Funda Futhi Uzuze Ezincwadini Ezimbili ZeziKronike

“IYINI injongo yezlncwadi yeziKronike?” Abafundi abaningi baye babuza lombuzo lapho beqala ukufunda lonke iBhayibheli. Bafunda izincwadi zikaSamuweli namaKhosi futhi babona umlando wabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kwamakhosi abekwe ngendlela ecacile, efanelekile. Manje babhekana nezincwadi ezimbili zeziKronike: izahluko eziyisishiyagalolunye ezinde zezizukulwane ezilandelwa ukuphindwaphindwa okuningi kwalokho asebeye bakufunda ngaphambili. IEerdmans’ Bible Handbook ithi: “Ekuqaleni kwazo, iziKronike zibonakala ziphindaphinda ngendlela engathakazelisi futhi efundisa kakhulu ngokuziphatha okuhle nokubi lokho kakade esiye sakuthola kweye-2 Samuweli nakumaKhosi.”

Kodwa lokho kusekuqaleni kuphela. Njengoba nje namaVangeli amane emiBhalweni yesiGreki yobuKristu wonke ahlanganisa indaba efanayo, kodwa ngalinye linikeza umbono ohlukile futhi linezela ukwaziswa okuvelele kulona, ngokufanayo nombhali wezincwadi zeziKronlke, lapho ehlanganisa indaba efanayo njengasezincwadini ezandulelayo, uyibeka ngombono wakhe futhi anikeze ukwaziswa okungeke kutholakale kwenye indawo. Wabhala n gesikhathi esithile esikhethekile futhi wayenemigomo ethile, esobala. Uma sikuqonda lokhu, singakujabulela ukufunda lezincwadi futhi sifunde izifundo ezingasisiza namuhla.

Zagcwalisa Isidingo

Izincwadi zeziKronike zabhalwa, cishe nguEzra, ngokwenzuzo yamaJuda ayebuyele eZweni Lesithembiso ekupheleni kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthunjwa eBabiloni. Ngemva kokuxoxa ngokubusa kukaDavide noSolomoni nokwehlukana okuqhubekayo kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu beba izizwe ezimbili, umbhali ugxila embusweni waseningizimu wakwaJuda futhi ubeka umlando wawo ngendlela eyonikeza izifundo kubathunjwa ababuyiselwe. Ulandelela uhlu lozalo lohlanga lobukhosi olubalulekile lukaDavide, futhi ngokwenza kanjalo uphendula imibuzo ebalulekile: Kungani uJehova avumela isizwe sakhe esikhethiwe ukuba sithunjelwe ezweni lamaqaba? Futhi amaJuda abuyiselwe (kanye namaKristu eqiniso namuhla) ayengakugwema kanjani ukwenza amaphutha aholela kulesijeziso?

Izizukulwane Ezibalulekile

Izahluko zokuqala eziyisishiyagalolunye zezoku-1 IziKronike 1-9 ziqukethe uhlu olude lwezizukulwane. Kungani umbhali ehlanganisa lezi? Ngoba izizukulwane zazibalulekile kwaIsrayeli. Amafa namalungelo enkonzo ayehlanganiswe nazo. Amanye amaIsrayeli abuyiselwe, kuhlanganise nethile imindeni yobupristi, ayengakwazi ukubonakalisa uhlu lohlanga lwawo lozalo, futhi lokhu kwadala inkinga enkulu. (Ezra 2:59-63) Khona-ke, lokho kulandelelwa ngokunakekela kwezizukulwane kwakuvusa isithakazelo kuwo.

Kodwa kuthiwani ngomfundi weBhayibheli namuhla? Ingabe kumelwe azedlule lezizahluko eziyisishiyagalolunye futhi aqale ukufunda iziKronike zokuQala kusukela endabeni yokufa kukaSawule esahlukweni se-10? Cha, loluhlu lwezizukulwane luyingxenye yayo “yonke imibhalo” ‘ephefumlelwe nguNkulunkulu.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Izahluko zokuqala eziyisishiyagalolunye zeziKronike zokuQala zinamaphuzu abalulekile nathakazelisayo okwaziswa.

Ngokwesibonelo, kulapha kuphela lapho sifunda khona ngoJabezi, oyinzalo kajuda owazibonakalisa engotuseka kakhulu. (1 IziKronike 4:9, 10) Lapha, futhi, sithola uhlu olunosizo lohlanga lobukhosi lukaDavide, olwembula iqiniso elibalulekile lokuthi uZerubabele, umbusi wamaJuda emva kokubuya kwawo eBabiloni, wayengowalolohlanga.—1 IziKronike 3:10-19.

Zisitshela Okwengeziwe NgoDavide

Izahluko ezisele zeziKronike zokuQala zihlanganisa izindaba ezingokomlando zezincwadi ezandulelayo, ikakhulukazi zigxilisa ulwazi lwethu ngeNkosi uDavide. Ezincwadini zeBhayibheli ezandulelayo umfundi uba nokwazi uDavide njengenceku ezinikezele kaJehova, iqhawe eliphumelelayo, imbongi, nomholi omuhle wabantu. KuziKronike zokuQala sifunda futhi ukuthi wayengumhleli omkhulu. Wahlela isizwe nempi, futhi wahlela ukukhulekela ethempelini, wahlukanisa abapristi ngezigaba ezingama-24, amaLevi, nabahlabeleli.—1 IziKronike 23:1–27:22.

USamuweli wesiBili uchaza isifiso esijulile sikaDavide sokwakha “Indlu,” noma ithempeli, lomphongolo wesivumelwano. (2 Samuweli 7:2-5) UJehova wayengeke amvumele uDavide ukuba aqhubekele phamblli nezinhloso zakhe, futhi iziKronike zokuQala ziyachaza ukuthi kungani. UDavide kwakuyindoda echitha igazi. Ithempeli laliyokwakhiwa yilowo owayeyolandela uDavide, indoda enokuthula. (1 IziKronike 22:8-10) USamuweli wesiBili futhi usitshela ngendlela uDavide athenga ngayo isibuya lapho ekugcineni ithempeli lakhiwa khona. (2 Samuweli 24:18-25) IziKronike zokuQala ziyanezela kulokho ngokuchaza iminikelo eminingi uDavide ayiqoqa nawo onke amalungiselelo awenza, ukuze kuthi lapho uSolomoni eba sesimweni sokuqalisa ukwakha ithempeli, yonke into yayiyobe isimlindele. (1 IziKronike 22:6-19) Phela, uJehova waze wanikeza uDavide isifanekiselo sethempeli, esadluliselwa ngokwethembeka kuSolomoni.—1 IziKronike 28:9-21.

Isibusiso sikaJehova . . .

Njengoba uqhubeka ufunda incwadi yesiBili yeziKronike, uzophawula ukuthi umongo uyaqala ukuvela: Uma amakhosi akwaJuda ebonisa ukwethembela okuphelele kuJehova, ayebusiswa. Uma ayengakwenzi lokho, abantu babehlupheka. Ngokwesibonelo, uAbiya indodana kaRehobowamu, elwa impi namaIsrayeli, waqamekelwa kabi uJerobowamu, inkosi eyiqhawe yombuso wasenyakatho. Impi ka-Abiya yazifumana izungezwe ngokuphelele, khona-ke “bakhala kuJehova, abapristi bakhalisa amacilongo.” Waba yini imiphumela? “UNkulunkulu washaya oJerobowamu noIsrayell wonke phambi kuka-Abiya [uAbiyamu] noJuda.”—2 IziKronike 13:14, 15.

Ngokufanayo noAsa, indodana ka-Abiya, wanqoba impi enkulu yamaKhushe ayisigidi ngenxa yokuthi wayethembele kuJehova. (2 IziKronike 14:9-12) Indodana ka-Asa uJehoshafati wephulwa ekuhlaseleni okuhlangene kwama-Amoni, amaMowabi, nabakwa-Edomi, lapho eminyakeni eminingi kamuva umzukulu wakhe, inkosi uHezekiya, yephulwa empini yama-Asiriya, ngenxa yalelothemba elifanayo.—2 IziKronike 20:1-26; 32:9-23.

. . . Nesiqalekiso

Nokho, amakhosi amaningi awazange alibonise lelithemba, ngokuvamile ngenxa yesizathu esisodwa kwezintathu. Esokuqala sasiwukuthi abaningi bawela ogibeni lwezithombe. UJowashi, umzukulu omkhulu kaJehoshafati, waqala kahle, kodwa wabe esephendukela ezithombeni. UJehova wakugodla ukuvikela kwakhe, futhi uJowashi wanqotshwa impi yaseAramu futhi ekugcineni wenzelwa ugobe wabulawa. (2 IziKronike 24:23-25) Indodana kaJowashi, uAmasiya, wabonisa indlela izithombe ezingakhohlisa ngayo. UAmasiya waqala ngokubonisa ukholo oluyisibonelo kuJehova. Khona-ke, emva kwempi ephumelelayo lapho anqoba khona amaEdomi, ngokungenakukholeka wathatha onkulunkulu bamaEdomi futhi waqala ukubakhulekela! (2 IziKronike 25:14) Ngakho, futhi, uJehova wagodlela inkosi isivikelo sakhe.

Mhlawumbe oyisibonelo esibi kakhulu sokukhulekela izithombe uManase. Ayizange nje kuphela lenkosi ikhulekele onkulunkulu bamanga kodwa yashushisa kakhulu labo ababenamathela ekukhulekeleni uJehova. Kwakungenxa yokuthi “wagcwalisa iJerusalema ngegazi elingenacala” okwenza uJehova azimisele ukubhubhisa uJuda. ‘UJehova akavumanga ukumthethelela.’ (2 AmaKhosi 21:11; 23:26; 24:3, 4) Nokho, ngokumangalisayo, uManase wayeyindodana kaHezekiya, enye yamakhosi athembeke kakhulu kwaJuda. Eqinisweni, ukuzalwa kwakhe kwakungokwesimangaliso. Wazalwa emva kokuba uJehova elule ngokuyisimangaliso ukuphila kukayise uHezekiya. (Isaya 38:1-8; 2 IziKronike 33:1) Futhi kukhona isimangaliso sokugcina. Emva kweminyaka eminingi yokushushisa abakhulekeli bakaJehova, uManase waphenduka futhi ekufeni kwakhe wayeseyinceku kaJehova!—2 IziKronike 33:1-6, 12-17.

Okwesibili okwakufaka ogibeni amakhosi akwaJuda kwakuwubudlelwano nabezizwe. Lokhu kwafaka inkosi enhle uAsa enkatha-zweni, kanye futhi nenkosi embi uAhazi. (2 IziKronike 16:1-5, 7; 28:16, 20) Umphumela omubi wobuhlobo nabezizwe wabonakala endabeni kaJehoshafati. Lenceku enhle kaJehova ngobuwula yahlakulela ubuhlobo nenkosi ekhonza uBali uAhabi wakwaIsrayeli. Walandela uAhabi emkhankasweni wempi ongahlakaniphile futhi wavumela uJehoramu, indodana yakhe, ukuba iganwe indodakazi ka-Ahabi, uAthaliya. UAthaliya wayeyithonya elibi endodeni yakhe, uJehoramu, nakuAhaziya, indodana yakhe, lapho beba amakhosi ngesikhathi sabo. Khona-ke, lapho uAhaziya efa, wazithathela ubukhosi futhi wabulala abaningi ababeyizitha. Ngokujabulisayo, uJehova wahlela izinto ukuze uhlanga lobukhosi lweNkosi uDavide lulondeke, kodwa yeka umphumela omubi ovela ngokuzihilela okungadingekile nabezizwe!

Isihibe sesithathu amanye amakhosi awela kuso kwabe kuwukuzidla. Konakalisa iminyaka emihle eyayisidlulile yeNkosi uAsa, futhi ngenxa yakho, iNkosi u-Uziya, isazi sezempi, ingxenye yokugcina yokuphila kwakhe wayephethwe uchoko ehlukanisiwe kwabanye abantu. Ngisho neNkosi ethembekile uHezekiya yawela kulolugibe lapho yayivakashelwe izithunywa ezazivela eBabele futhi yazibonisa ingcebo yethempeli ngokuzidla.—2 IziKronike 32:25, 26; Isaya 39:1-7.

Funda Futhi Uzuze Kuzo

Yebo, izincwadi ezimbili zeziKronike ziwumthombo ocebile wokwaziswa, Zibonisa uhlobo lokuziphatha olujabulisa uJehova, futhi zibonisa ukuthi ngisho namakhosi angawela esonweni. Yeka isixwayiso okuyiso namuhla, ikakhulukazi kulabo abasezikhundleni zokwengamela ebandleni lobuKristu! Ukukhulekelwa kwanamuhla kwezithombe kusenobuqili njengoba kwakunjalo ezinsukwini zamakhosi akwaIsrayeli, futhi kumelwe sizimisele ukukugwema. (Efesu 3:19; Kolose 3:5; IsAmbulo 13:4) Nathi, futhi, kumelwe sikugweme ukuzihilela okungadingekile nalelizwe. (Johane 17:14, 16; Jakobe 4:4) Futhi ngokuqinisekile, ubuthakathaka bokuqhosha, noma ukuzidla, buseyinkinga okumelwe silwe nayo.—IzAga 16:5, 18; Jakobe 4:6, 16.

Ukufunda nokuzuza ezincwadini ezimbili zeziKronike kuyoqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukukhonza uJehova ngokulandela izibonelo ezinhle nangokugwema izibonelo ezimbi esiye sanikezwa zona emlandweni wamaJuda. Kuyosikhuthaza ukulingisa okuhle futhi sigweme okubi, ukuze “ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemibhalo sibe nethemba.”—Roma 15:4.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28]

IziKronike zokuQala zisiza kanjani ukufakazela ukuthi uJesu akazalwanga ngoDecember 25?

NgokweziKronike zokuQala, iNkosi uDavide yahlela abapristi baba “izigaba” noma amaqembu angama-24, iqembu ngalinye lalabelwa ukuba lisebenze isonto lonke ethempelini. Kanjalo, ilungu lesigaba ngasinye lalikhonza ethempelini kabili onyakeni ngamunye,cishe kwakushiyana ngezinyanga eziyisithupha.

Isigaba sokuqala saqala ukukhonza ngokushesha ngemva koMkhosi Wamadokodo, ngasekupheleni kukaSeptember noma ekuqaleni kukaOctober. Iqembu lesishiyagalombili, elethiwa ngo-Abiya, lakhonza ngesonto lokugcina likaNovember noma ekuqaleni kukaDecember, bese futhi kuba elinye isonto ekupheleni kukaJune noma ekuqaleni kukaJuly. Kungani isigaba sika-Abiya sibalulekile? Kungoba, ngokukaLuka, uZakariya, uyise kaJohane uMbhapathizi, ‘wayesesigabeni sika-Abiya,’ futhi eqinisweni wayekhonza ethempelini lapho ingelosi ibonakala kuye futhi imemezela ukuzalwa kukaJohane.—Luka 1:5, 8, 9.

Njengoba umbhalo kaLuka ubonisa, uElisabethe wakhulelwa uJohane ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu. Khona-ke, wambeletha ezinyangeni eziyisishiyagalolunye kamuva, kungase kube sekuqaleni kukaSeptember noma ekuqaleni kuka-April. Umlando kaLuka ubonisa nokuthi uJesu wayemncane ngezinyanga eziyisithupha kuJohane. (Luka 1:26) Kanjalo lomniningwane osencwadini yeziKronike ubonisa ukuthi, kunokuba azalwe ekupheleni kukaDecember, uJesu wazalwa ekuqaleni kukaMarch noma ekuqaleni kukaOctober. Eminye imibhalo ibonisa ukuthi lenyanga yamuva iyona eqondile.—Ngokwemininingwane eyengeziwe, bheka INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi, kaJune 15, 1954, ikhasi 382.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Kungani uJosefa aba uyise wezizwe ezimbili zakwaIsrayeli lapno ngamunye babafowabo waba uyise wesizwe esisodwa kuphela?

IziKronike zokuQala zisisiza ukuba siphendule lombuzo. UJosefa wanikezwa ifa eliphindwe kabili elalingelezibulo. Iqiniso, uJosefa cishe wayengomncane kakhulu emadodaneni ayi-12 kaJakobe, kodwa wayeyindodana endala yomfazi othandekayo kaJako be, uRaheli. Ngokozalo, ilungelo lobuzibulo kwakumelwe liye endodaneni endala kaJakobe, uRubeni owayeyizibulo lakhe kuLeya. Kodwa njengoba iziKronike zokuQala zisitshela, uRubeni walahlekelwa yilo ngenxa yesono esingathi sína. Umbhalo uthi: ‘URubeni . . . ngokuba wayeyizibulo; kepha njengokuba wangcolisa umbhede kayise, ubuzibulo bakhe banikwa amadodana kaJosefa indodana kaIsrayeli, futhi akabhalwa ngezizukulwane njengezibulo.’—1 IziKronike 5:1, 2.