5, 6. Babengobani o-Eliyashibi noThobiya, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi yini eyenza ukuba u-Eliyashibi abe nobudlelwane noThobiya?

⁵ Funda uNehemiya 13:4-9. Sizungezwe amathonya angcolile, ngakho akulula ngathi ukuhlale singcwele. Cabanga ngo-Eliyashibi noThobiya. U-Eliyashibi wayengumpristi ophakeme, uThobiya engumAmoni okungenzeka ukuthi wayengesinye sezikhudlwana embusweni wasePheresiya ezibekwe phezu kwelaseJudiya. UThobiya nabangane bakhe babeye bamelana nemizamo kaNehemiya yokwakha kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema. (Neh. 2:10) Ama-Amoni ayenqatshelwe ukungena emagcekeni ethempeli. (Dut. 23:3) Pho kungani umpristi ophakeme anika umuntu onjengoThobiya indawo egumbini lokudlela ethempelini?

⁶ UThobiya wayesengumngane omkhulu ka-Eliyashibi. UThobiya nendodana yakhe uJehohanani babeshade nabesifazane abangamaJuda, futhi amaJuda amaningi ayekhuluma kahle ngoThobiya. (Neh. 6:17-19) Omunye wabazukulu baka-Eliyashibi wayeshade nendodakazi kaSanibhalati, umbusi waseSamariya owayengomunye wabangane abakhulu bakaThobiya. (Neh. 13:28) Lobu buhlobo busenza sibone ukuthi kungani umPristi Ophakeme u-Eliyashibi avumela umuntu ongakholwa nongumphikisi ukuba amthonye. Kodwa uNehemiya wabonisa ubuqotho kuJehova, wayijikijela ngaphandle kwegumbi lokudlela yonke impahla kaThobiya.

 8. Yini okufanele zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele ziyikhumbule ngokuphathelene nabangane?

⁸ Senza kahle ngokukhumbula ukuthi “ukuzihlanganisa nababi konakalisa imikhuba emihle.” (1 Kor. 15:33) Ezinye zezihlobo zethu zingase zingabi ithonya elihle kithi. U-Eliyashibi wayebabekele isibonelo esihle abantu ngokumsekela ngokugcwele uNehemiya lapho kwakhiwa kabusha izindonga zaseJerusalema. (Neh. 3:1) Nokho, kubonakala sengathi ithonya elibi likaThobiya nabanye laholela u-Eliyashibi ekwenzeni izinto ezamenza waba ongcolile phambi kukaJehova. Abangane abahle basikhuthaza ukuba senze imisebenzi yobuKristu, enjengokufunda iBhayibheli, ukuya emihlanganweni yobuKristu nokuhlanganyela enkonzweni yasensimini. Siyawathanda futhi siwazisa ngokukhethekile amalungu omkhaya asithonyela ukuba senze okulungile.