NGESIKHATHI sikaPawulu, imikhumbi eyayithwala abantu kuphela yayingekho. Ukuze abantu bahambe ngemikhumbi, babevame ukubuzana ukuthi ukhona yini umkhumbi othwala izimpahla oya lapho befuna ukuya khona futhi ongabathatha abantu. (IzE. 21:2, 3) Ngisho noma umkhumbi wawungayi ngqo lapho umuntu ayefuna ukuya khona, wayengehla agibele omunye kwesinye isikhumulo semikhumbi, owawuzomyisa lapho eya khona.—IzE. 27:1-6.

Abantu babengahambi njalo ngemikhumbi futhi imikhumbi yayingenaso isikhathi esiqondile eyayihamba ngaso. Ngaphandle kwesimo sezulu esingesihle, amatilosi ayenezinkolelo-ze ayengahlehlisa uhambo uma eke athola ibika elibi, njengokukhala kwegwababa emkhunjini noma lapho ebona umkhumbi ophahlazekile ogwini. Amatilosi ayekhetha ukuhamba uma umoya uya ngalapho eya ngakhona. Lapho umuntu ethola umkhumbi ayengawugibela, wayeya esikhumulweni nemigodla yakhe bese elinda isimemezelo esishoyo ukuthi umkhumbi usulungele ukuhamba.

Isazimlando uLionel Casson sithi: “Idolobha laseRoma lalinendlela elula yokusiza abantu bathole umkhumbi ozobagibelisa ukuze kungadingeki bazifunele bona. Isikhumulo salo sasiseduze noMfula iTiber. Idolobha elingumakhelwane, i-Ostia, lalinemakethe enkulu ezungezwe amahhovisi. Amaningi kulawa mahhovisi kwakungawabantu bezikhumulo ezihlukahlukene ababesebenza emikhunjini: abaseNarbonne [namuhla eyaziwa ngokuthi yiFrance] babenelilodwa, abaseCarthage [namuhla eyaziwa ngokuthi yiTunisia] nabo babenelilodwa, . . . njalonjalo. Noma ubani owayefuna ukuhamba ngomkhumbi wayeya kulama hhovisi abuze khona ukuthi ikhona yini imikhumbi eya ngalapho ayefuna ukuya khona.”

Abantu ababehamba ngemikhumbi babeshesha ukufika lapho beya khona, kodwa kwakuyingozi ukuhamba ngayo. UPawulu waphihlizekelwa umkhumbi izikhathi eziningi lapho esohambweni njengesithunywa sevangeli.—2 Kor. 11:25.