Indima Endilisekileyo Yabafazi Phakathi Kwabakhonzi BakaThixo Bamandulo
“UYehova uThixo wahlabela mgama esithi: ‘Akulungile ngomntu ukuba aqhubeke eyedwa. Ndiya kumenzela umncedi, njengomphelelisi wakhe.’”—GENESIS 2:18, NW.
1. Isichazi-magama seBhayibhile siyichaza njani imeko yabafazi kumaxesha amandulo?
“MANDULO kwimimandla engakwiMeditera okanye eMbindi Mpuma abafazi babengenayo inkululeko abayinandipha kwibutho lanamhlanje laseNtshona. Ngokuqhelekileyo abafazi babengaphantsi emadodeni, kanye njengokuba amakhoboka ayengaphantsi ebantwini abakhululekileyo, nabantwana bengaphantsi kubantu abakhulileyo. . . . Abantwana abangamakhwenkwe babexatyiswe kakhulu kunabangamantombazana, yaye maxa wambi iintsana ezingamantombazana zazilahlwa ukuze zife.” Leyo yindlela esinye isichazi-magama seBhayibhile esiyichaza ngayo imeko yabafazi kumaxesha amandulo.
2, 3. (a) Ngokutsho kwenye ingxelo, injani imeko yabafazi abaninzi namhlanje? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo?
2 Namhlanje le meko ayahlukanga kuyaphi kwiindawo ezininzi zehlabathi. Ngowe-1994, okwesihlandlo sokuqala, ingxelo yonyaka yamalungelo abantu yeSebe leLizwe laseUnited States yanikela ingqalelo kwindlela abaphathwa ngayo abafazi. Uthetha ngale ngxelo umxholo weNew York Times wathi, “Ingxelo Kumazwe Ali-193 Ibonisa Ukuba Kukho Ucalucalulo.”
3 Ekubeni abafazi abaninzi abaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo benxulumana namabandla abantu bakaYehova emhlabeni wonke, kuphakama imibuzo ethile: Ngaba le mpatho isandul’ ukuchazwa yileyo uThixo wayenenjongo yayo ngabafazi kwasekuqaleni? Babephathwa njani abafazi phakathi kwabanquli bakaYehova ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile? Yaye bafanele baphathwe njani abafazi namhlanje?
“Umncedi” Kunye ‘Nomphelelisi’
4. Wathini uYehova emva kwexesha elithile indoda yokuqala ihleli yodwa kumyezo wase-Eden, yaye emva koko wenza ntoni uThixo?
4 Emva kwexesha elithile uAdam ehleli yedwa kumyezo wase-Eden, uYehova wathi: “Akulungile ngomntu ukuba aqhubeke eyedwa. Ndiya kumenzela umncedi, njengomphelelisi wakhe.” (Genesis 2:18, NW) Nangona uAdam wayeyindoda efezekileyo, kwakufuneka nto ithile ukuze aphumeze injongo yoMdali. Ukuze azalise loo mfuno, uYehova wadala umfazi waza wenza umtshato wokuqala.—Genesis 2:21-24.
5. (a) Izihlandlo ezininzi ababhali beBhayibhile basisebenzisa njani isibizo sesiHebhere esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “umncedi”? (b) Yintoni eboniswa sisibakala sokuba uYehova wabhekisela kumfazi wokuqala ‘njengomphelelisi’?
5 Ngaba igama elithi “umncedi” nelithi ‘umphelelisi’ abonisa ukuba indima yomfazi awayinikwa nguThixo yayithoba isidima? Akunjalo. Izihlandlo ezininzi ababhali beBhayibhile basisebenzisa kuThixo isibizo sesiHebhere (ʽeʹzer) esiguqulelwe ngokuthi “umncedi.” Ngokomzekelo, uYehova ungqineka ‘eluncedo lwethu nengweletshetshe yethu.’ (INdumiso 33:20; Eksodus 18:4; Duteronomi 33:7) KuHoseya 13:9, uYehova ude athi yena ‘uluncedo’ lukaSirayeli. Ngokuphathelele igama lesiHebhere (neʹghedh) eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘umphelelisi,’ omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uyacacisa: “Uncedo olwalufuneka asikokufak’ isandla nje kwimisebenzi yakhe yemihla ngemihla okanye ekuveliseni abantwana . . . kodwa kukuxhasana kwabantu ababini okubangelwa bubuqabane.”
6. Kwathethwa waphi amazwi emva kokudalwa komfazi, yaye ngoba?
6 Ngoko akukho nto ithoba isidima ngendlela uYehova awamchaza ngayo umfazi ‘njengomncedi’ kunye ‘nomphelelisi.’ Umfazi wayenziwe ngendlela ekhethekileyo engqondweni, ngokweemvakalelo nasemzimbeni. Wayeliqabane elifanelekileyo, umphelelisi wendoda owanelisayo. Ngamnye wayahlukile, kodwa ngamnye wayefuneka ukuze ‘kuzaliswe umhlaba’ ngokuvisisana nenjongo yoMdali. Kubonakala ukuba kwakusemva kokudalwa kwendoda nomfazi xa “wakubona uThixo konke akwenzileyo, nanko, kulungile kunene.”—Genesis 1:28, 31.
7, 8. (a) Emva kokungena kwesono e-Eden, indima yomfazi yayiya kuchaphazeleka njani? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngokuphathelele ukuzaliseka kweGenesis 3:16 phakathi kwabanquli bakaYehova?
7 Emva kokungena kwesono, izinto zaguquka kwindoda nakumfazi. UYehova wavakalisa isigwebo kubo bobabini njengaboni. “Ndiya kukwandisa kakhulu ukubulaleka kwakho ekumitheni,” uYehova wamxelela oko uEva, ethetha ngento awayeyivumele eyayiza kwenzeka ngokungathi yayiza kwenziwa nguye. Wongezelela wathi: “Uzale abantwana unembulaleko; inkanuko yakho ibe sendodeni yakho, ikulawule yona.” (Genesis 3:16) Ukususela ngelo xesha, abafazi abaninzi baye balawulwa ngamadoda abo, amaxesha amaninzi ngokungqwabalala. Kunokuba baxatyiswe njengabancedi nabaphelelisi, amaxesha amaninzi baye baphathwa njengezicaka okanye amakhoboka.
8 Noko ke, inzaliseko yeGenesis 3:16 yayithetha ntoni kubanquli bakaYehova abangabafazi? Ngaba bathotyelwa kwindawo ephantsi nengandilisekanga? Akunjalo konke konke! Kodwa kuthekani ngeengxelo zeBhayibhile ezibalisa ngamasiko nezenzo ezichaphazela abafazi ezinokubonakala zingamkelekanga kwiindawo ezithile namhlanje?
Ukuqonda Amasiko Abhalwe EBhayibhileni
9. Xa siqwalasela amasiko abandakanya abafazi ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, ziziphi izinto ezintathu esifanele sizikhumbule?
9 Abafazi babephathwa kakuhle phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Kambe ke, xa siqwalasela amasiko abandakanya abafazi ngaloo mihla, kuluncedo ukukhumbula izinto eziliqela. Okokuqala, xa iBhayibhile ibalisa ngeemeko ezingathandekiyo ezabakho ngenxa yokulawula ngokuzingca kwamadoda angendawo, oko akuthethi ukuba uThixo wayeyamkela indlela enjalo ababephathwa ngayo abafazi. Okwesibini, nangona uYehova wayewanyamezela amasiko athile phakathi kwabakhonzi bakhe kangangexesha elithile, wayewalungelelanisa ukuze akhusele abafazi. Okwesithathu, simele silumke singagwebi amasiko amandulo ngemilinganiselo yanamhlanje. Amanye amasiko abonakala engathandeki kubantu abaphilayo namhlanje ayengagqalwa njengathoba isidima ngabafazi emva phayaa. Makhe siqwalasele imizekelo.
10. UYehova wayelijonga njani isiko lesithembu, yaye yintoni ebonisa ukuba akazange awulahle umlinganiselo wakhe wokuqala womfazi omnye?
10 Isithembu:a Ngokwenjongo kaYehova yokuqala, umfazi wayengayi kubolekisana nelinye ibhinqa ngendoda yakhe. UThixo wamdalela umfazi wamnye kuphela uAdam. (Genesis 2:21, 22) Emva kwemvukelo yase-Eden, isithembu saqalisa ukubonakala kwinzala kaKayin. Ekugqibeleni saba lisiko yaye samkelwa ngabanye abanquli bakaYehova. (Genesis 4:19; 16:1-3; 29:21-28) Nangona uYehova wasivumela isithembu yaye sasisenza ukuba amaSirayeli ande, wabonisa ulwazelelelo ngabafazi ngokulilungelelanisa eli siko ukuze abafazi nabantwana babo bakhuseleke. (Eksodus 21:10, 11; Duteronomi 21:15-17) Ngaphezu koko, uYehova akazange awulahle umlinganiselo wakhe wokuqala womfazi omnye. UNowa noonyana bakhe, owaphindwa kubo umyalelo wokuba ‘baqhame baze bazalise ihlabathi,’ ngamnye kubo wayenomfazi omnye. (Genesis 7:7; 9:1; 2 Petros 2:5) UThixo wazibonakalisa njengomyeni onomfazi omnye xa wayefanekisela ulwalamano lwakhe noSirayeli. (Isaya 54:1, 5) Kwakhona, umlinganiselo kaThixo wokuqala womfazi omnye waphinda wamiselwa nguYesu Kristu yaye wawulandelwa kwibandla lokuqala lamaKristu.—Mateyu 19:4-8; 1 Timoti 3:2, 12.
11. Kwakutheni ukuze kuhlawulwe ikhazi ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, yaye ngaba oku kwakubathoba isidima abafazi?
11 Ukuhlawula ikhazi: Incwadi ethi Ancient Israel—Its Life and Institutions ithi: “Le mbopheleleko yokuhlawula isixa semali, okanye into exabisa loo mali, kwintsapho yakulontombi ngokucacileyo yenza umtshato wamaSirayeli ubonakale ngathi uyathengwa. Kodwa [ikhazi] libonakala lingeyonto ihlawulwayo ukuze kufunyanwe umfazi kodwa liyimbuyekezo enikwa loo ntsapho.” (Akekeliswe sithi.) Ngoko ukuhlawulwa kwekhazi kwakubuyekeza intsapho yakulontombi ngenxa yokuphulukana neenkonzo zayo nomgudu neendleko zentsapho yakowayo zokuyinyamekela. Ngoko, kunokuba lithobe isidima somfazi, laligxininisa indlela axabiseke ngayo kwintsapho yakowabo.—Genesis 34:11, 12; Eksodus 22:16; bona IMboniselo, kaJanuwari 15, 1989, iphepha 21-4.
12. (a) Maxa wambi amadoda nabafazi abatshatileyo babebizwa njani eZibhalweni, yaye ngaba la mabinzana ayenobukrwada kubafazi? (b) Yintoni ephawulekayo ngamabinzana awasetyenziswa nguYehova e-Eden? (Bona umbhalo osemazantsi.)
12 Amadoda ‘njengabanini babo’: Esinye isiganeko kubomi buka-Abraham noSara malunga nowe-1918 B.C.E. sibonisa ukuba ngexesha labo kwakulisiko ukugqala indoda etshatileyo ‘njengomnini’ (ngesiHebhere, baʹʽal) yaye umfazi otshatileyo ‘njengomkamntu’ (ngesiHebhere, beʽu·lahʹ). (Genesis 20:3, NW) Kamva la mabinzana asetyenziswa kwezinye iindawo eZibhalweni, yaye akukho nto ibonisa ukuba abafazi bangaphambi kwexesha lobuKristu babewagqala enobukrwada.b (Duteronomi 22:22) Noko ke, abafazi babengamele baphathwe njengomhlaba. Umhlaba okanye ubutyebi babunokuthengwa, buthengiswe, yaye babunokufunyanwa njengelifa, kodwa kwakungenjalo ngomfazi. Umzekeliso weBhayibhile uthi: “Indlu nobutyebi lilifa looyise; ke yena umfazi onengqondo uvela kuYehova.”—IMizekeliso 19:14; Duteronomi 21:14.
Indima Endilisekileyo
13. Xa amadoda amoyikayo uThixo ayelandela umzekelo kaYehova yaye ethobela uMthetho wakhe, kwakusenzeka ntoni kubafazi?
13 Ngoko, yayiyintoni indima yabafazi phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo ngamaxesha angaphambi kobuKristu? Babegqalwa baze baphathwe njani? Ngamafutshane, xa amadoda amoyikayo uThixo ayelandela umzekelo kaYehova yaye ethobela uMthetho wakhe, abafazi bahlala benaso isidima sabo yaye benamalungelo amaninzi.
14, 15. Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba abafazi babehlonelwa kwaSirayeli, yaye kutheni kufanelekile ukuba uYehova alindele abanquli bakhe abangamadoda babahlonele?
14 Abafazi babemele bahlonelwe. UMthetho kaThixo kumaSirayeli wayalela ukuba kuhlonelwe oobawo noomama. (Eksodus 20:12; 21:15, 17) ILevitikus 19:3 ithi: “Yoyikani elowo unina noyise.” Ngesinye isihlandlo xa uBhatshebha waya kunyana wakhe uSolomon, “wesuka ukumkani waya kumkhawulela, waqubuda kuye” ebonisa intlonelo. (1 Kumkani 2:19) IEncyclopaedia Judaica ithi: “Ukuthelekiswa kothando lukaThixo ngoSirayeli kwiziprofeto kunye nothando lwendoda ngomfazi wayo kwakunokwenziwa kuphela kwibutho abahlonelwayo kulo abafazi.”
15 UYehova ulindele ukuba abanquli bakhe abangamadoda babahlonele abafazi, kuba yena uyabahlonela. Ubungqina boku bufumaneka kwizibhalo uYehova asebenzisa kuzo amava abafazi ngokufuziselayo nafanisa kuzo iimvakalelo zakhe nezabafazi. (Isaya 42:14; 49:15; 66:13) Oku kunceda abafundi baqonde indlela avakalelwa ngayo uYehova. Okubangela umdla kukuba, ibinzana lesiHebhere eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “inceba,” okanye ‘imfesane,’ uYehova alisebenzisa kuye, linxulumene ngokusondeleyo negama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “isizalo” yaye linokuchazwa ‘njengemvakalelo kamama.’—Eksodus 33:19; Isaya 54:7.
16. Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa ukuba icebiso labafazi abahlonela uThixo lalixatyiswa?
16 Icebiso labafazi abahlonela uThixo lalixatyiswa. Ngesinye isihlandlo xa uAbraham owoyika uThixo wayethandabuza ukuthobela icebiso lomfazi wakhe owayehlonela uThixo, uSara, uYehova wamxelela oku: “Phulaphula izwi lakhe.” (Genesis 21:10-12) Abafazi bakaEsawu abangamaHeti “babacaphukisa ooIsake noRebheka.” Ekugqibeleni, uRebheka wavakalisa intlungu awayeya kuba nayo ukuba unyana wabo uYakobi wayeya kutshata umHeti. Wasabela njani uIsake? Ingxelo ithi: “UIsake wambiza uYakobi, wamsikelela, wamwisela umthetho, wathi kuye, Uze ungazeki mfazi ezintombini zakwaKanan.” Ewe, nangona uRebheka engazange anikele cebiso ngokungqalileyo, umyeni wakhe wenza isigqibo esabonisa ulwazelelelo ngeemvakalelo zakhe. (Genesis 26:34, 35; 27:46; 28:1) Kamva uKumkani uDavide waphepha ityala legazi ngenxa yokuba waphulaphula isibongozo sika-Abhigali.—1 Samuweli 25:32-35.
17. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba abafazi babenomlinganiselo othile wegunya entsatsheni?
17 Abafazi babenomlinganiselo othile wegunya entsatsheni. Abantwana bakhuthazwa: “Nyana wam, yiva uqeqesho lukayihlo, ungawulahli umyalo kanyoko.” (IMizekeliso 1:8) Indlela achazwa ngayo “umfazi onesidima” kwiMizekeliso isahluko 31 ibonisa ukuba umfazi otshatileyo okhutheleyo wayenganyamekeli ikhaya kuphela kodwa wayesenza nezivumelwano zokuthenga umhlaba, wayenentsimi echumayo, wayeqhuba ishishini elincinane, yaye wayesaziwa ngamazwi akhe obulumko. Okona kubalulekileyo luloyiko lwentlonelo oluncomekayo lo mfazi analo ngoYehova. Ayimangalisi into yokuba “lingaphezulu nakwikorale” ixabiso lomfazi onjalo! Ikorale ebomvu yayixatyiswa gqitha njengelitye elinqabileyo nelokuhombisa.—IMizekeliso 31:10-31.
Abafazi Abafumana Inkoliseko KaThixo Ekhethekileyo
18. Inkoliseko ekhethekileyo yaboniswa ngaziphi iindlela kubafazi abathile ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile?
18 Indlela uYehova abahlonela ngayo abafazi yaboniswa kwinkoliseko ekhethekileyo awayibonisa kubafazi abathile ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. UHagare, uSara nomfazi kaManowa batyelelwa zizithunywa zezulu ezabaxelela ulwalathiso lukaThixo. (Genesis 16:7-12; 18:9-15; ABagwebi 13:2-5) Kwakukho ‘abafazi ababekhonza’ emnqubeni neemvumi ezingabafazi kwibhotwe likaSolomon.—Eksodus 38:8; 1 Samuweli 2:22; INtshumayeli 2:8.
19. Ngezihlandlo ezithile, uYehova wayebasebenzisa ngayiphi indlela abafazi ukuba bammele?
19 Izihlandlo ezininzi kwimbali kaSirayeli, uYehova wasebenzisa umfazi ukuba ammele okanye abe sisithethi sakhe. Ngokuphathelele umprofetikazi uDebhora, sifunda oku: “Benyuka baya kuye oonyana bakaSirayeli ukuba athethe amatyala.” (ABagwebi 4:5) Emva kokuba uSirayeli emoyisile ukumkani wamaKanan uYabhin, uDebhora waba nelungelo elikhetheke ngokwenene. Kubonakala ukuba waqamba, ubuncinane inxalenye, yengoma yoloyiso ekugqibeleni eyaba yinxalenye yengxelo kaYehova ephefumlelweyo.c (ABagwebi, isahluko 5) Kwiinkulungwane kamva, ukuze abuzise kuYehova, uKumkani uYosiya wathumela kuHulda umprofetikazi igqiza ekwakukho kulo umbingeleli omkhulu. Ngegunya uHulda wayenokuphendula athi: “Utsho uYehova uThixo wakwaSirayeli, ukuthi.” (2 Kumkani 22:11-15) Ngeso sihlandlo ukumkani wayalela eli gqiza ukuba liye kumprofetikazi, kodwa kwenziwa oko ukuze kufunyanwe ulwalathiso lukaYehova.—Thelekisa uMalaki 2:7.
20. Yiyiphi imizekelo ebonisa indlela uYehova azixhalabele ngayo iimvakalelo nentlalo-ntle yabafazi?
20 Indlela uYehova ayixhalabele ngayo intlalo-ntle yabafazi ibonakala kwiziganeko awathabatha inyathelo kuzo ngenxa yabanquli bakhe abangabafazi. Izihlandlo ezibini wangenelela ukuze akhusele umfazi ka-Abraham omhle, uSara, ekuphathweni kakubi. (Genesis 12:14-20; 20:1-7) UThixo wamenzela inceba umfazi kaYakobi owayengathandwa kangako, uLeya, ‘ngokuvula isizalo sakhe’ ukuze azale unyana. (Genesis 29:31, 32) Xa abazalisikazi bamaSirayeli ababini aboyika uThixo babeka ubomi babo engozini ngokusindisa abantwana bamaHebhere abangamakhwenkwe xa kwakubulawa abantwana eYiputa, uYehova ngoxabiso “wazisikelela izindlu zabo.” (Eksodus 1:17, 20, 21) Kwakhona wawuphendula umthandazo onyanisekileyo kaHana. (1 Samuweli 1:10, 20) Yaye xa umhlolokazi womprofeti othile wayejamelene nomboleki-mali owayefuna ukuthabatha abantwana bakhe ukuze ahlawule ityala lakhe, uYehova akazange amlahle. Ngothando, uThixo wenza ukuba umprofeti uElisha ayandise ioli yakhe ukuze ahlawule elo tyala. Ngaloo ndlela wasindisa intsapho yakhe waza walondoloza isidima sakhe.—Eksodus 22:22, 23; 2 Kumkani 4:1-7.
21. IZibhalo zesiHebhere zinikela yiphi inkcazelo elungeleleneyo ngemeko yabafazi?
21 Ngoko ke, kunokuba zikhuthaze ukujongelwa phantsi kwabafazi, iZibhalo zesiHebhere zinikela inkcazelo elungeleleneyo ngemeko yabo phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo. Nangona uYehova engazange abakhusele abanquli bakhe abangabafazi ekuzalisekeni kweGenesis 3:16, abafazi babephathwa ngesidima nentlonelo ngamadoda ahlonela uThixo awayelandela umzekelo kaYehova nawayethobela uMthetho wakhe.
22. Ngexesha uYesu wayesemhlabeni, yayiguquke njani indima yabafazi, yaye yiyiphi imibuzo ebuzwayo?
22 Kwiinkulungwane emva kokugqitywa ukubhalwa kweZibhalo zesiHebhere, indima yabafazi phakathi kwamaYuda yaguquka. Ngexesha uYesu wayesemhlabeni, izithethe zoorabhi zazibasikela umda kanobom abafazi kumalungelo abo onqulo nakubomi babo basekuhlaleni. Ngaba izithethe ezinjalo zayiphembelela indlela uYesu awayeqhubana ngayo nabafazi? Bafanele baphathwe njani abafazi abangamaKristu namhlanje? Le mibuzo iza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a NgokweWebster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, igama elithi “isithembu” libhekisela “kumtshato ekuthi kuwo elinye lamaqabane omtshato libe namaqabane amaninzi kwangaxeshanye.” Igama elingqale ngakumbi elithi “ukuba nesithembu” lichazwa ngokuthi “yimo okanye isiko lokuba nesininzi sabafazi okanye amaqabane amaninzi angamabhinqa kwangaxeshanye.”
b KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, ngokufuthi amadoda nabafazi abatshatileyo kubhekiselwa kubo ‘njengendoda’ (ngesiHebhere, ʼish) ‘nomfazi’ (ngesiHebhere, ʼish·shahʹ). Ngokomzekelo, e-Eden uYehova akazange asebenzise ibinzana elithi, ‘umnini’ nelithi ‘umkamntu,’ kodwa wasebenzisa elithi ‘indoda’ nelithi ‘umfazi.’ (Genesis 2:24; 3:16, 17, NW) Isiprofeto sikaHoseya saxela kwangaphambili ukuba emva kokubuya ekuthinjweni, uSirayeli ngokuguqukayo wayeya kumbiza uYehova ngokuthi “Ndoda yam,” angambizi ngokuthi “Mnini wam.” Oku kusenokubonisa ukuba ibinzana elithi “ndoda” lalivakala kamnandi kunelithi “mnini.”—Hoseya 2:16, NW.
c Okuphawulekayo kukusetyenziswa komntu wokuqala xa kuthethwa ngoDebhora kuBagwebi 5:7.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ Igama elithi “umncedi” nelithi ‘umphelelisi’ abonisa ntoni ngendima yomfazi awayinikwa nguThixo?
◻ Xa siqwalasela amasiko achaphazela abafazi ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, yintoni esifanele siyikhumbule?
◻ Yintoni ebonisa ukuba abafazi babenendima endilisekileyo phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo?
◻ UYehova wabonisa inkoliseko ekhethekileyo ngaziphi iindlela kubafazi bangaphambi kwexesha lamaKristu?