1-2. Yini uJakobe ayenza lapho esezokufa, futhi kungani? (Bheka esisekhasini 1.)

 KWASE kuphele iminyaka engaba ngu-17 inceku kaJehova ethembekile uJakobe yasuka eKhanani yaya eGibhithe nomndeni wayo. (Gen. 47:28) Ngaleso sikhathi, wajabula kakhulu ngokuphinde ahlangane nendodana yakhe ayithandayo uJosefa futhi ekugcineni ebona umndeni wakhe undawonye futhi. Kodwa manje, uJakobe wayebona ukuthi wayesezokufa. Ngakho waba nomhlangano obalulekile nomndeni wakhe.—Gen. 49:28.

² Ngalezo zinsuku, kwakuyinto evamile ngenhloko yomndeni eyayisizokufa ukuba ihlanganise amalungu omndeni wayo ukuze iwanike iziqondiso ngaphambi kokuba ife. (Isaya 38:1) Kulowo mhlangano yayingase isho nokuthi ubani owayezoba yinhloko yomndeni ngemva kokuba yona seyifile.

3. NgokukaGenesise 49:​1, 2, kungani amazwi kaJakobe ebaluleke kakhulu?

³ Funda uGenesise 49:​1, 2. Kodwa lona kwakungewona umhlangano womndeni ovamile. UJakobe wayengumprofethi. Kulowo mhlangano uJehova waphefumulela inceku yakhe uJakobe ukuba itshele amadodana ayo izinto ezibalulekile ezaziyokwenzeka kuwo nasemindenini yawo esikhathini esizayo. Ngenxa yalokho, amazwi kaJakobe ngezinye izikhathi abizwa ngokuthi isiprofetho esashiwo uJakobe esezokufa.

4. Yini okufanele siyikhumbule njengoba sifunda ngesiprofetho uJakobe asisho esezokufa? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “Umndeni KaJakobe.”)

 ⁴ Kulesi sihloko sizoxoxa ngalokho uJakobe akusho emadodaneni akhe amane: uRubeni, uSimeyoni, uLevi noJuda. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngamazwi uJakobe awasho kulawa amanye amadodana akhe angu-8. Njengoba sizobona, uJakobe akakhulumanga ngamadodana akhe nje kuphela, kodwa wakhuluma nangenzalo yawo eyayiyogcina iyisizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo. Ukuxoxa ngomlando waleso sizwe kuzokwenza kucace ukuthi amazwi kaJakobe ayisiprofetho agcwaliseka kanjani. Ngokuhlola amazwi akhe, sizofunda izifundo ezibalulekile ezingasisiza sijabulise uBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova.

URUBENI

5. Yiliphi ilungelo okungenzeka uRubeni wayelindele ukulithola kubaba wakhe?

⁵ UJakobe uqale akhulume noRubeni athi: “Wena uyizibulo lami.” (Gen. 49:3)  Njengezibulo, cishe uRubeni wayelindele ukuthola impahla kababa wakhe ephindwe kabili kuneyabafowabo. Kungenzeka nokuthi wayelindele ukuba abe yinhloko yomndeni ngemva kokushona kukababa wakhe, nokuba lelo lungelo lidluliselwe enzalweni yakhe ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

6. Kungani uRubeni alahlekelwa yilungelo lobuzibulo? (Genesise 49:​3, 4)

⁶ Nokho, uRubeni akazange alithole ilungelo lobuzibulo. (1 IziKr. 5:1) Kungani? Eminyakeni edlule ngaphambili wayelale nesancinza sikaJakobe, uBhiliha. Wayeyincekukazi yenkosikazi kaJakobe ethandekayo uRaheli, owayeseshonile. (Gen. 35:​19, 22) URubeni wayeyindodana yomunye unkosikazi kaJakobe uLeya. Kungenzeka uRubeni wayeqhutshwa yinkanuko. Noma kungenzeka walala noBhiliha ngoba efuna uJakobe azonde uBhiliha, athande umama wakhe kakhulu. Kunoma yikuphi, lokho akwenza kwamdumaza kakhulu uJehova nobaba wakhe.—Funda uGenesise 49:​3, 4.

7. Yini eyenzeka kuRubeni nasenzalweni yakhe? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Isiprofetho UJakobe Asisho Esezokufa.”)

⁷ UJakobe wathi kuRubeni: “Ngeke uvelele.” Kwenzeka njengoba ayeshilo. Akukho lapho okushiwo khona ukuthi kukhona inzalo kaRubeni eyaba yinkosi, umpristi noma umprofethi. Noma kunjalo, uJakobe akazange ayilahle indodana yakhe futhi inzalo kaRubeni yaba esinye sezizwe zakwa-Israyeli. (Josh. 12:6) URubeni wayebonise izimfanelo ezinhle kwezinye izimo futhi akukho la okushiwo khona ukuthi waphinde waziphatha kabi ngokocansi.—Gen. 37:​20-22; 42:37.

8. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda esibonelweni sikaRubeni?

⁸ Yini esingayifunda? Kudingeka sisebenze kanzima ukuze sifunde ukuzithiba futhi senqabe ukuziphatha kabi ngokocansi. Uma kwenzeka silingeka ukuba senze isono, kufanele sime sicabange ngendlela izenzo zethu ezizomzwisa ngayo ubuhlungu uJehova, umndeni wethu nabanye. Kufanele sikhumbule nokuthi “noma yini umuntu ayihlwanyelayo, uyovuna yona futhi.” (Gal. 6:7) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lokho okwenzeka kuRubeni kusikhumbuza isihe sikaJehova. Nakuba uJehova engeke asivikele ekubhekaneni nemiphumela yamaphutha ethu, uyoyibusisa imizamo yethu lapho senza okulungile.

USIMEYONI NOLEVI

9. Yini eyenza uJakobe washo amazwi abonisa ukuthi akajabule ngoSimeyoni noLevi? (Genesise 49:​5-7)

⁹ Funda uGenesise 49:​5-7. UJakobe ube esekhuluma noSimeyoni noLevi, esebenzisa amazwi aqinile abonisa ukuthi akajabule ngabo. Eminyakeni edlule indodakazi kaJakobe uDina, yadlwengulwa yindoda engumKhanani, uShekemi. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani wonke amadodana kaJakobe ayethukuthele kakhulu ngalokho okwakwenzeke kudadewabo, kodwa uSimeyoni noLevi behluleka ukulawula intukuthelo yabo. Bakhohlisa uShekemi namadoda ayekanye nawo bathi uma bonke bevuma ukusokwa kwakuzoba nokuthula phakathi kwabo nomndeni kaJakobe. La madoda avuma ukusokwa. Ngesikhathi esesezinhlungwini ngenxa yokusokwa, uSimeyoni noLevi ‘ngamunye wabo wathatha inkemba, baya edolobheni ngokungasolisi, bafike babulala bonke abesilisa.’—Gen. 34:​25-29.

10. Agcwaliseka kanjani amazwi kaJakobe ayisiprofetho awasho ngoSimeyoni noLevi? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Isiprofetho UJakobe Asisho Esezokufa.”)

¹⁰ UJakobe wayekhathazeke kakhulu ngezenzo zobudlova zamadodana akhe amabili. Wabikezela ukuthi ayeyohlukaniswa futhi ahlakazeke kulo lonke izwe lakwa-Israyeli.  Lawo mazwi ayisiprofetho agcwaliseka ngemva kweminyaka engaphezu kwengu-200 kamuva lapho isizwe sakwa-Israyeli singena eZweni Lesithembiso. Isizwe sakwaSimeyoni sathola ezinye izindawo ezazisezweni lakwaJuda . (Josh. 19:1) Ifa lamaLevi kwakungamadolobha angu-48 ayegcwele kuyo yonke indawo yakwa-Israyeli.—Josh. 21:41.

11. Yiziphi izinto ezinhle ezenziwa yisizwe sakwaSimeyoni nesamaLevi?

¹¹ Inzalo kaSimeyoni noLevi ayiwenzanga amaphutha ayenziwe okhokho bayo. Isizwe samaLevi sabonisa ubuqotho obukhulu sakhonza uJehova ngendlela emsulwa. Ngesikhathi uMose ethola uMthetho ovela kuJehova eNtabeni iSinayi, ama-Israyeli amaningi ahlanganyela ekukhulekeleni ithole eliyisithixo, kodwa amaLevi aba ngasohlangothini lukaMose amsiza ukuba abhubhise labo ababekhulekele ithole. (Eks. 32:​26-29) UJehova wakhetha isizwe samaLevi kuma-Israyeli wasinika ilungelo lobupristi eliyigugu. (Eks. 40:​12-15; Num. 3:​11, 12) Kamuva, ngesikhathi kunqotshwa iZwe Lesithembiso, ngesibindi abakwaSimeyoni basiza isizwe sakwaJuda ukuba silwe namaKhanani, okwakuhambisana nenjongo kaJehova.—AbaHl. 1:​3, 17.

12. Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda esibonelweni sikaSimeyoni noLevi?

¹² Yini esingayifunda? Ungalokothi uvumele intukuthelo ilawule izinqumo zakho nezenzo zakho. Uma wena noma umuntu omthandayo ephathwe kabi kungokwemvelo ukuphatheka kabi. (IHu. 4:4) Nokho, kudingeka sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova akajabuli lapho sisho noma senza into elimaza labo abasiphathe kabi. (Jak. 1:20) Uma umuntu esiphatha ngendlela engenabulungisa—kungaba umuntu esikholwa naye noma ongakholwa—sikusingatha ngendlela evumelana nezimiso zeBhayibheli, ngaleyo ndlela sigweme umonakalo obangelwa yintukuthelo engalawuliwe. (Roma 12:​17, 19; 1 Pet. 3:9) Ngisho noma abazali bakho benza izinto ezingamjabulisi uJehova, khumbula ukuthi awubophekile ukuba ulingise isibonelo sabo. Ungaphethi ngokuthi awusoze wakwazi ukujabulisa uJehova futhi uthole isibusiso sakhe. Ngeke ahluleke ukuvuza imizamo yakho yokwenza okulungile.

UJUDA

13. Yini eyayingenza uJuda akhathazeke lapho sekuyithuba lakhe lokuba ezwe amazwi kababa wakhe?

¹³ UJakobe wabe esekhuluma nendodana yakhe uJuda. Ngemva kokuzwa amazwi uJakobe awasho kubafowabo abadala, kungenzeka ukuthi uJuda wayekhathazekile. Phela naye wayenze amaphutha amakhulu. Impela naye wayekanye nabafowabo lapho bephanga idolobha laseShekemi. (Gen. 34:27) Wayekanye nabafowabo lapho bethengisa uJosefa ukuba abe yisigqila nalapho bekhohlisa ubaba wabo ngalokho ababekwenzile. (Gen. 37:​31-33) Kamuva, walala nomalokazana wakhe uThamari ecabanga ukuthi uyisifebe.—Gen. 38:​15-18.

14. Yiziphi izinto ezinhle uJuda ayezenzile? (Genesise 49:​8, 9)

¹⁴ Nokho, ephefumulelwe, uJakobe wamupha izibusiso zodwa uJuda futhi wamncoma. (Funda uGenesise 49:​8, 9.) UJuda wayebonisile ukuthi wayeyikhathalela ngempela imizwa kababa wakhe osekhulile. Wayebonisile nokuthi wayemzwela umfowabo omncane kunabo bonke uBhenjamini.—Gen. 44:​18, 30-34.

15. UJuda wabusiswa ngaziphi izindlela?

¹⁵ UJakobe wabikezela ukuthi uJuda  nguye owayezohola abafowabo. Nokho, kwakuzodlula isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba leso siprofetho sigcwaliseke. UJuda, kuqala ukukhulunywa ngaye njengomholi ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-200 kamuva, lapho ehola isizwe sakwa-Israyeli ehlane siya eZweni Lesithembiso ngemva koFuduko. (Num. 10:14) Ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka, uJuda wahola lapho kuliwa namaKhanani ukuze bathole iZwe Lesithembiso. (AbaHl. 1:​1, 2) UDavide, ongomunye wenzalo yakwaJuda wayeyinkosi yokuqala ohlwini lwamakhosi avela esizweni sakwaJuda. Kodwa kukhona nokunye.

16. Sagcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho esikuGenesise 49:10? (Bheka nebhokisi elithi “ Isiprofetho UJakobe Asisho Esezokufa.”)

¹⁶ UJakobe waveza ukuthi uMbusi owayeyobusa abantu phakade wayeyovela enzalweni yakwaJuda. (Funda uGenesise 49:10 nombhalo waphansi.) Lowo Mbusi uJesu Kristu, lowo uJakobe ambiza ngokuthi uShilo. Ingelosi yathi ngoJesu: ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu uyomnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavide  uyise.’ (Luka 1:​32, 33) UJesu ubizwa nangokuthi “iBhubesi lesizwe sakwaJuda.”—IsAm. 5:5.

17. Singamlingisa kanjani uJehova endleleni esibheka ngayo abanye?

¹⁷ Yini esingayifunda? UJehova wambusisa uJuda ngisho noma ayenze amaphutha amakhulu. Kodwa kungenzeka yini ukuthi abafowabo bakaJuda babezibuza ukuthi kazi yini uJehova ayeyibone kuye? Kunoma yikuphi, uJehova wabona okuhle kuJuda futhi wambusisa ngenxa yalokho. Singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaJehova? Lapho umKristu esikanye naye ethola ilungelo elikhethekile, ekuqaleni singase silingeke ukuba sigxile emaphutheni alowo muntu. Kodwa kuhle sikhumbule ukuthi ngokuqinisekile uJehova uyajabula ngezimfanelo zakhe ezinhle. UJehova ubheka okuhle kubakhulekeli bakhe. Nathi masilwele ukwenza okufanayo.

18. Kungani kudingeka sibe nesineke?

¹⁸ Okunye esingakufunda endabeni kaJuda ukuthi kudingeka sibe nesineke. UJehova uhlale ezigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe, kodwa ngezinye izikhathi lokho angase akwenze ngendlela esingayilindele noma ngesikhathi esingasilindele. Inzalo kaJuda ayizange iqale ngokushesha ukuhola abantu bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ngobuqotho yabasekela labo uJehova ayebamise ukuba benze kanjalo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakunguMose umLevi, uJoshuwa wakwa-Efrayimi noma yiNkosi uSawule umBhenjamini. Kwangathi nathi singasekela noma ubani uJehova amkhethayo ukuba asihole namuhla.—Heb. 6:12.

19. Yini esingayifunda ngoJehova kulokhu esesixoxe ngakho ngesiprofetho uJakobe asisho esezokufa?

¹⁹ Kulokhu esesixoxe ngakho kuze kube manje, yini esiyifundile emazwini kaJakobe ayisiprofetho awasho esezokufa? Kusobala ukuthi “indlela umuntu abona ngayo akuyona indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo.” (1 Sam. 16:7) UJehova unesineke kakhulu futhi uyathethelela. Nakuba engabuvuni ububi, akalindele ukuba abakhulekeli bakhe bangawenzi amaphutha. Angabusisa ngisho nabantu abenze amaphutha amakhulu esikhathini esidlule, uma bephenduka ngempela benze okulungile. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngalokho uJakobe akusho emadodaneni akhe angu-8 okungakakhulunywa ngawo.