Lina lya Mlungu lyakwimilidwa ni yilembo mcheche ya Chihebeli (יהוה), likusasimanikwa ndaŵi chiŵandika 7,000 m’Malemba ga Chihebeli. M’Baibulo ajino yilembo mcheche yeleyi yakumanyika kuti Tetelagalamatoni ayigopolele kuti “Yehofa.” Linali likusasimanikwa maulendo gejinji m’Baibulo kupunda mena gane. Atamose kuti ŵandu ŵaŵalembile Baibulo ŵakamulichisyaga masengo mena ga uchimbichimbi mpela “Jwamachiligosope,” “Jwakwinani Mnope,” soni “Ambuje,” nambope ŵakamulichisyaga masengo yilembo mchecheyi (יהוה) pakusala ya lina lisyesyene lya Mlungu.

Yehofa Mlungu ni juŵalongolelaga ŵakulemba Baibulo kuti akamulichisye masengo lina lyakwe. Mwachisyasyo, jwakulochesya Yoweli, mwakusalilidwa ni Mlungu jwalembile kuti, ‘Jwalijose jwakuŵilanga pa lina lya Yehofa chachikulupuka.’ (Yoweli 2:32) Nambosoni mwakulongoleledwa ni Mlungu jwamasalimo jwine jwalembile kuti, ‘Ŵandu amanyilile kuti wawojo, ŵele lina lyawo lili Yehofa, Wawojo jika ni ŵali Ŵakwinani Mnope pachilambo chosope chapasi.” (Salimo 83:18) Lina lya Mlungu likusasimanikwa maulendo gakwana 700 m’buku ja Masalimo. Bukuji jili ja ndakutulo soni ŵandu ŵa Mlungu ŵajimbaga ndakatuloji soni kwinjisya pamtima maloŵe gakwe. Nambo ana ligongo chichi lina lya Mlungu ngalikusasimanikwa m’Mabaibulo gejinji? Ana ligongo chichi m’Baibulo ajino ŵakamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa”? Nambi ana lina lya Mlungu lyakuti Yehofa likusagopolela chichi?

Ana ligongo chichi lina lya Mlungu ngalikusasimanikwa mu Mabaibulo gejinji? Pana magongo gakulekanganalekangana. Ŵane akusaganisya kuti Mlungu Jwamachiligosope ngakusasosekwa lina lyapadela lyakummanyikasya. Ŵandu ŵane akusajendela nganisyo sya Chiyuda syakuŵambala kukamulichisya masengo linali pakogopa kulinyosya. Ŵane akusakulupilila kuti pangali jwakumanyilila chenene mwaŵalikolanjilaga linali, myoyo akusati kuli chenene kukamulichisya masengo lina lyakuti “Ambuje,”  kapena “Mlungu.” Nambope yeleyi nganiyiŵa yakupikanika pamagongo aga:

• Ŵandu ŵakusasala kuti Mlungu Jwamachiligosope ngakusosekwa lina lyapadela, akusaliŵalila kuti m’mipukutu jakala ja Maloŵe ga Mlungu, atamose mipukutu jajasunjidwe Yesu mkanayiche jakwete lina lisyesyene lya Mlungu. Kundanda kula tuyiweni kuti Mlungu ni juŵatendekasisye kuti lina lyakwe lisimanikwe m’Maloŵe gakwe ndaŵi syakwana 7,000. Kusala yisyene, jwalakwe akusasaka kuti tulimanyilileje soni kukamulichisya masengo lina lyakwe.

• Ŵagopolela Mabaibulo ŵaŵatyosisye lina lya Mlungu ligongo lya nganisyo sya Chiyuda ŵangamanyilila kuti, atamose kuti alembi ŵa Chiyuda nganasakaga kulikolanga linali nambo nganalityosya m’mipukutu ja Baibulo. Mwachisyasyo, m’mipukutu jakala jajasimanikwe ku Qumran, chiŵandika Nyasa Jewe, mukusasimanikwa lina lya Mlungu m’malo gejinji. Ŵagopolela Mabaibulo ŵane akusasala kuti m’mipukutu jakala, palipose palyasimanikwaga lina lya Mlungu ŵaŵisile lina lyakuti “AMBUJE” m’yilembo yekulungwakulungwa. Nambo chiwusyo mpaka chiŵe chakuti, Ana ligongo chichi ŵagopolela Mabaibuloŵa ŵatyosisye lina lisyesyene lya Mlungu chitamilecho ali mkumanyilila kuti linali lyasimanikwaga maulendo gejinji m’mipukutu jakala ja Baibulo? Ana ŵani ŵaŵapele jemanjaji machili gakutendela yeleyi? Achimsyenewo ni ŵampaka ajanje chenene yiwusyoyi.

• Ŵandu ŵakusakana kukamulichisya masengo lina lya Mlungu pa ligongo lyakuti pangali mundu jwakumanyilila chenene muŵalikolanjilaga, ŵangaleka kukamulichisya masengo lina lya Yesu. Nambope ŵakulijiganya ŵa Yesu ŵa m’yaka 100 yandanda nganakolangaga linali mpela mwakusalikolanjila Aklistu masiku agano. Yikuwoneka kuti Aklistu ŵa Chiyuda ŵalikolangaga linali kuti Ye·shuʹa‛. Soni lina lyakuti “Klistu” ŵalikolangaga kuti Ma·shiʹach, kapena kuti “Mesiya.” Aklistu ŵakuŵecheta Chigiliki ŵamkolangaga kuti I·e·sousʹ Khri·stosʹ, soni Aklistu ŵakuŵecheta Chilatini ŵamkolangaga kuti Ieʹsus Chriʹstus. Mlungu jwatendekasisye kuti lina lya Yesu lisimanikwe m’Baibulo jaŵajigopolele m’Chigiliki. Yeleyi yikulosya kuti Aklistu ŵa m’yaka 100 yandanda ŵakamulichisyaga masengo linali chenene mwakamulana ni muŵalikolanjilaga m’chiŵecheto chawo. Myoyosoni Komiti Jagopolela Baibulo ja Chilambo Chasambano jayiweni kuti yili yakupikanika kukamulichisya masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa,” atamose kuti mpaka yilekangane panandi ni muŵalikolanjilaga linali kalakala mu Chihebeli.

Ligongo chichi Baibulo ja Chilambo Chasambano jakamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa”? Mu Chiyao yilembo mcheche yakwimila lina lya Mlungu (יהוה) akusayilemba kuti YHWH. Mu Chihebeli chakala, nganakamulichisyaga masengo yilembo ya mafawelo (a,e,i,o,u) pakulemba maloŵe. Mundaŵi jaŵakamulichisyaga masengo Chihebeli chakalachi, nganiyiŵa yakusawusya kwa ŵakuŵalanga kuŵika mafawelo gakwe gakuŵajilwa.

Pali pamasile yaka chiŵandika 1,000 Malemba ga Chihebeli gali gamasile kulembedwa, ŵalijiganye ŵa Chiyuda ŵakopochele yimanyilo yakwakamuchisya kumanyilila mafawelo gagasosekwaga pakuŵalanga Chihebeli.  Nambope pandaŵiji Ayuda ŵajinji ŵakwete chikulupi chakuti kuli kulemwa kukamulichisya masengo lina lisyesyene lya Mlungu pakuŵechetana, mwamti ŵakamulichisyaga masengo maloŵe gane pakusala lina lya Mlungu. Myoyo, yikuwoneka kuti paŵakopelaga yilembo mcheche yakwimila lina lya Mlungu ŵayipwatikenye ni mafawelo ga maloŵe gane gele ŵakamulichisyaga masengo pakusala ya lina lya Mlungu. Ni ligongo lyakwe mipukutu jeleji nganijiŵa jitukamuchisye kumanyilila chenene mwaŵalikolanjilaga linali pandanda m’Chihebeli. Ŵane akusati linali lyakolanjidwaga kuti “Yahweh,” nambosoni ŵane akusasala yakulekangana ni yeleyi. Mpukutu wa ku Nyasa Jewe ukwete kambali kane ka buku ja Lefitiko m’Chigiliki kakakwete lina lya Mlungu lyaŵaligopolele kuti Iao. Ŵandu ŵanesoni ŵakala, ŵakulemba mabuku m’Chigiliki ŵaganisyaga kuti linali lyakolanjidwaga kuti Iae, I·a·beʹ, soni kuti I·a·ou·eʹ. Atamose yili myoyo, nambope nganituŵa tukombwele kusala chenene mwaŵalikolanjilaga. Pangali jwakusamanyilila chenene muŵalikolanjilaga linali mu Chihebeli, ŵakutumichila ŵa Mlungu ŵakala. (Genesesi 13:4; Ekisodo 3:15) Nambo chatukumanyilila chili chakuti Mlungu jwakamulichisyaga masengo linali pakuŵecheta ni ŵandu ŵakwe. Nambosoni jemanjajo ŵakamulichisyaga masengo linali pakuŵechetana ni Mlungu soni ŵandu ŵane.—Ekisodo 6:2; 1 Ayimwene 8:23; Salimo 99:9.

Sambano ligongo chichi m’Baibulo ajino akamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa”? Ligongo lyakuti kakolanje keleka ni kakali kakumanyika mu chiŵecheto cha Chiyao.

Lina lya Mlungu lyasimanikwe kandanda m’chaka cha 1530, m’Baibulo ja Chisungu ja William Tyndale ja Pentatuke. Jwalakwe jwalembile linali kuti “Iehouah.” Pali papite ndaŵi, chiŵecheto cha Chisungu chachenjile, myoyo kalembe ka linali kasosekwaga kuti kaŵe kakamulana ni kuchengaku. Mwachisyasyo, mu 1612, mundu jwine lina lyakwe Henry Ainsworth jwakamulichisye masengo kalembe kakuti, “Iehovah” mu buku jakwe josope ja Masalimo. Kaneko mu 1639, mu Baibulo jelinganyesoni ja Pentatuke jele ŵajipulintile, ŵakamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa.” Mu  1901, ŵaŵakopwesye Baibulo ja American Standard Version ŵakamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa” palipose palyasimanikwaga lina lya Mlungu m’Baibulo jandanda ja Chihebeli.

Pakusala ligongo lyakwe ŵakamulichisye masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa” m’malo mwa lina lyakuti “Yahweh,” jwamlijiganye ya Baibulo jwine lina lyakwe Joseph Bryant Rotherham, m’buku jakwe (Studies in the Psalms) ja m’chaka cha 1911, jwasasile kuti “ŵakamulichisye masengo linali ligongo ŵandu ŵajinji ŵachisungu ŵalikolangaga myoyo.” M’chaka cha 1930, jwamlijiganye ya Baibulo jwine lina lyakwe A. F. Kirkpatrichk jwasasilesoni yakulandana ni yeleyi pakwamba ya kukamulichisya masengo lina lyakuti “Yehofa.” Jwalakwe jwatite, “Atamose kuti masiku agano ŵandu ŵalijiganye ya malamusi ga m’chiŵecheto akusasala kuti kakolanje kakuŵajilwa ka linali m’Chisungu kali Yahveh kapena kuti Yahaveh, nambope kwa yaka yejinji m’Chisungu aŵele ali mkulikolanga linali kuti YEHOFA. Nambosoni chindu chakusosekwa mnope ngaŵa muŵalikolanjilaga kusyesyene, nambo kumanyilila kuti lyeleli ni Lina Lisyesyene lya Mlungu, soni kuti lili lyakulekangana ni mena ga uchimbichimbi mpela lyakuti ‘Ambuje.’”

Ana lina lya Mlungu lyakuti Yehofa likusagopolela chichi? M’Chihebeli lina lyakuti Yehofa lyatyochele ku liloŵe lyalikusagopolela kuti “kuŵa,” soni ŵalijiganye ya Baibulo ŵajinji akusayiwona kuti liloŵeli likusasala ya kutendekasya chindu kuŵapo. Ligongo lya yeleyi Komiti Jagopolela Baibulo ja Chilambo Chasambano jayiweni kuti lina lyakuti Yehofa likusagopolela kuti “Akusatendekasyaga.” Panganiji nganisyo sya ŵalijiganye ya Baibulo sikusaŵa syakulekangana, myoyo twayiweni kuti tukusosekwa kuwungunya chenene kagopolele kakwe. Nambope yatwapatileyi yikusakamulana chenene ni udindo wakwete Yehofa mpela Mkupanganya jwa yindu yosope soni Jwakwanilisya yakulinga yakwe. Jwalakwe ngaŵa kuti jwagambile kupanganya yindu yosope, nambo akupitilisyape kutenda yindu kuti akwanilisye chakulinga chakwe.

Lilemba lya Ekisodo 3:14, pakusala ya ngopolelo ja lina lya Yehofa likusati, “Chinjiŵa Chilichose Changusaka Kuŵa.” Nambope maloŵega ngagakusapeleka ngopolelo josope ja lina lya Mlungu. Mmalomwakwe gakusasala ya ndamo ja Mlungu kuti mpaka aŵe chilichose chakusaka kuti akwanilisye chakulinga chakwe. Atamose kuti ngopolelo ja lina lya Mlungu jikusajimilasoni yeleyi, nambope ngaŵa kuti yeleyi yikumŵichila jwalakwejo malile. Ngopolelo ja lina lyakweli jikusapwatikaposoni kuti jwalakwe mpaka atendekasye yakupanganyikwa yakwe kutenda chilichose chakusaka kuti akwanilisye chakulinga chakwe.