1, 2. Kwakutheni uSamuyeli aze abuthanise abantu bako-Israyeli, futhi kungani kwakumele abasize ukuthi baphenduke?

USAMUYELI wabakhangela wabathi nhlo abantu. Uzulu wonke wayethe gwaqa edolobheni laseGiligali ezokuzwa ukuthi indoda le eyayithembekile yayibabizeleni. Kwasekuleminyaka ingumphrofethi futhi ingumahluleli wabo. Ngekhalenda lalamuhla, singathi kwakunguNkwenkwezi kumbe kunguNhlangula. Kwakusebusika, sekulesikhathi eside izulu lithe nya. Ngale ngasemasimini ingqoloyi yayisimhlophe isilindele ukuvunwa. Inkundla yayisithe cwaka. Wayezakwenzani uSamuyeli ukuze amazwi akhe afike enzikini yezinhliziyo zabo?

² Abantu babengaboni lutho olunxele ngababekwenzile. Babeqinise intamo bathi sebefuna umuntu ongababusa. Babengakuzwisisi ukuthi lokhu kwakuyikudelela uNkulunkulu wabo uJehova kanye lomphrofethi wakhe. Kwakufanana lokuthi kabasafuni ukuthi uJehova abe yiNkosi yabo. Manje uSamuyeli wabasiza njani?

3, 4. (a) Kungani uSamuyeli wakhuluma ngezinto azenza esesemutsha? (b) Kungani isibonelo sikaSamuyeli siluncedo kithi lamuhla?

³ Wakhuluma labako-Israyeli wathi: “Sengiluphele lenwele sezimpunga.” Amazwi akhe ayelesisindo, nanko phela wayesecutha olumhlophe. Waqhubeka wathi: “Kade ngingumkhokheli wenu kusukela ebutsheni bami kuze kube lamhla.” (1 Sam. 11:14, 15; 12:2) Lanxa wayesemdala, wayengakazikhohlwa leziya zinsuku esesemutsha. Kuye kwakungathi kuyizolo nje. Izinqumo ayezenze esesemncane zazitshengise ukuthi wayelokholo njalo ezinikele kuNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova okwempilo yakhe yonke.

⁴ USamuyeli kwakumele asebenze nzima ukuze abe lokholo oluqinileyo lanxa abantu ayephila labo babengelakholo futhi bengathembekanga. Lalamuhla kunzima ukuba lokholo ngoba abantu esiphila phakathi kwabo baxhwalile futhi kabalakholo. (Bala uLukha 18:8.)  Ake sibone ukuthi singafundani endabeni kaSamuyeli kusukela esesemncane.

5, 6. USamuyeli wakhula njani, njalo abazali bakhe babekwazi ngani ukuthi uzanakekelwa kuhle eShilo?

⁵ USamuyeli kakhulanga njengabanye abantwana. Esanda nje kulunyulwa, mhlawumbe eseleminyaka emithathu kumbe edlula lapho kancane, wahle wayaqalisa ukukhonza ethabanikeli likaJehova elingcwele elaliseShilo. Lalikhatshana langakibo eRama ngamakhilomitha adlula 32. Abazali bakhe, u-Elikhana loHana, babemnikele kuJehova ukuthi ayekwenza inkonzo eqakathekileyo, waba ngumNaziri okwempilo yakhe yonke. * Kambe lokhu kwakusitsho ukuthi babengamthandi futhi bemlahlele iganga?

⁶ Ngitsho sibili! Babekwazi mhlophe ukuthi umntanabo wayezakondliwa kuhle eShilo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uMphristi Omkhulu u-Eli wayeqikelela ukuthi konke kuhamba kuhle ngoba wayesebenza laye emfake ekhwapheni. Kanti njalo kwakulabesifazana ababencedisa ethabanikeli futhi kukhanya babesebenza ngendlela ehlelekileyo.—Eks. 38:8; Abahlu. 11:34-40.

7, 8. (a) Abazali bakaSamuyeli babemkhuthaza njani minyaka yonke? (b) Abazali lamuhla bangafundani kuHana lo-Elikhana?

⁷ Kodwa uHana lo-Elikhana kabazange bayilibale ingqabutho yabo ababeyithanda futhi beyithole ngemva kokuthandaza. UHana wayecele indodana kuNkulunkulu, wathembisa ukuthi uzayinikela kuye imsebenzele okwempilo yayo yonke. Wayeyivakatshela minyaka yonke eyiphathela ijazana elitsha elingelamikhono ayeyithungela lona ukuze iligqoke ngesikhathi isebenza ethabanikeli. Kumele ukuthi uSamuyeli wayethaba abe manzi te nxa babemvakatshele. Mhlawumbe okwakumsiza yikuthi abazali bakhe babemkhuthaza futhi bemlaya, bemkhumbuza lokuthi kwakuyisibusiso esikhulu kakhulu ukusebenzela uJehova endaweni leyo eyayiqakathekile.

⁸ Abazali bangafunda okunengi kuHana lo-Elikhana. Kujayelekile ukuthi abazali balale bengalele bezama ukondla abantwababo besebekhohlwa ukubafundisa ukuthi bathande uJehova. Kodwa abakaSamuyeli babeqakathekisa ukukhonza uJehova ukwedlula konke njalo lokhu kwenza ukuthi laye amthande uJehova.—Bala iZaga 22:6.

9, 10. (a) Chaza ukuthi lalinjani ithabanikeli kanye lokuthi esesemncane uSamuyeli wayesizwa njani nxa wayecabanga ngalo. (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.) (b) Yiphi eminye imisebenzi uSamuyeli ayengabe eyenza, njalo ubona angathi abasakhulayo lamuhla bangamlingisela njani?

⁹ USamuyeli wajwaqa waba lijaha. Akumbone ngelihlo lengqondo  ezibhodabhodela ebuka amaqaqa ayegqagqele iShilo. Nxa wayekhangela laphaya phansi ebona ithabanikeli likaJehova, kufanele ukuthi inhliziyo yakhe yayigubhazela ngentokozo futhi esizwa kusithi kagwabe ngalo. Laliyindawo engcwele sibili. * Kwasekuleminyaka engaba ngu-400 lakhiwe ngabako-Israyeli beqondiswa nguMosi sibi sakhe. Laliyisigodlo sokukhonza kweqiniso emhlabeni jikelele.

¹⁰ USamuyeli wakhula elithanda ithabanikeli. Endabeni ayibhala ngemva kwesikhathi sithola amazwi la athi: “USamuyeli wayekhonza phambi kukaJehova—umfana egqoka isambatho samahlombe selineni.” (1 Sam. 2:18) Isambatho leso esasingelamikhono sasingabe sitshengisa ukuthi wayencedisa abaphristi ethabanikeli. Lanxa wayengayisuye wosendo lwabaphristi, wayesebenza ukuvula iminyango yethabanikeli ekuseni futhi wayencedisa lo-Eli owayeseluphele. Wayewukholisa sibili umsebenzi wakhe kodwa wacina engasahlalisekanga ngoba kwasekusonakala endlini kaJehova. Kukhona okwakutshaya amanzi!

11, 12. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uHofini loFinehasi babe ngabantu abaxhwalileyo? (b) Yikuphi ukuxhwala lokuganga uHofini loFinehasi ababekwenza ethabanikeli? (Khangela lamabala angaphansi.)

¹¹ Esesemncane, uSamuyeli wababona ngawakhe abantu ababegangile. U-Eli wayelamadodana amabili okwakuthiwa nguHofini loFinehasi. Endabeni kaSamuyeli sithola ukuthi “amadodana ka-Eli ayengabantu abaxhwalileyo, ayengamnanzi uJehova.” (1 Sam. 2:12) Kuyini okwakusenza ukuthi uHofini loFinehasi ‘babengabantu abaxhwalileyo’? Babengamnanzi uJehova. Umutsho wesiHebheru ohunyutshwe ngokuthi “ayengabantu abaxhwalileyo” utsho ukuthi “ayengamadodana angelancedo.” Babengelandaba lemithetho kaNkulunkulu kanye lezimiso zakhe. Lokhu yikho okwazala zonke ezinye izono zabo.

¹² EMthethweni kaNkulunkulu kwakucacile ukuthi abaphristi kwakumele benzeni kanye lokuthi kwakufanele bayinikele njani imihlatshelo ethabanikeli. Kwakufanele kucace sibili ngoba imihlatshelo le yayimela lokho uNkulunkulu ayezakwenza ukuze abantu bathethelelwe izono, babe ngabahlanzekileyo phambi kwakhe, bathole izibusiso njalo baqondiswe  nguye. Kodwa uHofini loFinehasi babesenza ukuthi labanye abaphristi bayidelele imihlatshelo le. *

13, 14. (a) Kukhanya abantu babesizwa njani nxa babephathwa kubi ethabanikeli? (b) U-Eli wehluleka njani ukugcwalisa umlandu wakhe?

¹³ Akumcabange uSamuyeli esevule amehlo emangaliswa ngamahlongandlebe la ayetshakala santando. Wayengeke ababale abaqede abantu ayebabona besiza ethabanikeli elingcwele belethemba lokuthi bazaduduzwa babelamandla okuqhubeka bekhonza. Kodwa babesuka sebeyangekile, besizwa ubuhlungu kumbe bebunile. Phela abanye babo babezidubekela, bengabayanga futhi behlulukelwe. Pho uSamuyeli wezwa njani lapho edobha udletshana lokuthi uHofini loFinehasi babelala labesifazana ababesebenza ethabanikeli, bengawunanzi umthetho kaNkulunkulu wokuthi kumele baziphathe njani? (1 Sam. 2:22) Engxenye wayethemba ukuthi u-Eli wayezalungisa izinto.

¹⁴ U-Eli nguye owayengalulungisa ngcono uhlupho lolu olwaselukhona. Njengoba wayengumphristi omkhulu, wayelomlandu wokukhangela konke okwakusenzakala ethabanikeli. Kanti njalo wayenguyise wezixhwali lezi, yikho nguye futhi owayelomlandu wokuzilaya. Phela abantwabakhe babezigwaza ngowabo futhi bebadlisa luklubhu abanye. Kodwa u-Eli kwamehlula kokubili ukuba ngubaba lokuba ngumphristi omkhulu. Wabakhuza engathi uyabancenga nje ethambise lelizwi. (Bala u-1 Samuyeli 2:23-25.) Kodwa amadodana akhe kwasekumele alaywe okuzwayo sibili. Abantu ababesenza izono ezinjengezabo babegwetshelwa ukufa.

15. UJehova wamgweba njani u-Eli, njalo u-Eli lemuli yakhe benzani sebekuzwile lokhu?

¹⁵ Kwaqhubeka kusonakala, uJehova waze wacina esethumela omunye umphrofethi iBhayibhili elimbiza ngokuthi ‘ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu’ ukuthi ayekwethula isigwebo sakhe. UJehova wabuza u-Eli wathi: “Kungani usazisa amadodana akho okudlula mina?” Wamtshela ukuthi amadodana akhe axhwalileyo ayezakufa ngasukulunye, lokuthi imuli yakhe yayizahlupheka kakhulu ize ithathelwe lesibusiso sokuba ngabaphristi abakhulu. Bantshintsha yini sebezwe isixwayiso esasisesabeka kangaka? Asitholi lutho endabeni le olusitshengisa ukuthi bantshintsha.—1 Sam. 2:27–3:1.

16. (a) Imibhalo isitshelani ngoSamuyeli esesengumfanyana? (b) Uzwa njani ngalokho okwenziwa nguSamuyeli?

¹⁶ Njengoba kwasekukompunzi idla emini, uSamuyeli wenzani?  Lapha lalaphana endabeni le edanisayo sihlangana lezinto ezinhle ayezenza esakhula. Khumbula ukuthi u-1 Samuyeli 2:18 uthi uSamuyeli “wayekhonza phambi kukaJehova” zikhathi zonke. Esesengumfanyana wayevele esekuthanda ukukhonza uNkulunkulu. Ivesi 21 yona isitshela okunye futhi okujabulisayo. Ithi: “Umfana uSamuyeli wakhula phambi kukaJehova.” Ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova baqhubeka buqina ngesikhathi ekhula. Yikho-ke isikhali esingcono kulazo zonke esingazivikela ngaso emhlabeni lo ogcwele abantu abaxhwalileyo yikuthi sibe ngabangane bakaJehova.

17, 18. (a) AmaKhristu asakhulayo angamlingisela njani uSamuyeli nxa ehlangana labantu abaxhwalileyo? (b) Kwakhanya njani ukuthi uSamuyeli wakhetha indlela eyiyo?

¹⁷ Kwakungaba lula ukuthi uSamuyeli abe ngukhanda limtshela okwakhe abesezigeza ngokuthi akulandaba njengoba umphristi omkhulu lamadodana akhe labo besenza izono. Kodwa ukuxhwala kwabanye kanye lokwabakhokhelayo kakusilotshoba lokuziphungela nxa umuntu esona. Lalamuhla amaKhristu amanengi asakhulayo enza kuhle njengoSamuyeli. Ayaqhubeka ‘ekhula phambi kukaJehova,’ lanxa osowabo bengamahlongandlebe.

¹⁸ USamuyeli kwamnceda ngani ukuziphatha kuhle? IBhayibhili lithi: “Umfana uSamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula ngomzimba langokuthandeka kuJehova lasebantwini.” (1 Sam. 2:26) Yikho-ke bonke abantu ababeluncedo empilweni yakhe babengamthontisi. UJehova laye wayethokoza ngomfana lo owayethembekile. Kanti njalo kufanele ukuthi uSamuyeli wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi ngelinye ilanga uNkulunkulu wakhe wayezabajezisa abantu ababesona eShilo. Kodwa wayengabe ezibuza ukuthi nini. Impendulo wayithola ngelinye ilanga elele.

19, 20. (a) Chasisa ukuthi kwahamba njani ngobunye ubusuku uSamuyeli ezilalele ethabanikeli. (b) USamuyeli wayemphatha njani u-Eli?

¹⁹ Kwakusemathathakusa kuthule kuthe cwaka, kodwa ilangabi lesibani esikhulu lalilokhu lisithi bayibayi phakathi kwethente. USamuyeli wezwa ukuthi kulomuntu ombizayo. Wahle wazitshela ukuthi ngu-Eli, kwazise umphristi lo wayeseluphele futhi esebona kalufifi. USamuyeli wathi lothu “wagijimela” kuye. Uyambona yini ngelihlo lengqondo umfana entantalaza ebhadula ngenyawo phansi eqonde ku-Eli? Kuyinto ebabazekayo ukuthi wayelokhu esamhlonipha u-Eli futhi elomusa kuye. Lanxa u-Eli wayebhabhule izono ezinengi, wayelokhu engumphristi omkhulu kaJehova.—1 Sam. 3:2-5.

²⁰ USamuyeli wafika wavusa u-Eli wathi: “Ngilapha; ungibizile.” U-Eli wamtshela ukuthi wayengambizanga, wasesithi kabuyele ayelala. Umfana waqhubeka elizwa ilizwi, futhi evuka eqonda ku-Eli. Kwasekusithi dlwe ku-Eli, wananzelela okwakusenzakala. Phela kulezonsuku ilizwi kanye lemibono evela kuJehova kwasekulilihlo lentwala njalo isizatho sasisegcekeni. Kodwa u-Eli wakudobha ukuthi uJehova wayesefuna ukukhuluma labantu bakhe esebenzisa umfana lo. U-Eli wamtshela umfana ukuthi kabuyele ayolala lokuthi asabele njani. USamuyeli walalela. Akuthathanga sikhathi walizwa futhi ilizwi lisithi: “Samuyeli! Samuyeli!” Wasabela wathi: “Khuluma, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.”—1 Sam. 3:1, 5-10.

21. Singalizwa njani ilizwi likaJehova lamuhla, njalo kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi simlalele?

²¹ UJehova wayesethole inceku eyayimlalela eShilo. Okwempilo yakhe yonke uSamuyeli waqhubeka elalela. Wena uyalalela na? Akusikho ukuthi sekumele ulindele ukuzwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu likhuluma lawe ebusuku. Lamuhla nxa sibala iBhayibhili, kufanana lokuthi siyabe silizwa ilizwi lakhe. Ngakho-ke nxa singaqhubeka simlalela uNkulunkulu senze asitshela khona, ukholo lwethu luzaqhubeka luqina njengolukaSamuyeli.

22, 23. (a) Ilizwi uSamuyeli aqalisa esesaba ukuyalibika lagcwaliseka njani? (b) Kuyini okwaqhubeka kucaca mayelana loSamuyeli?

²² Impilo kaSamuyeli yahle yantshintsha ngalelolanga. Waqalisa ukuzwisisa uJehova ngenye indlela ngoba khathesi wayesengumphrofethi wakhe owayezabe emkhulumela. Ekuqaliseni lalimsinda ilizwi likaJehova elalisiya ku-Eli. Phela kwakumele amtshele ukuthi isiphrofetho esimayelana lomonakalo owawuzakwehlela imuli yakhe sasesizagcwaliseka. Kodwa uSamuyeli waqunga isibindi wayamtshela njalo u-Eli wazithoba wasamukela isigwebo esasivela kuJehova. Kungakabi nsuku ngaki, konke okwakukhulunywe nguJehova kwenzakala. Ama-Israyeli aya empini esiyakulwa lamaFilisti. UHofini loFinehasi babulawa  ngasukulunye njalo u-Eli wahle wafa esizwa nje ukuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano elingcwele laselithunjiwe.—1 Sam. 3:10-18; 4:1-18.

²³ Loba kunjalo, kwaqhubeka kucaca ukuthi uSamuyeli wayengumphrofethi othembekileyo. IBhayibhili lithi “uJehova wayeloSamuyeli” njalo wazigcwalisa zonke iziphrofetho ayezikhuluma.—Bala u-1 Samuyeli 3:19.

24. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi ama-Israyeli akhetha ukwenzani, njalo kungani lokhu kwakuyisono esikhulu?

²⁴ Pho ama-Israyeli amlandela yini uSamuyeli aba ngabantu abathembekileyo njalo abathanda uJehova? Hatshi. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi asola esithi kawasafuni kwahlulelwa ngokungumphrofethi, kodwa ayesefuna ukubuswa yinkosi njengezinye izizwe. UJehova wathi uSamuyeli kakwenze abakufunayo, lakanye walalela. Kodwa kwakumele abacacisele ukuthi babenze isono esikhulu. Babengahlamukelanga umuntu nje kodwa babesala ukubuswa nguJehova. Ngakho-ke uSamuyeli wabuthanisa isizwe sonke eGiligali.

25, 26. EGiligali uSamuyeli wabasiza njani abantu ukuthi bazwisise ukuthi isono ababesenzile sasisikhulu?

²⁵ Ake sibuyele lapho esiqalise khona emhlanganweni owawuseGiligali lapho abantu ababelindele ngabomvu ukuzwa ukuthi uSamuyeli ubaphatheleni. Indoda le eyayisiluphele yabakhumbuza ukuthi yona yayilokhu iqotho kuJehova kusukela kudala. IBhayibhili lithi: “USamuyeli wakhuleka kuJehova,” ecela umdumo lezulu.—1 Sam. 12:17, 18.

²⁶ Kambe kwakungaba lomdumo lezulu ebusika? Lapho ilanga lalingawa lidojwe zinkukhu! Nxa babekhona ababehlekela esikhewini bethandabuza ukuthi izulu lalingana, baqunywa imilomo. Kwaqubuka amayezi ngesikhatshana nje, kwabamnyama phezulu. Kwavunguza umoya, wawisa lengqoloyi emasimini. Lakhwaza, kwaba lomdumo omkhulu, laselithululeka. Bathini ababekhona? “Abantu bonke bamesaba uJehova loSamuyeli.” Bakuzwisisa lelolanga ukuthi isono ababesenzile sasisikhulu sibili.—1 Sam. 12:18, 19.

27. UJehova uthini ngalabo abalokholo olunjengolukaSamuyeli?

²⁷ Kwakungayisuye Samuyeli kodwa kwakunguJehova uNkulunkulu owayencibilikise izinhliziyo zabo ezazilukhuni. USamuyeli wayelokholo kuNkulunkulu kusukela esesemncane waze waluphala. UJehova wambusisa. Lalamuhla kakantshintshi. Ulokhu ebasekela labo abalokholo olunjengolukaSamuyeli.