Hlonipha UJehova, Kukhuthaza Incwadi KaNumeri

UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU ufanelwe inhlonipho yenhliziyo yonke ezikhonzini zakhe. Kumelwe zimlalele futhi ngokuthembeka zibambisane nezinceku zakhe ezimisiwe. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kugcizelelwe kahle kanjani encwadini yeBhayibheli kaNumeri!

Igama lalencwadi lisekelwe ekubalweni okubili kwamaIsrayeli, okubhalwe ezahlukweni 1 kuya ku-4 no-26. UNumeri wabhalwa nguMose emathafeni akwaMowabi ngo-1473 B.C.E. futhi ngokuyinhloko uhlanganisa iminyaka engama-38 nezinyanga eziyi-9, ukubuyela emuva ngo-1512 B.C.E.—Numeri 1:1; Duteronomi 1:3.

Izehlakalo zaseNtabeni iSinayi zibhalwe ezingxenyeni ezintathu zikaNumeri (1:1–10:10), kamuva ehlane (10:11–21:35) nasemathafeni akwaMowabi (22:1–36:13). Kodwa lezizehlakalo zingasifundisani? Ingabe ikhona imithetho kuNumeri engazuzisa oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla?

Indaba Ikhuthaza Inhlonipho NgoNkulunkulu

AmaIsrayeli ayengaphansi kweNtaba iSinayi cishe unyaka wonke lapho uJehova eyala uMose ukuba abale abantu. Ngaphandle kwamaLevi, bonke abesilisa abaneminyaka engama-20 kuya phezulu bayabalwa, futhi inani labo liyizi-603 550. Esikhundleni sezibulo, uNkulunkulu usebenzisa amaLevi enkonzweni yetabernakele. Kunikezwa imithetho maqondana nokuhamba, lokho amaJuda, isizwe esidumile, okumelwe sihole kukho. Ngokuyala kukaNkulunkulu, khona-ke amaLevi ayabalwa futhi abelwa imisebenzi engcwele.—Numeri 1:1–4:49.

Imiyalo kaNkulunkulu yokuvinjelwa konesifo ilandelwa ukunikeza kwakhe imithetho enjengaleyo eqondene nendoda enesikhwele ngomkayo nezifungo ezenziwe amaNaziri. Khona-ke kunikezwa imininingwane ethile eqondene nenkonzo yetabernakele. Ekwakhiweni kwetabernakele nasekunikezelweni kwealtare, izikhulu zezizwe zenza iminikelo engcwele. Ngemva kokuba ebone umbono ovela kuJehova, uMose wenza uthi lwesibani. Lapho izibani zalo zikhanyiswa namaLevi ehlanzwa, ayengaqala ukukhonza.—Numeri 5:1–8:26.

Kubukezwa imithetho yePhasika. Ukuma nokuhamba kwekamu kwakuqondiswa ifu eliyisimangaliso elaliphezu kwetabernakele. Abantu babemisa futhi bahambe “ngesiyalezo sikaJehova.” Ukuze inhlangano ibuthane nezinye izinjongo, kwakusetshenziswa amacilongo amabili esiliva.—Numeri 9:1–10:10.

Ngosuku lwama-20 lwenyanga yesibili ngonyaka wesibili ngemva kokusuka eGibithe, ifu eliphezu kwetabernakele liqala ukuhamba futhi noIsrayeli uyahamba. Kwaba nokukhononda okungemthetho. Okunye kwalokho okokukhalela inyama, kodwa ubugovu buyaziveza lapho uJehova enikeza izigwaca. UMiriyamu noAroni bakhononda ngomfowabo uMose, futhi njengesijeziso uMiriyamu ushaywa ngochoko okwesikhashana. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kumelwe kusishukumise kanjani ukuba sibonise inhlonipho ngegunya elinikezwe uNkulunkulu!—Numeri 10:11–12:16.

Izinhloli eziyishumi nambili zithunyelwa eZweni leZithembiso futhi zibuya nezithelo ezihlwabusayo ngemva kwezinsuku ezingama-40. Kodwa izinhloli eziyishumi zakhuluma kakhulu ngobungako bezakhamuzi nemizi ebiyelweyo kwaze kwathi amaIsrayeli adumele afuna ukubuyela eGibithe. Izinhloli ezithembekile uJoshuwa noKalebi zizama ukuwakhuthaza ukuba abonise ukholo kuJehova kodwa ziyehluleka. Lapho abantu bekhuluma ngokubulala uMose, uAroni, uJoshuwa noKalebi, uNkulunkulu uthi uzobulala futhi achithe sonke isizwe. Kodwa uMose uyancenga futhi uJehova uthi abantu bayozula ehlane iminyaka engama-40 kuze kufe bonke abaneminyaka engama-20 nangaphezulu. Abayosala kuphela uJoshuwa, uKhalebi nesizwe sakwaLevi. Ngemva kwalokho, amaIsrayeli azama ukuhlasela iZwe leSithembiso, kodwa anqotshwa ngokudumazayo.—Numeri 13:1–14:45.

Kunikezwa imithetho ehlukahlukene ehilela iminikelo, ukwephulwa kweSabatha nokusetshenziswa kwezinsephe ezingutsheni. Khona-ke uKora, uDathani, uAbiramu, uOni nezikhulu ezingama-250 bamelana noMose noAroni. Uba yini umphumela walokungahloniphi okubi kangaka? UJehova ubulala uKora nabangama-250 ngomlilo, kanti ezinye izihlubuki zibhubha uma umhlaba uvuleka, uzigwinya nemikhaya yazo nezimpahla zazo. Ngosuku olulandelayo amaIsrayeli akhononda ngoMose noAroni, futhi ngalokuntula inhlonipho abayizi-14 700 babulawa isishayo esivela kuJehova. Ukuze aqede ukukhononda futhi abonise ukuthi uye wakhetha uAroni wesizwe sakwaLevi, uNkulunkulu ubangela ukuba intonga ka-Aroni ihlume. Lokho kulandelwa imithetho ehilela imithwalo yemfanelo yabapristi namaLevi nokuhlanzwa kwabantu ekungcoleni.—Numeri 15:1–19:22.

Kukhalelwa amanzi eKadeshi. Ngenxa yokuthi uMose noAroni abamngcwelisi uJehova ngokuwaveza ngokumangalisayo, batshelwa ukuthi ngeke bangene eZweni leSithembiso. Uma besuka eKadeshi, abantu bafika eNtabeni yaseHori, lapho uAroni efa khona futhi indodana yakhe yenziwa umpristi omkhulu. Ngemva kwalokho amaIsrayeli anqoba inkosi yaseAradi. Kamuva, amelana noNkulunkulu noMose, futhi ngalesikhathi uJehova uthumela izinyoka ezinesihlungu phakathi kwabo njengesijeziso. Labo abalunyiwe basindiswa kuphela ukubheka inyoka yethusi uNkulunkulu atshela uMose ukuba ayenze ayibeke ensikeni. Kamuva, amaIsrayeli anqoba iNkosi yama-Amori uSihoni no-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani, adla izwe lawo.—Numeri 20:1–21:35.

Ngokulandelayo kulandiswa izehlakalo zasemathafeni akwaMowabi. INkosi yakwaMowabi uBalaki uqasha uBalami (Bileyamu) ukuba aqalekise amaIsrayeli, kodwa esikhundleni salokho wawabusisa kathathu. UBalami uyithuluzi ekubangeleni abesifazane abakhulekela uBali ukuba baholele uIsrayeli ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili nokukhonza izithombe. UJehova ubhubhisa abayizi-24 000 abenza okubi ngaphambi kokuba uFinehasi avimbele isishayo ngokubulala indoda engumIsrayeli eyonakele nowesifazane wakwaMidiyani.—Numeri 22:1–25:18; 31:15, 16.

Ngemva kokuba okunye ukubalwa kwabantu sekwenziwe nokusungulwa kwesimiso sokwabela amadodakazi ifa, uMose ubona iZwe leSithembiso futhi umisa uJoshuwa njengomholi ozomlandela. Kunikezwa imithetho eqondene neminikelo yosuku, eyesonto, eyenyanga neyonyaka, ngokufanayo neyokwenziwa kwezifungo. Khona-ke kuphindiselwa kwabakwaMidiyani ngenxa yokubangela kwabo ukuba amaIsrayeli one kuNkulunkulu.—Numeri 26:1–31:54.

Isizwe sakwaRubeni, esakwaGadi nesakwaManase zinikezwa amafa empumalanga neJordani kodwa zinikwa uma zizohlanganyela ekunqobeni izwe elisentshonalanga nalowomfula. Ngokulandelayo, kunohide lwezindawo amaIsrayeli amisa kuzo esuka eGibithe eya emathafeni akwaMowabi. Ngaleso sikhathi amaIsrayeli athola imithetho eqondene nokuhlala eZweni leSithembiso. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, kumelwe abhubhise izithombe zokukhulekela kwamanga futhi axoshe abakhileyo. Imingcele yezwe iyamiswa, futhi kumiswa izikhulu ezizosiza uJoshuwa noEleyazare ukuba bahlukanise izwe, futhi imizi engama-48 inikwa amaLevi. Kumiswa imizi eyisithupha yesiphephelo futhi kunikezwa imithetho eqondene nokusingatha amacala okubulala ngamabomu nokungahlosiwe. Ekugcineni, kunikezwa imithetho emaqondana nokugana kwamadodakazi anamafa.—Numeri 32:1–36:13.

Njengoba ufunda uNumeri, kungenzeka uye wahlatshwa umxhwele ukugcizelela kwayo ekuboniseni inhlonipho kuJehova nakulabo abamiswe ukuba baphathe imithwalo yemfanelo phakathi kwabantu bakhe. Kodwa ungase ube nemibuzo ngamanye amaphuzu. Ngakho imibuzo elandelayo nezimpendulo kungathakazelisa.

Izehlakalo Entabeni ISinayi

• 5:11-31—Yini ngempela eyayenzeka kumfazi onecala lokuphinga?

Alukho uhlupho olwalulethwa ngamanzi ngokwawo. Kodwa ayephuzwa phambi kukaJehova, owayazi noma umfazi unecala lokuphinga yini. Uma enecala, wayenza ukuba isisu sakhe sivuvukale nethanga lakhe lishwabane. Ngokusobala ithanga lapha lisetshenziselwe ukuhlonipha izitho zobulili. (Qhathanisa noGenesise 46:26.) “Ukushwabana” kusikisela ukuthi lezizitho zazibuna, kwenza ukuba angakhulelwa. Lokhu kuvumelana neqiniso lokuthi uma umfazi engenacala indoda yakhe yayizomkhulelisa.

• 8:25, 26—Ingabe isimiso somthetho wokungasebenzi kwamaLevi siyasebenza kubantu bakaJehova namuhla?

Abapristi babesizwa yibo bonke abesilisa ababefaneleka bemikhaya emithathu evelele yamaLevi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaLevi ayeba maningi, kodwa inani lezindawo zenkonzo lalilinganiselwe ethempelini. Khona-ke, ngokungangabazeki, kokubili ngenxa yobudala nokuvimbela ukucinana kwamahhovisi anjalo, uJehova wayala ukuba abesilisa abangamaLevi abafinyelela iminyaka engama-50 kumelwe bangabe besakhonza, nakuba babengalokhu besiza ngokuzithandela. Nokho, lokhu akumisi umthetho ngamaIsrayeli angokomoya nabangane bawo ngoba abekho ngaphansi koMthetho. (Roma 6:14; Efesu 2:11-16) Uma ubudala bungavimbela umKristu emithwalweni yemfanelo ethile, angagudlulelwa ohlotsheni lwenkonzo akwaziyo ukuyenza. NgoFakazi BakaJehova akukho ukuyeka ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.

Ukuzula Izindawo Ngezindawo

• 12:1—Kungani uMiriyamu noAroni bamelana noMose ngenxa yomkakhe ongumKushe?

Lokhu kwakungaphezu kokumelana nokuganwa kukaMose. Isisusa soqobo sasiyisifiso sesikhundla esiphakeme, ikakhulu uMiriyamu. UmkaMose, uSipora, wayekade engekho kodwa wayesebuyile, futhi uMiriyamu wesaba ukuthathelwa isikhundla sokuba inkosikazi yokuqala ekamu. (Eksodusi 18:1-5) Ngakho wenza ukuba uAroni ahlanganyele naye ekugxekeni uMose ngokuganwa owesifazane wakwaKushe nasekubekeni inselele ngesikhundla sakhe esihlukile phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ngalokhu, uJehova washaya bobabili uMiriyamu noAroni, kodwa iqiniso lokuthi uMiriyamu washaywa ngochoko lisikisela ukuthi wayengumgqugquzeli. Isimo sika-Aroni esihle saboniswa ukuvuma isono sakhe nokunxusela uMiriyamu owayenochoko. (Numeri 12:10-13) USipora, wayeyindodakazi kaRehuweli wakwaMidiyani. (Genesise 25:1, 2; Numeri 10:29) KuHabakuki 3:7 “izwe lakwaMidiyani” lifaniswa neKushani, ngokusobala elingelinye igama leMidiyani noma lisho izwe eliseduze nayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izizwe ezithile zama-Arabi zazibizwa ngokuthi amaKushe noma amaKushani. Ngakho kubonakala ukuthi “uKushe” wayengabhekiseli kuphela ezizukulwaneni zikaHamu ngoKushe kodwa wayebhekisela nakwezinye izakhamuzi zakwaMidiyani. Ngakho, uSipora wayengase abizwe ngokuthi owesifazane wakwaKushe.

• 21:14, 15—Yayiyini ‘iNcwadi yeziMpi zikaJehova’?

Ngokungangabazeki, lona kwakuwumbhalo onokwethenjwa womlando wezimpi zabantu bakaJehova. Kungenzeka waqala ngesinyathelo sika-Abrahama esaba impumelelo emakhosini amane athumba uLoti nomkhaya wakhe. (Genesise 14:1-16) ImiBhalo ibhekisela emibhalweni engaphefumlelwe ehlukahlukene, eminye yayo yayisetshenziswa njengezindaba eziwumthombo ngababhali beBhayibheli abaphefumlelwe.—Joshuwa 10:12, 13; 1 AmaKhosi 11:41; 14:19, 29.

Emathafeni AkwaMowabi

• 22:20-22—Njengoba kunguJehova owatshela uBileyamu ukuba ahambe namadoda kaBalaki, kungani athukuthela uma lowomprofethi ehamba nawo?

UJehova watshela uBalami (uBileyamu) ukuba angaqalekisi uIsrayeli, kodwa umprofethi ohahayo wahamba enenjongo yokwenza njalo ukuze anikwe umvuzo iNkosi yakwaMowabi uBalaki. (2 Petru 2:15, 16; Juda 11) Ngaleso sizathu intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu yamvuthela uBileyamu. Yiqiniso, uJehova akazange avumele noma yikuphi ukuqalekiswa kwamaIsrayeli. Kodwa uBalamu, njengoKayini, wayenenkani yokungayinaki intando kaNkulunkulu. (Genesise 4:6-8) Ngemva kokuba uJehova eshintshe isiqalekiso ngasinye saba isibusiso, inkani kaBileyamu yamshukumisela ukuba asikisele ukuba uBalaki asebenzise abesifazane bakwaMowabi nabakwaMidiyani ukuba bayenge amaIsrayeli futhi awahilele ekukhulekeleni uBali. (Duteronomi 23:5; Numeri 31:15, 16; IsAmbulo 2:14) Lokhu kwaletha intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu phezu kukaIsrayeli futhi kwaphumela ekufeni kwabayizi-24 000. Kamuva, uBileyamu ohahayo wafa ezandleni zalabo ayefuna ukubaqalekisa. (Numeri 25:1-9; 31:8) Yeka isixwayiso ngobugovu!

• 25:10-13—Lesithembiso esimaqondana nobupristi sagcwaliseka kanjani?

Kubonakala sengathi ubupristi baqhubeka ohlwini lukaFinehasi kwaze kwaba isikhathi somPristi oMkhulu uEli, isizukulwane sikaltamari. Kungenzeka loshintsho lwenziwa ngenxa yokungafaneleki kwesikhashana kohlu lukaFinehasi. Kodwa iNkosi uSolomoni yabeka umPristi oMkhulu uSadoki wohlu lukaFinehasi esikhundleni somzukulu kaltamari uAbiyathara, owadabuka kuFinehasi. (1 AmaKhosi 1:1-14; 2:26, 27, 35) Njengoba imibhalo yemilando ibonisa, ngokusobaia uhlu lukaFinehasi ngemva kwalokho lwaqhubeka ebupristini obukhulu iminyaka eminingi.

• 30:6-8—Ingabe indoda yomfazi ongumKristu ingazenqaba izifungo zakhe?

Cha, ngoba abalandeli bakaJesu abekho phansi koMthetho. UJehova manje usebenzelana nomuntu ngamunye maqondana nezifungo, futhi indoda engumKristu ayigunyaziwe ukuba izichithe noma izinqabe. Yiqiniso, umfazi ongumKristu akumelwe enze izifungo eziphambana neZwi likaNkulunkulu noma imisebenzi yakhe engokomBhalo endodeni yakhe.—UmShumayeli 5:2-6.

Unokubaluleka Okukhulu Kithi

Ukuhlangana okubalulekile embhalweni oholela ekumisweni koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kunikezwa incwadi kaNumeri. Ikhomba futhi kuJesu Kristu. Ngokwesibonelo, imihlatshelo yezilwane nokusetshenziswa komlotha wesithole esibomvu kwakhomba elungiselelweni eliphakeme kakhulu lokuhlanzwa ngomhlatshelo kaJesu. (Numeri 19:2-9; Heberu 9:13, 14) Isehlakalo esasihilela inyoka yethusi safanekisela ilungiselelo eliphakeme likaJehova lokuphila okuphakade ngoKristu.—Numeri 21:8, 9; Johane 3:14, 15.

Incwadi kaNumeri ingasisiza ukuba sigweme ukukhonza izithombe nokuziphatha okubi kobulili. Isiqaphelisa izingozi zokukhononda ngokumelene noNkulunkulu, abamiswe nguye namalungiselelo akhe. Futhi ngokuqinisekile lomlando ovusa amadlingozi kumelwe usishukumisele ukuba sibonise inhlonipho enkulu ngoNkulunkulu wethu othandekayo, uJehova.

[Isithombe ekhasini 28]

Ukujeziswa kukaMiriyamu kumelwe kuwuthinte kanjani umbono wethu wegunya elinikezwe uNkulunkulu?