UBharuki—Unobhala KaJeremiya Othembekile

INGABE uyamazi “uBharuki indodana kaNeriya”? (Jeremiya 36:4) Nakuba kukhulunywa ngaye ezahlukweni ezine kuphela eBhayibhelini, abafundi beBhayibheli bamazi kahle njengonobhala nomngane oseduze kaJeremiya umprofethi. Bendawonye babhekana neziyaluyalu iminyaka engu-18 embusweni wakwaJuda, ukubhujiswa kabuhlungu kweJerusalema libhujiswa abaseBhabhiloni ngo-607 B.C.E. nokuthunjelwa eGibhithe kamuva.

Eminyakeni yamuva ukuvubukulwa kwama-bulla * amabili angekhulu lesikhombisa B.C.E. anombhalo “kaBerekhyahu [igama likaBharuki ngesiHebheru], indodana kaNeriyahu [igama likaNeriya ngesiHebheru], uMbhali,” kuye kwavusa isithakazelo sezazi ngalo muntu waseBhayibhelini. Wayengubani uBharuki? Wayevela kumuphi umkhaya, efunde kangakanani futhi enasiphi isikhundla? Kwembulani ukuhlala kwakhe eqotho kuJeremiya? Yini esingayifunda kuye? Ake sifune izimpendulo ngokubheka ukwaziswa okuseBhayibhelini nokungokomlando okukhona.

Isizinda Nesikhundla Sakhe

Namuhla izazi eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi uBharuki wayevela emkhayeni wababhali odumile kwaJuda. Zinezizathu eziningana ezizenza zifinyelele kulesi siphetho. Ngokwesibonelo, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kubiza uBharuki ngesiqu esikhethekile esithi, “unobhala,” noma “umbhali” kwezinye izinguqulo. ImiBhalo ibuye ithi uSeraya, umfowabo, wayeyisikhulu esivelele egcekeni leNkosi uZedekiya.—Jeremiya 36:32; 51:59.

Maqondana nababhali bosuku lukaJeremiya, umvubukuli uPhilip J. King uyabhala: “Ababhali, amalungu esigaba esiphakeme, babevelele kwaJuda ekupheleni kwekhulu lesikhombisa nasekuqaleni kwekhulu lesithupha B.C.E. . . . Lesi siqu sasisetshenziswa ezikhulwini zasebukhosini.”

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulandisa okusencwadini kaJeremiya isahluko 36, esizokucabangela ngokuningiliziwe, kubonisa ukuthi uBharuki wayenelungelo lokuxoxa nabeluleki benkosi futhi wayevunyelwe ukusebenzisa indlu yokudlela, noma igumbi lesigungu likaGemariya, lenkosi noma lesikhulu. Isazi seBhayibheli uJames Muilenberg sithi: “UBharuki wayengangena egumbini lesigungu sababhali ngoba wayenelungelo lokungena kulo futhi kwayena wayengesinye sezikhulu zasebukhosini ezahlangana ngesikhathi esibalulekile ngenkathi umqulu ufundelwa umphakathi. Wayengesinye salezo zikhulu.”

Incwadi i-Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals inikeza obunye ubufakazi ngesikhundla sikaBharuki: “Njengoba i-bulla kaBerekhyahu yatholakala ikanye neqoqo elikhulu lama-bulla ezinye izikhulu, kunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi uBharuki/uBerekhyahu wayenesikhundla esifanayo nezinye izikhulu ezazisebenza lapho.” Ukwaziswa okutholakalayo kubonisa ukuthi uBharuki nomfowabo uSeraya babeyizikhulu eziphakeme ezasekela umprofethi othembekile uJeremiya phakathi neminyaka enezigigaba ngaphambi kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema.

Ukusekela Kwakhe UJeremiya Obala

Ngokohlelo lwezikhathi, incwadi kaJeremiya isahluko 36 iqala ukukhuluma ngoBharuki  “ngonyaka wesine kaJehoyakimi,” noma cishe ngo-625 B.C.E. UJeremiya wayeseneminyaka engu-23 engumprofethi.—Jeremiya 25:1-3; 36:1, 4.

Ngaleso sikhathi uJehova watshela uJeremiya: “Zithathele umqulu wencwadi, ulobe kuwo wonke la mazwi engiwakhulumile kuwe ngokumelene no-Israyeli noJuda nangokumelene nazo zonke izizwe, . . . kusukela ezinsukwini zikaJosiya, kuze kube yilolu suku.” Ukulandisa kuyaqhubeka: “UJeremiya wabiza uBharuki indodana kaNeriya ukuze uBharuki alobe emqulwini wencwadi wonke amazwi kaJehova ewathatha emlonyeni kaJeremiya.”—Jeremiya 36:2-4.

Kungani kwabizwa uBharuki? UJeremiya wamtshela: “Ngivalelwe. Angikwazi ukungena endlini kaJehova.” (Jeremiya 36:5) Kusobala ukuthi uJeremiya wayengavunyelwe ukungena ethempelini lapho kwakufanele kufundwe khona umyalezo kaJehova, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi imiyalezo yokuqala yayithukuthelise izikhulu. (Jeremiya 26:1-9) Akungabazeki ukuthi uBharuki wayengumkhulekeli kaJehova oqotho, futhi “wenza ngokuvumelana nakho konke uJeremiya umprofethi ayemyalé ngakho.”—Jeremiya 36:8.

Kwathatha isikhathi eside ukubhala izixwayiso ezazishiwo phakathi neminyaka engu-23 edlule, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi noJeremiya wayelinde isikhathi esifanelekayo. Kodwa ngo-November noma ngo-December 624 B.C.E., ngesibindi uBharuki “waqala ukufunda ngokuzwakalayo encwadini amazwi kaJeremiya endlini kaJehova, ekamelweni lokudlela likaGemariya . . . , ezindlebeni zabo bonke abantu.”—Jeremiya 36:8-10.

UMikhaya indodana kaGemariya watshela uyise nezikhulu eziningana lokho okwakwenzekile, futhi zabiza uBharuki ukuba azowufunda okwesibili umqulu. Ukulandisa kuthi: “Kwathi ngokushesha nje lapho ziwezwa wonke la mazwi, zabhekana zinengebhe; zathi kuBharuki: ‘Nakanjani sizoyitshela inkosi wonke la mazwi. . . . Hamba, uzifihle, wena noJeremiya, kungabikho muntu noyedwa owaziyo ukuthi nikuphi.’”—Jeremiya 36:11-19.

Lapho iNkosi uJehoyakimi izwa lokho okwakulotshwe uBharuki ekutshelwe uJeremiya, yathukuthela yawudabula umqulu, yawuphonsa emlilweni, futhi yayala amadoda ukuba abophe uJeremiya noBharuki. Njengoba ayeyalwe nguJehova, la madoda amabili enza omunye umqulu ofana ncamashi nowokuqala ngesikhathi ecashile.—Jeremiya 36:21-32.

Akungabazeki ukuthi uBharuki wayeziqonda izingozi ezazihilelekile kulesi sabelo. Kumelwe ukuba wayekwazi ukusongelwa kukaJeremiya eminyakeni embalwa ngaphambili. Kungenzeka nokuthi wezwa ngalokho okwenzeka ku-Uriya, owayeprofethe “ngokuvumelana nawo wonke amazwi kaJeremiya” kodwa owabulawa iNkosi uJehoyakimi. Noma kunjalo, uBharuki wayezimisele ukusebenzisa amakhono ayewafundile nobungane ayenabo nezikhulu zikahulumeni ukuze asekele uJeremiya kulesi sabelo.—Jeremiya 26:1-9, 20-24.

Ungazifuneli “Izinto Ezinkulu”

Ngesikhathi ebhala umqulu wokuqala, uBharuki wacindezeleka. Wathi: “Maye, manje, kimi, ngoba uJehova unezele usizi ebuhlungwini bami! Ngidiniwe ngenxa yokububula kwami, futhi angitholanga ndawo yokuphumula.” Lwalubangelwa yini lolu sizi?—Jeremiya 45:1-3.

Ayikho impendulo eqondile enikezwayo. Kodwa zama ukusibona ngeso lengqondo isimo sikaBharuki. Ukulandisa ngezixwayiso ezazineminyaka engu-23 kubantu bakwa-Israyeli nabakwaJuda kumelwe ukuba kwenza kwaba sobala ukuthi babemhlubukile futhi bemlahlile uJehova. Ukunquma kukaJehova ukubhubhisa iJerusalema noJuda kanye nokudingisela lesi sizwe eBhabhiloni iminyaka engu-70—ukwaziswa uJehova akwembula ngawo lowo nyaka futhi okungenzeka kwakukhona emqulwini—kumelwe ukuba kwamethusa uBharuki. (Jeremiya 25:1-11) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakunengozi yokuthi uma engasekela uJeremiya ngobuqotho ngalesi sikhathi esibucayi wayengalahlekelwa isikhundla nomsebenzi wakhe.

Kunoma ikuphi, uJehova uqobo wangenela ukuze asize uBharuki ahlale ekhumbula isahlulelo esasizofika ngokushesha. UJehova  wathi: “Engikwakhile ngiyakudiliza, engikutshalile ngiyakusiphula, ngisho nalo lonke izwe ngokwalo.” Wabe eseluleka uBharuki: “Kodwa wena, uqhubeka uzifunela izinto ezinkulu. Musa ukuqhubeka uzifuna.”—Jeremiya 45:4, 5.

UJehova akashongo ngokuqondile ukuthi zaziyini lezi “zinto ezinkulu,” kodwa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zaziyizifiso zobugovu, udumo, noma ukuchuma ngezinto ezibonakalayo kumelwe ukuba uBharuki waqonda ukuthi zaziyini. UJehova wamyala ukuba abheke izinto ngombono ofanele futhi akhumbule okwakuzokwenzeka: “Bheka ngiletha inhlekelele phezu kwayo yonke inyama, . . . futhi ngiyokunika umphefumulo wakho ukuba ube yimpango yakho kuzo zonke izindawo ongase uye kuzo.” Ukuphila kukaBharuki kwakuwukuphela kwento eyigugu eyayizosinda nomaphi lapho ayengase aye khona.—Jeremiya 45:5.

Ngemva kwalezi zenzakalo ezichazwa encwadini kaJeremiya isahluko 36 no-45, ezenzeka kusukela ngo-625 kuya ngo-624 B.C.E., iBhayibheli alisho lutho ngoBharuki kuze kube sezinyangeni ezithile ngaphambi kokuba abaseBhabhiloni babhubhise iJerusalema noJuda ngo-607 B.C.E. Kwabe sekwenzekani?

UBharuki Uyaphinda Usekela UJeremiya

Ngenkathi abaseBhabhiloni bevimbezela iJerusalema, iBhayibheli liphinde likhulume ngoBharuki. UJeremiya “wayebanjiwe eseGcekeni Labaqaphi” ngesikhathi uJehova emtshela ukuba athenge insimu yendodana yomfowabo kayise ese-Anathoti njengophawu lokuthi abantu babeyobuyela ezweni labo. Kwabizwa uBharuki ukuba azosiza ngezomthetho.—Jeremiya 32:1, 2, 6, 7.

UJeremiya wachaza: “Ngaloba itayitela nganamathisela uphawu futhi ngathatha ofakazi njengoba ngangikala imali esikalini. Ngemva kwalokho ngalithatha itayitela lokuthenga, elalibekwe uphawu . . . kanye nalelo elalishiywe livulekile; khona-ke itayitela lokuthenga ngalinikeza uBharuki.” Wabe eseyala uBharuki ukuba afake la matayitela okuthenga esitsheni sobumba ukuze alondeke. Ezinye izazi zikholelwa ukuthi lapho uJeremiya ethi ‘waloba’ itayitela, usho ukuthi wabizela uBharuki, umbhali  oyingcweti, okunguye owayezobhala.—Jeremiya 32:10-14; 36:4, 17, 18; 45:1.

UBharuki noJeremiya benza ngokwemithetho yangaleso sikhathi. Omunye wayo kwakungowamatayitela amabili. Incwadi ethi Corpus of West Semitic Stamp Seals iyachaza: “Itayitela lokuqala lalibizwa ngokuthi ‘itayitela elivaliwe’ ngoba lalisongwa bese livalwa nge-bulla eyodwa noma amaningi; laliba nombhalo wokuqala wesivumelwano. . . . Elesibili, ‘itayitela elivuliwe’ laliyikhophi yelivaliwe elingokomthetho, futhi laliklanyelwe ukuba lifundwe uma kudingeka. Ngakho, kwakuba nemibhalo emibili, owokuqala nempinda, eyayibhalwe emakhasini amabili e-papyrus.” Okwatholwa imivubukulo kuyalifakazela leli siko lokugcina izincwadi esitsheni sobumba.

Ekugcineni, abaseBhabhiloni balinqoba iJerusalema, balishisa, futhi bathumba bonke abantu ngaphandle kwabambalwa abampofu. UNebukhadinezari wamisa uGedaliya ukuba abe umbusi. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezimbili wabulawa. AmaJuda asele ahlela ukuthuthela eGibhithe, enza okungqubuzana neseluleko sikaJeremiya esiphefumulelwe, futhi kungalesi sikhathi lapho kuphinde kukhulunywe khona ngoBharuki.—Jeremiya 39:2, 8; 40:5; 41:1, 2; 42:13-17.

Abaholi abangamaJuda bathi kuJeremiya: “Ukhuluma amanga. UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu akakuthumanga, ethi, ‘Ningangeni eGibhithe ukuba nigogobale khona.’ Kodwa uBharuki indodana kaNeriya ukushoshozela ukuba umelane nathi ngenjongo yokusinikela esandleni samaKhaledi, ukuze asibulale noma asiyise ekudingisweni eBhabhiloni.” (Jeremiya 43:2, 3) Lokhu kubekwa icala kubonakala kwembula inkolelo yabaholi bamaJuda yokuthi uBharuki wayenethonya elikhulu kuJeremiya. Ingabe babekholelwa ukuthi ngenxa yesikhundla sikaBharuki noma ngenxa yobungane bakhe beminyaka noJeremiya, wayenza okungaphezu nje kokuba umbhali womprofethi? Kungenzeka, kodwa noma ngabe abaholi bamaJuda babecabanga kuphi, umyalezo wawuvela kuJehova.

Naphezu kwezixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu, amaJuda ayesele ahamba futhi athatha ‘uJeremiya umprofethi noBharuki indodana kaNeriya’ ahamba nabo. UJeremiya wabhala: “Ekugcineni bafika ezweni laseGibhithe, ngoba abazange balilalele izwi likaJehova; kancane kancane baze bafika eThahipanehesi,” umuzi osemngceleni weSinayi esizalweni seNayile esisempumalanga. IBhayibheli ligcina lapha ukukhuluma ngoBharuki.—Jeremiya 43:5-7.

Yini Esingayifunda KuBharuki?

Ziningi izifundo eziyigugu esingazifunda kuBharuki. Esinye sezifundo ezivelele ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wawuyoba yini umphumela, wayezimisele ukusebenzisa amakhono ayewafundile nabantu abaziyo enkonzweni kaJehova. OFakazi BakaJehova abaningi namuhla—amadoda nabesifazane—banomoya ofanayo, banikela ngamakhono abo enkonzweni yaseBethel, emsebenzini wokwakha nakweminye efanayo. Ungawubonisa kanjani umoya ofana nokaBharuki?

Lapho uBharuki ekhunjuzwa ngokuthi phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina zikaJuda, sasingekho isikhathi sokuzifunela “izinto ezinkulu,” kusobala ukuthi walalela, ngoba wawuthola umphefumulo wakhe njengempango. Kunengqondo ukusisebenzisa kithi lesi seluleko, njengoba nathi siphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto. UJehova usithembisa into efanayo—ukusinda. Singazilalela yini lezi zikhumbuzo njengoBharuki?

Kunesinye isifundo esiyinzuzo esingasifunda kule ndaba. UBharuki wasiza uJeremiya nendodana yomfowabo kayise ukuba balungise izinto ezingokomthetho ebhizinisini, nakuba la madoda amabili ayeyizihlobo. Lesi isimiso esingokomBhalo esisebenza kumaKristu enza ibhizinisi nabafowabo kanye nodadewabo abangokomoya. KungokomBhalo, kuyinzuzo futhi kuwukubonisa uthando ukulingisa lesi sibonelo ngokubhala phansi izivumelwano zebhizinisi.

Nakuba iBhayibheli likhuluma kancane nje ngoBharuki, wonke amaKristu namuhla kufanele acabangisise ngaye. Ingabe uyosilingisa isibonelo esihle sikanobhala kaJeremiya othembekile?

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

I-“bulla” kaBharuki

[Umthombo]

Bulla: Courtesy of Israel Museum, Jerusalem