engafihli imizwa yayo. Kwakuyisibusiso sibili ukuthi indoda enje iphiwe umfazi okhutheleyo, ophanayo njalo ozithobayo! Bawelelana yini? IBhayibhili lithi u-Isaka, “wamthanda.”—UGenesisi 24:67; 28:8.

Lanxa sekudlule iminyaka leminyaka lokhu kwenzakala lawe ungayibala indaba kaRabheka ungezwa usumthanda. Kungasinceda ngani ukufunda ngesibindi, ukukhuthala, ukuphana lokuzithoba kwakhe? Kungelani lokuthi sibatsha sibadala, singamadoda singabesifazana, sitshadile asitshadanga singalulingisela ukholo lwakhe!