“Hlalani Nindilindile”

“‘Ngoko ke hlalani nindilindile,’ utsho uYehova.”—ZEFANIYA 3:8, NW.

1. Sisiphi isilumkiso esavakaliswa ngumprofeti uZefaniya, yaye kubaluleke ngantoni oku kubantu abaphila namhlanje?

“ISONDELE imini enkulu kaYehova.” Esi silumkiso savakaliswa ngumprofeti uZefaniya phakathi kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. (Zefaniya 1:14) Eso siprofeto sazaliseka kwisithuba seminyaka engama-40 okanye engama-50, ekufikeni kwemini kaYehova yokuphumeza imigwebo yakhe kwiYerusalem nakwiintlanga ezazilucel’ umngeni ulongamo lukaYehova ngokubaphatha kakubi abantu bakhe. Kutheni kubalulekile oku kubantu abaphila ekupheleni kwale nkulungwane yama-20? Siphila emgubasini ‘wemini enkulu’ kaYehova yokugqibela. Njengakumhla kaZefaniya, “ingqumbo” kaYehova sele iza kuyifikela iYerusalem yanamhlanje—iNgqobhoko—nazo zonke iintlanga ezibaphatha kakubi abantu bakaYehova nezilucel’ umngeni ulongamo lwakhe lwendalo iphela.—Zefaniya 1:4; 2:4, 8, 12, 13; 3:8; 2 Petros 3:12, 13.

UZefaniya—Ingqina Elinenkalipho

2, 3. (a) Yintoni esiyaziyo ngoZefaniya, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba wayelingqina likaYehova elinenkalipho? (b) Ziziphi izibakala ezisenza silazi ixesha nendawo awayeprofeta kuyo uZefaniya?

² Akukho nto ingako yaziwayo ngomprofeti uZefaniya, ogama (ngesiHebhere, Tsephan·yahʹ) lithetha ukuba “UYehova Usithelisile (Unqabisile).” Noko ke, ngokwahlukileyo kwabanye abaprofeti, uZefaniya wawulanda umnombo wakhe ukusa kwizizukulwana ezine ngaphambili, ukususela ‘kuHezekiya.’ (Zefaniya 1:1; thelekisa uIsaya 1:1; Yeremiya 1:1; Hezekile 1:3.) Oku akuqhelekanga kangangokuba inkoliso yabahlalutyi ithi ukhokho wakhe nguKumkani uHezekiya owayethembekile. Ukuba kwakunjalo, ngoko uZefaniya wayengunyana wasebukhosini, yaye oko kumele ukuba kwayenza yanentsingiselo ngakumbi imigwebo yakhe eqatha kubathetheli bakwaYuda kwaza kwabonakalisa ukuba wayelingqina nomprofeti kaYehova onenkalipho. Ulwazi lwakhe olunzulu ngendlela eyayimi ngayo iYerusalem nangoko kwakusenzeka kwinkundla yasebukhosini kubonisa ukuba usenokuba wakha wayivakalisa nakwikomkhulu imigwebo kaYehova.—Zefaniya 1:8-11, bona umbhalo osemazantsi weNW.

³ Isibakala esiphawulekayo sesokuba, ngoxa uZefaniya wavakalisa imigwebo yobuthixo ‘kubathetheli’ bakwaYuda (iindwalutho, okanye iinkosi) “noonyana bokumkani,” akazange amgxeke ukumkani.a (Zefaniya 1:8; 3:3) Oku kubonisa ukuba uKumkani uYosiya oselula wayesele ekubonakalisile ukutyekela kunqulo olunyulu, nangona, ngenxa yemeko ekhalazelwa nguZefaniya, kubonakala ukuba wayengekaqalisi ukuluhlaziya unqulo olunyulu. Konke oku kubonisa ukuba uZefaniya waprofeta ekwaYuda ebudeni beminyaka yokuqala kaYosiya, owalawula ukususela kowama-659 ukusa kowama-629 B.C.E. Ukuprofeta ngokunehlombe kukaZefaniya kumele ukuba kwamenza uYosiya waluphaphela ngakumbi unqulo-zithixo, ugonyamelo, nokunganyaniseki okwakwesamele kwaYuda ngelo xesha yaye kwamkhuthazela kwiphulo lakhe lokuphelisa unqulo-zithixo awalenza kamva.—2 Kronike 34:1-3.

Izizathu Zokuvutha Komsindo KaYehova

4. UYehova wasebenzisa waphi amazwi ukuchaza umsindo wakhe ngenxa yelakwaYuda neYerusalem?

⁴ UYehova wayenezizathu ezininzi zokuba nomsindo ngenxa yeenkokeli nabemi bakwaYuda nesixeko salapho esilikomkhulu iYerusalem. Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uZefaniya, wathi: “Ndiya kusolula isandla sam phezu koYuda, naphezu kwabemi bonke baseYerusalem, ndinqamle kuyo le ndawo amasalela akwaBhahali, negama lababingeleli abangengabo, kunye nababingeleli; nabaqubuda kumkhosi wezulu phezu kwezindlu, nabaqubudi abazinikela kuYehova ngesifungo, bafunge ukumkani wabo.”—Zefaniya 1:4, 5.

5, 6. (a) Yayinjani imeko yonqulo kwaYuda ngexesha likaZefaniya? (b) Yayinjani imeko yeenkokeli zakwaYuda neyabalawulwa bazo?

⁵ UYuda wayengcoliswe zizithethe ezingcolileyo zokuvelisa inzala zonqulo lukaBhahali, kukuvumisa ngeenkwenkwezi kobudemon nokunqula uthixo wabahedeni uMalekom. Ukuba uMalekom ikwanguMoleki, njengoko bambi besitsho, ngoko unqulo lobuxoki lwakwaYuda lwaluquka isiko elilizothe lokubingelela ngabantwana. Uqheliselo lonqulo olunjalo lwalulizothe emehlweni kaYehova. (1 Kumkani 11:5, 7; 14:23, 24; 2 Kumkani 17:16, 17) Bamcaphukisa ngakumbi ekubeni abo banquli bezithixo babefunga ngegama likaYehova. Wayengasayi kuqhubeka ekunyamezele oko kungcola konqulo yaye wayeza kubabulala ababingeleli babahedeni nababengabawexuki.

⁶ Ngaphezu koko, iinkokeli zakwaYuda zazinganyanisekanga. Abathetheli belo lizwe babefana ‘neengonyama ezibharhulayo’ ezinoburhalarhume, yaye abagwebi balo babefana ‘neengcuka’ eziqwengayo. (Zefaniya 3:3) Abalawulwa babo babenetyala ‘lokuzalisa indlu yenkosi yabo ngogonyamelo nenkohliso.’ (Zefaniya 1:9) Kwakwesamele ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo. Abaninzi babesebenzisa elo thuba ukuzifumbela ubutyebi.—Zefaniya 1:13.

Amathandabuzo Ngemini KaYehova

7. UZefaniya waprofeta kwiminyaka emingaphi ngaphambi kokufika ‘kwemini enkulu kaYehova,’ yaye yayinjani imeko yokomoya yamaYuda amaninzi?

⁷ Njengoko sele sibonile, imeko emaxongo yonqulo eyayikuyo yonk’ indawo ngomhla kaZefaniya ibonisa ukuba wayesebenza njengengqina nomprofeti ngaphambi kokuba uKumkani uYosiya aqalise iphulo lakhe lokuphelisa unqulo-zithixo, malunga nowama-648 B.C.E. (2 Kronike 34:4, 5) Ngoko, uZefaniya umele ukuba waprofeta malunga neminyaka engama-40 ngaphambi kokufika ‘kwemini enkulu kaYehova’ kubukumkani belakwaYuda. Ebudeni belo thuba, amaYuda amaninzi ayenamathandabuzo yaye “abuya umva” ekukhonzeni uYehova, ebonakalisa ukungakhathali. UZefaniya uthetha ngabo “bangamfunanga uYehova, abangamquqelanga.” (Zefaniya 1:6) Licacile elokuba, abantu bakwaYuda babengakhathali, babengamkhathelele uThixo.

8, 9. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ahlolisise “amadoda agovalele ezintsipheni zawo”? (b) UYehova wayeza kuyinikela njani ingqalelo kubemi bakwaYuda nakwiinkokeli zabo ezilawulayo nezonqulo?

⁸ UYehova wayazisa injongo yakhe yokuhlola abo babezibanga bengabantu bakhe. Phakathi kwabo babesithi bangabakhonzi bakhe, wayeza kufuna abo babewathandabuza ezintliziyweni zabo amandla okanye injongo yakhe yokungenelela kwimicimbi yabantu. Wathi: “Kuya kuthi ngelo xesha, ndiyigquthagquthe iYerusalem ndinezibane, ndiwavelele amadoda agovalele ezintsipheni zawo; atshoyo ukuthi ezintliziyweni zawo, UYehova [akasayi kwenza] kulungileyo, [akasayi kwenza] nakubi.” (Zefaniya 1:12, thelekisa iNW.) Ibinzana elithi “amadoda agovalele ezintsipheni zawo” (elithatyathwe kwinkqubo yokwenza iwayini) libhekisela kwabo babezinzile, njengeentsipho ezihleli emazantsi efatyi, nababengafuni kuphazanyiswa sisigidimi sokuba uThixo wayesele eza kungenelela kwimicimbi yabantu.

⁹ UYehova wayeza kunikela ingqalelo kubemi bakwaYuda nabaseYerusalem nakubabingeleli babo ababexube unqulo lwakhe nobuhedeni. Ukuba babeziva benqabisekile, ngokungathi ubumnyama basebusuku babubafihlile kwiindonga zaseYerusalem, wayeza kubakhangela ngokunga kungezibane eziqaqambileyo ezaziza kukhanyisa kobo bumnyama bokomoya babezifihle kubo. Wayeza kubenza bayeke ukungalukhathaleli unqulo, okokuqala ngezigidimi zomgwebo ezoyikekayo, okwesibini ngokuphumeza loo migwebo.

“Isondele Imini Enkulu KaYehova”

10. UZefaniya wayichaza njani “imini enkulu kaYehova”?

¹⁰ UYehova waphefumlela uZefaniya ukuba avakalise oku: “Isondele imini enkulu kaYehova, isondele, ikhawulezile kakhulu. Yivani, imini kaYehova iza [nobuhlungu, NW]!” (Zefaniya 1:14) Bonke babeza kufikelwa yimihla ebuhlungu—ababingeleli, abathetheli, nabantu—ababengafuni ukusithobela isilumkiso baze babuyele kunqulo olunyulu. Sichaza loo mini yokuphunyezwa komgwebo, esi siprofeto sihlabela mgama: “Loo mini yimini yokuphuphuma komsindo, yimini yembandezelo nocutheko, yimini yentshabalala yakwantshabalala, yimini yobumnyama nesithokothoko, yimini yamafu, namafu amnyama; yimini yesigodlo nokuhlaba umkhosi emizini enqatyisiweyo, naseluqoqweni olude.”—Zefaniya 1:15, 16.

11, 12. (a) Sisiphi isigidimi somgwebo esavakaliswayo nxamnye neYerusalem? (b) Ngaba ubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo babunokuwasindisa amaYuda?

¹¹ Kwisithuba samashumi ambalwa eminyaka, imikhosi yaseBhabhiloni yayiza kuhlasela elakwaYuda. IYerusalem yayingasayi kusinda. Iindawo zayo zokuhlala nezentengiso zaziza kuphanziswa. “Kothi ngaloo mini, utsho uYehova, kuvele izwi lokukhala esangweni leentlanzi, kuvele nokubhomboloza kwesesibini isahlulo somzi, kuvele ukuqhekeka okukhulu ezindulini. Bhombolozani, bemi basemgongxweni, kuba badakile bonke abantu bakwaKanan, banqunyulwe bonke abathwali besilivere.”—Zefaniya 1:10, 11.

¹² Engavumi ukukholelwa ukuba imini kaYehova yayisondele, amaYuda amaninzi azibandakanya ngokunzulu kushishino olwawenza azizityebi. Kodwa ngomprofeti wakhe othembekileyo uZefaniya, uYehova waxela kwangaphambili ukuba ubutyebi bawo babuya “kudywidwa, nezindlu zawo zibe ngamanxuwa.” Ayengayi kuyisela iwayini awayeyenzile, yaye ‘nesilivere yawo negolide yawo [yayingayi] kuba nako ukuwahlangula ngemini yokuphuphuma komsindo kaYehova.’—Zefaniya 1:13, 18.

Ukugwetywa Kwezinye Iintlanga

13. Sisiphi isigidimi somgwebo esavakaliswa nguZefaniya nxamnye namaMowabhi, ama-Amon nama-Asiriya?

¹³ Ngomprofeti wakhe uZefaniya, uYehova wakwavakalisa umsindo wakhe nxamnye neentlanga ezaziphethe kakubi abantu bakhe. Wavakalisa oku: “Ndikuvile ukungcikiva kukaMowabhi, nokunyelisa koonyana baka-Amon, ababangcikive ngako abantu bam, [baziphakamisa] emdeni wabo. Ngako oko, ndihleli nje, utsho uYehova wemikhosi, uThixo kaSirayeli, inene, elakwaMowabhi liya kuba njengeSodom, neloonyana baka-Amon libe njengeGomora, libe lilifa lamarhawu, libe sisigingqi setyuwa, kube senkangala kulo, kude kuse ephakadeni. . . . Uya kusolula isandla sakhe ngakwelisentla, ayitshabalalise iAsiriya, ayenze ibe linxuwa iNineve, ayenze umqwebedu onjengentlango.”—Zefaniya 2:8, 9, 13.

14. Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba ezinye iintlanga ‘zaziphakamisa’ kumaSirayeli kwanakuThixo wawo, uYehova?

¹⁴ UMowabhi noAmon babeziintshaba zikaSirayeli kwakudaladala. (Thelekisa ABagwebi 3:12-14.) ILitye lakwaMowabhi, elikwiMyuziyam iLouvre eParis, likrolwe amazwi okuzigwagwisa oKumkani wakwaMowabhi uMesha. Uqhayisa ngokoyisa kwakhe izixeko eziliqela zamaSirayeli ngoncedo lothixo wakhe uKemoshe. (2 Kumkani 1:1) UYeremiya, owayephila ngexesha likaZefaniya, wathetha ngokuhlala kwama-Amon kwisixeko samaSirayeli iGadi egameni lothixo wawo uMalekom. (Yeremiya 49:1) Ngokuphathelele iAsiriya, uKumkani uShalmaneser V wayirhangqa waza wayithimba iSamariya malunga nenkulungwane ngaphambi komhla kaZefaniya. (2 Kumkani 17:1-6) Kungekudala emva koko uKumkani uSaneribhe wahlasela elakwaYuda, wathimba izixeko zalo ezinqatyisiweyo ezininzi, yaye waphantsa wathimba neYerusalem. (Isaya 36:1, 2) Isithethi sokumkani waseAsiriya saziphakamisa kunoYehova xa sasifuna iYerusalem inikezele.—Isaya 36:4-20.

15. UYehova wayeza kubahlazisa njani oothixo beentlanga ababeziphakamisile kubantu bakhe?

¹⁵ INdumiso 83 ikhankanya iintlanga eziliqela, kuquka amaMowabhi, ama-Amon nama-Asiriya, ezaziphakamisayo kunamaSirayeli, zaza zizigwagwisa zathi: “Yizani sibethe bee shwaka, bangabi luhlanga, lingabi sakhunjulwa igama likaSirayeli.” (INdumiso 83:4) Umprofeti uZefaniya wakuvakalisa ngenkalipho ukuba zonke ezi ntlanga zizikhukhumalisayo noothixo bazo zaziya kwenziwa intlekisa nguYehova wemikhosi. “Kuya kuba njalo kubo ngenxa yekratshi labo, ngokuba bengcikivile, bazikhulisa kubantu bakaYehova wemikhosi. Uyoyikeka uYehova kubo; kuba uyabangcungcuthekisa bonke oothixo behlabathi, ziqubude kuye zonke iziqithi zeentlanga, elowo esendaweni yakhe.”—Zefaniya 2:10, 11.

‘Hlalani Nilindile’

16. (a) Ukusondela kwemini kaYehova kwakungunobangela wovuyo koobani, yaye ngoba? (b) Nguwuphi umyalelo okhuthazayo owabhekiswa kule ntsalela ithembekileyo?

¹⁶ Ngoxa ubuthongo bokomoya, amathandabuzo, unqulo-zithixo, ukunganyaniseki, nokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo kwakwesamele phakathi kweenkokeli nakwinkoliso yabemi bakwaYuda nabaseYerusalem, kubonakala ukuba amanye amaYuda athembekileyo aziphulaphula iziprofeto zikaZefaniya ezaziqulethe izilumkiso. Ayebuhlungu ngenxa yezenzo ezilizothe zabathetheli, abagwebi nababingeleli bakwaYuda. Izigidimi zikaZefaniya zazingumthombo wentuthuzelo kwabathembekileyo abanjalo. Kunokuba kubenze babe nexhala, ukusondela kwemini kaYehova kwakubenza bavuye, ngenxa yokuba yayiza kuphelisa ezo zenzo zilizothe. Le ntsalela ithembekileyo yawuthobela umyalelo kaYehova okhuthazayo: “Ngako oko [hlalani nindilindile, NW], utsho uYehova, ide ibe yimini yokuvuka kwam, ndithimbe. Ngokuba kulunge kum ukuhlanganisa iintlanga, ndibuthe izikumkani, ukuze ndiyiphalaze ingqumbo yam phezu kwazo, konke ukuvutha komsindo wam; kuba liya kutshiswa ngumlilo wekhwele lam lonke ihlabathi.”—Zefaniya 3:8.

17. Saqalisa nini yaye njani ukuzaliseka isigidimi somgwebo sikaZefaniya kwiintlanga?

¹⁷ Abo basithobelayo eso silumkiso abazange bakhwankqiswe. Abaninzi baphila de bayibona inzaliseko yesiprofeto sikaZefaniya. Ngowama-632 B.C.E., iNineve yathinjwa yaza yatshatyalaliswa lumanyano lwamaBhabhiloni, amaMedi nengxokolo esuka ngasentla, mhlawumbi engamaSkitiya. Umbhali-mbali uWill Durant uyabalisa: “Umkhosi wamaBhabhiloni owawuphantsi kukaNabopolassar nowawumanyene nomkhosi wamaMedi ngaphantsi kukaCyaxares nengxokolo yamaSkitiya aseCaucasus, yazithimba ngokulula iinqaba zasentla. . . . Ngohlaselo olunye iAsiriya yabhanga.” Kwenzeka kanye oko kwakuprofetwe nguZefaniya.—Zefaniya 2:13-15.

18. (a) Umgwebo kaThixo waphunyezwa njani kwiYerusalem, yaye ngasiphi isizathu? (b) Sazaliseka njani isiprofeto sikaZefaniya esiphathelele amaMowabhi nama-Amon?

¹⁸ AmaYuda amaninzi awahlala emlindile uYehova akubona nokuphunyezwa kwemigwebo yakhe kwelakwaYuda naseYerusalem. Ngokuphathelele iYerusalem, uZefaniya wayeprofete oku: “Yeha, umzi oneenkani, ongcolileyo, oxinzelela phantsi! Awuphulaphulanga lizwi; awamkelanga ngqeqesho; awukholosanga ngoYehova, awusondelanga kuThixo wawo.” (Zefaniya 3:1, 2) Ngenxa yokungathembeki kwayo, iYerusalem yarhangqwa kabini ngamaBhabhiloni yaza ekugqibeleni yathinjwa yaza yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-607 B.C.E. (2 Kronike 36:5, 6, 11-21) Ngokutsho kombhali-mbali ongumYuda uJosephus, kunyaka wesihlanu emva kokoyiswa kweYerusalem, amaBhabhiloni alwa imfazwe namaMowabhi nama-Amon aza awoyisa. Emva koko abhanga, njengoko kwakuprofetiwe.

19, 20. (a) UYehova wabavuza njani abo bahlala bemlindile? (b) Kutheni zisichaphazela ezi ziganeko, yaye yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ukuzaliseka kwezi ziprofeto nokuzaliseka kwezinye iinkcukacha zeziprofeto zikaZefaniya kwakulomeleza ukholo lwamaYuda nolwabo bangemaYuda ababehleli bemlindile uYehova. Phakathi kwabo basindayo kwintshabalalo eyafikela elakwaYuda neYerusalem yayinguYeremiya, uEbhedi-meleki umKushi, nendlu kaYonadabhi, umRekabhi. (Yeremiya 35:18, 19; 39:11, 12, 16-18) AmaYuda athembekileyo awayesekuthinjweni kunye nenzala yawo, awaqhubeka elindele kuYehova, aba yinxalenye yentsalela eyonwabileyo eyahlangulwayo eBhabhiloni ngowama-537 B.C.E. yaza yabuyela kwaYuda ukuze imisele unqulo olunyulu kwakhona.—Ezra 2:1; Zefaniya 3:14, 15, 20.

²⁰ Kunayiphi intsingiselo ngomhla wethu konke oku? Ngeendlela ezininzi izinto ezazisenzeka ngomhla kaZefaniya ziyafana nezinto ezilizothe ezenzekayo namhlanje kwiNgqobhoko. Ngaphezu koko, izimo zengqondo ezahlukahlukeneyo zamaYuda ngaloo mihla ziyafana nezimo zengqondo ezikhoyo namhlanje, maxa wambi kwanaphakathi kwabantu bakaYehova. Ezi zizinto eziza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Masenze Impinda

◻ Yayinjani imeko yonqulo kwaYuda ngomhla kaZefaniya?

◻ Ziziphi iimeko ezazesamele phakathi kweenkokeli zamaYuda, yaye sasinjani isimo sengqondo senkoliso yabantu?

◻ Iintlanga zaziphakamisa njani kubantu bakaYehova?

◻ UZefaniya wamnika siphi isilumkiso uYuda nezinye iintlanga?

◻ Bavuzwa njani abo babehleli bemlindile uYehova?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

ILitye lakwaMowabhi lingqina ukuba uKumkani wakwaMowabhi uMesha wamngcikiva uSirayeli wamandulo

[Inkcazelo]

Moabite Stone: Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Lixhasa isiprofeto sikaZefaniya, eli cwecwe libhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo kwiNcwadi Yeziganeko zaseBhabhiloni linengxelo yokutshatyalaliswa kweNineve yimikhosi emanyeneyo

[Inkcazelo]

Cuneiform tablet: Courtesy of The British Museum