IBhayibheli alisitsheli ukuthi kunini lapho uNkulunkulu aqala khona ukudala indawo yonke nokuthi kwathatha isikhathi eside kangakanani. Limane nje lithi: “Ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu wadala amazulu nomhlaba.” (Genesise 1:1) IBhayibheli alisho ngokuqondile ukuthi “ekuqaleni” kwakunini. Nokho, ukulandelana kwezenzakalo ezibhalwe kuGenesise kubonisa ukuthi leso sikhathi singaphambi kwezinkathi eziyisithupha, noma “izinsuku” zokudala.

•  Ingabe izinsuku eziyisithupha zokudala zazingamahora angu-24 angokoqobo?

•  Kwenzekani phakathi nezinsuku eziyisithupha zokudala?

•  Ingabe indaba kaGenesise inembile ngokwesayensi?

•  Ladalwa nini ilanga, inyanga, nezinkanyezi?

•  Mdala kangakanani umhlaba ngokusho kweBhayibheli?

 Cha. EBhayibhelini, igama elithi “usuku” lingasho ubude besikhathi obuhlukahlukene kuye ngokuthi indaba ikhuluma ngani. Ngokwesibonelo, enye ingxenye yalokhu kulandisa ichaza yonke inkathi yokudala njengeyenzeka ngosuku olulodwa.—Genesise 2:4.

 UNkulunkulu wawuguqula umhlaba kusuka ekubeni ‘ongenalutho, ongenaso isimo esithile’ waba iplanethi okungaphileka kuyo. (Genesise 1:2) Ngemva kwalokho wabe esedala izinto eziphilayo emhlabeni. IBhayibheli lichaza amaqoqo ayisithupha ezenzakalo ezenzeka phakathi nalezo zinsuku, noma inkathi yokudala:

•  Usuku 1: UNkulunkulu wenza ukukhanya kwafinyelela emhlabeni, umphumela waba umjikelezo wemini nobusuku.—Genesise 1:3-5.

•  Usuku 2: UNkulunkulu wenza umkhathi, noma wahlukanisa amanzi asemhlabeni namanzi asesibhakabhakeni.—Genesise 1:6-8.

•  Usuku 3: UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba kuvele umhlabathi owomile. Wadala nezinto ezimilayo.—Genesise 1:9-13.

•  Usuku 4: UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi kubonakale ngokucacile emhlabeni.—Genesise 1:14-19.

•  Usuku 5: UNkulunkulu wadala izidalwa zasemanzini eziphilayo nezidalwa ezindizayo.—Genesise 1:20-23.

•  Usuku 6: UNkulunkulu wadala izilwane ezihamba emhlabeni kanye nabantu.—Genesise 1:24-31.

 Ngemva kokuphela kosuku lwesithupha, uNkulunkulu waphumula emsebenzini wakhe noma wayeka ukudala.—Genesise 2:1, 2.

 Indaba yeBhayibheli ngokudalwa komhlaba ayisho ukuthi inemininingwane ebanzi yesayensi. Kunalokho, ichaza indalo ngendlela yokuthi ngisho nabafundi bezikhathi zeBhayibheli kwakungaba lula ngabo ukuqonda ukulandelana kwezenzakalo. Indaba emayelana nokudala ayiphikisani nesayensi etholakele. Isazi sezinkanyezi uRobert Jastrow sabhala: “Yonke imininingwane ihlukile, kodwa izinto ezisemqoka emkhakheni wezinkanyezi kanye nokulandisa kweBhayibheli kukaGenesise kuyafana; ukulandelana kwezenzakalo eziholela ekubeni khona komuntu ziqala ngokushesha, ngesikhathi esimisiwe.”

 Ilanga, inyanga nezinkanyezi kwase kukhona njengengxenye “yamazulu” adalwa “ekuqaleni.” (Genesise 1:1) Nokho, ngokusobala ukukhanya kwakho akuzange kufinyelele emhlabeni ngenxa yobumnyama obukhulu ababusemkhathini. (Genesise 1:2) Ngakho nakuba ukukhanya okuluvindi kwabonakala ngosuku lokuqala, umthombo wokukhanya wawungakabonakali. Ngosuku lwesine, umkhathi waphenya. IBhayibheli libe selithi ilanga, inyanga, nezinkanyezi kwaqala “ukukhanya emhlabeni,” ngokusobala lichaza indlela okwakubonakala ngayo uma ukubuka usemhlabeni.—Genesise 1:17.

 IBhayibheli alisho lutho ngeminyaka yomhlaba. UGenesise 1:1 umane nje uchaza ukuthi indalo ebonakalayo, kuhlanganise nomhlaba, kwaba nesiqalo. La mazwi awaphikisani nezimiso zesayensi enengqondo noma nokulinganisa kwesayensi mayelana nobudala bomhlaba.