IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila

Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi Ka-Esteri

LELI cebo libonakala lizophumelela nakanjani. AmaJuda azobhuqwa ngokuphelele nangokushesha. Ngosuku oselunqunyiwe, wonke amaJuda ahlala embusweni osuka eNdiya kuze kube seTopiya azoqothulwa. Yilokho akucabangayo umuntu owenze leli cebo. Nokho, kunento eyodwa angazange ayiqaphele, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wasezulwini angabakhulula abantu bakhe abakhethiwe kunoma isiphi isimo esisongela ukuphila. Lokhu kukhululwa kulotshwe encwadini yeBhayibheli ka-Esteri.

Incwadi ka-Esteri yabhalwa indoda endala engumJuda okuthiwa uMoridekayi, futhi ihlanganisa iminyaka engaba ngu-18 phakathi nokubusa kwenkosi yasePheresiya u-Ahashiveroshi, noma uXerxes I. Lokhu kulandisa okuvusa amadlingozi kubonisa indlela uJehova asindisa ngayo abantu bakhe emacebweni amabi ezitha zabo, ngisho noma izinceku zakhe zazihlakazekele kuwo wonke umbuso omkhulu. Lolo lwazi luluqinisa ngempela ukholo lwabantu bakaJehova namuhla, abanikela kuye inkonzo engcwele emazweni angu-235. Ngaphezu kwalokho, incwadi ka-Esteri inezibonelo zokulingiswa nezinye okufanele sizigweme. Ngempela, “izwi likaNkulunkulu liyaphila, linamandla.”—Hebheru 4:12.

INDLOVUKAZI KUMELWE INGENELE

(Esteri 1:1–5:14)

Ngonyaka wesithathu wokubusa kwayo (ngo-493 B.C.E), iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yenza idili lasebukhosini. INdlovukazi uVashiti, eyaziwa ngokuba yinhle, icasula inkosi futhi iyasuswa esikhundleni sayo. Phakathi kwazo zonke izintombi ezinhle ezweni kukhethwa intombi engumJuda, uHadasa, ukuba athathe isikhundla sendlovukazi. Eqondiswé umzala wakhe uMoridekayi, uHadasa uyazifihla ukuthi ungumJuda futhi usebenzisa igama lakhe lesiPheresiya elithi Esteri.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uHamani, indoda eqhoshayo, ukhushulelwa esikhundleni sokuba undunankulu. UHamani uwotha ubomvu ngoba uMoridekayi uyenqaba ‘ukuwa ngobuso amkhothamele,’ ngakho wenza icebo lokubulala wonke amaJuda aseMbusweni wasePheresiya. (Esteri 3:2) UHamani ushoshozela u-Ahashiveroshi ukuba avumelane naye futhi uyaphumelela ekwenzeni inkosi ikhiphe umthetho wokuba amaJuda aqothulwe. UMoridekayi ‘umbatha indwangu yesaka nomlotha.’ (Esteri 4:1) Manje u-Esteri kumelwe angenele. Umema inkosi nondunankulu wayo edilini lekhethelo. Lapho sebefikile, u-Esteri uyabacela ukuba beze nangakusasa kwelinye idili. UHamani uchichima injabulo. Nokho, uthukuthela uyangqanqa ngenxa yokuthi uMoridekayi uyenqaba ukumkhothamela. UHamani wenza icebo lokubulala uMoridekayi ngaphambi kokuba aye edilini ngakusasa.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

1:3-5—Ingabe idili lathatha izinsuku ezingu-180? Umbhalo awusho ukuthi idili lathatha  isikhathi eside kangako kodwa uthi inkosi yabonisa izikhulu ubuhle nengcebo yombuso wayo okhazimulayo izinsuku ezingu-180. Kungenzeka ukuthi inkosi yasebenzisa lesi senzakalo esathatha isikhathi eside ukuze ibukise ngenkazimulo yombuso wayo nokuba ihlabe izikhulu umxhwele futhi iziqinisekise ngekhono layo lokufeza amacebo ayo. Uma kunjalo, ivesi 3 no-5 lingabhekisela edilini elathatha izinsuku ezingu-7 elaba ngemva kombuthano wezinsuku ezingu-180.

1:8—Kungayiphi indlela ‘kwakungekho muntu owayephoqelela maqondana nesikhathi sokuphuza’? Kulesi senzakalo, iNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yenza okwehlukile kulokho okubhekwa njengokwakuyisiko lasePheresiya lokunxenxa umuntu ukuba aphuze isilinganiso esithile kuleyo mibuthano. Enye incwadi ithi: “Kwakushiyelwe kubo ukuthi baphuza kancane noma kakhulu kangakanani.”

1:10-12—Kungani iNdlovukazi uVashiti yayilokhu yenqaba ukuya enkosini? Ezinye izazi zisikisela ukuthi indlovukazi yenqaba ukulalela ngenxa yokuthi yakhetha ukungazihlazi phambi kwezimenywa zenkosi ezazidakiwe. Noma kungenzeka ukuthi le ndlovukazi enguphuma langa sikothe yayingathobekile. Nakuba iBhayibheli lingasisho isisusa sayo, amadoda ahlakaniphile angaleso sikhathi abona ukuthi ukungalaleli umyeni kwakuyindaba engathí sina nokuthi isibonelo esibi sikaVashiti sasizowathinta wonke amakhosikazi asezifundeni zasePheresiya.

2:14-17—Ingabe u-Esteri walala nenkosi? Cha. Ukulandisa kuthi ekuseni abanye abesifazane abalethwa enkosini babebuyela endlini yesibili elawulwa umthenwa wenkosi, “umqaphi wezancinza.” Abesifazane ababechitha ubusuku nenkosi babeba izancinza zayo. Nokho, u-Esteri akazange ayiswe endlini yezancinza ngemva kokubonwa yinkosi. Lapho elethwa phambi kuka-Ahashiveroshi, “inkosi yamthanda u-Esteri ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye besifazane, kangangokuba wathola umusa nomusa wothando omkhulu phambi kwayo ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye izintombi.” (Esteri 2:17) Wawuthola kanjani “umusa nomusa wothando” ku-Ahashiveroshi? Ngendlela efanayo naleyo awuthola ngayo kwabanye abantu. “Le ntombi yayithandeka emehlweni [kaHegayi], kangangokuba yazuza umusa wothando phambi kwakhe.” (Esteri 2:8, 9) UHegayi wayemthanda ngenxa yalokho ayekubona kuye—ukubukeka kwakhe nezimfanelo zakhe ezinhle. Empeleni, “u-Esteri wayelokhu ethola umusa njalo emehlweni abo bonke ababembona.” (Esteri 2:15) Ngokufanayo, inkosi yakhangwa yilokho eyakubona ku-Esteri ngakho yabe isimthanda.

3:2; 5:9—Kungani uMoridekayi enqaba ukukhothamela uHamani? Ama-Israyeli ayenganqatshelwe ukuqaphela isikhundla esiphakeme somuntu omkhulu ngokuba amkhothamele. Nokho, kuHamani kwakuhileleke okwengeziwe. UHamani wayengumAgagi, okungenzeka ukuthi wayengumAmaleki, futhi uJehova wayeshilo ukuthi ama-Amaleki kwakufanele aqothulwe. (Duteronomi 25:19) KuMoridekayi, ukukhothamela uHamani kwakuwukwephula ubuqotho kuJehova. Wenqaba ngokucacile, esho nokusho ukuthi ungumJuda.—Esteri 3:3, 4.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

2:10, 20; 4:12-16. U-Esteri wasamukela isiqondiso neseluleko esasivela kumkhulekeli kaJehova ovuthiwe. Sisuke sihlakaniphile uma ‘sibalalela abaholayo phakathi kwethu futhi sizithobe kubo.’—Hebheru 13:17.

2:11; 4:5. Kufanele ‘singakhathaleli nje kuphela izindaba zethu siqu, kodwa futhi sikhathalele nezabanye.’—Filipi 2:4.

2:15. U-Esteri wabonisa isizotha nokuzithiba ngokungaceli imigexo eyengeziwe noma izingubo zikanokusho ngaphezu kwalezo azinikezwa uHegayi. ‘Kwakuwumuntu osithekile wenhliziyo ogqoke isambatho esingenakonakala somoya onokuthula nobumnene’ owenza ukuba u-Esteri athole umusa enkosini.—1 Petru 3:4.

 2:21-23. U-Esteri noMoridekayi babeyizibonelo ezinhle ‘zokuzithoba emagunyeni aphakeme.’—Roma 13:1.

3:4. Kwezinye izimo kungase kube ukuhlakanipha ukungazivezi ukuthi singobani, njengoba nje kwenza u-Esteri. Nokho, lapho kudingeka simelele izimpikiswano ezibalulekile, njengobukhosi bukaJehova nobuqotho bethu, kumelwe singesabi ukusho ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova.

4:3. Lapho sibhekene nokulingwa, kufanele siphendukele kuJehova ngomkhuleko simcele ukuba asiphe amandla nokuhlakanipha.

4:6-8. UMoridekayi wafuna ikhambi elingokomthetho ukuze kubhekanwe nosongo lukaHamani.—Filipi 1:7.

4:14. Ukuthembela kukaMoridekayi kuJehova kwakuyisibonelo.

4:16. Ethembele ngokugcwele kuJehova, u-Esteri wabhekana ngobuqotho nangesibindi nesimo esasingaholela ekufeni. Kubalulekile ukuba singazethembi kodwa sifunde ukwethembela kuJehova.

5:6-8. Ukuze athole umusa ku-Ahashiveroshi, u-Esteri wammemela edilini lesibili. Wenza ngokuhlakanipha, njengoba nathi kufanele senze kanjalo.—IzAga 14:15.

ISONDO LIYAJIKAJIKA

(Esteri 6:1–10:3)

Njengoba izenzakalo ziqhubeka, izinto ziyashintsha. UHamani uphanyekwa esigxotsheni ayezophanyeka kuso uMoridekayi, futhi isisulu ebesizobulawa siba undunankulu! Kuthiwani ngecebo lokuqothula amaJuda? Nalo futhi kumelwe liguqulwe ngokuphawulekayo.

U-Esteri othembekile uyakhuluma futhi. Efaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini, uvela phambi kwenkosi ezocela ukuba ngandlela-thile liguqulwe icebo likaHamani. U-Ahashiveroshi uyakwazi okudingeka kwenziwe. Ngakho, lapho usuku lokuqothulwa kwawo lufika, amaJuda  awabulawa kodwa kubulawa labo abafuna ukuwabulala. UMoridekayi umisa umyalo wokuba unyaka ngamunye kugujwe uMkhosi WePhurimi ukuze kukhunjulwe lokhu kukhululwa okukhulu. Njengoba esengowesibili ngemva kweNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi, uMoridekayi ‘usebenzela inhlalakahle yabantu bakubo futhi ukhuluma ukuthula kuyo yonke inzalo yabo.’—Esteri 10:3.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

7:4—Ukuqothulwa kwamaJuda kwakuzoyidalela kanjani “inkosi umonakalo”? Lapho ngobuhlakani esikisela ukuba amaJuda athengiselwe ebugqilini, u-Esteri waveza ukuthi ukubhujiswa kwamaJuda kwakuyodalela inkosi umonakalo. Izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-10 000 uHamani ayezithembise inkosi zazingelutho kunengcebo inkosi eyayingayithola ukube uHamani wayenze icebo lokuba amaJuda athengiswe njengezigqila. Ukuphumelela kwaleli cebo kwakuyosho nokubulawa kwendlovukazi.

7:8—Kungani izikhulu zasesigodlweni zamboza ubuso bukaHamani? Kungenzeka ukuthi lokhu kusikisela ukuhlazeka noma ukubulawa okwase kuseduze. Enye incwadi ithi, “ngezinye izikhathi abasendulo babebumboza ubuso balabo abase bezobulawa.”

8:17—Kungayiphi indlela “izizwe eziningi zezwe zazithi zingamaJuda”? Kusobala ukuthi abantu abaningi basePheresiya baba amaJuda angamaproselithe ngoba babecabanga ukuthi umyalo owawusanda kukhishwa wawubonisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyawathanda amaJuda. Isimiso esifanayo siyasebenza ekugcwalisekeni kwesiprofetho esitholakala encwadini kaZakariya. Sithi: “Amadoda ayishumi avela kuzo zonke izilimi zezizwe abambe, yebo, impela abambe umphetho wengubo yendoda engumJuda, athi: ‘Sizohamba nani, ngoba sizwile ukuthi uNkulunkulu unani.’”—Zakariya 8:23.

9:10, 15, 16—Ngisho noma umyalo wawugunyaza ukuba amaJuda azithathele impango, kungani engazange akwenze lokho? Ukwenqaba kwawo kwabonisa ngokusobala ukuthi injongo yawo kwakuwukuzivikela, hhayi ukuthola ingcebo.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

6:6-10. “Ukuziqhenya kwandulela ukuphahlazeka, nomoya ozidlayo wandulela ukukhubeka.”—IzAga 16:18.

7:3, 4. Ingabe siziveza ngesibindi ukuthi singoFakazi BakaJehova, ngisho noma lokho kungasibangela ushushiso?

8:3-6. Singanxusa izikhulu zikahulumeni namajaji asezinkantolo ukuba asivikele ezitheni zethu futhi kufanele senze kanjalo.

8:5. Ngobuhlakani, u-Esteri akazange atshele inkosi ukuthi kufanele yenzeni ngomyalo owawuklanyelwe ukuqothula abantu bakubo. Ngokufanayo, kudingeka sibe nobuhlakani lapho sifakaza ezikhulwini eziphakeme.

9:22. Akufanele sibakhohlwe abampofu esikanye nabo.—Galathiya 2:10.

UJehova ‘Uyosisiza Futhi Asikhulule’

UMoridekayi uthi kungenzeka ukuthi kwakuyinjongo kaNkulunkulu ukuba u-Esteri athole isikhundla sasebukhosini. Lapho amaJuda esongelwa, ayazila futhi athandazela usizo. Indlovukazi iya enkosini ingabizwanga futhi isikhathi ngasinye yamukelwa ngomusa. Inkosi iyaqwasha ngalo kanye usuku lwamanqamu. Ngempela, incwadi ka-Esteri ikhuluma ngokuqondisa kukaJehova izinto ukuze kuzuze abantu bakhe.

Ukulandisa kuka-Esteri okuvusa amadlingozi kuyisikhuthazo esikhulu kithina esiphila ‘esikhathini sokuphela.’ (Daniyeli 12:4) “Engxenyeni yokugcina yezinsuku,” noma engxenyeni yokugcina yesikhathi sokuphela, uGogi wakwaMagogi—uSathane uDeveli—uyohlasela abantu bakaJehova ngawo wonke amandla akhe. Inhloso yakhe iyoba ukubaqeda nya abakhulekeli beqiniso. Kodwa njengoba kwenzeka ngosuku luka-Esteri, uJehova ‘uyobasiza futhi abakhulule’ abakhulekeli bakhe.—Hezekeli 38:16-23; Esteri 4:14.

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

U-Esteri noMoridekayi bephambi kuka-Ahashiveroshi