kalpana keejiye ki door-door tak faila ek sookha chattani ilaka hai aur us poore sunsan ilake mein sirf sainikon ki ek chauki bani hui hai. usmein tainat palishti sainikon ko achanak us sunsan ilake mein kuch aisa dikhayi deta hai ki unmein sansani daud jaati hai. woh dekhte hain ki ek tang ghaati ke us paar do israeli aadmi khade hain. unhein vahaan dekhkar palishtiyon ko hansi aati hai. ek lambe arse se palishti log israeliyon ko apne adhikar mein kiye huye hain. israeliyon ko apni kheti-baadi ke auzaron par dhaar lagvane ke liye bhi palishtiyon ke yahaan jaana padta hai. israeli sainikon ke paas dhang ke hathiyar nahin hain. aur abhi to yahaan sirf do israeli aadmi aaye hain. bhala woh palishtiyon ka kya bigaad sakte hain? agar woh hathiyaron se lais yoddha hain, to bhi woh kuch nahin kar sakte. palishti sainik unka mazak udate huye kehte hain, “aao, aao, hum tumhein sabak sikhate hain!”​—1 shamooel 13:19-23; 14:11, 12.

vaakai ab kuch aisa honevala tha ki us ghatna se ek sabak zaroor milta. magar yah sabak un israeli aadmiyon ko nahin balki palishtiyon ko milta. donon israeli aadmi ghaati mein utarte hain, use paar karte hain aur fir paas ki dhalan par chadhne lagte hain. yah aisi nukeeli chattan hai ki unhein apne haathon aur pairon ke bal oopar chadhna padta hai. fir bhi woh haar nahin maante. kisi tarah chattanon par reingte-reingte seedhe palishtiyon ki chauki ki taraf chal padte hain. (1 shamooel 14:13) ab palishti dekh sakte hain ki donon mein se jo aadmi saamne hai, woh hathiyaron se lais hai aur uske peechhe uska hathiyar dhonevala sainik hai. woh sochte hain, kya yah aadmi apne saath sirf ek aadmi ko lekar palishtiyon ki poori chauki par hamla karne aaya hai? kahin yah paagal to nahin hai?

nahin, yah paagal nahin hai balki ek aisa aadmi hai jiska vishvas bahot mazboot hai. uska naam yonatan hai. aaj bhi sachche maseehi uski zindagi ki kahani se kaafi kuch seekh sakte hain. yah sach hai ki hum sachmuch ka koi yuddh nahin karte, fir bhi hum himmat se kaam lene, vafadar rehne aur niswarth hone ke baare mein yonatan se bahot kuch seekh sakte hain, kyonki sachcha vishvas badhane ke liye ye saare gun hona zaroori hai.​—yashayah 2:4; matti 26:51, 52.

yonatan palishtiyon ki us chauki par kyon hamla karne gaya, yah jaanne ke liye hamein pehle yonatan ki zindagi ke baare mein kuch jaanna hoga. yonatan israel ke pehle raja shaaool ka sabse bada beta tha. jab shaaool ko raja chuna gaya, tab tak yonatan kaafi bada ho chuka tha. tab uski umra 20 saal ya usse zyada rahi hogi. aisa maaloom padta hai ki uska apne pita ke saath gehra rishta tha. uska pita aksar use apne man ki baat batata tha. un dinon yonatan ne dekha ki uska pita na sirf ek lamba-chauda, sajeela aadmi aur veer yoddha hai balki ek namra insan hai aur uska vishvas bahot mazboot hai. yonatan samajh sakta tha ki yahova ne kyon shaaool ko raja chuna. bhavishyavakta shamooel ne bhi kaha tha ki poore israel desh mein shaaool jaisa aadmi kahin nahin hai.​—1 shamooel 9:1, 2, 21; 10:20-24; 20:2.

yonatan ko apne pita ki kaman ke neeche parmeshvar ke dushmanon se yuddh karne mein kaafi garv mehsoos hua hoga. woh yuddh aaj honevale desh-desh ke yuddhon jaise nahin the. israel raashtra yahova ka chuna hua raashtra tha aur unke desh par jhoothe devtaon ko poojnevale desh lagatar hamla karte the. aisa hi ek desh tha palisht. palishti log daagon jaise devtaon ko poojne ki vajah se bahot bure kaam karte the. unhonne kai baar yahova ke chune huye logon ko satane, yahaan tak ki unhein mita dene ki koshish bhi ki.

yonatan jaise aadmi isliye yuddh karte the kyonki woh yahova se vafadari nibhana chahte the. yahova ne bhi yonatan ko kaamyabee dilayi. shaaool ne raja banne ke kuch hi samay baad yonatan ko 1,000 sainikon ki kaman saunpi. yonatan unhein lekar palishtiyon ki ek chauki par hamla karne giba gaya. yonatan ke aadmiyon ke paas koi khaas hathiyar nahin the, fir bhi yahova ki madad se us din usne jeet haasil ki. magar javab mein palishtiyon ne israeliyon par hamla karne ke liye ek bahot badi sena ikatthi ki. yah dekhkar shaaool ke kai sainik buri tarah dar gaye. unmein se kuch bhaagkar chhip gaye aur kuch to palishtiyon ki taraf ho gaye. magar yonatan ne himmat nahin haari.​—1 shamooel 13:2-7; 14:21.

lekh ki shurooat mein jis din ka byaura diya gaya hai, us din yonatan ne faisla kiya ki woh kisi ko bataye bina sirf apne hathiyar dhonevale sainik ko lekar nikal padega. jaise hi woh mikmash ke paas pahunche, jahaan palishtiyon ki chauki thi, yonatan ne apne sainik ko apni tarkeeb batayi. usne kaha ki woh donon aisi jagah khade honge ki palishtiyon ko saaf nazar aayen. agar palishti unhein chunauti deinge ki woh unse ladne oopar aayen, to yah is baat ki nishani hogi ki yahova unki madad karega. yonatan ka hathiyar dhonevala sainik fauran raazee ho gaya. yonatan ki is baat ne uske andar josh bhar diya hoga: “chahe hum ginti mein thode hon ya zyada, yahova hamare zariye uddhaar dila sakta hai, uske liye koi baat rukavat nahin hai.” (1 shamooel 14:6-10) yonatan ke kehne ka kya matlab tha?

zahir hai ki yonatan apne parmeshvar ko achhi tarah jaanta tha. use beshak yah baat pata thi ki guzre vakt mein bhi parmeshvar ne dushmanon ko harane mein apne logon ki madad ki thi, iske baavjood ki dushmanon ki ginti unse kahin zyada thi. kabhi-kabhi to usne sirf ek aadmi ke zariye jeet dilayi thi. (nyayiyon 3:31; 4:1-23; 16:23-30) yonatan jaanta tha ki yah baat koi maayne nahin rakhti ki yahova ke logon ki ginti kitni hai ya unke paas kitne hathiyar hain, balki yah baat maayne rakhti hai ki unmein vishvas ho. yonatan ne vishvas rakhte huye yah faisla yahova par chhod diya ki use aur uske sainik ko dushmanon ki chauki par hamla karna chahiye ya nahin. usne ek nishani tay ki jisse pata chalta ki palishtiyon par hamla karna yahova ko manzoor hai ya nahin. jab use manzoori mil gayi, to usne nidar hokar dushmanon se mukabla kiya.

yonatan ke vishvas ke baare mein do baaton par gaur keejiye. ek to yah ki uske dil mein apne parmeshvar yahova ke liye gehra aadar tha. woh jaanta tha ki sarvashaktiman parmeshvar apna maksad poora karne ke liye insani taakat par nirbhar nahin rehta, par saath hi use un logon ko aasheesh dene mein khushi hoti hai jo vafadari se uski seva karte hain. (2 itihas 16:9) doosri baat, yonatan ne koi kadam uthane se pehle yahova ki manzoori jaanne ke liye ek nishani chahi. aaj hum apne parmeshvar se koi alaukik nishani nahin chahte jisse saabit ho ki hum jo karne jaa rahe hain woh use manzoor hai ya nahin. hamare paas ishvar-prerna se likha gaya poora shastra hai, isliye parmeshvar ki marzee jaanne ke liye hamein jo bhi maargdarshan chahiye woh hamein uske vachan se milta hai. (2 timuthiyus 3:16, 17) hamein khud ko jaanchana chahiye ki kya hum koi aham faisla karne se pehle bible ki salah par achhi tarah dhyan dete hain? agar hum aisa karte hain, to hum khud se zyada parmeshvar ki marzee ko ahmiyat de rahe honge, theek jaise yonatan ne kiya tha.

ab yah veer yoddha yonatan aur uska hathiyar dhonevala sainik, donon us khadi chattan par chadhte huye palishtiyon ki taraf kadam badhate hain. palishti ab samajh jaate hain ki woh donon aadmi un par hamla karnevale hain. isliye woh apne aadmiyon ko unse ladne bhejte hain. palishti log ek to ginti mein zyada hain aur woh unchi jagah par hain, isliye unke liye donon aadmiyon ko maar girana baayen haath ka khel tha. lekin hua yah ki yonatan ek-ek karke palishtiyon par vaar karne laga aur uska sainik uske peechhe-peechhe jaakar unka ghaat karne laga. thodi-si jagah par un do aadmiyon ne 20 dushman sainikon ko maar daala. iske baad yahova ne kuch aur bhi kiya. bible batati hai, “tab un sabhi palishtiyon mein aatank fail gaya jo chauki mein tainat the aur jo maidan mein chhaavni daale huye the. yahaan tak ki unke lutere-dalon mein bhi khauf sama gaya aur zameen kaanpne lagi. is sabke peechhe parmeshvar ka haath tha.”​—1 shamooel 14:15.

palishtiyon mein khauf sama gaya aur aisi khalbali mach gayi ki woh ek-doosre par hi talvar chalane lage. door se shaaool aur uske aadmi yah sab nazara dekh rahe the. (1 shamooel 14:16, 20) fir israeliyon ne bhi himmat jutayi aur palishtiyon par vaar karne lage. unhonne hamla karne ke liye ghaat kiye gaye palishtiyon ke hathiyar uthaye honge. us din yahova ne apne logon ko bahot badi jeet dilayi. yahova badla nahin hai. agar hum bhi yonatan aur uske sainik ki tarah, jiska naam bible mein nahin likha hai, yahova par vishvas rakhein, to hamein kabhi nirash nahin hona padega.​—malaki 3:6; romiyon 10:11.

us jeet ke baad yonatan ke saath bhala hua magar shaaool ke saath bhala nahin hua. shaaool ne bade-bade paap kiye. usne yahova ke thehraye bhavishyavakta shamooel ki aagya ke khilaf jaakar ek balidan chadha diya jabki woh balidan shamooel ko chadhana tha jo ek levi bhi tha. jab shamooel balidan ki jagah pahuncha, to usne shaaool ko bataya ki uska raaj ab nahin tikega, kyonki usne parmeshvar ki aagya todi hai. iske baad jab shaaool ne apne aadmiyon ko yuddh karne bheja, to usne bina soche-samjhe unse yah shapath dharayi: “agar kisi aadmi ne shaam se pehle, jab tak main apne dushmanon se badla nahin le leta, ek nivala bhi khaaya to woh shaapit ho!”​—1 shamooel 13:10-14; 14:24.

shaaool ki baaton se pata chalta hai ki woh kitna badal gaya tha. jo insan ek vakt mein bahot namra tha aur parmeshvar jaisi soch rakhta tha, ab woh ghamandi ho gaya tha aur us par bada banne ka junoon savaar ho gaya tha. yahova ne kabhi yah nirdesh nahin diya tha ki un saahsi aur mehantee sainikon ke saath aisi zyadti karke un par aisi bandish lagayi jaaye. yah bhi gaur keejiye ki shaaool ne kaha, “jab tak main apne  dushmanon se badla nahin le leta.” shaaool shaayad sochne laga ki woh apne balboote yuddh kar raha hai. woh shaayad bhool gaya ki yahova insaf karne ke liye yuddh kar raha hai, na ki shaaool ko khud dushmanon se badla lene, kisi bhi haal mein jeetne ya naam kamane ke liye ladai ladni hai.

yonatan ko apne pita ki is shapath ke baare mein kuch nahin pata tha. jab woh yuddh se lauta, to woh buri tarah past tha. usne apni laathi ka chhor madhumakkhi ke chhatte mein daala aur thoda-saa shahad chakha. shahad khaate hi uski jaan mein jaan aayi. tab uske aadmiyon mein se ek ne use bataya ki uske pita ne yah paabandi lagayi hai ki koi kuch na khaaye. tab yonatan ne kaha, “mera pita desh par bada sankat le aaya hai! dekho, mainne zara-saa shahad chakha aur meri jaan mein jaan aa gayi. agar logon ko dushmanon ki loot mein se ji-bharkar khaane diya jaata to kitna achha hota! hum aur bhi badi taadad mein palishtiyon ko maar daalte.” (1 shamooel 14:25-30) yonatan ne sahi kaha. haalaanki woh shaaool ka vafadar beta tha, magar woh aankh moondkar uski har baat nahin maan leta tha. woh bina soche-samjhe apne pita ki har baat ya har kaam ko sahi nahin thehrata tha, isliye log uski bahot izzat karte the.

jab shaaool ko pata chala ki yonatan ne uski aagya tod di hai, to bhi usne yah maanne se inkar kar diya ki usne aisi paabandi lagakar moorkhta ka kaam kiya hai. ulta usne kaha ki uske bete ko maut ki saza milni chahiye. tab yonatan ne shaaool se na behas kiya, na hi usse reham ki bheekh maangi. gaur keejiye ki usne apni jaan ki parvah kiye bina kya kaha: “main marne ke liye taiyar hoon!” magar tabhi israeli uski taraf se bol uthe, “kya yonatan maar daala jaayega jisne israel ko itni badi jeet dilayi hai? nahin, yah hargiz nahin ho sakta! yahova ke jeevan ki shapath, uska baal bhi baanka nahin hoga kyonki usne aaj ke din parmeshvar ke saath milkar kaam kiya hai.” nateeja kya hua? shaaool maan gaya. bible kehti hai, “aisa kehkar logon ne yonatan ko bacha liya aur use maut ki saza nahin di gayi.”​—1 shamooel 14:43-45.

yonatan ek himmatvala aur mehantee aadmi tha aur usmein bilkul swarth nahin tha. isliye usne logon mein ek achha naam kamaya. jab uski jaan ko khatra hua, to uski neknami kaam aayi. hamein bhi khud par dhyan dena chahiye ki hum din-ba-din kaisa naam kama rahe hain. bible batati hai ki ek achha naam anmol hota hai. (sabhopdeshak 7:1) agar hum bhi yonatan ki tarah is baat ka dhyan rakhein ki hum yahova ki nazar mein kaisa naam kama rahe hain, to hamari neknami hamare liye ek anmol khazana saabit hogi.

shaaool ki khaamiyon ke baavjood, yonatan barson tak apne pita ka vafadar raha aur uske saath milkar yuddh karta raha. hum andaza laga sakte hain ki jab usne apne pita mein ghamandi aur bagavti ravaiya panapte dekha, to use kitna dukh hua hoga. woh saaf dekh sakta tha ki uska pita galat raah par nikal pada hai, magar woh use rok nahin sakta tha.

fir ek vakt aisa aaya ki shaaool ne bagavat karne mein had kar di. yahova ne usse kaha tha ki woh jaakar amalekiyon se yuddh kare. amaleki log itne dusht the ki yahova ne sadiyon pehle moosa ke dinon mein hi bhavishyavani ki thi ki poori amaleki jaati ka naash kar diya jaayega. (nirgaman 17:14) shaaool se kaha gaya ki woh amalekiyon ke sabhi jaanvaron ka naash kar de aur unke raja agag ko maar daale. shaaool jab amalekiyon se yuddh karne gaya to woh jeet gaya, kyonki yonatan ne hamesha ki tarah apne pita ki kaman ke neeche badi himmat se ladai ladi. magar shaaool ne gustakhi karte huye yahova ki aagya nahin maani. usne agag ko zinda chhod diya aur amalekiyon ki jaaydad yaani unke jaanvaron ka bhi naash nahin kiya. tab bhavishyavakta shamooel ne shaaool ko yahova ka antim faisla sunaya: “toone yahova ki aagya thukra di hai, isliye usne tujhe bhi thukra diya hai ki tu raja na rahe.​—1 shamooel 15:2, 3, 9, 10, 23.

iske kuch samay baad yahova ne shaaool se apni pavitra shakti hata di. ab yahova ka saaya shaaool par nahin raha, isliye achanak uska mizaj badal jaata aur woh ajeebo-gareeb harkatein karne lagta, gusse se bhadak uthta aur us par dar haavi ho jaata tha. parmeshvar ne us par ek buri fitrat haavi hone di. (1 shamooel 16:14; 18:10-12) yonatan ko yah dekhkar kitna dukh hua hoga ki uska pita, jo ek vakt mein ek izzatdar aadmi tha, ab kitne bure haal mein hai. fir bhi yonatan yahova ka vafadar raha aur uska kaha maanta raha. usne apne pita ka saath dene ke liye apni taraf se jo ban padta woh kiya aur kabhi-kabhi use saaf-saaf samjhaya bhi ki woh galat kar raha hai. par is poore daur mein yonatan ne apna dhyan apne pita aur parmeshvar yahova par lagaya jo kabhi badalta nahin.​—1 shamooel 19:4, 5.

kya aapne kabhi apne parivar ke kisi sadasya ko ya kisi jigri dost ko badalkar ek bura insan bante dekha hai? yah bada hi dardnak anubhav ho sakta hai. yonatan ki kahani hamein bhajan ke ek lekhak ki yah baat dilati hai: “chahe mere maata-pita mujhe chhod dein, fir bhi yahova mujhe apna lega.” (bhajan 27:10) yahova ek vafadar parmeshvar hai. aparipoorna insan chahe aapko apne bartav se nirash kar dein, magar yahova aapko thaam lega aur ek pita ke naate aapko itna pyar dega ki aap andaza bhi nahin laga sakte.

yonatan ko zaroor yah baat pata chali hogi ki yahova ne faisla kiya hai ki woh shaaool se raaj karne ka adhikar le lega. tab yonatan ko kaisa laga hoga? kya usne socha hoga ki shaaool ke baad main  kaisa raja saabit hounga? kya usne socha hoga ki uske pita ne jo tabahi machayi thi, uska sudhar karne ke liye woh kuch kadam uthayega aur ek vafadar aur aagyakari raja banega? hum nahin jaante ki usne man mein kya-kya socha hoga. hum itna zaroor jaante hain ki agar usne raja banne ki ummeed ki hogi, to woh poori nahin hui. kya iska yah matlab hai ki yahova ne us vafadar insan ko thukra diya tha? aisi baat nahin hai. iske bajay, yahova ne yonatan ko mauka diya ki ek vafadar dost hone ki badhiya misal kaayam kare. bible mein sachche doston ki jo behtareen misalein darz hain, unmein se ek yonatan ki hai. yonatan ke baare mein ek aur lekh mein isi dosti ki baat ki jaayegi.