1. Lwalunjani uhambo lukaJona, njalo wayesizwa njani angacabanga ngalo?

UJONA wayelesikhathi sokucabanga aze ayecina lapho afuna khona. Kwakulomango owawusedlula amakhilomitha angu-800 okwakufanele awuhambe ngezinyawo zakhe. Wawuzamdonsa phose inyanga yonke mhlawumbe uchaphele lakweyesibili. Wayengakhetha ukubhoda kumbe ukuqumela ngezindlela ezazingaba yingozi. Esephambili wayezakhilikithela ezihotsheni, aqanse lezintaba ayengeke azibale aziqede. Kufanele ukuthi wahamba egudla iNkangala yaseSiriya, wachapha umfula omkhulu uYufrathe kanye leminye eminengi. Engxenye wayecela lokulala emizini yabantu ayengabazi emadolobheni aseSiriya, eMesophothamiya lase-Asiriya. Njengoba izinsuku zazitshova wayesithi angacabanga ngendawo ayesiya kuyo azwe engenwa ngamakhaza ligwaze umhlaba. INineve yayilokhu isiba seduze.

2. UJona wakufunda njani ukuthi wayengeke abalekele umsebenzi ayewuphiwe?

² UJona wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi ukubalekela umsebenzi ayewuphiwe kwakufanana lokubalekela isithunzi sakhe. Wayeke wakuzama lokhu. Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi uJehova wamfundisa kuhle kuhle esebenzisa isiphepho elwandle kanye lenhlanzi enkulu eyamsindisa ngendlela eyisimangaliso. Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu yamhlanza uJona emhlabathini owomileyo. Waphuma ebabaza futhi esefunde ukulalela.—UJona, izahluko 1  lo-2.

3. UJehova wamphatha njani uJona, njalo yiwuphi umbuzo osalayo?

³ Lapho uJehova ethuma umphrofethi  uJona okwesibili esithi kaye eNineve, wahle wasukumela phezulu wangena indlela eqonda empumalanga. (Bala uJona 3:1-3.) Kodwa wayesengumuntu ongcono yini ngemva kwalokho uJehova ayemfundise khona? Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova wamphatha kuhle waba lesihawu kuye. Wamhlenga esegalula futhi kazange amjezise lanxa wayeke wahlamuka. Waphinda wamnika elinye ithuba lokuthi ayekwenza umsebenzi ayewuthunyiwe. Pho uJona wayefundile yini ukuthi kwakumele abe lesihawu kwabanye? Phela izikhathi ezinengi kunzima ukuthi thina abantu abalesono sibe lesihawu. Ngakho-ke ake sibone ukuthi singafundani kulokhu okwenzakala kuJona.

4, 5. Kungani uJehova wathi iNineve ‘lidolobho elikhulu,’ njalo lokho kusifundisani ngaye?

⁴ UJona wayengazwisisi ukuthi kungani uJehova wayeyiqakathekisa kangaka iNineve. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘INineve yayilidolobho  eliqakatheke kakhulu’ kuNkulunkulu. (Jona. 3:3) Endabeni kaJona kulamavesi amathathu lapho uJehova akhuluma khona esithi: ‘Idolobho elikhulu laseNineve.’ (Jona. 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Kungani idolobho leli elikhulu laliqakatheke kangaka kuJehova?

⁵ INineve yayindala kakhulu. Yayingelinye lamadolobho okuqala uNimrodi ayewakhile uZamcolo esanda kuphela. Yayiyindawo enkulu ephithizelayo njalo yayingabe ilamanye amadolobho phakathi kwayo. Umuntu kwakungamthatha izinsuku ezintathu ukuthi ayibhode yonke. (Gen. 10:11; Jona. 3:3) INineve yayilidolobho kuzwa, ilamathempeli ayibukhazikhazi lemiduli emikhulu kanye lezakhiwo ezimangalisayo. Kodwa lokhu kayisikho okwakusenza ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu ayibone iqakathekile. Okwakuligugu kuye ngabantu bakhona. INineve yayilabantu abanengi okwesabekayo ngalezozinsuku. UJehova wayelendaba labantu laba lanxa babeyizigilamkhuba. Sonke siqakathekile kuye njalo ufisa ukuthi siphenduke sifunde ukwenza okuqondileyo.

6. (a) Kuyini okwakungenza ukuthi uJona esabe ukukhuluma labaseNineve? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.) (b) Ukutshumayela kukaJona kwaveza ukuthi wayengumuntu onjani?

⁶ Kumele ukuthi uJona wathi ebona abantu abanengi ababeseNineve wesaba wathuthumela. Phela babesedlula i-120 000. * Wahamba ilanga lonke etsholobela engena phakathi kwedolobho lelo elaliphithizela, mhlawumbe edinga indawo elabantu abanengi ayezaqalisela kuyo ukumemezela ilizwi likaJehova. Wayezakhuluma labo njani ukuze bamzwisise? Wayelwazi yini ulimi lwabase-Asiriya, kumbe uJehova wenza isimanga wacina esesenelisa ukulukhuluma? Kasikwazi. Kungenzeka ukuthi uJona wakhuluma ngesiHebheru, ulimi lomdabu wakhe, wasedinga umuntu owayengamtolikela. Kungelani lokuthi wenza njani, ayekutshela abantu kwakucacile njalo kwakungenza ukuthi bamzonde. Wathi: “Kusele izinsuku ezingamatshumi amane kuphela ukuba iNineve ichithwe.” (Jona. 3:4) Wayengagudli iguma njalo wayekhuluma ephindaphinda. Lokhu kwatshengisa ukuthi wayelesibindi esimangalisayo njalo wayelokholo. Kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi amaKhristu amlingisele.

7, 8. (a) Abantu baseNineve benzani besizwa isimemezelo sikaJona? (b) Inkosi yaseNineve yenzani isizwa isimemezelo sikaJona?

 ⁷ Abantu baseNineve bamupha indlebe uJona. Kufanele ukuthi wayelindele ukuthi bazamvukela ubhova, bamginye ephila. Kodwa kwenzakala isimanga. Bamlalela, bantshintsha. Ayebatshela khona kwamemetheka njengomlilo weganga. Ngesikhatshana nje, isiphrofetho sikaJona sokuthi idolobho lalizabhujiswa sasesisemlonyeni womuntu wonke. (Bala uJona 3:5.) Kwaphenduka umyanga, isinothi, omutsha, osekhulile, oqinileyo kanye lobuthakathaka. Akulamuntu owafaka ulutho emlonyeni. Konke lokhu okwasekusenzakala kwacina kufike ezindlebeni zenkosi.

⁸ Inkosi yenzani? Layo yaphenduka. Yamesaba uNkulunkulu, yasukuma esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi yakhipha izembatho zayo zasesikhosini, yembatha isaka njengabantu bayo yaze “yahlala phansi ebhuqwini.” Yona “lezikhulu zayo” batshaya umthetho wokuthi abantu kumele bazile. Ukuzila lokhu kwakuqaliswe ngabantu sivukampunzana, kodwa khathesi kwasekungumthetho wesizwe. Inkosi yatshela abantu ukuthi bembathe amasaka baze bembathise lezifuyo zabo. * Yazithoba yavuma ukuthi abantu bayo babewonile njalo babelobudlwangudlwangu. Kodwa kayizange ilahle ithemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu wayengabaxolela nxa bengaphenduka. Yathi: ‘Mhlawumbe uNkulunkulu angaphenduka elakeni lwakhe olwesabekayo ukuze singabhubhi.’—Jona. 3:6-9.

9. Kuyini abanye abangakukholwayo mayelana labantu baseNineve, kodwa sikwazi njani ukuthi bayaphosisa?

⁹ Kulabanye abangakukholwayo ukuthi abantu baseNineve babengantshintsha masinya kangaka. Loba kunjalo, izifundiswa zeBhayibhili zithi lokhu kwakungenzakala ngoba abantu laba babekholwa ukuthi kulemihlolo futhi babengothathekile. Kanti njalo okwenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi abaseNineve baphenduka yikuthi uJesu Khristu wakhuluma ngakho. (Bala uMathewu 12:41.) Lokhu wayengakuzwanga ngabasiki bebunda kodwa wayezibonele ngawakhe kusenzakala ngoba ngalesosikhathi wayesezulwini. (Joh. 8:57, 58) Lathi akumelanga sicabange ukuthi abantu ngeke bantshintshe lanxa sibona angani kabangeneki. UJehova nguye yedwa okwaziyo okusenhliziyweni yomuntu.

10, 11. (a) UJehova wenzani ebona ukuthi abaseNineve basebephendukile? (b) Sikwazi njani ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayengaphambanisanga lapho esithi uzababhubhisa abaseNineve?

¹⁰ UJehova wenzani ebona ukuthi abaseNineve basebephendukile? UJona waloba wathi: “Kwathi uNkulunkulu esebonile abakwenzayo ukuthi baguquka ezindleleni zabo zobubi, wabazwela isihawu kazabe esabehlisela incithakalo ayesonge ngayo.”—Jona. 3:10.

¹¹ Kambe lokhu kutsho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayephambanisile lapho esithi uzababhubhisa? Hatshi. IBhayibhili lithi uJehova ulungile futhi imisebenzi yakhe iphelele. (Bala uDutheronomi 32:4.) Wayebazondele sibili abaseNineve kodwa wacina esebaxolele ngoba basebentshintshile. Wabona ukuthi kwakungasafanelanga abajezise. Ngakho-ke wakhetha ukuba lesihawu.

12, 13. (a) UJehova utshengisa njani ukuthi uyazwisisa, ulesihawu lokuthi uyantshintsha nxa umuntu ephenduka? (b) Kungani sisithi uJona kaphrofethanga amanga?

¹² Okufundiswa ngabakhokheli benkolo kwenza abantu bacabange ukuthi uJehova ngungitshilongitshilo, uNkulunkulu olesihluku. Kodwa yena uyazwisisa, ulesihawu futhi uyaxola nxa umuntu ephenduka. Nxa esefuna ukujezisa ababi, uqala athume abameli bakhe abasemhlabeni ukuthi bayebaxwayisa ngoba ufisa ukuthi baphenduke njalo bantshintshe njengabaseNineve. (Hez. 33:11) UJehova watshela umphrofethi wakhe uJeremiya wathi: “Uma ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe, kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.”—Jer. 18:7, 8.

¹³ Pho sesingathi uJona wayephrofethe amanga yini? Wayengaqambi amanga kodwa wayebaxwayisa abantu baseNineve. Ngalesosikhathi kabasabhujiswanga ngoba bantshintsha. UNkulunkulu wayezababhubhisa abaseNineve nxa babengaphinda benze okubi. Lokhu yikho okwacina kwenzakele.—Zef. 2:13-15.

14. UJona wenzani ebona ukuthi uJehova wayebazwele isihawu abaseNineve?

¹⁴ UJona walindela ukuthi iNineve ibhujiswe kodwa wabona kuthe zi! Manje wenzani? IBhayibhili lithi: “UJona wacaphuka kakhulu wazonda.” (Jona. 4:1) Wathandaza engathi usekhuza uSomandla, wathi ngabe nje wayezihlalele elizweni lakibo. Wabalisa esithi yena wayevele ekwazi ukuthi uJehova wayengasoze ababhubhise abaseNineve, waze wathi yikho ekuqaliseni wayebalekile waqonda eThashishi. Wacela lokuthi afe, esithi ukuzifela kwasekungcono kulokuphila.—Bala uJona 4:2, 3.

15. (a) Kuyini okungabe kwacaphula uJona? (b) UJehova wamphatha njani umphrofethi wakhe owayesefuthelene?

 ¹⁵ Kanti kuyini okwasekucaphule uJona kangaka? Asikwazi sibisibili ukuthi wayecabangani, kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi wayememezele phambi kwabantu bonke ukuthi iNineve yayizabhujiswa. Babekukholiwe ayekutsho. Kodwa ayekukhulumile akuzange kwenzakale. Engxenye uJona wayesesaba ukuthi abantu babezamhleka kuze kuvele elomhlathi, kumbe bathi ungumphrofethi wamanga. Esikwaziyo yikuthi akuzange kumthokozise ukuthi abantu basebephendukile kumbe ukuthi uJehova wayesebe lesihawu kubo. Wazonda wagana unwabu, wabona angathi wehliswe isithunzi njalo udeleliwe. Loba kunjalo, kumele ukuthi uNkulunkulu wakhe olesihawu wayelokhu ebona okuhle kuye lanxa umphrofethi lo wayesefuthelene. Kazange amjezise uJona ngokuthi wayesedelela, kodwa wambuza umbuzo owenza ukuthi azinuke amakhwapha. Wathi: “Kambe ubona ulelungelo na lokuthi uzonde?” (Jona. 4:4) UJona waphendula yini? IBhayibhili kalisitsheli.

16. Kuyabe sekutheni nxa abanye sebebona angathi umbono kaNkulunkulu unxele, njalo indaba kaJona isifundisani?

¹⁶ Kulokuthi sihle sahlulele uJona sithi wayephambanisa, kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi abantu abalesono bangabona angani umbono kaNkulunkulu unxele. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa kungaba lomonakalo abanye bangasola bathi uJehova bekumele abavikele abantu labo. Abanye bangacabanga ukuthi ngabe wababhubhisa kudala abantu ababi, wasusa bonke ububi obusemhlabeni. Indaba kaJona isifundisa ukuthi nxa singasavumelani lombono kaJehova uNkulunkulu, kumele kube yithi esilungisa indlela esibona ngayo ngoba yena kaphambanisi.

17, 18. (a) UJona wenzani esesuke eNineve? (b) UJona wezwa njani uJehova esenze izimangaliso ezaziphathelane levini?

¹⁷ UJona wasuka inhliziyo isopha. Kulokuthi abuyele kibo, waqonda ezintabeni ezazisempumalanga esenzela ukuthi ayibone kuhle iNineve. Wafika wenza okuyindawo kokufihla ikhanda, wahlala elinde ukubona ukuthi yayizaphetha ngani. Mhlawumbe wayelokhu elethemba lokuthi izabhujiswa. UJehova wayifundisa njani indoda le eyayingafuni ukuxola ukuthi kwakumele ibe lesihawu?

¹⁸ Ebusuku wenza ukuthi kumile ivini. UJona wathi evuka wabona sekulevini elalilamahlamvu amakhulu ayelomthunzi owedlula owedunjana lakhe ayelenzile. Inhliziyo yakhe yancibilika. “UJona wathaba kakhulu” ngalelivini, mhlawumbe waze wabona isimanga lesi siyinkomba yokuthi uNkulunkulu wayemamukela njalo embusisa.  UJehova wayesemnike umthunzi waphinda wancibilikisa lenhliziyo yakhe eyayithukuthele. Kodwa ayekufuna kakhulu yikumfundisa isifundo esasizathophela enhliziyweni yakhe. Yikho-ke wenza ezinye izimangaliso. Wathumela impehlane eyaphehla isihlahla sabuna. Waphinda wenza lokuthi kube ‘lomoya wempumalanga owawutshisa’ njalo ilanga lamtshisa uJona waze “waphela amandla.” (TBS) Wadana kakhulu, waphinda wacela kuNkulunkulu ukuthi azifele.—Jona. 4:6-8.

19, 20. UJehova wabonisana njani loJona?

¹⁹ Khathesi uJona wayesezondele ukuthi ivini laselibunile. Yikho-ke uJehova waphinda wambuza ukuthi wayelalo yini ilungelo lokuzonda. UJona kazange azisole kodwa waqinisa ikhanda wathi: “Yebo. Ngizondile kubi, kuthi kangife.” Inkundla yayisivuthiwe, sekuyisikhathi sokuthi uJehova amfundise isifundo.—Jona. 4:9.

²⁰ UNkulunkulu wabonisana laye, wathi kambe wayengazwela okuyisihlahla okwakuhlume ebusuku engazange akuhlanyele kumbe akukhulise. Waphetha ngokuthi: “INineve ilabantu abeqa izinkulungwane ezilikhulu elilamatshumi amabili abangehlukanisiyo  isandla sabo sokudla kwesenxele, lezinkomo ezinengi njalo. Bekungafanelanga yini na ukuthi ngilinqinekele idolobho elikhulu kangaka?”—Jona. 4:10, 11. *

21. (a) UJehova wamfundisani uJona esebenzisa ivini? (b) Indaba kaJona ingasisiza njani ukuthi sizihlolisise?

²¹ Uyasizwisisa yini isifundo uJehova asifundisa uJona esebenzisa ivini? UJona wayengazange alinakekele ngitsho ivini lelo. Kodwa uJehova nguye owayenike abaseNineve ukuphila futhi wabanakekela njengoba esenza kuzo zonke izinto ezidaliweyo. Kuyamangalisa ukuthi uJona wayekhalela okuyisihlahla okukodwa nje kodwa engelandaba labantu abangu-120 000 kanye lezifuyo zabo. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayesecabanga ngokufunwa nguye kuphela. Phela okwakusenza akhalele isihlahla leso yikuthi sasinceda yena hatshi omunye umuntu. Mhlawumbe ulaka lwakhe lwalubangelwa yikuthi wayezikhukhumeza, engafuni ukuyangeka kumbe ukuthi abantu bathi wayeqambe amanga. Indaba kaJona ingasisiza ukuthi sizihlolisise. Lathi siyake sikhohlwe ngabanye abantu, sicabange ngokufunwa yithi kuphela. Kufanele simbonge ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova ngokuthi kadinwa ngokusifundisa ukuthi sithande abanye, sibe lozwelo futhi sibe lesihawu njengaye.

22. (a) UJona wakufunda yini ukuba lesihawu? Chaza. (b) Indaba kaJona isifundisani?

²² Kodwa umbuzo osalayo nanku: UJona wantshintsha yini? Phela ibhuku likaJona liphetha ngombuzo kaJehova osala ulenga. Kulabanye abantu abasolayo abathi uJona kazange aphendule. Kodwa iqiniso elikhona yikuthi ibhuku lelo alilobayo yiyo impendulo yakhe. Kulobufakazi bokuthi nguye kanye owalibhalayo. Akumbone ngelihlo lengqondo umphrofethi lo esebuyele kibo. Kumele ukuthi ngesikhathi leso wayesekhulile, eseyindoda ehlakaniphileyo njalo ezithobayo. Akumcabange eloba indaba yakhe, ebhala ngamaphutha akhe aze anikine ikhanda, ezibuza ukuthi kanti vele wayecabangani ehlamukela uJehova njalo engafuni ukuthi abe lesihawu ebantwini. Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi uJona wantshintsha esefundiswe nguJehova isifundo esiqakathekileyo. Wafunda sibili ukuba lesihawu. Wena uzamlingisela yini?—Bala uMathewu 5:7.