Inkazana yayicatshile, amehlo ayo ethe nhlo kolunye ulutho oluphakathi laphakathi kwemizi. Yayime mpo, inganyakazi, ngapha umfula omkhulu uNayili uzigelezela kuhlekuhle. Isikhathi laso sasingathi simile, kodwa yayilokhu ilindile, ikhangele, lanxa izibungu zazimbhuzela. Lapho eyayikhangele khona kwakufihlwe ibhasikiti eyayivalwe ngci okokuthi amanzi awangeni njalo yikho okwakufakwe khona umnawayo ongumfana. Inhliziyo yayo yayidabuka nxa icabanga ngokuthi umnawayo kala lamuntu angamkhalela. Kodwa yayikwazi ukuthi okwenziwe ngabazali bayo kuqondile futhi yikho kodwa okwakungenza ukuthi asinde esikhathini lesi esinzima.

Inkazana le yayitshengisa ukuthi ilesibindi sibili njalo kukhulu eyayisazokwenza okwakuzatshengisa ukuthi ilesibindi sengwenya. Lanxa yayisesencane, yayilokholo kuNkulunkulu. Okwakusazokwenzakala kwakuzaveza ukuthi yinkazana elokholo oluqinileyo. Ukholo lwayo lwaluzayinceda isiluphele futhi sekusenzakala izimanga ebantwini bakubo. Lwaluzaphinda luyincede isikhuthe ugatsha. Yayingubani? Ukholo lwayo lusifundisani?

IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ukuthi wayengubani umntwana lo kodwa siyakwazi ukuthi wayengubani. WayenguMiriyamu, izibulo lika-Amramu loJokhebhedi ababengamaHebheru ayizigqili elizweni leGibhithe. (AmaNani 26:59) Umnawakhe ongumfana wayezaphiwa ibizo elithi Mosi. Umnewabo kaMosi owayethiwa ngu-Aroni wayengaba leminyaka emithathu ngalesosikhathi. Akulabufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uMiriyamu wayeleminyaka emingaki kodwa kumele ukuthi yayingaphansi kwelitshumi.

UMiriyamu waphila ngesikhathi abantu bakubo bethwaliswe amagabha avuzayo. AmaGibhithe ayecabanga ukuthi amaHebheru azawahlasela yikho awenza izigqili awahlukuluza. Athi ebona izigqili lezo ziqhubeka zisanda, esaba aseqalisa ukuziphatha ngesihluku esikhulu. UFaro wakhipha umlayo wokuthi bonke abantwana abangabafana abangamaHebheru babulawe bezalwa nje. Kumele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayemazi uShifira loPhuwa, ababelethisi abangamaHebheru ababelokholo abangazange bawulalele umlayo lo.—U-Eksodusi 1:8-22.

UMiriyamu wabona lokuthi abazali bakhe babelokholo. Kwathi sekuzelwe umntanabo wesithathu bamfihla okwezinyanga ezintathu. Babengamesabi uFaro yikho abazange bavumele ukuthi umntanabo abulawe. (KumaHebheru 11:23) Kodwa akulula ukufihla umntwana yikho kungakayi ngaphi kwakuzamele benze isinqumo esibuhlungu kakhulu. UJokhebhedi kwakumele afihle umntwana njalo amtshiye lapho ayengatholwa khona ngumuntu owayezamondla futhi amvikele. Kumele ukuthi unina kaMosi wayekhuleka engaqedi ngesikhathi lesi. Akumbone ngelihlo lengqondo eseluka ibhasikiti ngemizi, eyibhada ngethara ukuze ingangeni amanzi, athi eseqedile ayetshiya umntanakhe amthandayo emfuleni uNayili. Kumele ukuthi nguye owatshela uMiriyamu ukuthi alinde umntwana lo abone okuzakwenzakala kuye.—U-Eksodusi 2:1-4.

Ngakho uMiriyamu walinda. Kwathi sekwedlule isikhathi esithile wabona abanye abesifazana abangamaGibhithe besiza. Kwakungasibantukazana nje. Kwakuyindodakazi kaFaro eyayizogeza emfuleni uNayili ihamba lamantombazana ayikhangelayo. Kumele ukuthi uvalo lwamtshaya lwameqa uMiriyamu. Kambe wayengacabanga ukuthi indodakazi kaFaro ingaphikisana lomlayo wenkosi ikhethe ukuvikela umntwana ongumHebheru? Kufanele ukuthi wakhuleka esakhuleka ngalesosikhathi.

Indodakazi kaFaro yiyo eyaqala ukubona ibhasikiti eyayiphakathi kwemizi, yasithuma enye yamantombazana ayo ukuthi iyeyithatha. IBhayibhili lithi: “Yasivula yambona umntwana. Wayekhala.” Yahle yakwazi ukuthi kuyini okwakusenzakala. Kulomama ongumHebheru owayezama ukufihla umntanakhe ukuze angabulawa. Kodwa indodakazi kaFaro yamzwela usizi umntwana lo owayemuhle. (U-Eksodusi 2:5, 6) UMiriyamu wananzelela ukuthi indodakazi kaFaro yayimzwela umntwana. Wahle wabona kulithuba elihle lokuthi atshengise ukuthi ulokholo kuJehova. Waqunga isibindi waselanda indodakazi kaFaro lamantombazana ayo.

Asazi ukuthi inkazana engumHebheru futhi eyisigqili yayingenziwani nxa ingaba lesibindi sokulanda umuntu wesikhosini iyekhuluma laye. Lanxa kunjalo, uMiriyamu wahle wabuza indodakazi kaFaro wathi: “Ngingayakudingela omunye wabesifazana bamaHebheru ukuthi akondlele umntwana na?” Lo kwakungumbuzo omuhle sibili. Phela indodakazi kaFaro yayikwazi ukuthi ngeke izondlele umntwana lo. Mhlawumbe yabona kungcono ukuthi umntwana lo ondlelwe ebantwini bakubo. Yayizamthatha ngemva kwesikhathi, ibisimkhulisa, imfundise. Kumele ukuthi uMiriyamu wathaba wathinta amayezi esizwa isithi: “Yebo, hamba.”—U-Eksodusi 2:7, 8.

UMiriyamu waphapha esiya ebazalini bakhe ababebambe amathumbu ngezandla. Kufanele ukuthi wayethabe efile ngesikhathi etshela unina ngendaba le. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJokhebhedi wabona ukuthi uJehova wayengenele, yikho wahamba loMiriyamu endodakazini kaFaro. Mhlawumbe uJokhebhedi wazama ukufihla indlela ayethabe ngayo ngesikhathi indodakazi kaFaro isithi: “Mthathe lumntwana ungondlele yena, ngizakupha isondlo.”—U-Eksodusi 2:9.

Ngalelolanga uMiriyamu wafunda okunengi ngoNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova. Wafunda ukuthi ulendaba labantu bakhe futhi uyayilalela imithandazo yabo. Wafunda lokuthi abantu abadala lamadoda ayisibo bodwa abangaba lesibindi lokholo. UJehova uyayilalela imithandazo yazo zonke izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo. (IHubo 65:2) Sonke, abancane labadala, amadoda labesifazana, kumele sihlale sikukhumbula lokho ezikhathini lezi ezinzima esiphila kuzo.

UJokhebhedi wamondla umntwana. Kufanele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayemthanda kakhulu umnawakhe ayemncede ukuthi angabulawa. Mhlawumbe wayemfundisa ukukhuluma njalo wathaba okuzwayo emuzwa eqalisa ukubiza ibizo likaNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova. Wathi esekhulakhulile safika isikhathi sokumhambisa kundodakazi kaFaro. (U-Eksodusi 2:10) Kumele ukuthi imuli yonke yezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu esehamba. Esekhonale indodakazi kaFaro yamupha ibizo elithi Mosi njalo kufanele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayekulindele ngabomvu ukubona ukuthi wayezakhula abe ngumuntu onjani. Kambe wayezaqhubeka emthanda yini uJehova khonale endlini yesikhosini?

Impendulo yacaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kumele ukuthi inhliziyo kaMiriyamu yayidlala lephaphu esizwa ukuthi umnawakhe ukhetha ukukhonza uNkulunkulu wakhe kulokuthi azikholisele konke ayekuthola endlini kaFaro. UMosi wathi eseleminyaka engu-40 walwela abantu bakibo. Wabulala umGibhithe owayehlukuluza isigqili esingumHebheru. Wathi ebona ukuthi impilo yakhe isisengozini wabaleka eGibhithe.—U-Eksodusi 2:11-15; ImiSebenzi 7:23-29; KumaHebheru 11:24-26.

UMiriyamu angabe wahlala iminyaka engu-40 engazange akhulume lomfowabo njengoba wayesehlala khatshana khonale koMidiyani eselusa izimvu. (U-Eksodusi 3:1; ImiSebenzi 7:29, 30) UMiriyamu wabekezela okweminyaka eminengi waze waba yisalukazi, ebona indubo zabantu bakibo zilokhu ziselekana.

Kumele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayesekubo 80 ngesikhathi uMosi ephenduka ethunywe nguNkulunkulu ukuzokhulula abantu bakhe. U-Aroni waba ngumkhulumeli kaMosi njalo abafowabo bakaMiriyamu laba ababili balanda uFaro bamcela ukuthi akhulule abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahambe. Kufanele ukuthi wayebasekela futhi ebakhuthaza ngesikhathi uFaro elokhu engabalaleli. Ngalesosikhathi uJehova wathumela inhlupho ezilitshumi ukuthi axwayise amaGibhithe. Kwathi sekuluhlupho lokucina, amazibulo wonke aseGibhithe angabafana abulawa. Safika-ke isikhathi sokuthi ama-Israyeli aphume eGibhithe! Ake umbone ngelihlo lengqondo uMiriyamu esebenza nzima encedisa abantu bakibo abasebephuma eGibhithe bekhokhelwa nguMosi.—U-Eksodusi 4:14-16, 27-31; 7:1–12:51.

Kwathi sekumnyama emuva laphambili, ama-Israyeli esephahlwe luLwandle Olubomvu lebutho laseGibhithe, uMiriyamu wabona umfowabo uMosi esima phambi kolwandle ephakamisa intonga yakhe. Ulwandle lwadabukana phakathi! Ngesikhathi uMosi ekhokhela abantu bedabula emhlabathini owomileyo, kumele ukuthi ukholo lukaMiriyamu lwaqina. Wayekhonza uNkulunkulu owayengenza loba yini, agcwalise loba yisiphi isithembiso sakhe!—U-Eksodusi 14:1-31.

Abantu bathi sebezichaphele kuhle, amanzi abuyela asibekela uFaro lebutho lakhe. Lokhu kwenza uMiriyamu wabona ukuthi uJehova ulamandla amakhulu ukwedlula loba yiliphi ibutho elilamandla emhlabeni. Abantu bathinteka okokuthi bahlabelela uJehova ingoma. UMiriyamu yena wayekhokhela abesifazana behlabela besithi: “Mhlabeleleni uJehova ngokuba uphakeme kakhulu. Ibhiza lomgadi walo ukuphosele elwandle.”—U-Eksodusi 15:20, 21; IHubo 136:15.

Leli kwakulilanga ayengasoze wafa walikhohlwa. Ngesikhathi lesi, iBhayibhili libiza uMiriyamu ngokuthi ngumphrofethikazi futhi nguye owesifazana wokuqala ukubizwa njalo. UMiriyamu ngomunye wabesifazana abalutshwana ababelesibusiso sokwenza umsebenzi lo oqakathekileyo.—ABahluleli 4:4; 2 AmaKhosi 22:14; U-Isaya 8:3; ULukha 2:36.

Endabeni le sifunda ukuthi uJehova uhlala esikhangele njalo uzimisele ukusibusisa nxa sizama ngamandla ethu wonke ukuba ngabantu abathobekileyo, ababekezelayo futhi abalesifiso sokumdumisa. Sonke singaba lokholo kuJehova kungelani lokuthi sibancane kumbe sibadala, singamadoda kumbe singabesifazana. Nxa singaba lokholo olunjalo uJehova uyathokoza, kasikhohlwa njalo uyajabula ukusipha umvuzo. (KumaHebheru 6:10; 11:6) Lokhu kwenza sifune ukulingisela ukholo lukaMiriyamu.

Kuyisibusiso ukwenzela uJehova imisebenzi eqakathekileyo kanye lokwaziwa ngabanengi kodwa kungaba yingozi. Ngesikhathi abako-Israyeli bekhululwa ebugqilini, kumele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayesaziwa ngabanengi esizweni. Manje lokhu kwakuzamenza azikhukhumeze yini kumbe afune ukuthola isikhundla esithile? (IZaga 16:18) Kuyadanisa ukuthi kwake kwenzakala kuye lokhu.

Ngemva kwezinyanga ezilutshwana ama-Israyeli ephume eGibhithe, uMosi wemukela abantu ababevela khatshana. Kwakunguyisezala uJethro owayezoletha umkaMosi uZiphora kanye lamadodana abo amabili. UMosi wayetshade laye ngesikhathi ehlala koMidiyani okweminyaka engu-40. UZiphora wayeke wabuyela ngakibo koMidiyani, mhlawumbe esiyavakatsha. Kodwa khathesi uyise wayesemletha ezihonqweni zako-Israyeli. (U-Eksodusi 18:1-5) Kumele ukuthi ukuza kwabantu laba kwaba yindaba esegudwini. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi abanengi babefuna ukubona inkosikazi yendoda ekhethwe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi ibakhokhele bephuma eGibhithe.

UMiriyamu yena-ke? Mhlawumbe ekuqaliseni wayethabile. Kodwa kukhanya angathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wasuka wazikhukhumeza. Wayengabe ecabanga ukuthi uZiphora usezamthathela indawo, kube nguye osedumile esizweni. UMiriyamu lo-Aroni baqalisa ukunyeya. Babekhuluma izinto ezimbi futhi ezihlabayo. Baqalisa bephethe uZiphora, besola ukuthi wayengayisuyem-Israyeli, wayengumKhushi. * Bacina sebesola loMosi. Babesithi: “Kambe uMosi nguye yedwa ongumlomo kaJehova na? Kanti lathi kazange asenze izikhulumeli zakhe na?”—AmaNani 12:1, 2.

Amazwi kaMiriyamu lo-Aroni atshengisa ukuthi basebeqalisa ukuba lobuntu obungalunganga. Babengasathokozi ngendlela uJehova ayesebenzisa ngayo uMosi, sebezifunela ezinye izikhundla. Kambe ukuthi uMosi wayesewasebenzisa kubi amandla ayewaphiwe nguNkulunkulu futhi esezikhukhumeza? Akugeza lingelasiyinga kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi wayengazikhukhumezi futhi engazifuneli izinto ezinkulu. IBhayibhili lithi: “UMosi wayeyindoda ethobeke kakhulu, ethobeke ukwedlula wonke amadoda asemhlabeni.” UMiriyamu lo-Aroni basebelahleka sibili futhi sebesengozini ngoba “uJehova wakuzwa lokhu.”—AmaNani 12:2, 3.

UJehova wahle wababiza bonke bobathathu etendeni lokuhlanganela. Khonapho kwehla insika yeyezi eyayimela ukubakhona kukaJehova, yazokuma esangweni letende. UJehova wasekhuluma ekhuza uMiriyamu lo-Aroni ebakhumbuza ngobudlelwano ayelabo loMosi kanye lokuthi wayemthemba kakhulu. Wababuza wathi, “Kungani pho belingesabi ukusola inceku yami uMosi na?” UMiriyamu lo-Aroni kumele ukuthi baqhuqha baba ngumhlanga. UJehova wabona ukudelela kwabo uMosi kuyikudelela yena.—AmaNani 12:4-8.

Kukhanya uMiriyamu nguye owayeyiqalile indaba le waseyenga umnawakhe ukuthi babambane bahlasele umkamfowabo. Yikho kwajeziswa yena. UJehova wamtshaya ngobulephero njalo umkhuhlane lo omubi wamtshiya esemhlophe ‘njengongqoqwane.’ U-Aroni wahle wazithoba wancenga uMosi ukuthi abacelele uxolo esithi: “Ungasibeki icala ngenxa yesono esisenze ngobuwula.” UMosi ngokuthobeka ayeyikho khona wakhala kuJehova wathi: “Nkulunkulu, ngiyakucela, msilise.” (AmaNani 12:9-13) Ukukhathazeka kukaMosi lo-Aroni kutshengisa ukuthi babemthanda kakhulu udadewabo lanxa wayeke aphambanise.

UJehova waba lesihawu wamsilisa uMiriyamu ngoba wayesephendukile. Kodwa wathi ayehlala ngaphandle kwezihonqo okwamalanga ayisikhombisa. Kumele ukuthi uMiriyamu wayefisa ukuthi umhlaba umginye ngesikhathi ephuma ezihonqweni ngenxa yehlazo lakhe. Kodwa ukholo lwakhe lwamsindisa. Enhliziyweni yakhe wayekwazi ukuthi okwakusenziwa nguYise uJehova kwakuqondile lokuthi wayemlaya ngenxa yokuthi uyamthanda. Ngakho walalela, wenza ayekutsheliwe. Wahlala yedwa okwamalanga ayisikhombisa futhi ama-Israyeli awazange asuke lapho ayekhona. Ngemva kwalokho uMiriyamu waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulokholo, wazithoba wavuma ukuthi “abuyiswe” ezihonqweni.—AmaNani 12:14, 15.

UJehova uyabalaya abathandayo. (KumaHebheru 12:5, 6) Wayemthanda kakhulu uMiriyamu okokuthi kazange amyekele ephanjaniswa yikuzikhukhumeza. Isiqondiso asitholayo sasibuhlungu kodwa samnceda. UNkulunkulu waphinda wathokoza ngaye ngoba wazithoba, wavuma ukulaywa. UMiriyamu waphila isikhathi eside sibili ngoba wafa ama-Israyeli esesiyaqeda uhambo lwawo lwenkangala. Ngesikhathi esifa eKhadeshi, enkangala yaseZini wayesezafikisa iminyaka engaba ngu-130. * (AmaNani 20:1) Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi, uJehova wakhuluma ngokuthembeka kukaMiriyamu. Esebenzisa umphrofethi uMikha wakhumbuza abantu bakhe wathi: “Ngalikhulula elizweni lobugqili. Ngathuma uMosi ukuba alikhokhele kanye lo-Aroni loMiriyamu.”—UMikha 6:4.

Kunengi esikufunda kuMiriyamu. Kumele sivikele abangenelisi ukuzivikela njalo sibe lesibindi sokumela okuqondileyo njengoba laye wakwenza lokho esesengumntwana. (UJakhobe 1:27) Kumele sithokoze ngokutshela abanye ngoNkulunkulu. (KwabaseRoma 10:15) Kufanele sixwaye ukuba lomhawu lokunyeya. (IZaga 14:30) Kanti njalo kumele sizithobe sivume ukulaywa nguJehova. (KumaHebheru 12:5) Nxa singenza njalo sizalulingisela sibili ukholo lukaMiriyamu.