NGEZINYE iinkhathi. Nasi isibonelo salokho. Umtlolo kaDuteronomi 24:14, 15 uthi: “Ungagandeleli isisebenzi esiqatjhiweko esidobha phasi nesiswelako, nanyana kungaba ngomunye wabafowenu nanyana osikhonzi esisenarhenenu . . . Nakungasinjalo sizakulila ngawe phambi kwakaSomnini bese kuba sisono kuwe.”

Nasi isibawo esiveza lokho, ngesangeminyaka yabo-600 ngaphambi kokubelethwa kwakaJesu. Amezwi la afumaneke hlanu kwe-Ashdod. Amezwi la bewatlolwe isisebenzi semasimini. Kungenzeka ukuthi isisebenzesi sabhalelwa ukuletha isilinganiso sekoroyi esavumelana ngaso nomqatjhaso. Amezwi la athi: “Kwathi sekudlule amalangana ngiqedile ukuvuna, kwafika uHoshayahu indodana kaShobay, yafika yangemuka isembatho sami. . . . Boke abantu ebengisebenza nabo emasimini mhlokho bakubona koke lokho. . . . Babofakazi bendaba le. Begodu mina anginamlandu kikho koke lokhu. . . . Ngiyakuncenga mphathami, ngibawa ungisize ngifumane isambatho sami, ngibawa ukwenze ngomusa hle. Isisebenzi sakho sithathelwe isambatho saso, ngiyakubawa bona ungathuli.”

USimon Schama isazi mlandu sithi, isibawesi “asisimalungana nesisebenzi esitlhoga isambatho saso kwaphela, kodwana sisifundisa okhunye. Sisifundisa nokuthi isisebenzesi besiwazi umthetho weBhayibheli. Khulukhulu nakuziwa emithethweni etlolwe encwadini yebeLevikusi neyakaDuteronomi. Ngombana iincwadezi ziyakalandula ukuphathwa kwabantu abatlhagako kumbi.”