Imizi Yokusabela—Ilungiselelo LikaThixo Lenceba
“Loo mizi mithandathu yoba yeyokusabela . . . babalekele kuyo bonke ababulele umntu ngengozi.”—NUMERI 35:15.
1. UThixo ubujonga njani ubomi netyala legazi?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO ubujonga njengobungcwele ubomi bomntu. Yaye ubomi busegazini. (Levitikus 17:11, 14) Ngoko ke uKayin, umntu wokuqala ukuzalwa emhlabeni, waba netyala legazi xa wabulala umntakwabo uAbheli. Ngenxa yoko, uThixo wamxelela oku uKayin: “Izwi legazi lomninawa wakho liyakhala emhlabeni kum.” Igazi elaliphalele emhlabeni kwindawo awayebulewe kuyo nangona lingathethi lalinikela ubungqina obuvakalayo bobomi obabunqanyulwe ngolunya. Igazi lika-Abheli lalikhala kuThixo lifuna impindezelo.—Genesis 4:4-11.
2. Intlonelo uYehova anayo ngobomi yagxininiswa njani emva koMkhukula?
2 Intlonelo uThixo anayo ngobomi babantu yagxininiswa emva kokuphuma kukaNowa olilungisa nentsapho yakhe emkhombeni njengabo basinde kuMkhukula womhlaba wonke. Ngelo xesha uYehova wongezelela kwizinto ezazinokutyiwa ngabantu inyama yezilwanyana kodwa kungekhona igazi. Kwakhona wawisa lo myalelo: “Ligazi lenu lodwa, imiphefumlo yenu ke, endiya kulibiza; esandleni sezinto zonke eziphilileyo ndiya kulibiza, nasesandleni somntu; esandleni salowo ungumzalwana wakhe, ndiya kuwubiza umphefumlo womntu. Ophalaza igazi lomntu, igazi lakhe lophalazwa ngumntu, ngokuba umntu wenziwa ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo.” (Genesis 9:5, 6) UYehova walivuma ilungelo lesona sizalwana sisondeleyo salowo ubuleweyo lokumbulala umbulali xa sidibana naye.—Numeri 35:19.
3. UMthetho kaMoses wabubethelela njani ubungcwele bobomi?
3 KuMthetho owanikwa amaSirayeli ngomprofeti uMoses, ubungcwele bobomi babethelelwa izihlandlo eziliqela. Ngokomzekelo, uThixo wawisa lo mthetho: “Uze ungabulali.” (Eksodus 20:13) Intlonelo ngobomi yabonakala nakoko uMthetho kaMoses wakuthethayo ngengozi ebandakanya umfazi okhulelweyo. UMthetho wathi ukuba yena okanye umntwana wakhe ongekazalwa bathe benzakala bafa ngenxa yokulwa kwamadoda amabini, abagwebi babefanele baqwalasele iimeko ukuze babone enoba oku kwenziwe ngabom kusini na, kodwa isohlwayo sasinokuba ‘sesomphefumlo ngomphefumlo,’ okanye ubomi ngobomi. (Eksodus 21:22-25) Noko ke, ngaba umSirayeli ongumbulali ngandlel’ ithile wayenokusinda kwimiphumo yesenzo sakhe sogonyamelo?
Indawo Yokhuseleko Kubabulali?
4. Ngaphandle kwakwaSirayeli, ziziphi iindawo zokhuseleko ezazikho ngaphambili?
4 Ezinye iintlanga ezingengomaSirayeli zazibanika indawo yokhuseleko ababulali nezinye izaphuli-mthetho. Oku kwakunjalo kwiindawo ezinjengetempile kathixokazi uArtemis kwiEfese yamandulo. Ngokuphathelele iindawo ezifanayo, ingxelo ithi: “Kwiitempile ezithile kwakugcinwa izaphuli-mthetho; yaye ngokufuthi kwakuye kufuneke ukuba lisikelwe umda inani leendawo zokhuseleko. EAtene ziindawo zokhuseleko ezithile kuphela ezazivunywe ngokusemthethweni njengeendawo zokuzimela (ngokomzekelo, amakhoboka ayenokuzimela kwitempile kaTheseus); ngexesha likaTibheriyo amabandla ezaphuli-mthetho ezitempileni ayeyingozi kangangokuba ilungelo leNdawo Yokhuseleko lalinikelwe kwizixeko ezimbalwa kuphela (ngonyaka wama-22).” (The Jewish Encyclopedia, 1909, uMqulu II, iphepha 256) Kamva, iicawa zeNgqobhoko zaba ziindawo zokhuseleko, kodwa oku kwalisusa igunya kumagunya karhulumente kwalizisa kubefundisi kwaza oko kwaphazamisana nokuphunyezwa kokusesikweni ngokufanelekileyo. Ukusetyenziswa kakubi kweli lungiselelo ekugqibeleni kwakhokelela ekubeni lipheliswe.
5. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo bokuba uMthetho wawungakuvumeli ukuba umntu enzelwe inceba xa wayebangele ukufa komntu ngenxa yokungakhathali?
5 Phakathi kwamaSirayeli, abo babebulele ngabom babengayinikwa indawo yokhuseleko. Kwanombingeleli ongumLevi okhonza esibingelelweni sikaThixo wayemele aye kubulawa ukuba wayebulele umntu ngobuqhophololo. (Eksodus 21:12-14) Ngaphezu koko, uMthetho wawungavumeli ukuba umntu enzelwe inceba xa wayebangele ukufa komntu ngenxa yokungakhathali. Ngokomzekelo, umntu wayemele alwenzele ungqameko uphahla lwendlu yakhe entsha olusithabazi. Kungenjalo, loo ndlu yayiya kuba netyala legazi ukuba umntu wayenokuwa kolo phahla aze afe. (Duteronomi 22:8) Ukongezelela, ukuba umntu onenkunzi yenkomo ehlabayo wayelunyukisiwe kodwa akayigcina yaza yabulala umntu, umntu waloo nkunzi wayenetyala legazi ibe wayenokubulawa. (Eksodus 21:28-32) Ubungqina obubhekele phaya bentlonelo enzulu uThixo anayo ngobomi bubonakala kwisibakala sokuba nabani na owayebethe wabulala isela wayenetyala legazi ukuba oku kwakwenzeke emini xa isela lalinokubonwa laziwe. (Eksodus 22:2, 3) Ngoko ke, ngokucacileyo imithetho kaThixo elungelelene ngokupheleleyo yayingabavumeli abo babebulele ngabom basinde kwisohlwayo sokufa.
6. Umthetho othi “ubomi ngobomi” wawuphunyezwa njani kwaSirayeli mandulo?
6 Ukuba kwakubulewe umntu kwaSirayeli mandulo, igazi laloo mntu lalimele liphindezelwe. Umthetho othi “ubomi ngobomi” wawuphunyezwa xa umbulali ebulewe ‘ngumphindezeli wegazi.’ (Numeri 35:19) Umphindezeli yayisesona sizalwana sisondeleyo siyindoda salowo ubuleweyo. Kodwa kuthekani ngabantu ababebulele ngengozi?
Ilungiselelo LikaYehova Lenceba
7. Liliphi ilungiselelo uThixo awalenzela abo babebulele umntu ngengozi?
7 Ukwenzela abo babebulele umntu ngengozi okanye ngempazamo, ngothando uThixo walungiselela imizi yokusabela. Ngokuphathelele yona, uMoses waxelelwa oku: “Thetha koonyana bakaSirayeli, uthi kubo, Xa nithe nayiwela iYordan, nafika ezweni lakwaKanan, nozihlelela imizi ibe yimizi yenu yokusabela, abalekele kuyo umbulali obulele umntu ngengozi. Yoba yimizi yenu yokusaba kumphindezeli, angafi umbulali, ade eme phambi kwebandla, lithethwe ityala lakhe. Ke imizi enobanika yoba yimizi yenu yokusabela emithandathu. Nganeno kweYordan nobanika imizi emithathu; ezweni lakwaKanan nobanika imizi emithathu, ibe yimizi yokusabela . . . babalekele kuyo bonke ababulele umntu ngengozi.”—Numeri 35:9-15.
8. Yayiphi imizi yokusabela, yaye abo babebulele ngengozi babencedwa njani bafike kuyo?
8 Xa amaSirayeli angena kwiLizwe Ledinga, ngokuthobela amisa imizi yokusabela emithandathu. Emithathu kule mizi—iKedeshe, iShekem neHebron—yayingasentshona kuMlambo iYordan. Ngasempuma kweYordan kwakukho umzi wokusabela waseGolan, waseRamoti nowaseBhetsere. Le mizi yokusabela mithandathu yayimiswe ngokufanelekileyo kwiindlela ezazenziwe kakuhle. Kwiindawo ezifanelekileyo kwezi ndlela, kwakukho imiqondiso enamagama athi “indawo yokusabela.” Le miqondiso yayisalatha kwicala elalinomzi wokusabela, yaye umntu obulele ngengozi wayebalekela kowona ukufutshane ukuze asindise ubomi bakhe. Apho wayenokukhuseleka kumphindezeli wegazi.—Yoshuwa 20:2-9.
9. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova alungiselele imizi yokusabela, yaye yayilungiselelwe ukuze kungenelwe bani?
9 Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo alungiselele imizi yokusabela? Yayilungiselelwe ukuze ilizwe lingazaliswa ligazi elimsulwa nokuze abantu bangabi netyala legazi. (Duteronomi 19:10) Imizi yokusabela yayilungiselelwe ukuze kungenelwe bani? UMthetho wawusithi: “Loo mizi mithandathu yoba yeyokusabela koonyana bakaSirayeli, nakumphambukeli, nakundwendwe oluphakathi kwenu, babalekele kuyo bonke ababulele umntu ngengozi.” (Numeri 35:15) Ngaloo ndlela, ukuze kuphunyezwe okusesikweni ngoxa kusenziwa inceba, uYehova waxelela amaSirayeli ukuba amise imizi yokusabela ukwenzela abantu ababulele ngengozi (1) abangamaSirayeli emvelo, (2) abaphambukeli kwaSirayeli, okanye (3) iindwendwe ezivela kwamanye amazwe ezihlala kwelo lizwe.
10. Kutheni kunokuthiwa imizi yokusabela yayililungiselelo lenceba elenziwa nguThixo?
10 Okuphawulekayo kukuba kwanokuba umntu wayebulele ngengozi, wayebulawa ngaphantsi komthetho kaThixo: “Ophalaza igazi lomntu, igazi lakhe lophalazwa ngumntu.” Ngenxa yoko, kuphela kungelungiselelo likaYehova uThixo lenceba awayenokuthi lowo ubulele ngengozi abalekele komnye wemizi yokusabela. Kubonakala ukuba inkoliso yabantu yayisiba nosizi ngaye nabani na obaleka umphindezeli wegazi, kuba bonke babesazi ukuba ngempazamo babenokwenza ityala elifanayo baze bafune indawo yokusabela nokwenzelwa inceba.
Ukusaba
11. KwaSirayeli mandulo, wayenokwenza ntoni umntu ukuba wayebulele umntu asebenza naye ngengozi?
11 Umzekeliso usenokulukhulisa uxabiso lwakho ngeli lungiselelo likaThixo lenceba lokusaba. Masithi wawugawula imithi kwaSirayeli mandulo. Ize intloko yezembe isuke iphuncuke emphinini wayo ibethe ibulale omnye osebenza naye afe. Wawuya kwenza ntoni? Kaloku, uMthetho wawunalo ilungiselelo lako oku. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, wawuya kulixhakamfula eli lungiselelo livela kuThixo: “Lilo eli isiko awophathwa ngalo umbulali, othe wasabela [emzini wokusabela] ukuba asinde: Othe wambulala ummelwane wakhe ngengozi, ebengamthiyile ngaphambili; waya nommelwane wakhe ehlathini, esiya kugawula imithi, isandla sakhe sajiwula izembe, enqumla imithi, yaphunyuka intsimbi emphinini, yabetha kummelwane wakhe, wafa: lowo wosabela komnye umzi kuloo mizi, asinde.” (Duteronomi 19:4, 5) Sekunjalo, kwanokuba ufikile kumzi wokusabela, wawungayi kukhululeka ngokupheleleyo kwimbopheleleko yoko kwenzekileyo.
12. Yiyiphi inkqubo eyayiya kulandelwa emva kokuba lowo ubulele ngempazamo efike kumzi wokusabela?
12 Nangona wawusamkelwa ngobubele, kwakufuneka uchaze okwenzekileyo kumadoda amakhulu asesangweni lomzi wokusabela. Emva kokungena emzini, wawubuyiselwa emva ukuze kuchotshelwe ityala lakho ngamadoda amakhulu amela ibandla lakwaSirayeli emasangweni omzi olawula ummandla obulele kuwo. Apho wawuya kufumana ithuba lokuzingqina umsulwa.
Xa Ababulali Babesematyaleni
13, 14. Ziziphi ezinye zezinto amadoda amakhulu ayeya kufuna ukuqiniseka ngazo ebudeni betyala lombulali?
13 Ebudeni bokuchotshelwa kwetyala ngamadoda amakhulu asesangweni lomzi owongameleyo, ngokungathandabuzekiyo wawuya kuba nombulelo ngendlela ekwakugxininiswa ngayo kwihambo yakho yangaphambili. Amadoda amakhulu ngenyameko ayeya kuhlolisisa ulwalamano lwakho nalowo umbuleleyo. Ngaba ubumthiyile loo mntu, wamlalela waza wambetha ngabom wafa? Ukuba kunjalo, kwakuya kufuneka amadoda amakhulu akunikele kumphindezeli wegazi, yaye wawuya kufa. La madoda anembopheleleko ayeya kuba esazi ukuba uMthetho wawufuna ukuba ‘litshayelwe [ityala legazi elimsulwa, NW], lingabikho kwaSirayeli.’ (Duteronomi 19:11-13) Ngokufanayo, xa kuchotshelwe umcimbi wokugweba namhlanje, abadala abangamaKristu kufuneka bazazi kakuhle iZibhalo, benze ngokuvisisana nazo ngoxa beqwalasela isimo sengqondo nehambo yangaphambili yomenzi-bubi.
14 Ephanda ngobubele, amadoda amakhulu omzi ayeya kufuna ukwazi enoba lowo umbuleleyo ubumlalele kusini na. (Eksodus 21:12, 13) Ngaba ubuzimele waza wamqubula wamhlasela? (Duteronomi 27:24) Ngaba ebekucaphukise wanomsindo kangangokuba uye wabhenela ekwenzeni amacebo okumbulala loo mntu? Ukuba kunjalo, kwakuya kufuneka ufe. (Eksodus 21:14) Amadoda amakhulu ayeya kufuna ukwazi ngokukodwa enoba bekukho ubutshaba, okanye intiyo, kusini na phakathi kwakho nalowo umbuleleyo. (Duteronomi 19:4, 6, 7; Yoshuwa 20:5) Masithi amadoda amakhulu akufumene umsulwa aza akubuyisela kumzi wokusabela. Hayi indlela owawuya kuba nombulelo ngayo ngenceba ebonisiweyo!
Ubomi Kumzi Wokusabela
15. Kwakufuneka enze ntoni umntu obulele ngengozi?
15 Lowo ubulele ngengozi kwakufuneka ahlale kumzi wokusabela okanye kumgama weekubhite ezili-1 000 (malunga neemitha ezingama-440) ngaphandle kweendonga zawo. (Numeri 35:2-4) Ukuba wayedlula kuloo mgama, wayenokudibana nomphindezeli wegazi. Ngaphantsi kwezo meko, umphindezeli wayenokumbulala loo mbulali angabi natyala. Kodwa umbulali wayengabotshelelwa okanye avalelwe entolongweni. Njengommi kumzi wokusabela, wayemele afunde umsebenzi wobugcisa, asebenze, yaye abe luncedo ebuthweni.
16. (a) Umntu obulele ngengozi kwakuya kufuneka ahlale ithuba elide kangakanani kumzi wokusabela? (b) Kutheni ukufa kombingeleli omkhulu kwakumvumela umbulali akwazi ukuphuma kumzi wokusabela?
16 Wayemele ahlale ixesha elide kangakanani kumzi wokusabela lowo wayebulele ngengozi? Mhlawumbi bonke ubomi bakhe. Nokuba imeko yayiyintoni na, uMthetho wawusithi: ‘Ahlale emzini wokusabela kwakhe, kude kufe umbingeleli omkhulu. Ke emveni kokufa kombingeleli omkhulu, umbulali wobuyela emhlabeni wenzuzo yakhe.’ (Numeri 35:26-28) Kutheni ukufa kombingeleli omkhulu kwakumvumela lowo ubulele ngengozi aphume kumzi wokusabela? Kaloku, umbingeleli omkhulu wayengomnye wabona bantu babalulekileyo kolo hlanga. Ngoko ke ukufa kwakhe kwakuya kuba sisiganeko esiphawulekayo kangangokuba kwakuya kwaziwa kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli. Bonke abo babeziimbacu kwimizi yokusabela babenokubuyela emakhayeni abo bengoyiki ingozi yokufunyanwa ngabaphindezeli begazi. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba uMthetho kaThixo wawusithi ithuba lomphindezeli lokubulala umbulali laliphela xa kusifa umbingeleli omkhulu, yaye wonke umntu wayekwazi oku. Ukuba elona lungu lentsapho lisondeleyo laliphindezela ukufa emva koko, laliya kuba lingumbulali yaye ekugqibeleni laliya kufumana isohlwayo sokubulala.
Imiphumo Ehlala Ihleli
17. Yiyiphi imiphumo eyayisenokubangelwa yimiqathango eyayibekelwa lowo ubulele ngengozi?
17 Yiyiphi imiphumo eyayisenokubangelwa yimiqathango eyayibekelwa umntu obulele ngengozi? Yayimkhumbuza ukuba wayebangele ukufa komntu. Umele ukuba, emva koko ubomi bomntu wayeya kubujonga njengobungcwele. Ngaphezu koko, wayengayi kulibala ukuba wayenzelwe inceba. Ekubeni wayeboniswe inceba, ngokuqinisekileyo naye wayeya kufuna ukuba nenceba kwabanye. Ilungiselelo lemizi yokusabela nemiqathango yayo lalikwayingenelo kubantu ngokubanzi. Njani? Ngokuqinisekileyo lalibethelela kubo ukuba abamele babonise ukungakhathali ngobomi bomntu. Ngoko ke amaKristu afanele akhunjuzwe imfuneko yokuphepha ukungakhathali okusenokuphumela ekufeni komntu ngengozi. Kwakhona, ilungiselelo likaThixo lenceba lemizi yokusabela lifanele lisishukumisele ekubeni sibonise inceba xa ukwenjenjalo kufanelekile.—Yakobi 2:13.
18. Laliyingenelo ngaziphi iindlela ilungiselelo likaThixo lemizi yokusabela?
18 Ilungiselelo likaYehova uThixo lemizi yokusabela lalikwayingenelo nangezinye iindlela. Abantu abazange bayile amaqela ababulali awayesukela umbulali ngelithi unetyala nangona ityala lakhe lingekaxoxwa. Kunoko, babemgqala njengomsulwa ekubulaleni ngabom, bade bamncede aye kwindawo ekhuselekileyo. Ngaphezu koko, ilungiselelo lemizi yokusabela lalahluke ngokupheleleyo kumalungiselelo anamhlanje okufaka ababulali ezintolongweni, apho baxhaswa ngemali yoluntu yaye ngokufuthi babe zizaphuli-mthetho eziyingozi ngakumbi ngenxa yokunxulumana ngokusondeleyo nabanye abenzi bobubi. Kwilungiselelo lemizi yokusabela, kwakungekho mfuneko yokuba kwakhiwe, kulondolozwe kuze kulindwe iintolongo ezibiza imali eninzi ezibiyelweyo nezinemivalo yentsimbi abo bangaphakathi ngokufuthi befuna ukubaleka. Eneneni, ngumbulali owayesiya “entolongweni” aze ahlale apho lonke ixesha elimiselweyo. Kwakhona kwakufuneka asebenze, ngaloo ndlela esenza okuthile ukuze kungenelwe abanye abantu.
19. Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngemizi yokusabela?
19 Lalilelenceba ngokwenene ilungiselelo likaYehova lemizi yokusabela kwaSirayeli ukuze kukhuselwe abo babebulele ngengozi. Ngokuqinisekileyo eli lungiselelo lalikhuthaza ukuhlonela ubomi. Noko ke, ngaba imizi yokusabela yamandulo inentsingiselo kubantu abaphila kwinkulungwane yama-20? Ngaba sinokuba netyala legazi phambi koYehova uThixo size singaqondi ukuba sifuna inceba yakhe? Ngaba imizi yokusabela yakwaSirayeli inentsingiselo kuthi namhlanje?
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ UYehova ubujonga njani ubomi bomntu?
◻ Liliphi ilungiselelo lenceba uThixo awalenzela abo babebulala ngengozi?
◻ Umbulali wayengena njani kumzi wokusabela, yaye wayemele ahlale ixesha elide kangakanani apho?
◻ Yiyiphi imiphumo eyayisenokubangelwa yimiqathango eyayibekelwa lowo ubulele ngengozi?
[Imaphu ekwiphepha 12]
Imizi yokusabela yakwaSirayeli yayimi kwiindawo ezifanelekileyo
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
KEDESHE UMlambo iYordan GOLAN
SHEKEM RAMOTI
BETSERE HEBRON