Amaboda WeJerusalema

Akhesibuyele emva ngeminyaka eembalwa. UNerhemiya, inceku yeKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta, beyimIsrayeli ohlala ePheresiya idorobho leTjhutjhani. Umfowabo kaNerhemiya wabuya kwaJuda aphethe iindaba ezimbi ezithi: ‘Abantu ababuyele eJerusalema abakaphephi. Amaboda wedorobho namasango wakhona abhujiswa babantu beBhabhiloni, azange asavuselelwa.’ Lokho kwamdanisa tle uNerhemiya! Wafuna ukuya eJerusalema ayokusiza, wathandaza bona ikosi imvumele akhambe.

Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ikosi yabona ukuthi uNerhemiya udanile. Yathi: ‘Kwenza njani Nerhemiya? Azange khengikubone ungalendlela?’ UNerhemiya wathi: ‘Kufuze ngidane, idorobho lami iJerusalema ibhujisiwe.’ Ikosi yabuza yathi: ‘Kukhona engingakwenzela khona?’ UNerhemiya wathandaza buthule ngesikhatheso. Ngemva kwalokho wathi: ‘Ngibawa ungivumele ngiyokuvuselela amaboda weJerusalema.’ IKosi u-Aritarhitjhasta yathi uNerhemiya angakhamba, yenza nesiqinisekiso sokuthi uNerhemiya uzokuphepha ekhambweni lakhe. Yenza bona uNerhemiya abuse kwaJuda, yamnikela neengodo zamasango.

UNerhemiya nakafika eJerusalema, wakhamba wayokuhlola amaboda wedorobho. Yeke wabizela ndawonye abaphristi nababusi wathi kibo: ‘Yimbi intwe le, kufuze sisebenze.’ Abantu bavuma bathoma ukwakha amaboda.

Amanye wamanaba wama-Israyeli ahlekisa ngabo athi: ‘Ipungutjha ingawawisa amaboda eniwakhako lawo.’ Abasebenzi base babeqisela amehlo, baraga nokwakha. Amaboda aba made begodu aqina.

Amanaba lawo acabanga ngamanye amano, bona ahlasele iJerusalema ngokungakalindeleki. AmaJuda athe bona ezwe ngamano lawo angenwa mamanzi emadolweni. Kodwana uNerhemiya wathi: ‘Ningathukwa. UJehova unathi.’ Wabeka abonogada, amanaba akhenge akghone ukusahlela.

Kwabathatha amalanga ama-52 kwaphela ukuqeda ukwakha amaboda namasango. UNerhemiya wabizela woke amaLevi eJerusalema bona azokugidinga ukuvulwa kwethempeli. Wabahlukanisa kwaba ziinqhema ezimbili zababhini. Bakhuphuka ngeentepisi eSangweni elingeManzini, batjhinga ngakwenye ingcenye bazombeleza idorobho. Babetha ibhorompita, babetha iinwahlo namaharibhana, babhinela uJehova. U-Ezra wakhamba nesinye isiqhema, bese kwathi uNerhemiya naye wakhamba nesinye, baze bayokuhlangana ethempeleni. Boke abantu, amadoda, abafazi nabantwana, benzela uJehova imihlatjelo bagidinga. Amaphimbwabo bekazwakala nekudeni.