Sēnesi 6–11; Mōsese 8

ʻOku fakamahinoʻi mai ʻe he tohi ʻa Mōsesé ko e lahi ʻo e taimi naʻe tuku ʻe he ʻOtuá kia Noa ke ne malanga ʻaki ʻa e fakatomalá ko e taʻu ʻe 120 kimuʻa peá Ne toki tuku mai ʻa e Lōmakí. Naʻe ui ʻe Pita ʻa e vahaʻataimi ko ʻení ko e taimi ʻo e “tatali mo e faʻa kātaki ʻa e ʻOtuá.” ʻI he ʻaloʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí, naʻá Ne ʻoange ha ngaahi faingamālie lahi ki he kakaí ke nau fakatomala ai ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi.

Vakai, “Mōsese 7:15. Ko e hā hono ʻuhinga ʻo e pehē naʻe ʻi ai ha kakai lalahi ʻi he fonuá?”

ʻI he pulusinga ʻa Kingi Sēmisi ʻo e Tohi Tapú, ʻoku pehē ʻi he Sēnesi 6:6, “Pea naʻe fakatomala ʻa [e ʻEikí] koeʻuhí kuó ne ngaohi ʻa e tangatá ʻi māmani, pea naʻe mamahi ai ʻa hono finangaló.” ʻOku toe fakaleleiʻi ʻe he Mōsese 8:25 pea mo e Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmita ʻo e Sēnesi 6:6 ʻa e veesi ko ʻení ʻo pehē, “Pea naʻe fakatomala ʻa Noa, pea naʻe mamahi ʻa hono lotó koeʻuhí kuo fakatupu ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e tangatá ʻi he māmaní, pea naʻe fakamamahiʻi ʻa hono lotó.”

ʻE lava ke fakahaaʻi ʻe he foʻi lea faka-Hepelū naʻe liliu ko e “fakatomala” ʻi he Sēnesi 6:6 ha fakaʻiseʻisa, loto-mamahi, manavaʻofa, pe “ko ha fili ke liliu ha meʻa ke fai.” ʻOku fakaʻaongaʻi ha foʻi lea faka-Hepelū kehe ʻi he taimi ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ʻa e mamahi koeʻuhí ko e angahalá pea ko e foʻi lea ia ʻe taha ʻoku faʻa liliu ko e “fakatomalá” ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá.

ʻI he lea faka-Hepeluú, ʻoku ʻuhinga ʻa e foʻi lea ʻoku liliu ko e “haohaoá” ki he “kakato, kānokato, mo e angatonu.” ʻI he talanoa ki he founga naʻe fakamatalaʻi ai ʻoku haohaoa ʻa Noa mo ha niʻihi kehé, naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni, ʻo pehē:

“Kuo fakamatalaʻi ʻe he folofolá ʻa Noa, Seti mo Siope ko e kau tangata haohaoa. …

“ʻOku ʻikai ʻuhinga ʻeni naʻe ʻikai teitei fakahoko ʻe he kakai ko ʻení ha ngaahi fehalaaki pe ʻikai teitei fiemaʻu ke fakatonutonu kinautolu. ʻOku kau ʻi he founga ʻo e fakahaohaoaʻí ʻa e ngaahi pole ke ikunaʻi mo e ngaahi sitepu ki he fakatomalá ʻa ia ʻe lava ke matuʻaki fakamamahi. …

“ʻE lava ke aʻusia e fakahaohaoaʻi fakamatelié ʻi heʻetau feinga ke fakahoko e fatongia kotoa pē, tauhi e fono kotoa pē, mo faifeinga ke haohaoa ʻi hotau ʻātakaí ʻo hangē ko e haohaoa ʻetau Tamai Hēvaní ʻi Hono ʻafioʻangá. Kapau te tau fai e lelei taha te tau lavá, ʻe tāpuakiʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻEikí ʻo fakatatau mo ʻetau ngaahi ngāué mo e ngaahi holi ʻa hotau lotó.”

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá ʻoku toe ʻiloa foki ʻa Noa ko Kepaleli, ʻa ia “naʻe hoko hake hono mafaí kia ʻĀtama ʻi he Lakanga Fakataulaʻeikí; naʻe ui ia ʻe he ʻOtuá ki he tuʻunga ko ʻení.” ʻI heʻene hoko ko e ʻāngelo ko Kepalelí, naʻe hā ʻa Noa kia Mele ʻo fakahā ange te ne hoko ko e faʻē ʻa e ʻAlo ʻo e ʻOtuá. Naʻe fekauʻi kimuʻa ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa Kepaleli ke fakahā kia Sakalia te ne maʻu mo hono uaifi ko ʻIlisapetí ha foha ko Sione Papitaiso, ʻa ia te ne teuteu ʻa e halá maʻá e Fakamoʻuí.

Koeʻuhí naʻe fonu maʻu pē ʻa e māmaní ʻi he fekeʻikeʻí mo e faiangahalá, naʻe ʻikai ke ne toe lava ʻo fakahoko e taumuʻa ʻa e ʻOtuá. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Palesiteni Sione Teila “ʻi he toʻo ko ia [e] moʻui [ʻa e faiangahalá mei] māmaní, naʻe taʻofi ai kinautolu ʻe he [ʻOtuá] mei ha tukuʻau atu ʻenau ngaahi angahalá ki honau hakó ke holoki [pe fakakoviʻi] ai kinautolu.” Naʻe akoʻi foki ʻe ʻEletā Niila A. Mekisuele “naʻe aʻu ʻa e faikoví ki ha tuʻunga naʻe maumauʻi ai ʻa e tauʻatāina ke filí, ʻo ʻikai lava ai ke ʻomi ʻa e ngaahi laumālié ki heni ʻi he tuʻunga ʻo e fakamaau totonú.”

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe he palōfita ko Nīfaí, ʻoku ʻikai fai ʻe he ʻOtuá “ha meʻa ʻo kapau ʻe ʻikai ʻaonga ia ki he kakai ʻo e māmaní; he ʻokú ne ʻofa ki he māmaní.” ʻE lava ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ʻe he fakakaukau ki he Lōmakí ʻaki ha fakakaukau ʻoku taʻengatá ke tau vakai ki he founga ʻoku ngāue ai ʻa e ʻEikí ke fakahoko ʻEne ngaahi taumuʻá.

ʻI he mata meʻa-hā-mai ʻa ʻĪnoke naʻe lekooti ʻi he Mōsese 7, naʻá ne fakamoʻoni ai ki he tutulu ʻa e ʻEikí koeʻuhí ko ʻEne fānau naʻe fakafisi ke muimui kiate Iá. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi leva ʻe he ʻEikí ʻe ʻalu ʻa kinautolu ʻe mate ʻi he Lōmakí ki he maama tataliʻanga ʻo e ngaahi laumālié. Te nau maʻu ai ʻa e faingamālie ke akoʻi kiate kinautolu ʻa e ongoongolelei ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí mo fakatomala mei heʻenau ngaahi angahalá. Naʻe mamata leva ʻa ʻĪnoke ʻe hāʻele mai ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ki māmani ʻo fakahoko ʻa e Fakaleleí, pea naʻe fiefia ʻa ʻĪnoke ʻi he palani ʻa e ʻEikí ki he fakamoʻuí maʻa ʻEne fānaú kotoa.

Naʻe folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá kia Noa ke “vali” ʻa e ʻaʻaké, ʻa ia ko hono ʻuhingá ke vali ʻaki ia ʻa e pulu, ko ha meʻa ʻoku hangē ha valitaá, ke silaʻi ia mo ʻai ke ʻoua naʻa uesia ʻe he vaí. Ko e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ʻoku liliu ko e “pulú” ko e foʻi lea foki ia ʻoku tupu mei ai ʻa e foʻi lea ko e “fakaleleí.” Kuo fokotuʻu mai “ʻoku ʻomi ʻe he fakalelei ʻa Sīsū Kalaisí ha maluʻi kiate kitautolu; ʻokú ne maluʻi kitautolu mei he mālohi ʻo e filí, ʻo hangē pē ko hono maluʻi ʻe he valitaá ʻa e ʻaʻaké mei he ngaahi tahi fakatuʻutāmakí.”

ʻOku fua ʻe he folofolá ʻa e ʻaʻaké ʻi he kiupite. Naʻe fakatefito ha kiupite ʻi he mamaʻo mei he tuiʻinima ki he tumuʻaki ʻo e foʻi tuhu ʻi lotomālié. ʻOku fakafuofua ʻa e kiupite ʻe tahá ki ha senitimita ʻe 46 ki he 56 (ʻinisi ʻe 18–22). ʻI hono fakaʻaongaʻi e senitimita ʻe 46 (ʻinisi ʻe 18) ko ha kiupite ʻe tahá, naʻe mita nai ʻe 138 e lōloa ʻo e ʻaʻaké (fute ʻe 450), mita ʻe 23 hono fālahí (fute ʻe 75), pea mita ʻe 14 hono māʻolungá (fute ʻe 46).

Naʻe fakafehokotaki ʻe he ʻAposetolo ko Pitá ʻa e fakataipe ʻo e Lōmakí ki he papitaisó. Hangē pē ko hono fakafofongaʻi ʻe hono fakahaofi ʻo e fāmili ʻo Noá mei he Lōmakí ha kamataʻanga foʻou ki he māmaní, ʻoku pehē hono fakafofongaʻi ʻe he papitaiso ʻaki ʻa e vaí ʻa e fanauʻi foʻou ki ha moʻui foʻou ʻia Kalaisí.

ʻOku hanga ʻe he liliu fakalaumālie ʻe he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá ʻo fakamahino mai e ngaahi veesi ko ʻení, ʻo fakamamafaʻi ʻe ʻekea ʻe he ʻOtuá meia Noa mo hono hakó ʻa e anga ʻo ʻenau tauhi e moʻui ʻa e fanga monumanú. Naʻá Ne fekau ke toki tāmateʻi pē ʻa e fanga monumanú koeʻuhí ke maʻu moʻui mei ai ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá: “Pea ko e moʻoni, ʻe ʻikai lilingi ha toto, ka ki he meʻakai pē, ke fakahaofi hoʻomou moʻuí; pea ko e toto ʻo e fanga manu kotoa pē te u ʻekeʻi mei homou nimá.” Naʻe fekauʻi foki ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e fāmili ʻo Noá ke fakatolonga e moʻui ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, ʻo pehē, “ʻE ʻikai lilingi ʻe he tangatá ʻa e toto ʻo e tangatá.”

Naʻe toe fakamahinoʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ʻi he Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakavá, kuó Ne ʻomi ʻa e fanga monumanu ʻo e māmaní “ke fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe he tangatá ki he meʻakai mo e kofu.” Naʻá Ne fakamatalaʻi foki ʻoku ʻikai ke Ne hōifua ki he taimi ʻoku tau tāmateʻi taʻeʻaonga ai ʻa e fanga monumanú, ʻo pehē: “ʻE malaʻia ʻa e tangata ko ia ʻoku lilingi ha toto pe maumauʻi ha kakano ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻaonga kiate iá.”

Vakai, “Mōsese 7:50–52. ʻOku fakatupulaki fēfē ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá ʻetau mahino ki he fuakava ʻa e ʻOtuá mo ʻĪnoke mo Noá?“

ʻOku ʻikai fakamatalaʻi mahino ʻe he folofolá ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻe fakamalaʻiaʻi ai ʻa e foha ʻo Hami ko Kēnaní koeʻuhí ko e faihala ʻene tamaí kia Noá. ʻOku ʻikai foki ke mahino pe ko e hā e hia ʻa Hamí, ka ʻoku hangē naʻá ne fakangalikoviʻi ʻene tamaí pe mahalo naʻá ne taʻe-fakaʻapaʻapa ki ha meʻa toputapu. Koeʻuhí ʻoku ʻikai ke tau maʻu kotoa e ngaahi fakaikiiki fekauʻaki mo e talanoá, ʻoku ʻikai ke tau ʻiloʻi pau e meʻa naʻe hokó pe ko hono ʻuhingá.

ʻI hono fakamalaʻiaʻi ʻo Kēnaní, naʻe fakahā ʻe Noa ʻe hoko ʻa Kēnani ko ha tamaioʻeiki kia Semi mo Sēfeti. ʻOku tānaki mai ʻe he Liliu fakalaumālie ʻa Siosefa Sāmita ʻo e Tohi Tapú ʻe hanga ʻe ha “veili ʻo e fakapoʻulí” ʻo ʻufiʻufi ʻa Kēnani “ke ʻilo ia ʻe he kakai fulipē.” ʻOku ʻikai mahino ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e “veili ʻo e fakapoʻuli” ko ʻení.

Kuo fakaʻaongaʻi hala ʻe ha niʻihi ʻa e fakamalaʻia ʻo Kēnaní ke fakatonuhiaʻi ʻa e nofo pōpulá mo e filifilimānakó—tautautefito ki he kakai hakoʻi ʻAfilika ʻUliʻulí. Kuo akoʻi ʻe he ʻEikí, “ʻOku ʻikai totonu ke pōpula ha tangata ki ha tokotaha kehe.” ʻIkai ngata aí, ʻoku akoʻi ʻe he Tohi ʻa Molomoná ʻoku fakaafeʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e kakai kotoa pē ke nau haʻu kiate Ia ʻo “maʻu ʻi heʻene angaleleí,” he “ʻoku tatau ʻa e kakai fulipē ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá.”

ʻOku fakamahinoʻi mai ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmita ʻo e Sēnesi 10:9 ko Nimiloté ko ha tangata tuli manu mālohi ia “ʻi he fonuá” kae ʻikai “ʻi he ʻao ʻo e ʻEikí.” Ko e tupuʻanga ia ʻo ha puleʻanga maʻongoʻonga naʻe kau ai ʻa Pēpeli (naʻe ui kimui ko Pāpiloné). ʻOku toe lave foki kia Nimilote ʻi he Tohi ʻa Molomoná.

ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he ngaahi tukufakaholo faka-Siu mo faka-Kalisitiane ʻo e kuonga muʻá ko e Taua ʻo Pēpelí ko ha temipale loi ia. ʻOku langa ʻa e ngaahi temipale moʻoní ke tānaki ʻa e kakaí ki he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻo fakafou ʻi he ngaahi fuakavá. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, naʻe langa ʻe he kakai ʻo Pēpelí ha taua ke aʻu ai ki he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá, ka naʻe ʻikai fenāpasi ʻenau ngaahi angafaí mo Hono finangaló. Ko hono olá naʻe veuveuki ʻe he ʻEikí ʻenau leá mo fakamoveteveteʻi kinautolu.

ʻOku pehē ʻe Sēnesi naʻe langa e tauá ʻaki ha fanga foʻi piliki naʻe taʻo ʻaki ha afi. Naʻe mālohi ange ʻa e fanga foʻi piliki ko iá ʻi he ʻū piliki naʻe fakamōmoa ʻi he laʻaá ʻa ia naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻi he ngaahi toʻu tangata kimuʻá, koeʻuhí ke lava ʻo langa ʻa e tauá ke māʻolunga ange. Ko e “kelepulú,” ko ha meʻa ia hangē ko e valitaá naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ko ha meʻa ke simaʻi ʻaki ʻa e pilikí. Kuo fokotuʻu mai ʻe ha niʻihi naʻe fakataumuʻa foki ʻa e kelepulú ke ngaohi ʻa e tauá ke ʻoua naʻa maumau he vaí telia naʻa fakakaukau ʻa e ʻOtuá ke toe lōmakiʻi ʻa e māmaní.

ʻI he talanoa ki he Taua ʻo Pēpelí ʻoku lekooti ʻi he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, naʻe kole ʻe Sēleti ki hono tokouá ke ui ki he ʻEikí mo lotu ke ʻoua naʻa veuveuki ʻena leá. Naʻe tali ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e kolé ni. Naʻe kole leva ʻe Sēleti ki hono tokouá ke lotu ke tuku pē mo e lea fakafonua ʻa hona ngaahi kaungāmeʻá ke tatau pē mo kinauá. Naʻe tali foki mo e kole ko ʻení. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi meʻa ko ʻeni naʻe hokó naʻe lava ke hoko ʻa e veuveuki ʻo e leá ʻi ha vahaʻataimi kae ʻikai ko e taimi pē ko iá.

ʻI he Sēnesi 11, ʻoku hiki ʻa e tohi hohoko ʻo Semí hili hono fakamatalaʻi e fakamoveteveteʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e kakai ʻo Pēpelí. ʻE lava ke mohu fakahinohino ke fakafaikehekeheʻi ʻa e kakai ʻo Pēpelí meia Semi mo ha niʻihi ʻo hono hakó.

Naʻe feinga e kakai ʻo Pēpelí ke ʻai ke ongoongoa honau hingoá ʻaki ʻenau langa ha kolo pea mo ha taua “kae aʻu hono tuʻa falé ki langi.” ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e Shem ki he “hingoa” pe “ongoongo.” Ko ha hako ʻoku ʻasi ʻi he tohi hohoko ʻa Semí ko ʻĒpalahame. ʻI hono fakafehoanaki ki he kakai ʻo Pēpelí, ʻa ia ne nau feinga ke ongoongoa honau hingoá, naʻe talaʻofa ʻe he ʻOtuá te Ne ʻai ke maʻongoʻonga e hingoa ʻo ʻĒpalahamé. Naʻe talaʻofa foki ʻe he ʻOtuá kia ʻĒpalahame ʻe ʻaloʻi ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ʻi hono hakó. Ko e huafa pē ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí ʻe toki lava ke fakahaofi ai kitautolu pea tau aʻu ki he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá. ʻOku tau toʻo kiate kitautolu Hono huafá ʻo fakafou ʻi he ngaahi ouau ʻo ʻEne ongoongoleleí.

Ko e ʻuhinga ʻe taha naʻe langa ai ʻe he kakai ʻo Pēpelí ha kolo mo ha tauá ke taʻofi hano fakamoveteveteʻi kinautolu. Neongo ʻenau ngaahi taumuʻá, ka naʻe fakamoveteveteʻi kinautolu ʻe he ʻEikí ʻi he funga ʻo e māmaní. ʻI he tafaʻaki ʻe tahá, ʻoku kau ʻi he fuakava faka-ʻĒpalahamé ʻa e tāpuaki ʻo hono tānaki fakataha ʻo e ngaahi fāmilí pea silaʻi ki he taʻengatá. Naʻe talaʻofa kia ʻĒpalahame ʻe tāpuekina ʻa e ngaahi fāmili kotoa pē ʻo e māmaní ʻo fakafou ʻiate ia mo hono hakó.

• “ʻAʻake ʻa Noá,” Liahona, Fēpueli 2022, 46

• “The Tower of Babel,” Ensign, Feb. 2018, 66–67

• “I Have a Question,” Ensign, Feb. 1994, 60–61

• “Jesus Is the Way,” Hymns—For Home and Church