ILizwi LikaYehova Liphilile
Iimbalasane Zencwadi KaNehemiya
SELE kudlule iminyaka eli-12 zenzekayo iziganeko ekwathethwa ngazo kwincwadi yeBhayibhile kaEzra. Ngoku lisondele ixesha lokuba ‘kuphume ilizwi lokuba ibuyiselwe ize yakhiwe kwakhona iYerusalem,’ isiganeko esiphawula ukuqala kweeveki zeminyaka ezingama-70 ezikhokelela kuMesiya. (Daniyeli 9:24-27) Incwadi kaNehemiya yimbali yabantu bakaThixo ebandakanya ukwakhiwa kweendonga zeYerusalem. Igubungela iminyaka eli-12, esusela kowama-456 B.C.E. ukusa kwixa elithile emva kowama-443 B.C.E.
Le ncwadi yabhalwa yiRhuluneli uNehemiya, iqulethe ingxelo ebangel’ imincili ngendlela oluqhama ngayo unqulo lokwenyaniso xa abantu bezimisele kwaye bekholose ngoYehova uThixo ngokupheleleyo. Ibonisa indlela uYehova azalathisa ngayo izinto ukuze kuphunyezwe ukuthanda kwakhe. Ikwaxubusha ngenkokeli enenzondelelo nenkalipho. Isigidimi sencwadi kaNehemiya sinezifundo ezibalulekileyo kubo bonke abanquli bokwenyaniso namhlanje, “kuba ilizwi likaThixo liphilile, linamandla.”—Hebhere 4:12.
“EKUGQIBELENI UDONGA LWAGQITYWA”
UNehemiya ngusomaqhuzu kwibhotwe lasebukhosini kwinqaba eseShushan, ulungiselela uKumkani uArtashashta Longimanus. Uphazamiseka kakhulu esakuva ukuba abantu bakowabo ‘bayangcikivwa yaye udonga lwaseYerusalem ludiliziwe, namasango ayo atshiswe ngomlilo.’ Uthandaza kuThixo ecela ulwalathiso. (Nehemiya 1:3, 4) Ekuhambeni kwexesha ukumkani uyabona ukuba uNehemiya udakumbile, ngenxa yoko kuvuleka ithuba lokuba aye eYerusalem.
Esakufika eYerusalem, uhlola udonga ebusuku, aze emva koko achazele amaYuda ukuba uceba ukulwakha ngokutsha. Aqalisa ukwakha, nenkcaso iqala phantsi. Noko ke, ngenxa yokhokelo lukaNehemiya onenkalipho “ekugqibeleni lwagqitywa udonga.”—Nehemiya 6:15.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
1:1; 2:1—Ngaba ‘unyaka wamashumi amabini’ okhankanywe kwezi ndinyana zimbini ubalwa ngendlela efanayo? Ewe unyaka wama-20 ngunyaka wolawulo lukakumkani uArtashashta. Noko ke, indlela yokubala esetyenziswe kwezi ndinyana ayifani. Imbali ibonisa ukuba uArtashashta waqalisa ukulawula ngonyaka wama-475 B.C.E. Ekubeni ababhali baseBhabhiloni ngokuqhelekileyo bebala iminyaka yokulawula kookumkani bamaPersi ukususela ngoNisan omalunga (noMatshi/noAprili) ukusa kuNisan wonyaka olandelayo, unyaka wokuqalisa kuka-Artashashta ukulawula nguNisan wama-474 B.C.E. Ngenxa yoko unyaka wama-20 okhankanywe kuNehemiya 2:1 ususela ngoNisan wama-455 B.C.E. Inyanga enguChislev emalunga (noNovemba/noDisemba) ekhankanywe kuNehemiya 1:1 imele ukuba yayinguChislev wonyaka ongaphambili—ngowama-456 B.C.E. UNehemiya ubhekisela kuloo nyaka njengowela kunyaka wama-20 wolawulo luka-Artashashta. Mhlawumbi kwesi sihlandlo, wayebala iminyaka esusela kwixesha awabekwa ngalo lo kumkani. Mhlawumbi uNehemiya wasebenzisa ikhalenda yonyaka namhlanje amaYuda ayibiza ngokuba ngunyaka wabantu, eqala ngenyanga enguTishri, engqamana noSeptemba/no-Oktobha. Inyaniso yona kukuba, unyaka elaphuma ngawo ilizwi lokuba kubuyiselwe iYerusalem yayingunyaka wama-455 B.C.E.
4:17, 18—Umntu wayenokwakha njani ngesandla esinye? Oku kwakungeyongxaki kwabo babethutha izinto zokwakha. Kuba usakuba ubekwe entloko okanye egxalabeni umthwalo, babe nokuwubamba ngesandla esinye ‘ngoxa esinye sibambe umjukujelwa.’ Ke bona abakhi ekwakufuneka basebenze ngezandla zozibini “babebhinqisiwe, ngamnye ikrele lakhe lisesinqeni sakhe, ngoxa babesakha.” Babekulungele ukufunza edabini nanini na behlaselwa.
5:7—UNehemiya ‘wazihlab’ amadlala ngayiphi indlela izidwangube namasekela-baphathi’? La madoda ayewabiza inzala eninzi amanye amaYuda ngaloo ndlela esaphula uMthetho kaMoses. (Levitikus 25:36; Duteronomi 23:19) Ukongezelela koko, inzala eyayibizwa ngaba babolekisi yayininzi gqitha. Ukuba yayihlawulwa inyanga nenyanga, “ngokwekhulu” yayiza kuba kumyinge we-12 ekhulwini ngonyaka. (Nehemiya 5:11) Yayiyinkohlakalo ukubiza inzala engaka kubantu ababehlawula isikhuntyu serhafu, yabe nekat’ ilel’ eziko. UNehemiya akazange akholiswe zizityebi ngaloo ndlela, waza esebenzisa uMthetho kaThixo wazohlwaya, wazikhalimela waba ke uyayibhenca inkohlakalo yazo.
6:5—Ekubeni iileta ezinombandela ontununtunu zazidla ngokufakwa engxoweni evaliweyo, kwakutheni ukuze uSanebhalati amthumelele “incwadi evulekileyo” uNehemiya? Mhlawumbi uSanebhalati wayefuna zaziwe nguwonke-wonke ezi zityholo zobuxoki. Mhlawumbi wayecinga ukuba oko kwakuza kumcaphukisa uNehemiya aze awuyeke umsebenzi wokwakha aze kuzithethelela. Okanye uSanebhalati wayecinga ukuba izinto awayezithethe kuloo ncwadi zaziza kuwothusa amaYuda aze abeke phantsi izixhobo ube ke uma ngxi umsebenzi wokwakha. UNehemiya akazange oyike waqhubeka nomsebenzi awayewunikwe nguThixo.
Oko Sikufundayo:
1:4; 2:4; 4:4, 5. Xa sijamelene neemeko ezinzima okanye sisenza izigqibo ezibalulekileyo, sifanele ‘sizingise emthandazweni’ size senze ngokuvisisana nolwalathiso lobuthixo.—Roma 12:12.
1:11–2:8; 4:4, 5, 15, 16; 6:16. UYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo enyanisekileyo yabakhonzi bakhe.—INdumiso 86:6 7.
1:4; 4:19, 20; 6:3, 15. Nangona uNehemiya wayeyindoda enovelwano, wamisela umzekelo omhle wokuba nenkalipho nokuthanda ubulungisa.
1:11–2:3. Eyona nto yayivuyisa uNehemiya yayingelo qhuzu lokuba ngumngcamli. Yayikukuhanjiselwa phambili konqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngaba unqulo lukaYehova nazo zonke izinto oluzikhuthazayo azimele zibe zezona zinto ziphambili nomthombo wovuyo lwethu?
2:4-8. UYehova wenza ukuba uArtashashta anike uNehemiya imvume yokuba ahambe aye kwakha ngokutsha iindonga zeYerusalem. IMizekeliso 21:1 ithi: “Intliziyo yokumkani injengomsinga wamanzi esandleni sikaYehova. Uyisa apho athanda ukuyisa khona.”
3:5, 27. Asimele siwujongele phantsi umsebenzi wezandla owenzelwa ukuhambisela phambili izilangazelelo zonqulo lokwenyaniso, njengokuba zenzayo “iingangamsha” zamaTekowa. Kunoko, sinokuxelisa amaTekowa awayephila ubomi obuqhelekileyo awaye azibhokoxa.
3:10, 23, 28-30. Ngoxa abanye bekwazi ukufudukela kwiindawo ezifuna abavakalisi abangakumbi boBukumkani, uninzi lwethu luxhasa unqulo lokwenyaniso lukwezo ndawo luhlala kuzo. Singaluxhasa ngokuncedisa xa kusakhiwa iHolo yoBukumkani, ngamaxesha entlekele kodwa eyona ndlela ingundoqo kukushumayela ngoBukumkani.
4:14. Xa sichaswa, nathi sinokuloyisa uloyiko ngokukhumbula “omkhulu naLowo woyikekayo.”
5:14-19. Kubaveleli abangamaKristu, iRhuluneli uNehemiya ungumzekelo obalaseleyo wokuthobeka, wokungazingci nengqiqo. Nangona wayenenzondelelo ngoMthetho kaThixo, akazange abagagamele abanye kuba encwase inzuzo ethile. Kunoko, waba novelwano ngabantu abacinezelekileyo nabangamahlwempu. Kumbandela wesisa, uNehemiya wabamisela umzekelo omhle bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo.
“NDIKHUMBULE, THIXO WAM, NGOKULUNGILEYO”
Zakuba zigqityiwe iindonga zeYerusalem, uNehemiya ufakela amasango aze alungiselele ukuba kukhuselwe isixeko. Uqulunqa ingxelo yomlibo wabantu. Njengoko bonke abantu behlanganisene “kwindawo yembutho eyayiphambi kweSango Lamanzi,” umbingeleli uEzra ufunda incwadi yoMthetho kaMoses, uNehemiya nabaLevi bacacisela abantu uMthetho. (Nehemiya 8:1) Besakufunda ngoMthendeleko Weminquba benza isikhumbuzo sawo bevuya.
Kulandela enye indibano, kuyo “imbewu kaSirayeli” yenza uvumo lwezono, abaLevi bafunda indlela aqhubana ngayo uThixo namaSirayeli, baze abantu benze isifungo sokuba baza ‘kuhamba emthethweni woThixo oyinyaniso.’ (Nehemiya 9:1, 2; 10:29) Ekubeni iYerusalem isenabantu abambalwa, kwenziwa amaqashiso okuba indoda enye kwali-10 ehlala ngaphandle kwesixeko ifudukele esixekweni. Emva koko, iindonga zeYerusalem zivulwa ngentsholo yentswahla “kangangokuba imihlali eyayiseYerusalem yeviwa kude.” (Nehemiya 12:43) Emva kweminyaka elishumi elinesibini eseYerusalem, uNehemiya ubuyela enkomeni kwa-Artashashta. Kungekudala amaYuda aphinda avukwe yimikhwa emibi. Esakubuyela eYerusalem, uNehemiya ulungisa le meko. Wenza esi sicelo sithobekileyo: “Ndikhumbule, Thixo wam, ngokulungileyo.”—Nehemiya 13:31.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
7:6-67—Kutheni inani likaNehemiya lentsalela yabathinjwa eyabuyela eYerusalem noZerubhabheli lwahlukile kuludwe lukaEzra? (Ezra 2:1-65) Mhlawumbi lo mahluko ubangelwa kukuba uEzra noNehemiya basebenzisa imithombo engafaniyo. Mhlawumbi inani labo babebhalisele ukubuya lalahlukile kwinani labo babuyayo. Isizathu sesibini isenokuba amaYuda awayengawazi umlibo wawo wokuzalwa ekuqaleni ade awazi ekuhambeni kwexesha. Noko ke, kwezi ngxelo zombini, liyafana inani labantu ababuyelayo ekuqaleni ama-42 360, ngaphandle kwamakhoboka neemvumi.
10:34—Kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke abathezi beenkuni? Lalingekho ilungiselelo lokuthezwa kweenkuni kuMthetho kaMoses. Lo mthetho wabakho kuba wawufuneka. Kwakufuneka iinkuni ezininzi ukuze kutshiswe amadini esibingelelweni. Kuyacaca, ukuba lalinganelanga inani lamaNethini awayengamakhoboka asetempileni angengomaSirayeli. Ngenxa yoko, kwenziwa amaqashiso ukuze kuhlale kukho abathezi beenkuni.
13:6—Wemka ixesha elide kangakanani uNehemiya eYerusalem? Ekuphela kwento ethethwa yiBhayibhile ithi “kamva” okanye “ekupheleni kwemihla,” uNehemiya wacela ikhefu kukumkani ukuze athi qu eYerusalem. Ngoko ke, kunzima ukwazi ixesha awayengekho ngalo. Esakubuyela eYerusalem, wabona ukuba ababingeleli babengaxhaswa, neSabatha ingagcinwa. Abanye babetshate abafazi beentlanga, inzala yabo yayingakwazi nokuthetha isiYuda. Ukuba zadodobala ukusa kwelo nqanaba izinto, oko kubonisa ukuba uNehemiya wayemke ixesha elide.
13:25, 28—Ukongezelela koko ‘kuhlaba amadlala’ ukudodobala kwemilinganiselo yokuziphatha neyonqulo lwamaYuda, ziziphi ezinye izinto awazilungisayo uNehemiya? UNehemiya ‘wawaqalekisa’ wawafundela imigwebo eseMthethweni kaThixo. ‘Wawabetha amanye awo,’ mhlawumbi ngokuwagweba qatha. Ebonisa ingqumbo yakhe nxamnye nawo, ‘wawaxhwitha iinwele.’ Wagxotha nomzukulwana woMbingeleli Omkhulu uEliyashibhi, owayetshate nentombi kaSanebhalati umHoron.
Oko Sikufundayo:
8:8. Njengabafundisi beLizwi likaThixo, kufuneka ‘silenze libe nentsingiselo’ silicacise kakuhle size sigxininise siyenze icace indlela esisebenza ngayo iSibhalo.
8:10. “Uvuyo lukaYehova” lufumaneka ngokuphaphela nokwanelisa iintswelo yethu yokomoya nangokulandela ulwalathiso lobuthixo. Hayi indlela ekubaluleke ngayo ukuba sikukhuthalele ukufunda iBhayibhile, siye rhoqo kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, size sibe nesabelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela uBukumkani nowokwenza abafundi!
11:2. Ukushiya ilifa nokufudukela eYerusalem kwakubandakanya iindleko neengxaki ezithile. Abo bakwenza ngokuzithandela oku babonisa umoya wokuzincama. Nathi sinokubonisa umoya ofanayo xa kuvela amathuba okuba sincede abazalwana bethu ezindibanweni nangezinye izihlandlo.
12:31, 38, 40-42. Ukucula yindlela entle yokudumisa uYehova nokumbulela. Simele sizimisele xa sicula kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu.
13:4-31. Kufuneka siphaphe singavumeli ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ukonakala nowexuko ziphembelele ubomi bethu.
13:22. UNehemiya wayesazi ukuba wayemele aziphendulele kuThixo. Nathi kufuneka sikhumbule ukuba kufuneka siziphendulele kuYehova.
Kubalulekile Ukufumana Intsikelelo KaYehova!
Umdumisi wathi: “Ngaphandle kokuba uYehova uyayakha indlu, kulilize ukusebenza nzima kwabakhi bayo kuyo.” (INdumiso 127:1) Hayi indlela ewabonisa kakuhle ngayo lo mazwi incwadi kaNehemiya!
Sicace nakuthathatha isifundo. Ukuba sifuna ukuphumelela kuyo nantoni na esiyenzayo, simele sibe nentsikelelo kaYehova. Ngaba singalindela ukuba uYehova asisikelele ukuba asilubeki kwindawo yokuqala unqulo lokwenyaniso ebomini bethu? NjengoNehemiya, masenze unqulo lukaYehova nokuhanjiselwa kwalo phambili lube yeyona nto iphambili ebomini bethu.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]
“Intliziyo yokumkani injengomsinga wamanzi esandleni sikaYehova”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
UNehemiya—indoda enovelwano, nenkalipho—iza eYerusalem
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10, 11]
Ngaba uyakwazi ukulenza ‘liphile’ ilizwi likaThixo?