ILizwi LikaYehova Liphilile
Iimbalasane Zencwadi YeGenesis—I
GAMA elithi “genesis” lithetha “isiqalo,” okanye “ukuzalwa.” Eli gama liyifanela kakuhle le ncwadi kuba ibalisa ngendlela eyabakho ngayo indalo, indlela owalungiswa ngayo umhlaba ukuze uhlale abantu nendlela ababakho ngayo. Le ncwadi uMoses wayibhalela kwintlango yeSinayi, mhlawumbi wayigqiba ngowe-1513 B.C.E.
Incwadi yeGenesis isixelela ngehlabathi ngaphambi koMkhukula, ngezinto ezazisenzeka njengoko kwakuqalisa ixesha elitsha lasemva koMkhukula nangendlela uYehova uThixo awaqhubana ngayo noAbraham, uIsake, uYakobi noYosefu. Eli nqaku liza kuqwalasela iimbalasane zeGenesis 1:1–11:9, ukusa kwixesha uYehova awaqala ngalo ukuqhubana nosolusapho uAbraham.
IHLABATHI NGAPHAMBI KOMKHUKULA
Amazwi okuqala eGenesis athi, “ekuqaleni” abhekisela kumawaka ezigidi zeminyaka eyadlulayo. Iziganeko ezenzeka ‘kwiintsuku’ ezintandathu zokudala, okanye izihlandlo zomsebenzi wokudala okhethekileyo, zichazwa ngendlela ebeya kuzibona ngayo umntu ozibukeleyo zisenzeka phambi kwakhe. Ekupheleni kosuku lwesithandathu, uThixo wadala umntu. Nangona umntu ephulukana neParadesi ngokukhawuleza ngenxa yokungathobeli, uYehova uvakalisa ithemba. Kwaisiprofeto sokuqala seBhayibhile sithetha ‘ngembewu’ eza kubhangisa imiphumo yesono ize ityumze intloko kaSathana.
Kwiinkulungwane ezilandelayo ezili-16, uSathana uyaphumelela ekutyekiseni bonke abantu kuThixo ngaphandle kwembinana yabathembekileyo, njengoAbheli, uEnoki noNowa. Ngokomzekelo, uKayin ubulala umntakwabo olilungisa uAbheli. ‘Kuyaqalwa ukubizwa egameni likaYehova,’ ekubonakala ukuba liyanyeliswa ngandlel’ ithile. Ebonakalisa umoya wogonyamelo owawugquba kuloo mihla, uLameki uqamba umbongo ophathelele ukubulala kwakhe umfana esenza ibango lokuba ebezikhusela. Iimeko ziba mandundu ngakumbi njengoko oonyana bakaThixo abaziingelosi ezingathobeliyo bezithabathela amabhinqa njengabafazi bazo baze bazale iingxilimbela ekuthiwa ziiNefili. Sekunjalo, uNowa othembekileyo wakha umkhombe, ngenkalipho ulumkisa abanye ngoNogumbe ozayo, yaye uyasinda yena nentsapho yakhe.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
1:16—Kwenzeka njani ukuba uThixo enze ukukhanya kusuku lokuqala ukuba izikhanyiso zazingekenziwa de kwalusuku lwesine? Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “wenza” kwindinyana 16 alifani negama elithi “wadala” elisetyenziswe kwiGenesis isahluko 1, indinyana 1, 21, neyama-27. “Amazulu” naquka izikhanyiso ayesele edaliwe kude kudala kwangaphambi kokuqalisa ‘kosuku lokuqala.’ Kodwa ukukhanya kwazo kwakungafikeleli emhlabeni. Kusuku lokuqala, “kwabakho ke ukukhanya” ngenxa yokuba ukukhanya kwaphumela emafini kwaza kwabonakala emhlabeni. Ngaloo ndlela umhlaba ojikelezayo waqalisa ukuba nemini nobusuku. (Genesis 1:1-3, 5) Indawo okuvela kuyo oko kukhanya yayingekabonakali emhlabeni. Noko ke, kwisihlandlo sesine sokudala, kwenzeka inguqulelo ephawulekayo. Ngoku ilanga, inyanga neenkwenkwezi zenziwa “ukuba zikhanyise emhlabeni.” (Genesis 1:17) Ngoku, ‘uThixo wazenza’ zabonakala emhlabeni.
3:8—Ngaba uYehova uThixo wayethetha ngokungqalileyo noAdam? IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba xa uThixo ethetha nabantu, amaxesha amaninzi wayesebenzisa ingelosi. (Genesis 16:7-11; 18:1-3, 22-26; 19:1; ABagwebi 2:1-4; 6:11-16, 22; 13:15-22) Isithethi esiyintloko sikaThixo yayinguNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, obizwa ngokuba ‘nguLizwi.’ (Yohane 1:1) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uThixo wayesebenzisa “uLizwi” xa ethetha noAdam noEva.—Genesis 1:26-28; 2:16; 3:8-13.
3:17—Umhlaba waqalekiswa ngayiphi indlela, yaye waqalekiswa ixesha elingakanani? Ukuqalekiswa komhlaba kwakuthetha ukuba ngoku kwakuza kuba nzima ukulima. Inzala ka-Adam yayiva ngamandla imiphumo yokuqalekiswa komhlaba, nokuba nameva nenkunzane kwawo kangangokuba uyise kaNowa, uLameki, wathetha ‘ngobuhlungu obuviwa zizandla ngenxa yomhlaba awuqalekisileyo uYehova.’ (Genesis 5:29) Emva koMkhukula, uYehova wamsikelela uNowa noonyana bakhe, echaza injongo yakhe yokuba bazalise umhlaba. (Genesis 9:1) Kuyabonakala ukuba isiqalekiso esenziwa nguThixo emhlabeni sapheliswa.—Genesis 13:10.
4:15—UYehova ‘wammisela njani umqondiso uKayin’? IBhayibhile ayithi kukho umqondiso okanye uphawu olwenziwa emzimbeni kaKayin ngandlel’ ithile. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba lo mqondiso wawusisifungo esaziwayo nesasiza kugcinwa ngabanye abantu yaye senzelwe ukuba bangambulali ngenjongo yokuziphindezela.
4:17—UKayin wamfumana phi umfazi wakhe? UAdam “wazala oonyana neentombi.” (Genesis 5:4) Ngoko ke, uKayin wathabatha omnye woodade wabo okanye omnye wabatshana bakhe wamenza umfazi. Kamva, uMthetho kaThixo kumaSirayeli wakwalela ukutshata komntu nodadewabo.—Levitikus 18:9.
5:24—UThixo “wamthabatha” ngayiphi indlela uEnoki? Kuyabonakala ukuba uEnoki wayesengozini yokubulawa, kodwa uThixo akazange avumele ukuba abandezeleke ezandleni zeentshaba zakhe. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “UEnoki wafuduswa khon’ ukuze angaboni kufa.” (Hebhere 11:5) Oku akuthethi kuthi uThixo wamthabathela ezulwini, ukuze aphile khona. UYesu waba ngowokuqala ukunyukela ezulwini. (Yohane 3:13; Hebhere 6:19, 20) ‘Ukufuduswa kukaEnoki khon’ ukuze angaboni kufa’ kusenokuthetha ukuba uThixo wamzungubalisa waza ke wabunqamla ubomi bakhe esekuloo meko. Kule meko, uEnoki akazange eve ntlungu, okanye ‘abone kufa,’ ezandleni zeentshaba zakhe.
6:6—Kunokutshiwo ngayiphi indlela ukuba uYehova “wazisola” ngokuba emenzile umntu? Igama lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe apha ngokuthi “wazisola” lidlulisela ingcamango yokuguquka kwesimo sengqondo okanye injongo. UYehova ufezekile ngoko akazange enze mpazamo ngokudala umntu. Noko ke, waguquka kwisimo sakhe sengqondo ngesizukulwana esingendawo esasiphila ngaphambi koMkhukula. Isimo sengqondo sikaThixo satshintsha sisusela kweso soMdali wabantu saba sesomtshabalalisi wabo ngenxa yokungakholiswa kukuba ngendawo kwabo. Isibakala sokuba walondoloza abantu abathile sibonisa ukuba ukuzisola kwakhe ngokwenza umntu kwakubhekisele kuphela kwabo baye baba ngendawo.—2 Petros 2:5, 9.
7:2—Yintoni eyayisetyenziswa ukwahlula izilwanyana ezihlambulukileyo nezingahlambulukanga? Kubonakala ukuba zazisahlulwa ngokwendlela ezisetyenziswa ngayo ukwenza amadini kungekhona ngenxa yokuba esinye sasinokutyiwa okanye singenakutyiwa. Ngaphambi koMkhukula abantu babengayityi inyama yezilwanyana. Into ‘yokuhlambuluka nokungahlambuluki kwazo’ ukuba zingatyiwa yaqalisa ngoMthetho kaMoses, yaye loo miqathango yaphela xa watshitshiswayo. (IZenzo 10:9-16; Efese 2:15) Kuyacaca ukuba, uNowa wayezazi ezifanelekileyo ukwenza umbingelelo ekunquleni uYehova. Ngokukhawuleza akuphuma emkhombeni, “wamakhela isibingelelo uYehova waza wathabatha kwizilo zonke ezihlambulukileyo nakwizidalwa zonke eziphaphazelayo ezihlambulukileyo, wenza iminikelo etshiswayo esibingelelweni eso.”—Genesis 8:20.
7:11—Ayevelaphi amanzi oMkhukula womhlaba wonke? Kwisihlandlo sesibini sokudala, okanye “usuku,” xa kwakudalwa “isibhakabhaka,” kwakukho amanzi “angaphantsi kwesibhakabhaka” namanzi “angaphezu kwesibhakabhaka.” (Genesis 1:6, 7) Amanzi “angaphantsi” ngalawo ayesele esemhlabeni. Amanzi “angaphezu” ngalawo ayegcinwe ngaphezu komhlaba, ebumba “imithombo emikhulu yamanzi anzongonzongo.” Ngala manzi awela emhlabeni ngomhla kaNowa.
Oko Sikufundayo:
1:26. Ekubeni benziwe ngomfanekiselo kaThixo, abantu bayakwazi ukubonakalisa iimpawu zikaThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo sifanele sizame ukuhlakulela iimpawu ezifana nothando, inceba, ububele, ukulunga nomonde, sifane naLowo wasenzayo.
2:22-24. Umtshato lilungiselelo likaThixo. Iqhina lomtshato yinto ehlala ihleli nengcwele, indoda iba yintloko yentsapho.
3:1-5, 16-23. Ulonwabo luxhomekeke kwindlela esiluhlonela ngayo ulongamo lukaYehova kubomi bethu.
3:18, 19; 5:5; 6:7; 7:23. Ilizwi likaYehova lihlala liyinyaniso.
4:3-7. UYehova wakholiswa ngumnikelo ka-Abheli kuba wayeyindoda yokholo elilungisa. (Hebhere 11:4) Kwelinye icala, njengoko izenzo zakhe zabonisayo, uKayin wayeswele ukholo. Imisebenzi yakhe yayingendawo, enomona, intiyo yaye engumbulali. (1 Yohane 3:12) Ukongezelela, usenokuba wayenganikelanga ngqalelo kumbingelelo wakhe esenza nje uphela sonwabe. Ngaba imibingelelo yethu ayifanele ibe yeyokudumisa uYehova isuke entliziyweni yaye siyenze sinesimo sengqondo esihle nokuziphatha kakuhle?
6:22. Nakuba kwathabatha iminyaka ukwakh’ umkhombe, uNowa wenza njengoko wayeyalelwe nguThixo. Ngoko, uNowa nentsapho yakhe basindiswa kuNogumbe. UYehova uthetha nathi ngeLizwi lakhe elibhaliweyo yaye usalathisa ngentlangano yakhe. Sithi abangenelwayo xa siphulaphula size sithobele.
7:21-24. UYehova akatshabalalisi olungileyo kunye nongendawo.
ULUNTU LUNGENA KWIXESHA ELITSHA
Ekubeni liphelile ihlabathi langaphambi koMkhukula, abantu bangena kwixesha elitsha. Abantu banikwa imvume yokutya inyama nomyalelo wokuzinxwema egazini. UYehova ugunyazisa isohlwayo sokufa xa umntu ebulele yaye umisela umnyama njengomnqophiso, ethembisa ukuba akasoze aphinde azise uNogumbe. Oonyana abathathu bakaNowa baba ngookhokho balo lonke uhlanga lwabantu, kodwa umzukulwana wakhe uNimrodi uba ‘ngumzingeli onamandla ngokuchasene noYehova.’ Kunokuba bathi saa ukuze bazalise umhlaba, abantu bagqiba ekubeni bakhe isixeko ekuthiwa yiBhabheli nenqaba ukuze bazenzele udumo. Iinjongo zabo ziyaphutha xa uYehova eduba ulwimi lwabo baze bathi saa emhlabeni wonke.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
8:11—Ukuba imithi yatshatyalaliswa nguMkhukula, ihobe lalifumana phi igqabi lomnquma? Zimbini izinto ezisenokuba zenzeka. Ekubeni umnquma ingumthi oqinileyo, usenokuba wahlala uphila ngaphantsi kwamanzi kangangeenyanga ebudeni boNogumbe. Emva kokuba amanzi ethothile, umthi womnquma obuntywile ngaphantsi kwamanzi wawunokuphinda uvelise amagqabi xa usemhlabeni owomileyo. Igqabi lomnquma eleza nehobe kuNowa lisenokuba lalifumana kumthi omtsha owawusandul’ ukuntshula emva kokuthotha kwamanzi.
9:20-25—Kwakutheni ukuze uNowa aqalekise uKanan? Kuyacaca ukuba kukho ububi obuthile obenziwa nguKanan kuyisemkhulu uNowa. Kubonakala ukuba nangona uyise kaKanan, uHam wakubonayo oku, akazange amnqande kodwa wahamba ethetha ngako. Noko ke, abanye oonyana ababini bakaNowa, uShem noYafete benza okuthile ukuze bagubungele uyise. Basikelelwa ngenxa yoko, kodwa uKanan waqalekiswa yaye uHam weva iintlungu ngenxa yehlazo elaziswa kwinzala yakhe.
10:25—Umhlaba “wawahlukene” njani ngemihla kaPelege? UPelege waphila ukususela kowama-2269 ukusa kowama-2030 B.C.E. ‘Kwakungemihla yakhe’ xa uYehova wabangela ukwahlukana okukhulu ngokuduba ulwimi lwabakhi baseBhabheli waza wabachithachitha emhlabeni wonke. (Genesis 11:9) Ngoko ke, “umhlaba [okanye abemi bomhlaba] wawahlukene” ngemihla kaPelege.
Oko Sikufundayo:
9:1; 11:9. Akakho amacebo okanye imigudu yabantu enokuthintela injongo kaYehova.
10:1-32. Iingxelo ezimbini zomnombo zangaphambi koMkhukula nasemva kwawo—isahluko 5 nese-10—zimanyanisa lonke uhlanga lwabantu nomntu wokuqala, uAdam ukusa koonyana bakaNowa abathathu. Izizwe zama-Asiriya, amaKhaledi, amaHebhere, amaSiriya namanye ama-Arabhu, ziphuma kuShem. AmaTiyopiya, amaYiputa, amaKanan namanye ama-Afrika nama-Arabhu aphuma kuHam. Iintlanga zaseYurophu ziphuma kuYafete. Bonke abantu bayazalana, yaye bonke bazalwa belingana phambi koThixo. (IZenzo 17:26) Le nyaniso ifanele iphembelele indlela esibajonga nesibaphatha ngayo abanye.
ILizwi LikaThixo Linamandla
Inxalenye yokuqala yencwadi yeGenesis iqulethe ekuphela kwengxelo echanileyo yembali yokuqala yabantu. Kule ngxelo, sifunda ngenjongo kaThixo yokubeka abantu emhlabeni. Hayi indlela ekusomeleza ngayo ukubona ukuba ayikho imigudu yabantu, njengaleyo kaNimrodi enokuthintela le njongo ingazaliseki!
Njengoko ufundisisa iBhayibhile veki nganye xa ulungiselela iSikolo Sobulungiseleli Sobuthixo, ukuqwalasela oko kuthethwa ngaphantsi kwecandelo elithi “Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo” kuya kukunceda uqonde ezinye iZibhalo ezinzima. Amagqabaza angaphantsi komxholwana othi “Oko Sikufundayo” aya kukubonisa indlela onokungenelwa ngayo kufundisiso lweBhayibhile lwaloo veki. Xa kufanelekile, anokuba luncedo nakwiimfuno zasekuhlaleni kwiNtlanganiso Yenkonzo. Ngokwenene iLizwi likaYehova liphilile yaye linamandla kubomi bethu.—Hebhere 4:12.