NJENGOBA nje uJehova ayebikezele, u-Israyeli wahlukana phakathi ngemva kokuba uSolomoni eyeke ukukhulekela okumsulwa. Indodana yakhe eyamlandela esikhundleni, uRehobowamu, yayinonya. Ngenxa yalokho, izizwe eziyishumi zakwa-Israyeli zahlubuka futhi zakha umbuso wakwa-Israyeli osenyakatho. Zimbili izizwe ezahlala zithembekile enkosini eyayisesihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide eJerusalema, zakha umbuso wakwaJuda oseningizimu.

Yomibili imibuso yayinomlando oneziyaluyalu, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yamakhosi ayengenalukholo nayengalaleli. U-Israyeli kwamhambela kabi kakhulu kunoJuda ngoba kwathi zibekwa nje amakhosi akwa-Israyeli akhuthaza ukukhulekela kwamanga. Naphezu kwemisebenzi yamandla yabaprofethi abanjengo-Eliya no-Elisha—bobabili abaze bavusa ngisho nabafileyo—u-Israyeli wayelokhu ephindela ekwenzeni okubi. Ekugcineni, uNkulunkulu wavumela ukuba umbuso wasenyakatho uqothulwe i-Asiriya.

UJuda wahlala iminyaka engaphezu kweyikhulu ngemva kokuba u-Israyeli ebhujisiwe, kodwa uNkulunkulu wamjezisa naye. Ambalwa kuphela amakhosi akwaJuda alalela izixwayiso zabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu futhi azama ukubuyisela isizwe kuJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, iNkosi uJosiya yaqala ukuqeda ukukhulekela kwamanga kwaJuda futhi yakha kabusha ithempeli likaJehova. Lapho kutholakala ikhophi yoMthetho KaNkulunkulu ayewunikeze ngoMose, uJosiya wathinteka kakhulu, wayesefaka umfutho emkhankasweni wokwenza izinguquko.

Ngokudabukisayo, abalandela uJosiya esikhundleni abasilingisanga isibonelo sakhe esihle. Ngakho uJehova wavumela isizwe saseBhabhiloni ukuba simnqobe uJuda, saqothula iJerusalema nethempeli lalo. Abasinda bathunjelwa eBhabhiloni. UNkulunkulu wabikezela ukuthi babezohlala lapho iminyaka engu-70. Izwe lakwaJuda lahlala liyincithakalo sonke leso sikhathi—kwaze kwaba yilapho leso sizwe sivunyelwa ukuba sibuyele ezweni laso, njengoba kwakuthenjisiwe.

Nokho, awekho amakhosi ohlu lozalo lukaDavide ayezobusa kuze kubuse uMkhululi owayethenjisiwe, noma uMesiya owayebikezelwe. Iningi lamakhosi ayehlale esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavide eJerusalema, labonisa ukuthi abantu abangaphelele abakufanelekeli ukubusa. NguMesiya yedwa owayeyokufanelekela ngempela. Ngakho uJehova watshela inkosi yokugcina kulawo makhosi ohlu lukaDavide: ‘Susa umqhele. Ngeke ube owamuntu aze afike onelungelo elingokomthetho, ngiwunike yena.’—Hezekeli 21:26, 27.

—Isekelwe kweyoku-1 neyesi-2 AmaKhosi; 2 IziKronike izahluko 10 kuya ku-36; Jeremiya 25:8-11.