KuYeremiya 31:15, sifunda oku: “Utsho uYehova ukuthi, ‘Kuvakala ilizwi eRama, isijwili nokulila okukrakra; uRakeli elilela oonyana bakhe. Walile ukuthuthuzeleka ngenxa yoonyana bakhe, ngenxa yokuba bengasekho.’”

Oonyana ababini bakaRakeli abazange bafe kuqala kunaye. Ngenxa yoko, oko kwabhalwa nguYeremiya emva kweminyaka eyi-1 000 uRakeli efile, kusenokubonakala kungachananga.

Izibulo likaRakeli yayinguYosefu. (Gen. 30:22-24) Kamva, walekelisa ngomnye unyana, owabizwa ngokuba nguBhenjamin. Kodwa uRakeli wafa ebeleka lo nyana wesibini. Ngoko ke, oku kuphakamisa umbuzo: Kutheni uYeremiya 31:15 esithi uRakeli walila kuba oonyana bakhe “bengasekho”?

Kuyaphawuleka ukuba izibulo lakhe, uYosefu, ethubeni lazala uManase noEfrayim. (Gen. 41:50-52; 48:13-20) Kamva isizwe sakwaEfrayim saba sesona siphambili nesinempembelelo kubo bonke ubukumkani basemntla bakwaSirayeli kwaye sasimela zonke izizwe ezilishumi. Kwelinye icala, isizwe esasivela kunyana wesibini kaRakeli, uBhenjamin, saba yinxalenye yobukumkani basemzantsi, kunye noYuda. Ngenxa yoko, uRakeli unokujongwa njengowayemela bonke omama bakwaSirayeli, ababekubukumkani basemntla nakobasemzantsi.

Ngexesha lokubhalwa kwencwadi kaYeremiya, ubukumkani basemntla bezizwe ezilishumi babusele buwele ezandleni zama-Asiriya yaye abantu abaninzi babethinjiwe. Noko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye ababeyinzala kaEfrayim babalekela kummandla wakwaYuda. Ngo-607 B.C.E., amaBhabhiloni athimba ubukumkani basemzantsi bezizwe ezibini zakwaYuda. Kuyabonakala ukuba abathinjwa abaninzi basiwa eRama, ekwiikhilomitha ezisibhozo kumntla weYerusalem. (Yer. 40:1) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye babulawelwa kuloo ndawo, kummandla wakwaBhenjamin, apho uRakeli wayengcwatywe khona. (1 Sam. 10:2) Ukulilela kukaRakeli oonyana bakhe kusenokufuzisela ukukhalela kwakhe amaBhenjamin onke, okanye lawo ayeseRama kuphela. Okanye kusenokwenzeka ukuba bonke oomama babantu bakaThixo balila xa kwakusifa okanye kuthinjwa amaSirayeli.

Enoba kwakutheni, amazwi kaYeremiya athetha ngokulilela kukaRakeli oonyana bakhe, ayeprofeta ngoko kwenzeka kumakhulu eminyaka kamva, xa ubomi bukaYesu owayeselusana babusesichengeni. UKumkani uHerode wayalela ukuba kubulawe onke amakhwenkwe aseBhetelehem, eyayikumzantsi weYerusalem, aneminyaka emibini nangaphantsi. Ngenxa yoko, abo nyana babengasekho; befile. Khawuthelekelele nje isijwili sabo mama ababefelwe ngoonyana! Kwakungathi ezo zikhalo zivakala naseRama, ekwicala elingasemntla kweYerusalem.—Mat. 2:16-18.

Ngenxa yoko, ngexesha likaYeremiya nangexesha likaYesu, ukulilela kukaRakeli oonyana bakhe kwakuyichaza kakuhle intlungu yoomama bamaYuda ababefelwe ngabantwana. Kakade ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abo bafayo baza baya “elizweni lotshaba,” olukukufa, baya kuphuncula ezandleni zolo tshaba xa bevuswa.—Yer. 31:16; 1 Kor. 15:26.