39—Ukoyiswa KweBhashan

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiDuteronomi 2; 3:1-11.]

Emva kokuba kudlulelwe ngezantsi kwe-Edom, amaIsrayeli abuyela ngasentla, aphinda abubhekisa ubuso bawo ngakwiLizwe leDinga. Indlela yawo yayihamba kwisithabazi esibanzi nesiphakamileyo, ekubetha kuso umoya opholileyo nohlaziyayo osuka ezindulini. Yayilutshintsho lokuwamkela ukusuka kwintlambo eyomileyo ababehamba kuyo, baza babheka phambili, benodlamko bezaliswe lithemba. Bakuba bewuwelile umlambo iZered, badlulela ngakwimpuma yelizwe lakwaMowabhi; kuba umyalelo wawunikiwe, “Uze ungawabandezeli amaMowabhi, uze ungabambani nawo ulwe nawo; kuba andiyi kukunika nto yelizwe lawo uyihluthe; kuba iAre ndiyinike oonyana bakaLote, ukuba bayime.” Kwaloo myalelo waphindwa ngokubhekisele kuma-Amoni, awayeyinzala kaLote.ANa 433.1

Yathi isaqhubeka ngokunyukela ngasentla, imikhosi kaIsrayeli yakhawuleza yafika kwizwe lama-Amori. Aba bantu bomeleleyo, nabathanda imfazwe, ngaphambili babemi kwindawo engasezantsi kweYordan, balwa namaMowabhi, bayihlutha inxalenye yomhlaba wawo. Baya bema apha, bewulawula bengaphikiswa umhlaba ukusukela eArnon kuse emantla eYabhoki. Indlela eyayisiya eYordan awayefuna ukuyilandela amaIsrayeli yayicanda ngqo kulo mhlaba, waza uMoses wathumela isigidimi soxolo kuSihon, ukumkani wama-Amori, kwandlunkulu wakhe: “Ndiyeke ndicande ezweni lakho. Ndohamba ngendlela le yodwa; andiyi kuthi gu bucala ndiye ekunene nasekhohlo. Ukudla wondithengisela ngemali ndidle, namanzi wondinika ngemali ndisele, ndihambe nje kodwa ngeenyawo.” Impendulo yaba yelandulayo, waza wonke umkhosi wama-Amori wabizwa ukuba ukuchase ukuhambela phambili kwabangeneli. Lo mkhosi woyikekayo wawazalisa ngoloyiko amaIsrayeli, awayengakulungelanga ukuqubisana nemikhosi exhobe kakhulu neqeqeshwe kakuhle.Ngokobuchule bemfazwe, imikhosi yawo yayinethuba elihle. Ngokokubona kwabantu, wayengathiwa qwaka aphele uIsrayeli.ANa 433.2

Noko kunjalo, uMoses wahlala eqwalasele kwintsika yelifu, wabakhuthaza abantu ngengcamango ethi, umqondiso woBukho bukaThixo wawusenabo. Ngelo xesha linye wabayalela ukuba benze konke okunokwenziwa ngamandla omntu ukulungiselela imfazwe. Iintshaba zabo zazilangazelela idabi, ziqinisekile ukuba ziya kuwacima amaIsrayeli angazilungiselelanga elizweni lazo. Kwaya kwaphuma kuMnini wawo wonke umhlaba umyalelo oya kwinkokeli kaIsrayeli: “Sukani ninduluke, niwele umlanjana oyiArnon. Yabona, ndimnikele esandleni sakho uSihon ukumkani waseHeshbhon, umAmori, nelizwe lakhe. Qala ukulihlutha, ubambane naye, ulwe naye. Ngale mini ndiya kuqala ukubeka ukunkwantya ngawe nokoyikeka kwakho phezu kwabantu abaphantsi kwezulu lonke, abaya kuluva udaba lwakho bagungqe, bazibhijabhije ngenxa enawe.”ANa 434.1

Ezi zizwe ezazikwimida yeKanan, ngezazisindisiwe, ukuba zazingazange zime, zidelela ilizwi likaThixo, zamelana nokubheka phambili kukaIsrayeli. UYehova wayezivezile ukuba uzeka kade umsindo, enobubele obukhulu novelwano olunothando, nakubantu abangabahedeni. Wathi uAbraham akuboniswa embonweni ukuba imbewu yakhe, abantwana bakaIsrayeli, baya kuba ngabasemzini kwilizwe lasemzini iminyaka emakhulu mane, uYehova wamnika isithembiso, “Kwesesine isizukulwana iya kubuyela apha, kuba ubugwenxa bama-Amori abukazaliseki.” Genesis 15:16. Nangona ama-Amori ayengabakhonzi bezithixo, ababomi bawo babuncanywe ngokufanelekileyo ngenxa yenkohlakalo yabo enkulu, uThixo wawasindisa amakhulu amane eminyaka ukuze awanike ubungqina obungenakuphazanywa bokuba nguYe kuphela uThixo oyinyaniso, uMenzi wezulu nomhlaba. Yonke imimangaliso yaKhe ekukhupheni uIsrayeli eYiputa yayisaziwa ngabo. Ubungqina obaneleyo ayebunikiwe; ayemelwe ukuba abeyazi inyaniso, ukuba abe nentumekelelo yokubuya ekunquleni kwawo izithixo nasekurheletyeni. Noko kunjalo, akwala ukukhanya abambelela kwizithixo zawo.ANa 434.2

Ukubazisa kwaKhe okwesibini uYehova abantu baKhe kwimida yeKanan, kwanikwa ubungqina obongeziweyo bamandla aKhe kwezo ntlanga zabahedeni. Zabona ukuba uThixo unoIsrayeli ekoyisweni kukakumkani uAradi kunye namaKanan, nakummangaliso owenziwayo ukusindisa abo babetyiwa ziinyoka. Nangona amaIsrayeli ayalelwe indlelayokucandakwilizwelakwaEdom, ngaloo ndlela anyanzeleka ukuba athabathe indlela ende nenzima ngakuLwandle oluBomvu, kanti kuzo zonke iihambo nokumisa kwabo, ekudluleni kwilizwe lakwaEdom, elakwaMowabhi, nelakwa-Amnon, awazange abonakalise butshaba, akenza monakalo kubantu okanye kwiimpahla zabo. Athi akufika kumda wama-Amori, amaIsrayeli acela imvume yokuhamba ngqo anqumle elizweni, ethembisa ukugcina kwaloo mithetho minye eyayilawula ukuhlangana kwawo nezinye izizwe. Wathi ukumkani wama-Amori akusala esi sicelo sembeko, athi ngokudelela ahlanganisela imikhosi yawo emfazweni, yaba izele indebe yawo yobugwenxa, waza uThixo ngoku wasebenzisa awaKhe amandla ukuwabhukuqa.ANa 434.3

AmaIsrayeli awela umlambo iArnon abheka phambili ahlangana notshaba. Kwabakho ukungquzulana, apho imikhosi yamaIsrayeli yaya yoyisa; athi, ukulandela okuhle akuzuzileyo, akhawuleza alibanga ilizwe lama-Amori. YayinguMphathi womkhosi kaYehova owaswantsulisa iintshaba zabantu baKhe; kwaye ngewayeyenzile loo nto kwiminyaka engamashumi amathathu anesibhozo eyadlulayo ukuba uIsrayeli wayemthembile.ANa 435.1

Uzaliswe lithemba nesibindi, umkhosi kaIsrayeli, ngenzondelelo, wabheka phambili, wathi, usaqhubeka nokunyukela ngasentla, wakhawuleza wafika kwilizwe elaliza kubavavanya isibindi sabo nokholo lwabo kuThixo. Phambi kwawo, kwakukho ubukumkani baseBhashan, obunamandla nobushinyeneyo ngabantu, bunezixeko zamatye ezisamangalisa ihlabathi nanamhla -- “imizi yaba mashumi mathandathu . . . ibinqatyiswe ngodonga oluphakamileyo, namasango, nemivalo; iyodwa imizi yabasemaphandleni, eyabe imininzi kunene.” Duteronomi 3:1-11. Izindlu zazakhiwe ngamatye amakhulu amnyama, abukhulu bawo babuzenza ukuba izakhiwo zingabi nakungeneka ngokupheleleyo nanguwuphi na umkhosi owawuthunyelwa kubo ngaloo maxesha. Yayililizwe elalizele yimiqolomba emibi, amatye amakhulu, imisele ekhamisileyo, neenqaba zamatye. Abemi beli lizwe, inzala yohlanga lweengxilimbela, nabo bebakhulu kakhulu benamandla, bemilele ubundlobongela nenkohlakalo kangangokuba besoyikeka kwizizwe ezibangqongileyo; lo gama uOgi, ukumkani welizwe, wayesaziwa ngobukhulu namandla nakwesona sizwe samadoda azingxilimbela.ANa 435.2

Yasuka intsika yelifu yabheka phambili, athi ngokulandela ukukhokela kwayo, amaHebhere abheka e-Edreyi, apho isigebenga sokumkani, namabutho akhe, babelindele ukufika kwawo. UOgi, wayeyikhethe ngobuchule indawo yemfazwe. Isixeko sase-Edreyi sasimi kumda wentaba ethe thebelele enyuke yangumqhokro esithabazini, igqunywezizixhobo zamatyeentaba-mlilo.Kwakufikelelwa kuyo kuphela ngeendlela ezimxinwa, eziyimiqhokro nekunzima ukuzinyuka. Xa inokoyiswa imikhosi yakhe, yayinokusithela kuloo ntlango yamawa, apho abangayaziyo bengenako ukuyilandela.ANa 435.3

Ethembe ukuba uza kuphumelela, ukumkani weza nomkhosi omkhulu ethafeni, ngelo xesha, imikhwazo yokudelela ivakala kumhlaba osentabeni phezulu, apho kwakubonakala amawaka amakrele ebengezela, enxanelwe idabi. Athi amaHebhere akukhangela ingxilimbela yesigebenga esizongamele zonke iwavelele amasoldati omkhosi wayo; athi akubona umkhosi oyirhangqileyo, abona umfanekiso wenqaba engenakugqojozwa, emva kwawo kukhangeleka kukho amawaka angabonakaliyo azimeleyo, zanyikima iintliziyo zamaIsrayeli kukoyika. Noko kunjalo, uMoses wazola waqina; uYehova wayethethe wenjenje ngokumkani wakwaBhashan, “Musa ukumoyika; ngokuba ndimnikele esandleni sakho, nabantu bakhe bonke, nelizwe lakhe; uya kwenza kuye njengoko wenza ngako kuSihon ukumkani wama-Amori, obemi eHeshbhon.”ANa 436.1

Ukholo oluzolileyo lwenkokeli yawo, lwabaphembelela abantu ukuba bamthembe uThixo. Bayekela konke kwingalo yaKhe enamandla onke, akaze abaphoxe. Akukho zingxilimbela zinamandla, nazixeko zibiyelwe ngeendonga, kungekho namikhosi nazinqaba zamatye, zazinokuma phambi koMphathi womkhosi kaYehova. UYehova wawukhokela umkhosi; uYehova walwenza lwaxakeka utshaba; uYehova woyisa esikhundleni sikaIsrayeli. Ukumkani osisigebenga, kunye nomkhosi wakhe, batshatyalaliswa, aza amaIsrayeli alithabatha ngokukhawuleza lonke ilizwe. Ngaloo ndlela baba bayacinywa emhlabeni abantu ababezinikele ebugwenxeni nakunqulo lwezithixo oluthiyekileyo.ANa 436.2

Ekoyisweni kweGiliyadi neBhashan baba baninzi abakhumbula iziganeko ezathi, phantse kumashumi amane eminyaka eyadlulayo, eKadeshe, uIsrayeli zamgwebela ukuzula entlango ixesha elide. Babona ukuba ingxelo yeentlola ngeZwe leDinga, ngeendawo eziliqela yayinyanisile. Izixeko zazineendonga, zizikhulu, zimiwe zizigebenga, xa kuthelekiswa nabo bamaHebhere babe ngoothikoloshe nje kuphela. Babeyibona kodwa ngoku impazamo eyingozi yooyise yokungathembi amandla kaThixo. Le nto iyodwa yawathintela [amaIsrayeli] ukuba angene kwangoko kwilizwe elihle.ANa 436.3

Ekuqaleni kwabo ukulungiselela ukungena eKanan, loo msebenzi wenziwa ngobunzima obuncinane kakhulu kunobu beli xesha. UThixo wayethembise ukuba, ukuba bathe bathobela ilizwi laKhe, uyakuhamba phambi kwabo abalwele; kwaye uya kuthumela oonomanxezane ukuba abagxothe abemi belizwe. Uloyiko lwezizwe lwalungazange luvuswe jikelele, kwaye kukuncinane nokulungiselela ukumelana nokubheka phambili kwabo. Ngoku, ngeli xesha, xa uYehova eyalela uIsrayeli ukuba abheke phambili, kwakufuneka aqubisane neentshaba ezithe qwaa nezinamandla, kwaye kufuneka alwe nemikhosi eqeqeshwe kakuhle neyayilungiselelwe ukumelana nokuvela kwawo.ANa 437.1

Ekulweni kwabo no-Ogi noSihon, abantu baziswa kuvavanyo olunye abaya ooyise basilela kulo ngendlela encamisileyo. Eyona nto ngoku isilingo sasiqatha kunexesha uThixo wayeyalela uIsrayeli ukuba abheke phambili. Ubunzima endleleni yabo babande kakhulu kunokuba balayo ukubheka phambili xa babeyalelwe ukuba benze njalo egameni likaYehova. Usabavavanya ngolo hlobo uThixo abantu baKhe. Ukuba bayasilela ukunyamezela ukulingwa, uzisa kubo kwakhona kwakula ndawo inye, kuthi kwilixa lesibini isilingo sisondele kakhulu, sibe qatha kunesangaphambili. Oku kuqhubeka bade bakuthwale ukuvavanywa, kanye, ukuba basavukela, uThixo akubuyise ukukhanya kwaKhe kubo abashiye ebumnyameni.ANa 437.2

AmaHebhere akhumbula ngoku indlela ekwathi ngayo ngaphambili, xa imikhosi yawo yayiye emfazweni, yatshatyalaliswa, kwabulawa amawaka. Ngelo xesha ayehambe ngqo ngokuchasene nomyalelo kaThixo. Ayehambe ngaphandle kukaMoses, inkokeli eyayinyuliwe, ngaphandle kwentsika yelifu, umfuziselo wobukho bezulu, nangaphandle kwetyeya. Ngeli ixesha, uMoses wayenabo ezomeleza iintliziyo zabo ngamazwi ethemba nokholo; yaye ityeya engcwele iwukhapha umkhosi. La mava anesifundo asiphathela sona. UThixo oligorha kaIsrayeli unguThixo wethu. KuYe sinako ukuthembela, kwaye ukuba siyayithobela imiyalelo yaKhe, uya kusisebenzela ngendlela ebonakalayo njengoko wenzayo kubantu baKhe bakudala. Wonke ozama ukulandela indlela yomsebenzi, uya kuthi ngamaxesha athile, ahlaselwe yintandabuzo nokungakholwa. Maxa wambi indlela iya kuvalwa zizikhubekiso, ezikhangeleka zingenako ukuqabeleka, zide zibanyibilikise intliziyo abo baziyekela ekutyhafisweni; kodwa uThixo uthi kwabanjalo, Bheka phambili! Yenza umsebenzi wakho, nokuba lithini ixabiso. Ubunzima obukhangeleka bungenakuqatyelwa, obuzalisa umphefumlo wakho luloyiko, buya kuthi shwaka xa ubheka phambili endleleni yokuthobela, ngokuzithoba uthembele kuThixo.ANa 437.3