To The Word – Day 207

₁Ngenyanga yesishiyagalombili ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu izwi likaJehova lafika kuZakariya indodana kaBerekiya ka-Ido, umprofethi, lathi:

₂“UJehova wathukuthelela nokuthukuthelela oyihlo. ₃Kepha yisho wena kubo, uthi: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Buyelani kimi,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘ngiyakubuyela kini,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti. ₄Ningabi njengawoyihlo abaprofethi bokuqala abamemeza kubo, bathi: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Ake nibuye ezindleleni zenu ezimbi nasezenzweni zenu ezimbi;’ kepha kabalalelanga, kabangiqaphelanga, usho uJehova. ₅Oyihlo baphi na? Nabaprofethi bakhona kuze kube phakade na? ₆Kanti amazwi ami nezimiso zami engayala ngakho izinceku zami abaprofethi akubaficanga yini oyihlo, baze baphenduka, bathi: ‘Njengalokho uJehova Sebawoti ebehlosa ukwenza kithi njengezindlela zethu nemisebenzi yethu, wenze kanjalo kithina, na?’ ”

₇Ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nane lwenyanga yeshumi nanye eyinyanga kaShebati ngomnyaka wesibili kaDariyu izwi likaJehova lafika kuZakariya indodana kaBerekiya ka-Ido, umprofethi, lathi:

₈Ngabona ebusuku; bheka, nango umuntu ekhwele ihhashi elibomvu, wema phakathi kwemibomvana eyayisesigodini, nasemva kwakhe kwakukhona amahhashi abomvu, nalufipha, namhlophe.

₉Ngase ngithi: “Bayini laba?”

Ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yathi kimi: “Ngiyakukubonisa ukuthi bayini laba.”

₁₀Umuntu owayemi phakathi kwemibomvana wathatha wathi: “Laba yibo uJehova abathumile ukuba bahambahambe emhlabeni.”

₁₁Base bethatha, bathi kuyo ingelosi kaJehova eyayimi phakathi kwemibomvana: “Sihambahambile emhlabeni; bheka, wonke umhlaba uhlezi uthule.”

₁₂Yayisithatha ingelosi kaJehova, yathi: “Jehova Sebawoti, koze kube nini ungabi nasihe kulo iJerusalema nakuyo imizi yakwaJuda oyithukuthelele le minyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa na?” ₁₃UJehova wayesephendula ingelosi eyayikhuluma kimi ngamazwi amahle, amazwi amnandi.

₁₄Yayisithi kimi ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami: “Memeza uthi: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Ngihawukela iJerusalema neSiyoni ngokuhawukela okukhulu. ₁₅Ngentukuthelo enkulu ngiyathukuthelela izizwe ezizinzileyo, ngokuba lapho ngithukuthele kancane nje, zandisa okubi.’

₁₆“Ngalokho usho kanje uJehova, uthi: ‘Ngiyakubuyela eJerusalema ngomusa, indlu yami yakhiwe kulo,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘kwelulwe umucu wokulinganisa phezu kweJerusalema.’

₁₇“Phinda umemeze, uthi: Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Imizi yami isayakuchichima okuhle, uJehova abuye aliduduze iSiyoni, abuye alikhethe iJerusalema.’ ”

₁₈Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona; bheka, nazo izimpondo ezine. ₁₉Ngathi kuyo ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami: “Ziyini lezi?”

Yathi kimi: “Lezi ziyizimpondo ezihlakazile oJuda, no-Israyeli, neJerusalema.”

₂₀UJehova wayesengibonisa abakhandi abane bensimbi. ₂₁Ngathi: “Laba bafike ukwenzani na?”

Wakhuluma wathi: “Leziya ziyizimpondo ezazimhlakaza uJuda ngangokuba kungabangakho muntu ophakamisa ikhanda lakhe, kepha laba bafikile ukubashaya ngovalo, bawise phansi izimpondo zabezizwe ezaziphakamisa uphondo ngezwe lakwaJuda ukuba lihlakazwe.”

₁Ngaphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona; bheka, nango umuntu enentambo yokulinganisa esandleni sakhe. ₂Ngathi: “Uya ngaphi?”

Wathi kimi: “Ngiya ukulinganisa iJerusalema, ngibone ukuthi bungakanani ububanzi balo, bungakanani nobude balo.”

₃Bheka, ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yayisiphuma, nenye ingelosi yaphuma ukuyihlangabeza, ₄yathi kuyo: “Gijima ukhulume kule nsizwa ukuthi iJerusalema liyakwakhiwa njengemizi engenanzingange ngenxa yobuningi babantu nezinkomo okuphakathi kwalo. ₅‘Kepha mina,’ usho uJehova, ‘ngiyakuba lugange lomlilo kulo nxazonke, futhi ngibe yinkazimulo phakathi kwalo.’

₆“Hheyi, hheyi, balekelani izwe lasenyakatho!” usho uJehova, “ngokuba nginihlakazile njengemimoya yomine yezulu,” usho uJehova.

₇“Hheyi, zikhulule, uye eSiyoni, wena ohlezi nendodakazi yaseBabele!” ₈Ngokuba usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti ongithumile ukulanda inkazimulo yakhe ezizweni ezaziniphanga ngokuba othinta nina uthinta inhlamvu yeso lakhe uthi: ₉“Bhekani, ngiyakuqhweba ngesandla phezu kwabo, babe yimpango yababebakhonza, nazi ukuthi nguJehova Sebawoti ongithumileyo.

₁₀“Hlabelela ngokujabula, uthokoze, ndodakazi yaseSiyoni, ngokuba bhekani, ngiyeza, ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwakho,” usho uJehova. ₁₁“Izizwe eziningi ziyakuzihlanganisa noJehova ngalolo suku, zibe ngabantu bami; ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwakho, wazi ukuthi nguJehova Sebawoti ongithumile kuwe. ₁₂UJehova uyakudla ifa lakwaJuda, libe yisabelo sakhe ezweni elingcwele, abuye akhethe iJerusalema. ₁₃Thula, nyama yonke, phambi kukaJehova, ngokuba uvukile, waphuma endaweni yakhe engcwele.”

₁Wayesengibonisa uJoshuwa umpristi omkhulu emi phambi kwengelosi kaJehova, noSathane emi ngakwesokunene sakhe ukumelana naye. ₂UJehova wathi kuSathane: “UJehova uyakukukhuza, Sathane, yebo, uJehova olikhethile iJerusalema uyakukukhuza; lo akasiso isikhuni esophulwe emlilweni na?”

₃UJoshuwa wayembethe izingubo ezingcolileyo; wayemi phambi kwengelosi. ₄Yathatha yasho kwababemi phambi kwayo, yathi: “Mkhumuleni izingubo ezingcolileyo.” Kuyena yathi: “Bheka, ngidedisile kuwe ububi bakho; ngiyakukwembathisa ezobukhosi.”

₅Ngase ngithi: “Mababeke isigqoko esihlanzekileyo ekhanda lakhe.” Base bebeka isigqoko esihlanzekileyo ekhanda lakhe, bamembathisa izingubo, ingelosi kaJehova isemi khona.

₆Ingelosi kaJehova yagomela kuJoshuwa, yathi: ₇“Usho kanje uJehova Sebawoti, uthi: ‘Uma uhamba ngezindlela zami, ugcine inkonzo yami, uyakwahlulela endlini yami, ugcine namagceke ami; ngiyakukunika ukuba uhambe phakathi kwalaba abemi lapha.

₈“ ‘Ake uzwe, Joshuwa, mpristi omkhulu, wena nabangane bakho abahlala phambi kwakho, ngokuba bangabantu abayisibonakaliso: bhekani, ngiyakuveza inceku yami, uHlumela. ₉Ngokuba bheka, itshe engilibeke phambi kukaJoshuwa kukhona amehlo ayisikhombisa etsheni lilodwa ngiyakuqopha ukuqoshwa kwalo,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘ngidedisele kude ububi balelo zwe ngalusuku lunye.

₁₀“ ‘Ngalolo suku,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘niyakumema, kube yilowo nalowo umngane wakhe phansi komvini naphansi komkhiwane.’ ”

₁Ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yabuya, yangivusa njengomuntu evuswa ebuthongweni bakhe. ₂Yathi kimi: “Ubonani na?”

Ngathi: “Ngibona, bheka, uthi lwezibani luyigolide lonke, lunembizana yalo phezu kwalo, nezibani zalo eziyisikhombisa zikulo; kukhona imibhobho eyisikhombisa kuleso naleso sibani esiphezu kwalo, ₃neminqumo emibili eseceleni kwalo, omunye ungakwesokunene sembizana, nomunye ungakwesokhohlo sayo.”

₄Ngathatha ngasho kuyo ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami, ngathi: “Ziyini lezi, nkosi?”

₅Ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami yaphendula, yathi kimi: “Awazi yini ukuthi ziyini lezi?”

Ngathi: “Qha, nkosi.”

₆Yayisithatha isho kimi, ithi: “Lokhu kuyizwi likaJehova kaZerubabele lokuthi: ‘Kungabi ngempi, kungabi ngamandla, kepha kube ngomoya wami kuphela,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti.

₇“Ungubani wena ntaba enkulu? Phambi kukaZerubabele uyakuba yithafa; uyakukhipha itshe eliyinhloko ngokumemeza ukuthi: ‘Umusa, mawube kulo!’ ”

₈Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi: ₉“Izandla zikaZerubabele zibeke isisekelo sale ndlu, futhi izandla zakhe ziyakuyiqeda, wazi ukuthi nguJehova Sebawoti ongithumile kini.

₁₀“Ngokuba ngubani oyakudelela usuku lwezinto ezincane, lapho ethokoza lawa mehlo ayisikhombisa kaJehova aqalaza emhlabeni wonke ukubona umthofu wokumisa esandleni sikaZerubabele, na?”

₁₁Ngase ngithatha, ngithi kuyo: “Iyini le minqumo emibili ngakwesokunene sothi lwezibani nangakwesokhohlo salo na?”

₁₂Ngathatha ngokwesibili, ngathi kuyo: “Ayini lawa magatsha amabili eminqumo aseceleni kwemibhobho emibili yegolide, athululwa ngayo amafutha egolide na?”

₁₃Yangiphendula yathi: “Awazi ukuthi ayini?”

Ngathi: “Qha, nkosi.”

₁₄Yayisithi: “Lawa angabagcotshiweyo ababili abemi ngaseNkosini yomhlaba wonke.”

₁Ngabuye ngaphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona; bheka, nanko umqulu wencwadi ondizayo.

₂Yathi kimi: “Ubonani na?”

Ngathi: “Ngibona umqulu wencwadi ondizayo, ubude bawo buyizingalo ezingamashumi amabili, nobubanzi bawo buyizingalo eziyishumi.”

₃Yayisithi kimi: “Nasi isiqalekiso esiphumela ebusweni bomhlaba wonke, ngokuba ngokusho kwaso bonke abebayo bayakunqunywa lapha, nabo bonke abafungayo bayakunqunywa lapha ngokusho kwaso. ₄‘Ngiyakusiphumisa,’ usho uJehova Sebawoti, ‘singene endlini yesela nasendlini yofunga amanga ngegama lami, sihlale phakathi kwendlu yakhe, siyiqede kanye nemithi yayo namatshe ayo.’ ”

₅Yayisiphuma ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami, yathi kimi: “Ake uphakamise amehlo akho, ubone ukuthi kuyini lokhu okuphumayo.”

₆Ngathi: “Kuyini?”

Yathi: “Lokhu kuyi-efa* eliphumayo.” Yabuye yathi: “Lokhu kungububi babo ezweni lonke.”

₇Bheka, isisibekelo somthofu saziphakamisa, kwakungowesifazane owahlala phakathi kwe-efa. ₈Yathi: “Lokhu kungububi.” Wamphonsa phakathi kwe-efa, waphonsa isisindo somthofu emlonyeni walo.

₉Ngase ngiphakamisa amehlo ami, ngabona; bheka, kwaphuma abesifazane ababili, umoya usemaphikweni abo; babe namaphiko njengamaphiko kanogolantethe, baliphakamisa i-efa emkhathini wezulu nomhlaba.

₁₀Ngase ngithi kuyo ingelosi eyayikhuluma nami: “Laba baliyisaphi i-efa na?”

₁₁Yathi kimi: “Ukulakhela indlu ezweni laseShineyari; isilungisiwe liyakubekwa khona endaweni yalo.”