16. (a) Senziwani isilulu esabonwa nguZekhariya? (Khangela umfanekiso 3 osekuqaliseni.) (b) Abesifazana ababili basithatha basisa ngaphi isilulu?

¹⁶ UZekhariya uthe elokhu esakhangele kwathi thutshu abesifazana ababili ababelempiko eziqine njengezengabuzane. (Bala uZekhariya 5:9-11.) Abesifazana laba babetshiyene kakhulu lowesifazana ophakathi kwesilulu. Bafika bahwitha isilulu ‘esasilobubi’ phakathi basiphakamisa baphapha laso basisa “elizweni laseBhabhiloni.” Kungani basisa eBhabhiloni?

17, 18. (a) Kungani kwakulengqondo ukuthi isilulu esasilobubi sihanjiswe eBhabhiloni? (b) Kumele sizimisele ukwenzani?

¹⁷ Ama-Israyeli aphila ngesikhathi sikaZekhariya ayekuzwisisa ukuthi kungani isilulu esasilobubi phakathi sihanjiswa eBhabhiloni. Ayekwazi ukuthi elizweni lelo kwakugcwele ububi obumangalisayo obabugoqela ukukhonza izithombe lokuziphatha okubi. Ngesikhathi uZekhariya lama-Israyeli beseBhabhiloni bazama ngamandla wonke ukuthi bangalandeli imikhuba engcolileyo eyayisenziwa elizweni lelo. Ngakho umbono lo wabenza babona ukuthi uJehova wayengasoze avumele loba yibuphi ububi ukuthi bubekhona phakathi kwabantu bakhe.

¹⁸ Wabakhumbuza lokuthi kwakumele basebenze gadalala ukuze bahlale bemsulwa ekukhonzeni. Lalamuhla uJehova kasoze avumele ukuthi ububi bungene futhi buhlale phakathi kwabantu bakhe. Ngakho njengoba uJehova esidonsele enhlanganisweni yakhe ehlanzekileyo, sonke silomsebenzi omkhulu wokuyigcina ihlanzekile. Akumelanga kutholakale ububi phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova.