KuJeremiya 31:15, siyafunda: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo, ‘Kuzwakala izwi eRama, isililo nokukhala okumunyu; uRaheli ekhalela amadodana akhe. Wenqabile ukududuzwa ngamadodana akhe, ngoba awasekho.’”

URaheli wafa kuqala kunamadodana akhe amabili. Ngenxa yalokho, la mazwi uJeremiya awaloba eminyakeni eyinkulungwane ngemva kokufa kukaRaheli angase abonakale enganembile.

Izibulo likaRaheli kwakunguJosefa. (Gen. 30:22-24) Kamuva, wathola enye indodana, ayiqamba ngokuthi uBhenjamini. Kodwa uRaheli wafa ngesikhathi ebeletha leyo ndodana yesibili. Ngakho-ke, umbuzo uwukuthi: Kungani uJeremiya 31:15 ethi uRaheli wayekhalela amadodana akhe ‘ayengasekho’?

Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, indodana yakhe yokuqala, uJosefa, yazala uManase no-Efrayimi. (Gen. 41:50-52; 48:13-20) Kamuva, u-Efrayimi waba isizwe esivelele nesinethonya kuwo wonke umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho futhi wagcina esemelela zonke izizwe eziyishumi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, isizwe esavela endodaneni kaRaheli yesibili, uBhenjamini, saba ingxenye yombuso waseningizimu, kanye noJuda. Ngakho ngomqondo othile, kungakhulunywa ngoRaheli njengofanekisela bonke omama bakwa-Israyeli, abasembusweni osenyakatho nabasembusweni oseningizimu.

Ngesikhathi kulotshwa incwadi kaJeremiya, umbuso wasenyakatho wezizwe eziyishumi wawusugumbuqelwe ama-Asiriya futhi iningi labantu bawo lalithunjiwe. Nokho, kungenzeka ukuthi enye inzalo ka-Efrayimi yabalekela esifundeni sakwaJuda. Ngo-607 B.C.E., abaseBhabhiloni banqoba umbuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu wezizwe ezimbili. Kubonakala sengathi kulokho kunqotshwa, izithunjwa eziningi zabuthelwa eRama, eyayisenyakatho yeJerusalema futhi iqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-8 ukusuka khona. (Jer. 40:1) Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye babulawelwa lapho kwaBhenjamini, indawo uRaheli angcwatshwa kuyo. (1 Sam. 10:2) Ngakho-ke, ukukhalela kukaRaheli amadodana akhe, ngokomfanekiso, kungamelela ukulilela kwakhe abakwaBhenjamini njengesizwe noma labo abaseRama ngokukhethekile. Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi lokho kukhala kwakhe kwakusikisela ukuthi bonke omama babantu bakaNkulunkulu bakhala lapho kufa noma kudingiswa u-Israyeli.

Kunoma yikuphi, ukukhuluma kukaJeremiya ngokulilela kukaRaheli amadodana akhe kwakuyisiprofetho salokho okwenzeka emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva ngesikhathi ukuphila komntwana uJesu kusengozini. INkosi uHerode yayala ukuba kubulawe bonke abafana abaneminyaka emibili nangaphansi eBhetlehema, eyayiseningizimu yeJerusalema. Ngakho, lawo madodana ayengasekho; ayefile. Ake ucabange nje ngesililo esibangelwa usizi sabo bonke omama ababefelwe amadodana abo! Kwakunjengokungathi leso sililo sizwakala ngisho naseRama, esenyakatho yeJerusalema.—Math. 2:16-18.

Ngenxa yalokho, ngesikhathi sikaJeremiya nangesikhathi sikaJesu, ukukhalela kukaRaheli amadodana akhe kwakuyinkulumo efanelekayo yokuchaza usizi omama abangamaJuda ababa nalo ngesikhathi kubulawa izingane zabo. Yebo, lezo zingane ezafa zingase zidedelwe zibuye “ezweni lesitha” esiwukufa eziye kulo, lapho kuvuswa abafileyo.—Jer. 31:16; 1 Kor. 15:26.