IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaJoshuwa
NJENGOBA ekanise eMathafeni akwaMowabi ngo-1473 B.C.E., kumelwe ukuba ama-Israyeli ayajabula ukuzwa la mazwi: “Zilungiseleleni umphako, ngoba ezinsukwini ezintathu kusuka manje niyaliwela leli Jordani ukuze ningene nithathe izwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu aninika lona ukuba nilidle.” (Joshuwa 1:11) Ukuhlala kwawo ehlane iminyaka engu-40 sekuzophela.
Ngemva kweminyaka engaphezudlwana kwamashumi amabili, umholi uJoshuwa ume enkabeni yezwe laseKhanani futhi uthi emadodeni amadala akwa-Israyeli: “Bhekani, nginabele ngenkatho lezi zizwe ezisele ukuba zibe yifa lezizwe zenu, nazo zonke izizwe engaziqeda, kusukela eJordani kuya oLwandle Olukhulu entshonalanga. Futhi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nguye owayelokhu ezidudula phambi kwenu, futhi wazephuca ifa lazo ngenxa yenu, nalithatha izwe lazo, njengoba nje uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ayenithembisile.”—Joshuwa 23:4, 5.
Incwadi kaJoshuwa, eyabhalwa nguJoshuwa ngo-1450 B.C.E., iwumlando ojabulisayo wezinto ezenzeka phakathi naleyo minyaka engu-22. Njengoba sisonqenqemeni lwezwe elisha elithenjisiwe, isimo sethu siyefana nesabantwana bakwa-Israyeli abase bemi ngomumo ukudla iZwe Lesithembiso. Ngakho, ngesithakazelo esijulile make sihlole incwadi kaJoshuwa.—Hebheru 4:12.
UKUYA “EMATHAFENI AWUGWADULE ASEJERIKO”
Yeka ukuthi yisabelo esinzima kanjani uJoshuwa asitholayo lapho uJehova ethi kuye: “UMose inceku yami ufile; manje suka, uwele leli Jordani, wena naso sonke lesi sizwe, ungene ezweni engisinika lona, engilinika abantwana bakwa-Israyeli”! (Joshuwa 1:2) UJoshuwa kumelwe ahole isizwe esinabantu abayizigidi eziningana singene eZweni Lesithembiso. Elungiselela lolo hambo, uthumela izinhloli ezimbili eJeriko—umuzi okumelwe unqotshwe kuqala. Kulowo muzi kuhlala uRahabi isifebe, owayezwile ngemisebenzi yamandla uJehova ayeyenzele abantu bakhe. Uvikela futhi asize izinhloli bese zimethembisa ukuthi uzosinda.
Lapho izinhloli sezibuyile, uJoshuwa nabantu sebekulungele ukuqhubeka nohambo bawele iJordani. Nakuba udla izindwani, umfula awusona isithiyo kubo, ngoba uJehova ubangela amanzi angenhla nomfula ukuba abe njengedamu futhi avumele amanzi angezansi agelezele Olwandle Olufile. Ngemva kokuwela iJordani, ama-Israyeli akanisa eGiligali, eduze kwaseJeriko. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezine, ngosuku lwe-14 ku-Abibi kusihlwa, bagubha iPhasika emathafeni awugwadule aseJeriko. (Joshuwa 5:10) Ngakusasa, baqala ukudla eminye yemikhiqizo yezwe, futhi ilungiselelo lemana liyaphela. Ngalesi sikhathi, uJoshuwa usoka bonke abesilisa abazalelwa ehlane.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo:
2:4, 5—Kungani uRahabi edukisa izithunywa zenkosi ezifuna izinhloli? Efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini uRahabi uvikela izinhloli ngoba usenokholo kuJehova. Ngakho-ke, akabophekile ukudalula ukuthi izinhloli zikuphi emadodeni afuna ukulimaza abantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 7:6; 21:23-27; Johane 7:3-10) Empeleni, uRahabi ‘kwathiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi,’ ehlanganisa nokudukisa izithunywa zenkosi.—Jakobe 2:24-26.
5:14, 15—Ubani “isikhulu sebutho likaJehova”? Cishe isikhulu esifike siqinise uJoshuwa njengoba ukunqoba iZwe Lesithembiso kuqala asiyena omunye ngaphandle ‘kukaLizwi’—uJesu Kristu ngaphambi kokuba abe umuntu. (Johane 1:1; Daniyeli 10:13) Yeka ukuthi kuqinisa kanjani ukuba nesiqinisekiso sokuthi uJesu Kristu okhazinyulisiwe unabantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla njengoba belwa impi engokomoya!
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
1:7-9. Ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke, ukuzindla njalo ngelikushoyo nokusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo kubalulekile ukuze sifinyelele imigomo engokomoya.
1:11. UJoshuwa utshela abantu ukuba bazilungiselele umphako futhi bangahlali nje balindele ukuba uNkulunkulu abanikeze wona. Isiyalo sikaJesu sokuyeka ukukhathazeka ngezidingo zokuphila, kanye nesithembiso sakhe esithi “zonke lezi ezinye izinto niyozenezelelwa,” asisho ukuthi kufanele singenzi lutho ukuze sizisekele.—Mathewu 6:25, 33.
2:4-13. Ngemva kokuzwa ngezenzo zikaJehova ezinkulu futhi eqaphela ukuthi isikhathi sasibucayi, uRahabi wenza isinqumo sokuba sohlangothini lwabakhulekeli bakhe. Uma sekuyisikhathi esithile utadisha iBhayibheli futhi uqaphela ukuthi siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” akufanele yini wenze isinqumo sokukhonza uNkulunkulu?—2 Thimothewu 3:1.
3:15. Njengoba umbiko wezinhloli ezazithunywe eJeriko umuhle, uJoshuwa uthatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, ngaphandle kokulinda ukuba amanzi aseJordani abohle. Maqondana nezenzo ezihilela ukukhulekela kweqiniso, kumelwe sizenze ngesibindi kunokuba sizindele kuze kube yilapho izimo sezibonakala zifaneleka kangcono.
4:4-8, 20-24. Amatshe angu-12 athathwe esiqwini somfula iJordani kumelwe abe yisikhumbuzo ku-Israyeli. Izenzo zikaJehova zokukhulula abantu bakhe ezitheni zakhe namuhla ziyisikhumbuzo sokuthi unabo.
UKUNQOBA KUYAQHUBEKA
Umuzi waseJeriko ‘uvalwe ngci . . . , akukho muntu ophumayo futhi akukho muntu ongenayo.’ (Joshuwa 6:1) Uzonqotshwa kanjani lo muzi? UJehova unikeza uJoshuwa icebo. Ngokushesha izindonga ziyawa futhi umuzi uyabhujiswa. Kusinda uRahabi nomkhaya wakubo kuphela.
Okulandelayo ukunqotshwa komuzi wasebukhosini wase-Ayi. Izinhloli ezithunywe lapho zibika ukuthi umuzi unabantu abambalwa, ngakho akudingeki amadoda amaningi ukuze awunqobe. Nokho, amasosha acishe abe ngu-3 000 athunyelwe ukuba ayohlasela lo muzi ayawabalekela amadoda ase-Ayi. Isizathu? UJehova akekho ohlangothini lwama-Israyeli. U-Akhani wesizwe sakwaJuda wonile ngesikhathi kuhlaselwa iJeriko. Ngemva kokulungisa indaba, uJoshuwa uhlasela i-Ayi. Njengoba ike yawanqoba ama-Israyeli, inkosi yase-Ayi imagange ngokulwa nawo. Kodwa uJoshuwa usebenzisa icebo elivumelana nokuzethemba ngokweqile kwamadoda ase-Ayi futhi uyawunqoba umuzi.
IGibheyoni ‘lingumuzi omkhulu—omkhulu kune-Ayi, futhi wonke amadoda akhona anamandla.’ (Joshuwa 10:2) Nokho, lapho ezwa ngokunqoba kuka-Israyeli iJeriko ne-Ayi, amadoda aseGibheyoni akhohlisa uJoshuwa ukuba enze isivumelwano sokuthula nawo. Izizwe ezingomakhelwane zibona lokhu kuhlubuka njengokuwusongo kuzo. Amahlanu kumakhosi azo enza umfela-ndawonye ahlasele iGibheyoni. U-Israyeli ukhulula abaseGibheyoni futhi ubanqoba ngokuphelele abahlaseli. U-Israyeli, eholwa uJoshuwa, unqoba neminye imizi eseningizimu nesentshonalanga, kanye namakhosi angumfela-ndawonye asenyakatho. Esewonke amakhosi anqotshwa entshonalanga yeJordani angu-31.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo:
10:13—Singenzeka kanjani lesi simanga? “Ingabe kukhona okungaphezu kwamandla kaJehova,” uMdali wamazulu nomhlaba? (Genesise 18:14) Uma ethanda, uJehova angalawula ukujikeleza komhlaba ukuze ilanga nenyanga kubonakale kungahambi kumuntu osemhlabeni. Noma angakuyeka angakuphazamisi ukujikeleza komhlaba nenyanga kuyilapho ephambukisa imisebe yelanga nenyanga ngendlela yokuthi ukukhanya kwalezi zinkanyiso ezimbili kuqhubeke kukhanya. Noma ngabe yikuphi, emlandweni wesintu “alukho usuku oluye lwaba njengalolo.”—Joshuwa 10:14.
10:13—Iyini incwadi kaJashari? Le ncwadi iyathintwa futhi kweyesi-2 Samuweli 1:18 lapho kukhulunywa ngenkondlo okuthiwa “uMnsalo”—ingoma yokulilela iNkosi uSawule yakwa-Israyeli kanye nendodana yayo uJonathani. Kungenzeka ukuthi le ncwadi yayiyiqoqo lezingoma nezinkondlo ezazichaza umlando ka-Israyeli futhi kungenzeka ukuthi amaHebheru ayeyazi kahle.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
6:26; 9:22, 23. Isiqalekiso esashiwo uJoshuwa ngesikhathi kubhujiswa iJeriko sigcwaliseka ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-500. (1 AmaKhosi 16:34) Isiqalekiso sikaNowa kumzukulu wakhe uKhanani sigcwaliseka lapho abaseGibheyoni beba izigqila. (Genesise 9:25, 26) Njalo izwi likaJehova liyagcwaliseka.
7:20-25. Abanye bangathi ukweba kuka-Akhani kwakuyisono esincane, mhlawumbe becabanga ukuthi asizange sibalimaze abanye. Bangase babheke ukweba izinto ezincane kanye namacala amancane okwephula umthetho weBhayibheli ngendlela efanayo. Kodwa thina kufanele sizimisele njengoJoshuwa ukuba simelane nokucindezelwa ukuba senze izenzo eziphambene nomthetho noma zokuziphatha okubi.
9:15, 26, 27. Kumelwe sethembeke uma senze izivumelwano futhi sikufeze esikuthembisayo.
UJOSHUWA UQALA UMSEBENZI WAKHE OMKHULU WOKUGCINA
Manje njengoba esekhulile ngeminyaka—esecela eminyakeni engu-90—uJoshuwa uqala ukwahlukanisa izwe. Umsebenzi omkhulu ngempela! Isizwe sakwaRubeni nesakwaGadi kanye nengxenye yesizwe sakwaManase kakade sezilitholile ifa lazo empumalanga yeJordani. Izizwe ezisele manje zinikwa ifa ngasentshonalanga ngenkatho.
Kumiswa itabernakele eShilo endaweni yakwa-Efrayimi. UKalebi uthola umuzi waseHebroni, uJoshuwa yena uthola iThimnati-sera. AmaLevi anikwa imizi engu-48, engu-6 kuyo imizi yesiphephelo. Endleleni esebuyela efeni lawo empumalanga yeJordani, amaqhawe akwaRubeni, awakwaGadi nawengxenye yesizwe sakwaManase akha i-altare ‘eliphawuleka kakhulu.’ (Joshuwa 22:10) Izizwe ezisentshonalanga yeJordani zibheka lokhu njengesenzo sokuhlubuka, futhi kucishe kugqashuka impi yangaphakathi, kodwa ngokukhulumisana okuhle ukuchitheka kwegazi kuyagwenywa.
Ngemva kokuba esehlale isikhathi esithile eThimnati-sera, uJoshuwa ubiza amadoda amadala, izinhloko, abahluleli kanye nezikhulu zakwa-Israyeli abanxuse ukuba babe nesibindi futhi bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Kamuva, uJoshuwa uhlanganisa zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli eShekemi. Elapho ubukeza izenzo zikaJehova kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Abrahama kuqhubeke, abese ebanxusa futhi ukuba ‘besabe uJehova bamkhonze ngokungabi naphutha nangeqiniso.’ Abantu bashukunyiselwa ukuba bathi: “Sizokhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, futhi sizolalela izwi lakhe!” (Joshuwa 24:14, 15, 24) Ngemva kwalezi zinto uJoshuwa uyafa eseneminyaka engu-110 ubudala.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo:
13:1—Ingabe lokhu akuphikisani nalokho okushiwo kuJoshuwa 11:23? Cha, ngoba ukunqoba iZwe Lesithembiso kwakunezingxenye ezimbili: izimpi okwanqotshwa kuzo amakhosi angu-31 ezwe laseKhanani, ezabaqeda amandla abaseKhanani, nokudliwa kwezwe ngokugcwele ngokwesizwe nangokomuntu ngamunye. (Joshuwa 17:14-18; 18:3) Nakuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahluleka ukubaxosha ngokuphelele abaseKhanani phakathi kwabo, abasinda abazange babe usongo ekulondekeni kuka-Israyeli. (Joshuwa 16:10; 17:12) UJoshuwa 21:44 uthi: “UJehova wabanika ukuphumula nxazonke.”
24:2—Ingabe ubaba ka-Abrahama, uThera, wayengumkhulekeli wezithombe? Ekuqaleni, uThera wayengeyena umkhulekeli kaJehova uNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayekhulekela unkulunkulu wenyanga okuthiwa uSin—unkulunkulu odumile e-Uri. Ngokokulandisa kwamaJuda, kungenzeka nanokuthi uThera wayengumenzi wezithombe. Nokho, lapho u-Abrahama elalela umyalo kaNkulunkulu eshiya i-Uri, uThera uhamba naye baya eHarana.—Genesise 11:31.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
14:10-13. Nakuba eseneminyaka engu-85 ubudala, uKalebi ucela isabelo esinzima sokuxosha abantu eHebroni. Kule ndawo kuhlala ama-Anaki—amadoda amakhulu ngokungavamile. Ngosizo lukaJehova, leli qhawe elingumaked’ ebona liyanqoba, futhi iHebroni iba umuzi wesiphephelo. (Joshuwa 15:13-19; 21:11-13) Isibonelo sikaKalebi sisikhuthaza ukuba singazibalekeli izabelo ezinzima ezingokwasezulwini.
22:9-12, 21-33. Kumelwe siqaphele ukwahlulela ngokungeyikho izisusa zabanye.
‘Akuphuthanga Nezwi Elilodwa’
Esegugile, uJoshuwa utshela amadoda anomthwalo wemfanelo kwa-Israyeli: “Akukho nelilodwa izwi kuwo wonke amazwi amahle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu awakhulumile kini eliye laphutha. Agcwaliseke wonke kini.” (Joshuwa 23:14) Yeka ukuthi ukulandisa kukaJoshuwa kukubonisa ngokucace kanjani lokhu!
Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Zonke izinto ezalotshwa esikhathini esingaphambili zalotshelwa ukuba kufundiswe thina, ukuze kuthi ngokukhuthazela kwethu nangenduduzo evela emiBhalweni sibe nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Singaqiniseka ukuthi ithemba lethu ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu lisendaweni efanele. Asikho isithembiso esingeke sigcwaliseke; zonke zizogcwaliseka.
[Ibalazwe ekhasini 10]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Izwe elanqotshwa kuhola uJoshuwa
IBHASHANI
IGILEYADI
I-ARABA
INEGEBHI
UMfula IJordani
ULwandle LukaSawoti
I.S. SaseJabhoki
I.S. Sase-Arinoni
IHazori
IMadoni
ILasharoni
IShimroni
IJokineyamu
IDori
IMegido
IKedeshi
IThahanaki
IHeferi
ITiriza
I-Afeki
ITaphuwa
IBhethele
I-Ayi
IGiligali
IJeriko
IGezeri
IJerusalema
IMakheda
IJarimuthi
I-Adulamu
ILibhina
ILakishi
I-Egiloni
IHebroni
IDebhiri
I-Aradi
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Uyazi ukuthi kungani uRahabi isifebe kwathiwa ulungile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
UJoshuwa wanxusa u-Israyeli ukuba ‘esabe uJehova futhi amkhonze’
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Ukweba kuka-Akhani kwakungesona isono esincane—saba nemiphumela emibi
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
“Ngokholo izindonga zaseJeriko zawela phansi.”—Hebheru 11:30