IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila

Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaNehemiya

SEKUDLULE iminyaka engu-12 izenzakalo zokugcina ezisencwadini yeBhayibheli ka-Ezra zenzeka. Sesisondele manje isikhathi ‘sokuphuma kwezwi lokuba kubuyiselwe futhi kwakhiwe kabusha iJerusalema’—isenzakalo esisho ukuqala kwamasonto eminyaka angu-70 aholela kuMesiya. (Daniyeli 9:24-27) Incwadi kaNehemiya ikhuluma ngomlando wabantu bakaNkulunkulu ohlanganisa ukwakhiwa kabusha kwezindonga zaseJerusalema. Ihlanganisa inkathi ebaluleke kakhulu yeminyaka engaphezu kwengu-12, kusukela ngo-456 B.C.E. kuze kube cishe ngemva kuka-443 B.C.E.

Le ncwadi yabhalwa uMbusi uNehemiya futhi inomlando othakazelisayo wendlela ukukhulekela kweqiniso okuphumelela ngayo lapho abantu bezimisele futhi bencike ngokuphelele kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Ibonisa kahle kakhulu indlela uJehova aqondisa ngayo izinto ukuze kwenzeke intando yakhe. Ibuye ilandise ngomholi onamandla nonesibindi. Umyalezo osencwadini kaNehemiya unezifundo eziwusizo kubo bonke abakhulekeli beqiniso namuhla, “ngoba izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.”—Hebheru 4:12.

“EKUGCINENI UDONGA LWAPHELA”

(Nehemiya 1:1–6:19)

UNehemiya usenqabeni yaseShushani, futhi uyisikhonzi esiyisethenjwa seNkosi u-Aritahishashita Longimanus. UNehemiya ukhathazeka kakhulu lapho ezwa ukuthi abantu bakubo “basesimweni esibi kakhulu futhi basesihlambeni; nodonga lwaseJerusalema lubhidlikile, namasango alo imbala ashiswe ngomlilo.” Uthandaza kuNkulunkulu ngobuqotho acele isiqondiso. (Nehemiya 1:3, 4) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, inkosi iyaphawula ukuthi uNehemiya uhluneme, futhi lokho kumnika ithuba lokucela ukuya eJerusalema.

Esefikile eJerusalema, uNehemiya uhlola udonga ebusuku futhi wazisa amaJuda ngezinhlelo zakhe zokulwakha kabusha. Umsebenzi wokwakha uyaqala nokuphikiswa nako kuyaqala. Nokho, uNehemiya uqondisa umsebenzi ngesibindi, futhi ‘ekugcineni udonga luyaphela.’—Nehemiya 6:15.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

1:1; 2:1—Ingabe ‘unyaka wamashumi amabili’ okukhulunywa ngawo kula mavesi amabili ubhekisela esenzakalweni esifanayo? Yebo, lo nyaka wamashumi amabili owokubusa kweNkosi u-Aritahishashita. Nokho, indlela yokubala esetshenziswe kula mavesi ayifani. Ubufakazi obungokomlando buthi u-Aritahishashita wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi ngo-475 B.C.E. Ngenxa yokuthi ababhali baseBhabhiloni babeyibala ngendlela eyayivamile ngaleso sikhathi iminyaka yokubusa kwamakhosi asePheresiya, kusukela kuNisani (March/April) kuya komunye uNisani, unyaka wokuqala wokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita waqala ngoNisani 474 B.C.E. Ngakho, unyaka wamashumi amabili wokubusa oshiwo kuNehemiya 2:1 waqala ngoNisani 455 B.C.E. Kunengqondo ukuthi inyanga kaKhisilevi (November/December) eshiwo kuNehemiya 1:1 kwakunguKhisilevi wangonyaka ongaphambi kwalona—u-456 B.C.E. UNehemiya uthi naleyo nyanga iwela onyakeni wamashumi amabili  wokubusa kuka-Aritahishashita. Mhlawumbe kulokhu wayebala iminyaka kusukela ekuhlaleni kwenkosi esihlalweni sobukhosi. Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi uNehemiya wabala esebenzisa lokho amaJuda namuhla akubiza ngokuthi unyaka ongokomthetho oqala ngenyanga kaTishri, ephakathi kuka-September no-October. Kunoma ikuphi, izwi lokuba kwakhiwe kabusha iJerusalema laphuma ngo-455 B.C.E.

4:17, 18—Umsebenzi wokwakha kabusha udonga wawungenziwa kanjani ngesandla esisodwa? Lokhu kwakungeke kube inkinga kubathwali bemithwalo. Lapho nje imithwalo isisemakhanda noma emahlombe abo, babengakwazi ukuyisekela kalula ngesinye isandla bebe ‘bephethe imicibisholo ngesinye.’ Abakhi ababezidinga zombili izandla ukuze benze umsebenzi wabo “babebhincile, yilowo nalowo enenkemba yakhe okhalweni lwakhe, kuyilapho bakha.” Babekulungele ukulwa uma kwenzeka isitha sihlasela.

5:7—UNehemiya ‘wazisola’ ngamuphi umqondo ‘izicukuthwane nababusi abangamaphini’? La madoda ayebiza inzuzo eyeqile kubafowabo abangamaJuda, ephula uMthetho KaMose. (Levitikusi 25:36; Duteronomi 23:19) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ababolekisi babefuna nenzalo enkulu. Uma ifunwa nyanga zonke, “okwekhulu” kwakuyolingana namaphesenti angu-12 ngonyaka. (Nehemiya 5:11) Kwakuwunya ukwenza lokhu kubantu vele ababesindwa intela bentula nokudla. UNehemiya wabasola abantu abacebile ngomqondo wokuthi wasebenzisa uMthetho kaNkulunkulu lapho ebasola futhi ebakhuza, ngaleyo ndlela ebembulela izenzo zabo ezimbi.

6:5—Njengoba izincwadi eziyimfihlo zazivame ukufakwa esikhwameni esivalwe kahle, kungani uSanibhalati athumela kuNehemiya ‘incwadi evulekile’? Kungenzeka ukuthi uSanibhalati wayefuna izinto ezingamanga ezazibhalwe kule ncwadi zaziwe yibo bonke abantu. Mhlawumbe wayenethemba lokuthi kwakuzomthukuthelisa kakhulu lokho uNehemiya aze ashiye phansi umsebenzi wokwakha aqonde kuye ayozilwela. Noma kungenzeka ukuthi uSanibhalati wayecabanga ukuthi izinto ezazisencwadini zaziyowethusa kakhulu amaJuda aze awuyeke ngokuphelele umsebenzi wawo. UNehemiya akavumanga ukwesatshiswa futhi waqhubeka ngokuthula nomsebenzi ayewunikwe uNkulunkulu.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

1:4; 2:4; 4:4, 5. Lapho sibhekene nezimo ezinzima noma senza izinqumo ezibalulekile, kufanele ‘siphikelele emthandazweni’ futhi senze ngokwesiqondiso esingokwasezulwini.—Roma 12:12.

1:11–2:8; 4:4, 5, 15, 16; 6:16. UJehova uyayiphendula imithandazo eqotho yezinceku zakhe.—IHubo 86:6, 7.

1:4; 4:19, 20; 6:3, 15. Nakuba uNehemiya ayenesihawu, wabeka isibonelo esihle njengendoda engananazi ekumelela ngokuqinile ukulunga.

1:11–2:3. Ngokuyinhloko uNehemiya wayejatshuliswa ukuthuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso, hhayi ukwazi ukuthi unesikhundla esiphezulu njengomphathindebe. Akufanele yini nathi sikhathalele futhi sijatshuliswe ngokuyinhloko ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova nakho konke okukuthuthukisayo?

 2:4-8. UJehova wenza ukuba u-Aritahishashita anikeze uNehemiya imvume yokuhamba ayokwakha kabusha udonga lwaseJerusalema. IzAga 21:1 zithi: “Inhliziyo yenkosi injengemifudlana yamanzi esandleni sikaJehova. Uyiphendulela noma kuphi lapho ethanda khona.”

3:5, 27. Akufanele sicabange ukuthi imisebenzi yezandla ethuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso ayisifanele njengoba kwenza “abakhulu” baseThekhowa. Kunalokho, singabalingisa abantu baseThekhowa abavamile abazidela ngokuzithandela emsebenzini.

3:10, 23, 28-30. Nakuba abanye bekwazi ukuthutha bayokhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu khona yabamemezeli boMbuso, abaningi bethu basekela ukukhulekela kweqiniso besemakhaya. Singakwazi ukukwenza lokhu ngokusiza ekwakhiweni kwamaHholo OMbuso nangokusiza lapho kuvele khona izinhlekelele, kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi kufanele sishumayele ngoMbuso.

4:14. Lapho sibhekene nokuphikiswa, nathi singakwazi ukunqoba ukwesaba ngokumkhumbula njalo “[uJehova] omkhulu nowesabekayo.”

5:14-19. UMbusi uNehemiya uyisibonelo esihle kakhulu kubabonisi abangamaKristu ngokuqondene nokuthobeka, ukungabi nabugovu nokuqonda. Nakuba ayekushisekela ukulalelwa koMthetho kaNkulunkulu, akazange abe uzwilakhe ofuna ukuzizuzisa. Kunalokho, wayebakhathalela abacindezelwe nabampofu. UNehemiya wabekela zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuba nesandla esivulekile.

“O NKULUNKULU WAMI, NGIKHUMBULE KUBE KUHLE KIMI”

(Nehemiya 7:1–13:31)

Ngemva nje kokuqeda udonga lwaseJerusalema, uNehemiya ufaka amasango futhi wenza amalungiselelo okuvikela umuzi. Ube esebhala umlando wozalo lwabantu. Njengoba bonke abantu bebuthene “esigcawini esasiphambi kweSango Lamanzi,” u-Ezra umpristi ufunda incwadi yoMthetho KaMose bese uNehemiya namaLevi bewuchazela abantu lo Mthetho. (Nehemiya 8:1) Ngemva kokufunda ngoMkhosi Wamadokodo bayawugubha bejabule.

Kulandela omunye umbuthano lapho “inzalo ka-Israyeli” ivuma khona izono zesizwe sonke, amaLevi abukeze ukusebenzelana kukaNkulunkulu nama-Israyeli futhi abantu benze isifungo sokuthi ‘bazohamba emthethweni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ (Nehemiya 9:1, 2; 10:29) Njengoba iJerusalema lisenabantu abambalwa, kwenziwa inkatho ukuze umuntu oyedwa kwabayishumi abahlala ngaphandle komuzi eze azohlala eJerusalema. Kube sekunikezelwa udonga ngenjabulo kangangokuthi ‘ukujabula kweJerusalema kuzwakala kude.’ (Nehemiya 12:43) Ngemva kweminyaka engu-12 eseJerusalema, uNehemiya uyahamba abuyele emsebenzini wakhe wokuba isikhonzi sika-Aritahishashita. Masinya nje amaJuda aqala ukungcola. Ekubuyeleni kwakhe eJerusalema, uNehemiya uthatha isinyathelo esiwujuqu sokulungisa isimo. Uzenzela isicelo ngokuthobeka: “O Nkulunkulu wami, ngikhumbule kube kuhle kimi.”—Nehemiya 13:31.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

7:6-67—Kungani uhlu lukaNehemiya lwensali eyabuyela noZerubhabhele eJerusalema lungafani noluka-Ezra ngokwesibalo sabantu ngokwemikhaya yabo? (Ezra 2:1-65) Lokhu kungafani  kungenzeka kwenziwa ukuthi u-Ezra noNehemiya basebenzisa ukwaziswa okungafani. Ngokwesibonelo, isibalo sabantu ababhalisela ukubuyela eJerusalema kungenzeka sasingafani nesalabo abagcina bebuyele. Kungenzeka futhi ukuthi kunalokhu kungafani ngoba amaJuda athile ekuqaleni ayengazazi ukuthi angawaluphi uzalo, agcina etholile. Nokho, kokubili ukulandisa kuvumelana ngephuzu elilodwa: Abantu bokuqala ababuya babengu-42 360, uma izigqila nabahlabeleli bengabalwa.

10:34—Kungani kwakudingeka ukuba abantu balethe izinkuni? Iminikelo yezinkuni yayingekho eMthethweni KaMose. Imfuneko yayo yaba khona ngenxa yesidingo. Kwakudingeka izinkuni eziningi ukuze kushiswe iminikelo e-altare. Kusobala ukuthi ayengemaningi ngokwanele amaNethini ayekhonza ethempelini njengezigqila ezingewona ama-Israyeli. Ngakho, kwenziwa inkatho ukuze kuqinisekiswe ukuthi kuhlale kunezinkuni.

13:6—UNehemiya wahamba isikhathi esingakanani eJerusalema? IBhayibheli limane lithi “ngemva kwesikhathi esithile,” noma ngokwezwi nezwi “ekupheleni kwezinsuku,” uNehemiya wacela ukungabi khona emsebenzini ukuze abuyele eJerusalema. Ngakho akunakwenzeka ukuthola ukuthi wahamba isikhathi esingakanani. Nokho, lapho efika eJerusalema, uNehemiya wathola ukuthi abapristi babengasekelwa nomthetho weSabatha ungagcinwa. Abaningi babethathe abafazi bezinye izizwe futhi izingane zabo zingalukhulumi nolimi lwamaJuda. Kumelwe ukuba uNehemiya wayesehambe isikhathi eside uma izinto zase zonakele kangaka.

13:25, 28—Ngaphezu ‘kokusola’ amaJuda ayehlubuka, yiziphi ezinye izinyathelo zokuqondisa izigwegwe uNehemiya azithatha? UNehemiya ‘wawaqalekisa’ ngomqondo wokuthi wawaphindela izahlulelo ezitholakala eMthethweni kaNkulunkulu. ‘Washaya amanye awo,’ mhlawumbe ngokuyaleza ukuba ajeziswe. Ebonisa intukuthelo yakhe efanele, ‘wawahluthula izinwele.’ Waxosha nomzukulu womPristi Ophakeme u-Eliyashibi, owayeshade nendodakazi kaSanibhalati, umHoroni.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

8:8. Njengabafundisi beZwi likaNkulunkulu, ‘silicacisa’ ngokuphimisela kahle amagama, ngokugcizelela nangokuyichaza kahle imiBhalo, sibonise ngokucacile ukuthi isebenza kanjani.

8:10. Sithola “injabulo kaJehova” ngokuqaphela isidingo sethu esingokomoya, sisanelise futhi silandele iziqondiso ezingokwasezulwini. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba sitadishe iBhayibheli ngenkuthalo, sibe khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu futhi sihlanganyele ngentshiseko emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi!

11:2. Ukushiya kwabantu amafa bathuthele eJerusalema kwakuhilela izindleko nezinkinga ezithile. Labo abahamba ngokuzithandela babonisa umoya wokuzidela. Nathi singawubonisa lowo moya lapho kuvela amathuba okwenzela abanye izinto ezithile emihlanganweni emikhulu nakwezinye izimo.

12:31, 38, 40-42. Ukuhlabelela kuyindlela enhle yokudumisa nokubonga uJehova. Kufanele sihlabelele ngenhliziyo yonke emibuthanweni yethu yobuKristu.

13:4-31. Ekuphileni kwethu kumelwe sihlale siqaphile ukuba sigweme uthando lwezinto ezibonakalayo, ukonakala nokuhlubuka.

13:22. UNehemiya wayazi kahle ukuthi uyolandisa kuNkulunkulu. Nathi kudingeka sazi ukuthi siyolandisa kuJehova.

Kumelwe Sithole Isibusiso SikaJehova!

Umhubi wahlabelela: “Ngaphandle kokuba uJehova ngokwakhe eyakha indlu, akusizi ngalutho ukuthi abakhi bayo basebenzé kanzima kuyo.” (IHubo 127:1) Yeka ukuthi incwadi kaNehemiya ikubonisa kahle kanjani ukuba yiqiniso kwalawo mazwi!

Isifundo okufanele sihambe naso sisobala. Uma sifuna ukuphumelela kunoma yini esiyenzayo, kumelwe sithole isibusiso sikaJehova. Singamlindela ngempela yini uJehova ukuba asibusise sibe singabeki ukukhulekela kweqiniso kuqala ekuphileni kwethu? Ngakho-ke, masikukhathalele ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova nokuthuthukiswa kwako njengoba kwenza uNehemiya.

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

“Inhliziyo yenkosi injengemifudlana yamanzi esandleni sikaJehova”

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

UNehemiya—indoda engananazi futhi enesihawu—ufika eJerusalema

[Izithombe ekhasini 10, 11]

Uyakwazi yini ‘ukucacisa’ iZwi likaNkulunkulu?