NGETIKHATSI tekubhalwa kweliBhayibheli, indvuna beyengamela likhaya nobe indzawo yalomunye umuntfu. Ngaletinye tikhatsi, ligama lesiHebheru nelesiGriki lelihunyushwe ngekutsi “indvuna,” lingasho sisebenti lesingumphatsi.

Ngesikhatsi Josefa indvodzana yaJakobe asigcili eGibhithe, wabekwa kutsi abe yindvuna yendlu yemphatsi wakhe. Loku kusho kutsi lomphatsi “wakuyekelela etandleni taJosefa” konkhe lobekukwakhe. (Gen. 39:2-6) Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Josefa waba neligunya leliphakeme eGibhithe, naye wabeka indvuna kutsi inakekele indlu yakhe.—Gen. 44:4.

Ngesikhatsi kusaphila Jesu, bantfu lebebanemasimu bebavame kuhlala khashane naletindzawo lebebalima kuto. Ngako bebabeka tindvuna kutsi ticondzise tisebenti lebetisebenta kulamasimu.

Ngubani lobekakufanele kuba yindvuna? Columella longumbhali wemaRoma wangelikhulu lekucala, watsi sigcili lebesibekwe kutsi sibe yindvuna bekufanele kube ngumuntfu “lofundzile kuwenta kahle umsebenti. Bekufanele kube ngumuntfu lobekatawuciniseka kutsi tisebenti tiyawenta umsebenti ngaphandle kwekutsi atiphocelele.” Lombhali wachubeka watsi intfo lebeyibaluleke kakhulu kutsi indvuna bekufanele ingacabangi kutsi yati konkhe, futsi bekufanele ihlale ikulungele kufundza tintfo letinsha.

LiVi laNkulunkulu lisebentisa ligama lelitsi indvuna, kuze lifanekise leminye imisebenti leyentiwa ebandleni lebuKhristu. Nasi sibonelo, umphostoli Phetro wakhutsata emaKhristu kutsi asebentise emakhono awo lawanikwe nguNkulunkulu “kuze asite labanye njengemphatsi lomuhle wemusa waNkulunkulu.”—1 Phet. 4:10.

Jesu Khristu wasebentisa sibonelo sesisebenti lesingumphatsi emfanekisweni lobhalwe encwadzini yaLukha 16:1-8. Ngetulu kwaloko, esiphrofethweni lesikhuluma ngetimphawu tekuba khona kwakhe, Jesu wacinisekisa balandzeli bakhe ngekutsi utawubeka ‘sisebenti lesetsembikile.’ Umsebenti loyinhloko walesisebenti bewutawuba kuniketa balandzeli baKhristu kudla ngesikhatsi lesifanele. (Mat. 24:45-47; Luk. 12:42) Sijabula kakhulu ngekutsi sitfola tincwadzi lesitilungiselelwa sisebenti lesetsembekile futsi letitfolakala emhlabeni wonkhe.