1. Wayelindelwe luhambo olunjani uYona, yaye wayevakalelwa njani ngendawo awayesiya kuyo?

UYONA wayeza kuba nexesha elininzi lokucinga. Wayeza kuthabatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-800, olwalunokumthabatha inyanga nangaphezulu, ngeenyawo. Kwakuza kufuneka aqale akhethe indlela emfutshane okanye engeyongozi aze acande iintlambo neentaba ezininzi. Mhlawumbi kwakuza kufuneka ahambe enyeleni yeNtlango yaseSiriya, awele imilambo enjengomEfrate aze ahambe ecela indawo yokulala emizini kwiidolophu nakwiilali zaseSiriya, eMesopotamiya naseAsiriya. Njengoko iintsuku zaziqengqeleka, wacinga ngendawo awayesiya kuyo, isixeko saseNineve esasimnkwantyisa njengoko wayesiya esondela kuso.

2. UYona wafunda njani ukuba akanakusibaleka isabelo sakhe?

² Nantsi into awayeqiniseke ngayo uYona: Kwakungekho ndlela mbini, wayengenakusibaleka isabelo sakhe. Kaloku wayekhe wazama ngaphambili. Njengoko siye safunda kwisahluko esandulela esi, uYehova wafundisa uYona isifundo ngokuzisa uqhwithela elwandle nangokumsindisa esebenzisa intlanzi enkulu. Emva kweentsuku ezintathu le ntlanzi yamhlanzela emhlabeni uYona, yaye ngoku wayetshintshile, ezimisele ukuthobela.—Yona, isahluko 1, 2.

3. Luluphi uphawu awalubonisayo uYehova kuYona, kodwa nguwuphi umbuzo ophakamayo?

³ Xa uYehova waphinda wamthuma eNineve, uYona wathobela waza wathabatha olu hambo lude lusingise empuma.  (Funda uYona 3:1-3.) Kodwa, ngaba wayeza kuyivumela ingqeqesho kaYehova imlolonge? Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wayemenzele inceba, emsindisa ukuze angarhaxwa, yaye akazange amohlwaye ngenxa yemvukelo yakhe, kunoko wamthuma kwakhona. Ngaba naye uYona wayefunde ukubenzela inceba abanye? Abantu abangafezekanga bakufumanisa kunzima ukuba nenceba. Masikhe sibone ukuba thina singafunda ntoni kwizinto ezenzeka kuYona.

4, 5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova abhekise kwiNineve ‘njengesixeko esikhulu,’ ibe loo nto isifundisa ntoni ngaye?

⁴ UYona wayengayiboni iNineve ngendlela uYehova awayeyibona ngayo. Sifunda oku: “Ke kaloku iNineve yayisisixeko esikhulu kuThixo.” (Yona 3:3) Izihlandlo ezithathu, incwadi kaYona icaphula uYehova ethetha ‘ngeNineve isixeko esikhulu.’ (Yona 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Kwakutheni ukuze esi sixeko sibe sikhulu okanye sibaluleke kuYehova?

⁵ INineve yayisisixeko sakudala, esinye sezixeko zokuqala  ezakhiwa nguNimrodi emva koMkhukula. Yayingummandla omkhulu owawunezixeko eziliqela, ekwakufuneka uhambe iintsuku ezintathu ukusuka kwelinye icala ukuya kutsho kwelinye. (Gen. 10:11; Yona 3:3) Kuyacaca ukuba iNineve le yayintle kwaye ineetempile zodidi oluphezulu, iindonga ezinkulu nezinye izakhiwo. Kodwa akukho nokuba ibe nye kwezi zinto eyasenza esi sixeko sabaluleka kuYehova. Eyona nto yayibalulekile kuye yayingabantu baso. Ngaloo maxesha iNineve yayinabantu abaninzi. Nangona babengendawo, uYehova wayebakhathalele. Uyabuxabisa ubomi bomntu yaye unethemba lokuba bonke abantu banokuguquka baze bafunde ukwenza izinto ezilungileyo.

6. (a) Kutheni kumel’ ukuba yayisoyikisa iNineve kuYona? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.) (b) Yintoni esiyifundayo ngoYona kumsebenzi wokushumayela awawenzayo?

⁶ Kumele ukuba wathi xa efika apho uYona, watyhwatyhwa kukoyika ngenxa yenyambalala yabantu beso sixeko abangaphezu kwama-120 000. * Wahamba imini yonke etyhutyha eso sixeko, mhlawumbi ekhangela indawo esembindini awayeza kuma kuyo aze aqalise ukushumayela. Wayeza kukwazi njani ukuthetha nabo bonke abo bantu? Ngaba wayekwazi bethu ukuthetha ulwimi lwama-Asiriya? Okanye, ngaba uYehova wayemnike ngokungummangaliso isiphiwo sokuluthetha? Asazi. Kungenzeka ukuba uYona wathetha isiHebhere waza wasebenzisa itoliki. Enoba kuyintoni, esi sigidimi sakhe sasilula yaye sasiza kumenza angathandwa: “Ziintsuku ezingamashumi amane kuphela, ibhukuqwe iNineve.” (Yona 3:4) Wathetha ngesibindi yaye esiphindaphinda isigidimi sakhe. Wabonisa isibindi nokholo, mpawu ezo ekufuneka amaKristu abe nazo ngakumbi namhlanje.

7, 8. (a) Abantu baseNineve basabela njani kwisigidimi sikaYona? (b) Ukumkani waseNineve wenza ntoni akuva isigidimi sikaYona?

⁷ UYona wakwazi ukubenza bamphulaphule abantu baseNineve. Alithandabuzeki elokuba uYona wayelindele ukuchaswa ngolunya nangogonyamelo. Kodwa ke kwenzeka umhlola. Abantu baphulaphula! Isigidimi sakhe sanwenwa okomlilo wedobo. Kungekudala sonke isixeko sasithetha ngesiprofeto sikaYona sentshabalalo. (Funda uYona 3:5.) Izityebi namahlwempu, abomeleleyo  nababuthathaka, abancinane nabakhulu bonke baguquka. Bazila ukutya. Ezi ndaba zakhawuleza zaviwa nangukumkani.

⁸ Naye waguquka akuva isigidimi sikaYona. Wehla etroneni waza wazikhulula izambatho ezimbejembeje zasebukhosini wanxiba amarhonya njengomntu wonke, wada “wahlala eluthuthwini.” Yena kunye “nezikhulu zakhe” okanye izihandiba, bayitshintsha le nto yayiqalwe ngabantu yaba ngumyalelo karhulumente. Wakhupha umyalelo wokuba bonke abantu, nkqu nezilwanyana zasekhaya, banxibe amarhonya. * Wathobeka waza wavuma ukuba abantu bakhe babenetyala lokwenza izinto ezimbi nogonyamelo. Kwakhona waba nentembelo yokuba uThixo oyinyaniso wayeza kubenzela inceba xa ebona ukuba baguqukile, esithi: “UThixo oyinyaniso angajika . . . abuye ekuvutheni komsindo wakhe, ukuze singatshabalali.”—Yona 3:6-9.

9. Abagxeki baye bathandabuza ntoni ngabantu baseNineve, kodwa sazi njani ukuba bayawuphosa umhlola?

⁹ Bambi abagxeki bayayithandabuza into yokuba abantu baseNineve baguquka ngokukhawuleza kangako. Noko ke, abahlalutyi beBhayibhile bathi inguquko enjalo ihambisana kakuhle neenkolelo kunye nezithethe zabantu baloo maxesha. Kwakhona, siyazi ukuba abo bagxeki bayawuphos’ umhlola, kuba noYesu Kristu wathetha ngenguquko yabantu baseNineve. (Funda uMateyu 12:41.) UYesu wayeyazi into awayethetha ngayo kuba wayephila ezulwini yaye wayibona yonke loo nto isenzeka. (Yoh. 8:57, 58) Inyaniso kukuba, asimele sicinge ukuba abantu abanakuguquka—kungakhathaliseki ukuba babonakala benobundlobongela kangakanani na. NguYehova kuphela okwaziyo oko kusentliziyweni yomntu.

10, 11. (a) UYehova wasabela njani kwinguquko yabantu baseNineve? (b) Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova akazange agwebe ngendlela egwenxa?

¹⁰ UYehova wasabela njani kwinguquko yabantu baseNineve? Kamva uYona wabhala wathi: “UThixo oyinyaniso wayibona imisebenzi yabo, ukuba babebuyile endleleni yabo embi; yaye uThixo  oyinyaniso wazisola ngentlekele awayethe uza kubazisela yona; waza akayizisa.”—Yona 3:10.

¹¹ Ngaba le nto ithetha ukuba uYehova wayenze impazamo ngokugweba iNineve? Akunjalo. Kaloku iBhayibhile ithi uYehova unokusesikweni ngokugqibeleleyo. (Funda iDuteronomi 32:4.) UYehova wayeka ukuba nomsindo nxamnye nesixeko saseNineve. Wabona ukuba abantu beso sixeko babeguqukile, yaye kwakungaseyomfuneko ukuba abohlwaye. Eli yayilixesha lokuba abonise inceba.

12, 13. (a) UYehova ubonisa njani ukuba unengqiqo, ubhetyebhetye yaye unenceba? (b) Kutheni sasingebobuxoki isiprofeto sikaYona?

¹² UYehova akanguye lo Thixo ukhohlakeleyo, ongenazimvakalelo nongqwabalala odla ngokuchazwa ziinkokeli zonqulo. Kunoko unengqiqo, ubhetyebhetye yaye unenceba. Uqala abalumkise abantu abangendawo esebenzisa abameli bakhe basemhlabeni ngaphambi kokuba abohlwaye, kuba ufuna benze oko kwenziwa ngabantu baseNineve—baguquke baze batshintshe iindlela zabo. (Hez. 33:11) UYehova wathi kumprofeti uYeremiya: “Nangawuphi na umzuzu endisenokuthetha nxamnye nohlanga nanxamnye nobukumkani ukuba ndibuncothule nokuba ndibudilize nokuba ndibutshabalalise, luze okunene olo hlanga lubuye ebubini balo endithethe nxamnye nabo, nam ndiza kuzisola ngenxa yentlekele endicinge ukuyiphumeza kulo.”—Yer. 18:7, 8.

¹³ Ngaba sasibubuxoki isiprofeto sikaYona? Akunjalo; kaloku sayifeza injongo yaso yokulumkisa abantu. Sasijoliswe kubantu baseNineve abangendawo abaye baguquka. Ukuba abantu baseNineve babenokubuyela kwiindlela zabo ezimbi, uThixo wayeza kubohlwaya. Yiloo nto kanye eyenzekayo kamva.—Zef. 2:13-15.

14. Wasabela njani uYona kwinceba eyaboniswa nguYehova eNineve?

¹⁴ Wasabela njani uYona xa intshabalalo ingazange ifike ngexesha awayelindele ngalo? Sifunda ukuba: “Noko ke, oku kwakungamkholisi kakhulu uYona, yaye wavutha ngumsindo.” (Yona 4:1) UYona wada wenza nomthandazo ovakala ngathi wayekhalimela uSomandla! UYona wathi ngekwakube bhetele kakhulu ukuba wayesuke wazihlalela ekhaya. Wathi wayesazi kakade ukuba uYehova wayengazi kuyitshabalalisa iNineve, yaye seso sizathu kanye esamenza wabalekela eTarshishe kwasekuqaleni. Emva koko wacela ukufa, esithi ukufa kubhetele kunokuphila.—Funda uYona 4:2, 3.

15. (a) Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela uYona waziva ethotywe isidima? (b) UYehova waqhubana njani nalo mprofeti wakhe ukhathazekileyo?

¹⁵ Wayekhathazwa yintoni uYona? Asinakuyazi yonke into  awayeyicinga, kodwa ke siyazi ukuba uYona wayexelele bonke abantu ukuba isixeko saseNineve siza kutshabalala. Abantu bamkholelwa. Kodwa ngoku kwakungabonakali ntshabalalo. Ngaba bethu wayesoyika ukuhlekwa okanye ukubizwa ixoki lomprofeti? Enoba kwakuyintoni na, akazange avuye xa abantu beguquka okanye xa besenzelwa inceba nguYehova. Kunoko waya esiba lugcwabevu ngumsindo, evakalelwa kukuba wayethotywe isidima. Kodwa ke kuyabonakala ukuba uThixo kaYona onenceba wayesabona iimpawu ezintle kule ndoda ikhathazekileyo. Kunokuba amohlwaye ngenxa yokungabi nantlonelo kwakhe, uYehova wasuka nje wambuza esithi: “Ngaba kufanelekile na ukuba uvuthe ngumsindo?” (Yona 4:4) Ngaba uYona waphendula? IBhayibhile ayisixeleli.

16. Kungaziphi iindlela abanye abanokuzibona sele bengavumelani noThixo, yaye sifunda ntoni kumzekelo kaYona?

¹⁶ Kusenokuba lula ukumgweba uYona, kodwa simele sikhumbule ukuba yinto eqhelekileyo ngabantu abangafezekanga ukungavumelani noThixo. Abanye basenokuthi uYehova ebemele ayinqande kwangaphambili intlekele ethile okanye awise isigwebo esikhawulezileyo kumoni okanye aphelise le nkqubo yezinto yeli hlabathi ngoku. Umzekelo kaYona usikhumbuza ukuba, xa singavumelani noYehova uThixo, yimbono yethu efuna ukulungiswa—kungekhona Eyakhe.

17, 18. (a) Wenza ntoni uYona emva kokushiya iNineve? (b) Ummangaliso kaYehova owawuquka umthi womhlavuthwa wamchaphazela njani uYona?

¹⁷ Lo mprofeti uqumbileyo wemka eNineve waya ngasempuma kwiintaba ezazisivelele kakuhle isixeko saseNineve. Apho wazakhela ikhusi waza wahlala kulo, elindele ukubukela ukutshatyalaliswa kweNineve. Kungenzeka ukuba wayesenethemba lokubona iNineve itshatyalaliswa. UYehova wayeza kumfundisa njani lo mprofeti onenkani ukuba abe nenceba?

¹⁸ Ngobo busuku uYehova wabangela ukuba kuhlume umthi womhlavuthwa. UYona wathi xa evuka wawubona lo mthi mhle unamahlamvu amakhulu, unomthunzi obhetele kakhulu kunekhusi awayezenzele lona. Yamvuyisa kakhulu loo nto. “UYona waqalisa ukuba nemihlali kakhulu” ngenxa yaloo mthi, ewugqala njengentsikelelo evela kuYehova. Noko ke, uYehova wayefuna ukwenza okungakumbi kunokumhlangula nje kubushushu nakumsindo wakhe. Wayefuna ukufikelela intliziyo kaYona. UThixo wenza neminye imimangaliso. Wathumela umbungu ukuba utye loo mthi. Emva koko wathumela “ulophu lwasempuma” olwamtshisa  uYona wade ‘wawa isiduli.’ Wadana uYona waza waphinda wacela kuThixo ukuba afe.—Yona 4:6-8.

19, 20. UYehova waqiqa ngelithini noYona ngomthi womhlavuthwa?

¹⁹ UYehova wambuza kwakhona enoba wayefanele abe nomsindo na ngenxa yomhlavuthwa. Kunokuba aguquke uYona wazithethelela esithi: “Kufanelekile ukuba ndivuthe ngumsindo ukusa kwinqanaba lokufa.” Latsho lavela ithuba elifanelekileyo lokuba uYehova amfundise isifundo uYona.—Yona 4:9.

²⁰ UThixo waqiqa noYona esithi lo mprofeti wayenovelwano ngenxa yokutsha komthi owawukhule ngobusuku nje obunye, mthi lowo angazange awutyale okanye awukhulise. Emva koko uYehova waqukumbela ngelithi: “Yaye mna andifanele na ndibe nosizi ngeNineve isixeko esikhulu, ekukho kuyo abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu elinamashumi amabini amawaka abangawaziyo konke konke umahluko phakathi kwesandla sabo sasekunene  nesasekhohlo, ngaphandle kwezilwanyana zasekhaya ezininzi?”—Yona 4:10, 11. *

21. (a) Sisiphi isifundo uYehova awasifundisa uYona? (b) Ibali likaYona lisinceda njani ukuba nathi sizihlole?

²¹ Uyakubona ukubaluleka kwesi sifundo sikaYehova? UYona wayengazange aphakamise nomnwe lo ukuze anyamekele lo mthi. Kwelinye icala uYehova yena wayenguMthombo wobomi babantu baseNineve yaye wayebanyamekele, njengoko esenza kuzo zonke izidalwa ezisemhlabeni. Yintoni eyayibangela ukuba uYona akhathazeke ngomthi omnye kunabantu abangama-120 000 nemfuyo yabo? Akungebi mhlawumbi uYona wayecingela isiqu sakhe kuphela? Ngapha koko, eyona nto eyamenza wanovelwano ngomthi yayikukuba wawumnceda. Akungebi ke umsindo wakhe ngenxa yokungatshabalali kweNineve wawubangelwa kukuzingca okunjalo—kuba wayefuna ukuba nantoni na ayithethayo yenzeke ngenxa yekratshi lakhe? Ibali likaYona linokusinceda ukuba sizihlole nathi. Akakho kuthi ogonyiweyo kwiimvakalelo ezifana nezikaYona. Sinombulelo kuba uYehova uyasifundisa ukuba singazicingeli, sibe nobubele nenceba—njengaye!

22. (a) Samchaphazela njani uYona isiluleko sikaYehova senceba? (b) Sisiphi isifundo esisifundayo thina?

²² Umbuzo uyaphakama, ngaba uYona wafunda kweso siganeko? Incwadi ebizwa ngegama lakhe iphela loo mbuzo kaYehova ungaphendulwanga yaye usamile. Abanye abahlalutyi basenokuyikhalazela into yokuba uYona engazange aphendule. Kodwa ke impendulo yakhe ikhona. Incwadi yona ngokwayo iyaphendula. Kaloku ubungqina bubonisa ukuba le ncwadi yabhalwa nguYona ngokwakhe. Khawube nomfanekiso wakhe lo mprofeti, ngoku esekhayeni lakhe ekhuselekile yaye ebhala le ncwadi. Khawumbone ngeliso lengqondo njengoko sele ekhulile, elumkile yaye ethobekile emana enikina intloko xa ebalisa ngeempazamo, imvukelo yakhe kunye nokwala kwakhe ngenkani ukuba nenceba. Kucace mhlophe ukuba uYona wafunda kwimfundiso kaYehova yobulumko. Wafunda ukuba nenceba. Ngaba nathi siza kufunda?—Funda uMateyu 5:7.