NGETIKHATSI tekubhalwa kweliBhayibheli, emalobolo bekanikwa umndeni wakhabo makoti ngesikhatsi lemindeni lemibili isakhulumisana ngetindzaba temshado. Lamalobolo bekungaba tintfo letiligugu, tilwane nobe imali. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, bekudzingeka umkhwenyane asebente, njengalesikhatsi Jakobe avume kusebentela babe waRakheli iminyaka lengu-7 kuze ashade naRakheli. (Gen. 29:17, 18, 20) Beyiyini injongo yalelisiko?

Sati seliBhayibheli lokutsiwa nguCarol Meyers sitsi: “Emalobolo bekanikwa umndeni wakhabomakoti ngenca yekutsi utawulahlekelwa yindvodzakati yawo kani beyisita emndenini, [ikakhulukati lolimako].” Emalobolo bekangaphindze asite ekuciniseni buhlobo emkhatsini walemindeni lemibili. Loko bekutawenta lemindeni lemibili kutsi isitane ngetikhatsi letimatima. Ngetulu kwaloko, emalobolo bekakhombisa kutsi lentfombatane seyitawushada futsi ihambe ekhaya, inakekelwe yindvodza yayo futsi iyivikele.

Kukhipha emalobolo bekungasiko kutsi lomfati uyatsengwa. Incwadzi letsi Ancient Israel—Its Life and Institutions itsi: “Nawubuka imishado yema-Israyeli, bekubonakala ngatsi ayatsenga ngobe bekufanele anike umndeni wakhabomakoti imali nobe lokulingana nayo. Kodwa kubonakala ngatsi [emalobolo] bekusipho lebesinikwa umndeni wakhabomakoti, hhayi kutsi bekutsengwa ngawo umfati.”

Lamuhla kulamanye emave, bantfu bayachubeka nalelisiko lekulobola. Batali labangemaKhristu nabafuna lilobolo benta ‘kucabangela kwabo kwatiwe ngibo bonkhe bantfu’ ngekutsi bangafuni lilobolo lelikhombisa kutsi abacabangeli. (Fil. 4:5; 1 Khor. 10:32, 33) Ngaleyondlela bakhombisa kutsi ‘abayitsandzi imali’ nekutsi abasiwo emagovu. (2 Thim. 3:2) Ngetulu kwaloko, nangabe batali labangemaKhristu bangafuni emalobolo lakhombisa kutsi abacabangeli, angeke kudzingeke kutsi umkhwenyane ahlehlise lilanga lemshado kuze ayotfola imali leyenele yekukhipha emalobolo. Umkhwenyane angeke ative aphocelelekile kutsi ayekele kuba lihlahlandlela ngenca yekutsi kufanele asebente kuze akhone kukhipha emalobolo lasetulu kakhulu.

Kulamanye emave, umtsetfo uyasho kutsi kufanele kukhishwe emalobolo langanani. Etimeni letikanjalo, batali labangemaKhristu kufanele bayilalele lemitsetfo. Yini leyenta bayilalele? LiVi laNkulunkulu litsi emaKhristu kufanele ‘atfobele tiphatsimandla’ futsi alalele imitsetfo lengashayisani nemitsetfo yaNkulunkulu.—Rom. 13:1; Imis. 5:29.