1, 2. Kungani abantu abanengi bengawuhloniphi umthetho, kodwa thina siyibona njani imithetho kaNkulunkulu?

 ‘UMTHETHO uligodi elingelamkhawulo, uginya konke.’ Umutsho lo wawusebhukwini elalotshwa ngo-1712. Umlobi walo wayesola imithetho eyayisetshenziswa nxa kuthethwa amacala emthethwandaba. Kwakuthatha iminyaka leminyaka ukuze indaba ilungiswe, umuntu owoniweyo aze aphelelwe yimali elokhu etshitsha emthethwandaba. Imithetho yamazwe amanengi ayizwisiseki, igcwele ubandlululo futhi ihlala itshintshatshintsha. Lokhu sekwenze abantu abanengi bangawuhloniphi umthetho.

² Kodwa umthetho kaNkulunkulu awufanani lowabantu. Eminyakeni engaba engu-2 700 eyadlulayo, enye indoda yathi: “Ngiwuthanda okwamagama umthetho wakho!” (IHubo 119:97) Kungani umhubi wayewuthanda kangaka umthetho kaNkulunkulu? Wayewuthanda ngoba wawungokaJehova uNkulunkulu hatshi ohulumende babantu. Nxa uqhubeka ufunda ngemithetho kaJehova uzacina uyithanda njengomhubi. UJehova nguMahluleli omkhulu futhi imithetho yakhe iphakeme. Yikho ukufunda ngemithetho leyo kuzakwenza ubone indlela acabanga ngayo.

3, 4. UJehova utshengise njani ukuthi ulelungelo lokusitshayela imithetho?

³ IBhayibhili lithi: “Munye kuphela otshaya imithetho longuMahluleli.” (UJakhobe 4:12) UJehova nguye yedwa olelungelo lokutshaya imithetho eqondisa konke akudalayo. Ufake imithetho eqondisa izinkanyezi lezinye izinto ezisemkhathini. (UJobe 38:33) Izingilosi lazo ziqondiswa yimithetho kaNkulunkulu. Zonke uzihlele kuhle futhi wazipha imisebenzi okumele ziyenze.—IHubo 104:4; KumaHebheru 1:7, 14.

⁴ UJehova uphinde wapha labantu imithetho. Ngokwesibonelo  usinike umzwangedwa. Umzwangedwa unjengomthetho osinceda sikwazi lokho uJehova athi kuqondile lokungaqondanga. (KwabaseRoma 2:14) U-Adamu lo-Eva babelomzwangedwa opheleleyo, yikho uJehova wabanika imithetho emilutshwane. (UGenesisi 2:15-17) Kodwa thina usinike imithetho eminengi ngenxa yokuthi silesono. Imithetho le iyasinceda ukuthi senze intando yakhe. UJehova wanika uNowa lo-Abrahama loJakhobe imithetho okwakumele bayifundise izimuli zabo. (UGenesisi 6:22; 9:3-6; 18:19; 26:4, 5) Wathi esekhethe isizwe sako-Israyeli wasinika imithetho esebenzisa uMosi. Nxa imithetho le isiyonke ibizwa ngokuthi nguMthetho kaMosi futhi iyasinceda ukuthi sizwisise indlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo.

5. UMthetho kaMosi wawunzima futhi uphica yini?

⁵ Abantu abanengi bacabanga ukuthi uMthetho kaMosi wawulemilayo eminenginengi enzima ukuzwisisa. Kodwa lokhu akusilo qiniso. Kulemilayo edlula engu-600 kuwo. Kungakhanya angani minengi kakhulu kodwa cabanga ngalokhu: Kwathi kusiyafika umnyaka ka-2000 imithetho yelizwe le-United States yayisiminengi okokuthi yayingagcwala amapheji edlula 150 000. Baqhubeka bengezelela eminye imithetho okokuthi kusiyaphela iminyaka emibili nje bayabe sebengezelele iminye engu-600. Ngakho imithetho yabantu minengi kakhulu ukwedlula leyo uNkulunkulu ayinika ama-Israyeli. Lanxa kunjalo uMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawuqondisa ama-Israyeli lasezindabeni okungakhulunywa ngazo emithethweni yabantu. Asixoxeni ngeminye imithetho uNkulunkulu abanika yona.

6, 7. (a) UMthetho kaMosi utshiyene njani leminye imithetho futhi yiwuphi umthetho omkhulu ukwedlula yonke? (b) Ama-Israyeli ayengatshengisa njani ukuthi ayavuma ukubuswa nguJehova?

⁶ UMthetho kaMosi wawufundisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi aqakathekise ubukhosi bukaJehova. Ngakho utshiyene lemithetho efakwa ngabantu. Umthetho omkhulu ukwedlula yonke ngothi: “Lalela we Israyeli: UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu nguJehova munye. Kumele umthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo  yakho yonke langomphefumulo wakho wonke langamandla akho wonke.” UNkulunkulu wayefuna abantu bakhe batshengise njani ukuthi bayamthanda? Wayefuna bamkhonze, bazithobe ngaphansi kobukhosi bakhe.—UDutheronomi 6:4, 5; 11:13.

⁷ Ama-Israyeli ayengatshengisa ukuthi ayavuma ukubuswa nguJehova ngokulalela labo ababebakhokhela, kungelani lokuthi ngabazali, izinduna, abahluleli, abaphristi lamakhosi. Phela abantu laba babemela ubukhosi bukaJehova. Yikho loba ngubani owayebahlamukela kwakufanana lokuthi uhlamukela uJehova. Kodwa nxa abakhokhelayo babengaphatha kubi abantu bakhe, wayezabathukuthelela. (U-Eksodusi 20:12; 22:28; UDutheronomi 1:16, 17; 17:8-20; 19:16, 17) Wonke nje ama-Israyeli kwakumele ahloniphe ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu.

8. UMthetho wawuwancedisa njani ama-Israyeli ukuthi ahlale engcwele?

⁸ UMthetho wawufundisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi abe ngcwele. Amabala ahunyutshwa ngokuthi “ngcwele” lokuthi “ubungcwele” atholakala izikhathi ezedlula 280 eMthethweni kaMosi. UMthetho wawunceda abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi behlukanise phakathi kokuhlanzekileyo lokungahlanzekanga. Wakhuluma ngezinto ezedlula 70 ezazingenza um-Israyeli abe ngongcolileyo. Imithetho le yayikhuluma ngokuthi ahlale ehlanzekile, adleni lokuthi enzeni nxa esiya ngaphandle. Imithetho enjalo yayinceda abantu ukuthi babe lempilakahle. a Kodwa kulenye indlela eqakathekileyo eyayibanceda ngayo. Yayisenza ukuthi bahlale bethandwa nguJehova futhi bangenzi imikhuba emibi eyayisenziwa yizizwe ezazingomakhelwane babo. Kasixoxeni ngeminye yakhona.

9, 10. Yiphi imithetho ephathelane lezemacansini uJehova ayinika ama-Israyeli futhi imithetho le yayiwanceda ngani?

⁹ UMthetho kaMosi wawusithi nxa umuntu angaya emacansini  uyaba ngongcolileyo okwesikhathi esithile lanxa etshadile. Owesifazana wayesithi angabeletha ahlale isikhathi esithile engongcolileyo. (ULevi 12:2-4; 15:16-18) Lokhu kwakungatsho ukuthi ukuya emacansini kwabantu abatshadileyo lokuba labantwana kwakukubi kuJehova. (UGenesisi 1:28; 2:18-25) Kodwa uJehova wanika abantu bakhe imithetho leyo ukuze bahlale behlanzekile futhi bangaphanjaniswa yikukhonza kwamanga. Phela izizwe ezazingomakhelwane babo zazihlanganisa ukukhonza lezemacansini. Enkolweni yamaKhenani kwakulezifebe zesilisa lezesifazana. Lokhu kwenza abantu abanengi baziphatha ngendlela eyenyanyekayo. Kodwa uMthetho wona wawungavumeli ama-Israyeli ukuthi ahlanganise ukukhonza lezemacansini. b Kwakulokunye futhi umthetho owawunceda ngakho.

¹⁰ Imithetho eyayinikwe ama-Israyeli yayiwafundisa ukuthi alesono. c Njani? Wonke umuntu uzalwa elesono sika-Adamu. Isono lesi sidluliselwa ebantwini nxa beqhubeka bezalana. (KwabaseRoma 5:12) UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawukhumbuza abantu bakhe ukuthi bayizoni. (IHubo 51:5) Wawubakhumbuza lokuthi kumele sithethelelwe futhi sihlawulelwe ukuze senelise ukusondela kuNkulunkulu wethu ongcwele.

11, 12. (a) UMthetho wawuwafundisani ama-Israyeli? (b) UMthetho wawuwavikela njani ama-Israyeli?

¹¹ UMthetho wawucacisa ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle. Wawufundisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi kumele isigwebo sihambelane lecala elenziweyo. UMthetho wawusithi: “Impilo kumele iphindiselwe ngempilo, ilihlo ngelihlo, izinyo ngezinyo, isandla ngesandla, unyawo ngonyawo.” (UDutheronomi 19:21) Ngakho umuntu kwakumele aphiwe isijeziso esihambelana lecala alenzileyo.  Yonke imilayo yoMthetho kaMosi yayitshengisa ukuthi uJehova wahlulela kuhle. Ukuzwisisa lokhu kuzasinceda ukuthi sizwisise lomhlatshelo wenhlawulo kaJesu Khristu esizafunda ngawo eSahlukweni 14.—1 KuThimothi 2:5, 6.

¹² UMthetho wawuvikela abantu ukuthi bangaphathwa kubi ngabahluleli. Ngokwesibonelo kwakusithi umuntu angamangalelwa, kwakumele kube labofakazi ababili ukuze kubonakale ukuthi akumangalelwayo kuliqiniso yini. Umuntu owayefakaza amanga wayejeziswa kabuhlungu. (UDutheronomi 19:15, 18, 19) Loba ngubani owahlulelayo kwakungamelanga avume ukufunjathiswa. (U-Eksodusi 23:8; UDutheronomi 27:25) Lasendabeni zamabhizimusi abantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakumele balandele imithetho yakhe. (ULevi 19:35, 36; UDutheronomi 23:19, 20) UMthetho kaMosi wawuwanceda kakhulu ama-Israyeli ngoba wawusenza ukuthi aphathwe kuhle.

13, 14. Kuyini okwakutshiwo nguMthetho okwakusenza ukuthi owonileyo lowoniweyo baphathwe ngendlela efaneleyo?

¹³ UMthetho kaMosi wawulukhuni yini kumbe wawubavumela abahluleli ukuthi babe lesihawu emuntwini owonileyo? INkosi uDavida yaphefumulelwa ukuthi ibhale ithi: “Imithetho kaJehova iphelele.” (IHubo 19:7) UDavida wayekwazi ukuthi uMthetho wawufundisa abantu ukuthi babe lozwelo futhi bangabandlululi. Wawukwenza njani lokhu?

¹⁴ Kwamanye amazwe kukhanya angani umthetho awubancedi kangako labo abonelweyo. Ngokwesibonelo, amasela angahlala isikhathi esithile ejele kodwa abatshontshelweyo bona bayabe belokhu bengayitholanga impahla yabo. Phezu kwalokho imithelo abayibhadalayo yiyo esetshenziswa ukunakekela izibotshwa. Kodwa ko-Israyeli ayengekho amajele esilawo lamuhla. Owonileyo kwakumele ajeziswe kodwa lokho kwakumele kwenziwe ngendlela efaneleyo. (UDutheronomi 25:1-3) Isela kwakumele libhadale lokho elalikutshontshile futhi lingezelele lokunye phezulu. Indlela elalibhadala ngayo yayitshiyana kusiya  ngalokho elikutshontshileyo. Abahluleli babephiwe ilungelo lokukhetha ukuthi isela lizabhadalani kusiya ngezimo lokuthi liyazisola yini ngalokho elikwenzileyo. Lokhu yikho okwenza ukuthi okwakumele kubhadalwe lisela kuLevi 6:1-7 kube kulutshwana kulalokho okuku-Eksodusi 22:7.

15. UMthetho wawutshengisa njani ukuthi uJehova ulesihawu futhi wahlulela kuhle?

¹⁵ UMthetho wawukwenza kucace ukuthi akusiwo wonke umuntu owayesona ngabomo. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa indoda ibulele umuntu ingahlosanga yayingasoze ibhadale umphefumulo ngomphefumulo nxa yayingathatha inyathelo elifaneleyo lokubalekela edolobheni lokuphephela. Amadolobho la ayesezindaweni ezitshiyeneyo elizweni lako-Israyeli. Nxa abahluleli abakhethiweyo sebelihlolile icala, kwakumele umuntu lo ahlale edolobheni lokuphephela kuze kufe umphristi omkhulu. Ngemva kwalokho wayengakhululeka ukuhlala loba ngaphi ayefuna ukuhlala khona. Umthetho lo wawutshengisa ukuthi uJehova ulesihawu kodwa ngesikhathi esifananayo wawugcizelela ukuqakatheka kwempilo yomuntu.—AmaNani 15:30, 31; 35:12-25.

16. UMthetho wawuvikela njani amalungelo omuntu munye ngamunye?

¹⁶ UMthetho wawuvikela amalungelo omuntu munye ngamunye. Cabanga ngendlela owawuvikela ngayo labo ababelezikwelede. UMthetho wawungavumeli ukuthi umuntu angene emzini walowo olesikwelede sakhe ukuze athathe impahla eyisibambiso. Kwakumele ame phandle besekusithi lowo olesikwelede sakhe abuye azomqhubela impahla ezakuba yisibambiso. Yikho indlu yalowo olesikwelede kwakungamelanga ingenwe kungelamvumo. Nxa lowo ozothonisa isikwelede angathatha isembatho salowo olesikwelede sakhe, kwakumele asibuyisele ilanga lingakatshoni ukuze lowo olesikwelede asigqoke kumbe asembathe ebusuku.—UDutheronomi 24:10-14.

17, 18. Indlela abako-Israyeli ababesilwa ngayo ezimpini yayitshiyene njani leyezinye izizwe?

¹⁷ UJehova wapha abako-Israyeli lemithetho okwakumele bayilandele nxa besilwa izimpi. Babengaphongusuka nje bayehlasela ezinye izizwe befuna ukutshengisa ukuthi balamandla kodwa  babesilwa ‘izimpi zikaJehova’ kuphela. (AmaNani 21:14) Izikhathi ezinengi abako-Israyeli kwakumele baqale bakhulume labayakulwa labo ukuze benze ukuthula. Nxa abantu bedolobho okwakumele balihlasele bengafuni ukwenza ukuthula, abako-Israyeli babengalihlasela kodwa belandela ababekutshelwe nguJehova. Amabutho ako-Israyeli ayengafanani lamanye amasotsha ngoba ayengavunyelwa ukubamba abesifazana iganyavu kumbe ukuphongubulala nje kungelasizatho. Kwakumele ahloniphe lemvelo, engagamuli izihlahla zesitha ezithela izithelo. d Amanye amasotsha ayengelayo imithetho enjalo.—UDutheronomi 20:10-15, 19, 20; 21:10-13.

¹⁸ Akukwethusi yini ukuzwa ukuthi kwamanye amazwe abantwana abancane bayafundiswa ukuthi babe ngamasotsha? Ko-Israyeli umuntu oleminyaka engaphansi kwengu-20 wayengangeni ebuthweni. (AmaNani 1:2, 3) Kanti njalo nxa indoda isesaba yayivunyelwa ukuthi ingayi empini. Lendoda eyayisanda kutshada yayivunyelwa ukuthi ingayi empini okomnyaka wonke ukuze iqale ibone izibulo layo lizalwa ingakayi emsebenzini lo oyingozi. UMthetho wawusithi kumele “ihlale emzini wayo ithokozise umkayo.”—UDutheronomi 20:5, 6, 8; 24:5.

19. UMthetho wawubavikela njani abesifazana, abantwana, izimuli, abafelokazi kanye lezintandane?

¹⁹ UMthetho wawuphinda uvikele abesifazana labantwana kanye lezimuli. Wawulaya abazali ukuthi banakekele abantwababo ngazo zonke izikhathi futhi babafundise ngoNkulunkulu. (UDutheronomi 6:6, 7) Wawungavumeli ukuthi abantu abayizihlobo baye emacansini ndawonye futhi ababesephula umthetho lo babejeziswa ngokubulawa. (ULevi isahluko 18) Wawungavumeli ukuthi umuntu otshadileyo alale lomuntu ongasomkakhe. Lokhu kwandise ukubangela ukuchitheka kwemizi njalo kutshiya  abantu besizwa ubuhlungu futhi bedubeka. UMthetho wawunakekela abafelokazi lezintandane futhi wawungavumeli ngitsho lakancane ukuthi baphathwe kubi.—U-Eksodusi 20:14; 22:22-24.

20, 21. (a) Kungani uMthetho kaMosi wawuvumela isithembo? (b) Kungani uJehova wavumela ama-Israyeli ukuthi adivose omkawo?

²⁰ Kodwa abanye bangazibuza ukuthi kungani uMthetho wawuvumela isithembo. (UDutheronomi 21:15-17) Okungasinceda ukuthi sizwisise uMthetho kaMosi yikukhumbula ukuthi amasiko ako-Israyeli lendlela ababephila ngayo itshiyene lendlela esiphila ngayo lamuhla. (IZaga 18:13) UJehova wathi edala u-Adamu lo-Eva wenza kwacaca ukuthi indoda kumele ibe lomfazi oyedwa futhi wayefuna ukuthi bahlale ndawonye kuze kube nini lanini. (UGenesisi 2:18, 20-24) Kodwa ngesikhathi uJehova esipha ama-Israyeli uMthetho, isithembo sasesivele sikhona. UJehova wayekwazi kuhle ukuthi abantu bakhe ‘babeyiziqholo’ njalo babezahlala besephula imithetho yakhe ecacileyo, njengomthetho wokuthi bangakhonzi izithombe. (U-Eksodusi 32:9) Yikho wakhetha ukuthi abatshiye baqhubeke belandela eminye imikhuba eyayisikhona ngalesosikhathi. Khumbula ukuthi uJehova kazange atshele ama-Israyeli ukuthi athathe isithembo. Kodwa wabapha imithetho eyayivikela abesifazana ukuthi bangaphathwa kubi ngamadoda.

²¹ Abanye bayazibuza ukuthi kungani uMthetho kaMosi wawuvumela ukuthi indoda idivose umkayo nxa ilezizatho ezizwakalayo. (UDutheronomi 24:1-4) UJesu wathi uNkulunkulu wayevumele amaJuda ukuthi akwenze lokhu ngenxa yokuthi ‘izinhliziyo zabo zazilukhuni.’ Kodwa lokhu kwakungokwesikhatshana. UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi balandele isimiso uJehova ayevele esifakile ekuqaliseni.—UMathewu 19:8.

22. UMthetho kaMosi wawubanceda njani abako-Israyeli ukuthi babe lothando?

²² Ukhona yini umthetho kahulumende owaziyo okhuthaza abantu ukuthi bathandane? UMthetho kaMosi wawuqakathekisa  uthando ukwedlula zonke izinto. KuDutheronomi kukhulunywa ngothando izikhathi ezedlula 20. Umlayo wesibili owawuqakathekile eMthethweni ngothi: “Kumele uthande umakhelwane wakho ngendlela ozithanda ngayo.” (ULevi 19:18; UMathewu 22:37-40) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakumele bathandane futhi bathande labantu bezizweni ababehlala labo. Kwakumele bathande labaswelayo, babancedise ngokubapha abangelakho njalo bangabaphathi kubi. Babetshelwe lokuthi baphathe kuhle izifuyo zabo.—U-Eksodusi 23:6; ULevi 19:14, 33, 34; UDutheronomi 22:4, 10; 24:17, 18.

23. Kuyini okwenziwa ngumlobi weHubo 119 njalo kuyini esingazimisela ukukwenza?

²³ Kambe sikhona yini esinye isizwe esilemithetho emihle njengaleyo eyaphiwa ama-Israyeli? Akula lesisodwa, yikho umhubi wabhala wathi: “Ngiwuthanda okwamagama umthetho wakho!” Kodwa kazange aphelele ekukhulumeni kuphela, watshengisa langezenzo ukuthi uyawuhlonipha futhi uyawulandela. Waqhubeka wathi: “Ngicabangisisa ngawo ilanga lonke.” (IHubo 119:11, 97) Umhubi wayehlala ebala imithetho kaJehova. Asikuthandabuzi ukuthi ukuyibala kwamenza wayithanda kakhulu. Lokhu kwenza wamthanda kakhulu uJehova, uMenzi waleyo mithetho. Kwangathi lawe ungaqhubeka ufunda ngemithetho kaNkulunkulu wethu owahlulela kuhle. Ungenza njalo uzasondela kuye ube ngumngane wakhe.