Indaba 51
URude NoNawomi
EBHAYIBHILINI sifumana incwadi ebizwa bona nguRude. Yindaba emalungana nomndeni owaphila hlangana nesikhathi sabahluleli kwa-Israyeli. URude mfazi osesemutjha obuya enarheni yakwaMowabi; akasuye wesitjhaba sakaZimu sama-Israyeli. Kodwana lapho uRude afunda ngoJehova uZimu wamambala, umthanda khulu. UNawomi mfazi osele akhulile owarhelebha uRude ukufunda ngoJehova.
UNawomi bekamfazi om’Israyeli. Yena nendodakhe namadodanakhe amabili bafudukela kwaMowabi ngesikhathi sendlala kwa-Israyeli. Langelinye indoda kaNawomi yahlongakala. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi amadodana kaNawomi amabili atjhada nabantazana bakwaMowabi, uRude no-Orpa. Kodwana ngemva kweemnyaka eyi-10 amadodana kaNawomi amabili ahlongakala. Batlhuwa kangangani uNawomi nabantazana ababilaba! UNawomi bekazokwenzani kwanjesi?
Langelinye uNawomi wacabanga ukuthatha ikhambo elide abuyele ekhabo. URude no-Orpa bafuna ukuhlala naye, ngalokho bakhamba naye. Kodwana ngemva kokukhamba ibanga elide, uNawomi wathi ebantazanenaba: ‘Buyelani emakhenu niyokuhlala nabonyoko.’
UNawomi wabalayelisa ngokubamanga. Bathoma ukulila ngombana bebamthanda khulu uNawomi. Bathi: ‘Awa! Sizokukhamba nawe ekhenu.’ Kodwana uNawomi waphendula: ‘Kufuneka nibuyele emva bantazana bami. Kuzokuba bhedere kini nanisemakhenu.’ U-Orpa wabuyela ekhaya. Kodwana uRude khenge akhambe.
UNawomi wathi kuye: ‘U-Orpa ukhambile. Nawe buyela ekhenu naye.’ Kodwana uRude wathi: ‘Ungangikateleli bona ngikutjhiye! Angikhambe nawe. Lapho uyakhona ngizokuya khona, nalapho uhlala khona ngizokuhlala khona. Abantu bakho bazokuba babantu bami, noZimu wakho uzokuba nguZimu wami. Lapho uyokufela khona ngiyokufela khona, begodu kulapho ngizokubulungwa khona.’ URude nakatjho lokhu, uNawomi akhenge asalinga ukumkatelela bona abuyele ekhabo.
Emaswapheleni abafazi ababilaba bafika kwa-Israyeli. Kulapho bahlala khona. URude wathoma ukuberega emasimini, ngombana bekusikhathi sokuvunwa kwamabele. Indoda ebizwa bona nguBhowazi yamvumela bona avune amabele esiminayo. Uyazi bonyana ngubani unina lakaBhowazi? NguRarhabi wedorobheni leJeriko.
Langelinye uBhowazi watjela uRude: ‘Ngizwile ngawe, nangomusa owaba nawo kuNawomi. Ngiyayazi indlela otjhiye ngayo uyihlo, unyoko nenarha yekhenu, nokuhlala hlangana nabantu egade ungabazi. Kwanga uJehova angakubusisa!’
URude waphendula: ‘Unomusa kimi mnumzana. Ungenze ngazizwa bhedere ngendlela ehle okhulume ngayo nami.’ UBhowazi bekamthanda khulu uRude, kungakabi sikhathi eside batjhada. Kwamthabisa kangangani lokhu uNawomi! Kodwana uNawomi wathaba khulu lokha uRude noBhowazi nebafumana izibulo labo u-Obede. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi u-Obede waba nguyisemkhulu kaDavidi, loyo esisazokufunda ngaye.