1, 2. (a) UYehova wazingqina enguThixo onjani kuhlanga lakwaSirayeli? (b) Nguwuphi umbuzo oza kuphendulwa kweli nqaku?

NGEMIHLA kaNehemiya, iqela labaLevi lathandaza esidlangalaleni livuma ukuba ookhokho balo “abazange bayiphulaphule” ngokuphindaphindiweyo imiyalelo kaYehova. Noko ke, kangangezihlandlo ezininzi uYehova wazingqina ‘enguThixo oxolelayo, onobabalo nonenceba, ozeka kade umsindo nonobubele bothando obuninzi.’ UYehova waqhubeka ezenzela ububele ezingabafanelanga ezo mbacu zomhla kaNehemiya.—Neh. 9:16, 17.

² Ngamnye kuthi unokuzibuza, ‘Ukuxolela kukaYehova kuthetha ntoni kum?’ Ukuze siphendule lo mbuzo ubalulekileyo, makhe sihlolisise indlela uThixo awaqhubana ngayo namadoda amabini azibonelayo ukuxolela kukaYehova—ooKumkani ababini, uDavide noManase.

3-5. UDavide wabandakanyeka njani ekwenzeni isono esinzulu?

³ Nangona uDavide wayeyindoda eyoyika uThixo, wenza izono ezinzulu. Ezimbini zazo zaziquka isibini esitshatileyo u-Uriya noBhatshebha. Abantu ababebandakanyekile baba buhlungu ngenxa yemiphumo yezo zono. Sekunjalo, indlela uThixo awamlungisa ngayo uDavide ityhila lukhulu ngokuxolela kukaYehova. Makhe sibone oko kwenzekayo.

⁴ UDavide wathumela umkhosi wamaSirayeli ukuba uye kungqinga ikomkhulu lama-Amoni, iRabha. Yayikumgama ozikhilomitha ezingama-80 kwimpuma yeYerusalem, ngaphesheya koMlambo iYordan. Ngoxa ekuphahla lebhotwe lakhe eYerusalem, uDavide wabona uBhatshebha—ibhinqa elitshatileyo—lihlamba. Umyeni weli bhinqa wayengekho. UDavide wamkhanuka uBhatshebha kangangokuba wayalela  ukuba aziswe kwibhotwe lakhe, waza wakrexeza naye.—2 Sam. 11:1-4.

⁵ Xa uDavide wafumanisa ukuba uBhatshebha ukhulelwe, wayalela ukuba u-Uriya abuyiselwe eYerusalem ethembe ukuba uza kuba neentlobano zesini nenkosikazi yakhe. Kodwa u-Uriya akazange angene endlwini yakhe—nangona uDavide wayemkhuthaza ukuba enjenjalo. Ngoko, engabonwa ukumkani wabhalela umphathi-mkhosi incwadi esithi makabeke u-Uriya “ngaphambili kolona lunzima uhlaselo edabini” aze amanye amajoni abuy’ umva. U-Uriya wafel’ edabini, kanye njengokuba uDavide wayecebe ngolo hlobo. (2 Sam. 11:12-17) Ukumkani akazange nje akrexeze kodwa wenza esinye isono sokubulala umntu omsulwa.

6. Wenza ntoni uThixo ngezono ezinzulu zikaDavide, yaye oko kutyhila ntoni ngoYehova?

⁶ Kakade ke, uYehova wabona yonk’ into eyayenzekile. Akukho nto ifihlakeleyo kuye. (IMize. 15:3) Nangona ukumkani watshata noBhatshebha, “loo nto wayenzayo uDavide yabonakala imbi emehlweni kaYehova.” (2 Sam. 11:27) UThixo wenza ntoni ngezono ezinzulu zikaDavide? Wathumela umprofeti wakhe uNatan kuDavide. Ekubeni enguThixo oxolelayo, uYehova wayenomdla wokubonisa inceba. Kuyasichukumisa ukwazi indlela uYehova azenza ngayo izinto. Akazange amnyanzele uDavide ukuba avume izono zakhe kodwa wathumela uNatan ukuba ambonise indlela ezimbi ngayo izono zakhe. (Funda eyesi-2 kaSamuweli 12:1-4.) Wasingathwa kakuhle ngokwenene lo mba nakuba wawuntununtunu!

7. UDavide wasabela njani kumzekeliso kaNatan?

⁷ Umzekeliso kaNatan wamvul’ amehlo ukumkani watsho wakubona okusesikweni. Wavutha umsindo kaDavide ngenxa yoko kwenziwa yindoda esisityebi yaye wathi kuNatan: “Ephila nje uYehova, indoda eyenza oku ifanelwe kukufa!” Ukongezelela, uDavide wathi ixhoba lokungabikho kokusesikweni lifanele libuyekezwe ngenxa yoko lilahlekelwe kuko. Kodwa emva koko, uNatan wathetha into ebengayilindelanga. Wathi: “Wena ngokwakho uyiloo ndoda!” Ngenxa yoko wayekwenzile, uDavide waxelelwa ukuba “ikrele” aliyi kumka endlwini yakhe yaye iya kufikelwa yintlekele indlu yakhe. Kwakhona wayeza kuhlaziswa esidlangalaleni ngenxa yezono zakhe. UDavide wabuqonda ubunzulu boko wayekwenzekile yaye ezisola wathi: “Ndonile kuYehova.”—2 Sam. 12:5-14.

8, 9. INdumiso 51 ityhila ntoni ngoko kwakusentliziyweni kaDavide, yaye isifundisa ntoni ngoYehova?

⁸ Amazwi engoma eyaqanjwa nguKumkani uDavide emva koko, atyhila ukuzisola kwakhe. INdumiso 51 inezibongozo ezichukumisayo zikaDavide eziya kuYehova yaye ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba akazange aphelele nje ekuzivumeni iziphoso zakhe. Waguquka nasezonweni zakhe. Eyona nto uDavide wayeyixhalabele lulwalamano lwakhe noThixo. Wavuma wathi: “Ndone kuwe, kuwe wedwa.” Wambongoza uYehova esithi: “Dala ngaphakathi kum intliziyo esulungekileyo, Thixo, uze ufake ngaphakathi kum umoya omtsha, oqinileyo. . . . Buyisela kum ukugcoba ngosindiso lwakho, yaye ngamana ungandixhasa ngomoya ovumayo.” (INdu. 51:1-4, 7-12) Ngaba uyanyaniseka uze uthethe phandle noYehova ngeempazamo zakho?

⁹ UYehova akazange amkhusele uDavide kwimiphumo ebuhlungu yezono zakhe. Waqhubeka ejamelana naloo miphumo ubomi bakhe bonke. Noko ke, ngenxa  yokuguquka kukaDavide—‘owayenentliziyo eyaphukileyo netyumkileyo’—uYehova wamxolela. (Funda iNdumiso 32:5; INdu. 51:17) UThixo uSomandla uyaziqonda ezona mvakalelo zomntu nezinto ezibangele ukuba one. Kunokuba abavumele ukuba bagwetyelwe ukufa ziijaji ezingabantu ngokoMthetho kaMoses, ngenceba uYehova wangenelela kwimeko kaDavide noBhatshebha. (Lev. 20:10) UThixo wamenza unyana wabo uSolomon waba ngukumkani wakwaSirayeli.—1 Kron. 22:9, 10.

10. (a) UYehova usenokuba wamxolela ngaziphi izizathu uDavide? (b) Ziintoni ezenza uYehova asixolele?

¹⁰ Ukubonisa inceba kukaDavide kuSawule, mhlawumbi yenye into eyabangela ukuba uYehova amxolele. (1 Sam. 24:4-7) Njengoko uYesu watshoyo, uYehova usiphatha ngale ndlela sibaphatha ngayo abanye. UYesu wathi: “Musani ukugweba ukuze ningagwetywa; kuba ngogwebo enigweba ngalo, niya kugwetywa kwangalo nani; nomlinganiselo enilinganisela ngawo, baya kunilinganisela kwangawo nani.” (Mat. 7:1, 2) Kuyathuthuzela ukwazi ukuba uYehova uya kuzixolela izono zethu—kuquka nezono ezinzulu njengokukrexeza okanye ukubulala! Uya kukwenza oko ukuba siyaxolela, ukuba siyazivuma izono zethu kuye, naxa sitshintsha kwizinto ezimbi ebesizenza. Xa abantu abonileyo baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo, uYehova ubanika “amaxesha okuhlaziya.”—Funda iZenzo 3:19.

11. UKumkani uManase wenza okubi emehlweni kaThixo ngaziphi iindlela?

¹¹ Makhe sihlole enye ingxelo yeZibhalo ebonisa ukukulungela kukaYehova ukuxolela. Kwiminyaka emalunga nama-360 emva kokuba uDavide eqalisile ukulawula, uManase waba ngukumkani wamaYuda. Ulawulo lwakhe lweminyaka engama-55 lwaludume ngobungendawo, yaye izinto ezimasikizi awayezenza zabangela ukuba ohlwaywe nguYehova. Phakathi kwezinye izinto awazenzayo, uManase wamisa izibingelelo zikaBhahali, wanqula “wonke umkhosi wamazulu,” wadlulisa oonyana bakhe emlilweni waza wakhuthaza ukusebenzelana nemimoya. Eneneni, “wenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova ngokomlinganiselo omkhulu.”—2 Kron. 33:1-6.

12. UManase wabuyela njani kuYehova?

¹² Ekugqibeleni, uManase wathathwa kwilizwe lakowabo waza waya kuphoswa entolongweni eBhabhiloni. Ngoxa wayelapho kusenokwenzeka ukuba wakhumbula amazwi athethwa nguMoses kuSirayeli athi: “Wakuba sezingxakini ezinkulu, ekuzalisekeni kwawo onke la mazwi ekupheleni kwemihla, uya kwandula  ke ubuyele kuYehova uThixo wakho uze uliphulaphule ilizwi lakhe.” (Dut. 4:30) UManase wabuyela kuYehova. Wabuyela njani? “Waqhubeka ezithoba kakhulu” waza “waqhubeka ethandaza” kuThixo (njengoko kuboniswe kwiphepha 21). (2 Kron. 33:12, 13) Ayikho ingxelo enamazwi omthandazo kaManase, kodwa isenokuba ngamazwi afana nalawo kaKumkani uDavide akwiNdumiso 51. Sekunjalo, uManase watshintsha ngokupheleleyo.

13. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova amxolele uManase?

¹³ Wasabela njani uYehova kwimithandazo kaManase? “Wasabela kwisibongozo [sikaManase] ibe Yena wakuva ukucela kwakhe ubabalo.” NjengoDavide, uManase wabuqonda ubunzulu bezono zakhe waza waguquka ngokunyanisekileyo. Yiloo nto uThixo wamxolelayo uManase waza wambuyisela njengokumkani eYerusalem. Ngenxa yoko, “wamazi ke uManase uYehova ukuba unguThixo oyinyaniso.” (2 Kron. 33:13) Kuyomeleza ngokwenene ukuba nobungqina obungakumbi bokuba uThixo wethu onenceba uyabaxolela abo baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo!

14. Yintoni ebangela ukuba uYehova axolele aboni?

¹⁴ Namhlanje, bambalwa phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo abaya kufuna ukuxolelwa izono zabo ezinzulu njengezo zikaDavide noManase. Sekunjalo, isibakala sokuba uYehova waxolela aba kumkani babini sisinceda siqonde ukuba uThixo wethu ukulungele ukuxolela nezono ezinzulu ukuba umntu owonayo uguquka ngokunyanisekileyo.

15. Sazi njani ukuba ukuxolela kukaYehova asiyonto izenzekelayo?

¹⁵ Kakade ke, asifanele sigqibe kwelokuba uYehova uxolela bonke abantu izono zabo ngokuzenzekelayo. Ngenxa yoko, makhe sithelekise isimo sengqondo sikaDavide noManase nesabantu abaphambukileyo bakwaSirayeli noYuda. UThixo wathumela uNatan ukuba aye kuthetha  noDavide waza wafumana ithuba lokutshintsha. UDavide walamkela elo cebiso. Xa uManase wayesengxakini, waguquka ngokunyanisekileyo. Noko ke, ngokuphindaphindiweyo abemi bakwaSirayeli nakwaYuda abazange baguquke. Ngoko uYehova akazange abaxolele. Kunoko, ngokuphindaphindiweyo wathumela abaprofeti bakhe ukuze babachazele indlela akujonga ngayo ukungathobeli kwabo. (Funda uNehemiya 9:30.) Nasemva kokuba abathinjwa basuka eBhabhiloni babuyela emakhayeni abo, uYehova waqhubeka ethumela abathunywa bakhe abanyanisekileyo, njengombingeleli uEzra nomprofeti uMalaki. Xa abantu babesenza izinto ezivumelana nokuthanda kukaYehova, babesiba nemihlali.—Neh. 12:43-47.

16. (a) Ukungaguquki kohlanga lwakwaSirayeli xa lulonke kwaba nayiphi imiphumo? (b) Liliphi ithuba elivulekele abantu abayinzala kaSirayeli wamandulo?

¹⁶ Ukubingelela ngezilwanyana kwamaSirayeli uYehova wakuthabathel’ indawo ngokuthunyelwa kukaYesu emhlabeni nangelungiselelo ledini lentlawulelo. (1 Yoh. 4:9, 10) Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu wabonisa imbono kaYise xa wathetha la mazwi achukumisayo: “Yerusalem, Yerusalem, mbulali wabaprofeti nomxulubi wabo bathunyelwa kuyo,—kufuthi kangakanani na ndifuna ukuhlanganisela ndawonye abantwana bakho, ngendlela esithi isikhukukazi sihlanganisele ngayo ndawonye amantshontsho aso phantsi kwamaphiko aso! Kodwa anavuma.” Ngoko uYesu wathi: “Khangelani! Indlu yenu ishiyelwa kuni.” (Mat. 23:37, 38) Uhlanga olunesono nolungaguqukiyo lwathatyathelw’ indawo nguSirayeli wokomoya. (Mat. 21:43; Gal. 6:16) Kodwa kuthekani ngabantu abayinzala yoSirayeli wokoqobo? Ukuze baxolelwe nguYehova kuze kuboniswe inceba kubo, bafanele babe nokholo kuThixo nakwintlawulelo kaYesu Kristu. Kwakhona nabantu abafa bengakhange balifumane ithuba lokuguquka kwizono zabo baya kulifumana xa bevuselwa kumhlaba ocociweyo.—Yoh. 5:28, 29; IZe. 24:15.

17, 18. Sinokuxolelwa njani nguYehova?

¹⁷ Sifanele senze ntoni njengoko uYehova ekulungele ukuxolela? Simele senze izinto ngendlela uDavide noManase abazenza ngayo. Sifanele siyazi into yokuba sinesono, siguquke kwizono zethu, simcele ngokunyanisekileyo uYehova ukuba asixolele aze asenze sibe nentliziyo esulungekileyo. (INdu. 51:10) Ukuba senze isono esinzulu, kwakhona simele sicele uncedo kubadala. (Yak. 5:14, 15) Enoba zinjani na iimeko zethu, kuyathuthuzela ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova uyile ndlela wazichaza ngayo kuMoses—“uThixo onenceba nobabalo, ozeka kade umsindo, onobubele bothando obuninzi nenyaniso, ogcinela amawaka ububele bothando, oxolela isiphoso nokunxaxha nesono.” UYehova akatshintshanga.—Eks. 34:6, 7.

¹⁸ Ethelekisa izinto, uYehova uthembisa ukulisusa ngokupheleleyo ibala lezono zoSirayeli oguqukileyo, ezo “zingqombela,” azenze mhlophe “njengekhephu.” (Funda uIsaya 1:18.) Ngoko, ukuxolela kukaYehova kuthetha ntoni kuthi? Ukuze sixolelwe ngokupheleleyo izono neziphoso zethu, kufuneka siguquke ngokunyanisekileyo.

19. Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuthetha ngantoni?

¹⁹ Njengoko uYehova esixolela, sinokumxelisa njani xa siqhubana nabanye abantu? Sinokukuphepha njani ukungabaxoleli abantu abenze izono ezinzulu baza baguquka ngokunyanisekileyo? Inqaku elilandelayo liza kusinceda sizihlole ukuze sifane noBawo wethu, uYehova, ‘olungileyo nokulungeleyo ukuxolela.’—INdu. 86:5.