Funda KwabaseGibheyoni

1-2. Kungani kufanele sikuthande ukufunda ngalokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngabaseGibheyoni?

NGUNYAKA ka-1473 B.C.E. Isizwe sakwa-Israyeli siqala ukuthatha iZwe Lesithembiso. Ama-Israyeli anqobe amadolobha aseJeriko nase-Ayi ngendlela emangalisayo. Kodwa kamuva kwenzeka into engalindelekile. Kufika iqembu labantu, lithi livela ezweni elikude futhi lifuna ukwenza isivumelwano sokuthula nabantu bakaNkulunkulu.

² Lelo qembu, abantu baseGibheyoni. Okokuqala ngqa iBhayibheli likhuluma ngabaseGibheyoni futhi aligcini lapha ukukhuluma ngabo. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuningana kubonisa ukuthi abaseGibheyoni babesondelene kakhulu nabakwa-Israyeli iminyaka eminingi eyalandela. Lokhu kulandisa kusifundisa izifundo eziningi ezibalulekile futhi kusifundisa okuningi ngoJehova uNkulunkulu.

YIBA NOKHOLO FUTHI UTHOBEKE

3. (a) Babengobani abaseGibheyoni? (b) Kungani babefuna ukuba nokuthula nama-Israyeli?

³ Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli eqala ukunqoba izwe laseKhanani, abaseGibheyoni babehlala edolobheni laseGibheyoni elinezivikelo eziqinile. Babeyingxenye yesizwe samaHivi, esinye sezizwe zaseKhanani eziyisikhombisa “ezinabantu abaningi nezinamandla” kunama-Israyeli. (Dut. 7:1) Ngakho abaseGibheyoni babenamandla kwezempi. (Josh. 10:2) Kodwa ngokungafani namanye amaKhanani, abaseGibheyoni babona ukuthi babengeke banqobe uma belwa nama-Israyeli. Babebona ukuthi uJehova wayebalwela abantu bakhe, babazi nokuthi wayebathembise ukuthi wayezowaxosha amaKhanani ezweni lawo. (Eks. 34:11; Josh. 9:24) Ngakho ngemva kokuba ama-Israyeli enqobe iJeriko ne-Ayi, abaseGibheyoni bathumela amadoda athilea kuJoshuwa eGiligali ukuze azame ukwenza ukuthula naye.

4. (a) NgokukaJoshuwa 9:​8-13, abaseGibheyoni bawakhohlisa kanjani ama-Israyeli ukuze enze isivumelwano sokuthula nawo? (Bheka nesithombe.) (b) Yini ama-Israyeli ayenza lapho ethola ukuthi abaseGibheyoni babewakhohlisile?

⁴ Funda uJoshuwa 9:​8-13. AbaseGibheyoni benza sengathi babevela ezweni elikude. Bavuma ukuthi nguJehova owasiza ama-Israyeli ukuba anqobe ibutho laseGibhithe namakhosi ama-Amori uSihoni no-Ogi. Kodwa ngobuhlakani abazange bakhulume ngezimpi ama-Israyeli ayesanda kuzinqoba eJeriko nase-Ayi, njengoba lokho kwakusanda kwenzeka futhi kungenzeka lezo zindaba zazingakafiki kubantu abahlala “ezweni elikude kakhulu” ababethi bavela kulo. Ngaphandle kokubuza kuJehova, uJoshuwa namadoda akwa-Israyeli bakukholwa lokho ababekutshelwa abaseGibheyoni, benza isivumelwano sokuthula nabo. (Josh. 9:​14, 15) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, ama-Israyeli aqaphela ukuthi abaseGibheyoni babewakhohlisile, kodwa anamathela esivumelwaneni sokuthula ayesenze nabo ngenxa yokuthi ‘ayefunge kubo uJehova.’ (Josh. 9:​16-19) AbaseGibheyoni banikezwa isabelo esiphansi ‘sokutheza izinkuni nesokukha amanzi enhlangano nawe-altare likaJehova,’ ababezosenza ukuphila kwabo konke.—Josh. 9:27.

5. AbaseGibheyoni balubonisa ngaziphi izindlela ukholo kuJehova?

⁵ Lapho amakhosi ama-Amori amahlanu ezwa ukuthi abaseGibheyoni babenze ukuthula nama-Israyeli, ahlangana ukuze ahlasele iGibheyoni. AbaseGibheyoni bancenga uJoshuwa ukuba abasize. (Josh. 10:​3-7) UJoshuwa wahamba nama-Israyeli ukuze bayolwa nebutho lamaKhanani futhi uJehova wabasiza ukuba banqobe. UJehova waze wehlisa ngisho nesichotho esikhulu ebuthweni lama-Amori eliyisitha sabo, wenza nokuba ngokuyisimangaliso ilanga lingashoni kuze kube yilapho ama-Israyeli enqoba impi. (Josh. 10:​9-14) Ngokufuna ukwenza isivumelwano sokuthula no-Israyeli nangokucela uJoshuwa abasize lapho besongelwa, abaseGibheyoni babonisa ukholo kuJehova—ukholo ekutheni uyaligcina izwi lakhe futhi uzobakhulula.

6. Sifundani ngoJehova endleleni aphatha ngayo abaseGibheyoni ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ethatha iZwe Lesithembiso?

⁶ Le ndaba isifundisani ngoJehova? UJehova uthobekile futhi unesihe. Wayeyale ama-Israyeli ukuba “axoshe bonke abakhe ezweni,” okuhlanganisa abaseGibheyoni. (Num. 33:​51, 52) Noma kunjalo, ukuze asekele isivumelwano sokuthula u-Israyeli ayesenze nabo, ngesihe uJehova wavumela abaseGibheyoni ukuba baphile. UJehova wakwenza lokho ngisho noma ama-Israyeli engazange ambuze ngaphambi kokuba enze leso sivumelwano. Wabe esesiza ama-Israyeli ukuba asigcine isivumelwano sawo, wasindisa abaseGibheyoni ngokuyisimangaliso.—Josh. 9:26; 11:19.

7. Singalulingisa kanjani ukholo nokuthobeka kwabaseGibheyoni? (Bheka nesithombe.)

⁷ Singabalingisa kanjani abaseGibheyoni? Ngokuba nokholo oluqinile kuJehova. Njengoba sesazi okuningi ngoJehova kunabaseGibheyoni, sinezizathu eziningi nakakhulu zokumethemba ngokuphelele uJehova. (IHu. 40:​4, 5) Singalingisa abaseGibheyoni nangokuzimisela ukwenza imisebenzi ebukelwa phansi enkonzweni kaJehova. (Josh. 9:​23, 27) Umzalwane osemusha okuthiwa uLuke akasoze asikhohlwa isikhathi abona ngaso umzalwane osekhulile okhonza eBethel enza lokho kanye. Nakuba lowo mzalwane ayenza isabelo esinzima nesibalulekile eBethel, ngokuzithandela wavolontiyela ukuba asebenze ebusuku agade iHholo LoMbuso elalakhiwa. ULuke uthi: “Ngafunda ukuthi ngeke ngithi ngithobekile ngoba nakhu ngicabanga ukuthi ngithobekile. Ukuthobeka sikubonisa ngalokho esikhetha ukukwenza noma esikhetha ukungakwenzi.” Kwangathi singabonisa ukholo lwethu kuJehova nsuku zonke ngokuthembela kuye lapho sibhekene nezimo ezinzima nangokuthobeka senze noma yisiphi isabelo esivela enhlanganweni yakhe.

LINDA UJEHOVA ALUNGISE UKUNGABI NABULUNGISA

8. Yisiphi isenzo sonya nesingenabulungisa esenziwa yiNkosi uSawule kwabaseGibheyoni?

⁸ IBhayibheli liphinde likhulume ngabaseGibheyoni ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka kamuva. INkosi uSawule yabajikela abaseGibheyoni ababehlala kwa-Israyeli. ‘Ishisekela abantu bakwa-Israyeli noJuda,’ yazama ukubaqothula.b Ngenxa yalokho iningi labo labulawa. (2 Sam. 21:​2, 5, 6) Lokho kwakuwukungabi nabulungisa ngempela! USawule wephula isivumelwano sokuthula esasiphakathi kwama-Israyeli nabaseGibheyoni esase sikhona isikhathi eside.

9. UJehova wagcina eyisingathe nini indaba yokuphathwa ngokungenabulungisa kwabaseGibheyoni?

⁹ UJehova akazange abajezise ngokushesha labo ababenze isenzo esibi esingenabulungisa kwabaseGibheyoni. Empeleni, kwaze kwaba yilapho sekubusa iNkosi uDavide eyalandela uSawule lapho uJehova abangela khona ukuba isizwe sakwa-Israyeli siyinake le ndaba ngokwenza kube nendlala kwa-Israyeli iminyaka emithathu. Lapho uDavide ebuza ukuthi kungani kwakunendlala ezweni, uJehova wamtshela ukuthi uSawule nabendlu yakhe babenecala legazi ngenxa yendlela ababaphatha kabi ngayo abaseGibheyoni eminyakeni edlule.—2 Sam. 21:1.

10. Lokho abaseGibheyoni abakusho kuDavide kweyesi-2 Samuweli 21:​3-6, kwabonisa kanjani ukuthi babewuhlonipha uMthetho kaNkulunkulu?

¹⁰ Funda eyesi-2 Samuweli 21:​3-6. UDavide wakhuluma nabaseGibheyoni ukuze azame ukuthola ukuthi yini eyayingenziwa ukuze ahlawulele le nto embi eyenziwa uSawule kubo. Ingabe babezozama ukuceba ngokuthi benze uDavide akhokhe ngenxa yokuthi akasithathanga isinyathelo ngokushesha? AbaseGibheyoni baphendula kahle bathi “akuyona indaba yesiliva noma yegolide” ngoba ngokoMthetho asikho isihlengo esasingakwazi ukukhokhela ukubulawa komuntu. (Num. 35:​30, 31) Baqaphela nokuthi babengeke bakwazi ukubulala umuntu ngaphandle kokuthola imvume engokomthetho. Ekugcineni, uDavide wanikeza imvume yokuba kubulawe amadoda ayisikhombisa asemndenini kaSawule, okungenzeka aba nesandla emizamweni kaSawule yokuqothula abaseGibheyoni. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, imvula yana yaqeda indlala, yabonisa nokuthi uJehova wayesekuqedile ukungabi nabulungisa ngendlela emgculisayo.—2 Sam. 21:​9, 10, 14.

11. Yini esingayifunda ngoJehova kule ndaba?

¹¹ Le ndaba isifundisani ngoJehova? Sibona ubufakazi obucacile bokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu onobulungisa. (IHu. 37:28) Ufuna wonke umuntu aphathwe ngendlela enobulungisa. Lokho kuhlanganisa nalabo okungenzeka bayabandlululwa, njengoba kuvame ukwenzeka kubantu bokufika nabantu abayisizwe esincane. Ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele, uJehova uyoqeda noma yikuphi ukungabi nabulungisa okungenzeka abakhulekeli bakhe baye babhekana nakho. Sifunda nokuthi uJehova ulindele ukuba sizigcine izithembiso esizenzayo, njengoba nje ayelindele ukuba ama-Israyeli asigcine isithembiso ayesenzile sokuba nokuthula nabaseGibheyoni.—Qhathanisa no-Amose 1:9.

12. Singabalingisa kanjani abaseGibheyoni lapho siphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa?

¹² Singabalingisa kanjani abaseGibheyoni? Ngisho nalapho abafowethu nodadewethu besiphatha kabi, singamlinda ngesineke uJehova. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sibonisa ukuthi siyamethemba uJehova ukuthi uzozilungisa izinto ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele. Cabanga ngesibonelo sikadade okuthiwa uLaura French. Waqala ukukhonza eBethel yaseCanada ngo-1926. Ngemva kweminyaka engaba yishumi kamuva, waba yisisulu sokuphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa ngento embi kakhulu. Wamangalelwa ngamanga kwathiwa wayezihlanganise neqembu lezihlubuki, waxoshwa naseBethel. Wayezokwenzenjani? Nakuba aphatheka kabi kakhulu, akazange akhononde ngabazalwane noma ngenhlangano. Wachitha iminyaka emine eyalandela eyiphayona elishisekayo. Wamangala futhi wajabula kakhulu lapho ngo-1940 emenywa ukuba aphinde azokhonza eBethel, la aqhubeka ekhonza khona uJehova ngokwethembeka kwaze kwaba yilapho eqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni ngemva kweminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-50 kamuva. NjengoDade French, singanqoba ukuphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa ngokuqhubeka senza okulungile nangokulinda uJehova alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe.—Isaya 26:​3, 4.

KUSEKELE NGOBUQOTHO UKUKHULEKELA KWEQINISO

13. Ayengobani “amaNethini,” futhi yini ayenza ngemva kokudingiswa eBhabhiloni?

¹³ Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-500 ngemva kwesikhathi seNkosi uDavide, iBhayibheli liphinde likhulume ngabaseGibheyoni. Iminyaka engu-70 yokudingiswa kwamaJuda eBhabhiloni yayisiphelile, futhi ngo-537 B.C.E. iqembu lokuqala lamaJuda ayedingisiwe labuyela eJerusalema noMbusi uZerubhabhele. (Ezra 2:​1, 2, 58) Ngo-468 B.C.E., elinye iqembu labuyela no-Ezra umkopishi. (Ezra 7:​1-7) Womabili lawo maqembu amancane ayebuya ekudingisweni ayehlanganisa nemindeni ‘yamaNethini.’ (Bheka nemibhalo yaphansi ku-Ezra 2:58 no–7:7.) Ayengobani amaNethini? AmaNethini “izinceku noma izikhonzi zasethempelini ezazingewona ama-Israyeli,” cishe iningi lazo laliyinzalo yabaseGibheyoni.—Bheka igama elithi “amaNethini” ngaphansi kwengxenye ethi UHlu Lwezincazelo Zamagama AseBhayibhelini.

14. AbaseGibheyoni babonisa kanjani ukuthi babeqotho kuJehova? (1 IziKronike 9:2 nombhalo waphansi)

¹⁴ Funda eyoku-1 IziKronike 9:2 nombhalo waphansi. “Izikhonzi zasethempelini” zaziphakathi kwabantu bokuqala ababedingisiwe ababuyela kwa-Israyeli. Kwakuphawuleka lokho ngoba akuwona wonke amaJuda adingisiwe abuya. Akungabazeki ukuthi amaJuda amaningi ayesechumile ngokwezimali ngezinga elithile eBhabhiloni futhi ayengazimisele ukudela izinto okwakudingeka azidele ukuze abuyele emuva futhi asize ekwakheni kabusha izwe lawo elalicekelwe phansi. Kodwa amaJuda athembekile ayedingisiwe, okuhlanganisa nabanye cishe ababeyinzalo yabakwaGibheyoni, babekulangazelela ukuphinde babone uNkulunkulu ekhulekelwa ngeqiniso ethempelini eJerusalema futhi benza konke ababengakwenza ukuze babuyele kwa-Israyeli. Ngokungafani namaJuda, inzalo yabaseGibheyoni yayingenalo izwe eyayilithole njengefa kwa-Israyeli. Noma kunjalo, yabuyela kwa-Israyeli ukuze iyokwenza izabelo zayo ethempelini isize ngisho nasekwakheni kabusha izindonga zeJerusalema.—Neh. 3:26.

15. Indaba yabaseGibheyoni isifundisani ngoJehova?

¹⁵ Le ndaba isifundisani ngoJehova? Sifunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu ubathanda kakhulu abakhulekeli bakhe abaqotho futhi uhlale ebanakekela. Ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli engasadingisiwe abaseBhabhiloni, kwase kuphele iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-1 000 uJehova asindisa abaseGibheyoni ngesikhathi ama-Israyeli ethatha iZwe Lesithembiso. Noma kunjalo, waqhubeka ebabusisa. Inzalo yabaseGibheyoni yasinda lapho kubhujiswa abantu bakwaJuda neJerusalema ngo-607 B.C.E. Ngemva kokudingiswa kwabo, baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngeqiniso ngokwethembeka, bekhonza kanye namaLevi ethempelini. Kubonakala sengathi abanye babo babehlala eduze nethempeli. (Ezra 2:70; Neh. 11:21) Bavunyelwa nokuba bangayikhokhi imali yentela, inkokhiso nemali yomgwaqo ngenxa yomsebenzi ababewenza ethempelini.—Ezra 7:24.

16. Singabalingisa kanjani abaseGibheyoni uma kuziwa endleleni esikhonza ngayo uJehova?

¹⁶ Singabalingisa kanjani abaseGibheyoni? Nathi sifuna ukwenza konke esingakwenza ukuze sisekele ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Ngokuzithandela siyazidela ukuze sikhonze uJehova ngoba siyamthanda futhi sifuna ukumjabulisa. Yilokho okwenziwa u-Alwin umzalwane wasePhilippines. Wayesebenza enkampanini kawoyela futhi ehola imali eningi. Kodwa wayefuna ukwenza okwengeziwe enkonzweni kaJehova. Njalo lapho umbonisi wesigodi evakashele ibandla labo, u-Alwin wayethatha izinsuku emsebenzini ukuze asekele iviki elikhethekile futhi wayekujabulela ukwenza okwengeziwe enkonzweni. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile nangemva kokuthandaza kaningi ngale ndaba, u-Alwin wanquma ukuwuyeka umsebenzi ayewenza ukuze athole omunye owawuzomenza akwazi ukukhonza njengephayona elivamile. Lokho kwakuhilela ukuba adele umsebenzi wakhe owawumholela imali eningi. Noma kunjalo, wawufinyelela umgomo wakhe wokuba yiphayona. Umkakhe wamjoyina, waphayona naye futhi sebesize abantu abangu-21 ukuba bafunde ngoJehova futhi babhapathizwe. Akungabazeki ukuthi uJehova uyajabula kakhulu ngalokho abakwenza. Nathi singaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyajabula kakhulu nganoma yikuphi ukuzidela esikwenzayo enkonzweni yakhe futhi uyohlezi ezinakekela izidingo zethu.—Math. 6:33.

17. Yini esiyifundile ngokubuyekeza indaba yabaseGibheyoni eseBhayibhelini?

¹⁷ Indaba yabaseGibheyoni eseBhayibhelini isifundise lukhulu ngobuntu bukaJehova obuhle. Uthobekile, unesihe nobulungisa futhi uqotho. Uhlale ebavuza abakhulekeli bakhe abathembekile. Le ndaba eseBhayibhelini isifundisa nezinye izifundo ezibalulekile. NjengabaseGibheyoni, sifuna ukuba nokholo oluqinile kuJehova, sithembele kuye lapho sibhekene nezenzakalo ezithusayo. Ukholo olunjalo luyokwenza nokuba sisenze ngokuthobeka noma yisiphi isabelo esivela enhlanganweni kaJehova esingase sisithole. Sifuna ukumlinda ngesineke uJehova, siqiniseka ukuthi ekugcineni uyokulungisa konke ukungabi nabulungisa okukhona. Sikusekela ngentshiseko nangobuqotho ukukhulekela kweqiniso. Njengoba senza kanjalo, siyobonisa ukuthi sifunde izifundo ezibalulekile kwabaseGibheyoni.