QALA woke umberego owenziwa lapha. Ama-Israyeli amajadujadu akha amaboda weJerusalema. Lokha iKosi uNebukadinezari itjhabalalisa iJerusalema emnyakeni eyi-152 ngaphambili, wawisa amaboda begodu watjhisa iinyege zedorobho. Ama-Israyeli akhenge awakhe amaboda godu nekabuyela ekhaya kokuthoma avela eBhabhiloni.

Ucabanga bona abantu gade bazizwa njani ngokuhlala yoke iimnyaka le lapha ngaphandle kobanyana kube namaboda abhode idorobho lawo? Bebazizwa banganasivikelo. Amanababo gade angeza abasahlele bulula. Kodwana emaswapheleni indoda le, uNehemiya, warhelebha abantu ukwakha amaboda godu. Uyazi bona ngubani uNehemiya?

UNehemiya bekam-Israyeli obuya edorobheni leShushani lapho egade kuhlala khona uMoridekayi no-Esta. UNehemiya gade aberega esigodlweni sekosi, ngalokho kungenzeka bona gade amngani omkhulu wakaMoridekayi neNdlovukazi u-Esta. Kodwana iBhayibhili alitjho bona uMoridekayi waberegela indoda ka-Esta iKosi u-Ahashiveroshi. Waberegela ikosi eyalandela, iKosi u-Aritahishashita.

Khumbula, u-Aritahishashita bekuyikosi elungileko eyanikela u-Ezra yoke imali bona abuyele nayo eJerusalema ukuyokulungisa itempeli lakaJehova. Kodwana u-Ezra akhenge alungise amaboda womuzi abhurukileko. Akhe sibone bona kwenzeke bunjani bona uNehemiya kube nguye owenza umberego lo.

Besele kuminyaka eyi-13 solo u-Aritahishashita anikela u-Ezra imali yokulungisa itempeli. Kwanje uNehemiya bekamphathinseelo omkhulu weKosi u-Aritahishashita. Lokhu kutjho bonyana bekunguye onikela ikosi iwayini, atlhogomele nokobana kungabi nomuntu olinga ukuthelela ikosi itjhefu. Bekumberego oqakatheke khulu loyo.

Langelinye umnakwabo lakaNehemiya uHanani namanye amadoda avela kwa-Israyeli eza azokuvakatjhela uNehemiya. Amtjela ngomraro ama-Israyeli anawo, nokobanyana kubayini amaboda weJerusalema asabhurukile. Lokhu kwamdanisa khulu uNehemiya, wathandaza kuJehova ngakho.

Langelinye ikosi yatjheja bona uNehemiya udanile, yambuza yathi: ‘Kubayini ubonakala udane kangaka?’ UNehemiya wayitjela bona udaniswe kubona iJerusalema lisebujamweni obumbi begodu namabodalo abhurukile. Ikosi yambuza yathi: ‘Alo ufuna ukwenzani?’

UNehemiya wathi: ‘Ngibawa ukuya eJerusalema ngiyokulungisa amaboda.’ IKosi u-Aritahishashita gade ilunge khulu. Yathi uNehemiya angakhamba, yamrhelebha nokobna afumane iinkuni zokwenza eminye yemiberego le. Msinyana uNehemiya nekeza eJerusalema, watjela abantu ngamano la. Bawuthanda umbono loyo bathi: ‘Asithomeni ukwakha.’

Amanaba wama-Israyeli nekabona iboda likhuphuka athi: ‘Sizokukhamba siyobabulala sijamise nomberego wokwakha.’ Kodwana uNehemiya wezwa ngalokhu, wanikela iimberegi iinsabula nemikhondo. Wathi kizo: ‘Ningawasabi amanabenu. Lwelani abanakwenu, abantwabenu, abomkenu begodu nemizenu.’

Abantu baba nesibindi khulu. Iinkhali zabo bezihlala zilungile ubusuku nemini, bona baragela phambili bakha. Ngamalangana ayi-52 kwaphela, amaboda gade aphelile ukwakhiwa. Abantu bazizwa babulungekile ngaphakathi edorobheni. UNehemiya no-Ezra bafundisa abantu umthetho kaZimu, begodu abantu gade bathabile.

Kodwana izinto bezingasafani nangaphambi kokobana abantu bakwa-Israyeli bathathwe njengeembotjhwa bayiswe eBhabhiloni. Abantu gade babuswa yikosi yePheresiya begodu bekufanele bayikhonze. Kodwana uJehova wathembisa bonyana uzokuthumela ikosi etja, nokobanyana ikosi le kufuneka ilethe ukuthula ebantwini. Ikosi le gade kuzokuba ngubani? Beyizokuletha njani ukuthula ephasini? Kwadlula iimnyaka epheze ibe yi-450 ngaphambi kobanyana lokhu kwaziwe. Kwaba nokubelethwa komntwana okuqakatheke kwamambala. Kodwana leyo ngenye indaba.

Nehemiya izahluko 1 ukuya-6.