IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila
Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaNumeri
NGEMVA koFuduko lwawo ephuma eGibhithe, ama-Israyeli ahlelwa aba isizwe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho ayengangena eZweni Lesithembiso, kodwa awangenanga. Kunalokho, azulazula iminyaka engaba amashumi amane ‘ehlane elikhulu nelesabekayo.’ (Duteronomi 8:15) Kungani? Ukulandisa kwencwadi yeBhayibheli uNumeri kuyasitshela okwenzeka. Kufanele kugcizelele kithi isidingo sokulalela uJehova uNkulunkulu nokuhlonipha abameleli bakhe.
Incwadi kaNumeri, eyabhalwa nguMose ehlane nasemaThafeni akwaMowabi, ihlanganisa isikhathi esiyiminyaka engu-38 nezinyanga ezingu-9—kusukela ngo-1512 B.C.E. kuya ku-1473 B.C.E. (Numeri 1:1; Duteronomi 1:3) Igama layo (elisho ukuthi izibalo) lisuselwa ekubalweni kwama-Israyeli okubili, okuqhelelene ngeminyaka engu-38. (Izahluko 1-4, 26) Ukulandisa kuhlukaniswe kathathu. Ingxenye yokuqala ilandisa ngezigigaba ezenzeka eNtabeni iSinayi. Eyesibili ilandisa okwenzeka lapho ama-Israyeli ezulazula ehlane. Futhi ingxenye yokugcina ilandisa okwenzeka emaThafeni akwaMowabi. Njengoba ufunda lokhu kulandisa, ungase uthande ukuzibuza: ‘Lezi zenzakalo zingifundisani? Zikhona yini izimiso ezikule ncwadi ezingangizuzisa namuhla?’
ENTABENI ISINAYI
Ukubalwa kokuqala kwenziwa lapho ama-Israyeli ekanise ngaphansi kweNtaba iSinayi. Ngaphandle kwamaLevi, kunabesilisa abangu-603 550 abaneminyaka esukela ku-20 ubudala kuya phezulu. Ngokusobala babebalwa ngenjongo yempi. Kungenzeka ukuthi kulo lonke ikamu kunabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu, uma kubalwa nabesifazane, izingane kanye namaLevi.
Ngemva kokubalwa kwawo, ama-Israyeli anikezwa imiyalo maqondana nendlela yokuhamba, imininingwane ngemisebenzi yamaLevi nangenkonzo yetabernakele, imiyalo ngokuhlukaniswa ngenxa yesifo nemithetho ehlobene nesikhwele kanye nezifungo ezazenziwa ngamaNaziri. Isahluko 7 siqukethe imithetho yemihlatshelo eyenziwa izikhulu zezizwe ekuvulweni kwe-altare, isahluko 9 sona sikhuluma ngendlela yokugubha iPhasika. Inhlangano inikezwa neziyalezo maqondana nokumiswa kanye nokudilizwa kwekamu.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo:
2:1, 2—Zaziyini “izimpawu” okwakufanele izigaba zezizwe ezintathu zikanise nxazonke zazo ehlane? IBhayibheli alizichazi ukuthi zaziyini lezi zimpawu. Nokho, zazingabhekwa njengezimpawu ezingcwele futhi zazingakhulekelwa. Lezi zimpawu zazisetshenziselwa ukusiza umuntu abone indawo yakhe ekamu.
5:27—Kwakusho ukuthini ‘ukuwa kwethanga’ lomfazi owayenecala lokuphinga? Igama elisetshenziswe lapha elithi “ithanga” libhekisela ezithweni zokuzala. (Genesise 46:26) ‘Ukuwa’ kwalo kusikisela ukonakala kwazo lezi zitho, ukuze ukukhulelwa kungaphinde kwenzeke.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
6:1-7. AmaNaziri kwakufanele agweme izinto ezenziwe ngomvini nalo lonke uphuzo oludakayo, okwakudinga ukuzithiba. Kwakumelwe ayeke izinwele zawo zikhule zibe zinde—okuwuphawu lokuzithoba kuJehova, njengoba nabesifazane kwakufanele bazithobe kubayeni babo noma koyise. AmaNaziri kwakumelwe ahlale ehlanzekile ngokuba angasondeli esidunjini sanoma yini, ngisho nesesihlobo esiseduze. Namuhla izikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele zibonisa umoya wokuzidela endabeni yokuzithiba nokuzithoba kuJehova naselungiselelweni lakhe. Ezinye izabelo zingadinga ukuba umuntu aye ezweni elikude, okungenza nokuba kube nzima noma kungenzeki ukubuyela ekhaya ayongcwaba ilungu lomkhaya.
8:25, 26. Ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi inkonzo yamaLevi ifezwa kahle, futhi kucatshangelwa nobudala bawo, amadoda asemadala ayeyalwa ukuba ayiyeke inkonzo ephoqelelwe. Nokho, ayengawasiza ngokuzithandela amanye amaLevi. Nakuba ungekho umhlala-phansi namuhla kummemezeli woMbuso, isimiso esikulo mthetho sifundisa isifundo esibalulekile. Uma ngenxa yokuguga umKristu engasakwazi ukufeza izibopho ezithile, angangenela inkonzo angakwazi ukuyenza.
UKUZULAZULA EHLANE
Uma ifu elingaphezu kwetabernakele seliphakama, ama-Israyeli aqala uhambo oluzowafikisa emathafeni awugwadule akwaMowabi ngemva kweminyaka engu-38 nenyanga eyodwa noma ezimbili. Ungase ukuthole kuzuzisa ukubheka uhambo lwawo ebalazweni elisekhasini 9 lencwajana ethi “Bona Izwe Elihle,” ekhishwa oFakazi BakaJehova.
Endleleni eya eKadeshi, eHlane lasePharanu, kuba nokukhononda okungenani ngezinto ezintathu. Okokuqala kuphela lapho uJehova ethumela umlilo ukuba uqothule abathile kubantu. Ama-Israyeli abe esekhalela inyama, uJehova awanike izigwaca. Ukukhononda kukaMiriyamu no-Aroni ngoMose kwenza ukuba uMiriyamu ashaywe ngochoko okwesikhashana.
Ngesikhathi bekanise eKadeshi, uMose uthuma amadoda angu-12 ukuba ayohlola iZwe Lesithembiso. Abuya ngemva kwezinsuku ezingu-40. Bekholelwa umbiko omubi weziyishumi kulezi zinhloli, abantu bafuna ukukhanda ngamatshe uMose, u-Aroni nezinhloli ezithembekile uJoshuwa noKalebi. UJehova uceba ukushaya abantu ngesifo esiwumshaya-bhuqe, kodwa uMose uyabakhulumela, uNkulunkulu ube esethi bazoba imihambima ehlane iminyaka engu-40—kuze kufe bonke ababalwa.
UJehova unikeza ezinye iziqondiso. UKora nabanye bavukela uMose no-Aroni, kodwa la mavukela abhujiswa ngumlilo amanye agwinywa umhlaba. Ngakusasa yonke inhlangano ikhononda ngoMose nango-Aroni. Ngenxa yalokho, kufa abangu-14 700 bebulawa isifo esivela kuJehova. Ukuze abonise ukuthi ubani umpristi ophakeme amkhethile, uNkulunkulu ubangela ukuba induku ka-Aroni iveze imiqumbe. UJehova ube esenikeza eminye imithetho emaqondana nezibopho zamaLevi nokuhlanzwa kwabantu. Ukusetshenziswa komlotha wenkomazi ebomvu kufanekisela ukuhlanzwa okwenzeka ngomhlatshelo kaJesu.—Hebheru 9:13, 14.
Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babuyela eKadeshi, lapho kufela khona uMiriyamu. Inhlangano iyakhononda futhi ngoMose nango-Aroni. Isizathu? Ukuntuleka kwamanzi. Ngenxa yokuthi uMose no-Aroni abalingcwelisi igama likaJehova lapho ebanika amanzi ngokuyisimangaliso, balahlekelwa ilungelo lokungena eZweni Lesithembiso. U-Israyeli uyasuka eKadeshi, u-Aroni ufela eNtabeni iHori. Ngesikhathi esazungeza i-Edomi, ama-Israyeli ayakhathala futhi akhuluma kabi ngoNkulunkulu nangoMose. UNkulunkulu uwajezisa ngokuthumela izinyoka ezinobuthi. UMose uyaphinda awakhulumele, bese uNkulunkulu emyala ukuba enze inyoka yethusi ayichome esigxotsheni ukuze labo abalunyiwe baphulukiswe uma beyigqolozela. Le nyoka ifanekisela ukubethelwa kukaJesu Kristu ukuze sizuze phakade. (Johane 3:14, 15) U-Israyeli unqoba amakhosi ama-Amori uSihoni no-Ogi futhi udla amazwe awo.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo:
12:1—Kungani uMiriyamu no-Aroni bakhononda ngoMose? Isizathu sangempela sokukhononda kwabo kwakuyisifiso sikaMiriyamu sokuba nesikhundla esithe xaxa. Lapho umkaMose, uZiphora, efika kuye ehlane, kungenzeka ukuthi uMiriyamu wesaba ukuthi wayengeke esabhekwa ekamu njengomholi wesifazane.—Eksodusi 18:1-5.
12:9-11—Kungani kunguMiriyamu kuphela owashaywa ngochoko? Cishe nguye owaphemba lokhu kukhononda futhi washoshozela u-Aroni ukuba naye akhononde. U-Aroni wabonisa isimo esihle sengqondo ngokuvuma ububi bakhe.
21:14, 15—Kwakuyiyiphi le ncwadi okukhulunywa ngayo lapha? ImiBhalo ikhuluma ngezincwadi ezihlukahlukene ezazisetshenziswa abalobi beBhayibheli njengomthombo wendaba. (Joshuwa 10:12, 13; 1 AmaKhosi 11:41; 14:19, 29) Enye yazo ‘kwakuyincwadi yeziMpi ZikaJehova.’ Yayiqukethe umlando wezimpi zabantu bakaJehova.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
11:27-29. UMose usibekela isibonelo esihle kakhulu sendlela okufanele sizizwe ngayo uma abanye bethola amalungelo enkonzweni kaJehova. Kunokuba ngomhawu azifunele inkazimulo, uMose wajabula lapho u-Elidadi noMedadi benza njengabaprofethi.
12:2, 9, 10; 16:1-3, 12-14, 31-35, 41, 46-50. UJehova ulindele ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe babahloniphe labo ababekwe nguye ezikhundleni.
14:24. Isihluthulelo sokumelana nokucindezela kwezwe ukuba senze okubi siwukuhlakulela ‘umoya ohlukile,’ noma isimo sengqondo esihlukile. Kumelwe kube yilowo ohlukile kowezwe.
15:37-41. Insephe eyayiba sengutsheni yama-Israyeli kuphela yayihloselwe ukuwakhumbuza ukuthi ayengabantu abahlukaniselwe ukukhonza uNkulunkulu nokulalela imiyalo yakhe. Akufanele yini nathi siphile ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu futhi siphawuleke njengabahlukile ezweni?
EMATHAFENI AKWAMOWABI
Njengoba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bekanise emathafeni awugwadule akwaMowabi, abakwaMowabi bezwa ingebhe ecanuzelisayo ngenxa yabo. Ngakho, inkosi yakwaMowabi uBhalaki iqasha uBhalami ukuba aqalekise ama-Israyeli. Kodwa uJehova uphoqa uBhalami ukuba awabusise. Kube sekusetshenziswa abesifazane bakwaMowabi nabakwaMidiyani ukuba bayengele amadoda akwa-Israyeli ekuziphatheni okubi nasekukhonzeni izithombe. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova ubhubhisa abenzi bokubi abangu-24 000. Ekugcineni isifo siphela lapho uFinehasi ebonisa ukuthi akakubekezeleli ukubangiswa kukaJehova.
Ukubalwa kwesibili kwembula ukuthi akusekho muntu owabalwa ekuqaleni osaphila, ngaphandle kukaJoshuwa noKalebi. UJoshuwa uyalwa ukuba angene esikhundleni sikaMose. Ama-Israyeli anikezwa imiyalo emayelana nokwenza imihlatshelo eyahlukahlukene, nemiyalo emayelana nokwenza izifungo. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bayaziphindiselela kwabakwaMidiyani. Isizwe sakwaRubeni, esakwaGadi nengxenye yesizwe sakwaManase bahlala empumalanga yoMfula iJordani. U-Israyeli unikezwa imiyalo emayelana nokuwela iJordani kanye nokudla izwe. Imininingwane yemingcele yezwe iyachazwa. Ifa kumelwe lihlukaniswe ngenkatho. AmaLevi anikezwa imizi engu-48, engu-6 kuyo kuba imizi yesiphephelo.
Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo
22:20-22—Kungani intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela uBhalami? UJehova wayetshele umprofethi uBhalami ukuthi akufanele abaqalekise abakwa-Israyeli. (Numeri 22:12) Nokho, lo mprofethi wahamba namadoda kaBhalaki ezimisele ukuqalekisa ama-Israyeli. UBhalami wayefuna ukujabulisa inkosi yakwaMowabi nokuthola umvuzo kuyo. (2 Petru 2:15, 16; Jude 11) Ngisho nalapho uBhalami ephoqwa ukuba abusise kunokuba aqalekise u-Israyeli, wafuna ukuthola umusa enkosini ngokusikisela ukuba kusetshenziswe abesifazane abakhulekela uBhali ukuba bayenge amadoda akwa-Israyeli. (Numeri 31:15, 16) Ngakho, isizathu sokuba uNkulunkulu amthukuthelele uBhalami kwakuwukuhaha kwalo mprofethi okungenamahloni.
30:6-8—Indoda engumKristu ingazihoxisa yini izifungo zomkayo? Maqondana nezifungo, uJehova manje usebenzelana nabakhulekeli bakhe ngokomuntu ngamunye. Ngokwesibonelo, ukuzinikezela kuJehova kuyisifungo esenziwa ngumuntu siqu. (Galathiya 6:5) Indoda ayinalo igunya lokuhoxisa isifungo esinjalo. Nokho, inkosikazi, kufanele igweme ukwenza isifungo esingqubuzana neZwi likaNkulunkulu noma nemisebenzi okufanele iyenzele umyeni wayo.
Izifundo Esizitholayo:
25:11. Yeka isibonelo sentshiseko asibekela sona uFinehasi ngokukhulekelwa kukaJehova! Akufanele yini isifiso sokugcina ibandla lihlanzekile sisishukumisele ukuba sibike noma ikuphi ukuziphatha okubi kubadala abangamaKristu?
35:9-29. Iqiniso lokuthi umbulali ongahlosile kwakufanele ashiye umuzi wakhe futhi abalekele emzini wesiphephelo isikhathi esithile lisifundisa ukuthi ukuphila kungcwele nokuthi kumelwe sikuhloniphe.
35:33. Umhlaba ongcoliswe ukuchitheka kwegazi labantu abangenacala ungahlawulelwa kuphela ngokuchitha igazi lalabo abalichithile. Yeka ukuthi kufaneleka kanjani ukuthi uJehova uzobhubhisa ababi ngaphambi kokuba umhlaba uguqulwe ube ipharadesi!—IzAga 2:21, 22; Daniyeli 2:44.
IZwi LikaNkulunkulu Linamandla
Kumelwe sihloniphe uJehova nalabo abanemithwalo yemfanelo kubantu bakhe. Incwadi kaNumeri ilicacisa kahle leli qiniso. Yeka isifundo esihle sokulondoloza ubunye nokuthula ebandleni namuhla!
Izenzakalo okulandiswe ngazo kuNumeri zibonisa indlela okulula ngayo kulabo abangalinaki ingokomoya labo ukuba bawele ebubini, obunjengokukhononda, ukuziphatha okubi nokukhonza izithombe. Ezinye zezibonelo nezifundo ezikule ncwadi yeBhayibheli kungasekelwa kuzo izidingo zebandla eMhlanganweni Wenkonzo emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova. Ngempela, “izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla” ekuphileni kwethu.—Hebheru 4:12.
[Isithombe ekhasini 24, 25]
Ngefu eliyisimangaliso elaliphezu kwetabernakele, uJehova waqondisa ukumiswa nokudilizwa kwekamu lama-Israyeli
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
UJehova uyakufanelekela ukuba simlalele futhi ulindele ukuba sihloniphe abameleli bakhe