1, 2. Ihlabathi lalitshintshe njani ukususela ngemihla kaNowa, ibe wachaphazeleka njani uAbram?

UABRAM wayekhangele phezulu, ondele inqaba ephakamileyo yesixeko sakowabo iUre. * Kwakukho ingxolo enkulu, yaye kwakunyuka umsi. Ababingeleli bothixo wenyanga babebingelela kwakhona. Khawube nombono wakhe ejika, anikine intloko aze afing’ iintshiya. Njengoko ehamba kwezo zitrato zixineneyo, ebuyela ekhayeni lakhe, kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayecinga ngonqulo zithixo olwalugqugqise iUre. Unqulo lobuxoki lwalusele lunwenwe ngendlela emanyumnyezi ukususela ngemihla kaNowa!

² UNowa wafa kwiminyaka nje emibini ngaphambi kokuba uAbram azalwe. Bakuba bephumile kumkhombe emva koNogumbe, lo solusapho wenza umnikelo kuYehova uThixo, owathi kamva wabeka umnyama emafini. (Gen. 8:20; 9:12-14) Ngelo xesha, okuphela konqulo olwalukho yayilunqulo lokwenyaniso. Kodwa ngoku, njengoko isizukulwana sikaNowa sasisasazeka emhlabeni, unqulo olunyulu lwaya lufiphala. Mbombo zone, abantu babenqula izithixo zobuhedeni. Nkqu noTera, uyise ka-Abram wayenqula izithixo, mhlawumbi ezenza nokuzenza.—Yosh. 24:2.

3. Njengoko iminyaka yayihamba, luluphi uphawu awayebalasele ngalo uAbram, ibe yintoni esinokuyifunda kuloo nto?

³ UAbram wayehlukile. Njengoko iminyaka yayihamba, waya ebalasela ngokholo lwakhe. Umpostile uPawulos wada waphefumlelwa ukuba abhekisele kuye ngokuba “nguyise wabo bonke abo banokholo”! (Funda amaRoma 4:11.) Makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuze uAbram abe yindoda enokholo ngolu hlobo. Nathi sakutsho sifunde indlela yokomeleza ukholo lwethu.

4, 5. UAbram umel’ ukuba wafundiswa ngubani ngoYehova, ibe kutheni sinokuyikholelwa loo nto?

⁴ UAbram wamazi njani uYehova uThixo? Siyazi ukuba uYehova wayenabakhonzi abathembekileyo ngezo ntsuku. UShem wayengomnye wabo. Nakuba wayengeyonkulu koonyana abathathu bakaNowa, nguye ekudla ngokuthethwa ngaye kuqala. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwakungenxa yokholo lwakhe olwalubalasele. * Emva koNogumbe, uNowa wabhekisela kuYehova ‘njengoThixo kaShem.’ (Gen. 9:26) UShem wayemthanda uYehova nonqulo olunyulu.

⁵ Ngaba uAbram wayemazi uShem? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayemazi. Khawube nombono ka-Abram eseyinkwenkwe. Kumele ukuba wayethabatheka ngokwenene kukwazi ukuba unokhokho osisilumko noneminyaka engaphezu kwamakhulu amane ephila! UShem wayekho ngoxa kwakuphila abantu ababi ngaphambi koMkhukula, ngoNogumbe owacoca umhlaba, ukuqaliswa kwezizwe njengoko abantu babesanda emhlabeni, nangemihla yemvukelo kaNimrod kwiNqaba yaseBhabheli. UShem owayethembekile akazange avukele, ngoko wathi uYehova xa eduba iilwimi zabantu ababesakha inqaba, uShem nentsapho yakhe baqhubeka bethetha ulwimi olwaluthethwa ngabantu kwasekuqaleni, ulwimi olwaluthethwa nguNowa. Loo ntsapho yayiquka noAbram. Umel’ ukuba uAbram wakhula eyithanda le ngwevu inguShem. Kwiminyaka emininzi yobomi buka-Abram obude, uShem wayesaphila. Ngoko kusenokwenzeka ukuba uAbram wafunda ngoYehova kuShem.

6. (a) UAbram wabonisa njani ukuba wazigcina izifundo awazifundiswa ngoNogumbe? (b) UAbram noSarayi babephila ubomi obunjani?

⁶ Enoba kuyintoni, uAbram wazigcina izifundo ezibalulekileyo ezingoNogumbe. Wazimisela ukuhamba noThixo njengoNowa. Yiloo nto eyabangela ukuba uAbram anganquli zithixo aze ahluke yedwa eUre, mhlawumbi nakwizalamane zakhe ezisondeleyo. Noko ke, wafumana isipho seqabane lomtshato. YayinguSarayi, ibhinqa eliyimbelukazi nelalinokholo kuYehova. * Nangona sasingenabantwana,  esi sibini sasivuyiswa kukukhonza uYehova kunye. Sakhulisa nomtshana ka-Abram owayeyinkedama, uLote.

7. Abalandeli bakaYesu bamele bamxelise njani uAbram?

⁷ UAbram akazange amshiye uYehova ngenxa yezithixo zaseUre. Yena noSarayi babekulungele ukwahluka kubantu basekuhlaleni ababenqula izithixo. Ukuba sifuna ukuba nokholo olomeleleyo, simele sibe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo. Nathi simele sikulungele ukwahluka. UYesu wathi abafundi bakhe babengayi kuba ‘yinxalenye yehlabathi’, ibe ihlabathi laliya kubathiya ngenxa yoku. (Funda uYohane 15:19.) Ukuba ufumana intlungu yokulahlwa zizalamane okanye ngabantu basekuhlaleni ngenxa yesigqibo sakho sokukhonza uYehova, ungaze ulibale ukuba akuwedwa. Unomhlobo osenyongweni, njengoko uhamba noThixo njengoAbram noSarayi.

8, 9. (a) Yintoni eyenzeka kuAbram awayengenakuyilibala? (b) Wawusithini umyalelo kaYehova kuAbram?

⁸ Ngenye imini, kwenzeka into uAbram awayengenakuyilibala. Wafumana umyalezo ovela kuYehova uThixo! IBhayibhile ayisiniki zinkcukacha ngendlela ekwenzeka ngayo oku, kodwa ithi “uThixo wozuko” wabonakala kule ndoda ithembekileyo. (Funda iZenzo 7:2, 3.) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uThixo wasebenzisa ingelosi ukuze uAbram akrotyiswe kuzuko olungathethekiyo lukaMongami wendalo iphela. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela uAbram awavuya ngayo xa wabona umahluko phakathi koThixo ophilayo nezithixo ezingenakuzenzela nto ezazinqulwa ngabantu awayephila nabo.

⁹ Wawusithini umyalezo kaYehova kuAbram? “Phuma kulo ilizwe lakowenu nakwizalamane zakho uze kwilizwe endiya kukubonisa lona.” UYehova akazange atsho ukuba ufuna aye kweliphi ilizwe—wasuka nje wathi uya kumbonisa lona uAbram. Kodwa ke, kwakuza kuqala kufuneke uAbram ashiye ilizwe lakowabo kunye nezalamane zakhe. Kubantu bakuMbindi Mpuma, iintsapho zazibaluleke kakhulu. Indoda eyayishiya izalamane ize ifudukele kwindawo ekude yayijongwa ngathi izibizela amashwa; abanye babenokuxolela ukufa kunokuba kwenzeke into enjalo kubo!

10. Kutheni kumel’ ukuba kwafuneka uAbram noSarayi bazincame ukuze bashiye ikhaya labo laseUre?

¹⁰ Kwafuneka azincame ukuze ashiye ilizwe lakowabo. Kubonakala ukuba iUre yayisisixeko esifumileyo nesiphithizelayo. (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Isixeko UAbram NoSarayi Abasishiya Ngasemva.”) Izinto zakudala ezembiweyo zibonisa ukuba iUre yamandulo yayinezindlu ezitofotofo nezineveranda embindini wazo, ezinye zinamagumbi amathandathu nangaphezulu ahlala amalungu  entsapho kunye nezicaka. Kwakuqhelekile ukuba kubekho iimpompo zamanzi, izindlu zangasese, neendawo zokulahla inkunkuma. Khumbula nokuba, uAbram noSarayi babesele bekhulile ngeli xesha; uAbram wayeneminyaka emalunga nama-70, yena umkakhe mhlawumbi eneminyaka engaphezu kwengama-60. Ngokuqinisekileyo uAbram wayefuna uSarayi anyanyekelwe kakuhle—njengaye nawuphi na umyeni olungileyo. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wabo bencokola ngesi sabelo, bethetha ngemibuzo namaxhala abanawo. UAbram umel’ ukuba wavuya xa uSarayi evuma ukuhamba naye! Naye wayekulungele ukushiya ikhaya lakhe elitofotofo njengomyeni wakhe.

11, 12. (a) Ngawaphi amalungiselelo nezigqibo ekwakufuneka zenziwe ngaphambi kokuhamba eUre? (b) Ungaluchaza njani usuku abafuduka ngalo eUre?

¹¹ Emva kokuba benze isigqibo, kwakukho izinto ezininzi ekufuneka uAbram noSarayi bazenze. Kwakuza kufuneka balungiselele baze bapakishe izinto zabo. Babeza kuphatha ntoni bashiye eyiphi xa besiya kule ndawo bangayaziyo? Eyona nto yayibalulekile kunazo zonke, zizalamane zabo. Babeza kuthini ngoTera? Bagqiba kwelokuba bahambe naye ukuze bamnyamekele. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wavuma ngokusuka entliziyweni, kuba le ngxelo incoma yena, njengosolusapho, ngokufudusa intsapho yakhe eUre. Kubonakala ukuba uTera wayeyekile ukunqula izithixo. Omnye umntu owahamba nabo ngumtshana ka-Abram uLote.—Gen. 11:31.

¹² Ekugqibeleni, lwafika usuku lokuhamba. Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wabo bedibana ngaphandle kweendonga zaseUre. Amaesile neenkamela ayethwele umthwalo onzima, umhlambi uqokelelwe, yonke intsapho nezicaka ilungele uhambo. * Mhlawumbi bonke babejonge kuAbram, belindele ukuba akhuphe umyalelo wokuba kuhanjwe. Ekugqibeleni, lada lafika ilixa lokuba bahambe, bayishiye ngasemva iUre.

13. Abakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje bawubonisa njani umoya wokuzincama ofana noka-Abram noSarayi?

¹³ Namhlanje, abakhonzi bakaYehova abaninzi bakhetha ukufudukela kwindawo ekufuneka abavakalisi abangakumbi boBukumkani kuyo. Abanye bakhetha ukufunda ulwimi olutsha ukuze bandise ubulungiseleli babo. Okanye bakhetha ukuzama enye indlela yokushumayela abangayiqhelanga. Ezo zigqibo zifuna ukuzincama—ukulungela ukuncama izinto ezithile. Uyancomeka loo mnqweno ufana noka-Abram noSarayi! Xa sibonisa ukholo olunjalo sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kusibuyekeza okungaphezu koko simnika kona.  Akasoze angamvuzi umntu onokholo. (Heb. 6:10; 11:6) Ngaba wakwenza oku kuAbram?

14, 15. Lwalunjani uhambo olusuka eUre ukuya kwaHaran, ibe yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela ukuba baphumle kwaHaran?

¹⁴ Yaqalisa ukuvakala le ndlela kweli qela. Sinokubona uAbram noSarayi beman’ ukutshintshisana ngokuhamba ngeenyawo nange-esile, kuvakala ukunkqenkqeza kweentsimbi ezijinga kwizilwanyana njengoko bencokola. Olu hambo lwanceda nabo babengenabo ubuchule bakwazi ukumisa nokuwisa intente kunye nokunceda uTera owayekhulile ukuba akhwele kwiesile okanye inkamela. Baya ngasemntla ntshona, behamba ngakunxweme loMlambo umEfrata. Zaqengqeleka iintsuku zaba ziiveki, indlela isiya iqina.

¹⁵ Ekugqibeleni, emva kokuhamba iikhilomitha ezimalunga nama-960, bafika kwidolophu yaseHaran eyayinoorontawuli, idolophu emi kakuhle nekwindlela yabarhwebi baseMpuma naseNtshona. Le ntsapho yaphumla okwexeshana kuloo dolophu. Mhlawumbi uTera wayengasakwazi ukuqhubeka nolo hambo.

16, 17. (a) Nguwuphi umnqophiso owenza uAbram wanemincili? (b) UYehova wamsikelela njani uAbram ngoxa wayekwaHaran?

 ¹⁶ Kungekudala emva koko, uTera wafa eneminyaka engama-205. (Gen. 11:32) UAbram wafumana intuthuzelo evela kuYehova ngelo xesha lentlungu. Waphinda wamnika umyalelo awayemnike wona eUre, waza wamthembisa okukhulu. UAbram wayeza kuba “luhlanga olukhulu,” yaye zonke iintsapho emhlabeni zaziya kusikelelwa ngenxa yakhe. (Funda iGenesis 12:2, 3.) Esenemincili ngulo mnqophiso wakhe noThixo, uAbram wagqiba kwelokuba baphinde bathathise kuhambo lwabo.

¹⁷ Kweli lixa, babenempahla eninzi kuba uYehova wamsikelela uAbram ngoxa bekwaHaran. Le ngxelo ithi bahamba “nayo yonke impahla ababeyiqwebile nemiphefumlo ababeyizuzile kwaHaran.” (Gen. 12:5) Ukuze abe luhlanga, kwakuza kufuneka abe nezinto eziphathekayo kunye nezicaka—indlu yakhe yande. UYehova akasoloko esikelela abakhonzi bakhe ngobutyebi, kodwa ubanika nantoni na abayifunayo ukuze baphumeze injongo yakhe. Omelezekile, uAbram wakhokela intsapho yakhe kunye nezicaka zakhe kwilizwe abangalaziyo.

18. (a) UAbram wafika nini kwixesha eliyimbalasane kwiinkqubano zikaThixo nabantu Bakhe? (b) Ziziphi ezinye iziganeko ezibalulekileyo ezenzeka kwiminyaka eyalandelayo ngoNisan 14? (Funda ibhokisi ethi “ Usuku Olukhethekileyo Kwimbali YeBhayibhile.”)

¹⁸ IKarkemishe, indawo apho abantu babewela kuyo umlambo umEfrata, yayikumgama onokuthatha iintsuku eziliqela xa usuka kwaHaran. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba apha, uAbram wafika kwixesha eliyimbalasane kwiinkqubano zikaThixo nabantu Bakhe. Kuphawuleka ukuba kwakungosuku lwe-14, ngenyanga kamva eyabizwa ngokuba nguNisan, ngowe-1943 B.C.E., xa uAbram wawela umlambo nentsapho yakhe. (Eks. 12:40-43) Emazantsi kwakukho umhlaba uYehova awayethembise ukuwunika uAbram. Waqala ukusebenza umnqophiso kaThixo noAbram ngolo suku.

19. Isithembiso sikaYehova kuAbram sasiquka ntoni, ibe yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba samkhumbuza yona uAbram?

¹⁹ Njengokuba uAbram wayesiya emazantsi kulo mmandla, eli qela laphumla  kufutshane nemithi emikhulu yaseMore, kufuphi neShekem. Apho uYehova waphinda wathetha noAbram. Kwesi sihlandlo isithembiso sikaThixo sasisithi imbewu, okanye inzala ka-Abram, yayiza kuzuza ilifa umhlaba. Ngaba uAbram wacinga ngesiprofeto esachazwa nguYehova e-Eden, esithetha ‘ngembewu,’ okanye inzala, eyayiza kuhlangula uluntu? (Gen. 3:15; 12:7) Mhlawumbi kunjalo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wabona ukuba uza kuba yinxalenye yokuphunyezwa kwenjongo kaYehova ngandlel’ ithile.

20. UAbram wawubonisa njani umbulelo ngelungelo awalinikwa nguYehova?

²⁰ UAbram wayelixabisa ilungelo awalinikwa nguYehova. Njengoko wayehamba kulo mmandla—echul’ ukunyathela, ekubeni lo mmandla wawuhlala amaKanan—uAbram wema waza wenza imibingelelo kuYehova, okokuqala kufutshane nakwimithi emikhulu yaseMore naseBheteli. Wabiza egameni likaYehova, mhlawumbi ebulela uThixo wakhe ngokusuk’ entliziyweni njengoko ecinga ngekamva lenzala yakhe. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wada washumayela nakumaKanan. (Funda iGenesis 12:7, 8.) Kakade ke, ukholo luka-Abram lwaluseza kuvavanywa ngeendlela ezininzi. UAbram wayengacingi emva kumzi wakhe nezinto azishiye eUre. Wayekhangele phambili kwikamva. AmaHebhere 11:10 athi xa ethetha ngoAbram: “Wayelindele isixeko esineziseko zokwenene, sixeko eso esimakhi nomenzi waso unguThixo.”

21. Ulwazi lwethu ngoBukumkani bukaThixo lwahluke njani koluka-Abram, ibe yintoni ozimisele ukuyenza?

²¹ Thina bakhonza uYehova namhlanje sazi ngakumbi kunoAbram ngesi sixeko sokomfuziselo—uBukumkani bukaThixo. Siyazi ukuba uBukumkani bulawula ezulwini yaye kungekudala buza kuphelisa le nkqubo yehlabathi, nokuba uYesu Kristu, oyiMbewu eyathenjiswa uAbram, ulawula obo Bukumkani. Kuya kuba lilungelo elikhulu kuthi ukubona uAbraham ephila kwakhona, aze abone indlela injongo kaThixo eyazaliseka ngayo! Awungethandi ukubona indlela uYehova aza kuphumeza ngayo izithembiso zakhe? Ukuba kunjalo, qhubeka uxelisa uAbram. Bonisa umoya wokuzincama, wokuthobeka, ngomthandazo ubonise uxabiso ngamalungelo uYehova asinike wona. Njengoko uxelisa ukholo luka-Abram, ‘uyise wabo bonke abo banokholo,’ ngokungathi kunjalo, uya kuba nguyihlo nakuwe!