Incwadi YeBhayibheli Ye-15—UEzra

Umlobi: UEzra

Yalotshelwa: EJerusalema

Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-460 B.C.E.

Isikhathi Esihlanganisiwe: 537–cishe ku-467 B.C.E.

 1. Iziphi iziprofetho ezaqinisekisa ukubuyiselwa kweJerusalema?

KWASE kusondela ukuphela kweminyaka engu-70 okwaprofethwa ngayo yokuchithwa kweJerusalema yiBabiloni. Yiqiniso, iBabiloni lalinedumela lokuthi alilokothi libadedele abathunjwa balo, kodwa izwi likaJehova laliyoba namandla kunamandla aseBabiloni. Kwase kuseduze ukukhululwa kwabantu bakaJehova. Lalizokwakhiwa kabusha ithempeli likaJehova elalibhidliziwe, futhi ialtare likaJehova lalizophinda futhi lamukele imihlatshelo yokubuyisana. IJerusalema lalizophinda futhi lazi ukumemeza nokudumisa kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso. UJeremiya wayeprofethile ukuthi isikhathi sencithakalo sasiyoba side kangakanani, futhi uIsaya wayeprofethile ukuthi kwakuyokwenzeka kanjani ukukhululwa kwabathunjwa. UIsaya wayebize ngisho noKoresi umPheresiya ngokuthi ‘umalusi kaJehova,’ owayezothobisa iBabiloni eliqhoshayo esikhundleni salo njengombuso wezwe wesithathu womlando weBhayibheli.​—⁠Isaya 44:​28; 45:​1, 2; Jer. 25:⁠12.

 2. IBabiloni lawa nini futhi ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo?

² IBabiloni lehlelwa inhlekelele ngobusuku bango-October 5, 539 B.C.E. (ngokwekhalenda kaGregory), njengoba inkosi yaseBabiloni uBelishasari nezinduna zayo babenedili lokuhlonipha onkulunkulu babo bamademoni. Ukwenezela emanyaleni abo obuqaba, babesebenzisa izitsha ezingcwele ezithathwe ethempelini likaJehova njengezitsha zabo zobudakwa! Yeka ukuthi kwakufaneleka kanjani ukuthi ngalobobusuku uKoresi wayengaphandle kwezindonga zaseBabiloni ezogcwalisa isiprofetho!

 3. Isiphi isimemezelo esenziwa uKoresi esakwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukubuyisela ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 ncimishí iJerusalema lichithiwe?

³ Lonyaka ka-539 B.C.E. uwunyaka obaluleke kakhulu, okungukuthi, unyaka ongavunyelaniswa nomlando wezwe noweBhayibheli. Phakathi nonyaka wakhe wokuqala njengombusi waseBabiloni, uKoresi ‘wamemezela embusweni wakhe wonke,’ egunyaza amaJuda ukuba akhuphukele eJerusalema ayokwakha kabusha indlu kaJehova. Ngokusobala lesimemezelo sakhishwa ngasekupheleni kuka-538 B.C.E. noma ekuqaleni kuka-537 B.C.E.a Insali ethembekile yathatha uhambo olubuyela eJerusalema ngesikhathi esifanele ukuba ikwazi ukumisa ialtare futhi inikele ngemihlatshelo yokuqala ‘ngenyanga yesikhombisa’ (uTishri, ehambisana noSeptember-October) yonyaka ka-537 B.C.E.​—⁠iminyaka engu-70 ngemva kokuchithwa kwezwe lakwaJuda neJerusalema uNebukadinesari.​—⁠Ezra 1:​1-⁠3; 3:​1-⁠6.

 4. (a) Yalotshwa ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo incwadi kaEzra, futhi ubani owayiloba? (b) Yalotshwa nini incwadi kaEzra, futhi ihlanganisa yiphi inkathi?

⁴ Ukubuyiselwa! Lokhu kunikeza izimo incwadi kaEzra eyalotshwa ngaphansi kwazo. Ukukhuluma komlandisi ngokwakhe endabeni kusukela esahlukweni 7 ivesi 27 kuze kuyofika esahlukweni 9 kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi umlobi kwakunguEzra. ‘Njengombhali ochwepheshile emthethweni kaMose’ nendoda yokholo olunemisebenzi “ebhekisé inhliziyo ya[yo] ukufuna umthetho kaJehova, no[ku]wenza noku[wu]fundisa,” uEzra wayekufanelekele kahle ukuloba lomlando, njengoba nje ayelobe incwadi yeziKronike. (Ezra 7:​6, 10) Njengoba incwadi kaEzra iwukuqhutshekiselwa phambili kwencwadi yeziKronike, kukholelwa ngokuvamile ukuthi yabhalwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, cishe ngo-460 B.C.E. Ihlanganisa iminyaka engu-70, kusukela ngesikhathi amaJuda ayeyisizwe esiphukile, esihlakazekile ebizwa ngokuthi “abantwana bokufa” kuze kube sekupheleni kokwakhiwa kwethempeli lesibili nokuhlanzwa kwabapristi ngemva kokubuyela kukaEzra eJerusalema.​—⁠Ezra 1:⁠1; 7:⁠7; 10:​17; IHu. 102:​20, umbhalo waphansi weNW.

 5. Ihlobene kanjani incwadi kaEzra nekaNehemiya, futhi yalotshwa ngaziphi izilimi?

⁵ Igama lesiHeberu elithi Ezra lisho “Usizo.” Ekuqaleni incwadi kaEzra nekaNehemiya zaziwumqulu owodwa. (Neh. 3:​32, umbhalo waphansi weNW.) Kamuva amaJuda awuhlukanisa lomqulu futhi awubiza ngokuthi uEzra wokuQala nowesiBili. AmaBhayibheli anamuhla esiHeberu abiza lezincwadi ezimbili ngokuthi uEzra noNehemiya, njengoba kwenza namanye amaBhayibheli anamuhla. Ingxenye yencwadi kaEzra (4:⁠8 kuya ku-6:​18 no-7:​12-26) yabhalwa ngesiAramaic futhi ingxenye esele yabhalwa ngesiHeberu, kwazise uEzra wayechwepheshile kuzo zombili lezilimi.

 6. Yini efakazela ukunemba kwencwadi kaEzra?

⁶ Namuhla iningi lezazi liyakwamukela ukunemba kwencwadi kaEzra. Ngokuqondene nokuba kwencwadi kaEzra yingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli, uW. F. Albright ubhala lokhu encwadini yakhe ecubungulayo ethi The Bible After Twenty Years of Archaeology: “Kanjalo imininingwane yemivubukulo iye yakubonisa ngokungenakungatshazwa ukuthi iNcwadi kaJeremiya nekaHezekeli, ekaEzra nekaNehemiya ngokuyisisekelo zisenjengoba zazinjalo ekuqaleni; iye yafakazela izenzakalo njengoba zaziwa ngokomlando, kanye nokulandelana kwazo.”

 7. Incwadi kaEzra iboniswa kanjani iyingxenye yangempela yomlando waphezulu?

⁷ Nakuba abalobi bemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki bengacaphuni noma babhekisele ngokuqondile encwadini kaEzra, akukho ukungabaza ngendawo yayo ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Iqukethe umlando wokusebenzelana kukaJehova namaJuda kuze kuyofika esikhathini sokuhlanganiswa kwezincwadi zesiHeberu, okungumsebenzi owenziwa ikakhulukazi nguEzra, ngokomlando wamaJuda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, incwadi kaEzra iqinisekisa zonke iziprofetho eziqondene nokubuyiselwa futhi kanjalo ifakazela ukuthi ngempela iyingxenye ebalulekile yomlando waphezulu, futhi evumelana nawo ngokuphelele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, idumisa ukukhulekela okumsulwa futhi ingcwelisa igama elikhulu likaJehova uNkulunkulu.

OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KAEZRA

 8. Chaza uchungechunge lwezenzakalo eziholela ekupheleni kweminyaka engu-70 yencithakalo.

⁸ Insali iyabuya (1:⁠1–3:⁠6). Umoya wakhe ushukunyiswe uJehova, uKoresi inkosi yasePheresiya ukhipha umyalo wokuba amaJuda abuyele eJerusalema ayokwakha indlu kaJehova. Unxusa lawomaJuda angase asale eBabiloni ukuba anikele ngokungagodli ngokuqondene nalomsebenzi futhi ulungiselela ukuba amaJuda abuyela emuva abuyisele izitsha zethempeli lokuqala. Ongumholi wasesizweni sasebukhosini sakwaJuda nongumzukulu weNkosi uDavide, uZerubabele (uSheshebasari), wabelwa ukuba abe ngumbusi ozohola abakhululiwe, futhi uJeshuwa (uJoshuwa) ungumpristi omkhulu. (Ezra 1:⁠8; 5:⁠2; Zak. 3:⁠1) Insali okungenzeka yayifinyelela enanini elingu-200 000 lezinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile, kuhlanganise amadoda, abesifazane, nabantwana, ithatha loluhambo olude. Ngenyanga yesikhombisa, ngokwekhalenda yesiJuda, sebehleli emizini yabo, khona-ke bahlangana eJerusalema ukuzonikela ngemihlatshelo endaweni okwakumi kuyo ialtare lethempeli nokuzogubha uMkhosi Wamadokodo ekwindla lika-537 B.C.E. Kanjalo incithakalo yeminyaka engu-70 iphela ngaso kanye isikhathi!b

 9. Uqala kanjani umsebenzi wasethempelini, kodwa yini eyenzekayo eminyakeni elandelayo?

⁹ Ukwakha kabusha ithempeli (3:⁠7–6:​22). Kuqoqwa izinto zokwakha, futhi ngonyaka wesibili bebuyile, kubekwa isisekelo sethempeli likaJehova phakathi kokumemeza kwenjabulo naphakathi kokukhala kwamadoda amadala ayeboné indlu yangaphambili. Abantu abangomakhelwane, izitha, bacela ukusiza ekwakhiweni kwethempeli, bethi nabo bafuna uNkulunkulu ofanayo, kodwa insali yamaJuda iyenqaba ukwenza noma ibuphi ubuhlobo nabo. Izitha ziyaqhubeka zizama ukwenza amaJuda buthaka nokuba adangale futhi zishafise umsebenzi wawo, kusukela ekubuseni kukaKoresi kuze kuyofika kokukaDariyu. Ekugcineni, ezinsukwini ‘zika-Aritahishashita’ (uBardiya noma mhlawumbe uMfundi Wezinkanyezi owaziwa ngokuthi uGaumata, 522 B.C.E.), umsebenzi wawo umiswa ngenkani ngomyalo wenkosi. Lokhu kuvinjelwa kuyaqhubeka ‘kuze kube ngunyaka wesibili wokubusa kukaDariyu inkosi yasePheresiya’ (520 B.C.E.), okungemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15 ngemva kokwakhiwa kwesisekelo.​—⁠4:​4-7, 24.

10. (a) Isikhuthazo esivela kubaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu sihlangana kanjani nomyalo wenkosi ekwenzeni ukuba umsebenzi uphele? (b) Iyiphi injabulo ephawula ukunikezelwa kwalelithempeli lesibili?

¹⁰ Manje uJehova uthuma abaprofethi bakhe oHagayi noZakariya ukuba bavuse uZerubabele noJeshuwa, futhi umsebenzi wokwakha uqhutshwa ngentshiseko evuselelwe. Izitha ziyaphinda futhi ziyakhononda enkosini, kodwa umsebenzi uqhubeka ngentshiseko enkulu. UDariyu I (uHystaspis), ngemva kokubhekisela esimemezelweni sikaKoresi sokuqala, uyala ukuba umsebenzi uqhubeke ngaphandle kweziphazamiso futhi uyala nanokuthi abaphikisi banikele ngezimpahla zokwakha. Ngesikhuthazo esiqhubekayo esivela kubaprofethi bakaJehova, abakhi baqeda ukwakha esikhathini esingaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu. Lokhu kwenzeka enyangeni ka-Adar yonyaka wesithupha kaDariyu, noma sekusondele intwasahlobo ka-515 B.C.E., futhi ukwakha konke kuthathe iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-20. (6:​14, 15) Manje indlu kaNkulunkulu inikezelwa ngenjabulo enkulu nangemihlatshelo efanele. Khona-ke abantu bagubha iPhasika futhi bayaqhubeka bagubha ‘nomkhosi wesinkwa esingenamvubelo izinsuku eziyisikhombisa ngokuthokoza.’ (6:​22) Yebo, kuba khona injabulo nokuthokoza lapho kunikezelwa lelithempeli lesibili kube udumo kuJehova.

11. Inkosi imnika kanjani uEzra “konke akucelayo,” futhi uEzra usabela kanjani?

¹¹ UEzra ubuyela eJerusalema (7:⁠1–8:​36). Kudlula iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-50, okusiletha ku-468 B.C.E., unyaka wesikhombisa wenkosi yasePheresiya uAritahishashita (owaziwa ngokuthi uLongimanus ngoba isandla sakhe sokudla sasiside kunesobunxele). Inkosi inika umlobi ochwepheshile uEzra “konke akucelayo” ngokuqondene nohambo oluya eJerusalema ukuyonikeza usizo oludingeka kakhulu lapho. (7:⁠6) Lapho imgunyaza, inkosi ikhuthaza amaJuda ukuba ahambe naye futhi inikeza uEzra izitsha zegolide nezesiliva zokusetshenziswa ethempelini, kanye nomphako kakolweni, iwayini, amafutha, nosawoti. Ikhulula abapristi nezisebenzi zasethempelini ekukhokheni intela. Inkosi inikeza uEzra umsebenzi wokufundisa abantu futhi imemezela ukuthi kuyicala elinesigwebo sokufa nganoma ubani ongawenzi umthetho kaJehova nomthetho wenkosi. Ebonga uJehova ngalokhu kubonisa umusa wakhe wothando ngenkosi, uEzra ukwenza ngokushesha lokhu kuthunywa.

12. UJehova uba kanjani neqembu likaEzra phakathi nohambo?

¹² Kuleliqophelo uEzra uqala ukulandisa kwakhe njengofakazi wokuzibonela kukhuluma yena ngokwakhe. Uhlanganisela amaJuda abuyayo emfuleni iAhava ukuze awanike iziyalo zokugcina, futhi wenezela amaLevi eqenjini lamadoda akhulile angaba ngu-⁠1 500 asehlangene kakade. UEzra uyaziqaphela izingozi zendlela okuzohanjwa ngayo kodwa akamceli umphelezeli enkosini, funa kubonakale njengokubonisa ukuntula ukholo kuJehova. Esikhundleni salokho, umemezela ukuzila ukudla futhi uhola abantu ekunxuseni uNkulunkulu. Lomthandazo uyaphendulwa, futhi isandla sikaJehova siba nabo kulo lonke uhambo olude. Kanjalo, bayakwazi ukuletha ingcebo yabo (elinganiselwa ngaphezu kuka-R110 000 000 ngokwamanani anamuhla) ngokuphepha endlini kaJehova eJerusalema.​—⁠8:​26, 27, nemibhalo yaphansi yeNW.

13. Yisiphi isinyathelo uEzra asithathayo ekususeni ukungcola phakathi kwamaJuda?

¹³ Ukuhlanza abapristi (9:⁠1–10:​44). Kodwa akusikho konke okuhambe kahle phakathi neminyaka engu-69 kuhleziwe ezweni elibuyiselwe. UEzra uzwa ngezimo ezikhathazayo, zokuthi abantu, abapristi, namaLevi baye baganiselana namaKhanani angamaqaba. UEzra othembekile uyashaqeka. Ubeka lendaba phambi kukaJehova ngomthandazo. Abantu bayabuvuma ububi babo futhi bacela uEzra ukuba ‘abe nesibindi akwenze.’ (10:⁠4) Uyala amaJuda ukuba alahle omkawo bezizwe abathathile ephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu, futhi ukungcola kuyasuswa esikhathini esingaba izinyanga ezintathu.​—⁠10:​10-12, 16, 17.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO

14. Incwadi kaEzra ibonisani ngokuqondene neziprofetho zikaJehova?

¹⁴ Incwadi kaEzra iyazuzisa, okokuqala, ngokubonisa ukunemba iziprofetho zikaJehova ezigcwaliseka ngakho. UJeremiya, owabikezela ngokunembe kangaka ngokuchithwa kweJerusalema, wabikezela nangokubuyiselwa kwalo ngemva kweminyaka engu-70. (Jer. 29:​10) Ngesikhathi esifanele, uJehova wabonisa umusa wakhe wothando ngokubuyisela abantu bakhe, insali ethembekile, eZweni Lesithembiso ukuze baqhubeke nokukhulekela kweqiniso.

15. (a) Ithempeli elibuyiselwe layifeza kanjani injongo kaJehova? (b) Laliyintula kanjani inkazimulo yethempeli lokuqala?

¹⁵ Ithempeli elibuyiselwe laphinda futhi laphakamisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova phakathi kwabantu bakhe, futhi lama njengobufakazi bokuthi ubabusisa ngokumangalisayo nangomusa labo abaphendukela kuye befisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Nakuba laliyintula inkazimulo yethempeli likaSolomoni, layifeza injongo yalo ngokuvumelana nentando yaphezulu. Ubukhazikhazi bezinto ezibonakalayo babungasekho. Futhi lalisezingeni eliphansi ngokwengcebo engokomoya, phakathi kwezinye izinto lingenawo umphongolo wesivumelwano.c Ukunikezelwa kwethempeli likaZerubabele kwakungenakuqhathaniswa nokunikezelwa kwethempeli ngosuku lukaSolomoni. Imihlatshelo yezinkomo nezimvu yayingelona ngisho nephesenti elilodwa lemihlatshelo yethempeli likaSolomoni. Yayingekho inkazimulo enjengefu egcwalise lendlu yakamuva, njengoba yayigcwalise eyokuqala, futhi umlilo awehlanga uvela kuJehova ukuzoshisa iminikelo yokushiswa. Nokho, womabili lamathempeli afeza injongo ebalulekile yokuphakamisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova, uNkulunkulu weqiniso.

16. Kodwa iliphi elinye ithempeli eledlula amathempeli asemhlabeni ngenkazimulo?

¹⁶ Ithempeli elakhiwa uZerubabele, itabernakele elakhiwa uMose, namathempeli akhiwa uSolomoni noHerode, kanye nezici zawo, ayefanekisela. Lawa ayemelele ‘itabernakele lempela elamiswa yiNkosi kungemuntu.’ (Heb. 8:⁠2) Lelithempeli elingokomoya liyilungiselelo lokusondela kuJehova ngokumkhulekela ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaKristu osenza sizuze ukwamukelwa. (Heb. 9:​2-10, 23) Ithempeli likaJehova elikhulu elingokomoya linenkazimulo eyedlulele nobuhle nokufiseleka okungenakuqhathaniswa; inkazimulo yalo ayinakufiphala futhi yedlula eyanoma isiphi isakhiwo esibonakalayo.

17. Yiziphi izifundo ezibalulekile ezitholakala encwadini kaEzra?

¹⁷ Incwadi kaEzra iqukethe izifundo ezibaluleke kakhulu kumaKristu namuhla. Kuyo sifunda ngabantu bakaJehova bewunikelela ngokuzithandela umsebenzi wakhe. (Ezra 2:​68; 2 Kor. 9:⁠7) Siyakhuthazeka ngokuzwa ngelungiselelo likaJehova elingahluleki lemihlangano yokumdumisa nangesibusiso sakhe kuyo. (Ezra 6:​16, 22) Sibona isibonelo esihle kumaNethini nabanye bezizwe abakholwayo njengoba bekhuphuka nensali ukuyosekela ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova ngenhliziyo yonke. (2:​43, 55) Cabanga futhi, ngokuphenduka kwabantu ngokuzithoba lapho bexwayiswa ngenkambo yabo engalungile yokuganiselana nomakhelwane abangamaqaba. (10:​2-⁠4) Ukujwayelana nababi kwaholela ekulahlweni kwaphezulu. (9:​14, 15) Ukuwushisekela ngenjabulo umsebenzi wakhe kwaholela ekwamukelweni nasesibusisweni​—⁠6:​14, 21, 22.

18. Kungani ukubuyiselwa kwabantu bakaJehova kwakuyisinyathelo esibalulekile esiholela ekuveleni kukaMesiya, iNkosi?

¹⁸ Nakuba inkosi ingabange isahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova eJerusalema, ukubuyiselwa kwabangela ukulindela ukuthi ngesikhathi esifanele uJehova uyoveza iNkosi yakhe ethenjisiwe ohlwini lukaDavide. Lesizwe esibuyiselwe manje sase sisesimweni esihle sokulonda amazwi angcwele nokukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu kuze kube sesikhathini sokuvela kukaMesiya. Ukuba lensali ayisabelanga ngokholo ngokubuyela ezweni layo, uMesiya wayeyofikela kobani? Ngempela, izenzakalo ezisencwadini kaEzra ziyingxenye ebalulekile yomlando oholela ekuveleni kukaMesiya neNkosi! Yonke izuzisa kakhulu ukuba siyitadishe namuhla.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]