1, 2. Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengawuxabisi umthetho, kodwa thina sinokuvakalelwa njani ngemithetho kaThixo?

 “UMTHETHO ngumhadi ongenasiphelo, uginya . . . yonke into.” La mazwi avela kwincwadi eyapapashwa emva phayaa ngowe-1712. Umbhali wayo wayekhalazela inkqubo yasemthethweni yokuxoxwa kwetyala elinye enkundleni yamatyala kangangeminyaka, bade baphelelwe yimali abo bafuna kwenziwe okusesikweni. Kumazwe amaninzi, iinkqubo zasemthethweni zokusingathwa kwamatyala zintsonkothile, zizaliswe kukungabikho kokusesikweni, umkhethe, yaye ziyatshintshatshintsha, nto leyo ebe ngunobangela wokudelelwa komthetho.

² Ngokwahlukileyo koko, khawuqwalasele la mazwi abhalwa malunga nama-2 700 eminyaka eyadlulayo: “Hayi indlela endiwuthanda ngayo umthetho wakho!” (INdumiso 119:97) Kwakutheni ukuze umdumisi abe nothando olunzulu ngolu hlobo? Kwakungenxa yokuba lo mthetho awuncomayo, asinguwo okarhulumente wasemhlabeni, kodwa ngokaYehova uThixo. Njengoko ufundisisa imithetho kaYehova, usenokuqalisa ukuvakalelwa ngakumbi nangakumbi njengomdumisi. Olo fundisiso luya kukwenza ube nengqiqo ngoyena mntu uwazi ngokubalaseleyo umthetho kwindalo iphela.

3, 4. UYehova uzingqine ngaziphi iindlela enguMniki-mthetho?

³ IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba: “Mnye ongumniki-mthetho nomgwebi.” (Yakobi 4:12) Eneneni, nguYehova kuphela onguMniki-mthetho wokwenyaniso. Kwanokuhamba kweenkwenkwezi kulawulwa ‘yimithetho yakhe yesibhakabhaka.’ (Yobhi 38:33, The New Jerusalem Bible) Ngokukwanjalo nenkitha yeengelosi ezingcwele zikaYehova ilawulwa ngumthetho wobuthixo, kuba zahlulahlulwe zaba ngamaqela ngamaqela yaye zikhonza ngokomyalelo kaYehova njengabalungiseleli bakhe.—INdumiso 104:4; Hebhere 1:7, 14.

⁴ Noluntu uYehova ulunike imithetho. Ngamnye wethu unesazela,  esisikhumbuza ngemvo kaYehova yokusesikweni. Njengokuba singumthetho ongaphakathi kuthi, isazela sinokusinceda ukuba sahlukanise okuhle kokubi. (Roma 2:14) Abazali bethu bokuqala babesikelelwe ngesazela esifezekileyo, ngoko babefuna imithetho nje embalwa. (Genesis 2:15-17) Noko ke, umntu ongafezekanga ufuna imithetho engakumbi yokumalathisa ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo. Oosolusapho abanjengoNowa, uAbraham noYakobi banikwa imithetho nguYehova uThixo baza bayidlulisela kwiintsapho zabo. (Genesis 6:22; 9:3-6; 18:19; 26:4, 5) UYehova wazingqina enguMniki-mthetho obalaseleyo xa wanika uhlanga lukaSirayeli uMthetho esebenzisa uMoses. Olo luhlu lwemithetho lusenza siyiqonde ngokunzulu indlela uYehova akugqala ngayo okusesikweni.

 5. Ngaba uMthetho kaMoses wawuludederhu lwemithetho eyindinisa nentsonkothileyo, yaye kutheni uphendula njalo nje?

⁵ Abaninzi bacinga ukuba uMthetho kaMoses wawuludederhu lwemithetho eyindinisa nentsonkothileyo. Ingcamango enjalo ayiyonyani nje kwaphela. Ingaphezu kwama-600 iyonke loo mithetho. Oko kusenokuvakala kulinani elikhulu, kodwa khawucinge nje ngoku: Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yama-20, imithetho yaseburhulumenteni yaseUnited States yazalisa amaphepha ali-150 000 eencwadi zasemthethweni. Rhoqo emva kweminyaka emibini kongezelelwa imithetho engakumbi enokuba ngama-600! Ngoko xa sithetha ngobuninzi, uMthetho kaMoses awuthathi nto kwintabalala yemithetho yabantu. Ukanti, uMthetho kaThixo wawalathisa amaSirayeli kwiinkalo zobomi ezingakhankanywa nakancinane kwimithetho yanamhlanje. Khawuqwalasele nje le mizekelo embalwa.

6, 7. (a) Yintoni eyayisahlula uMthetho kaMoses kulo naluphi na olunye uluhlu lwemithetho, yaye nguwuphi owona myalelo mkhulu waloo Mthetho? (b) AmaSirayeli ayenokukubonisa njani ukulwamkela kwawo ulongamo lukaYehova?

⁶ UMthetho wawubalaselisa ulongamo lukaYehova. Ngenxa yoko, uMthetho kaMoses ubalasele kunalo naluphi na olunye uluhlu lwemithetho. Owona mkhulu kule mithetho ngulo othi: “Phulaphula, Sirayeli: UYehova uThixo wethu nguYehova mnye. Uze umthande uYehova uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho  yonke nangomphefumlo wakho wonke nangamandla akho onke.” Abantu bakaThixo babeza kubonisa njani ukuba bayamthanda? Babemele bamkhonze, bazithobe kulongamo lwakhe.—Duteronomi 6:4, 5; 11:13.

⁷ MSirayeli ngamnye wayebonisa ukulwamkela kwakhe ulongamo lukaYehova ngokuthobela abo banikwe igunya phezu kwakhe. Abazali, iinkosana, abagwebi, ababingeleli nokumkani, bonke babemela igunya lobuthixo. UYehova wayekugqala nakuphi na ukuvukelwa kwabo banegunya njengokuvukela yena. Kwelinye icala, abo banegunya babezibizela ingqumbo kaYehova ukuba babebaphatha ngokungekho sikweni okanye ngenkohlakalo abantu bakhe. (Eksodus 20:12; 22:28; Duteronomi 1:16, 17; 17:8-20; 19:16, 17) Ngoko wonke nje umntu wayenembopheleleko yokubalaselisa ulongamo lukaThixo.

 8. UMthetho wawubalaselisa njani umlinganiselo kaYehova wobungcwele?

⁸ UMthetho wawuwubalaselisa umlinganiselo kaYehova wobungcwele. Igama elithi “ngcwele” nelithi “ubungcwele” avela ngaphezu kwezihlandlo ezingama-280 eMthethweni kaMoses. UMthetho wabanceda abantu bakaThixo ukuba bahlukanise phakathi kokuhlambulukileyo nokungahlambulukanga, phakathi kokusulungekileyo nokungasulungekanga, ukhankanya izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ezimalunga nama-70 ezazinokumenza umSirayeli angahlambuluki. Le mithetho yayikhankanya ucoceko lwasemzimbeni, ukutya, kwanokugqunyelelwa kwelindle. Loo mithetho yayineengenelo ezingathethekiyo empilweni. a Kodwa yayinikelwe ngenjongo ebalasele ngakumbi—yokugcina abantu bekholekile kuYehova, bahlukanisiwe kuqheliselo lwesono lweentlanga ezingendawo ezazibajikelezile. Khawuqwalasele nje umzekelo woku.

9, 10. Umnqophiso woMthetho wawuquka yiphi imimiselo ngokuphathelele iintlobano zesini nokuzalwa kwabantwana, yaye ziziphi iingenelo eyayinazo loo mithetho?

⁹ Umnqophiso woMthetho wamisela ukuba iintlobano zesini  nokuzala umntwana—kwanaphakathi kwabantu abatshatileyo—kwakumenza ubani angahlambuluki okwethutyana. (Levitikus 12:2-4; 15:16-18) Loo mimiselo ayizange izisingele phantsi ezi zipho zihlambulukileyo zikaThixo. (Genesis 1:28; 2:18-25) Kunoko, loo mithetho yayibalaselisa ubungcwele bukaYehova, igcina abanquli bakhe ukuze bangangcoliseki. Kuphawuleka ukuba iintlanga ezazijikeleze uSirayeli zazityekele ekunxulumaniseni unqulo kunye nesini nezithethe zenzala. Unqulo lwamaKanan lwaluquka ukuhenyuza kwamadoda namabhinqa. Oku kwaphumela ekuziphatheni okulihlazo kwaza kwasasazeka. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uMthetho walwenza unqulo lukaYehova lwahluka ngokupheleleyo kuhlobo olunjalo lokuziphatha ngokwesini. b Kwakukho nezinye iingenelo.

¹⁰ Loo mithetho yayifundisa inyaniso ebalulekileyo. c Ngapha koko, isono sika-Adam sidluliselwa njani ukusuka kwesinye isizukulwana ukusa kwesinye? Ngaba akukho ngeentlobano zesini nokuzalwa kwabantwana? (Roma 5:12) Ewe, uMthetho kaThixo wawubakhumbuza abantu bakhe ngokuba isono siyinto yokwenene. Eneneni, sonke sizalelwe esonweni. (INdumiso 51:5) Sifuna ukuxolelwa ndawonye nentlawulelo ukuze sikwazi ukusondela kuThixo wethu ongcwele.

11, 12. (a) UMthetho wawubalaselisa wuphi umgaqo obalulekileyo wokusesikweni? (b) UMthetho wawukuthintela njani ukugqwethwa kokusesikweni?

¹¹ UMthetho wawubalaselisa ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova ngokugqibeleleyo. UMthetho kaMoses wawubalaselisa ukubonakaliswa kokusesikweni ngokulinganayo, okanye ngolungelelwano. Ngenxa yoko, uMthetho wathi: “Umphefumlo wobuyiselwa ngomphefumlo, iliso ngeliso, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.” (Duteronomi 19:21) Kwiimeko zokwaphulwa  komthetho, isohlwayo sasifanele sinikelwe ngokuvisisana nolwaphulo-mthetho olo. Le nkalo yokuba sesikweni kobuthixo yayibalaseliswa kuwo wonke uMthetho yaye nanamhlanje kubalulekile ukwazi oku ukuze siliqonde idini lentlawulelo likaKristu Yesu, njengoko iSahluko 14 siza kubonisa.—1 Timoti 2:5, 6.

¹² Kwakhona uMthetho wawuthintela ukugqwethwa kokusesikweni. Ngokomzekelo, ubuncinane kwakufanele kubekho amangqina amabini ukuze kuqinisekiswe ubunyaniso besimangalo. Isohlwayo sokunikela ubungqina bobuxoki sasiqatha. (Duteronomi 19:15, 18, 19) Ubuqhetseba nokunyoba nako kwakwalelwe ngokungqongqo. (Eksodus 23:8; Duteronomi 27:25) Kwanakwezoshishino, abantu bakaThixo babefanele bagcine umlinganiselo ophakamileyo kaYehova wokusesikweni. (Levitikus 19:35, 36; Duteronomi 23:19, 20) Loo mithetho ebalaseleyo nengenamkhethe yayiyintsikelelo enkulu kuSirayeli!

13, 14. UMthetho wawukukhuthaza njani ukuphathwa ngokungenamkhethe kwesela kunye nexhoba?

¹³ Ngaba uMthetho kaMoses wawululudwe lwemithetho engqongqo nebonakalisa ukungabi nanceba? Ngokuqinisekileyo akunjalo! UKumkani uDavide waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale athi: “Umthetho kaYehova ugqibelele.” (INdumiso 19:7) Njengoko wayesazi kakuhle, uMthetho wawukhuthaza ukuphathana ngenceba nangokungenamkhethe. Wakwenza njani oko?

¹⁴ Kumazwe athile namhlanje, umthetho ubonakala uyekelela ngakumbi yaye uxhasa izaphuli-mthetho kunokuba uzixhalabise ngabo bangamaxhoba. Ngokomzekelo, amasela asenokuchitha ixesha elithile entolongweni. Kanti abo bangamaxhoba basenokuba abakazibuyiselwa izinto zabo, ukanti bafanele bahlawule irhafu yokwakhela ezo zaphuli-mthetho indawo yokuhlala neyokuzondla. KuSirayeli wamandulo, zazingekho iintolongo ezinjengezi zanamhlanje. Kwakukho imiqathango engqongqo ngokuphathelele indlela yokunikela isohlwayo. (Duteronomi 25:1-3) Isela lalimele lizibuyisele kulowo ulixhoba ezo zinto zibiweyo. Ukongezelela, isela lalifanele likhuphe intlawulo engakumbi. Yayisiba ngakanani? Yayisahlukahluka. Kubonakala ukuba, abagwebi  babevunyelwa ukuba bahlole iinkalo eziliqela, njengokuguquka komoni. Oko kwenza sicace isizathu sokuba imbuyekezo eyayifuneka kwisela ngokweLevitikus 6:1-7 incinane kakhulu kunaleyo ichazwe kwiEksodus 22:7.

15. UMthetho wawukuqinisekisa njani ukubonakaliswa kwenceba nokusesikweni kwimeko yalowo ubulele umntu ngengozi?

¹⁵ Ngenceba uMthetho wawuvuma ukuba asibubo bonke ububi obenziwa ngabom. Ngokomzekelo, xa umntu ebulele umntu ngengozi, kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba abuyisele umphefumlo ngomphefumlo ukuba wayethabatha inyathelo elifanelekileyo lokusabela kwesinye sezixeko zokusabela ezazikho kulo lonke elakwaSirayeli. Emva kokuba abagwebi kweso sixeko belihlolisisile ityala lakhe, wayemele ahlale apho de kufe umbingeleli omkhulu. Ngoko wayekhululeka ukuba angahlala naphi na athanda khona. Ngaloo ndlela wayengenelwa kwinceba yobuthixo. Kwangaxeshanye, lo mthetho wawubalaselisa ukuxabiseka kobomi bomntu.—Numeri 15:30, 31; 35:12-25.

16. UMthetho wawuwakhusela njani amalungelo athile obuqu?

¹⁶ UMthetho wawuwakhusela amalungelo obuqu. Khawucingisise ngendlela owawubakhusela ngayo abo babenamatyala. UMthetho wawukwalela ukungena kukabani ekhayeni lalowo umtyalayo aze athimbe impahla yakhe njengesibambiso soko amtyala kona. Kunoko, lowo utyalwayo wayemele alinde ngaphandle aze avumele lowo umtyalayo ukuba amzisele ngokwakhe impahla ethile yakhe njengesibambiso. Ngaloo ndlela indlu yomntu yayingaphangwa. Ukuba lowo utyalwayo wayethabatha isambatho sangaphandle salowo umtyalayo njengesibambiso, wayemele asibuyisele ngokuhlwa, kuba hleze kuthi kanti lowo umtyalayo uyasifuna ukuze ahlale efudumele ebusuku.—Duteronomi 24:10-14.

17, 18. Kwimibandela ebandakanya imfazwe, amaSirayeli ayehluke njani kwezinye iintlanga, yaye ngoba?

¹⁷ UMthetho wawusalathisa kwanokuliwa kweemfazwe. Abantu bakaThixo babemele balwe imfazwe, kungekhona ngenjongo yokubonisa ukomelela okanye ukoyisa kwabo, kodwa babesilwa njengabameli bakaThixo ‘kwiiMfazwe zikaYehova.’ (Numeri 21:14) Kwiimeko ezininzi, amaSirayeli ayemele azame ukunikela kwabo boyisiweyo iindlela zokunikezela kuqala. Ukuba eso sixeko asizamkeli ezo ndlela, ngoko uSirayeli wayenokusingqinga—kodwa  ngokwemithetho kaThixo. Ngokungafaniyo namajoni amaninzi embalini, amadoda omkhosi kaSirayeli ayengavumelekanga ukuba adlwengule amabhinqa okanye abulale ngokungeyomfuneko. Ayemele ayihlonele imeko-bume yendawo leyo, angayigawuli imithi yeziqhamo yeentshaba zawo. d Eminye imikhosi yayingenayo imithetho enjalo.—Duteronomi 20:10-15, 19, 20; 21:10-13.

¹⁸ Ngaba iyakucaphukisa into yokuva ukuba kwamanye amazwe abantwana baqeqeshelwa ukuba ngamajoni? KuSirayeli wamandulo, akakho umntu ongaphantsi kwama-20 eminyaka ubudala owayefakwa emkhosini. (Numeri 1:2, 3) Kwanendoda eliqina yayingafakwa ukuba yayisoyika kakhulu. Indoda esandul’ ukutshata yayingafakwa unyaka wonke ukuze ibone ukuzalwa kwendlalifa yayo ngaphambi kokunikela inkonzo eyingozi ngolo hlobo. UMthetho uchaza ukuba, ngale ndlela umyeni oselula wayeza kukwazi ‘ukuvuyisa’ umfazi wakhe omtsha.—Duteronomi 20:5, 6, 8; 24:5.

19. UMthetho wawuwanyamekela njani amabhinqa, abantwana, iintsapho, abahlolokazi neenkedama?

¹⁹ Kwakhona uMthetho wawuwakhusela yaye uwanyamekela amabhinqa, abantwana neentsapho. Wawuyalela abazali ukuba ngokuthe rhoqo banikele ingqalelo nemiyalelo yezinto zokomoya ebantwaneni babo. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Wawusalela zonke iintlobo zombulo, ngokuthi uwise isigwebo sokufa. (Levitikus, isahluko 18) Wawusalela kwanokukrexeza, okuthi ngokufuthi kuqhekeze iintsapho kuze kutshabalalise unqabiseko nesidima sazo. UMthetho wawubanyamekela abahlolokazi neenkedama yaye wawukwalela ngokungqongqo ukuphathwa kwazo kakubi.—Eksodus 20:14; 22:22-24.

20, 21. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uMthetho kaMoses usivumele isithembu phakathi kwamaSirayeli? (b) Ngokuphathelele uqhawulo-mtshato, kutheni uMthetho wawusahluka nje kummiselo uYesu awawuhlaziyayo kamva?

²⁰ Noko ke, kule nkalo abanye basenokubuza bathi, ‘Kwakutheni  ukuze uMthetho uvumele isithembu?’ (Duteronomi 21:15-17) Sifanele siyigqale imithetho enjalo ngokuvumelana naloo maxesha. Abo bawugqala uMthetho kaMoses ngokwembono yamaxesha nezithethe zanamhlanje ngokuqinisekileyo abayi kuwuqonda. (IMizekeliso 18:13) Ummiselo kaYehova, awawumisela emva phayaa e-Eden, wawukukuba umtshato ube lumanyano oluhlala luhleli phakathi kwendoda enye nomfazi omnye. (Genesis 2:18, 20-24) Noko ke, ngexesha lokunikela kukaYehova uMthetho kuSirayeli, uqheliselo olunjegesithembu lwalusele lwendele kangangeenkulungwane. UYehova wayesazi kakuhle ukuba ‘isizwana sakhe esintamo-lukhuni’ sasiza kuyaphula ngokufuthi kwaneyona miyalelo isisiseko, njengaleyo yayisalela unqulo-zithixo. (Eksodus 32:9) Ngoko, ngobulumko akazange alikhethe ixesha labo njengexesha lokuhlaziya lonke uqheliselo lwabo lomtshato. Noko ke, khumbula ukuba uYehova akazange amisele isithembu. Kodwa, wasebenzisa uMthetho kaMoses ukulawula inkqubo yesithembu phakathi kwabantu bakhe nokuthintela ukusetyenziswa kakubi kolo qheliselo.

²¹ Ngoko, uMthetho kaMoses wawuyivumela indoda ukuba iqhawule umtshato nomfazi wayo ngezizathu eziliqela ezivakalayo. (Duteronomi 24:1-4) UYesu wathi uThixo wakuvumela oku kubantu bakwaYuda “ngenxa yobulukhuni beentliziyo [zabo].” Kodwa wakuvumela oko okwethutyana. Kubalandeli bakhe, uYesu wawuhlaziya ummiselo kaYehova wantlandlolo womtshato.—Mateyu 19:8.

22. UMthetho kaMoses wakukhuthaza ngaziphi iindlela ukuboniswa kothando, yaye koobani?

²² Ngaba unokuyithelekelela inkqubo yasemthethweni yanamhlanje ekhuthaza uthando? UMthetho kaMoses wawukhuthaza uthando ngaphezu kwayo yonke enye into. Kaloku, encwadini yeDuteronomi nje kuphela, igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “uthando” livela ngokwahlukahlukeneyo ngaphezu kwezihlandlo ezingama-20. Umyalelo wesibini omkhulu kuwo wonke uMthetho wawusithi: “Uze ulithande idlelane lakho njengawe siqu.” (Levitikus 19:18; Mateyu 22:37-40) Abantu bakaThixo babemele bangalubonakalisi olo thando kuphela nje omnye komnye,  kodwa kwanakubaphambukeli abaphakathi kwabo, bakhumbule ukuba amaSirayeli nawo ayekhe aba ngabaphambukeli. Babefanele babonise uthando kumahlwempu nakwabaxhwalekileyo, babancede ngezinto eziphathekayo yaye bangabaxhaphazi. Bade bayalelwa nokuba baziphathe ngobubele nangolwazelelelo izilwanyana zokuthwala imithwalo.—Eksodus 23:6; Levitikus 19:14, 33, 34; Duteronomi 22:4, 10; 24:17, 18.

23. Yintoni awashukunyiselwa ukuba ayenze umbhali weNdumiso 119, yaye yintoni thina esisenokwenza isigqibo sokuyenza?

²³ Luluphi olunye uhlanga oluye lwasikelelwa ngoluhlu olunjalo lwemithetho? Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba umdumisi wabhala wathi: “Hayi indlela endiwuthanda ngayo umthetho wakho!” Noko ke, uthando lwakhe lwalungeyomvakalelo nje kuphela. Lwamshukumisela esenzweni, kuba wazabalazela ukuwuthobela loo mthetho nokuphila ngokuvisisana nawo. Ukongezelela, waqhubeka wathi: “Imini le yonke ndiwuxhalabele [umthetho wakho].” (INdumiso 119:11, 97) Ewe, wayechitha ixesha rhoqo efundisisa imithetho kaYehova. Alithandabuzeki elokuba njengoko wayesenjenjalo, uthando lwakhe ngayo lwakhula. Kwangaxeshanye, uthando lwakhe ngoMniki-mthetho, uYehova uThixo, lwakhula nalo. Njengoko uqhubeka ufundisisa umthetho wobuthixo, ngamana nawe ungasondela ngakumbi kuYehova, uMniki-mthetho Omkhulu noThixo wokusesikweni.