UJehova
Incazelo: Igama loqobo lowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. Igama azibiza ngalo ngokwakhe. UJehova unguMdali, futhi ngokufanelekile, unguMbusi oPhakeme wendawo yonke. Elithi “Jehova(h)” lihunyushwa ezinhlamvini ezine zesiHeberu (iTetragrammaton), יהוה, elisho ukuthi, “Ubangela Kube Khona.” Lezinhlamvu ezine zesiHeberu ngezilimi eziningi zimelelwe ilezinhlamvu JHVH noma YHWH.
Kukuphi lapho igama likaNkulunkulu litholakala khona ezinguqulweni zeBhayibheli ezisetshenziswa kakhulu namuhla?
IThe New English Bible: Igama elithi Jehova livela kuEksodusi 3:15; 6:3. Bheka futhi uGenesise 22:14; Eksodusi 17:15; AbAhluleli 6:24; Hezekeli 48:35. (Kodwa uma lenguqulo nezinye zisebenzisa elithi “Jehovah” ezindaweni eziningana, kungani zingalisebenzisi njalo kuzo zonke izindawo lapho iTetragrammaton ivela khona embhalweni wesiHeberu?)
IRevised Standard Version: Umbhalo waphansi kuEksodusi 3:15 uthi: “Uma igama elithi INKOSI libhalwe ngonobumbakazi, limelela igama laphezulu elithi, YHWH.”
IToday’s English Version: Umbhalo waphansi kuEksodusi 6:3 uthi: “INKOSI: . . . Lapho umbhalo wesiHeberu unelithi Yahweh, ngokuvamile elihunyushwa njengoba linjalo ngokuthi Jehova, lenguqulo isebenzisa elithi NKOSI ngonobumbakazi, ilandela ukusetshenziswa okujwayelekile ezinguqulweni zesiNgisi.”
IKing James Version: Igama elithi Jehova litholakala kuEksodusi 6:3; iHubo 83:18; Isaya 12:2; 26:4. Bheka futhi uGenesise 22:14; Eksodusi 17:15; AbAhluleli 6:24.
IAmerican Standard Version: Igama elithi Jehova lisetshenziswe njalo emiBhalweni yesiHeberu kulenguqulo, kusukela kuGenesise 2:4.
IDouay Version: Umbhalo waphansi kuEksodusi 6:3 uthi: “Igama lami uAdonai. Igama elisembhalweni wesiHeberu, ileligama elifaneleke kakhulu likaNkulunkulu, elalibonisa ukuba khona kwakhe kwaphakade kuyena, (Eksod. 3, 14,) lelo amaJuda ngenxa yokuhlonipha ayengakaze alibize; kodwa, esikhundleni salo, noma nini uma livela eBhayibhelini, ayelifunda ngokuthi Adonai, okusho ukuthi iNkosi; ngakho-ke, afaka onkamisa, abangabegama elithi Adonai, ezinhlamvwini ezine zelinye igama elingenakushiwo, kanje, Jod, He, Vau, He. Ngaleyondlela abanye abantu banamuhla baye bazakhela leligama elithi Jehova, elingaziwa kubo bonke abasendulo, kungakhathaliseki noma amaJuda noma amaKristu; ngokuqondene nokuphinyiselwa kweqiniso kwaleligama, elisembhalweni wesiHeberu, ngenxa yokungasetshenziswa isikhathi eside manje sekulahlekile.” (Kungokuthakazelisayo ukuthi iThe Catholic Encyclopedia [1913, Umq. VIII, k. 329] ithi: “Elithi Jehova, igama loqobo likaNkulunkulu eTestamenteni Elidala; kungakho amaJuda alibiza ngokuthi yigama ngobuhle, igama elikhulu, ukuphela kwegama.”)
IThe Holy Bible eyahunyushwa nguRonald A. Knox: Igama elithi Yahweh litholakala emibhalweni yaphansi kuEksodusi 3:14 no-6:3.
IThe New American Bible: Umbhalo waphansi kuEksodusi 3:14 ukhetha elithi “Yahweh,” kodwa leligama aliveli ngaphakathi kulenguqulo. KwekaSaint Joseph, bheka nesithasiselo seSichazamazwi SeBhayibheli ngaphansi kwelithi “Lord” nelithi “Yahweh.”
IThe Jerusalem Bible: ‘ITetragrammaton’ ihunyushwe ngokuthi Yahweh, kusukela lapho ivela khona okokuqala, kuGenesise 2:4.
INew World Translation: Igama elithi Jehova lisetshenziswe kokubili emiBhalweni yesiHeberu neyamaKristu yesiGreki kulenguqulo, livela izikhathi eziyizi-7 210.
IAn American Translation: KuEksodusi 3:15 no-6:3 kusetshenziswe igama elithi Yahweh, lilandelwa ngelithi “iNKOSI” kubakaki.
IThe Bible In Living English, kaS. T. Byington: Igama elithi Jehova lisetshenziswa kuyo yonke imiBhalo yesiHeberu.
IThe ‘Holy Scriptures’ eyahunyushwa nguJ. N. Darby: Igama elithi Jehova livela kuyo yonke imiBhalo yesiHeberu, nasemibhalweni eminingi yaphansi emiBhalweni yamaKristu yesiGreki, kusukela kuMathewu 1:20.
IThe Emphatic Diaglott, kaBenjamin Wilson: Igama elithi Jehova litholakala kuMathewu 21:9 nakwezinye izindawo eziyi-17 kulenguqulo yemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki.
IThe Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text—A New Translation, Jewish Publication Society of America, kaMax Margolis umhleli oyinhloko: KuEksodusi 6:3 iTetragrammaton yesiHeberu ivela embhalweni wesiNgisi.
IThe Holy Bible eyahunyushwa nguRobert Young: Igama elithi Jehova litholakala kuyo yonke imiBhalo yesiHeberu kulenguqulo yezwi nezwi.
Kungani izinguqulo eziningi zeBhayibheli zingalisebenzisi igama likaNkulunkulu siqu noma zilisebenzisa izikhathi ezimbalwa kuphela?
Isandulelo seRevised Standard Version siyachaza: “Ngenxa yezizathu ezimbili iKomiti iye yabuyela ekusetshenzisweni okujwayelekile kweKing James Version: (1) igama elithi ‘Jehova’ alimeleli ngokuqondile noma iluphi uhlobo lweGama elake lasetshenziswa esiHeberwini; futhi (2) ukusetshenziswa kwanoma iliphi igama lomuntu kuNkulunkulu oyedwa nowukuphela kwakhe, njengokungathi kunabanye onkulunkulu okumelwe ahlukaniswe kubo, kwayekwa ebuJudeni ngaphambi kwenkathi yobuKristu futhi akufanelekile ngokuphelele okholweni lomhlaba wonke lweSonto lobuKristu.” (Ngaleyondlela kuye kwathenjelwa embonweni wabo siqu ngalokho okufanelekile njengesisekelo sokususa igama loMlobi Waphezulu eBhayibhelini eliNgcwele, ogama lakhe livela kaningi ngaphezu kwanoma iliphi elinye igama noma isiqu esiHeberwini sakuqala. Bayavuma ukuthi balandela isibonelo sababekholelwa ebuJudeni, labo uJesu athi ngabo: “Nilenzé laba-yize izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesiko lenu.”—Math. 15:6.)
Abahumushi abaye bazizwa bebophekile ukulifaka igama likaNkulunkulu okungenani kanye noma mhlawumbe izikhathi ezimbalwa embhalweni, nakuba bengakwenzi lokho zonke izikhathi elivela ngazo esiHeberwini, ngokusobala baye balandela isibonelo sikaWilliam Tyndale, owalifaka igama laphezulu enguqulweni yakhe yePentateuch eyakhishwa ngo-1530, ngaleyondlela ewubalekela umkhuba wokulishiya ngaphandle ngokuphelele leligama.
Ingabe igama elithi Jehova lalisetshenziswa ngabalobi abaphefumlelwe bemiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki?
UJerome, ngekhulu lesine, wabhala: “UMathewu, onguLevi futhi, owathi ekade engumthelisi waba ngumphostoli, okokuqala wakha iVangeli likaKristu eJudiya ngolimi lwesiHeberu nezinhlamvu ukuze kuzuze labo abasokileyo ababekholwa.” (De viris inlustribus, isahl. III) LeliVangeli lihlanganisa izingcaphuno eziqondile eziyi-11 zezingxenye zemiBhalo yesiHeberu lapho iTetragrammaton itholakala khona. Asikho isizathu sokukholelwa ukuthi uMathewu akazange azicaphune izingxenye njengoba zazilotshwe embhalweni wesiHeberu acaphuna kuwo.
Abanye abalobi abaphefumlelwe abahlanganyela kokuqukethwe imiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki bacaphuna amakhulu ezingxenye ezivela kuSeptuagint, okuyinguqulo yemiBhalo yesiHeberu ngesiGreki. Eziningi zalezingxenye zazihlanganisa iTetragrammaton yesiHeberu khona kanye embhalweni wesiGreki wamakhophi okuqala eSeptuagint. Ngokuvumelana nesimo sikaJesu ngokwakhe ngokuqondene negama likaYise, abafundi bakaJesu babeyoligcina lelogama kulezozingcaphuno.—Qhathanisa noJohane 17:6, 26.
KuJournal of Biblical Literature, uGeorge Howard weYunivesithi yaseGeorgia wabhala: “Siyazi ngokuqinisekile ukuthi amaJuda akhuluma isiGreki aqhubeka ebhala izinhlamvu יהוה emiBhalweni yawo yesiGreki. Ngokungaphezulu, cishe kungenzeki ukuthi amaKristu akudala angamaJuda akhuluma isiGreki ahluka kulomkhuba. Nakuba kwezinye izindawo ezingabalulekile ezibhekisela kuNkulunkulu mhlawumbe asebenzisa amagama athi [uNkulunkulu] nelithi [iNkosi], kwakuyoba kude kakhulu nawo ukuyisusa i‘Tetragram’ embhalweni weBhayibheli ngokwawo. . . . Njengoba i‘Tetragram’ yayisabhalwa emakhophini eBhayibheli lesiGreki elalihlanganisa imiBhalo yebandla lokuqala, kungokunengqondo ukukholelwa ukuthi abalobi beT[estamente] E[lisha], lapho becaphuna emibhalweni, bayilondoloza i‘Tetragram’ embhalweni weBhayibheli. . . . Kodwa lapho lisuswa eT[estamenteni] E[lidala] lesiGreki, lasuswa futhi nasezingcaphunweni zeT[estamente] E[lidala] eziseT[estamenteni] E[lisha]. Ngaleyondlela esikhathini esithile ngasekuqaleni kwekhulu lesibili ukusetshenziswa kweziqu ezimelele kumelwe ukuba kwayisithibeza i‘Tetragram’ kuwo womabili amaTestamente.”—Umq. 96, No. 1, March 1977, kk. 76, 77.
Iyiphi indlela yegama laphezulu engeqondile—uJehova noma uYahweh?
Akekho umuntu namuhla ongaqiniseka ukuthi lalibizwa kanjani kuqala ngesiHeberu. Ngani? IsiHeberu seBhayibheli ekuqaleni sasibhalwa ngongwaqa kuphela, bengekho onkamisa. Lapho lolulimi lusetshenziswa nsuku zonke, abafundi babebafaka kalula onkamisa abafanele. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaJuda aba nomqondo wokukholelwa ezeni wokuthi kwakungalungile ukuphimisa igama likaNkulunkulu siqu, ngakho asebenzisa iziqu zokulimelela. Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, izazi zamaJuda zaba nesimiso sawongqi bokubonisa onkamisa okumelwe basetshenziswe lapho kufundwa isiHeberu sasendulo, kodwa zafaka onkamisa beziqu ezazilimelela kongwaqa abane abamelele igama laphezulu. Ngaleyondlela ukuphinyiselwa kwakuqala kwegama laphezulu kwalahleka.
Izazi eziningi zikhetha indlela yokuthi “Yahweh,” kodwa ayiqinisekile futhi akukho ukuvumelana phakathi kwazo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, eyokuthi “Jehova” iyindlela yaleligama eqondakala kalula, ngoba iye yasetshenziswa esiNgisini amakhulu eminyaka futhi isagcine, ngokufanayo nezinye izindlela, ongwaqa abane beTetragrammaton yesiHeberu.
UJ. B. Rotherham, kuyiThe Emphasised Bible, wasebenzisa indlela yokuthi Yahweh kuyo yonke imiBhalo yesiHeberu. Nokho, kamuva kwethi Studies in the Psalms wasebenzisa elithi “Jehova.” Wachaza: “JEHOVAH—Ukusetshenziswa kwalendlela yesiNgisi yaleligama eliyiSikhumbuzo . . . enguqulweni yamanje yeNcwadi yamaHubo akubangelwa yinoma ikuphi ukusola ngokuqondene nokuphimisela okuyikhona khona, okuwukuthi Yahwéh; kodwa kuphela ngenxa yobufakazi obusobala obubangelwa ukufisela ukuthintana nezindlebe namehlo abantu endabeni yaloluhlobo, lapho into eyinhloko iwukuqashelwa kalula kwegama laPhezulu eliqondiwe.”—(London, 1911), k. 29.
Ngemva kokuxoxa ngokuphimisela okuhlukahlukene, uprofesa waseJalimane uGustav Friedrich Oehler waphetha: “Kusukela manje kuye phambili ngisebenzisa igama elithi Jehova, ngoba, eqinisweni, leligama manje seliye lajwayeleka kakhulu olimini lwethu, futhi alinakumelelwa ngelinye.”—Theologie des Alten Testaments, uhlelo lwesibili (Stuttgart, 1882), k. 143.
Isazi esingumJesuit uPaul Joüon sithi: “Ezinguqulweni zethu, esikhundleni sendlela (engumbandela) yokuthi Yahweh, siye sasebenzisa indlela yokuthi Jéhovah . . . okuyindlela endala ekulobeni esetshenziswa ngesiFulentshi.”—Grammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Rome, 1923), umbhalo waphansi ekhasini 49.
Amagama amaningi ayashintsha ngezinga elithile uma esuswa kolunye ulimi eyiswa kolunye. UJesu wazalwa engumJuda, futhi igama lakhe ngesiHeberu mhlawumbe laliphinyiselwa ngokuthi Ye·shuʹa, kodwa abalobi abaphefumlelwe bemiBhalo yamaKristu abazange bangabaze ukusebenzisa uhlobo lwesiGreki lwaleligama, I·e·sousʹ. Kweziningi ezinye izilimi ukuphinyiselwa kuhlukile kancane, kodwa ngokukhululekile sisebenzisa indlela ejwayelekile olimini lwethu. Kungokufanayo futhi nangamanye amagama aseBhayibhelini. Pho, singayibonisa kanjani inhlonipho efanele ngaLowo igama elibaluleke ngaphezu kwawo wonke elingelakhe? Ingabe kungaba ngokungaphinde sikhulume noma sibhale igama lakhe ngenxa yokuthi asazi ngokuqondile ukuthi laliphinyiselwa kanjani ekuqaleni? Noma, kunalokho, kungaba ngokusebenzisa ukuphimisela nendlela yokulibhala ejwayelekile olimini lwethu, sibe sikhuluma kahle ngoMnikazi walo futhi siziphatha njengabakhulekeli bakhe ngendlela emdumisayo?
Kungani kubalulekile ukwazi nokusebenzisa igama likaNkulunkulu siqu?
Ingabe unabo ubuhlobo obuseduze nanoma ubani ongalazi igama lakhe siqu? Kubantu uNkulunkulu angenagama kubo ngokuvamile ungamandla angaphili, akayena umuntu woqobo, akayena umuntu abamaziyo nabamthandayo nabangase bakhulume naye ngomthandazo osuka enhliziyweni. Uma bethandaza, imithandazo yabo iyisiko nje, ukugcina icala lokuphindaphinda izinkulumo ngekhanda.
AmaKristu eqiniso athunywe uJesu Kristu ukuba enze abantu bazo zonke izizwe abafundi. Lapho efundisa labantu, bekungenzeka kanjani ukuhlukanisa uNkulunkulu weqiniso konkulunkulu bamanga bezizwe? Kuphela ngokusebenzisa igama laKhe siqu, njengoba iBhayibheli ngokwalo lenza.—Math. 28:19, 20; 1 Kor. 8:5, 6.
Eks. 3:15: “UNkulunkulu wathi . . . kuMose: Uzakusho njalo kubo abantwana bakwaIsrayeli, uthi: UJehova, uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo . . . ungithumile kini: yileli eliyigama lami kuze kube-phakade, lesi siyisikhumbuzo sami ezizukulwaneni ngezizukulwane.”
Isaya 12:4: “Bongani uJehova, nibize igama lakhe, nizazise izenzo zakhe phakathi kwezizwe, nimemezele ukuthi igama lakhe liphakeme.”
Hez. 38:17, 23: “Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: . . . Ngiyakuzenza-mkhulu, ngizingcwelise, ngizazise emehlweni ezizwe eziningi, zazi ukuthi nginguJehova.”
Mal. 3:16: “Abamesaba uJehova bakhuluma bodwa omunye nomunye; uJehova waqaphela, wezwa, kwalotshwa phambi kwakhe incwadi yokukhumbula ababemesaba uJehova, bezindla ngegama lakhe.”
Joh. 17:26: “[UJesu wathandaza kuYise:] Ngibazisile igama lakho [abalandeli bakhe], ngizakubazisa lona ukuba uthando ongithandé ngalo lube-kubo, nami ngibe-kubo.”
IzE. 15:14: “USimeyoni uselandile ngokuhlela kukaNkulunkulu ekuqaleni ukuba athathele igama lakhe isizwe kubo abezizwe.”
Ingabe uJehova “eTestamenteni Elidala” unguJesu Kristu “eTestamenteni Elisha”?
Math. 4:10: “UJesu wathi kuye: Suka, Sathane, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Wokhuleka eNkosini [“kuJehova,” NW] uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.” (Ngokusobala uJesu wayengasho ukuthi kwakumelwe kukhulekelwe yena ngokwakhe.)
Joh. 8:54: “UJesu waphendula [amaJuda] wathi: Uma ngizidumisa mina, udumo lwami luyize; nguBaba ongidumisayo, enisho ngaye ukuthi unguNkulunkulu wenu.” (ImiBhalo yesiHeberu imchaza ngokusobala uJehova njengoNkulunkulu amaJuda ayethi ayamkhulekela. UJesu wathi, akukhona ukuthi yena ngokwakhe wayenguJehova, kodwa uJehova wayenguYise. UJesu lapha wakwenza kwakhanya ukuthi yena noYise babengabantu abahlukene.)
IHu. 110:1: “UJehova wathi eNkosini yami [kaDavide]: Hlala ngakwesokunene sami, ngize ngenze izitha zakho zibe-yisenabelo sezinyawo zakho.” (KuMathewu 22:41-45, uJesu wachaza ukuthi yena ngokwakhe ‘wayeyiNkosi’ kaDavide, okubhekiselwe kuyo kulelihubo. Ngakho uJesu akayena uJehova kodwa uyilowo amazwi kaJehova ayeqondiswe kuye lapha.)
Fil. 2:9-11: “Ngalokho-ke uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu [uJesu Kristu], wamnika igama eliphezu kwamagama onke, ukuze kuthi ngegama likaJesu amadolo onke aguqe, awabasezulwini, nawabasemhlabeni, nawabangaphansi komhlaba, nezilimi zonke zivume ngokuthi UJESU KRISTU UYINKOSI, kube-yinkazimulo kuNkulunkulu uYise. [IDy ifundeka kanje: “ . . . izilimi zonke kumelwe zivume ukuthi iNkosi uJesu Kristu isenkazimulweni kaNkulunkulu uYise.” IKx ne-CC zifundeka ngokufanayo, kodwa umbhalo waphansi weKx uyavuma: “ . . . isiGreki mhlawumbe sihunyushwa ngokujwayelekile ngokuthi ‘kube-yinkazimulo,’” futhi iNAB neJB zikuhumusha ngaleyondlela.]” (Phawula ukuthi uJesu Kristu lapha uboniswa njengohlukile kuNkulunkulu uYise futhi ungaphansi kwaKhe.)
Umuntu angamthanda kanjani uJehova uma kumelwe futhi amesabe?
IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi kumelwe simthande uJehova (Luka 10:27) futhi simesabe. (1 Pet. 2:17; IzAga 1:7; 2:1-5; 16:6) Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okunempilo kuyosenza sinakekele ekubeni sigweme ukuzilethela ulaka lwakhe. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova luyosishukumisela ukuba sifune ukwenza izinto ezimthokozisayo, sibonise ukwazisa kwethu ngezindlela ezingenakubalwa zokusibonisa uthando lwakhe nomusa wakhe ongafanelekanga.
Umfanekiso: Indodana yesaba ngokufanele ukudumaza uyise, kodwa ukwazisa ngakho konke uyise ayenzela khona kumelwe futhi kushukumise indodana ukuba ibonise uthando loqobo ngoyise. Inhlambi ingase ithi iyaluthanda ulwandle, kodwa ukwesaba okuphilayo ngalo kungayibangela ukuba iqaphele ukuthi kunezinto ezithile okumelwe igweme ukuzenza. Ngokufanayo, uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu kumelwe luhambisane nokwesaba okuphilayo ukwenza noma yini eyobangela ukuba simdumaze.