1. Kubayini iShilo belitlhuwile begodu lilila?

 USAMUWELI bekabuzwa ubuhlungu beShilo. Bekubonakala kwanga idorobho loke liyalila. Bangaki abafazi nabantwana ebebalila, balilela abobaba, amadoda, amadodana, abanakwabo abangekhe basabuya ekhaya? Esikwaziko kwaphela kukobana ama-Israyeli alahlekelwa majoni azi-30 000 ekuhlulweni maFilisti okukhulu kungasi sikhathi eside alahlekelwa ngamanye azi-4 000 kenye ipi.—1 Sam. 4:1, 2, 10.

2, 3. Ngiziphi iinhlekelele ezaletha iinhloni nokulahlekelwa yiphazimulo eShilo?

² Lo bekumane kungomunye wemilandelande weenhlekelele. Amadodana amambi womPristi oPhakemeko u-Eli, uHofeni noFiniyasi, aphuma eShilo nembulungelo yesivumelwano ecwengileko. Ngokuvamileko ehlala endaweni ecwengileko yetabarnakele—enjengetende—imbulungelo ecwengileko le beyilitshwayo lokuba khona kwakaZimu. Ngalokho abantu bathatha iMbulungelo le baya nayo epini, ngobudlhayela bacabanga bona izokuba njengentatha ibenze bathumbe. Kodwana amaFilisti athatha iMbulungelo leyo, abulala uHofeni noFiniyasi.—1 Sam. 4:3-11.

³ Itabarnakele eShilo belihlonitjhwa ngokuba khona kweMbulungelo amakhulu weminyaka. Alo-ke kwanje besele ingasekho. Ngemva kokuzwa iindabezi, u-Eli oneminyaka ema-98 ubudala wawa ngesiphundu wafa. Umakotakwakhe, owaba mhlolokazi khona mhlokho, wafa abeletha. Ngaphambi kobana afe wathi: “Iphazimulo isukile ku-Israyeli ithunjiwe.” Kwamambala, iShilo angekhe lisaba njengekuthomeni.—1 Sam. 4:12-22.

4. Khuyini esizokucoca ngayo esahlukwenesi?

⁴ USamuweli bekazokuqalana njani nokudana okungaka? Ikholo lakhe belizokuba ngeliqine ngokwaneleko ukusiza abantu abangasanaso isivikelo sakaJehova nokwamukelwa? Soke namhlanje, ngezinye iinkhathi, singaqalana nobudisi nokudana okulinga ikholo, ngalokho asiboneni bonyana khuyini esingayifunda kuSamuweli.

5, 6. Khuyini umlando weBhayibhili owadzimelela kikho hlangana neminyaka ema-20, begodu uSamuweli bekenzani ngesikhatheso?

⁵ La, umlando weBhayibhili awusakhulumi ngoSamuweli kodwana  uthoma ukukhuluma ngeMbulungelo ecwengileko, usitjengisa indlela amaFilisti atlhaga ngayo ngokuyithatha kwawo begodu akateleleka ukuyibuyisela. Besele kudlule iminyaka ema-20 nesikhuluma ngoSamuweli godu. (1 Sam. 7:2) Bekenzani hlangana neminyaka leyo? Akukafuzi siraye.

⁶ Sifunda bona ngaphambi kokuthoma kwesikhathesi, “ilizwi lakaSamuweli laragela phambili lizwakala kiwo woke ama-Israyeli.” (1 Sam. 4:1) Umlando utjengisa bona ngemva kokuphela kwesikhatheso, uSamuweli waqiniseka bona qobe mnyaka uvakatjhela amadorobho amathathu kwa-Israyeli, alungise ukurarana aphendule nemibuzwawo. Ngemva kwalokho abuyele kwakhe eRama. (1 Sam. 7:15-17) Kuyakhanya bona uSamuweli bekahlala atinazela, begodu hlangana neminyaka ema-20 leyo, bekanokunengi akwenzako.

7, 8. (a) Ngimuphi umlayezo uSamuweli awudlulisela ebantwini ngemva kwamakhulu weminyaka womsebenzi onzima? (b) Abantu basabela njani ngemva kokuqinisekiswa nguSamuweli?

⁷ Ukuziphatha okumbi nokonakala kwamadodana ka-Eli kwanciphisa ikholo labantu. Ngebanga lalokho kubonakala kwanga abanengi bathoma ukukhonza iinthombe. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka emibili yokusebenza nzima, uSamuweli wabatjela lokhu abantu: “Nengabe nibuyela kuJehova ngehliziyo yenu yoke, lahlani abozimu bezinye iintjhaba abaphakathi kwenu ngitjho nomfanekiso ka-Ashitorethi, nikakarele kuJehova nikhonze yena yedwa, uzonitjhaphulula kumaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:3.

⁸ ‘AmaFilisti’ aba namandla ebantwini. Ibutho lama-Israyeli lihlulwe ngokupheleleko, amaFilisti azizwa kwanga agandelela abantu bakaZimu kabuhlungu. Kodwana uSamuweli waqinisekisa abantu bona izinto zizokutjhentjha kwaphela nengabe babuyela kuJehova. Bebazimisele na ukwenza njalo? Ngokuthabisako, balahla iinthombe zabo “bathoma ukukhonza uJehova kwaphela.” USamuweli wabiza umhlangano eMispa, idorobho eliseentabeni ezisetlhagwini yeJerusalema. Abantu bahlangana lapho, bazila, begodu batjhuguluka ezonweni zabo ezinengi zokukhonza iinthombe.—Funda 1 Samuweli 7:4-6.

9. Ngiliphi ithuba amaFilisti alibonako, begodu abantu bakaZimu basabela njani engozini leyo?

⁹ Nokho, amaFilisti ezwa ngomhlangano lo begodu abona lokho njengethuba. Athumela amabuthwawo eMispa bona ayokurhayila abakhulekeli bakaJehovabo. Ama-Israyeli azizwa iindaba zengozi ezako le. Athukiwe, abawa uSamuweli bona awathandazele. Wenza  njalo, wanikela nangomhlatjelo. Phakathi komnyanya ocwengileko loyo, ibutho lamaFilisti leza eMispa. UJehova waphendula umthandazo kaSamuweli. Eqinisweni, uJehova wabila khulu. Wenza bona ‘lidume khulu mhlokho ngokujamelene namaFilisti.’—1 Sam. 7:7-10.

10, 11. (a) Kubayini singathi bekunento engakajayeleki malungana nokuduma uJehova akuthumela ebuthweni lamaFilisti? (b) Waba yini umphumela epini eyathoma eMispa?

¹⁰ Manje kghani lokho kutjho bona kufuze sicabange bonyana amaFilisti layo anjengabantwana abancani abathi nebathukiweko babhace ngemva kwababelethi babo nebezwa ukuduma? Awa, la, bekumajoni aqinileko nanokuhlangabezanwe nakho. Ngalokho, ukudumokhu kufuze bona bekuyinto athoma ukuyizwa. Inga-kghani into eyawathusa khulu ‘bekulitjhada elikhulu’? Lamane lavela emafini ahlaza tlabha, namtjhana belivela eentabeni? Nanyana ngikuphi, esikwaziko kukobana lawararanisa belawathusa khulu amaFilisti. Ararene njalo, atjhentjha ekubeni ziinkutani aba basahlelwa. Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli avela eMispa, awahlula, awagijimisa amakhilomitha ambalwa, ukuya esewula tjhingalanga yeJerusalema.—1 Sam. 7:11.

¹¹ Ipi leyo yaletha amatjhuguluko aqakathekileko ebantwini bakaZimu. AmaFilisti aragela phambili abaleka ngaso soke isikhathi sokwahlulela kwakaSamuweli. Idorobho ngemva kwedorobho labuyela ebantwini bakaZimu.—1 Sam. 7:13, 14.

12. Kutjho ukuthini ukuthi uSamuweli ‘waziphatha ngokuthembeka,’ begodu ngiziphi iimfanelo ezamsiza bona ahlale aphumelela?

¹² Amakhulu weminyaka ngemva kwalokho, umpostoli uPowula wabala uSamuweli hlangana nabahluleli nabaporofidi abathembekileko ‘abaziphatha ngokuthembeka.’ (Heb. 11:32, 33) Kwamambala, uSamuweli wasiza ekwenzeni okuhle nokulungileko emehlweni kaZimu. Wahlala aphumelela ngombana walinda uJehova ngesineke, ngokuthembeka wenza umsebenzakhe naphezu kokudaniswa. Godu waba mumuntu othokozako. Ngemva kokuhlula eMispa, uSamuweli wenza isikhumbuzo sokukhumbula indlela uJehova abasize ngayo abantu bakhe.—1 Sam. 7:12.

13. (a) Ngiziphi iimfanelo esizitlhogako nesifuna ukulingisa uSamuweli? (b) Kunini lapho ucabanga bona sikhathi esihle sokuba neemfanelo ezifana nezakaSamuweli?

¹³ Nawe ufuna ‘ukuziphatha ngokuthembeka’? Nengabe kunjalo, wenza kuhle ngokufunda ngokuba nesineke nokuthobeka kwakaSamuweli,  nokuba mumuntu othokozako. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 5:6.) Ngubani phakathi kwethu ongathi akazifuni iimfanelwezo? Bekukuhle ngoSamuweli ukufuna nokubonisa iimfanelwezo asesemncani, ngombana wadaniswa khulu nesele amkhulu.

14, 15. (a) Ngikuphi ukudaniswa okukhulu uSamuweli aqalana nakho ‘nasele aluphele’? (b) Kghani uSamuweli bekungubaba oliselelako njengo-Eli? Hlathulula.

¹⁴ Isikhathi esilandelako esifunda ngaso ngoSamuweli, kulapho ‘asele aluphele.’ Ngesikhatheso uSamuweli gade asele anamadodana amabili, uJoweli no-Abhija, begodu wawabawa bona amsize ekwahluleleni. Nokho, ngokudanisako, akhenge athembeke. Nanyana uSamuweli bekathembekile begodu alungile, amadodanakhe azisebenzisa kumbi iinkhundlezi, bekahlanakela ubulungiswa begodu avumela nokufunjathiswa.—1 Sam. 8:1-3.

¹⁵ Langelinye, amadoda amadala wakwa-Israyeli aya emporofidini olupheleko lo ayokunghonghoyila. Athi kuye, “Amadodanakho akhenge akhambe ngeendlela zakho.” (1 Sam. 8:4, 5) USamuweli bekazi na ngomraro lo? Umlando awutjho. Nokho, ngokungafani no-Eli, siyaqiniseka bona uSamuweli bekangasuye ubaba  oliselelako. UJehova wakhalimela bewajezisa u-Eli ngokubhalelwa kulungisa ubumbi obebenziwa madodanakhe, ngokudumisa amadodanakhe kunoZimu. (1 Sam. 2:27-29) UJehova akhenge afumane umtjhapho onjalo kuSamuweli.

16. Ngimaphi amazizo atshwenya ababelethi babantwana abamahlongandlebe, begodu ababelethi bangayifumana njani induduzo nesinqophiso esibonelweni sakaSamuweli?

¹⁶ Umlando awubuvezi ubuhlungu, ukugandeleleka namtjhana ukudana okwazwiwa nguSamuweli ngemva kokuzwa ngokuziphatha okumbi kwamadodanakhe. Nokho, ababelethi abanengi, bangayazi kuhle indlela okungenzeka uSamuweli bekazizwa ngayo. Eenkhathini zanamhlanje ezibudisezi, ukuvukela igunya nesiluleko sababelethi kuthinta abanengi. (Funda 2 Thimothi 3:1-5.) Ababelethi abaqalene nobuhlungu obunjalo bangathola induduzo nesinqophiso esibonelweni sakaSamuweli. Akhenge nakanye avumele ukungabi nekholo kwamadodanakhe kutjhentjhe iindlela zakhe. Khumbula, ngitjho nangemva kobana amezwi nesiluleko kubhalelwe kuthinta iinhliziyo ezibukhuni, isibonelo sababelethi sihlale sisifundo esinamandla. Begodu ababelethi bahlale banethuba lokwenza ihliziyo kaBababo, uJehova uZimu ithabe—njengombana kwenza uSamuweli.

17. Amadoda amadala wakwa-Israyeli amkatelela bona enzeni uSamuweli, begodu wasabela njani?

¹⁷ Amadodana kaSamuweli akhenge acabange bona ukuba marhamaru kwawo kwenze umonakalo ongangani. Amadoda amadala wakwa-Israyeli athi kuSamuweli: “Ngalokho-ke sikhethela ikosi ezosahlulela njengazo zoke ezinye iintjhaba.” Isibaweso besifana nokwala uSamuweli ngokwakhe na? Phela bekunguye ebekahlulela abantu bakaJehova iminyaka. Kwanje, bafuna ingasi umporofidi onjengoSamuweli, kodwana bafuna ukwahlulelwa yikosi. Iintjhaba ezibabhodileko bezinamakhosi, nama-Israyeli nawo bekayifuna-ke! Wasabela njani uSamuweli? Sifunda bona “intwele beyiyimbi emehlweni kaSamuweli.”—1 Sam. 8:5, 6.

18. UJehova wamduduza njani uSamuweli kodwana nokho waveza ubukhulu besono sama-Israyeli?

¹⁸ Tjheja bona uJehova wasabela njani uSamuweli nekasa indaba le kuye ngomthandazo: “Lalela ilizwi labantu kikho koke abakutjhoko kuwe; ngombana abali wena, kodwana bala mina bona ngibe yikosabo.” Qala bona bekududuza kangangani kuSamuweli, kodwana kukumbi begodu kuletha ihlazo kuZimu uMninimandla woke! UJehova watjela umporofidakhe bona ayelelise ama-Israyeli ngobudisi azokuqalana nabo ngokuba nekosi emumuntu. USamuweli nekavumelana nawo, aphikelela: “Awa, ikosi ngiyo ezosibusa.” Ahlala  athembekile kuZimakhe, uSamuweli wakhamba wayokuzesa ikosi ekhethwe nguJehova.—1 Sam. 8:7-19.

19, 20. (a) Ngiziphi iindlela uSamuweli alalela ngazo isinqophiso sakaJehova ngokuzesa uSawulu njengekosi yakwa-Israyeli? (b) USamuweli waragela njani phambili ukusiza abantu bakaJehova?

¹⁹ Nokho, uSamuweli walalela njani? Adubhule umlomo, nofana arhorha iinyawo? Wavumela ukudana bona kuhlale ehliziywenakhe, kumenze asilingeke? Abanengi bebazokusabela njalo ebujamweni obufana nalobu, kodwana uSamuweli yena akhenge enze njalo. Wazesa uSawulu begodu wamukela bona indoda le ikhethwe nguJehova. Wammanga uSawulu, njengetshwayo lokumamukela nokuzithoba ekosini etja le. Wathi ebantwini: “Nimbonile umuntu okhethwe nguJehova, ngombana akekho ofana naye kibo boke abantu?”—1 Sam. 10:1, 24.

²⁰ USamuweli wadzimelela ingasi emitjhaphweni, kodwana kokuhle endodeni ekhethwe nguJehova. Njengakuye ngokwakhe, wadzimelela emlandwenakhe wokuthembeka kuZimu kunokwamukelwa babantu abangayaziko into abayifunako. (1 Sam. 12:1-4) Godu wasebenza ngokuthembeka esabelweni sakhe, aluleka abantu bakaZimu ngeengozi ezingokomoya abaqalene nazo begodu wabakhuthaza bona bahlale bathembekile kuJehova. Isiluleko sakhe sabathinta iinhliziyo, begodu barabhela uSamuweli bona abathandazele kuJehova. Wabanikela ipendulo ehle nasi: “Akucabangeki kimi bona ngone kuJehova ngokulisa ukunithandazela; kufuze nginifundise ngendlela ehle nelungileko.”—1 Sam. 12:21-24.

21. Isibonelo sakaSamuweli singaba njani lisizo nengabe wakhe wazizwa udanile omunye umuntu nekathola isikhundla namtjhana ilungelo elithileko?

²¹ Wakhe wazizwa udanile nengabe kukhona othole isikhundla namtjhana ilungelo elithileko? Isibonelo sakaSamuweli sikhumbuzo esinamandla sokobana akukafuzi sibe nomona namtjhana sivumele ukukwata kukhule eenhliziyweni zethu. (Funda IzAga 14:30.) UZimu unomsebenzi omnengi ozuzisako nowanelisako kizo zoke iinceku zakhe ezithembekileko.

22. Kubayini uSamuweli bekarerhe ngokubona okuhle kuSawulu ekuthomeni?

²² USamuweli bekarerhe ngokubona okuhle kuSawulu; le bekuyindoda ekhethekileko. Amude begodu amuhle khulu, bekanesibindi nekghono kodwana nokho athobekile, angazikhakhazisi.  (1 Sam. 10:22, 23, 27) Ukungezelela eemphiwenezo, bekanesinye esiligugu—ilungelo nekghono lokuzikhethela nokuzenzela iinqunto. (Dut. 30:19) Wasisebenzisa kuhle na isiphiweso?

23. Ngiyiphi ifanelo yokuthoma eligugu eyalahlekela uSawulu, begodu wakubonisa njani ukuzikhukhumeza okukhulako?

²³ Ngokudanisako, nengabe umuntu uthole isikhundla esitjha, into yokuthoma emlahlekelako, kuthobeka. Msinyana, uSawulu wathoma ukuzikhakhazisa. Wakhetha ukungayilaleli imilayo kaJehova uSamuweli ayidlulisela kuye. Ngesinye isikhathi, uSawulu waphela ihliziyo wenza umhlatjelo ebekufuze wenziwe nguSamuweli. USamuweli bekufuze amkhalimele ngamandla begodu abikezele bona ubukhosi angekhe buhlale emndenini kaSawulu. Kunokobana afunde esilulekweni, uSawulu wathuwelela ngokungathembeki.—1 Sam. 13:8, 9, 13, 14.

24. (a) USawulu wahluleka njani ukulalela uJehova nekayokulwa nama-Amaleki? (b) USawulu wasabela njani esilulekweni, begodu saba yini isiqunto sakaJehova?

²⁴ NgoSamuweli, uJehova watjela uSawulu bona ahlele ukuyokulwa nama-Amaleki. Iinluleko zakaJehova bezibandakanya nomlayo wokubulala ikosawo embi, u-Agagi. Nokho, uSawulu akhenge ambulale u-Agagi watjhiya nezinto eziqalekako ebekufuze azitjhabalalise. USamuweli nekeza ukuzomkhalimela, uSawulu wamtjela bona utjhentjhe kangangani. Kunokobana amukele ukulungiswa ngokuthobeka, wazithethelela, watjhalazelela indaba le, begodu wasola abantu ngezenzo zakhe. USawulu nekalinga ukuzithethelela ngokuthi ezinye izinto azibekako bekazokwenza ngazo iminikelo kuJehova, uSamuweli wamtjela amezwi aqakathekileko la: “Qala! Ukulalela kungcono kunomhlatjelo.” Ngesibindi uSamuweli wakhalima indoda le begodu waveza isiqunto sakaJehova: Ubukhosi buzokususwa kuSawulu bunikelwe enye indoda engcono. a—1 Sam. 15:1-33.

25, 26. (a) Kubayini uSamuweli alilela uSawulu, begodu uJehova wamkhalimela bunjani ngesisa umporofidakhe lo? (b) Ngisiphi isifundo uSamuweli asifundako nekaya kwaJese?

²⁵ USamuweli gade atshwenyeke khulu ngemitjhapho ebeyenziwe nguSawulu. Walilela uJehova ubusuku boke ngomraro lo. Wayililela ngitjho nokuyililela indoda le. USamuweli gade abone ikghono  elikhulu kuSawulu, nokuhle okunengi, kodwana amathemba anjalo atjhabalala. Indoda ebekayazi ekuthomeni yatjhuguluka—yalahlekelwa ziimfanelo ezihle yabe yajikela noJehova. USamuweli akhenge asafuna nokumbona uSawulu. Nokho, ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova ngesisa walungisa umbono kaSamuweli: “Uzomlilela bekube nini uSawulu, ngombana nami ngokwami ngimlahlile ekubuseni ama-Israyeli njengekosi? Zalisa iphondo lakho ngamafutha ukhambe. Ngizokuthumela kuJese weBetlehema, ngombana ngizikhethele enye yamadodanakhe bona ibe yikosi.”—1 Sam. 15:34, 35; 16:1.

²⁶ Ihloso kaJehova ayikadzimeleli ebantwini abanesono nabanokuthembeka okuguquguqukako. Nengabe omunye uba ngongathembekiko, uJehova uzakufumana omunye bona aragekisele phambili intandwakhe. Ngalokho uSamuweli olupheleko walisa ukulilela uSawulu. Ngesinqophiso sakaJehova, uSamuweli waya emzini kaJese eBetlehema, lapho afumana khona amadodanakhe ambalwa aqalekako. Nokho, kwemathomeni, uJehova wakhumbuza uSamuweli bona aqale ngale kokubonakala kwangaphandle. (Funda 1 Samuweli 16:7.) Ekugcineni, wayifumana indodana engumaswaphela, ebeyikhethwe nguJehova—uDavidi!

27. (a) Khuyini eyasiza ikholo lakaSamuweli bona liqine? (b) Uzizwa njani ngesibonelo esabekwa nguSamuweli?

²⁷ Eminyakenakhe yamaswaphela, uSamuweli wakubona kuhle ukulunga kwesiqunto sakaJehova sokujamiselela uSawulu ngoDavidi. USawulu waba nomona owamenza wafuna ukubulala uDavidi begodu waba sihlubuki. Nokho, uDavidi bekaneemfanelo ezihle—isibindi, ukuthembeka nekholo. USamuweli njengombana selazokufa, ikholo lakhe laqina khulu. Wabona bonyana akukho ukudana okukhulu bona uJehova angakupholisa, akuqede namtjhana akwenze ngitjho nesibusiso. Ekugcineni, uSamuweli wafa, watjhiya umlando okhethekileko wokuphila kwakhe kweminyaka epheze ibe yikhulu. Woke ama-Israyeli alilela indoda ethembekileko leyo—begodu lokho akusirari! Bekube namhlanje, iinceku zakaJehova zenza kuhle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ngizokulingisa ikholo lakaSamuweli na?’