47—Isivumelwano NamaGibheyon

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kuYoshuwa 9 ne-10.]

Ukusuka kwaShekem, amaIsrayeli abuyela kwinkammpu yawo eGiligali. Apha, akhawuleza atyelelwa ngabathunywa abangaqhelekanga, ababelangazelela ukungena kwisivumelwano nawo. Abameli babeka ukuba basuka kwilizwe elikude, kwaye oku kwakubonakala kungqinwa yimbonakalo yabo. Iimpahla zabo zazindala zikrazukile, izihlangu zabo zixoliwe, imiphako yabo ibolile, iintsuba zabo zewayini zikrazukile zishwabene, ngokungathi bezilungiswa kungxanyiwe endleleni.ANa 505.1

Ikhaya labo elikude, ekuthiwa lingaphaya kwemida yePalestina, abantu bezwe labo, ngokutsho kwabo, beva ngemimangaliso uThixo awayenzela abantu baKhe, baza babathuma ukuba bazokwenza isivumelwano noIsrayeli. AmaHebhere ayelunyukiswe ngendlela eyodwa ukuba bangaze bangene kwisivumelwano nabanquli bezithixo baseKanan, kwaza oko kwenza ukuba kubekho intandabuzo ngobunyaniso bamazwi aba bantu basemzini kwiingqondo zeenkokeli. “Hi, kanti nikwahleli phakathi kwethu;” zatsho. Koku, baphendula bathi oonozakuzaku, “Singabakhonzi bakho.” Sebetshilo, uYoshuwa waya wababuza ngokutsolileyo, “Ningoobani na, nivela phi na?” bayiphinda intetho yabo yokuqala, baza bongeza, ukuqinisekisa ukunyaniseka kwabo, “Esi sisonka sethu sasenza umphako wethu sishushu ezindlwini zethu, ngomhla wokuphuma kwethu ekhaya ukuza kuni; ngoku nasi somile, singundile; iintsuba ezi zewayini sazizalisa zisentsha; nanzi zikrazukile; nanzi neengubo zethu, neembadada zethu zonakele ngobude bendlela.”ANa 505.2

Ezi ntetho zaba nempumelelo. AmaHebhere “akabuza cebo emlonyeni kaYehova. Wenza uxolo nabo uYoshuwa, wabamisela umnqophiso wokubasindisa; zabafungela nezikhulu zalo ibandla.” Ngaloondlela kwaba kungenwa kwisivumelwano. Kwaba ziintsuku ezintathu emva koko, yavela inyaniso. “Beva ukuba babengabamelwane babo, nokuba bahleli phakathi kwabo.” Ngokwazi ukuba ayengenakho ukumelana namaHebhere, amaGibheyon abhenela ekwenzeni icebo lokusindisa ubomi bawo.ANa 505.3

Yaba nkulu kakhulu ingqumbo yamaIsrayeli akuva ngenkohliso eyenziwa kuwo. Yaphinda le nto yawaxaka ngakumbi xa, emva kohambo lweentsuku ezintathu, aya afika kwizixeko zamaGibheyon, kufuphi nombindi welizwe. “Lazikrokrela izikhulu lonke ibandla;” kodwa izikhulu zala ukusaphula isivumelwano, nangona sasenziwe phantsi kobuqhetseba, kuba zisithi, “zifunge uYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli kubo.” “Oonyana bakaIsrayeli abababulala.” AmaGibheyon azibophelela ukuba aya kukuyeka ukunqula izithixo, amkele unqulo lukaYehova; kwaza ukusindiswa kobomi bawo akwaba kukwaphulwa komyalelo kaThixo wokutshabalalisa amaKanan angabanquli-bezithixo. Kungoko ke amaHebhere engathanga ngokufunga kwawo abe azibophele ukwenza isono. Nangona isifungo sasenziwe phantsi kwenkohliso, kwakungafunekanga ukuba singahlonitshwa. Imfanelo athe ubani wayifungela ngelizwi lakhe, ukuba ayimbopheleli ukuba enze okungekho mthethweni, kufuneka ayibambe njengengcwele. Akukho kucinga nganzuzo, ngampindezelo, okanye umdla womntu, onokuthi nangayiphi indlela, ube nokuchukumisa ukungabi nakophulwa kwesifungo okanye isivumelwano. “Ungamasikizi kuYehova umlomo oxokayo.” Mizekeliso 12:22. Umntu “onokunyuka aye entabeni kaYehova,” “onokuma endaweni yakhe engcwele,” ngulowo “ofunga angajiki, nokuba kubi kuye.” Ndumiso 24:3; 15:4.ANa 506.1

AmaGibheyon avunyelwa ukuba ahlale, kodwa enziwa ukuba ayame njengamakhoboka engcweleni, ukuze enze yonke imisebenzi ephantsi. UYoshuwa wabenza ngaloo mini abathezi beenkuni nabakhi bamanzi, ebandleni nasesibingelelweni sikaYehova.” Ezi meko azamkela ngombulelo, eqonda ukuba ayephosisile, akuvuyela ukubuthenga ubomi bawo nangaziphi iimeko. “Kaloku kunje nanku sisesandleni sakho,” atsho kuYoshuwa, “yenza njengoko kulungileyo, njengoko kuthe tye emehlweni akho ukwenza kuthi.” Kwaba ziinkulungwane inzala yawo ihlangene nomsebenzi wasengcweleni.ANa 506.2

Umhlaba wamaGibheyon wawunezixeko ezine. Abantu babengekho phantsi kolawulo lukakumkani, kodwa belawulwa ngamadoda amakhulu okanye iingwevu. IGibheyon, eyona dolophu yayibalulekile kunezinye, “[yayi]ngumzi omkhulu . . . njengomnye wemizi yobukumkani,” “namadoda ayo onke angamagorha.” Isisibonakaliso esicacileyo soloyiko awathi amaIsrayeli aluphembelela kubemi baseKanan, ukuba abantu besixeko esinjalo babhenele kumava anjalo ukuthobeka khon’ ukuze basindise ubomi babo.ANa 506.3

Sekunjalo, ngekwakukuhle kumaGibheyon ukuba ayewaphethe ngentembeko amaIsrayeli. Nangona ukuzinikela kwawo kuYehova kwawazuzela ukusinda kobomi bawo, inkohliso yawo yawazisela ihlazo nedyokhwe enzima. UThixo wayenze umsindleko wokuba, bonke ababushiyayo ubuhedeni, bazihlanganise noIsrayeli, kufuneka baxhamle kwiintsikelelo zomnqophiso. Aqukwa kwintetho ethi, “nowasemzini ophambukele phakathi kwenu,” ngaphandle kwabambalwa, eli qela laliza konwabela iimfesane namalungelo alinganayo noIsrayeli. Umyalelo kaYehova wawusithi:ANa 507.1

“Xa umphambukeli aphambukela kuni ezweni lenu, ize ningambandezeli. Kuni woba njengozalelwe phakathi kwenu ekhaya, umphambukeli ophambukele kuni; uze umthande ngoko uzithanda ngako.” Levitikus 19:33, 34. Ngokubhekisele kwiPasika neminikelo yemibingelelo, kwakuyalelwe kwathiwa, “Woba mnye ummiselo kuni, nakumphambukeli ophambukele kuni: . . . Njengoko ninjalo nina, woba njalo umphambukeli phambi koYehova.” Numeri 15:15.ANa 507.2

Wawunjalo umhlaba awayeza kwamkelwa phantsi kwawo amaGibheyon, engadanga abhenela enkohlisweni. Yayingekuko ukuzithoba okuncinane kwabo bemi “bemizi yobukumkani,” “namadoda ayo onke angamagorha,” ukwenziwa abathezi beenkuni, nabakhi bamanzi kuzo zonke izizukulwana zabo. Babezithabathele ingubo yobukhoboka ngenjongo yokukhohlisa, yaza yabotshelelwa kubo njengophawu lwedyokhwe engasayi kuze isuke. Ngoko ke, kuzo zonke izizukulwana zabo, imeko yobucaka babo yayiza kuba bubungqina bendlela uThixo abuthiye ngayo ubuxoki.ANa 507.3

Ukuzinikezela kweGibheyon kumaIsrayeli kwazimangalisa kakhulu iikumkani zaseKanan. Kwathatyathwa amanyathelo kwangoko ukuba kuphindezelwe kwabo benza uxolo nabangene elizweni. Phantsi kokukhokelwa nguAdoni-tsedeki, ukumkani waseYerusalem, ookumkani abahlanu baseKanan, benza isivumelwano sokuchasa iGibheyon. Ukwenza kwabo kwakhawuleza. AmaGibheyon ayengakulungelanga ukuzikhusela, aza athumela isigidimi kuYoshuwa eGiligali: “Musa ukusiyekelela isandla sakho kubakhonzi bakho: nyuka uze kuthi ngokuba bebuthelene phezu kwethu bonke ookumkani bama-Amori abemiyo ezintabeni.” Ingozi yayingezi kumaGibheyon kuphela, kodwa nakuIsrayeli. Esi sixeko sasilawula indlela eziya kumbindi nomzantsi wePalestina, ngoko ke kufuneka sigciniwe ukuba liza kuthi loyiswe ilizwe [leKanan].ANa 507.4

UYoshuwa walungiselela ukuba akhawuleze ayokunceda iGibheyon. Abemi besixeko esingqingiweyobabesoyikahleze asilandule isicelo sabo, ngenxa yobuqhinga ababenzayo; kodwa, kususela ukuba babezinikele kulawulo lukaIsrayeli, baza bamkela unqulo lukaThixo, waziva enyanzelekile ukuba abakhusele. Akazange kodwa akwenze oko ngaphandle kwengcebiso yezulu, waza uYehova wamkhuthaza kuloo msebenzi. “Musa ukuboyika;” satsho isigidimi esingcwele, “kuba ndibanikele esandleni sakho; lowo yaba ngumyalelo kuba akuyi kuma ndoda phambi kwakho.” “Wenyuka ke uYoshuwa, esuka eGiligali, yena nabantu bonke bokulwa bendawonye naye, namagorha onke anobukroti.”ANa 508.1

Ngokuhamba ubusuku bonke, imikhosi yafika phambi kweGibheyon kwakusasa. Amadoda amakhulu amanyeneyo ayengekayihlanganisi imikhosi yawo esixekweni ngexesha uYoshuwa wayebafikela. Uhlaselo lwawanika ubunzima obukhulu phambi kwabahlaseli. Umkhosi omkhulu wasaba phambi kukaYoshuwa wemka ngendlela esinga eBhete-horon; kwaya kufikwa phezulu, kwabalekwa kwehliwa kwelinye icala eliqengqeleka kakhulu. Apha kwaya kwabakho isichotho esikhulu esehla phezu kwabo. “UYehova wabathobela amatye amakhulu ezulwini: . . . babaninzi abafa ngamatye esichotho, kunababulawayo ngoonyana bakaIsrayeli ngekrele.”ANa 508.2

Ngeli xesha ama-Amori eqhubeka nokubaleka, ezimisele ukufumana indawo yokubalekela kwiinqaba ezisentabeni, uYoshuwa, ekhangele ezantsi eselungqamekweni phezulu, wabona ukuba imini iya kuba mfutshane kakhulu ukuba ungafezwa umsebenzi. Ukuba azigxothwanga ngokupheleleyo, iintshaba zabo ziya kubuya zihlangane, kuze kuqale elinye idabi elitsha. “Waza wathetha uYoshuwa kuYehova, . . . wathi emehlweni amaIsrayeli, Langa, nqumama eGibheyon, nawe nyanga, entilini yeAyalon. Lathi nqumama ke ilanga, yema inyanga, lwada uhlanga lwaziphindezelela ezintshabeni zalo. . . . Lema ke ilanga esazulwini sezulu, alangxama ukutshona, yangathi yimini iphela.”ANa 508.3

Phambi kokuba kuhlwe, isithembiso sikaThixo kuYoshuwa sasizalisekile. Wonke umkhosi wotshaba wawunikelwe esandleni sakhe. Zabazide iziganeko zaloo mini ukuba zingahlala kwinkumbulo kaIsrayeli. “Akuzanga kubekho mini injengaleyo, phambi kwayo nangasemva kwayo, ngokokude uYehova aliphulaphule izwi lomntu; ngokuba uYehova wawalwela amaIsrayeli.” “Latshona ilanga nenyanga ekhayeni lazo, ngokukhanya kweentolo zakho ezihambayo, ngobumhlophe bokubengezela kwezikhali zakho. Ulinyathela ilizwe ubhavuma. Unyhashe iintlanga unomsindo. Uphuma ukuba usindise abantu bakho.” Habhakuki 3:11-13.ANa 508.4

UMoya kaThixo wamphefumlela uYoshuwa ukuba enze umthandazo, ukuze kunikwe kwakhona ubungqina bamandla kaThixo kaIsrayeli. Kungoko isicelo singazange sibonise kuzithemba kwinkokeli enkulu. UYoshuwa wamkela isithembiso sokuba, uThixo ngokuqinisekileyo uya kuzoyisa iintshaba zikaIsrayeli, ukanti wenza konke anako ngokungathi impumelelo yayixhomekeke kwimikhosi kaIsrayeli kuphela. Wakwenza konke okunokwenziwa ngamandla omntu, waza, ngokholo, wakhalela uncedo lwezulu. Imfihlelo yempumelelo isekumanyaneni kwamandla ezulu nomzamo womntu. Abo bazuza ezona ziphumo zikhulu, ngabo baxhomekeka ngokuphandle kwiNgalo yOnamandla Onke. Indoda eyayalela yathi, “Langa, nqumama, nawe nyanga, entilini yeAyalon,” yileyo yathabatha iiyure icambalele emhlabeni ithandaza enkampini eGiligali. Amadoda omthandazo ngamadoda amandla.ANa 509.1

Lo mmangaliso onamandla ungqina ukuba indalo iphantsi kolawulo loMdali. USathana uzama ukusifihla ebantwini isenzeleli sezulu elizweni elimiyo, ukwenza kungabonakali ukusebenza okungadinwayo kwembangi enkulu yokuqala. Kulo mmangaliso, bonke abaphakamisa indalo ngaphezu koThixo wendalo, bema benokukhalinyelwa.ANa 509.2

Ngentando yaKhe, uThixo ubiza imikhosi yendalo ukuba yoyise amandla eentshaba zaKhe, “wena mlilo, nawe sichotho; wena khephu, nawe msi; moya uvuthuzayo, ulenzayo ilizwi lakhe.” Ndumiso 148:8. Bathi abahedeni bama-Amori bakuzimisela ukuchasana neenjongo zaKhe, uThixo wangenelela, wathoba “amatye amakhulu ezulwini” phezu kweentshaba zikaIsrayeli. Sixelelwa ngemfazwe enkulu kakhulu eza kubakho kwimiboniso yokugqibela yembali yehlabathi, kuba “uYehova uyivulile indlu yezixhobo zakhe, wazikhupha iimpahla zokubhavuma.” Yeremiya 50:25. “Ufikelele na,” uyabuza, “ebuncwaneni bekhephu? Ubuncwane besichotho wabubona, endabuqwebela ixesha lembandezelo, imini yokudibana nemfazwe?” Yobhi 38:22, 23.ANa 509.3

Umtyhilelwa uchaza intshutshiso ezakwenzeka xa kuthe “kwaphuma izwi elikhulu, livela etempileni yamazulu” lisithi, “Kwenzekile.” Uthi, “Kwesuka kwehla ezulwini phezu kwabantu isichotho esikhulu, esimatye ngathi ubunzima bawo yitalente.” IsiTyhilelo 16:17, 21.ANa 509.4