Ingabe uHezekeli 18:20, othi “indodana ngeke ithwale lutho ngenxa yesiphambeko sikayise,” uyaphikisana no-Eksodusi 20:5, othi uJehova uletha “isijeziso sesiphambeko soyise phezu kwamadodana”?

Cha, ayiphikisani. Elinye ivesi ligxile ekutheni umuntu ngamunye uyozilandisela, kuyilapho elinye libonisa iqiniso lokuthi isiphambeko somuntu singase sibe nemiphumela ethinta nenzalo yakhe.

Kodwa sisho ukuthini isixwayiso esiku-Eksodusi 20:5, esiyingxenye yeMiyalo Eyishumi? Nalapha futhi, cabangela umongo. UJehova wenza isivumelwano soMthetho nesizwe sakwa-Israyeli. Ngemva kokuzwa imibandela yaleso sivumelwano, ama-Israyeli avuma obala: “Konke uJehova akukhulumile sizimisele ukukwenza.” (Eks. 19:5-8) Kanjalo, sonke isizwe sangena ebuhlotsheni obukhethekile noJehova. Ngakho amazwi aku-Eksodusi 20:5 ngokuyisisekelo ayeqondiswe kuso sonke isizwe.

Lapho ama-Israyeli ehlala ethembekile kuJehova, isizwe sasizuza futhi sithola izibusiso eziningi. (Lev. 26:3-8) Ngokufanayo, lapho singathembeki sasivuna. Lapho isizwe sakwa-Israyeli silahla uJehova futhi sikhonza onkulunkulu bamanga, wasisusa isibusiso nesivikelo sakhe kuso; isizwe sahlupheka. (AbaHl. 2:11-18) Yebo, bakhona abahlala beqotho futhi bagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nalapho isizwe sikhonza izithombe. (1 AmaKh. 19:14, 18) Cishe izono zesizwe zazenza abathembekile babhekane nobunzima obuthile, kodwa uJehova wayebabonisa umusa wothando.

Lapho ama-Israyeli ezephula ingcaca izimiso zikaJehova igama lakhe laze ladeleleka ezizweni, uJehova wanquma ukubajezisa abantu bakhe ngokuvumela ukuba bathunjelwe eBhabhiloni. Yiqiniso ukuthi lokhu kwakuhlanganisa ukujeziswa kwabantu ngabanye nanjengeqembu. (Jer. 52:3-11, 27) Ngempela, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi icala lesizwe sakwa-Israyeli sisonke lalilikhulu kangangokuthi izizukulwane ezintathu, ezine noma ngisho nezengeziwe zachaphazeleka ngeziphambeko zoyisemkhulu, njengoba u-Eksodusi 20:5 esho.

IZwi likaNkulunkulu lilandisa ngemikhaya ethile eyathola amachaphazelo okuziphatha kabi kwabazali. UmPristi Ophakeme u-Eli wacasula uJehova ngokuvumela amadodana akhe ‘angelusizo lwalutho’ naziphethe kabi ukuba aqhubeke engabapristi. (1 Sam. 2:12-16, 22-25) Ngenxa yokuthi u-Eli wadumisa amadodana akhe ngaphezu kukaJehova, uNkulunkulu wathi umkhaya ka-Eli wawuyosuswa esikhundleni sobupristi obuphakeme, futhi lokhu kwenzeka kusukela kumzukulu wakhe wesizukulwane sesine, u-Abhiyathara. (1 Sam. 2:29-36; 1 AmaKh. 2:27) Isibonelo sikaGehazi naso sisichaza kahle isimiso esiku-Eksodusi 20:5. Wasebenzisa kabi isikhundla sakhe njengenceku ka-Elisha ukuze azuze ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo ekuphulukisweni kwenduna yempi yase-Siriya, uNahamani. Esebenzisa u-Elisha, uJehova wakhipha isijeziso, wathi: “Uchoko lukaNahamani luzonamathela kuwe nasenzalweni yakho kuze kube nini nanini.” (2 AmaKh. 5:20-27) Ngakho, inzalo kaGehazi yathola amachaphazelo okona kwakhe.

NjengoMdali noMniki-kuphila, uJehova unelungelo eligcwele lokunquma ukuthi isiphi isijeziso esifanele nesilungile. Izibonelo ezingenhla zibonisa ukuthi izingane noma isizukulwane zingase zithole imiphumela engemihle yezono zokhokho bazo. Nokho, uJehova “uyakuzwa ukukhala kwabahluphekile,” futhi abantu abaphendukela kuye ngobuqotho bangase bathole umusa wakhe futhi bathole nempumuzo ethile.—Jobe 34:28.