1. Kutheni lalingenakuphumelela nje iqhinga leSiriya namaSirayeli?

NGAXA LITHILE, phakathi ko-762 B.C.E. no-759 B.C.E., ukumkani wakwaSirayeli nowaseSiriya bavusa imfazwe nxamnye nokumkani wakwaYuda. Ngasiphi isizathu? Babefuna ukungena eYerusalem, bakhiqe uKumkani uAhazi, baze babeke enye indoda, mhlawumbi engaphumi kumnombo kaKumkani uDavide. (Isa. 7:5, 6) Ukumkani wakwaSirayeli wayezinqikel’ ilitye elineembovane. Kaloku uYehova wayethe yinzala kaDavide kuphela eyayiya kuba ngookumkani ngokusisigxina, ibe ilizwi likaThixo alize lisilele.—Yosh. 23:14; 2 Sam. 7:16.

2-4. Chaza indlela esazaliseka ngayo isibhalo esikuIsaya 7:14, 16 (a) ngenkulungwane yesibhozo B.C.E. (b) nangenkulungwane yokuqala.

² Ekuqaleni, olu manyano lweSiriya namaSirayeli lwalubonakala lungenakoyiswa. Kaloku, kwidabi nje elinye uAhazi waphulukana namagorha ayi-120 000! NoMahaseya, “unyana kakumkani,” wabulawa. (2 Kron. 28:6, 7) Kodwa uYehova wayebukele. Wayengasilibelanga isithembiso awayesenze kuDavide; ngenxa yoko, wathumela umprofeti uIsaya ukuba akhuthaze isizwe.

³ UIsaya wathi: “Khangelani! Intombi okunene iya kumitha, izale unyana, ize imbize ngegama elinguImanuweli. . . . Kothi ngaphambi kokuba inkwenkwe leyo iyazi indlela yokugatya okubi nokunyula okulungileyo, ube umhlaba waba kumkani babini bankwantyisayo [uSirayeli neSiriya] ushiywe ngokupheleleyo.”  (Isa. 7:14, 16) Inxalenye yokuqala yesi siprofeto idla ngokubhekiselwa ekuzalweni kukaMesiya, ibe yinyaniso leyo. (Mat. 1:23) Noko ke, ekubeni ‘aba kumkani babini,’ ukumkani waseSiriya nowakwaSirayeli babengasesiso isisongelo kuYuda ngenkulungwane yokuqala, isiprofeto esiphathelele uImanuweli simele ukuba sazaliseka okokuqala ngomhla kaIsaya.

⁴ Kungekudala emva kokuba uIsaya eprofetile, umfazi wakhe wamzalela unyana ogama linguMahere-shalali-hashe-bhazi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uIsaya wayebhekisela kulo mntwana xa wayethetha ‘ngoImanuweli.’ * Ngemihla yokubhalwa kweBhayibhile, usana lwaludla ngokunikwa igama elithile, mhlawumbi ukuze kukhunjulwe isiganeko esithile esikhethekileyo, kodwa lubizwe ngelinye ngabazali nazizalamane. (2 Sam. 12:24, 25) Akukho ngxelo ibonisa ukuba uYesu wayekhe wabizwa ngeli gama.—Funda uIsaya 7:14; 8:3, 4.

5. Sisiphi isigqibo sobudenge esenziwa nguKumkani uAhazi?

⁵ Ngoxa uSirayeli neSiriya babejolis’ iintolo zabo kuYuda, kwakukho nolunye uhlanga olunomkhosi owomeleleyo olwalufuna ukuthimba lo mmandla. YayiyiAsiriya, uhlanga olwalukhula ngamandla lusiba ligunya lehlabathi. Ngokutsho kukaIsaya 8:3, 4, iAsiriya yayiza kuthimba “ubuncwane baseDamasko namaxhoba aseSamariya,” ize emva koko idlulele kubukumkani basemzantsi bakwaYuda. Endaweni yokuthembela kwisithembiso sikaThixo esadluliselwa ngoIsaya, uAhazi ongenalukholo wazifak’ engxakini ngokwenza umnqophiso neAsiriya, eyaphinda kwayona yamcinezela uYuda. (2 Kum. 16:7-10) UAhazi wasilela ngokwenene ukuba ngumalusi kuYuda! Nathi simele sizibuze oku, ‘Xa kufuneka ndenze izigqibo ezibalulekileyo, ngaba ndithembela kuThixo okanye ebantwini?’—IMize. 3:5, 6.

6. Lwaba njani ulawulo lukaHezekiya xa luthelekiswa noluka-Ahazi?

⁶ UAhazi wafa ngo-746 B.C.E., ibe ngunyana wakhe uHezekiya owaba ngukumkani kwelo lizwe lihlwempuzekileyo nelalingasamnquli uThixo. Njengokuba wayengena ezihlangwini zikayise, yintoni eyayiphambili kuye? Ngaba yayikukuvuselela uqoqosho? Akunjalo. UHezekiya wayeyindoda emthandayo uThixo, ibe wayengumalusi omhle kweso sizwe. Into yokuqala awayenzayo kukuvuselela unqulo lokwenyaniso, waza womeleza ulwalamano lweso sizwe siphambukileyo noYehova. Wathi akuyiqonda eyona nto ifunwa nguThixo, akaphozisa maseko ekuyenzeni. Ngumzekelo wokuxeliswa lowo!—2 Kron. 29:1-19.

7. Kutheni kwakubalulekile ukuba abaLevi baqinisekiswe ngulo kumkani mtsha ukuba uyabaxhasa?

⁷ AbaLevi babeza kudlala indima enkulu ekuvuselelweni konqulo olunyulu. Ngenxa yoku, uHezekiya wadibana nabo ukuze abaqinisekise ukuba uyabaxhasa. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wabo baLevi babekuloo ntlanganiso, belila iinyembezi zovuyo njengoko ukumkani wayesithi kubo: “Nini aninyulileyo uYehova ukuba nime phambi kwakhe ukuze nimlungiselele. (2 Kron. 29:11) Umyalelo owawusiya kubaLevi wawucacile, babemele bavuselele unqulo olunyulu!

8. Ziziphi izinto awazenzayo uHezekiya ukuze ancede uYuda abuyele kuThixo, ibe oku kwaba nayiphi imiphumo?

⁸ UHezekiya wabiza wonke uYuda noSirayeli ukuba eze kubhiyozela iPasika, eyalandelwa ziintsuku ezisixhenxe zoMthendeleko Wamaqebengwana ­Angenagwele.  Ndlela le kwakumnandi ngayo kuloo mthendeleko, wada waqhutywa ezinye iintsuku ezisixhenxe. IBhayibhile ithi: “Kwabakho imihlali kakhulu eYerusalem, ekungazange kubekho injalo ukususela ngemihla kaSolomon unyana kaDavide ukumkani wakwaSirayeli eYerusalem.” (2 Kron. 30:25, 26) Loo msitho waba nefuthe elingummangaliso kwabo bantu, kangangokuba bonke bafuna ukubuyela kuThixo! Ukususela kweyesi-2 kwiziKronike 31:1, sifunda oku: “Ngokukhawuleza nje bakukugqiba konke oku, amaSirayeli . . . aqhekeza iintsika ezingcwele aza agawula izibonda ezingcwele adiliza iindawo eziphakamileyo nezibingelelo.” Ngaloo ndlela, uYuda wabuyela kuYehova. Oku kwakubaluleke gqitha, xa ucinga ngezinto ezaziseza kwenzeka.

9. (a) Labhanga njani icebo likaSirayeli? (b) Woyisa njani ekuqaleni uSenaribhe kwaYuda?

⁹ Kanye njengokuba uIsaya wayetshilo, iAsiriya yaboyisa ubukumkani basemntla kwaSirayeli yaza yathimba abemi balapho, labhanga icebo likaSirayeli lokubhukuqa itrone kaDavide. Kodwa kuthekani ngecebo leAsiriya? Ngoku ama-Asiriya ayebhekise imibombo kuYuda. “Ngonyaka weshumi elinesine kaKumkani uHezekiya, uSenaribhe ukumkani waseAsiriya wenyuka nxamnye nazo zonke izixeko ezinqatyisiweyo zakwaYuda waza wazithimba.” Ingxelo ibonisa ukuba uSenaribhe woyisa izixeko zikaYuda eziyi-46. Unokuyicinga indlela ekwakuyiyo ukuhlala eYerusalem ngelo xesha. Izixeko zikaYuda zawela ezandleni zomkhosi waseAsiriya owawuluqilima!—2 Kum. 18:13.

10. Kutheni emele ukuba amkhuthaza nje uHezekiya amazwi akuMika 5:5, 6?

¹⁰ Kakade ke, uHezekiya wayeyibona le ngozi izayo, kodwa kunokuba adyuduzele efuna uncedo kwiintlanga ezingamnquliyo uThixo, njengoyise uAhazi, uHezekiya wathembela ngoYehova. (2 Kron. 28:20, 21) Mhlawumbi wayewakhumbula amazwi omprofeti uMika, owayephila ngelo xesha nowaprofeta ngeAsiriya esithi: “Yena ke umAsiriya, . . . kuya kufuneka simvusele abalusi abasixhenxe, ewe, iindwalutho ezisibhozo. Okunene baya kulalusa ilizwe laseAsiriya ngekrele.” (Mika 5:5, 6) La mazwi aphefumlelweyo ayeza kumkhuthaza nakanjani na uHezekiya, kuba abonisa ukuba kwakuza kuvela umkhosi ongaqhelekanga  owawuza kulwa nama-Asiriya uze uwoyise.

11. Isiprofeto sabalusi abasixhenxe neendwalutho ezisibhozo sasiza kuzaliseka nini ngokuyintloko?

¹¹ Isiprofeto esithetha ngabalusi abasixhenxe neendwalutho ezisibhozo (“neenkosi,” ngokutsho kweBhayibhile YesiXhosa) sasiza kuzaliseka ngokuyintloko emva kwexesha elide ezelwe uYesu, ‘umlawuli wakwaSirayeli, omvelaphi yakhe isusela kumaxesha angaphambili.’ (Funda uMika 5:1, 2.) Le nto yayiza kwenzeka xa kanye abakhonzi bakaYehova besongelwa ‘ngumAsiriya’ wale mihla. Yiyiphi imikhosi eza kusetyenziswa nguYehova nekhokelwa nguNyana wakhe olawulayo ngoku, ukulwa nolu tshaba loyikekayo? Makhe silinde, siza kubona. Kodwa masiqale sibone into esinokuyifunda koko kwenziwa nguHezekiya nxamnye nolu tshaba iAsiriya.

12. Yintoni eyenziwa nguHezekiya namadoda akhe ukuze akhusele abantu bakaThixo?

¹² UYehova usoloko ekulungele ukusinceda kwizinto ezingaphaya kwamandla ethu, kodwa ulindele ukuba nathi senze konke okusemandleni. UHezekiya wangqubanisa iintloko “neenkosana zakhe namadoda akhe anamandla,” bagqiba kwelokuba ‘bavingce imithombo yamanzi eyayingaphandle kwesixeko. Ngaphezu koko, uHezekiya waba nesibindi waza walwakha lonke udonga olwaludiliziwe waza waphakamisa iinqaba phezu kwalo, nangaphandle kolunye udonga, wenza imijukujelwa emininzi namakhaka.’ (2 Kron. 32:3-5) Ukuze akhusele aze aluse abantu bakhe ngelo xesha, uYehova wasebenzisa amadoda akhaliphileyo—uHezekiya, iinkosana zakhe nabaprofeti abanokholo.

13. Yiyiphi eyona nto ibalulekileyo eyenziwa nguHezekiya ukuze axhobise abantu? Cacisa.

¹³ Into eyenziwa nguHezekiya emva koko yayibaluleke ngakumbi kunokuvingca imithombo yamanzi nokwandisa iindonga. Ekubeni wayengumalusi oxhalabileyo, uHezekiya wahlanganisa abantu waza wabakhuthaza ngala mazwi: “Musani ukoyika okanye ninkwantye ngenxa kakumkani waseAsiriya . . . , kuba esinabo baninzi kakhulu kunabo bakunye naye. Abakunye naye yingalo yenyama, kodwa thina sinoYehova uThixo wethu ukuba asincede asilwele amadabi ethu.” Ukuva ukuba uYehova wayeza kubalwela, kwalomeleza gqitha ukholo lwabantu bakhe! AmaYuda atsho ‘axhathisa ngenxa yamazwi kaHezekiya ukumkani wakwaYuda.’ Phawula ukuba ‘ngamazwi kaHezekiya’ awabangela ukuba abantu babe nesibindi. Ekunye neenkosana namadoda anamandla, kuquka abaprofeti uMika noIsaya, baba ngabalusi bokwenene, kanye njengokuba wayetshilo kumprofeti wakhe.—2 Kron. 32:7, 8; funda uMika 5:5, 6.

14. Yintoni awayithethayo uRabheshake, ibe bathini abantu?

¹⁴ Ukumkani waseAsiriya wamisa iintente eLakishe, kumzantsi-ntshona weYerusalem. Ngoxa elapho, wathumela abathunywa abathathu, eyalela eso sixeko ukuba sinikezele. Isithethi sakhe, uRabheshake, wasebenzisa amaqhinga aliqela. Ethetha ngesiHebhere, waxelela abantu ukuba bamngcatshe uHezekiya baze bazithobe kwiAsiriya, ngoxa ebaxokisa esithi uza kubafudusela kwilizwe abaza kuphila tofotofo kulo. (Funda eyesi-2 yooKumkani 18:31, 32.) Emva koko uRabheshake wathi uYehova wayengayi kukwazi ukuwasindisa amaYuda esandleni sama-Asiriya, kanye njengokuba oothixo bezinye iintlanga bengazange bakwazi ukuzisindisa. Ngobulumko, abantu abazange bazikhathaze ngokuphendula obo buvuvu, into edla ngokwenziwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje.—Funda eyesi-2 yooKumkani 18:35, 36.

15. Yintoni ekwakufuneka bayenze abemi baseYerusalem, ibe wasisindisa njani uYehova eso sixeko?

¹⁵ UHezekiya wakhathazeka, ibe wayefanele, kodwa endaweni yokucela uncedo  kwezinye iintlanga, wabiza umprofeti uIsaya. UIsaya wathi kuHezekiya: “[USenaribhe] akayi kuza kwesi sixeko engayi kulutola utolo apho.” (2 Kum. 19:32) Ekuphela kwento ekwakufuneka yenziwe ngabemi baseYerusalem kukunganikezeli. UYehova wayeza kumlwela uYuda, ibe wamlwela! “Kwathi ngobo busuku ingelosi kaYehova yaphuma yaxabela ikhulu elinamashumi asibhozo anesihlanu lamawaka elalisenkampini yama-Asiriya.” (2 Kum. 19:35) UYuda akazange asindiswe kukuvingca kukaHezekiya imithombo yamanzi nokwenza luqilima kwakhe iindonga, kodwa wasindiswa nguYehova.

16. Ngoobani namhlanje abamelwa (a) ngabemi baseYerusalem (b) ‘ngumAsiriya’ (c) ngabalusi abasixhenxe neendwalutho ezisibhozo?

¹⁶ Esi siprofeto sabalusi abasixhenxe neendwalutho ezisibhozo sizaliseka ngokuyintloko namhlanje. Abemi beYerusalem yamandulo bahlaselwa yiAsiriya. Kungekudala, abakhonzi bakaYehova ababonakala bengakhuselekanga baza kuhlaselwa ‘ngumAsiriya’ wale mihla, ozimisele ukubacim’ igama. IZibhalo zithetha ngolo hlaselo ‘nolukaGogi welizwe lakwaMagogi,’ uhlaselo ‘lukakumkani wasemntla,’ kunye ‘nolookumkani bomhlaba.’ (Hez. 38:2, 10-13; Dan. 11:40, 44, 45; ISityhi. 17:14; 19:19) Ngaba kubhekiselwa kwizihlandlo ezahlukahlukeneyo zohlaselo? Kusenokungabi njalo. IBhayibhile isenokuthetha ngohlaselo olunye isebenzisa amagama ahlukahlukeneyo. Yiyiphi le nduku igushwe nguYehova isiprofeto sikaMika sibonisa ukuba uza kutywatyusha ngayo lo ‘mAsiriya’ uneengcwangu? Ngabantu obungasoze ulindele ukuba ibe ngabo—“abalusi abasixhenxe, ewe, iindwalutho ezisibhozo”! (Mika 5:5) Abalusi neendwalutho (okanye, “iinkosana,” ngokutsho kweBhayibhile YesiXhosa.) zalo mkhosi ngabadala bebandla. (1 Pet. 5:2) Namhlanje, uYehova uye wavelisa amadoda okwalusa izimvu zakhe ezixabisekileyo, ukuze omeleze abantu bakhe baxhobele ukuhlaselwa ‘ngumAsiriya’ wale mihla. * Isiprofeto sikaMika sithi “baya kulalusa ilizwe laseAsiriya ngekrele.” (Mika 5:6) Phakathi ‘kwezixhobo zabo zemfazwe,’ kukho “ikrele lomoya,” iLizwi likaThixo.—2 Kor. 10:4; Efe. 6:17.

17. Ziziphi izinto ezine abadala abanokuzifunda kweli nqaku?

¹⁷ Abadala abafunda eli nqaku banokufunda lukhulu kulo: (1) Banokufunda ukuba eyona nto simele siyenze ukuze sixhobele ukuhlaselwa ‘ngumAsiriya’ kukomeleza ukholo lwethu kuThixo size sincede abazalwana bethu benze okufanayo. (2) Xa ‘umAsiriya’ ehlasela, abadala bamele bangayithandabuzi nakancinane into yokuba uYehova uza kusihlangula. (3) Ngelo xesha, ulwalathiso esinokulufumana oluvela kwintlangano kaYehova nolunokusisindisa lusenokungabonakali lusengqiqweni kuthi. Sonke simele sikulungele ukuthobela naluphi na ulwalathiso esilufumanayo, enoba luvakala lungekho ngqiqweni kangakanani na kuthi. (4) Ngoku, lixesha lokuba nabani na othembele kwimfundo yeli hlabathi, kwizinto eziphathekayo, okanye kuyo nayiphi na intlangano yabantu, atshintshe indlela acinga ngayo. Abadala bamele bahlale bekulungele ukunceda nabani na ophelelwa lukholo.

18. Ukucamngca ngeli nqaku kuya kusinceda njani kwixa elizayo?

¹⁸ Liyeza ilixa apho abakhonzi bakaThixo bale mihla beya kubonakala besengxakini, kanye njengamaYuda awayevaleleke eYerusalem ngomhla kaHezekiya. Ngelo xesha, ngamana sonke anokusomeleza amazwi kaHezekiya. Masikhumbule ukuba iintshaba zethu zithembele ‘ngengalo yenyama kodwa thina sinoYehova uThixo wethu ukuba asincede asilwele amadabi ethu’!—2 Kron. 32:8.