1, 2. Lwaki abantu bangi tebassa kitiibwa mu mateeka, kyokka ffe tuyinza tutya okufuna endowooza y’omuwandiisi wa Zabbuli?

“AMATEEKA kinnya ekitakoma, . . . gazikiriza buli kintu.” Ebigambo ebyo byali mu kitabo ekyafulumizibwa mu 1712. Eyakiwandiika yavumirira enkola y’amateeka eviirako emisango okuwozebwa mu kkooti okumala emyaka n’emyaka, ne kireetera abo abanoonya obwenkanya okwavuwala. Mu nsi nnyingi, enkola y’amateeka nzibu nnyo okutegeera, si ya bwenkanya, ekyukakyuka, era erimu obusosoze, ne kiba nti abantu bangi tebassa kitiibwa mu mateeka.

² Kaakano geraageranya ebyogeddwa waggulu n’ebigambo bino ebyawandiikibwa emyaka nga 2,700 emabega: “Amateeka go nga ngaagala!” (Zabbuli 119:97) Lwaki omuwandiisi wa Zabbuli yali agaagala nnyo? Lwa kuba amateeka ge yatendereza gaali gava eri Yakuwa Katonda, so si eri gavumenti y’abantu. Naawe bw’onoogenda oyiga amateeka ga Yakuwa, oyinza okuwulira ng’omuwandiisi wa Zabbuli. Okuyiga ng’okwo kujja kukuyamba okutegeera endowooza ekwata ku mateeka ey’oyo asingayo obukulu mu butonde bwonna.

3, 4. Mu ngeri ki Yakuwa gye yeeraze okuba Omuteesi w’Amateeka?

³ Baibuli etugamba: “Eyateeka amateeka era omusazi w’omusango ali omu.” (Yakobo 4:12) Mazima ddala, Yakuwa ye Muteesi w’Amateeka yekka ow’amazima. N’engeri ebitonde gye bitambula mu bwengula efugibwa ‘amateeka ge ag’omu bwengula.’ (Yobu 38:33, The New Jerusalem Bible) Mu ngeri y’emu, obukumi n’obukumi bwa bamalayika abatukuvu nabo bafugibwa amateeka ga Katonda, kuba bategekeddwa mu bifo eby’enjawulo era baweereza wansi w’obulagirizi bwa Yakuwa.​—Zabbuli 104:4; Abaebbulaniya 1:7, 14.

 ⁴ Era Yakuwa awadde n’abantu amateeka. Buli omu ku ffe alina omuntu ow’omunda, ayoleka obwenkanya bwa Yakuwa. Omuntu ow’omunda, kwe kugamba, etteeka eriri munda mu ffe, ayinza okutuyamba okwawulawo ekituufu n’ekikyamu. (Abaruumi 2:14) Bazadde baffe abaasooka baalina omuntu ow’omunda atuukiridde, n’olwekyo baali beetaaga amateeka matono. (Olubereberye 2:15-17) Kyokka, abantu abatatuukiridde beetaaga amateeka agasingawo obungi okubawa obulagirizi mu kukola Katonda by’ayagala. Abasajja ab’edda abaalina okukkiriza nga Nuuwa, Ibulayimu, ne Yakobo baafuna amateeka okuva eri Yakuwa Katonda era ne bagategeeza ab’omu maka gaabwe. (Olubereberye 6:22; 9:3-6; 18:19; 26:4, 5) Yakuwa yafuuka Omuteesi w’Amateeka mu ngeri ey’enkukunala bwe yawa eggwanga lya Isiraeri Amateeka okuyitira mu Musa. Amateeka ago gatuyamba okutegeera obwenkanya bwa Yakuwa.

5. Amateeka ga Musa gaali mangi nnyo era nga mazibu nnyo, era lwaki oddamu bw’otyo?

⁵ Bangi balowooza nti Amateeka ga Musa gaali mangi nnyo era nga mazibu nnyo. Endowooza eyo si ntuufu n’akamu. Amateeka ago gaali gasoba mu 600. Ago gayinza okulabika ng’amangi ennyo, naye lowooza ku kino: Ku nkomerero y’ekyasa 20, amateeka ga Amereka gaali gajjuza empapula ezisoba mu 150,000. Buli luvannyuma lwa myaka ebiri amateeka amalala nga 600 gongerwako! N’olwekyo, bwe kiba kutunuulira bungi bw’amateeka, amateeka g’abantu gasingira wala Amateeka ga Musa. Kyokka, Amateeka ga Katonda gaayogera ku bintu ebimu mu bulamu bw’Abaisiraeri amateeka g’omu kiseera kyaffe bye gatayogerako n’akamu. Weetegereze ebimu ebyali mu mateeka gano.

6, 7. (a) Kiki ekyawula Amateeka ga Musa ku mateeka amalala gonna, era tteeka ki erisinga obukulu? (b) Abaisiraeri bandiraze batya nti bakkiriza obufuzi bwa Yakuwa?

⁶ Amateeka gaagulumiza obufuzi bwa Yakuwa. N’olwekyo, Amateeka ga Musa tegayinza kugeraageranyizibwa na mateeka malala gonna. Etteeka eryali lisinga obukulu mu mateeka ago lye lino: “Wulira, ggwe Isiraeri: Mukama Katonda waffe  ye Mukama omu: era onooyagalanga Mukama Katonda wo n’omutima gwo gwonna, n’emmeeme yo yonna, n’amaanyi go gonna.” Abantu ba Katonda bandimulaze batya okwagala? Baali ba kumuweereza, nga bakkiriza obufuzi bwe.​—Ekyamateeka 6:4, 5; 11:13.

⁷ Buli Muisiraeri yalaga nti akkiriza obufuzi bwa Yakuwa ng’agondera abo abaaweebwa obuyinza. Abazadde, abakulu b’ebika, abalamuzi, bakabona ne bakabaka, bonna Katonda ye yabawa obuyinza. Abaajeemeranga abali mu buyinza, Yakuwa yabatwala ng’abamujeemedde ye kennyini. Ku luuyi olulala, abo abaali mu buyinza Yakuwa yandibasunguwalidde bwe bandiyisizza abantu mu ngeri etali ya bwenkanya. (Okuva 20:12; 22:28; Ekyamateeka 1:16, 17; 17:8-20; 19:16, 17) N’olwekyo, enjuyi zombi zaalina okukkiriza obufuzi bwa Katonda.

8. Amateeka gaayoleka gatya omutindo gwa Yakuwa ogw’obutukuvu?

⁸ Amateeka gaayoleka omutindo gwa Yakuwa ogw’obutukuvu. Ebigambo mu lulimi olwasooka ebivvuunulwa ‘omutukuvu’ ne ‘obutukuvu’ birabika mu Mateeka ga Musa emirundi egisoba mu 280. Amateeka gaayamba abantu ba Katonda okwawulawo ekiyonjo n’ekitali kiyonjo, ekirongoofu n’ekitali kirongoofu, nga gamenya ebintu nga 70 eby’enjawulo ebyandireetedde Omuisiraeri obutaba muyonjo. Amateeka gano gaayogera ku buyonjo, eby’endya, n’ekifo empitambi gye yandiziikiddwa. Amateeka ng’ago gaasobozesa abantu okuba abalamu obulungi. * Naye gaalina ekigendererwa ekisingawo​—eky’okusobozesa abantu okusiimibwa Yakuwa, nga beeyawudde ku bikolwa ebibi eby’amawanga ag’omuliraano. Lowooza ku kyokulabirako kino.

9, 10. Amateeka gaayogera ki ku by’okwetaba n’okuzaala, era amateeka ng’ago gaaganyula gatya abantu?

⁹ Amateeka gaagamba nti ekikolwa eky’okwetaba n’okuzaala ​—wadde ne mu bafumbo​—byafuulanga omuntu obutaba muyonjo okumala akaseera. (Eby’Abaleevi 12:2-4; 15:16-18) Amateeka ng’ago gaali tegafeebya birabo ebyo ebiyonjo okuva eri Katonda. (Olubereberye 1:28; 2:18-25) Wabula, gaayoleka obutukuvu bwa Yakuwa, ne gayamba abasinza be obutayonoonebwa. Kyokka, go amawanga ag’omuliraano gaatabikanga okusinza n’okwetaba. Mu ddiini y’Abakanani abasajja n’abakazi bakkirizibwa okukola obwamalaaya. Ekyo kyaviirako ebikolwa eby’obugwenyufu ennyo era ne bisaasaana. Okwawukana ku ekyo, Amateeka ga Musa gaayawulira ddala okusinza kwa Yakuwa n’ensonga z’okwetaba. * Waaliwo n’emiganyulo emirala.

¹⁰ Amateeka ago gaayigiriza amazima ag’omuwendo. * Weebuuze, ekibi kya Adamu kisaasaana kitya okuva ku mulembe ogumu okudda ku mulala? Si okuyitira mu kwetaba n’okuzaala? (Abaruumi 5:12) Yee, Amateeka ga Katonda gajjukizanga abantu be nti baalina ekibi. Mu butuufu, ffenna tuzaalibwa nga tulina ekibi. (Zabbuli 51:5) Twetaaga okusonyiyibwa n’okununulibwa okusobola okubeera n’enkolagana ennungi ne Katonda waffe omutukuvu.

11, 12. (a) Amateeka gaalimu musingi ki omukulu ogw’obwenkanya? (b) Amateeka gaakugira gatya ebikolwa ebitali bya bwenkanya?

¹¹ Amateeka gaayoleka obwenkanya bwa Yakuwa obutuukiridde. Amateeka ga Musa gaalimu omusingi ogukubiriza obutagwa lubege mu nsonga z’obwenkanya. Bwe kityo, Amateeka gaagamba: “Obulamu bugattwenga obulamu, eriiso ligattwenga eriiso, erinnyo ligattwenga erinnyo, omukono gugattwenga omukono, ekigere kigattwenga ekigere.” (Ekyamateeka 19:21)  Eri abo abaabanga bazizza emisango, ekibonerezo ekyabaweebwanga kyalina okutuukana n’emisango gye bazizza. Engeri eno ey’obwenkanya bwa Katonda yeeyoleka mu Mateeka gonna era na buli kati, nkulu nnyo mu kutuyamba okutegeera ekinunulo kya ssaddaaka ya Kristo Yesu, nga Essuula 14 bw’eneeraga.​—1 Timoseewo 2:5, 6.

¹² Era Amateeka gaalimu ebiragiro ebikugira ebikolwa ebitali bya bwenkanya. Ng’ekyokulabirako, abajulirwa abatakka wansi wa babiri baali beetaagisa okusobola okukakasa ekivunaanibwa omuntu. Oyo eyawanga obujulirwa obw’obulimba yaweebwanga ekibonerezo kya maanyi. (Ekyamateeka 19:15, 18, 19) Obulyi bw’enguzi bwali tebukkirizibwa. (Okuva 23:8; Ekyamateeka 27:25) Ne mu by’obusuubuzi, abantu ba Katonda baalina okunywerera ku mitindo gye egy’obwenkanya. (Eby’Abaleevi 19:35, 36; Ekyamateeka 23:19, 20) Ng’Amateeka ago agaali ku mutindo ogwa waggulu era nga tegasosola, gaaganyula nnyo Abaisiraeri!

13, 14. Mu ngeri ey’obwenkanya, Amateeka gaayisa gatya omubbi ne gwazizzaako omusango?

¹³ Amateeka ga Musa gaali makakali, nga tegooleka busaasizi? N’akatono! Kabaka Dawudi yaluŋŋamizibwa okuwandiika: “Etteeka lya Mukama lyatuukirira.” (Zabbuli 19:7) Yali akimanyi nti Amateeka gaakubiriza obusaasizi n’obwenkanya. Gaakikola gatya?

¹⁴ Mu nsi ezimu leero, kirabika amateeka gawagira abamenyi b’amateeka okusinga abazziddwako emisango. Ng’ekyokulabirako, ababbi bayinza okusibibwa mu kkomera okumala akabanga. Naye, abo be babba bayinza n’okuba nga tebannafuna na bintu byabwe ebyabbibwa, kyokka nga balina okusasula omusolo okusobola okulabirira abamenyi b’amateeka ng’abo nga bali mu kkomera. Mu Isiraeri eky’edda tewaaliyo makomera nga ge tulina leero. Amateeka gaalaga bulungi ebibonerezo ebyandiweereddwa abazzi b’emisango. (Ekyamateeka 25:1-3) Omubbi yalinanga okuliyira oyo gwe yalinga abbye. Ate era, omubbi alina  ebirala bye yalina okusasula. Biki bye yandisasudde? Kyandisinzidde ku mbeera eriwo. Kirabika abalamuzi baalina eddembe okutunuulira ensonga ezitali zimu, gamba engeri omwonoonyi gye yeenenyezzaamu. Eyo ye nsonga lwaki engassi omubbi gye yandiwadde okusinziira ku Eby’Abaleevi 6:1-7, yali ntono nnyo ng’ogigeraageranyizza n’eyo eyogerwako mu Okuva 22:7.

15. Amateeka gaakakasa gatya nti omuntu asse muntu munne mu butanwa asaasirwa era nti ayisibwa mu ngeri ey’obwenkanya?

¹⁵ Era Amateeka gaakyoleka nti ebibi byonna tebikolebwa mu bugenderevu. Ng’ekyokulabirako, omuntu bwe yattanga muntu munne mu butanwa, teyalinanga kusasula bulamu olw’obulamu, singa yaddukiranga mu bibuga eby’okuddukiramu ebyali mu bifo ebitali bimu mu Isiraeri yonna. Abalamuzi abalina obumanyirivu bwe baamalanga okwekenneenya ensonga ye, yalinanga okusigala mu kibuga ekyo okutuusa nga kabona omukulu afudde. Oluvannyuma lw’ekyo, yandibadde n’eddembe okubeera wonna we yandyagaddenga. Mu ngeri eyo yaganyulwa mu busaasizi bwa Katonda. Mu kiseera kye kimu, etteeka lino lyalaga nti obulamu bw’omuntu bwa muwendo.​—Okubala 15:30, 31; 35:12-25.

16. Amateeka gaakuuma gatya eddembe ly’obuntu?

¹⁶ Amateeka gaakuuma eddembe ly’obuntu. Weetegereze engeri gye gaakuumamu abo abaali babanjibwa. Amateeka gaagaana okuyingira mu nnyumba y’omuntu abanjibwa n’otwala ebintu bye ng’omusingo. Mu kifo kyekyo, oyo abanja yalinanga kusigala bweru wa nnyumba n’alinda oyo gw’abanja okumuleetera ekintu ky’asinzeewo. Bwe kityo, amaka g’oyo abanjibwa tegaamalanga gayingirwa. Singa abanja yatwalanga ekyambalo abanjibwa ky’asinzeewo, oyo abanja yalinanga okukikomyawo ng’obudde tebunnaziba, kubanga abanjibwa ayinza okuba nga yandikyetaaze okukyebika ekiro.​—Ekyamateeka 24:10-14.

17, 18. Ku bikwata ku ntalo, Abaisiraeri baayawukana batya ku mawanga amalala, era lwaki?

¹⁷ Era, Amateeka gaalina engeri gye gaakugiramu entalo. Abantu ba Katonda tebaalina kugenda mu ntalo okusobola okufuna obufunyi obuyinza oba okuwangula obuwanguzi eggwanga  eddala. Bandizenyingiddemu nga Katonda y’abatumye mu ‘Ntalo Ze.’ (Okubala 21:14) Emirundi mingi Abaisiraeri baalina okusooka okugamba abalabe baabwe okuwanika. Singa ab’omu kibuga baagaana okuwanika, awo Abaisiraeri baali bayinza okukizingiza​—naye nga bagoberera amateeka ga Katonda. Okwawukana ku baserikale bangi mu byafaayo by’abantu, abasajja b’omu ggye lya Isiraeri tebakkirizibwanga kukwata bakazi oba okumala gatta bantu. Era tebaalina kwonoona butonde, nga batema emiti gy’ebibala egy’abalabe. * Amagye amalala tegaalina mateeka ng’ago.​—Ekyamateeka 20:10-15, 19, 20; 21:10-13.

¹⁸ Kikwesisiwaza okuwulira nti mu nsi ezimu, abaana abato batendekebwa okubeera abaserikale? Mu Isiraeri ey’edda, tewali muntu eyali taweza myaka 20 eyawandiisibwanga mu magye. (Okubala 1:2, 3) N’omuntu omukulu eyali atidde teyayingizibwanga mu magye. Omusajja eyabanga yaakawasa teyayingizibwanga mu magye okumala omwaka mulamba kimusobozese okufuna omusika nga tannagenda mu ntalo. Mu ngeri eno, Amateeka gannyonnyola nti, omwami yandisobodde ‘okusanyusa’ mukyala we gwe yaakawasa.​—Ekyamateeka 20:5, 6, 8; 24:5.

19. Amateeka gaakuuma gatya abakazi, abaana, amaka, bannamwandu ne bamulekwa?

¹⁹ Era Amateeka gaalimu enteekateeka ey’okulabirira abakazi, abaana, n’amaka gaabwe. Gaalagira abazadde okufaayo ennyo ku baana baabwe era n’okubayigiriza ebintu eby’omwoyo. (Ekyamateeka 6:6, 7) Yenna eyeetabanga n’oyo gw’alinako oluganda, yaweebwanga ekibonerezo kya kufa. (Eby’Abaleevi, essuula 18) Mu ngeri y’emu gaagaana obwenzi, emirundi mingi obwabuluzaamu amaka, era ne bumalawo emirembe n’ekitiibwa mu maka. Amateeka gaafangayo ku bannamwandu ne bamulekwa era ne gagaanira ddala okubayisa obubi.​—Okuva 20:14; 22:22-24.

20, 21. (a) Lwaki Amateeka ga Musa gakkiriza Abaisiraeri okuwasa abakazi abangi? (b) Ku nsonga y’okugoba abakazi, lwaki Amateeka gaayawukana ku mutindo Yesu gwe yazzaawo oluvannyuma?

 ²⁰ Ng’omuntu alina ensonga eyo mu birowoozo, ayinza okwebuuza, ‘Kati olwo lwaki Amateeka gakkiriza abasajja okuwasa abakazi abangi?’ (Ekyamateeka 21:15-17) Tulina okutunuulira ekiseera abantu mwe baaweerwa amateeka ng’ago. Abo abatunuulira Amateeka ga Musa nga basinziira ku biriwo mu biseera byaffe baba bajja kugategeera mu bukyamu. (Engero 18:13) Omutindo Yakuwa gwe yateekawo edda ennyo mu Adeni, gwaleetera obufumbo bwabwe okuba obw’olubeerera. (Olubereberye 2:18, 20-24) Kyokka, mu kiseera Yakuwa we yaweera Isiraeri Amateeka, ebikolwa ng’okuwasa abakazi abangi, byali byasimba dda amakanda okumala ebyasa by’emyaka. Yakuwa yali akimanyi nti abantu be ‘abakakanyavu ensingo’ emirundi mingi bandiremereddwa n’okukwata ebiragiro gamba ng’obutasinza bifaananyi. (Okuva 32:9) N’olwekyo, teyalonda kiseera ekyo okulongoosa enteekateeka y’obufumbo. Era kijjukire nti Yakuwa si ye yatandikawo enkola ey’okuwasa abakazi abangi. Kyokka, yakozesa Amateeka ga Musa okukugira abantu okukozesa obubi enkola eyo.

²¹ Mu ngeri y’emu, Amateeka ga Musa gakkirizanga omusajja okugoba mukazi) we nga waliwo ensonga ez’amaanyi kw’asinziira. (Ekyamateeka 24:1-4 Yesu yagamba nti Katonda yakkiriza Abayudaaya okukola bwe batyo ‘olw’obukakanyavu bwabwe.’ Kyokka, ebikolwa ebyo byali bya kumala kaseera buseera. Bwe yali ayigiriza abagoberezi be, Yesu yazzaawo omutindo gw’obufumbo ogwasooka.​—Matayo 19:8.

22. Mu ngeri ki Amateeka ga Musa gye gaakubiriza okwagala, era nga kulagibwa baani?

²² Olowooza eriyo amateeka mu kiseera kino agakubiriza okwagala? Amateeka ga Musa gaakubiriza okwagala okusinga ekintu ekirala kyonna. Mu kitabo ky’e Ekyamateeka, ekigambo ekivvuunulwa ‘okwagala’ kirabika mu ngeri ez’enjawulo emirundi egisukka mu 20. “Yagalanga muliraanwa wo nga bwe weeyagala  wekka,” lye tteeka ery’okubiri ekkulu mu mateeka gonna. (Eby’Abaleevi 19:18; Matayo 22:37-40) Abantu ba Katonda tebaali ba kulagaŋŋana kwagala ng’okwo kyokka, wabula baalina n’okukulaga abagwira be baali nabo, nga bajjukira nti nabo baaliko abagwira. Baalina okulaga abaavu n’abanaku okwagala, nga bakola ku byetaago byabwe eby’omubiri era nga beewala n’okubaako bye babafunamu mu ngeri etali ya bwenkanya. Era baalagirwa n’okuyisa obulungi ebisolo.​—Okuva 23:6; Eby’Abaleevi 19:14, 33, 34; Ekyamateeka 22:4, 10; 24:17, 18.

23. Omuwandiisi wa Zabbuli 119 yakubirizibwa kukola ki, era naffe twandimaliridde kukola ki?

²³ Ggwanga ki eddala eririna amateeka ng’ago? Tekyewuunyisa nti omuwandiisi wa Zabbuli yawandiika: “Amateeka go nga ngaagala!” Kyokka, okwagala kwe yalina eri Amateeka teyali bubeezi nneewulira. Kwamukubiriza okubaako ky’akola, kubanga yafuba okukwata amateeka ago. Yeeyongera n’agamba: “[Amateeka go] ge nfumiitiriza okuzibya obudde.” (Zabbuli 119:11, 97) Yee, yasomanga amateeka ga Yakuwa obutayosa. Tewali kubuusabuusa kwonna nti gye yakoma okugasoma gye yakoma n’okugaagala. Mu kiseera kye kimu, okwagala kwe yalina eri Omuteesi w’Amateeka kweyongera. Nga naawe weeyongera okuyiga amateeka ga Katonda, ka enkolagana yo ne Yakuwa, Omuteesi w’Amateeka Omukulu era Katonda ow’obwenkanya, yeeyongere.