Imibuzo Evela Kubafundi

Kungani eyoku-1 Korinte 10:8 ithi kwawa ama-Israyeli angu-23 000 ngosuku olulodwa ngenxa yokufeba, kanti uNumeri 25:9 yena uthi kwawa angu-24 000?

Kunezizathu eziningana zokuthi kungani engafani la manani akula mavesi amabili. Isizathu esizwakala kalula kunazo zonke singaba ukuthi inani langempela liphakathi kuka-23 000 no-24 000, okwenza ukuba likwazi ukuncishiswa noma landiswe ukuze libe inani eliphelele.

Cabangela okunye okungaba isizathu. Ukuze awanikeze isibonelo esiyisixwayiso amaKristu aseKorinte yamandulo, umuzi owawudume ngokuziphatha okuxekethile, umphostoli uPawulu wacaphuna umlando wama-Israyeli eShithimi. Wabhala: “Futhi masingafebi, njengoba abanye kubo bafeba, kwamane kwaphumela ekuweni kwabo, abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nantathu kubo ngosuku olulodwa.” Ebala labo ababulawa nguJehova nje kuphela ngenxa yokufeba, uPawulu wathi babengu-23 000.—1 Korinte 10:8.

Nokho, incwadi kaNumeri isahluko 25 isitshela ukuthi “u-Israyeli wazihlanganisa noBhali wasePheyori; intukuthelo kaJehova yaqala ukumvuthela u-Israyeli.” Khona-ke, uJehova wayala uMose ukuba abulale “bonke abayizinhloko zabantu.” UMose yena wayala abahluleli ukuba benze lowo myalo. Ekugcineni, “isishayo sanqamuka” lapho uFinehasi ethatha isinyathelo ngokushesha, ebulala umIsrayeli owayeze nowesifazane wakwaMidiyani ekamu. Lokhu kulandisa kuphetha ngokuthi: “Abafa kulesi sishayo baba yizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nane.”—Numeri 25:1-9.

Kusobala ukuthi inani elisencwadini kaNumeri lihlanganisa nalabo “abayizinhloko zabantu” ababulawa abahluleli kanye nalabo ababulawa nguJehova ngokwakhe. Kungenzeka ukuthi abantu ababulawa abahluleli kulabo abayizinhloko babeyinkulungwane, okwenza inani libe ngu-24 000. Laba abayizinhloko, noma obhongoza, babenecala ‘lokuzihlanganisa noBhali wasePheyori’ kungakhathaliseki ukuthi bona ngokwabo bafeba, baba nengxenye emikhosini, noma bavumela labo ababenza loko.

Ngokuqondene negama elithi ‘ukuzihlanganisa,’ enye incwadi ephathelene neBhayibheli ithi lingasho “ukuzibophezela komuntu komunye umuntu.” Ama-Israyeli ayengabantu abazinikezele kuJehova, kodwa lapho ‘ezihlanganisa noBhali wasePheyori,’ anqamula ubuhlobo bawo noNkulunkulu, lowo ayezinikezele kuye. Esebenzisa umprofethi uHoseya eminyakeni engaba ngu-700 kamuva, uJehova wathi kuma-Israyeli: “Bona bangena kuBhali wasePheyori, bazinikezela entweni eyihlazo, futhi baba ngabanengekayo njengayo le nto abayithandayo.” (Hoseya 9:10) Bonke labo ábenza loko babekufanelekela ukuthola isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu esinzima. Ngakho, uMose wakhumbuza abantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Amehlo enu yiwo akubona lokho uJehova akwenza endabeni kaBhali wasePheyori, ukuthi bonke abantu abalandela uBhali wasePheyori yibo uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ababhuqa phakathi kwakho.”—Duteronomi 4:3.