U-Amose—Wayengumvuni Noma Wayengumqhumbuzi Wamakhiwane?

KUDALA ngekhulu lesi-9 B.C.E., umprofethi u-Amose wayalwa u-Amaziya omubi, umpristi owayekhulekela ithole, ukuba ayeke ukuprofetha kwa-Israyeli. U-Amose wenqaba, wathi: “Ngangingumalusi nomqhumbuzi wamakhiwane emisikhamori. UJehova wangithatha ukuba ngingabe ngisalandela umhlambi, futhi uJehova wathi kimi, ‘Hamba uprofethe kubantu bami u-Israyeli.’” (Amose 7:14, 15) Yebo, nguJehova owathuma u-Amose ukuba abe umprofethi; akazisukelanga yena. Kodwa wayesho ukuthini u-Amose lapho ethi ‘wayengumqhumbuzi’ wamakhiwane emisikhamori?

Inkulumo yesiHebheru ehunyushwe ngale ndlela ivela lapha kuphela kuyi-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha. Ezinye izinguqulo zeBhayibheli zihumusha leli gama ngokuthi “umvuni,” “umlimi,” “umtshali” kunokuthi “umqhumbuzi” wamakhiwane emisikhamori. Nokho, iphephabhuku i-Economic Botany lithi igama elifanelekayo yileli elithi “umqhumbuzi” ngoba libonisa isenzo esithile esikhethekile somlimi wamakhiwane emisikhamori.

Umkhuba wokuqhumbuza amakhiwane emisikhamori, okungukuthi, ukuwasika kancane wawujwayelekile eGibhithe naseKhupro kusukela kudala. Awasaqhumbuzwa manje amakhiwane kwa-Israyeli ngoba leli zwe selitshala ezinye izinhlobo zamakhiwane. Nokho, ama-Israyeli angosuku luka-Amose ayewaqhumbuza amakhiwane ngoba imisikhamori eyayilinywa kwa-Israyeli ngaleso sikhathi yayivela ezinhlotsheni ezihlukahlukene zaseGibhithe.

Ngokusobala, ukuqhumbuza amakhiwane kuwenza amunce amanzi abese eba nojusi omningi ngaphakathi. Ukuwaqhumbuza kuwenza akhiqize igesi eningi ye-ethylene esheshisa inqubo yokuvuthwa. Lokhu kuwenza abe makhulu futhi abe mnandi kakhulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lezi zithelo azonakaliswa iminyovu ngoba zisheshe zivuthwe.

Nakuba ayengumuntu ophansi, umalusi nomqhumbuzi wamakhiwane, u-Amose akazange esatshiswe izitha zakhe. Kunalokho, wasimemezela ngesibindi isahlulelo sikaJehova ku-Israyeli. Yeka isibonelo esihle ezincekwini zikaNkulunkulu namuhla njengoba nazo kufanele zimemezele isigijimi esingathandeki!—Mathewu 5:11, 12; 10:22.