BESEKWENDLULE iminyaka lengu-350 ngemuva kwaZamcolo wesikhatsi saNowa. Abrahama lobesakhulile abehlala edolobheni lase-Uri lebelindlondlobala kutemnotfo, lamuhla lelibitwa ngekutsi yi-Irakhi. Abrahama abeyindvodza lenelukholo, futsi walingwa.

Jehova watjela Abrahama kutsi asuke eveni lakubo aye eveni langalati, lebekulive laseKhenani. Walalela ngaphandle kwekungabata. Watsatsa konkhe labenako, lokwakufaka ekhatsi umfati wakhe Sara, kanye naLoti umntfwana wemnakabo, wahamba wafika eKhenani lapho ahlala khona emathendeni. Esivumelwaneni Jehova lasenta na-Abrahama, wamtsembisa kutsi utawumenta abesive lesikhulu, tonkhe tive temhlaba tiyawubusiswa ngaye futsi intalo yakhe iyawutsatsa live laseKhenani.

Abrahama naLoti banjinga, babanemihlambi lemikhulu yetimvu netinkhomo. Abrahama watjela Loti kutsi akakhetse indzawo lafuna kuyohlala kuyo. Loti wakhetsa indzawo lengaseMfuleni iJordani, futsi wahlala edvute nelidolobha laseSodoma. Kepha bantfu baseSodoma bebakhohlakele, futsi bebona kakhulu kuJehova.

Jehova Nkulunkulu waphindze wacinisekisa Abrahama kutsi intalo yakhe iyawuba ngangetinkhanyeti. Abrahama wasikholwa leso setsembiso. Sara, umfati wakhe abengabatfoli bantfwana. Lapho Abrahama asaneminyaka lengu-99, Sara yena analengaba ngu-90, Nkulunkulu wamtjela kutsi batawuba nendvodzana. Sara watala Isaka njengoba Nkulunkulu abeshito. Abrahama waba nalabanye bantfwana, kepha uMsindzisi lobekukhulunywe ngaye e-Edeni, abetawuvela nga-Isaka.

Loti nemndeni wakhe bekahlala edvute naseSodoma, kepha akazange afanane nalabantfu labakhohlakele labebahlala lapho. Ngesikhatsi Jehova afuna kubhubhisa iSodoma, watfumela tingilosi kutsi tiyewutjela Loti ngalembhubhiso leyayita. Letingilosi tatjela Loti nemndeni wakhe kutsi baphume eSodoma futsi bangabuki emuva. Ngemuva kwaloko, Nkulunkulu wanisa imvula yesibabule nemlilo yabhubhisa bonkhe labantfu lababi baseSodoma naseGomora. Loti nemadvodzakati akhe lamabili babaleka, kepha umfati wakhe wabuka emuva ngenca yekutsi abecabanga ngetintfo lebebatishiyile. Wafa ngenca yalokungalaleli.

—Lendzaba itsetfwe encwadzini ya-Genesisi 11:10–19:38.