Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yesi-8—URuthe

Umlobi: USamuweli

Yalotshelwa: KwaIsrayeli

Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-1090 B.C.E.

Isikhathi Esihlanganisiwe: Iminyaka engu-11 yokubusa kwabahluleli

1. (a) Kungani incwadi kaRuthe ingaphezu kokuba indaba nje yothando? (b) Yikuphi ukuthintwa okukhethekile kukaRuthe eBhayibhelini?

INCWADI kaRuthe iyidrama ejabulisayo ephumela endabeni emnandi yothando lukaBowazi noRuthe. Nokho, ayisona nje isigcawu sothando. Injongo yayo ayikhona ukukitaza. Lencwadi iqokomisa injongo kaJehova yokuveza indlalifa yoMbuso, futhi iphakamisa umusa waKhe wothando. (Ruthe 1:⁠8; 2:​20; 3:​10) Imfanelo enkulu yothando lukaJehova ibonakala ekukhetheni kwakhe umMowabikazi, owayengumkhulekeli kankulunkulu wamaqaba uKemoshi, owaphendukela enkolweni yeqiniso, ukuze abe ukhokhokazi kaJesu Kristu. URuthe ungomunye wabesifazane abane ababizwa ngamagama ohlwini lozalo olusukela kuAbrahama kuya kuJesu. (Math. 1:​3, 5, 16) URuthe, kanye noEsteri, ungomunye wabesifazane ababili okuqanjwe ngabo izincwadi zeBhayibheli.

2. Zenzeka nini izenzakalo ezikuRuthe, yabhalwa nini lencwadi, futhi ngubani?

² “Kwathi emihleni abahlulela ngayo abahluleli . . . ” Ngalamazwi okuvula, incwadi kaRuthe ingena ekulandiseni kwayo okuvusa amadlingozi. Ngalamazwi kuyaqondakala ukuthi incwadi ngokwayo yalotshwa kamuva, esikhathini samakhosi akwaIsrayeli. Nokho, izenzakalo ezilandiswe encwadini zihlanganisa inkathi engaba iminyaka engu-11 esikhathini sabahluleli. Nakuba igama lomlobi lingashiwongo, ngokunokwenzeka kakhulu kwakunguSamuweli, okubonakala futhi ukuthi waloba abAhluleli nowayengumuntu ovelele othembekile ekuqaleni kwenkathi yamakhosi. Njengoba amavesi okugcina ebonisa ukuthi kakade uDavide wayeseqalise ukuvelela, lokhu kuyiveza njengeyalotshwa cishe ngo-1090 B.C.E. USamuweli, owayejwayelene kahle nesithembiso sikaJehova ‘sengonyama’ eyayizovela esizweni sakwaJuda, nowayesetshenziswe uJehova ekugcobeni uDavide walesosizwe ukuba abe inkosi kwaIsrayeli, wayeyokuthakazelela kakhulu ukuloba uhlu lozalo kuze kufike kuDavide.​—⁠Gen. 49:​9, 10; 1 Sam. 16:​1, 13; Ruthe 1:⁠1; 2:⁠4; 4:​13, 18-⁠22.

3. Yimaphi amaqiniso aqinisekisa ukuba kwencwadi kaRuthe ingxenye yezincwadi zeBhayibheli?

³ Ukuthi incwadi kaRuthe iyingxenye yezincwadi zeBhayibheli akukaze kungatshazwe. Ukuqinisekiswa okwanele kwalokhu kwanikezwa lapho uJehova ephefumlela ukuba kufakwe uRuthe ohlwini lozalo lukaJesu kuMathewu 1:⁠5. AmaJuda abelokhu ebheka uRuthe njengengxenye yezincwadi zeBhayibheli zesiHeberu. Khona-ke akumangalisi ukuthi izingxenye zalencwadi ziye zatholakala phakathi kwezinye izincwadi zemiBhalo Engcwele emiQulwini yoLwandle Olufile eyavubukulwa kusukela ngo-1947. Ngaphezu kwalokho, incwadi kaRuthe ivumelana ngokuphelele nezinjongo zoMbuso kaJehova kanye nezimfuneko zoMthetho kaMose. Nakuba ukushada namaKhanani namaMowabi ayekhulekela izithombe kwakwenqatshelwe kumaIsrayeli, lokhu akuzange kubakhiphele ngaphandle abezizwe abanjengoRuthe ababamukele ukukhulekela uJehova. Encwadini kaRuthe, umthetho wokuhlenga nokushada nomkamfowenu ugcinwa ngayo yonke imininingwane yawo.​—⁠Dut. 7:​1-⁠4; 23:​3, 4; 25:​5-⁠10.

OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI KARUTHE

4. Yisiphi isinqumo uRuthe abhekene naso, futhi ukukhetha kwakhe kubonisani ngohlobo lwakhe lokukhulekela?

⁴ Isinqumo sikaRuthe sokunamathela kuNawomi (1:​1-22). Indaba iqala phakathi nenkathi yendlala kwaIsrayeli. Indoda yaseBetlehema, uElimeleki, iwela iJordani nomkayo, uNawomi, namadodana amabili, uMahaloni noKiliyoni, beyohlala isikhashana ezweni lakwaMowabi. Lapho lamadodana ashada nabesifazane bakwaMowabi, uOrpa noRuthe. Usizi luhlukanisa umkhaya, okokuqala ngokufa kukababa, futhi kamuva ngokufa kwamadodana akhe amabili. Kusala abafelokazi abathathu, abangenabantwana, abangenayo imbewu kaElimeleki. Ezwa ukuthi uJehova usebuye waphendulela ukunakekela kwakhe kuIsrayeli ngokupha abantu bakhe isinkwa, uNawomi unquma ukuphindela emuva enkabeni yakhe kwaJuda. Omalokazana bahamba naye. UNawomi ubancenga ukuba baphindele kwaMowabi, enxusa umusa wothando kaJehova ukuba abaphe abakhwenyana kubantu bakubo. Ekugcineni uOrpa ‘ubuyela kwabakubo nakunkulunkulu wakhe,’ kodwa uRuthe, eqotho futhi eqinile ekuphendukeleni kwakhe ekukhulekeleni uJehova, unamathela kuNawomi. Isinqumo sakhe sichazwa kahle ngalamazwi: “Lapho uya khona, ngiyakuya khona nami, nalapho uhlala khona, ngiyakuhlala khona nami; abantu bakho bayakuba-ngabantu bami, uNkulunkulu wakho abe-nguNkulunkulu wami. Lapho ufela khona, ngiyakufela khona nami, ngimbelwe khona; uJehova akenze njalo kimi, enezele futhi, ngokuba ngukufa kuphela okuyakusahlukanisa.” (1:​15-17) Nokho, uNawomi ongumfelokazi nongenabantwana, ogama lakhe lisho “Injabulo Yami,” ucabanga ukuziqamba ngokuthi uMara, okusho “Omunyu.”

5. Yiziphi izimfanelo ezinhle uRuthe azibonisayo, futhi uBowazi umkhuthaza kanjani?

⁵ URuthe ukhothoza ensimini kaBowazi (2:​1-23). Ekufikeni eBetlehema, uRuthe uthola imvume kaNawomi yokukhothoza esivunweni sebhali. UBowazi, umnikazi wensimu, umJuda osemdala nesihlobo esiseduze sikababezala wakhe, uElimeleki, uyambona. Nakuba umthetho kaNkulunkulu umnikeza amalungelo okukhothoza, uRuthe ubonisa ubumnene ngokucela imvume yokusebenza ensimini. (Lev. 19:​9, 10) Uvunyelwa ngokushesha, futhi uBowazi umtshela ukuba akhothoze kuphela ensimini yakhe namantombazane akhe. Emtshela ukuthi uzwile ngokuziphatha kwakhe kokwethembeka kuNawomi, umkhuthaza ngalamazwi: “UJehova makakuvuze ngomsebenzi wakho, uphiwe umvuzo opheleleyo nguJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ozé ukuba uphephele phansi kwamaphiko akhe.” (Ruthe 2:​12) Ngalobobusuku uRuthe ngokuphana uhlanganyela izithelo zomsebenzi wakhe noNawomi futhi uyachaza ukuthi ekukhothozeni uphumelele ngenxa yomusa kaBowazi. Kulokhu uNawomi ubona isandla sikaJehova, uthi: “Makabusiswe nguJehova ongayekanga umusa wakhe kwabaphilileyo nakwabafileyo. . . . Lowomuntu uyisihlobo sethu, ungowabahlengi bethu.” (2:​20) Yebo, uBowazi uyisihlobo esiseduze, esingamvusela ngokusemthethweni inzalo uNawomi egameni likaElimeleki ofile. URuthe uyaqhubeka ekhothoza emasimini kaBowazi kuze kube sekupheleni kwesivuno sebhali nesikakolweni.

6. URuthe uwucela kanjani umshado ngokuhlengwa, futhi uBowazi uphendula uthini?

⁶ UBowazi, njengomhlengi, ushada noRuthe (3:⁠1–4:​22). Njengoba yena esemdala kakhulu ukuba athole inzalo, uNawomi manje uyala uRuthe ukuba athathe indawo yakhe emshadweni wokuhlengwa. Ngalenkathi ebaluleke kangaka, kwakuwumkhuba ukuba umnikazi wendawo azihlolele ngokwakhe ukweliwa kwebhali okwakwenziwa ebusuku ukuze kutholakale umoya oheleza ngemva kosuku olushisayo. UBowazi wayezobe elele esibuyeni, futhi yilapho uRuthe emthola khona. Usondela kuye buthule, umembula izinyawo zakhe, futhi ulala phansi. Lapho uBowazi evuka phakathi nobusuku, uRuthe uyazichaza ukuthi ungubani, futhi ngokuvumelana nenqubo ewumkhuba eyayilandelwa abesifazane uma besebenzisa ilungelo lokushada nomfowabo kamkhwenyana, ucela ukuba amembathise ngomphetho wengubo yakhe.a UBowazi uthi, “Mawubusiswe nguJehova, ndodakazi yami,” futhi uyamtusa ngokungalandeli izinsizwa ngenxa yenkanuko noma ukuhaha. Engalokothi nakancane amnxenxele ebuhlotsheni obungahlanzekile, uRuthe uzenzela igama elihle ‘njengowesifazane olungileyo.’ (3:​10, 11) Nokho, njengoba uBowazi manje emtshela, kunomunye umhlengi onobuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu kunobakhe; uzobonana naye ekuseni. URuthe uyaqhubeka elele ezinyaweni zakhe kuze kuse. Khona-ke uBowazi umupha isipho sebhali, futhi uphindela kuNawomi, ombuza umphumela ngokulangazelela.

7. UBowazi uwuhlela kanjani umshado, futhi kuphumela kusiphi isibusiso?

⁷ UBowazi ushesha anyukele esangweni lomuzi eyofuna umhlengi. Ehamba namadoda amadala omuzi ayishumi njengofakazi, unikeza lesihlobo ithuba lokuqala lokuthenga konke okwakungokukaElimeleki. Ingabe sizokwenza lokhu? Impendulo yaso esheshayo inguyebo lapho kubonakala ukuthi singandisa ingcebo yaso. Nokho, lapho sizwa ngemfuneko yokuba singene umkamfowabo uRuthe, siba novalo ngefa laso khona-ke sibonisa ngokomthetho ukwenqaba kwaso ngokukhumula isicathulo saso. Emlandweni weBhayibheli sihlala singenagama, kukhulunywa ngaso kuphela ngendlela ehlazisayo yokuthi “sibanibani.” Phambi kwabo labofakazi, uBowazi ube esethenga uRuthe njengomkakhe. Ingabe lokhu kungenxa yesizathu esithile sobugovu? Cha, kodwa ukuze “igama lofileyo linganqunywa phakathi kwabafowabo.” (4:​1, 10) Bonke ababukele bacela isibusiso sikaJehova kulelilungiselelo lothando, futhi lesosibusiso sibonakala simangalisa ngempela! URuthe uzalela uBowazi indodana esegugile, futhi uNawomi uba umzanyana womntwana. Ubizwa ngokuthi “indodana kuNawomi” futhi uqanjwa igama lokuthi uObede.​—⁠4:⁠17.

8. Yini enye ebonisa ukuthi ukuvezwa kweMbewu yesithembiso kungelungiselelo likaJehova?

⁸ Amavesi okuphetha kaRuthe anikeza uhlu lozalo kusukela kuPheresi, kudlule kuBowazi, kuye kuDavide. Abanye abahlaziyi baye baphikisa ngokuthi azifakwanga zonke izizukulwane, njengoba isikhathi siside kakhulu ukuba kungaba nabantu abambalwa kangaka. Ingabe lokhu kuyiqiniso? Noma ingabe ngamunye wabusiswa ngokuphila isikhathi eside kakhulu futhi wathola indodana esegugile? Kungaba yilesiphetho samuva esiyiqiniso, sigcizelela ukuthi ukukhiqizwa kweMbewu ethenjisiwe kungelungiselelo likaJehova nomusa wakhe ongafanele, hhayi ngamandla omuntu angokwemvelo. Ngezinye izikhathi uJehova wasebenzisa amandla akhe ngendlela efanayo, njengasekuzalweni kukaIsaka, uSamuweli, noJohane uMbhapathizi.​—⁠Gen. 21:​1-⁠5; 1 Sam. 1:​1-20; Luka 1:​5-24, 57-⁠66.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO

9. Kungaziphi izici abantu abayinhloko edrameni kaRuthe beyizibonelo ezinhle kithi namuhla?

⁹ Lomlando ojabulisayo unenzuzo ngempela, usiza abathandi bokulunga ukuba bakhe ukholo oluqinile. Bonke abalingiswa abayinhloko kuledrama emnandi babonisa ukholo oluvelele kuJehova, futhi ‘bafakazelwa ngokukholwa.’ (Heb. 11:​39) Baba izibonelo ezinhle kithi namuhla. UNawomi wabonisa ukuthembela okujulile emseni wothando kaJehova. (Ruthe 1:⁠8; 2:​20) Ngokuzithandela uRuthe washiya indawo yakubo ukuze aphishekele ukukhulekela uJehova; wazibonakalisa ethembekile futhi ezithoba, futhi eyisisebenzi sokuzithandela. Kwakuwukwazisa kukaBowazi okubukhali umthetho kaJehova nokuvuma kwakhe ngokuzithoba ukwenza intando kaJehova, kanye nothando lwakhe ngoNawomi othembekile nangoRuthe okhuthele, okwamholela ukuba afeze ilungelo lakhe lokushada ngokuhlenga.

10. Kungani umlando kaRuthe kumelwe uqinise ukuthembela kwethu ezithembisweni zoMbuso?

¹⁰ Ilungiselelo likaJehova lomshado, futhi kulesibonelo, umshado ngokuhlenga, lasetshenziswa kwaba udumo kuye. UJehova wayenguMhleli womshado kaBowazi noRuthe, futhi wawubusisa ngokomusa wakhe wothando; wawusebenzisa njengendlela yokulugcina lunganqamuki uhlu lobukhosi lukaJuda oluholela kuDavide futhi ekugcineni kuDavide Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu. Ukunakekela kukaJehova kokuqapha ekuvezeni iNdlalifa yoMbuso ngokwelungiselelo lakhe elingokomthetho kumelwe kuqinise ukuqiniseka kwethu futhi kusenze sibheke phambili ngethemba ekugcwalisekeni kwazo zonke izithembiso zoMbuso. Kumelwe kusishukumisele ukuba sibe matasa emsebenzini wanamuhla wokuvuna, siqiniseka ngomvuzo ophelele ovela kuJehova, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli ongokomoya, ‘esizé ukuba siphephele ngaphansi kwamaphiko akhe’ nozinjongo zoMbuso wakhe ziqhubekela ngokukhazimula kangaka ekugcwalisekeni kwazo okuphelele. (2:​12) Incwadi kaRuthe ingelinye iketanga elibalulekile emlandweni oholela kulowoMbuso!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]