Into Enkulu Ngakumbi Kunobuncwane BaseYiputa

UMOSES ngomnye wabona bantu babalaseleyo embalini. Iincwadi ezine zeBhayibhile—ukususela kwiEksodus ukusa kwiDuteronomi—ngokukhethekileyo zithetha ngendlela uThixo awayeqhubana ngayo namaSirayeli phantsi kokhokelo lukaMoses. Wawakhokela ngoxa ayefuduka eYiputa, wadlulisela umnqophiso woMthetho, waza wakhokelela amaSirayeli kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. UMoses wakhuliselwa kwindlu kaFaro, kodwa waba yinkokeli emiselweyo yabantu bakaThixo, umprofeti, umgwebi, nombhali ophefumlelwe nguThixo. Sekunjalo, ‘wayengoyena ululamileyo kubantu bonke.’—Numeri 12:3.

Phantse yonke into iBhayibhile eyithethayo ngoMoses yenzeka kwiminyaka engama-40 yokugqibela yobomi bakhe, kuquka ixesha lokukhululwa kwamaSirayeli ebukhobokeni ukusa ekufeni kukaMoses eneminyaka eli-120 ubudala. Ukususela kwixesha eneminyaka engama-40 ukusa kwengama-80 ubudala, wayengumalusi kwaMidiyan. Kodwa, enye incwadi ithi “mhlawumbi eyona nxalenye yobomi bakhe ebangel’ umdla, yaye kodwa ekungathethwa kakhulu ngayo,” yiminyaka yakhe yokuqala engama-40, ukususela kwixesha awazalwa ngalo ukusa kwixesha awasaba ngalo eYiputa. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kweli xesha? Iimeko uMoses awakhuliswa phantsi kwazo zamchaphazela njani ukuze abe yindoda awakhula waba yiyo? Yintoni eyamphembelelayo? Ziziphi iingxaki awajamelana nazo? Yaye kunokusifundisa ntoni oku?

Ubukhoboka EYiputa

Incwadi ye-Eksodus ichaza ukuba uFaro waqalisa ukuwoyika amaSirayeli angabaphambukeli eYiputa kuba ayesanda. Ecinga ukuba wayesenza “ngobuqili,” wazama ukuwanciphisa ngokuwaphatha ngenkohlakalo njengamakhoboka yaye ebethwa ngabaqweqwedisi—ethwala imithwalo, esenza udaka nenani elithile lezitena ngosuku.—Eksodus 1:8-14; 5:6-18.

Le nkcazelo yaseYiputa uMoses wazalelwa kuyo iyavisisana nobungqina bembali. Umbhalo-ngqangi wamandulo yaye ubuncinane nomfanekiso omnye wengcwaba ubonisa indlela izitena zodaka ezazisenziwa ngayo ngamakhoboka kwiminyaka engamawaka amabini Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo okanye ngaphambilana. Amagosa ayenembopheleleko yokwenziwa kwezitena ayehlanganisa amakhulu amakhoboka aze awahlule abe ngamaqela abantu aba-6 ukusa kwabali-18 phantsi komphathi omnye okanye inkokeli yeqela. Udaka lwezitena lwalufanele lwembiwe luze luthuthwe ngeendiza lusisiwa kwindawo yokwenza izitena. Abantu abaziintlanga ezahlukahlukeneyo babesebenza kunye besikha amanzi, yaye besebenzisa igaba ukuxova udaka kunye nengca. Kwakukroziswa izitena ezininzi ezixonxwe zabuxande. Babesandula ke abasebenzi bathwale imithwalo yedyokhwe yezitena ezomisiweyo bezisa kwindawo ekwakhiwa kuyo, maxa wambi kwakuye kuhanjwe kwindawo enamanqwanqwa ukufikelela apho. Abaphathi abangamaYiputa, babephethe iintonga, bahlale phantsi okanye bahambe kancinane njengoko bebeke iliso kulo msebenzi wenziwayo.

Enye ingxelo yamandulo yokubala ithi abasebenzi angama-602 babesenza izitena ezingama-39 118, umlinganiselo wezitena ezingama-65 ngosuku kumntu ngamnye. Yaye ingxelo yenkulungwane ye-13 B.C.E. ithi: “Amadoda eyesenza . . . inani lezitena ezifunekayo usuku ngalunye.” Konke oku kufana gqitha nomsebenzi amaSirayeli ayefanele awenze njengoko kuchazwe kwincwadi ye-Eksodus.

Ingcinezelo ayizange iwanciphise amaHebhere. Kunoko, ‘okukhona [amaYiputa] ewacinezela, kokukhona ayesanda . . . kangangokuba agubha lunkwantyo ngenxa yoonyana bakaSirayeli.’ (Eksodus 1:10, 12) Ngenxa yoko, uFaro waqala wayalela abazalisikazi abangamaHebhere waza wayalela nabo bonke abantu ukuba babulale onke amakhwenkwe angamaSirayeli asandul’ ukuzalwa. Phantsi kwezi meko zinkwantyisayo, uYokebhede noAmram bazala usana oluhle oluyinkwenkwe, uMoses.—Eksodus 1:15-22; 6:20; IZenzo 7:20.

Uyafihlwa, Uyafunyanwa Aze Akhuliswe

Abazali bakaMoses bawugatya umyalelo kaFaro wokubulala baza bayifihla inkwenkwana yabo encinane. Ngaba bakwenza oku phezu kwako nje ukugqogqwa kweentsana ziintlola nabaphathi? Asinakuqiniseka. Enoba kwenzeka ntoni na, emva kweenyanga ezintathu abazali bakaMoses babengasakwazi ukumfihla. Ngoko unina wamenzela ingobozi yemikhanzi, wayityabeka ngetela ukuze ingangenwa ngamanzi, waza wamlalisa ngaphakathi kuyo umntwana. Ngomlinganiselo othile, uYokebhede wawuthobela umyalelo kaFaro wokulahlela onke amakhwenkwe asandul’ ukuzalwa angamaHebhere kumNayile. UMiriyam, udadeboMoses omdala, wama kufutshane emjongile.—Eksodus 1:22–2:4.

Asazi enoba uYokebhede wayefuna uMoses acholwe yintombi kaFaro xa yayize emlanjeni ize kuhlamba, kodwa leyo yinto eyenzekayo. Le nkosazana yaqonda ukuba lo yayingumntwana wamaHebhere. Yayiza kwenza ntoni? Ngaba yayiza kuthobela umyalelo kayise ize iyalele ukuba abulawe? Akunjalo, yenza njengoko inkoliso yabafazi ibiya kwenza ngokuqhelekileyo. Yasikwa yinimba.

Ngokukhawuleza uMiriyam wasondela kuyo. Wabuza: ‘Ndingaya kukubizela na umfazi womHebhere akuncancisele lo mntwana?’ Bambi bayifumanisa ingumnqa le ngxelo. UdadeboMoses wenza ngokuchasene noFaro, owabhunga nabacebisi bakhe ukuba bawaphathe “ngobuqili” amaHebhere. Kakade ke, uMoses wakhuseleka kuphela xa inkosazana yavumelana necebo likadadewabo. Intombi kaFaro yathi: “Yiya!” yaye uMiriyam ngoko nangoko waya kubiza unina. Benza isivumelwano esikhethekileyo, ngoko ke uYokebhede waqashwa ukuba akhulise umntwana wakhe phantsi kweliso lasebukhosini.—Eksodus 2:5-9.

Ngokuqinisekileyo imfesane yale nkosazana yayahluke gqitha kwinkohlakalo kayise. Asikukuba yayingamqondi lo mntwana yaye ayizange iqhathwe nokuqhathwa. Yasikwa yimfesane ukuba imamkele, yaye isibakala sokuba yavuma ukuba anyanyekelwe ngumHebhere oncancisayo kubonisa ukuba yayingenakhethe njengoyise.

Ukukhuliswa Nemfundo

UYokebhede “wamthabatha umntwana waza wamncancisa. Wakhula umntwana. Ngoko wamsa kwintombi kaFaro, waba ngunyana wayo.” (Eksodus 2:9, 10) IBhayibhile ayisixeleli ukuba uMoses wahlala ixesha elingakanani nabazali bakhe abamzalayo. Abanye bacinga ukuba wade walunyulwa—kwiminyaka emibini okanye emithathu—okanye isenokuba yayingaphezu koko. IEksodus ichaza ukuba “wakhula” nabazali bakhe, nto leyo ethetha ukuba wayesenokuba ufikelele nakubuphi na ubudala. Sekunjalo, ngokuqinisekileyo uAmram noYokebhede basebenzisa elo thuba ukumazisa unyana wabo ukuba wayengumHebhere yaye bemfundisa ngoYehova. Impumelelo yabo ekubetheleleni ukholo nothando ngobulungisa entliziyweni kaMoses yayiza kubonakala ekuhambeni kwexesha.

Xa wabuyela kwintombi kaFaro, uMoses wafundiswa “bonke ubulumko bamaYiputa.” (IZenzo 7:22) Oko kwakuya kuquka ukuba uMoses afundiselwe isikhundla saseburhulumenteni. Imfundo yaseYiputa yayiquka izibalo, ijiyometri, ukuzoba izakhiwo, ukwakha, nobunye ubugcisa nenzululwazi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, intsapho yasebukhosini yayifuna ukuba afundiswe unqulo lwamaYiputa.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uMoses wafumana ilungelo lokufunda nabanye abantwana basebukhosini. Phakathi kwabo bafumana le mfundo iphakamileyo “yayingabantwana babalawuli basemzini ababesiwe okanye bethatyathwe njengabathinjwa eYiputa ukuze ‘bachubeke’ baze bagoduke ukuze balawule phantsi” kukaFaro ngokuthembeka. (The Reign of Thutmose IV, by Betsy M. Bryan) Kuyabonakala ukuba iindawo zokugcina abantwana ezazikumabhotwe asebukhosini zaziqeqesha ulutsha lukwazi ukuba ngamagosa aseburhulumenteni.a Imibhalo ekroliweyo esusela kwixesha loBukumkani baseYiputa noBukumkani Obutsha ibonisa ukuba abalindi nawona magosa aphezulu aseburhulumenteni kaFaro naxa ayesemadala amaninzi ayesabizwa ngegama elizukileyo elithi “Child of the Nursery.”

Ubomi basebukhosini babuza kuba luvavanyo kuMoses. Babuquka ubutyebi, ubunewunewu negunya. Imikhwa yakhe emihle yokuziphatha yayisengozini. Wayeza kuthini uMoses? Wayeza kunyaniseka kubani? Ngaba ngokwenene wayengumkhonzi kaYehova, isizalwane samaHebhere acinezelweyo, okanye ngaba wakhetha zonke izinto zobuhedeni ezaziseYiputa?

Esona Sigqibo Sibalulekileyo

Xa wayeneminyaka engama-40 ubudala, ngeli xesha uMoses ngewayesele engumYiputa nozwane, ‘waphuma waya kubantakwabo esiya kukhangela imithwalo yabo.’ Okwenzekayo emva koku kwabonisa ukuba wayengenamdla nje, wayefuna ngokwenene ukubanceda. Xa wabona umYiputa ebetha umHebhere, wangenelela, ebulala lo mcinezeli. Eso senzo sabonisa ukuba uMoses wayebathanda abantakwabo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba le ndoda ifileyo yayiligosa, yaye yabulawa isenza umsebenzi wayo. KumaYiputa, uMoses wayefanele athembeke ngandlela zonke kuFaro. Noko ke, into eyabangela uMoses enze oku yayikukuthanda okusesikweni, uphawu awaphinda walubonakalisa kusuku olulandelayo xa wathethisa umHebhere owayebetha ngokungekho sikweni iqabane lakhe. UMoses wayenomnqweno wokukhulula amaHebhere ebukhobokeni obungqwabalala, kodwa xa uFaro wabona ukuba umjikele, wazama ukumbulala, yaye uMoses wasabela kwaMidiyan.—Eksodus 2:11-15; IZenzo 7:23-29.b

Nangona uMoses wayefuna ukuba abantu bakaThixo bakhululwe ngelo xesha, elikaYehova lona ixesha lalingekafiki. Sekunjalo, izenzo zakhe zazibonakalisa ukholo. AmaHebhere 11:24-26 athi: “Ngokholo uMoses, xa wayekhulile, wala ukubizwa ngokuba ungunyana wentombi kaFaro, enyula ukuphathwa kabuhlungu kunye nabantu bakaThixo kunokuziyolisa ngesono okwexeshana.” Ngoba? “Ngenxa yokuba walubalela ungcikivo lukaKristu ekuthini lububutyebi obukhulu ngakumbi kunobuncwane baseYiputa; kuba wayekhangele ngenyameko emvuzweni.” Ukusetyenziswa kwebinzana elithi ‘uKristu,’ elithetha “othanjisiweyo,” liyafaneleka kuMoses kuba kamva wafumana uthumo olukhethekileyo oluvela ngqo kuYehova.

Khawufan’ ucinge! UMoses wakhuliswa ngendlela yabantwana basebukhosini bamaYiputa kuphela. Isikhundla awayekuso sasinokumenza afumane owona msebenzi uphezulu aze afumane nantoni na ayifunayo, sekunjalo wakukhaba ngawo omane konke oko. Wayengenakuzibamba zombini, aphile phantsi kobukhosi bukaFaro, ongumcinezeli, aze kwangaxeshanye athande uYehova nokusesikweni. Ukwazi nokucamngca ngoko uThixo wakuthembisa ookhokho bakhe uAbraham, uIsake noYakobi kwakhokelela uMoses ukuba afune ukukholisa uThixo. Ngenxa yoko, uYehova wasebenzisa uMoses kweyona ndima ibalulekileyo yokufeza iinjongo Zakhe.

Sonke sifanele senze ukhetho ngezona zinto zibalulekileyo. NjengoMoses, mhlawumbi kukho isigqibo esinzima ekufanele usenze. Ngaba kufanele uyeke imikhwa ethile okanye uncame izinto ezithile eziyinzuzo ubunokuzifumana? Ukuba ufanele wenze ukhetho olunjalo, khumbula ukuba uMoses wabugqala ubuhlobo bakhe noYehova bubaluleke ngakumbi kunabo bonke ubuncwane baseYiputa, yaye akazange azisole.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 11]

Izivumelwano Zokuncancisa

Ngokuqhelekileyo oomama bancancisa iintsana zabo. Noko ke, kwiJournal of Biblical Literature umphengululi uBrevard Childs uthi, “kwiimeko ezithile kwiintsapho zasemkhosini [kufuphi neMpuma] kwakuqashwa umfazi oncancisayo. Esi sithethe sasiqhelekile nalapho umama wayengenakwazi ukuncancisa umntwana wakhe okanye xa umama wayengaziwa. Lo mfazi wayenembopheleleko yokukhulisa neyokumncancisa lo mntwana kangangexesha elithe.” Imibhalo-ngqangi emininzi engezivumelwano zokuncancisa iye yasinda kwizinto zamandulo zamazwe aseMpuma. La maxwebhu angqina ukuba oko kwakusisithethe esaziwayo ngokubanzi ukususela kwixesha lamaSumeri ukusa ekupheleni kwexesha lamaGrike, eYiputa. Into efumaneka kula maxwebhu yayingamagama abantu ababebandakanyekile, ubude bexesha lesivumelwano, iimeko zomsebenzi, indlela afanele ondliwe ngayo loo mntwana, imali efanele ihlawule ngokwaphula eso sivumelwano, umvuzo nendlela owawuza kuhlawulwa ngayo loo mvuzo. Lo kaChilds, uthi ngokuqhelekileyo “ukuncancisa kwakuye kuthabathe iminyaka emibini ukusa kwemithathu. Umfazi oncancisayo wayemkhulisela ekhayeni lakhe loo mntwana, kodwa ngamaxesha athile kwakufuneka amgoduse ukuze ahlolwe.”

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 9]

Indlela yokwenziwa kwezitena eYiputa phantse iyafana naleyo yayisetyenziswa ngexesha likaMoses, njengoko kubonisiwe kulo mfanekiso wamandulo

[Inkcazelo]

Ngasentla: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.; ngezantsi: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY