Izina ry’Imana rigaragara inshuro zigera ku 7.000 mu Byanditswe by’Igiheburayo kandi rigizwe n’inyuguti enye (יהוה). Muri iyi Bibiliya, izo nyuguti enye bakunze kwita Tetaragaramu zihindurwamo ngo: “Yehova.” Iryo zina ni ryo riboneka inshuro nyinshi cyane muri Bibiliya. Nubwo abanditsi ba Bibiliya bavugaga ibyerekeye Imana bakoresheje amazina menshi y’icyubahiro n’andi magambo, urugero nk’“Ishoborabyose,” “Isumbabyose” n’“Umwami,” iryo zina rigizwe n’inyuguti enye z’Igiheburayo ni ryo zina bwite ryonyine bakoreshaga berekeza ku Mana.

Yehova Imana ubwe ni we wayoboye abanditse Bibiliya kugira ngo bakoreshe izina rye. Urugero, yahumekeye umuhanuzi Yoweli, maze arandika ati: “Umuntu uzambaza izina rya Yehova azakizwa” (Yoweli 2:32). Nanone Imana yatumye umwanditsi wa Zaburi yandika ati: “Ibyo bizatuma abantu bamenya ko wowe witwa Yehova, ari wowe wenyine Usumbabyose mu isi yose” (Zaburi 83:18). Mu gitabo cya Zaburi honyine, izina ry’Imana rigaragaramo inshuro zigera kuri 700. Icyo gitabo cyanditswe mu buryo bw’ibisigo byari kuzajya biririmbwa cyangwa bikavugwa mu mutwe n’abagaragu ba Yehova. None se kuki hari Bibiliya nyinshi zidakoresha izina ry’Imana? Kuki iyi Bibiliya ikoresha izina “Yehova,” kandi se iryo zina risobanura iki?

Kuki iryo zina ritaboneka muri Bibiliya nyinshi? Impamvu zibitera ziratandukanye. Bamwe bumva ko atari ngombwa ko Imana Ishoborabyose igira izina ryihariye riyiranga. Abandi bashobora kuba baragendeye ku mugenzo w’Abayahudi wabuzanyaga gukoresha iryo zina, wenda bitewe no gutinya kuritesha agaciro. Hari n’abatekereza ko ibyiza ari ugukoresha amazina y’icyubahiro, urugero nk’“Umwami” cyangwa “Imana,” bitewe n’uko nta muntu uzi neza uko ryavugwaga. Icyakora ibyo byose nta shingiro bifite kubera impamvu zikurikira:

•   Abavuga ko atari ngombwa ko Imana Ishoborabyose igira izina ryihariye, birengagiza ibimenyetso bigaragaza ko kopi za mbere z’Ijambo ryayo, harimo izanditswe mbere ya Kristo kandi zikaba zikiriho na n’ubu, zirimo izina bwite ry’Imana. Nk’uko twigeze kubivuga, Imana yategetse ko izina ryayo rishyirwa mu Ijambo ryayo inshuro zigera ku 7.000. Ibyo bigaragaza ko yifuza ko tumenya izina ryayo kandi tukarikoresha.

• Nanone abahinduzi bakura izina ry’Imana muri Bibiliya bagendeye ku migenzo y’Abayahudi, birengagiza ikintu cy’ingenzi. Nubwo hari abanditsi b’Abayahudi bangaga kuvuga iryo zina, ntibarikuye muri Bibiliya zabo. Urugero, riboneka ahantu henshi mu mizingo ya kera yavumbuwe i Qumran hafi y’Inyanja y’Umunyu. Abahinduzi ba Bibiliya bamwe na bamwe basa nk’aberekana aho izina ry’Imana ryagaragaraga mu mwandiko w’umwimerere, bakarisimbuza izina “UMWAMI” mu nyuguti nkuru. Ariko ikibazo kiracyari cya kindi: Kuki abo bantu bihaye uburenganzira bwo gusimbuza izina ry’Imana cyangwa kurikura mu mwandiko wa Bibiliya, kandi bazi neza ko ribonekamo inshuro zibarirwa mu bihumbi? Ni nde wabahaye uburenganzira bwo gukora ibintu nk’ibyo? Bo ubwabo ni bo basubiza icyo kibazo.

• Hari abavuga ko izina ry’Imana ritagombye gukoreshwa bitewe n’uko nta muntu uzi neza uko ryavugwaga, nyamara bakarenga bagakoresha izina rya Yesu. Ariko kandi, abigishwa ba Yesu bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bavugaga izina rya Yesu mu buryo butandukanye n’uko Abakristo benshi bo muri iki gihe barivuga. Abakristo b’Abayahudi bashobora kuba baravugaga izina rya Yesu ngo: “Ye·shuʹa‛.” Naho izina “Kristo” ryari Ma·shiʹach, cyangwa “Mesiya.” Abakristo bavugaga Ikigiriki bamwitaga I·e·sousʹ Khri·stos, naho abavugaga Ikilatini bakamwita Ieʹsus Chriʹstus. Imana yahumekeye abanditse Bibiliya, maze bashyiramo izina rya Yesu uko rihindurwa mu Kigiriki, ibyo bikaba bigaragaza ko Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bashyize mu gaciro, bagakurikiza uko iryo zina ryari risanzwe rivugwa mu rurimi rwabo. Mu buryo nk’ubwo, Komite yahinduye Bibiliya y’Ubuhinduzi bw’isi nshya yabonye ko ari ngombwa gukoresha izina “Yehova,” nubwo atari uko ryavugwaga neza neza mu Giheburayo cya kera.

Kuki Bibiliya y’Ubuhinduzi bw’Isi Nshya ikoresha izina “Yehova”? Mu Kinyarwanda, ingombajwi enye z’Igiheburayo zigize iryo zina (יהוה) ni YHWH. Iyo tetaragaramu nta nyajwi yagiraga nk’uko byari bimeze ku magambo yose y’Igiheburayo cya kera. Abantu bakoreshaga ururimi rw’Igiheburayo bari bamenyereye gusoma bashyiramo inyajwi zikwiriye.

Nyuma y’imyaka igera ku 1.000 Ibyanditswe by’Igiheburayo birangije kwandikwa, abahanga b’Abayahudi bashyizeho uburyo bwo gukoresha ibimenyetso, byerekana inyajwi zagombye gukoreshwa mu gihe abantu basoma Igiheburayo. Icyakora, icyo gihe Abayahudi benshi  bari baradukanye umugenzo wo kutavuga izina bwite ry’Imana mu ijwi riranguruye, bavuga ko kizira. Ni yo mpamvu barisimbuzaga andi mazina. Ku bw’ibyo, birashoboka ko igihe bandukuraga iyo Tetaragaramu, bakoresheje inyajwi zo mu mazina bashimbuje izina ry’Imana, maze bakazihuza n’ingombajwi enye zigize iryo zina. Ni yo mpamvu umwandiko wandikishijwe intoki urimo izo nyajwi udashobora kudufasha kumenya uko izina ry’Imana ryavugwaga mu Giheburayo. Hari abumva ko iryo zina ryavugwaga ngo: “Yahweh,” naho abandi bakarivuga ukundi. Mu muzingo watoraguwe mu Nyanja y’Umunyu urimo igice cy’igitabo cy’Abalewi mu Kigiriki, iryo zina ry’Imana rihindurwamo Iao. Uretse ubwo buryo, abanditsi b’Abagiriki bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bavuze ko hakoreshwaga Iae, I·a·beʹ, na I·a·ou·eʹ. Icyakora nta wakwemeza mu buryo budasubirwaho uko ryavugwaga. Muri make ntituzi uko abagaragu b’Imana ba kera bavugaga iryo zina mu Giheburayo (Intangiriro 13:4; Kuva 3:15). Ariko icyo tuzi ni uko Imana yakoresheje izina ryayo inshuro nyinshi ivugana n’abagaragu bayo, na bo bakayivugisha ari ryo bakoresheje, kandi bakarikoresha bisanzuye mu gihe bavugana n’abandi.—Kuva 6:2; 1 Abami 8:23; Zaburi 99:9.

None se kuki iyi Bibiliya ikoresha izina “Yehova”? Ni ukubera ko iryo zina ry’Imana ari ryo rimaze igihe rikoreshwa mu Kinyarwanda.

Izina ry’Imana ryabonetse bwa mbere muri Bibiliya y’Icyongereza yasohotse mu mwaka wa 1530, mu bitabo bitanu bya mbere bya Bibiliya byahinduwe na William Tyndale. Icyo gihe yakoresheje izina “Iehouah.” Nyuma y’igihe, ururimi rw’Icyongereza rwarahindutse, maze uburyo bwo kuvuga izina ry’Imana buhuzwa n’igihe. Urugero, mu mwaka wa 1612 igihe Henry Ainsworth yahinduraga igitabo cya Zaburi, yakoresheje izina “Iehovah.” Hanyuma mu mwaka wa 1639, igihe icyo gitabo cyavugururwaga kandi kigacapwa kiri kumwe n’ibitabo bitanu bya mbere bya Bibiliya, hakoreshejwe izina “Yehova.” Mu mwaka wa 1901, abahinduye Bibiliya yitwa American Standard Version bakoresheje  “Yehova” aho izina ry’Imana ryabonekaga mu mwandiko w’Igiheburayo.

Mu mwaka wa 1911, umuhanga mu bya Bibiliya uzwi cyane witwa Joseph Bryant Rotherham yanditse igitabo gisobanura Zaburi (Studies in the Psalms). Muri icyo gitabo yasobanuye ko yakoresheje izina “Yehova” aho gukoresha “Yahweh,” kubera ko yifuzaga gukoresha “izina rimenyerewe n’abantu benshi basoma Bibiliya (kandi ibyo yakoze biremewe rwose).” Mu mwaka wa 1930, umuhanga witwa A. F. Kirkpatrick na we yavuze ibintu nk’ibyo, igihe yavugaga ibirebana n’imikoreshereze y’izina “Yehova.” Yagize ati “abahanga mu kibonezamvugo bo muri iki gihe, bavuga ko iryo zina ryagombye gusomwa ngo Yahveh cyangwa Yahaveh, ariko uko bigaragara YEHOVA ni ryo zina rivugwa cyane. . . . Mu by’ukuri, icy’ingenzi si ukumenya neza uko iryo zina ryavugwaga, ahubwo ni ukwemera ko ari Izina Bwite ritandukanye n’izina ry’icyubahiro urugero nk’‘Umwami.’”

Izina Yehova risobanura iki? Mu Giheburayo, izina Yehova rikomoka ku nshinga isobanura “kuba,” kandi abahanga batandukanye bemeranya ko ryumvikanisha igitekerezo kiboneka muri iyo nshinga y’Igiheburayo, itondaguwe igaragaza igikorwa gituma habaho ikintu runaka. Ku bw’ibyo, abagize Komite yahinduye Bibiliya y’Ubuhinduzi bw’isi nshya bemeranya ko izina ry’Imana risobanura ngo “Ituma biba.” Kubera ko abahanga babibona mu buryo butandukanye, ntitwakwemeza ibyo bisobanuro mu buryo budasubirwaho. Icyakora, ibyo bisobanuro byo bihuje neza n’umwanya Yehova afite wo kuba Umuremyi wa byose kandi akaba ari Imana isohoza umugambi wayo. Uretse kuba ari we watumye habaho isanzure ry’ikirere n’ibiremwa bifite ubwenge, akomeje gutuma ibyo ashaka bikorwa n’umugambi we ugasohozwa.

Ku bw’ibyo, ibisobanuro by’izina ry’Imana ntibigarukira gusa ku nshinga ifitanye isano n’iryo zina iboneka mu Kuva 3:14, hagira hati “Nzaba Icyo Nzashaka Kuba Cyo Cyose” cyangwa “Nzaba Icyo Nzashaka Kuba Cyo.” Ayo magambo afashwe uko yakabaye, ntiyumvikanisha ibisobanuro by’izina ry’Imana mu buryo bwuzuye. Ahubwo ahishura kimwe mu bigize kamere y’Imana, akagaragaza ko mu mimerere iyo ari yo yose, ihinduka igikenewe cyose kugira ngo isohoze umugambi wayo. Ku bw’ibyo, nubwo izina Yehova rikubiyemo icyo gitekerezo, ntirigarukira gusa ku cyo yo ubwayo ishobora guhitamo kuba cyo. Ahubwo ryumvikanisha nanone ko ituma ibyo yaremye biba icyo yifuza ko biba cyo, mu gihe bifitanye isano n’isohozwa ry’umugambi wayo.