UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso oseBhayibhelini, uMdali wazo zonke izinto. (IsAmbulo 4:11) Abaprofethi u-Abrahama noMose babekhonza yena, njengoba kwenza noJesu. (Genesise 24:27; Eksodusi 15:1, 2; Johane 20:17) UnguNkulunkulu “wawo wonke umhlaba,” hhayi wesizwe esisodwa nje.​—IHubo 47:2.

Elithi Jehova yigama likaNkulunkulu yedwa elambulwe eBhayibhelini. (Eksodusi 3:15; IHubo 83:18) Livela esenzweni sesiHebheru esisho ukuthi, “ukuba khona,” futhi izazi eziningana zisikisela ukuthi lisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Le ncazelo iyifanelekela kahle indima kaNkulunkulu njengoMdali noMgcwalisi wezinjongo zakhe. (Isaya 55:10, 11) IBhayibheli liphinde lisisize ukuba sazi uMnikazi wegama elithi Jehova, ikakhulu imfanelo yakhe evelele eluthando.—Eksodusi 34:5-7; Luka 6:35; 1 Johane 4:8.

Igama elithi Jehova liyindlela yesiZulu yokubiza igama likaNkulunkulu eliyisiHebheru—izinhlamvu ezine ezithi, יהוה (YHWH), ezaziwa ngokuthi iTetragrammaton. Indlela enembile yokubiza leli gama likaNkulunkulu ngesiHebheru sasendulo ayaziwa. Nokho, indlela ethi “Jehovah,” eyavela okokuqala enguqulweni kaWilliam Tyndale yeBhayibheli yango-1530, inomlando omude olimini lwesiNgisi. a

Kungani indlela yokubiza igama likaNkulunkulu ngesiHebheru sasendulo ingaziwa?

IsiHebheru sasendulo sasibhalwa ngaphandle konkamisa, kusetshenziswa ongwaqa kuphela. Umfundi okhuluma isiHebheru wayengazifakela kalula onkamisa abafanele. Nokho, ngemva kokuphela kokulotshwa kwemiBhalo YesiHebheru (“iTestamente Elidala”), amanye amaJuda aba nenkolelo-ze yokuthi kwakungalungile ukubiza igama likaNkulunkulu. Lapho efunda ngokuzwakalayo imiBhalo eyayinegama likaNkulunkulu, esikhundleni salo ayefaka amagama anjengathi “Nkosi” noma “Nkulunkulu.” Njengoba kudlula amakhulu eminyaka, le nkolelo-ze yasakazeka, ekugcineni indlela yokubiza igama likaNkulunkulu yalibaleka. b

Abanye banomuzwa wokuthi igama likaNkulunkulu lalibizwa ngokuthi “Yahweh,” kanti abanye basikisela okunye okuhlukile. UMqulu Wasolwandle Olufile onengxenye kaLevitikusi ngesiGreki uhumusha leli gama ngokuthi Iao. Abalobi besiGreki bakudala basikisela ukulibiza nangokuthi Iae, I·a·be′ nangokuthi I·a·ou·e′, kodwa ayikho neyodwa kulezi zindlela okunobufakazi bokuthi yayisetshenziswa ngesiHebheru sasendulo. c

Imibono eyiphutha ngegama likaNkulunkulu eBhayibhelini

Umbono oyiphutha: Igama likaNkulunkulu akufanele lisetshenziswe eBhayibhelini ngoba ayaziwa ngokunembile indlela yesiHebheru yokulibiza.

Iqiniso: Ngokwale ndlela yokucabanga, uNkulunkulu ulindele ukuba abantu abakhuluma izilimi ezihlukahlukene balibize ngendlela efana ncamashi igama lakhe. Nokho, iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu besikhathi esidlule ababekhuluma izilimi ezihlukahlukene babewabiza ngezindlela ezingafani amagama abantu.

Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngomahluleli wakwa-Israyeli, uJoshuwa. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayekhuluma isiHebheru ayengalibiza ngokuthi Yehoh·shu′aʽ igama lakhe, kuyilapho akhuluma isiGreki ayengathi I·e·sous′. IBhayibheli linendlela ethathelwe esiGrekini yokubhala igama likaJoshuwa eliyisiHebheru, okubonisa ukuthi amaKristu ayebiza amagama abantu ngendlela eyayijwayeleke olimini lwawo.—IzEnzo 7:45; Hebheru 4:8.

Kungasetshenziswa isimiso esifanayo nalapho kuhunyushwa igama likaNkulunkulu. Ukugcina igama likaNkulunkulu lisezindaweni ezifanele eBhayibhelini kubaluleke kakhulu kunendlela yokulibiza.