URUTE uguqe ecaleni kwezithungu zerhasi ebeźipha emini. Sele kungongcwalazi ngoku eBhetelehem, abantu basendleleni egodukayo esinga esangweni lesixeko. Umele ukuba uRute udinwe uyimfe, kuba ebesebenza nzima ukususela ekuseni. Usasebenza, uhlungula irhasi ukuze ziwe iinkozo. Nangona ebesebenza nzima, kusebenzekile kunokuba ebelindele.

Ngaba izinto zaziqalisa ukumhambela kakuhle lo mhlolokazi uselula? Ugqibe ekubeni ahambe noninazala, uNahomi, awamfungela wathi uya kuya apho aya khona aze uThixo kaNahomi, uYehova abe nguThixo wakhe. La mabhinqa mabini asentlungwini eze eBhetelehem evela kwaMowabhi, yaye uRute ongumMowabhikazi uye wafumanisa ukuba uMthetho kaYehova, unendlela yokunceda amahlwempu akwaSirayeli kuquka nabantu basemzini. * Ngoku ufumanisa ukuba abanye abantu bakaYehova, abafundiswe uMthetho nabaphila ngokuvisisana nawo, banobubele neempawu ezintle zobuthixo ezibopha intliziyo yakhe eyaphukileyo.

Omnye umntu onjalo yayinguBhohazi, indoda esisityebi awayebhikica entsimini yayo. Uye wamphatha njengotata namhlanje. Akakwazi kuzibamba uRute uncumele ngaphakathi xa ecinga ngala mazwi amncomayo kuba eye wanyamekela uNahomi okhulileyo nangokuba eye wakhetha ukufuna igwiba ngaphantsi kweempiko zoThixo wenyaniso, uYehova.—Rute 2:11-13.

Sekunjalo, uRute umele ukuba wayecinga ngendlela aza kuphila ngayo kwixesha elizayo. Ekubeni wayengumphambukeli ongenamyeni namntwana, wayeza kuzixhasa njani yena noNahomi? Ngaba uza kuphila ngokubhikica kuphela? Khona ngubani oza kumnyamekela xa sele ekhulile? Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba imxhalabise loo mibuzo? Ngenxa yemeko yezoqoqosho yanamhlanje eheshe-heshe abantu abaninzi banamaxhala afanayo. Njengoko sifunda ngendlela olwamnceda ngayo ukholo  lwakhe uRute kwezo ngxaki, siza kubona izinto ezininzi esinokuzixelisa.

Ukugqiba kwakhe ukubhula uRute, wafumanisa ukuba wayebhikice iefa, okanye iilitha zerhasi ezingama-22. Mhlawumbi umthwalo wakhe wawulingana neekhilogram ezili-14. Mhlawumbi wayithatha wayibopha ngelaphu waza wayithwala entloko, wenjenjeya ukuya eBhetelehem labe nelanga sele lisiya kunina.—Rute 2:17.

UNahomi wavuya esakubona umolokazana wakhe oyintanda, mhlawumbi akazange akholelwe xa ebona umthwalo kaRute werhasi. URute waphathela uNahomi ukutya okusele emasimini obe kuphekelwe abasebenzi nguBhohazi, baza bakutya kunye. UNahomi wambuza ukuba: ‘Ububhikica phi namhlanje, yaye ubusebenza phi? Kwanga angasikelelwa lowo uye wakuphawula.’ (Rute 2:19) UNahomi, owayeneliso elibukhali waqonda ukuba ukuze uRute abe nomthwalo ongako umele ukuba uncedwe ngumntu othile.

Baqalisa ukuncokola, uRute ubalisela uNahomi ngobubele bukaBhohazi. Echukumisekile uNahomi uthi: “Makasikelelwe nguYehova, ongabushiyanga ububele bakhe bothando kwabaphilayo nabafileyo.” (Rute 2:19, 20) Ububele bukaBhohazi ubujonga njengobuvela kuYehova, obafundise ukuba nobubele nesisa abakhonzi bakhe yaye ubathembisa ngokubabuyekeza. *—IMizekeliso 19:17.

UNahomi wacebisa uRute ukuba aqhubeke ebhikica entsimini kaBhohazi namabhinqa endlu yakhe ukuze angakhathazwa ngabafana. URute walisebenzisa elo cebiso, “kwaye waqhubeka ehlala noninazala.” (Rute 2:22, 23) Kulo mazwi sibona uphawu lukaRute olubalaseleyo—uthando olunyanisekileyo. Umzekelo wakhe, unokusenza sizibuze enoba siyayihlonela kusini intsapho, ngaba siyixhasa ngokunyanisekileyo size siyincede xa isengxakini? UYehova uyalubona uthando olunyaniseke ngolo hlobo.

Ngaba uNahomi noRute babengenakuba yintsapho? Kwezinye iinkcubeko kulindeleke ukuba ukuze intsapho ibe yintsapho “yokwenene” kumele kubekho umntu oza kuphumeza nganye kwezi ndima—umyeni, umfazi, unyana, intombi, utatomkhulu nomakhulu njalo njalo. Kodwa uNahomi noRute basikhumbuza ukuba abakhonzi bakaYehova banokuvula iintliziyo zabo baze benze neyona ntsapho incinane ifudumale, ibe nobubele nothando. Ngaba uyayixabisa intsapho yakho? UYesu wakhumbuza abalandeli bakhe ukuba ibandla lamaKristu linokuba yintsapho kwanakwabo bangenayo.—Marko 10:29, 30.

Ukususela ngexesha lokuvunwa kwerhasi malunga noAprili ukusa kwixesha lokuvunwa kwengqolowa malunga noJuni, uRute waqhubeka ebhikica entsimini kaBhohazi. Njengoko iiveki ziqengqeleka, uNahomi ufanele ukuba wacinga ngento anokumenzela yona umolokazana wakhe. Ngokuya babe sekwaMowabhi, uNahomi wayeqinisekile ukuba akanakuze amncede uRute afumane omnye umyeni. (Rute 1:11-13) Kodwa ngoku wayeqalisa ukucinga ngenye indlela. Waya kuRute waza wathi: “Ntombi yam, ndingakufuneli indawo yokuphumla na, ukuze kulunge kuwe?” (Rute 3:1) Yayisisithethe salo mihla ukubonela umntwana iqabane lomtshato, uRute wayesele eyintombi yokwenene kuNahomi. Wayefuna uRute afumane “indawo yokuphumla” ebhekisela kunqabiseko nakukhuseleko olufumaneka ngokuba nekhaya nomyeni. Kodwa uza kwenza ntoni uNahomi?

 Ukuqala kukaRute ukuthetha ngoBhohazi, uNahomi wathi: “Le ndoda ihlobene nathi. Ngomnye wabahlawuleli bethu.” (Rute 2:20) Yayithetha ntoni loo nto? UMthetho kaThixo kumaSirayeli wawuquka ukuncedwa kwentsapho etsala nzima ngenxa yobuhlwempu okanye ukufelwa. Ukuba ibhinqa liye langumhlolokazi lingekabinaye umntwana, lalisiba buhlungu gqitha kuba igama lomyeni walo, inzala yakhe iza kubhanga ingabi namahlumela. Noko ke, uMthetho kaThixo wawumvumela umntakwabo wale ndoda ukuba imngene umhlolokazi ukuze azale indlalifa eza kuvusa igama lo mntakwayo ongasekhoyo aze abe yindlalifa. *—Duteronomi 25:5-7.

UNahomi wachaza indlela eza kwenzeka ngayo lento. Unokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaRute amehlo eziingqanda njengoko uninazala ethetha naye. UMthetho wamaSirayeli wayengekawazi kakuhle uRute. Izithethe ezininzi zamaSirayeli zazisezitsha kuye. Nakuba kunjalo wayemhlonela gqitha uNahomi, ngenxa yoko waphulaphula ngenyameko njengoko ethetha. Icebiso likaNahomi lalibonakala litenxile okanye lihlazisa—linokumthoba nesidima uRute—kodwa wavuma. Ngelizwi elithobekileyo wathi: “Konke oko ukutshoyo kum ndiya kukwenza.”—Rute 3:5.

Maxa wambi kuba nzima kubantu abaselula ukuphulaphula icebiso lomntu omdala nonamava. Kulula ukucinga ukuba abantu abadala abazazi iingxaki zolutsha. Umzekelo kaRute wokuthobeka usikhumbuza ukuba ukuphulaphula kubulumko babantu abadala abasithandayo nabafuna siphumelele kunokuba  nomvuzo. Wamcebisa wathini uNahomi, yaye ngaba uRute wavuzwa ngokulisebenzisa elo cebiso?

Ngobo busuku, uRute waya esandeni—apho amafama abhula aze ele khona isivuno sawo. Kwakudla ngokubhulelwa phezu kwenduli okanye ethambekeni ngenxa yempepho yasemva kwemini neyasekuseni. Kwakuseliwa ngefolokhwe ende eyenziwe ngomthi okanye ngomhlakulo wokwela.

URute wondele njengoko kusetyenzwa kude kube ngorhatya. UBhohazi wongamela ukweliwa kwesivuno sakhe, esiya sisiba yingqumba enkulu. Emva kokuba eye watya ulala kwelinye icala lale ngqumba. Yayiyinto eqhelekileyo le ngaloo maxesha, mhlawumbi kwakusenzelwa ukuba isivuno singebiwa ngamasela nangabaphangi. URute wayiqaphela indawo alele kuyo uBhohazi. Lide lafika ixesha lokuba asebenzise icebiso likaNahomi.

URute wakhasa wasondela, enovalo. Wabona kuba wayelele obentlombe. Kanye njengokuba wayeyalelwe nguNahomi, wangena ezinyaweni zakhe, walala. Walinda, lahamba ixesha. Kumele ukuba kwakungathi ulinde unaphakade uRute. Ekugqibeleni ezinzulwini zobusuku, uBhohazi waqabuka. Esiva ukuba iinyawo zakhe ziyagodola, wazigquma kwakhona. Kodwa weva ukuba kukho umntu olele ezinyaweni zakhe. Ingxelo, ithi: “Khangela! umfazi ulele ezinyaweni zayo!”—Rute 3:8.

Wambuza wathi: “Ungubani na?” URute waphendula mhlawumbi ngelizwi eloyikayo wathi: “NdinguRute ikhobokazana lakho, yaye umele wolulele umbhinqo wakho kwikhobokazana lakho, kuba ungumhlawuleli.” (Rute 3:9) Abanye abahlalutyi baye bathi uRute wayencwasa, kodwa baphosa izibakala ezibini. Okokuqala, uRute wayesenza ngokuvisisana nezithethe zalo maxesha, esingasenalo nofifi olu lwazo. Ngenxa yoko, ibiya kuba yimpazamo ukugweba izenzo zakhe ngemilinganiselo yale mihla eyonakeleyo. Okwesibini, uBhohazi wasabela ngendlela eyabonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba into eyenziwa nguRute yayinyulu kwaye yayincomeka.

UBhohazi wathetha ngelizwi eliphantsi nangelizolileyo yaye ububele bakhe bamthuthuzela uRute. Wathi: “Ngamana uYehova angakusikelela, ntombi yam. Ububele bakho bothando uye wabubonisa kakuhle ngakumbi ekugqibeleni kunasekuqaleni, ngokungalandeli emva kwabafo abaselula enoba bazizisweli okanye bazizityebi.” (Rute 3:10) Esi “sihlandlo sokuqala” athetha ngaso uBhohazi bububele bothando bukaRute awabenzela uNahomi xa wayebuyela kwaSirayeli. “Isihlandlo sokugqibela” kungoku. UBhohazi uyaqonda ukuba umfazana onjengoRute wayenokufuna umyeni oselula enoba usisityebi okanye ulihlwempu. Kunoko wayefuna ukwenza okulungileyo kungekhona kuNahomi kuphela kodwa nakumyeni wakhe ongasekhoyo, ukuze avuse igama lakhe. Akukho nzima ukubona isizathu sokuba uBhohazi amothulel’ umnqwazi uRute.

UBhohazi uhlabela mgama esithi: “Yaye ke, ntombi yam, musa ukoyika. Ndiya kukwenzela konke oko ukutshoyo, kuba wonk’ ubani osemasangweni abantu bam uyakuqonda ukuba ungumfazi obalaseleyo.” (Rute 3:11) Wayengenangxaki ngokutshata noRute, mhlawumbi wayengothukanga kukuba eye wacelwa ukuba abe ngumhlawuleli wakhe. Noko ke, uBhohazi wayeyindoda elilungisa, wayengazukwenza into eza kudlisa yena yedwa. Waxelela uRute ukuba wayekho omnye umhlawuleli owayehlobene ngokusondeleyo nentsapho kaNahomi; uBhohazi wayeza kuthetha nalo ndoda kuqala aze ayinike ithuba lokuba ibe ngumyeni kaRute.

UBhohazi wathi uRute makalale kude kuse; aze agoduke kusasa ukuze angarhanelwa. Wayefuna bangacingelwa kakubi, kuba abantu babe nokucinga ukuba kukho ukuziphatha kakubi okuqhubekayo phakathi kwabo. URute  waphinda walala ezinyaweni zikaBhohazi, mhlawumbi ngoku wayekhululekile ekubeni eye wasabela kakuhle kwisicelo sakhe. Ngoxa kwakusengoyezi, uBhohazi wamgalelela irhasi, waza wabuyela eBhetelehem.

Umele ukuba wavuya gqitha uRute esakuva izinto ezithethwa nguBhohazi—ukuba bonke abantu ‘babeqonda ukuba ungumfazi obalaseleyo!” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo ukulangazelela kwakhe ukwazi uYehova nokumkhonza kwakunento yokwenza negama lakhe elihle. Kwakhona wamphatha ngobubele waza wamnonophela uNahomi nabantu bakowabo, ngokuzithandela wamkela iindlela nezithethe awayengaqhelananga nazo. Ukuba sixelisa ukholo lukaRute, sakubaphatha ngentlonelo abanye abantu nezithethe zabo. Ukuba siyayenza loo nto, nathi sakuzenzela igama elihle.

Ukufika kukaRute ekhaya uNahomi wambuza ukuba “ungubani na, ntombi yam?” Mhlawumbi kungenxa yokuba kwakuseluqhiza, kodwa ke uNahomi wayefuna ukwazi ukuba uRute wayesengulowa amaziyo okanye ukhangele phambili emtshatweni. URute wakhawuleza wamchazela yonke into eyenzekileyo uninazala. Wamnika nerhasi ayiphiwe nguBhohazi. *—Rute 3:16, 17.

Ngobulumko, uNahomi wathi uRute makangayi kubhikica emasimini ngaloo mini. Wamqinisekisa uRute wathi: “le ndoda ayiyi  kuphumla ngaphandle kokuba iwuphelise lo mbandela namhlanje.”—Rute 3:18.

UNahomi wayechan’ ucwethe. UBhohazi waya esangweni lesixeko, apho adla ngokuhlala khona amadoda amakhulu, walinda yade yadlula indoda esisihlobo esisondeleyo sentsapho kaNahomi. Phambi kwamangqina, uBhohazi wanika loo ndoda ithuba lokuba ibe ngumhlawuleli, ngokutshata noRute. Noko ke, yalandula isithi ukutshata noRute kuya kuyishiya ingenalifa. Wandula ke, uBhohazi apho esangweni, phambi kwamangqina wachaza ukuba uza kuba ngumhlawuleli, ngokuthenga umhlaba wendoda kaNahomi, uElimeleki engasekhoyo aze atshate noRute umhlolokazi kaMahalon unyana kaElimeleki. UBhohazi wathi unethemba lokuba esi senzo siza kwenza “kuvuke igama lendoda efileyo elifeni layo.” (Rute 4:1-10) Ngokwenene uBhohazi wayeyindoda ethe tye nengacingel’ isiqu sayo.

UBhohazi watshata noRute. Emva koko sifunda oku: “UYehova wamenza ukuba akhawule waza wazala unyana.” Abafazi baseBhetelehem bamsikelela uNahomi baza bamdumisa uRute besithi ulunge ngaphezu koonyana basixhenxe kuNahomi. Kamva sifunda ukuba lo nyana kaRute waba ngukhokho kaKumkani uDavide obalaseleyo. (Rute 4:11-22) Yena uDavide waba ngukhokho kaYesu Kristu.—Mateyu 1:1. *

URute wasikelelwa, njengoNahomi owancedisayo ekukhuliseni umntwana ngokungathi ngowakhe. Ubomi bala mabhinqa mabini zizikhumbuzo ezinamandla zokuba uYehova uThixo uyababona bonke abo basebenza ngokuthobeka ukuze banyamekele iintsapho baze bamkhonze ngokunyaniseka nabantu bakhe. Akasoze asilele ukuvuza abantu abathembekileyo abazenzela igama elihle kuye, njengoRute.