Unyaka ‘Wasezweni Elihle’

NGO-1908 kwatholakala into ethakazelisayo endaweni eyayinomuzi waseGezeri oseBhayibhelini, owawusethafeni elisogwini ngasentshonalanga yeJerusalema: isibhebhe esincane segwadle (limestone) okukholelwa ukuthi esangekhulu leshumi B.C.E. Sasinokuthile okucatshangwa ukuthi yishadi lonyaka lezolimo elibhalwe ngesiHebheru sakudala, elibonisa izinto ezihlukahlukene ezazenziwa. Lesi sibhebhe sibizwa ngokuthi iKhalenda LaseGezeri.

Lesi sibhebhe sisayinwe kwathiwa: Abhiya. Nakuba izazi zemivubukulo zingavumelani zonke, eziningi zisibheka njengomsebenzi osankondlo womfana wesikole. * Ungathanda yini ukubona ngeso lengqondo izinkathi zonyaka ngendlela umfana owayephila ngaleso sikhathi ayezibona ngayo? Ukwenza kanjalo kungase kukusize ukuba ukhumbule izenzakalo ezithile eziseBhayibhelini.

Izinyanga Ezimbili Zokubutha

Umlobi waleli khalenda lasendulo waqala ngokubutha okuvamile. Nakuba kwakubhalwe ekuqaleni kwaleli khalenda, ungasiqonda isizathu sokuba ama-Israyeli abheke lokhu kubutha njengomvuthwandaba, noma ukuphela kwengxenye eyinhloko yonyaka wezolimo. Inyanga ka-Ethanimi (kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi uTishri) iqondana no-September/October ekhalendeni lethu lanamuhla. Njengoba ingxenye enkulu yomsebenzi wokuvuna yayisuke isiphelile, lesi kwakuba isikhathi esijabulisa ngokukhethekile okungenzeka ukuthi u-Abhiya osemncane wayehlanganyela kuso. Cabanga ngenjabulo ayeba nayo lapho esiza uyise enza idokodo elalizoba ikhaya labo isonto lonke njengoba bebonga uJehova ngenjabulo ngesivuno ababesithole emasimini!—Duteronomi 16:13-15.

Cishe ngalesi sikhathi iminqumo yayisizovuthwa ukuze umkhaya wakubo ka-Abhiya uyivune ngokushaya amagatsha esihlahla, umsebenzi okungenzeka wawunzima kakhulu ku-Abhiya osemncane kodwa kumnandi ukubuka abanye  bewenza. (Duteronomi 24:20) Babebe sebecosha iminqumo bayiyise etsheni lokugaya eliseduze ukuze kutholakale amafutha. Noma umkhaya wawungase ube nenye indlela elula yokuthola amafutha—ufake iminqumo egxotshiwe noma echachambile emanzini bese ucwenga amafutha antantayo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakusetshenziswa yiphi indlela, lolu ketshezi oluyigugu lwalungagcini nje ngokudliwa. Lwalufakwa nasezibanini zokukhanyisa, kwelashwa ngalo imihuzuko namanxeba anjengalawo umfanyana u-Abhiya ayengase awathole lapho edlala.

Izinyanga Ezimbili Zokuhlwanyela

Lapho kuqala izimvula zokuqala, kungenzeka ukuthi u-Abhiya wayekujabulela ukunethwa imvula ebandayo. Kungenzeka ukuthi uyise wayemtshelile ukuthi imvula ibaluleke kangakanani emhlabathini. (Duteronomi 11:14) Ngenxa yokuthi ukushisa kwelanga izinyanga ngezinyanga kwakwenze umhlabathi waqina, izimvula zazizowuthambisa futhi ulungele ukulinywa. Ngobuciko umlimi wasendulo wayeqondisa igeja lokhuni, mhlawumbe elinesikali sensimbi, njengoba lalidonswa izilwane. Umgomo wakhe kwakuwukwenza imisele eqondile. Umhlaba wawuyigugu, ngakho abalimi abangama-Israyeli babesebenzisa ngisho neziqinti, kuhlanganise nemithambeka. Kodwa emithambekeni kwakungase kudingeke balime ngegeja lesandla.

Uma umhlabathi othambile usulinyiwe, kwakungase kutshalwe ukolweni nebhali. Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi umugqa olandelayo eKhalendeni LaseGezeri ubhekisela ezinyangeni ezimbili zalokho kuhlwanyela. Umhlwanyeli wayengase aphathe imbewu esikhwameni abese eyifaza.

 Izinyanga Ezimbili Zokuhlwanyela Kwakamuva

“Izwe elihle” lalihlala likhiqiza ukudla. (Duteronomi 3:25) Phakathi no-December, imvula yayina kakhulu futhi izwe libe luhlaza. Kwakuba yisikhathi sokuhlwanyela kwakamuva okusabhontshisi, njengophizi kanye nezinye izilimo. (Amose 7:1, 2) Kulesi sibhebhe, u-Abhiya wabiza lesi sikhathi ngokuthi “ukuklaba kwasentwasahlobo” noma ngokwenye indlela yokuhumusha, “ukuhlwanyela kwakamuva,” isikhathi sokudla okwehla esiphundu okwakwenziwa ngezilimo eziningi zangale nkathi.

Njengoba sekuqala ukufudumala, isihlahla somalimondi esiyibika lentwasahlobo, sasiqhakaza izimbali ezimhlophe nezibomvana. Lokhu kwakwenzeka uma sekuqala ukufudumala, ngisho nango-January.—Jeremiya 1:11, 12.

Inyanga Eyodwa Yokunquma Ifilakisi

U-Abhiya ube esekhuluma ngefilakisi. Lokhu kungase kukukhumbuze ngokwenzeka emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kwesikhathi sika-Abhiya ohlangothini olusempumalanga lwamagquma aseJudiya. Emzini waseJeriko, uRahabi wayefihle izinhloli ezimbili ‘phakathi kwezinhlanga zefilakisi ezazindlalwe ngezinhlu’ ayezibeke ophahleni ukuze zome. (Joshuwa 2:6) Ifilakisi lalinendima ebalulekile ekuphileni kwama-Israyeli. Ukuze kuphume izintanjana zefilakisi, lesi sitshalo kwakumelwe sibole kuqala. Sasingaboli ngokushesha uma sibekwe emazolweni kodwa sasishesha uma sifakwe echibini noma emseleni wamanzi. Izintanjana zefilakisi zazisetshenziselwa ukwenza ilineni, okwakwenziwa ngalo oseyili, amatende nezingubo. Kwakwenziwa nezintambo zesibani ngefilakisi.

Abanye abavumi ukuthi ifilakisi lalitshalwa eGezeri, ngoba ayengemaningi amanzi lapho. Abanye bathi ifilakisi lalitshalwa kuphela kamuva onyakeni. Yingakho abanye bekholelwa ukuthi eKhalendeni LaseGezeri, igama elithi “ifilakisi” lalisho ukuthi “ifolishi.”

Inyanga Eyodwa Yokuvuna Ibhali

Unyaka ngamunye uma sekusondele injikalanga yasentwasahlobo, u-Abhiya wayebona izikhwebu zebhali eziluhlaza, isitshalo akhuluma ngaso ngokulandelayo ekhalendeni lakhe. Inyanga ehambelana nale ngesiHebheru u-Abhibhi okusho ukuthi “Izikhwebu Eziluhlaza,” okungenzeka kubhekisela esigabeni lapho izikhwebu zisuke sezivuthiwe kodwa zisathambile. UJehova wayala: “Makugcinwe inyanga ka-Abhibhi, futhi kumelwe ugubhele uJehova . . . iphasika.” (Duteronomi 16:1) U-Abhibhi (kamuva owabizwa ngokuthi uNisani) uqondana nokuphela kuka-March nokuqala kuka-April ekhalendeni lanamuhla. Isikhathi sokuvuthwa kwebhali kungenzeka ukuthi sasinendima ekuboneni ukuqala kwale nyanga. Ngisho nanamuhla, amaJuda angamaKaraite asabheka ukuvuthwa  kwebhali ukuze abone ukuqala konyaka wawo omusha. Ulibo lwebhali kwakumelwe luzuliswe phambi kukaJehova ngolwe-16 lwenyanga ka-Abhibhi.—Levitikusi 23:10, 11.

Ibhali lalibaluleke kakhulu ekuphileni kwansuku zonke kweningi lama-Israyeli. Njengoba lalishibhile kunokolweni, ngokuvamile abampofu babekhetha ukwenza ngalo isinkwa.—Hezekeli 4:12.

Inyanga Eyodwa Yokuvuna Nokukala

Uma ucabanga ngesikhathi sika-Abhiya, ungabona ukuthi ekuseni ngolunye usuku wayengase abone amafu amumethe imvula enyamalala—ingabi khona imvula isikhashana. Izitshalo zasezweni elihle zase ziphila ngamazolo. (Genesise 27:28; Zakariya 8:12) Abalimi abangama-Israyeli babazi ukuthi izitshalo eziningi ezazivunwa ngezinyanga ezishisa kakhulu onyakeni zazidinga isilinganiso esifanele somoya kuze kube iPhentekoste. Umoya wasenyakatho obandayo nonomswakama wawungase usize okusanhlamvu lapho kusakhula, kodwa wawuzilimaza izihlahla zezithelo uma seziqhakazile. Umoya waseningizimu oshisayo nongenamswakama wawusiza izimbali ukuba zivuleke kusakazeke imbewu yazo.—IzAga 25:23; IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 4:16.

UJehova, iNgcweti yesimo sezulu, wadala isimiso semvelo esivunyelaniswe kahle. Osukwini luka-Abhiya, indawo yakwa-Israyeli ngempela ‘yayiyizwe likakolweni nebhali nemivini namakhiwane namahalananda, izwe leminqumo yamafutha noju.’ (Duteronomi 8:8) Kungenzeka ukuthi umkhulu ka-Abhiya wayemxoxela ngenkathi engavamile yenala lapho kubusa inkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni—ubufakazi obucacile besibusiso sikaJehova.—1 AmaKhosi 4:20.

Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokuvuna, ikhalenda linegama abanye abathi lisho “ukukala.” Lingase libhekisele ekukaleni isivuno kunikezwe abanikazi bamasimu izingxenye ezithile nezisebenzi zinikezwe ezinye izingxenye noma ngisho nokukhokha intela. Nokho, ezinye izazi ziqonda leli gama lesiHebheru njengelisho “ukuba nedili” futhi zithi lisikisela uMkhosi Wamasonto, owawuba ngenyanga kaSivani (May/June).—Eksodusi 34:22.

Izinyanga Ezimbili Zokunqunta Amaqabunga

U-Abhiya wabe esebhala ngezinyanga ezimbili zokunakekela imivini. Kungenzeka yini ukuthi wayesiza ekunqunteni amaqabunga emivini ayeba maningi ukuze amagilebhisi athole ilanga? (Isaya 18:5) Kwakube sekuba isikhathi sokubutha amagilebhisi, isikhathi esasijabulisa kosemusha ngaleso sikhathi. Yeka indlela ayemnandi ngayo amagilebhisi okuqala! Cishe u-Abhiya wayezwile ngezinhloli ezingu-12 ezathunyelwa uMose eZweni Lesithembiso. Zahamba ngezinsuku zokuvuthwa kwamagilebhisi okuqala ukuze ziyobona ukuthi lalilihle kanjani lelo zwe.  Kuleso senzakalo, ihlukuzo elilodwa lamagilebhisi lalilikhulu kangangokuthi kwadingeka lithwalwe amadoda amabili!—Numeri 13:20, 23.

Inyanga Eyodwa Yezithelo Zasehlobo

Umugqa wokugcina ekhalendeni lika-Abhiya ukhuluma ngezithelo zasehlobo. EMpumalanga Ephakathi yasendulo, ehlobo kwakuba nezithelo eziningi. Ngemva kwesikhathi sika-Abhiya, uJehova wasebenzisa inkulumo ethi “ubhasikidi wezithelo zasehlobo” ukuze abonise ukuthi ‘kwase kufikile ukuphela kubantu bakhe u-Israyeli,’ esebenzisa ubuciko benkulumo enomqondo ofanayo ngesiHebheru, ethi ‘izithelo zasehlobo’ negama elithi “ukuphela.” (Amose 8:2) Lokhu kwakufanele kukhumbuze u-Israyeli ongathembekile ukuthi kwase kuphelile ngaye nokuthi wayesezothola isahlulelo sikaJehova. Ngokungangabazeki amakhiwane ayengezinye zezithelo zasehlobo u-Abhiya ayekhuluma ngazo. Amakhiwane asehlobo ayengase agxishwe abe amaqebelengwane noma asetshenziselwe ukuthoba amathumba.—2 AmaKhosi 20:7.

Indlela IKhalenda LaseGezeri Elikuthinta Ngayo

Cishe u-Abhiya osemncane wayesiza emasimini. Ngalezo zinsuku wonke ama-Israyeli ayelima. Ngisho noma ungazijwayele kangako ezolimo, okushiwo kulesi sibhebhe saseGezeri kungakusiza ukuba wenze ukufunda kwakho iBhayibheli kuphile, uliqonde kangcono futhi lizuzise.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 11]

INDLELA ONGASE UHUNYUSHWE NGAYO UMBHALO OSEKHALENDENI LASEGEZERI:

“Izinyanga ezimbili zokuvuna amagilebhisi nomnqumo;

izinyanga zokuhlwanyela;

izinyanga zokuklaba kwasentwasahlobo;

inyanga yokusika ifilakisi;

inyanga yokuvuna ibhali;

inyanga yokuvuna nokukala ukolweni;

izinyanga zokuthena izihlahla;

inyanga yezithelo zasehlobo.”

[isayiniwe:] Abhiya *

[Umthombo]

[Imithombo ekhasini 11]

Archaeological Museum of Istanbul

[Ishadi/Izithombe ekhasini 9]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UNISANI (U-ABHIBHI)

March​—April

U-IYYAR (UZIVI)

April​—May

USIVANI

May​—June

UTAMUZI

June​—July

U-AB

July​—August

U-ELUL

August​—September

U-TISHRI (U-ETHANIMI)

September​—October

U-HESHVAN (UBULI)

October​—November

UKHISILEVI

November​—December

UTHEBETHI

December​—January

USHEBHATHI

January​—February

U-ADARI

February​—March

U-VEADAR

March

[Umthombo]

Farmer: Garo Nalbandian

[Isithombe ekhasini 8]

Imivubukulo yaseGezeri

[Umthombo]

© 2003 BiblePlaces.com

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

Isihlahla somalimondi

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Isitshalo sefilakisi

[Imithombo]

Dr. David Darom

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

Ibhali

[Imithombo]

U.S. Department of Agriculture