Imizamo Yokumelana Negama LikaNkulunkulu

IGAMA lakhe kwakunguHananiah ben Teradion. Wayeyisazi esingumJuda sekhulu lesibili C.E., futhi kwakwaziwa ukuthi wayeqhuba imihlangano yasobala lapho ayefundisa khona esebenzisa i-Sefer Torah, umqulu owawuqukethe izincwadi ezinhlanu zokuqala zeBhayibheli. UBen Teradion kwakwaziwa nokuthi wayesebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu futhi elifundisa nabanye. Uma ucabanga ukuthi igama likaNkulunkulu livela izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-1 800 ezincwadini ezinhlanu zokuqala zeBhayibheli, kakade wayengabafundisa kanjani abantu i-Torah kodwa angabafundisi ngegama likaNkulunkulu?

Nokho, uBen Teradion wayephila esikhathini esasiyingozi kakhulu kwababeyizazi ezingamaJuda. Ngokwezazi-mlando ezingamaJuda, umbusi wamaRoma wayeshaye umthetho ovimbela ukufundisa nokuqhuba ubuJuda futhi ukuweqa kwakusho isigwebo sokufa. Ekugcineni, amaRoma ambopha uBen Teradion. Ngesikhathi eboshwa, wayephethe ikhophi ye-Sefer Torah. Lapho ephendula abamangaleli bakhe, wavuma ngokwethembeka ukuthi lapho efundisa iBhayibheli, wayemane ethobela umyalo kaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, wathola isigwebo sokufa.

Ngosuku abulawa ngalo, uBen Teradion wasongwa ngawo lowo mqulu weBhayibheli aboshwa ewuphethe. Wabe eseshiswa esigxotsheni. I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi “ukuze azwiswe ubuhlungu isikhathi eside kwamanziswa uvolo wawusubekwa enhliziyweni yakhe ukuze angasheshi afe.” Njengengxenye yesijeziso sakhe, kwabulawa nomkakhe, kwathi indodakazi yakhe yathengiswa emzini wezifebe.

Yize uBen Teradion abulawa amaRoma ngesihluku esingaka, i-Talmuda ithi “isijeziso sokushiswa wasithola ngoba ephimisele iGama njengoba linjalo.” Yebo, kumaJuda, ukuphimisela igama likaNkulunkulu kwakuyicala elibi kabi.

UMyalo Wesithathu

Kubonakala kunenkolelo-ze eyadlondlobala phakathi kwamaJuda ekhulwini lokuqala nelesibili C.E. mayelana nokusetshenziswa kwegama likaNkulunkulu. I-Mishnah (iqoqo lamazwi orabi elaba yisisekelo se-Talmud) ithi “umuntu ophimisela igama likaNkulunkulu njengoba linjalo” akanangxenye ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo elithenjiswe uNkulunkulu.

Kwaqalaphi lokhu kunqatshelwa? Abanye bathi amaJuda ayebheka igama likaNkulunkulu njengelingcwele kakhulu ukuba abantu abangaphelele baliphimisele. Makhathaleni, kwaqala nokuba abe madolonzima ngisho nokulibhala. Ngokomunye umthombo, lokho kwesaba kwavela ngoba ayekhathazekile ngokuthi incwadi leli gama elalibhalwe kuyo yayingase igcine isilahlwe emgqonyeni kadoti, bese kungcoliswa igama likaNkulunkulu.

I-Encyclopaedia Judaica ithi “ukugwema ukuphimisela igama elithi YHWH . . . kwabangelwa ukungawuqondi ngokufanele uMyalo Wesithathu.” Umyalo wesithathu eMiyalweni Eyishumi uNkulunkulu ayinikeza ama-Israyeli uthi: “Ungalisebenzisi ngeze igama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngoba uJehova ngeke angamjezisi olisebenzisa ngeze igama lakhe.” (Eksodusi 20:7) Ngakho, umyalo kaNkulunkulu omelene nokusetshenziswa kabi kwegama lakhe wahlanekezelwa waba inkolelo-ze.

Ngokuqinisekile, akekho noyedwa namuhla othi uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba umuntu ophimisela igama laKhe ashiswe esigxotsheni! Yize kunjalo, izinkolelo-ze zamaJuda ngokuphathelene negama likaNkulunkulu zisekhona. Amaningi asabhekisela kuyi-Tetragrammaton ngokuthi “iGama Elingenakuphinyiselwa” nangokuthi “iGama Elingenakugagulwa.” Kwamanye amaqembu wonke amagama abhekisela kuNkulunkulu aphinyiselwa kabi ngamabomu ukuze kugwenywe ukuphula isiko. Ngokwesibonelo, elithi Jah, noma Yah, okuyisifushaniso segama likaNkulunkulu, liphinyiselwa ngokuthi Kah. Elithi Haleluya liphinyiselwa ngokuthi Hallelukah. Abanye baze bagweme ngisho nokulibhala lonke igama elithi “Nkulunkulu,” basebenzise udwi esikhundleni sezinye izinhlamvu. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho befisa ukubhala igama elithi “Nkulunkulu” ngesiNgisi, balibhala kanje “G-d.”

Eminye Imizamo Yokufihla Leli Gama

Akuyona yodwa inkolo yobuJuda egwema ukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu. Cabanga ngoJerome, umpristi ongumKatolika futhi owayengunobhala kaPapa Damasus I. UJerome waqeda umsebenzi wakhe wokuhumushela lonke iBhayibheli olimini lwesiLatini, ngonyaka ka-405 C.E., elagcina laziwa ngokuthi i-Vulgate yesiLatini. UJerome akazange alisebenzise igama likaNkulunkulu enguqulweni yakhe. Kunalokho, elandela umkhuba wangesikhathi sakhe, wasebenzisa amagama athi “Nkosi” nelithi “Nkulunkulu” esikhundleni segama likaNkulunkulu. I-Vulgate yesiLatini yaba inguqulo yokuqala yeBhayibheli yamaKatolika egunyaziwe futhi yaba isisekelo sezinye izinguqulo eziningi ngezilimi eziningana.

Ngokwesibonelo, i-Douay Version, inguqulo yamaKatolika ka-1610, empeleni yayiwukuhunyushelwa kwe-Vulgate yesiLatini esiNgisini. Khona-ke akumangalisi ukuthi leli Bhayibheli alizange libe nalo nhlobo igama likaNkulunkulu. Nokho, i-Douay Version ayizange igcine ngokuba nje enye yezinguqulo zeBhayibheli ezihunyushiwe. Yaba inguqulo okuwukuphela kwayo eyagunyazwa ukuba isetshenziswe amaKatolika akhuluma isiNgisi kwaze kwaba ngawo-1940. Yebo, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka igama likaNkulunkulu belilokhu lifihlelwe izigidi zamaKatolika azinikele.

Cabanga nange-King James Version. Ngo-1604 inkosi yaseNgilandi, uJames I, yajuba ithimba lezazi ukuba lihumushele iBhayibheli esiNgisini. Eminyakeni engaba yisikhombisa kamuva, lakhulula i-King James Version, eyaziwa nangokuthi i-Authorized Version.

Nakule nguqulo, abahumushi bakhetha ukuligwema igama likaNkulunkulu, belisebenzisa emavesini ambalwa nje kuphela. Ezimweni eziningi igama likaNkulunkulu lathathelwa indawo igama elithi “NKOSI” noma elithi “NKULUNKULU” ukuze amelele i-Tetragrammaton. Le nguqulo yaba iBhayibheli elisemthethweni lezigidi zabantu. I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi “ayikho inguqulo yeBhayibheli lesiNgisi ebalulekile eyavela eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-200 ngemva kokukhishwa kwe-King James Version. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, i-King James Version yaba inguqulo esetshenziswa kakhulu emphakathini wabakhuluma isiNgisi.”

Ngenhla sibale nje izinguqulo ezintathu kweziningi izinguqulo zeBhayibheli eziye zanyatheliswa emakhulwini eminyaka adlule ezakhipha noma zalulaza igama likaNkulunkulu. Akumangalisi ukuthi uquqaba lwabathi bangamaKristu namuhla lumadolonzima ukusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu noma nje alulazi nhlobo. Kuyavunywa ukuthi ngokuhamba kweminyaka kunabahumushi beBhayibheli abathile abaye balifaka igama likaNkulunkulu ezinguqulweni zabo. Nokho, eziningi zazo zinyatheliswe kule minyaka yamuva futhi azizange zibe nethonya elitheni ezimweni zengqondo ezivamile ngegama likaNkulunkulu.

Umkhuba Ongqubuzana Nentando KaNkulunkulu

Ukungalisebenzisi okwandile igama likaNkulunkulu kusekelwe esikweni labantu kuphela, akusekelwe neze ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli. “Akukho lutho kuyi-Torah oluvimbela umuntu ukuba aphimisele iGama likaNkulunkulu. Empeleni, ngokwemiBhalo kusobala ukuthi iGama likaNkulunkulu laliphinyiselwa njalo,” kuchaza umcwaningi ongumJuda uTracey R. Rich, umsunguli wengosi ye-Internet okuthiwa i-Judaism 101. Yebo, ezikhathini zeBhayibheli abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu babelisebenzisa igama lakhe.

Ngokusobala, ukwazi igama likaNkulunkulu nokulisebenzisa kusisondeza endleleni ayamukelayo yokumkhulekela, indlela ayekhulekelwa ngayo ezikhathini zeBhayibheli. Lokhu kungaba isinyathelo sokuqala esisithathayo ekwakheni ubuhlobo bomuntu siqu naye, okuyinto engcono kakhulu kunokumane nje sazi ukuthi ungubani igama lakhe. UJehova uNkulunkulu empeleni usimema ukuba sibe nobuhlobo obunjalo naye. Waphefumulela lesi simemo sothando: “Sondelani kuNkulunkulu, naye uyosondela kini.” (Jakobe 4:8) Nokho, ungase ubuze, ‘Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba umuntu ofayo ajabulele ukusondelana okunjalo noNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke?’ Isihloko esilandelayo sichaza indlela ongakha ngayo ubuhlobo noJehova.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Haleluya

Kufikani engqondweni yakho lapho uzwa igama elithi “Haleluya”? Mhlawumbe likukhumbuza ingoma kaHandel ethi “Messiah,” unqambothi lwengoma eyaqanjwa ngawo-1700 enevesi eliphindaphinda igama elithi Haleluya ngendlela evusa amadlingozi. Ngokuqinisekile kumelwe ukuba usuke walizwa igama elithi “Haleluya” ndawanathile. Mhlawumbe uyalisebenzisa ngisho nokulisebenzisa ngezinye izikhathi. Kodwa ingabe uyazi ukuthi lisho ukuthini?

Haleluya—Ukubhalwa ngesiZulu kwebinzana lesiHebheru elithi ha·lelu-Yahʹ, elisho ukuthi “dumisani uJah.”

Jah—Isifushaniso esisetshenziswa ngokusankondlo segama likaNkulunkulu elithi Jehova. Sivela eBhayibhelini izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-50, ngokuvamile njengengxenye yebinzana elithi “Haleluya.”

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Ingabe Igama Lakho Linegama LikaNkulunkulu?

Amagama amaningi aseBhayibhelini asathandwa nanamuhla. Amanye empeleni incazelo yawo yokuqala yesiHebheru yayihlanganisa igama likaNkulunkulu. Nazi izibonelo ezimbalwa zamagama anjalo nencazelo yawo. Mhlawumbe igama lakho lingelinye lawo.

UJohane—“UJehova Ubonise Umusa”

UJonathani—“UJehova Uphile”

UJosefa—“Kwangathi UJah Anganezela”b

UJoshuwa—“UJehova Uyinsindiso”

UJowana—“UJehova Uye Waba Nomusa”

UJoweli—“UJehova UnguNkulunkulu”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]

Amagama AseBhayibhelini Asetshenziselwa UNkulunkulu

Umbhalo wesiHebheru wemiBhalo Engcwele usebenzisa amagama amaningana ukumelela uNkulunkulu, njengelithi uMninimandla onke, uMdali, uBaba nelithi iNkosi. Nokho, izikhathi okubhekiselwa ngazo kuye ngegama lakhe zizidlula kude izikhathi okusetshenziswe kuzo wonke lawa amanye amagama ehlangene. Ngokusobala, kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba sisebenzise igama lakhe. Cabangela uhlu olulandelayo lwamagama njengoba evela emiBhalweni YesiHebheru.c

UJehova—izikhathi ezingu-6 973

UNkulunkulu—izikhathi ezingu-2 605

UMninimandla onke—izikhathi ezingu-48

INkosi—izikhathi ezingu-40

UMenzi—izikhathi ezingu-25

UMdali—izikhathi ezingu-7

UBaba—izikhathi ezingu-7

OMdala Wezinsuku—izikhathi ezintathu

UMfundisi Omkhulu—izikhathi ezimbili

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 9]

UNkulunkulu Owenza Izinto Zenzeke

Izazi azivumelani ngokuphelele mayelana nencazelo yegama likaNkulunkulu, elithi Jehova. Nokho, ngemva kocwaningo olunzulu ngale ndaba, eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi leli gama liyindlela yesenzo sesiHebheru esithi ha·wahʹ (yiba khona), esisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.”

Ngakho, kuyi-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo Engcwele,d ukulandisa okuku-Eksodusi 3:14, lapho uMose abuza khona uNkulunkulu ukuthi ungubani igama lakhe, kuhunyushwe ngale ndlela: “Kulokhu uNkulunkulu wathi kuMose: ‘Ngiyoba yilokho engiyoba yikho.’ Futhi wanezela: ‘Yilokhu ozokusho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, “Ungiyoba yikho ungithumé kini.”’”

Kuyafaneleka ukuhumusha ngale ndlela ngoba uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukuzenza abe yinoma yini afuna ukuba yiyo. Akukho okungamvimbela ukuba agcwalise noma iyiphi indima edingekayo ukuze afeze intando yakhe. Izinjongo nezithembiso zakhe ziyagcwaliseka ngaso sonke isikhathi. UNkulunkulu wazibonakalisa enguMdali ngendlela evelele, enekhono elingalinganiselwe lokwenza izinto zenzeke. Wabangela indawo yonke ebonakalayo ukuba ibe khona. Wadala nezigidigidi zezidalwa zomoya. Ngempela, unguNkulunkulu owenza izinto zenzeke!

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Umdwebo oqoshwe odongeni obonisa ukubulawa kukaHananiah ben Teradion

[Izithombe ekhasini 8, 9]

Izindawo Lapho Igama LikaNkulunkulu Livela Khona Ngokugqamile

1. Isonto laseLomborg, eDenmark, ngekhulu le-1700

2. Ifasitela elinomdwebo, esontweni elikhulu laseBern, eSwitzerland

3. UMqulu WasoLwandle Olufile, ngo- mbhalo wesiHebheru sokuqala, kwa- Israyeli, phakathi nawo-30-50 C.E.

[Umthombo]

Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem

4. Uhlamvu lwemali yaseSweden, lwango-1600

[Umthombo]

Kungl. Myntkabinettet, Sveriges Ekonomiska Museum

5. Incwadi yomthandazo yesiJalimane, yango-1770

[Umthombo]

From the book Die Lust der Heiligen an Jehova. Oder: Gebaet-Buch, 1770

6. Umbhalo osetsheni, eBavaria, eJalimane

7. Itshe LakwaMowabi, eParis, eFrance, lango-830 B.C.E.

[Umthombo]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

8. Umdwebo osengungwini yesonto, e-Olten, eSwitzerland