13. Yisiphi isigijimi sesahlulelo uZefaniya asimemezela ngokumelene noMowabi, abakwa-Amoni, ne-Asiriya?

¹³ Ngomprofethi wakhe uZefaniya, uJehova wabuye wazwakalisa intukuthelo yakhe ezizweni ezazibaphathe kabi abantu bakhe. Wathi: “Ngiyizwile inhlamba yakwaMowabi nezithuko zabantwana bakwa-Amoni abathuké ngazo abantu bami, bazikhulisela imikhawulo yabo [“bazikhukhumeza endaweni yabo,” NW]. Ngalokho, kuphila kwami, usho uJehova-Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, uthi: Impela uMowabi uyakuba-njengeSodoma, nabantwana bakwa-Amoni njengeGomora, izwe lezimbabazane nelemigodi kasawoti nencithakalo yaphakade; . . . Uyakwelulela isandla sakhe ngasenyakatho, achithe iAsiriya, alenze iNineve libe-yincithakalo, lome njengehlane.”—Zefaniya 2:8, 9, 13.

14. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi ezinye izizwe ‘zazikhukhumeza’ phambi kwama-Israyeli noNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova?

¹⁴ UMowabi no-Amoni babeyizitha zika-Israyeli ezaziwayo. (Qhathanisa nabAhluleli 3:12-14.) ITshe LakwaMowabi, eliseMnyuziyamu waseLouvre eParis, linombhalo onamazwi okuqhosha ashiwo iNkosi yakwaMowabi uMesha. Ngokuqhosha ilandisa ngokuthatha kwayo imizi eminingana yakwa-Israyeli ngosizo lukankulunkulu wayo uKemoshi. (2 AmaKhosi 1:1) UJeremiya, owayephila ngesikhathi sikaZefaniya, wakhuluma ngokuthatha kwabakwa-Amoni indawo yama-Israyeli yakwaGadi egameni likankulunkulu wabo uMilkomu. (Jeremiya 49:1) Ngokuqondene ne-Asiriya, iNkosi uShalimanesari V yayihlasele futhi yathatha iSamariya cishe eminyakeni eyikhulu ngaphambi kosuku lukaZefaniya. (2 AmaKhosi 17:1-6) Esikhathini esithile kamuva, iNkosi uSaneheribi yahlasela uJuda, yathatha eminingi yemizi yakhona ebiyelweyo, futhi yasongela ngisho neJerusalema. (Isaya 36:1, 2) Umkhulumeli wenkosi yase-Asiriya wazikhukhumeza ngempela phambi kukaJehova lapho etshela iJerusalema ukuba lizinikele.—Isaya 36:4-20.

15. UJehova wayeyobathobisa kanjani onkulunkulu bezizwe ezazizikhukhumeze phambi kwabantu bakhe?

¹⁵ IHubo 83 likhuluma ngenani lezizwe, kuhlanganise noMowabi, abakwa-Amoni, nabase-Asiriya, ezazikhukhumeza phambi kuka-Israyeli, futhi ngokuqhosha zathi: “Wozani sibaqothule, bangabe besaba-yisizwe, negama likaIsrayeli lingabe lisakhunjulwa.” (IHubo 83:4) Ngesibindi, umprofethi uZefaniya wamemezela ukuthi zonke lezi zizwe eziqhoshayo nonkulunkulu bazo zaziyothotshiswa uJehova-Sebawoti. “Lokhu kuyakuba-sesikhundleni sokuziphakamisa kwabo ngokuba bathukile, bazikhulisela abantu [“bazikhukhumeza phambi kwabantu,” NW] bakaJehova-Sebawoti. UJehova uyakwesabeka phezu kwabo, ngokuba uyakuzacisa bonke onkulunkulu bomhlaba, bakhuleke kuye, kube-yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe, zonke iziqhingi zezizwe.”—Zefaniya 2:10, 11.

17. Izigijimi zokwahlulela zikaZefaniya zaqala nini ukugcwaliseka phezu kwezizwe, futhi kanjani?

¹⁷ Labo abalalela leso sixwayiso abazange bamangale. Abaningi baphila baze babona ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho sikaZefaniya. Ngo-632 B.C.E., iNineve lanqotshwa futhi labhujiswa ngokuhlangana kwabaseBabiloni, amaMede, namabutho asenyakatho, cishe amaSkithe. Isazi-mlando uWill Durant siyalandisa: “Ibutho labaseBabiloni ngaphansi kukaNabopolassar lahlangana nebutho lamaMede ngaphansi kukaCyaxares nebutho lamaSkithe aseCaucasus, futhi ngendlela elula ngokumangalisayo nangokuphazima kweso bathatha izinqaba zasenyakatho. . . . Ngegalelo elilodwa i-Asiriya lanyamalala emlandweni.” Yilokho kanye uZefaniya ayekuprofethile.—Zefaniya 2:13-15.