Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-31—UObadiya

Umlobi: UObadiya

Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-607 B.C.E.

 1. Yini ebonisa ukuthi okubalulekile yisigijimi, akusona isithunywa?

NGAMAVESI angu-21 kuphela, uObadiya, incwadi emfushane kunazo zonke emiBhalweni yesiHeberu, umemezela isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esaphumela ekupheleni kwesizwe, kuyilapho ebikezela ngokunqoba koMbuso kaNkulunkulu okwakuyokwenzeka ekugcineni. Amazwi esethulo amane athi nje: “Umbono kaObadiya.” Ukuthi wazalwa nini futhi kuphi, ungowasiphi isizwe, imininingwane yokuphila kwakhe​—⁠asitshelwa lutho ngalokhu. Ngokusobala, akuyona into ebalulekile ukuthi lomprofethi ungubani; isigijimi siwukuthi, futhi kusuke kufanelekile, ngoba njengoba no-Obadiya ngokwakhe asho, ‘umbiko ovela kuJehova.’

 2. Isiprofetho sikaObadiya sigxila kuliphi izwe, futhi yini eyenza izakhamuzi zalo zizizwe zilondekile?

² Umbiko ugxilisa ukunakekela kwawo okuyinhloko kuEdomi. Njengoba lendlalekele ngaseningizimu ukusuka oLwandle Olufile ngaseAraba, izwe lakwaEdomi, elaziwa futhi ngokuthi iNtaba iSeyiri, liyizwe elimagebhugebhu elinezintaba eziphakeme nemihosha ejulile. Kwezinye izindawo, izintaba eziwulungelunge ezisempumalanga yeAraba zifinyelela ukuphakama kwamamitha angu-⁠1 700. Isifunda saseThemani sasidume ngokuhlakanipha nesibindi sabantu baso. Khona kanye ukuma kwezwe lakwaEdomi, nezivikelo zalo ezingokwemvelo, kwenza izakhamuzi zalo zazizwa zilondekile futhi ziqhosha.a

 3. Ingabe abakwaEdomi babeziphathe njengabafowabo bakaIsrayeli?

³ AbakwaEdomi babeyinzalo kaEsawu, umfowabo kaJakobe. Igama likaJakobe lashintshwa laba uIsrayeli, ngakho abakwaEdomi babeyizihlobo zamaIsrayeli eziseduze; kangangokuthi babebhekwa ‘njengabafowabo.’ (Dut. 23:⁠7) Nokho ukuziphatha kukaEdomi kwakungekhona nakancane okwezelamani. Ngokushesha ngaphambi kokuba amaIsrayeli angene eZweni Lesithembiso, uMose wathumela enkosini yakwaEdomi ecela imvume yokudabula izwe layo ngokuthula, kodwa bebonisa ubutha, abakwaEdomi bamane benqaba futhi basekela ukwenqaba kwabo ngokugabisa ngempi. (Num. 20:​14-21) Nakuba banqotshwa uDavide, kamuva benabakwa-Amoni nabakwaMowabi bakhela uJuda uzungu ezinsukwini zikaJehoshafati, bavukela indodana kaJehoshafati iNkosi uJehoramu, balawula abathunjwa bakwaIsrayeli ababevela eGaza naseTire, futhi bahlasela uJuda ezinsukwini zeNkosi uAhazi ukuba bazithathele abathunjwa abaningi ngisho nangokwengeziwe.​—⁠2 IziKr. 20:​1, 2, 22, 23; 2 AmaKh. 8:​20-22; Amose 1:​6, 9; 2 IziKr. 28:⁠17.

 4. (a) Yisiphi isenzo esinengekayo ngokusobala esanikeza isizathu sokusola kukaObadiya uEdomi? (b) Yibuphi ubufakazi obusikisela ikakhulukazi u-⁠607 B.C.E. njengonyaka wokuloba?

⁴ Lobubutha bafinyelela umvuthwandaba ngo-​607 B.C.E. lapho iJerusalema libhujiswa amabutho aseBabiloni. Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi abakwaEdomi babukela ngenjabulo kodwa bagqugquzela abanqobi ukuba baphelelise ukubhubhisa. “Dilizani, dilizani, kuze kube-sesisekelweni salo!” bememeza. (IHu. 137:⁠7) Lapho kwenziwa inkatho ngempango, babephakathi kwalabo ababa nengxenye empangweni; futhi lapho abasindile bamaJuda bezama ukubaleka baphume ezweni, bavala izindlela futhi babakhaphela esitheni. Ngokusobala yilobubudlova bangesikhathi sokubhujiswa kweJerusalema obuyisizathu sokulahlwa okwalotshwa uObadiya, futhi ngokungangabazeki kwalotshwa ngesikhathi isenzo sikaEdomi esinengekayo sisakhumbuleka kahle. (Obad. 11, 14) Njengoba uEdomi ngokwakhe ngokusobala athunjwa futhi waphangwa uNebukadinesari phakathi neminyaka eyisihlanu ngemva kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, kumelwe ukuba lencwadi yalotshwa ngaphambi kwalesosikhathi; kusikiselwa ikakhulukazi u-607 B.C.E.

 5. (a) Yini efakazela ukuthi umbhalo ogciniwe kaObadiya uthembekile futhi uqinisile? (b) UObadiya wazigcwalisa kanjani izimfuneko zomprofethi weqiniso, futhi kungani igama lakhe lifaneleka?

⁵ Isiprofetho sikaObadiya ngoEdomi sagcwaliseka​—⁠sonke! Lapho sifinyelela umvuthwandaba waso, isiprofetho sithi: “Indlu kaEsawu [kumelwe ibe] ngamabibi; bawashise, bawaqede; akuyikubakho oseleyo endlini kaEsawu, ngokuba uJehova ukhulumile.” (Iv. 18) UEdomi waphila ngenkemba futhi wafa ngenkemba, futhi akukho-mkhondo wenzalo yakhe osasele. Ngakho lombhalo ogciniwe ufakazelwa njengothembekile noyiqiniso. UObadiya wayenazo zonke izimfanelo zomprofethi weqiniso: Wakhuluma egameni likaJehova, isiprofetho sakhe sadumisa uJehova, futhi sagcwaliseka njengoba umlando owalandela ubonisa. Igama lakhe ngokufanelekile lisho ukuthi “Inceku KaJehova.”

OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KAOBADIYA

 6. UJehova uthini ngoEdomi, futhi uzomehlisa ekuphi?

⁶ Isahlulelo phezu kukaEdomi (Amav. 1-16). Ngokuyala kukaJehova, uObadiya wazisa ngombono wakhe. Izizwe zibizelwa ukuba zihlangane zilwe noEdomi. “Vukani, simvukele ngokulwa,” kuyala uNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, eqondisa amazwi akhe kuEdomi ngokwakhe, uhlola isimo sakhe. UEdomi umane uyisizwe esincane phakathi kwezizwe futhi udelelekile, nokho uyazidla. Uzizwa elondekile phakathi kwamadwala aphakeme, eqinisekile ngokuthi akukho muntu ongamehlisa. Noma kunjalo, uJehova uthi ngisho noma indawo yakhe yokuhlala yayiphakeme njengeyokhozi, ngisho noma ayenesidleke phakathi kwezinkanyezi ngokwazo, wayeyomehlisa khona. Ufanelwe isijeziso.​—⁠Iv. 1.

 7. UEdomi uyophangwa kuze kube kuliphi izinga?

⁷ Yini eyokwenzeka kuye? Ukuba amasela abengaphanga uEdomi, abeyothatha lokho akufunayo kuphela. Ngisho nabavuna izithelo zomvini bebeyoshiya umkhothozo. Kodwa lokho okuhlalele abantwana bakaEsawu kubi kunalokhu. Amagugu abo ayopheqululwa ngokuphelele. Bona kanye abasesivumelwaneni noEdomi yibo abayomphendukela. Labo abebengabangane bakhe abakhulu bayombamba ngogibe njengongenakuqonda. Amadoda akhe aziwa ngokuhlakanipha namaqhawe akhe aziwa ngamandla ngeke abe usizo ngesikhathi senhlekelele yakhe.

 8. Kungani isijeziso sikaEdomi sinzima kangaka?

⁸ Kodwa kungani kunalesijeziso esinzima? Kungenxa yendluzula abantwana bakwaEdomi abayenza kubantwana bakwaJakobe, abafowabo! Bajabula ngokuwa kweJerusalema baze bahlanganyela ngisho nanabahlaseli ekwahlukaniseni impango. Esolwa ngamazwi aqatha, njengokungathi uObadiya uyazibona izenzo ezimbi, uEdomi uyatshelwa: “Bekungafanele uthokoze ngesigemegeme esehlele umfowenu. Bekungafanele uvimbele ukubaleka kwabaphunyukileyo bakhe ubakhaphele esitheni. Usuku lokulungisa izindaba kukaJehova luseduze, futhi kuyomelwe ulandise. Indlela owenzé ngayo indlela okuyokwenziwa ngayo kuwe.”

 9. Yikuphi ukubuyiselwa okubikezelwayo?

⁹ Ukubuyiselwa kwendlu kaJakobe (Amav. 17-21). Ngokuphambene, indlu kaJakobe iyobuyiselwa. Abantu bayobuyela eNtabeni yaseSiyoni. Bayoqothula indlu kaEsawu njengoba umlilo uqothula amabibi. Bayodla ifa lezwe eliseningizimu, iNegebi, kanye nesifunda sezintaba sakwaEsawu neShefela (abasehlanzeni); enyakatho bayodla ifa lezwe lakwaEfrayimi nelaseSamariya, nesifunda kuze kufike eSarefati; empumalanga bayothola indawo yaseGileyadi. UEdomi oqhoshayo kumelwe aphele angabe esabakhona, uJakobe kumelwe abuyiselwe, futhi ‘umbuso bese uba ngokaJehova.’​—⁠Iv. 21.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO

10. Yiziphi ezinye iziprofetho ezabikezela ukwahlulelwa kukaEdomi, futhi kungani kuyoba okunenzuzo ukuzicabangela kanye nesikaObadiya?

¹⁰ Efakazela ukuqiniseka kokugcwaliseka kwalesigijimi sokwahlulelwa kukaEdomi, uJehova wenza ukuba abanye babaprofethi bakhe benze izimemezelo ezifanayo. Ezivelele phakathi kwazo yilezo ezalotshwa kuJoweli 3:​19; Amose 1:​11, 12; Isaya 34:​5-⁠7; Jeremiya 49:​7-22; Hezekeli 25:​12-14; 35:​2-15. Ngokusobala izimemezelo zangaphambili zibhekisela ezenzweni zobutha ezikhathini ezidlule, kuyilapho lezo zamuva ngokukhanyayo ziwukulahlwa ngecala kukaEdomi ngokuziphatha kwakhe okungenakuxolelwa, uObadiya abhekisela kukho, ngesikhathi abaseBabiloni bethumba iJerusalema. Kuyoqinisa ukholo emandleni kaJehova okuprofetha uma sihlola indlela ukuhlupheka okwabikezelwa okwamehlela ngayo uEdomi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyokwakha ukuthembela kuJehova njengoNkulunkulu oyifeza njalo injongo yakhe ayishilo.​—⁠Isaya 46:​9-⁠11.

11, 12. (a) Labo ‘abanokuthula’ noEdomi bamahlula kanjani? (b) Kungaziphi izehlakalo uEdomi ‘anqunywa kwaze kwaba-phakade’?

¹¹ UObadiya wayebikezele ukuthi ‘abantu abasesivumelwaneni’ noEdomi, ‘abanokuthula’ naye, yibo ababeyomahlula. (Obad. 7) Ukuthula kweBabiloni noEdomi akuzange kuhlale isikhathi eside. Phakathi nekhulu lesithupha leminyaka B.C.E., amabutho aseBabiloni ngaphansi kweNkosi uNabonidasi amnqoba uEdomi.b Noma kunjalo, ekhulwini leminyaka ngemva kokuhlasela kukaNabonidasi izwe, uEdomi owayesenethemba wayethemba ukubuyela, futhi ngokuphathelene nakho, uMalaki 1:⁠4 uyabika: “Uma uEdomi ethi: Sichithiwe, kepha siyakubuye sakhe izincithakalo, usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uthi: Bayakwakha bona, kepha mina ngiyakudiliza.” Naphezu kwemizamo yabakwaEdomi yokulibuyisa, ngekhulu lesine leminyaka B.C.E. amaNabataea ayesezinzile impela ezweni. Njengoba base bexoshiwe ezweni labo, abakwaEdomi bahlala engxenyeni yeJudiya eseningizimu, eyabizwa ngokuthi i-⁠Idumiya. Abazange baphumelele ekubeni baphinde balinqobe izwe laseSeyiri.

¹² NgokukaJosephus, ekhulwini lesibili leminyaka B.C.E. insali yabakwaEdomi yanqotshwa inkosi yamaJuda uJohn Hyrcanus I, yaphoqelelwa ukuba ivume ukusoka, futhi kancane kancane yathathwa umbuso wamaJuda ngaphansi kombusi wamaJuda. Ngemva kokubhubhisa kweRoma iJerusalema ngo-70 C.E., igama layo lanyamalala emlandweni.c Kwaba njengoba uObadiya ayebikezele: “Unqunywe kuze kube-phakade. . . . Akuyikubakho oseleyo endlini kaEsawu.”​—⁠Obad. 10, 18.

13. Yini eyenzeka kumaJuda, ngokuphambene nabakwaEdomi?

¹³ Ngokuphambene nokuchithwa kwe-Edomi, amaJuda abuyiselwa ezweni lawo ngo-537 B.C.E. ngaphansi kokubusa kukaZerubabele, lapho akha khona kabusha ithempeli eJerusalema futhi azinza ezweni.

14. (a) Yisiphi isixwayiso esitholakala esiphethweni sikaEdomi? (b) Yini bonke okumelwe bayivume, njengoba kwenza uObadiya, futhi ngani?

¹⁴ Yeka indlela okusobala ngayo ukuthi ukuqhosha nokuzidla kuholela ekuhluphekeni! Bonke abaziphakamisayo ngokuqhosha nabathokoza ngonya ngenxa yobunzima obufikela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu mabathathe isixwayiso esiphethweni sikaEdomi. Mabavume, njengoba kwenza uObadiya, ukuthi “umbuso besewuba-ngokaJehova.” Labo abalwa noJehova nabantu bakhe bayonqunywa ngokuphelele kuze kube-phakade, kodwa uMbuso kaJehova ophakeme nobukhosi bakhe baphakade kuyohlala kulwelwe phakade!​—⁠Iv. 21.

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