1. Yeyiphi inxalenye yesiprofeto sikaYakobi esiza kuthetha ngayo kweli nqaku?

 OONYANA bakaYakobi bamngqongile, bamamele kakuhle njengoko utata wabo osele ekhulile esikelela ngamnye wabo. Njengoko sekutshiwo kwinqaku elidlulileyo, amazwi uYakobi awawathetha kuRubhen, uSimeyon, uLevi noYuda abenza banomdla, mhlawumbi ade abothusa oonyana bakhe. Inoba babezibuza ukuba uza kuthini uYakobi koonyana bakhe abayi-8 abashiyekileyo. Makhe sibone ukuba ziintoni esinokuzifunda kumazwi awawathetha kuZebhulon, uIsakare, uDan, uGadi, uAshere, uNafetali, uYosefu, noBhenjamin. a

UZEBHULON

2. Kwathiwa uza kusikelelwa njani uZebhulon? Yenzeka njani loo nto? (Genesis 49:13) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

² Funda iGenesis 49:13. UYakobi wabonisa ukuba inzala kaZebhulon yayiza kuhlala ngaselunxwemeni lolwandle, ngakumantla eLizwe Lesithembiso. Emva kweminyaka engaphezu kweyi-200, amaZebhulon awufumana ummandla owawulilifa lawo. Lo mmandla wawuphakathi koLwandle LwaseGalili nolweMeditera. UMoses waprofeta wathi: “Kuvuyele Zebhulon  ukuya kushishina kwakho ngaphandle.” (Dut. 33:18) Usenokuba wayebhekisela kwinto yokuba kwakuza kuba lula kuZebhulon ukuthengisela abantu bezinye iindawo nokuthenga kubo, ngenxa yokuba ekummandla ophakathi kweelwandle ezimbini. Nokuba sasiyintoni isizathu, inzala kaZebhulon yayimele ivuye.

3. Yintoni enokusinceda sivuyiswe zizinto esinazo?

³ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Zikhona izinto ezimele zisenze sivuye, nokuba sihlala phi okanye siphila phantsi kweemeko ezinjani. Ukuze sihlale sivuya, simele saneliseke zizinto esinazo. (INdu. 16:6; 24:5) Ngamanye amaxesha kusenokuba lula ukucinga kakhulu ngezinto esingenazo kunezinto ezintle esinazo nezisonwabisayo. Ngoko zama ukujonga izinto ezintle ebomini bakho.​—Gal. 6:4.

UISAKARE

4. Kwathiwa uza kusikelelwa njani uIsakare? Yenzeka njani loo nto? (Genesis 49:​14, 15) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

⁴ Funda iGenesis 49:​14, 15. UYakobi uncoma uIsakare osebenza nzima, emfanisa nedonki enamathambo omeleleyo, isilwanyana esithwala imithwalo esindayo. Uphinda athi uIsakare uza kuba nelizwe elinomhlaba othandekayo. Yenzeka into eyayithethwe nguYakobi. Inzala kaIsakare yafumana umhlaba onemveliso nochumileyo ngakuMlambo iYordan. (Yosh. 19:22) Siqinisekile ukuba zange isebenze nzima ukuze ikhathalele umhlaba wayo kuphela, yasebenza nzima nokuze kuncedakale abanye abantu. (1 Kum. 4:​7, 17) Ngokomzekelo, isizwe sakwaIsakare sasikulungele ukuncedisa kumadabi ohlanga lwakwaSirayeli, njengokuba kwakunjalo ngexesha loMgwebi uBharaki nomprofetikazi uDebhora.​—ABagwe. 5:15

5. Kutheni kufuneka sisebenze nzima?

⁵ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Kanye njengokuba uYehova wayekuxabisa ukusebenza nzima kwesizwe sakwaIsakare, uyakuxabisa nokusebenza nzima kwethu ngenxa yakhe. (INtshu. 2:24) Ngokomzekelo, cinga ngabazalwana abasebenza nzima bekhathalela ibandla. (1 Tim. 3:1) Aba bazalwana abalwi amadabi njengamaSirayeli, kodwa basebenza nzima ukuze bakhusele abantu bakaThixo kwizinto ezinokubenza bayeke ukuba ngabahlobo bakaYehova. (1 Kor. 5:​1, 5; Yuda 17-23) Basebenza nzima belungiselela, ukuze banikele iintetho eziza kukhuthaza ibandla.​—1 Tim. 5:17.

UDAN

6. Safumana owuphi umsebenzi isizwe sakwaDan? (Genesis 49:​17, 18) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

⁶ Funda iGenesis 49:​17, 18. UYakobi ufanisa uDan nenyoka eluma izinto ezinkulu kunayo, njengehashe lemfazwe nomkhweli walo. Isizwe sakwaDan sasinesibindi futhi sikulungele ukulwa neentshaba zikaSirayeli. Xa amaSirayeli ayesiya kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, isizwe sakwaDan ‘sasikhusele onke amanye amaqela’ ezinye izizwe. (Num. 10:25) Yayingumsebenzi obalulekileyo lo nangona ezinye izinto ezazisenziwa sesi sizwe zazingabonwa ngamanye amaSirayeli.

7. Yintoni esimele singayilibali ngemisebenzi esiyenzela uYehova?

⁷ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Wakha wenza umsebenzi owawungathi awubonwa ngabanye abantu? Ukuba uthi ewe, sikuqhwabela izandla. Mhlawumbi wancedisa ekuklineni nasekulungiseni iHolo YoBukumkani, wavolontiya ukuze usebenze endibanweni okanye wenza omnye umsebenzi! Ungaze ulibale ukuba uYehova uyayibona futhi uyayixabisa yonke into omenzela yona. Uvuya kakhulu xa izinto omenzela zona uzenza kuba umthanda nyhani, ungazenzi kuba ufuna ukuzukiswa ngabanye abantu.​—Mat. 6:​1-4.

 UGADI

8. Yintoni eyayisenza kube lula ukuhlasela isizwe sakwaGadi kwiLizwe Lesithembiso? (Genesis 49:19) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

⁸ Funda iGenesis 49:19. UYakobi waprofeta esithi amajoni angabaphangi ayeza kuhlasela isizwe sakwaGadi. Malunga neminyaka eyi-200 emva koko, isizwe sakwaGadi saya kuhlala kumhlaba okwimpuma yoMlambo iYordan, owawusecaleni kweentshaba zikaSirayeli. Lo mhlaba sasikuwo esi sizwe wawusenza kube lula ukuba sihlaselwe ziintshaba zaso. Sekunjalo, safuna ukuhlala kuwo kuba wawunamadlelo amaninzi eyayinokutya kuwo imfuyo yaso. (Num. 32:​1, 5) Kuyabonakala ukuba isizwe sakwaGadi sasinesibindi. Kodwa eyona nto ibalulekileyo kukuba sasithembe uYehova ukuba uza kusinceda siwukhusele umhlaba asinike wona kumajoni angabaphangi. Iminyaka emininzi amajoni aso ayengekho, eyokuncedisa ezinye izizwe ukuze zithathe imihlaba yeLizwe Lesithembiso eyayikwintshona yeYordan. (Num. 32:​16-19) Abantu besizwe sakwaGadi babemthembile uYehova ukuba wayeza kuwakhusela amakhosikazi nabantwana babo, ngoxa amadoda ayengekho. UYehova wabasikelela kuba benesibindi futhi bezincama.​—Yosh. 22:​1-4.

9. Zeziphi izigqibo esinokuzenza xa sithembele ngoYehova?

⁹ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Ukuze sikwazi ukukhonza uYehova naxa kunzima, kufuneka  singayeki ukuthembela ngaye. (INdu. 37:3) Abazalwana noodade abaninzi namhlanje babonisa ukuba bathembele ngoYehova ngokuncama izinto ezininzi ukuze bancedise kumsebenzi wokwakha wentlangano, bakhonze kwindawo edinga abavakalisi okanye benze eminye imisebenzi. Ezi zinto bazenza beqinisekile ukuba uYehova uza kuhlala ebakhathalela.​—INdu. 23:1.

UASHERE

10. Ziintoni ezingazange zenziwe sisizwe sakwa-Ashere? (Genesis 49:20) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

¹⁰ Funda iGenesis 49:20. UYakobi waprofeta esithi abantu besizwe sakwa-Ashere babeza kuba zizityebi. Yenzeka nyhani ke loo nto. Esi sizwe safumana owona mhlaba uchumileyo kulo lonke elakwaSirayeli. (Dut. 33:24) Wawukufutshane nolwandle lweMeditera, unalo nezibuko elityebileyo lamaFenike, iSidon. Kodwa uAshere zange awagxothe amaKanan. (ABagwe. 1:​31, 32) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, ukuba zizityebi nokuhlala namaKanan kwenza isizwe sakwa-Ashere asakukhuthalela njengakuqala ukukhonza uYehova ngendlela ayifunayo. Esi sizwe zange simhoye uMgwebi uBharaki xa wayecela amavolontiya okuya kulwa nemikhosi yamaKanan. Ngenxa yaloo nto, saphoswa kukubona indlela oyiswa ngayo amaKanan “ngakumanzi aseMegido.” (ABagwe. 5:​19-21) Inoba saziva sihlazekile xa sasisiva ingoma yoloyiso, uBharaki noDebhora  abaphefumlelwa ukuba bayicule, neyayinamazwi athi: “UAshere wahlala ezipholele kunxweme lolwandle.”​—ABagwe. 5:17.

11. Kutheni singamele simoshe ixesha namandla ethu sizama ukuba nezinto esingazidingiyo?

¹¹ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Sifuna ukumkhonza ngamandla ethu onke uYehova. Ukuze sikwazi, simele sikulumkele ukuyijonga njengabantu behlabathi imali nokuba nezinto. (IMize. 18:11) Sizama ukuyijonga ngendlela efanelekileyo imali. (INtshu. 7:12; Heb. 13:5) Asimoshi ixesha namandla ethu, sizama ukuba nezinto esingazidingiyo. Eyona nto siyifunayo, kukunika uYehova lonke ixesha namandla esinawo ngoku, sisazi ukuba siza kuphila kamnandi kwixesha elizayo.​—INdu. 4:8.

UNAFETALI

12. Inoba senzeka njani isiprofeto sikaYakobi kwisizwe sakwaNafetali? (Genesis 49:21) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

¹² Funda iGenesis 49:21. “Amazwi amnandi” uYakobi awayethetha ngawo asenokuba yindlela emnandi uYesu awayethetha ngayo xa wayelapha emhlabeni. Ngenxa yokuba uYesu wayechitha ixesha elininzi eKapernahum eyayikwaNafetali, kwakusithiwa iKapernahum ‘sisixeko sakowabo.’ (Mat. 4:13; 9:1; Yoh. 7:46) Xa uIsaya wayeprofeta ngoYesu, wathi abantu bakwaZebhulon nabakwaNafetali babeza kubona ukukhanya “okuqaqambe kakhulu.” (Isa. 9:​1, 2) Ngenxa yezinto awayezifundisa, uYesu waba ‘kukukhanya kokwenene, okwakukhanyisela wonke umntu.’​—Yoh. 1:9.

13. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze siqiniseke ukuba izinto esizithethayo ziyamvuyisa uYehova?

¹³ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Into esiyithethayo nendlela esiyithetha ngayo ibalulekile kuYehova. Yintoni esinokuyenza ukuze sithethe “amazwi amnandi” avuyisa uYehova? Masithethe inyani. (INdu. 15:​1, 2) Izinto esizithethayo zinokubakhuthaza abanye ukuba sikhawuleza sibancome kunokuba sibagxeke okanye sikhalaze. (Efe. 4:29) Sinokusebenzela nasekubeni sikwazi kakuhle ukuqalisa iincoko eziza kusinceda sikwazi ukushumayela.

UYOSEFU

14. Senzeka njani isiprofeto sikaYakobi kuYosefu? (Genesis 49:​22, 26) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

¹⁴ Funda iGenesis 49:​22, 26. Inoba uYakobi wayezidla ngoYosefu ‘owayengokhethiweyo kubantakwabo.’ Wathi “lisetyana lomthi ovelisa iziqhamo.” UYakobi wayenguloo mthi, yena uYosefu elisetyana lakhe. UYosefu wayengunyana wokuqala womfazi owayethandwa nguYakobi, uRakeli. UYakobi wathi uYosefu wayeza kufumana ilifa eliphindwe kabini, elingazange lifunyanwe nguRubhen, izibulo lomfazi wakhe wokuqala, uLeya. (Gen. 48:​5, 6; 1 Kron. 5:​1, 2) Le nto yenzeka xa inzala yoonyana bakaYosefu, uEfrayim noManase, yaba zizizwe ezibini saza isizwe ngasinye safumana umhlaba waso.​—Gen. 49:25; Yosh. 14:4.

15. Wenza ntoni uYosefu xa wehlelwa zizinto ezimbi ezabangelwa ngabantakwabo?

¹⁵ UYakobi uphinda athethe nangabatoli ‘abatola uYosefu baza baqhubeka bemzonda.’ (Gen. 49:23) Abo yayingabantakwabo ababekhe bammonela, nababenetyala lezinto ezininzi ezimbi ezamehlelayo. Sekunjalo, uYosefu zange abacaphukele abantakwabo okanye asole uYehova ngezinto ezazisenzeka kuye. Kwenzeka into eyathethwa nguYakobi, esithi: “Isaphetha [sikaYosefu] sasihleli silungile nezandla zakhe zomelele kwaye zitola ngokukhawuleza.” (Gen. 49:24) Kuzo zonke iingxaki zakhe, uYosefu wathembela ngoYehova. Zange aphelele nje ekubaxoleleni abantakwabo, kodwa wabaphatha kakuhle. (Gen. 47:​11,  12) Wazivumela ezo ngxaki zamenza wangumntu obhetele. (INdu. 105:​17-19) Ngenxa yaloo nto, uYehova wenza izinto ezininzi ezimangalisayo esebenzisa yena.

16. Sinokumlinganisa njani uYosefu xa sineengxaki?

¹⁶ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Masingaze sivumele ukuba neengxaki kusibhekelise kuYehova nakwamanye amaKristu. Masikhumbule ukuba uYehova usenokuzivumela zisiqeqeshe. (Heb. 12:7) Olu qeqesho lunokusinceda sizibonakalise kakuhle iimpawu ezifunekayo kumaKristu, ezinjengenceba nokuxolela. (Heb. 12:11) UYehova uza kusisikelela ngokunyamezela kwethu, njengokuba wenzayo nakuYosefu.

UBHENJAMIN

17. Senzeka njani isiprofeto sikaYakobi kuBhenjamin? (Genesis 49:27) (Jonga  nebhokisi.)

¹⁷ Funda iGenesis 49:27. UYakobi waprofeta ukuba isizwe sakwaBhenjamin sasiza kuba ziincutshe ekulweni, sifane neengcuka. (ABagwe. 20:​15, 16; 1 Kron. 12:2) “Kwakusekusasa” ebukumkanini bakwaSirayeli xa isizwe sakwaBhenjamin sakhupha ukumkani wokuqala wakwaSirayeli, uSawule. Waba nesibindi xa wayesilwa namaFilisti. (1 Sam. 9:​15-17, 21) “Ngokuhlwa” kwimbali yobu bukumkani, uKumkanikazi uEstere neNkulumbuso uMordekayi, ababephuma kwisizwe sakwaBhenjamin, balusindisa uhlanga lwakwaSirayeli ekubulaweni ngamaPersi.​—Estere 2:​5-7; 8:3; 10:3.

18. Sinokuyilinganisa njani indlela esasithembeke ngayo isizwe sakwaBhenjamin?

¹⁸ Yintoni esiyifundayo? Yenzeka nyhani into eyayithethwe nguYakobi. Ngokuqinisekileyo savuya nyhani isizwe sakwaBhenjamin xa uSawule owayephuma kuso esiba ngukumkani. Sekunjalo, xa uYehova wakhetha uDavide owayephuma kwisizwe sakwaYuda ukuba abe nguKumkani, isizwe sakwaBhenjamin sada saluxhasa olo tshintsho. (2 Sam. 3:​17-19) Kumashumi eminyaka emva koko, xa ezinye izizwe zamjikelayo uYuda, isizwe sakwaBhenjamin sahlala sithembekile kuye nakukumkani owayekhethwe nguYehova. (1 Kum. 11:​31, 32; 12:​19, 21) Nathi masibonise ukuba sithembekile ngokubaxhasa abo uYehova abakhethayo ukuba bakhokele abantu bakhe.​—1 Tes. 5:12.

19. Sinokusinceda njani isiprofeto sikaYakobi?

¹⁹ Sinokusinceda isiprofeto sikaYakobi. Ukubona indlela esenzeka ngayo kuyaluqinisa ukholo lwethu kwiziprofeto ezikwiLizwi likaYehova. Ukucinga ngendlela abasikelelwa ngayo oonyana bakaYakobi kusinceda siyiqonde bhetele indlela esinokumvuyisa ngayo uYehova.