NGEENKHATHI zeBhayibheli, ilobolo belinikelwa umndeni wekhabomakoti nakulungiselelwa umtjhado. Ilobolo belingafaka hlangana izinto zenani eliphezulu, iinlwana, namkha imali. Ngezinye iinkhathi, belibhadelwa ngokuba sisebenzi, njengalokha uJakopo nakavuma ukusebenzela umukhwe wakhe iminyaka elikhomba bona akghone ukutjhada noRarheli. (Gen. 29:17, 18, 20) Bewuyini umnqopho wesikweli?

Isazi seBhayibheli u-Carol Meyers sathi: “Ilobolo libhadelwa emndenini wekhabomakoti ngebanga lokuthi utjhiywe yindodakazi, ebeyenza umsebenzi oqakathekileko emndeninayo.” Ilobolo belisiza ekuqiniseni itjhebiswano emndenini emibili le ehlanganiswa mtjhado. Lokho bekwenza imindeni emibili le isizane nakuvela iinkhathi ezibudisi. Ilobolo belitjho nokuthi indodakazi sele ithenjiswe umtjhado begodu ayisekho ngaphasi kwevikeleko lakayise kunalokho sele izokutlhogonyelwa yindodakwakhe.

Ukulobola bekungatjho bona umfazi yinto ongayithenga namkha uyithengise. Incwadi ethi, Ancient Israel—Its Life and Institutions ithi: “Ukukhipha imali namkha okulingana nayo emndenini wekhabomakoti bekwenza umtjhado wama-Israyeli ubonakale ngasuthi kuthengiswa umakoti. Kubonakala ngasuthi ilobolo belibhadelwa njengesincancabezo emndenini kamakoti ingasi ukuthi uyathengwa.”

Nanamhlanjesi kezinye iinarha, abantu basaragela phambili bakhupha amalobolo. Nange ababelethi abamaKrestu babawa amalobolo kufuze ‘ukubonelela kwabo kwaziwe ngibo boke abantu’ ngokuthi bangabawi okungaphezu kokufaneleko. (Flp. 4:5; 1 Kor. 10:32, 33) Ngendlela le, batjengisa ukuthi abasibabantu “abathanda imali” namkha abamarhamaru. (2 Thim. 3:2) Lokha ababelethi abamaKrestu nabangabawi amalobolo angaphezu kwafaneleko, angekhe kutlhogeke bona umkhwenyana atshwilise umtjhado bekube kulapho aba nemali eyaneleko khona bona angakhupha amalobolo. Umkhwenyana akukafuzi azizwe abophekile bona alise ukuphayona ngebanga lokuthi kufuze asebenze isikhathi esizeleko ukwenzela bona akwazi ukufumana imali yamalobolo efunekako.

Kezinye iingcenye zephasi, ukukhupha amalobolo kusemthethweni. Ebujamwenobo, ababelethi abamaKrestu bayawulalela umthetho loyo. Kubayini? ILizwi lakaZimu lilindele bona amaKrestu ‘azithobe eemphathimandleni eziphakemeko’ begodu alalele nemithetho engaphikisani neenkambiso zakaZimu.—Rom. 13:1; IzE. 5:29.