Lingisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wakhuthazela Naphezu Kwezimo Eziqeda Amandla

USAMUWELI wayelubona usizi olwaluseShilo. Cishe wonke umuzi wawulila. Asazi ukuthi mingaki imizi eyayinabesifazane ababekhala njengoba babefelwe abayeni, amadodana nabafowabo; asazi ukuthi zingaki izingane ezazikhihla isililo ngoyise. Esikwaziyo ukuthi amaFilisti ayebulale amasosha akwa-Israyeli angaba ngu-30 000 empini, kanti kwakusanda kufa amanye angu-4 000 kwenye impi.—1 Samuweli 4:1, 2, 10.

Lena enye yezinhlekelele ezehlela ama-Israyeli zilandelana. Umpristi Ophakeme, u-Eli, wayenamadodana amabili akhohlakele, uHofini noFinehasi. La madoda aphuma eShilo ephethe umphongolo wesivumelwano ongcwele. Ngokuvamile, wawugcinwa engcwele yetabernakele—ithempeli elisatende—futhi wawuwuphawu lokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu. Ngobuwula, abantu bathatha uMphongolo baya nawo empini becabanga ukuthi uzobasiza ukuba banqobe. Kodwa amaFilisti awuthumba, abulala uHofini noFinehasi.—1 Samuweli 4:3-11.

Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka itabernakele laseShilo libusiswe ngokuba noMphongolo wesivumelwano, kodwa manje wawungasekho. Lapho ezwa lokhu, u-Eli oneminyaka engu-98 wawa esihlalweni ngesiphundu wafa. Umalokazana wakhe, naye owashonelwa umyeni wakhe ngalolo suku, washona ebeletha. Ngaphambi kokuba aphangalale, wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni.” Wayeqinisile, izinto zashintsha eShilo.—1 Samuweli 4:12-22.

USamuweli wayezobhekana kanjani nalezi zigameko eziqeda amandla? Ingabe wayezoba nokholo oluqine ngokwanele futhi akwazi ukusiza abantu abase belahlekelwe isivikelo nokwamukelwa uJehova? Sonke namuhla siye sibhekane nobunzima futhi sidumale. Lokhu kubekela ukholo lwethu inselele. Ngakho, masibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda kuSamuweli.

‘Wenza Ukulunga’

Kuleli qophelo, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuyasuka kuSamuweli kugxile eMphongolweni ongcwele, kusibonise izinhlupho amaFilisti abhekana nazo ngokuwuthumba nokuthi aphoqeleka ukuba awubuyisele. IBhayibheli liphinde likhulume ngoSamuweli ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-20. (1 Samuweli 7:2) Wayenzani phakathi nayo yonke leyo minyaka? Asikho isidingo sokuqagela.

Sifunda ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba le nkathi iqale, “izwi likaSamuweli laqhubeka lifika ku-Israyeli wonke.” (1 Samuweli 4:1) Ukulandisa kwembula ukuthi ngemva kokuphela kwale nkathi, uSamuweli wayevakashela imizi yakwa-Israyeli emithathu kanye ngonyaka, esingatha izingxabano futhi ephendula imibuzo eyinkinga. Lapho eseqedile, wayebuyela emzini wakubo eRama. (1 Samuweli 7:15-17) Ngokusobala, uSamuweli wayematasa, futhi wenza okuningi impela phakathi naleyo minyaka engu-20.

Ukuziphatha okubi nenkohlakalo yamadodana ka-Eli kwakuqede ukholo kubantu. Kubonakala sengathi abaningi bavele baphendukela ekukhonzeni izithombe. Nokho, ngemva kokusebenza kanzima iminyaka engu-20, uSamuweli watshela abantu lesi sigijimi: “Uma kuwukuthi nibuyela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu, lahlani onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe abaphakathi kwenu kanye nemifanekiso ka-Ashitoreti, niqondise  inhliziyo yenu kuJehova ngokungagudluki, nikhonze yena yedwa, khona-ke uzonikhulula esandleni samaFilisti.”—1 Samuweli 7:3.

“AmaFilisti” ayewacindezela kakhulu ama-Israyeli. Njengoba ibutho lama-Israyeli lase lifana nelingekho, amaFilisti acindezela abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokujeziswa. Nokho, uSamuweli waqinisekisa ama-Israyeli ngokuthi izinto zizoshintsha uma ebuyela kuJehova. Ayezimisele yini ukukwenza lokho? USamuweli wajabula lapho elahla onkulunkulu bawo futhi ‘eqala ukukhonza uJehova yedwa.’ Wabiza umhlangano eMispa, umuzi osezweni elinezintaba enyakatho yeJerusalema. Abantu beza, bazila ukudla futhi baphenduka kuzo zonke izono zabo eziningi zokukhonza izithombe.—1 Samuweli 7:4-6.

Nokho, amaFilisti ezwa ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayehlangene, athi sibonwa yini. Aphaka impi kwayiwa eMispa ukuze ayohlasela abakhulekeli bakaJehova. Ama-Israyeli ezwa ukuthi isitha sisondele. Ethukile, acela uSamuweli ukuba awathandazele. Nempela wathandaza kuJehova, wenza nomhlatshelo. Phakathi nalowo mkhosi ongcwele, ibutho lamaFilisti lafika eMispa. UJehova wabe esephendula umthandazo kaSamuweli. Empeleni, “wabangela ukuba lidume ngomsindo omkhulu ngalolo suku ngokumelene namaFilisti” ebonakalisa intukuthelo yakhe.—1 Samuweli 7:7-10.

Ingabe kufanele sicabange ukuthi amaFilisti abaleka kuhle kwezingane ezincane ezigijimela konina lapho kuduma izulu? Cha, la masosha ayeyizigwebedla. Uma éthuka, kusho ukuthi lokho kuduma kwezulu kwakungavamile. Ingabe into eyawethusa kakhulu ‘kwakuwumsindo omkhulu’? Ingabe ethuswa ukuthi laduma libalele noma ukuthi ayengaqondi ukuthi liduma ngakuphi? Kunoma yikuphi, lokho kuduma kwezulu kwawaxhaphazelisa amathumbu. Ephithene amakhanda, kwaphela ukuba amabhoklolo, aphenduka izithithibala. Amadoda akwa-Israyeli aphuma eMispa, asukela amaFilisti, awabulala kwaze kwaba seningizimu-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema.—1 Samuweli 7:11.

Leyo mpi yaguqula izinto. AmaFilisti awaphindanga achukuluza abantu bakaNkulunkulu phakathi neminyaka uSamuweli ayekhonza ngayo njengomahluleli. Imizi eminingi eyayidliwe amaFilisti yaphinde yabuyela kubantu bakaNkulunkulu.—1 Samuweli 7:13, 14.

Ngemva kwamakhulu amaningi eminyaka, umphostoli uPawulu wabala uSamuweli phakathi kwabahluleli nabaprofethi abathembekile ‘abenza ukulunga.’ (Hebheru 11:32, 33) Yebo, uSamuweli wabasiza abantu ukuba benze okuhle nokulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Waqhubeka ewusizo ngoba wamlinda ngesineke uJehova, enza umsebenzi wakhe ngokwethembeka naphezu kwezimo ezidumazayo. Wabonisa nomoya wokwazisa. Ngemva kokunqoba eMispa, wamisa intshe lesikhumbuzo ukuze abantu bahlale bekhumbula indlela uJehova abasiza ngayo.—1 Samuweli 7:12.

Ingabe nawe ufuna ‘ukwenza ukulunga?’ Uma kunjalo, uyobe wenza kahle uma ufunda esibonelweni sikaSamuweli sokubekezela, ukuthobeka nokuba nomoya wokwazisa. Ukhona yini kithi ongathi akazidingi lezi zimfanelo? Kwamsiza uSamuweli ukuhlakulela nokubonisa lezi zimfanelo esemncane ngoba wabhekana  nezimo ezidumaza nakakhulu kamuva ekuphileni.

“Amadodana Akho Awahambanga Ngezindlela Zakho”

Siphinde sihlangane noSamuweli “esemdala” futhi esenamadodana amabili asekhulile, uJoweli no-Abhiya. Wanika la madodana akhe umsebenzi wokumsiza esabelweni sakhe sokwahlulela. Nokho, okudabukisayo ukuthi amadodana akhe ayengebona abantu abaqotho. Nakuba yena ayethembekile futhi elungile, amadodana akhe asebenzisa amalungelo awo ukuze kuzuze wona, aphendukezela isahlulelo futhi amukela isifumbathiso.—1 Samuweli 8:1-3.

Ngolunye usuku, amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aya kulo mprofethi osegugile akhala: “Amadodana akho awahambanga ngezindlela zakho.” (1 Samuweli 8:4, 5) USamuweli wayeyazi yini le nkinga? Ukulandisa akusho. Kodwa uSamuweli wayengafani neze no-Eli owayetotosa amadodana akhe. UJehova wamkhuza futhi wamjezisa u-Eli ngokungabulungisi ububi bamadodana akhe, ngokuwathanda ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu. (1 Samuweli 2:27-29) UJehova akalitholanga iphutha elifanayo kuSamuweli.

Ukulandisa akusitsheli ngamahloni noma ngokucindezeleka nokudumala kukaSamuweli ngenxa yezenzo ezimbi zamadodana akhe. Kodwa abazali abaningi bayazi kahle indlela okumelwe ukuba wayezizwa ngayo. Kuleli zwe elibi, izingane eziningi azilihloniphi igunya labazali futhi azilaleli. (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Abazali ababhekene nalolo sizi bangathola induduzo esibonelweni sikaSamuweli futhi bangafunda okuthile kuso. Akazange nakancane avumele ukungathembeki kwamadodana akhe kumenze ashintshe eyakhe inkambo yokuphila. Khumbula, ngisho noma izingane zingaqinisa izinhliziyo zazo zingafuni ukulalela iziyalo zabazali bazo, kodwa isibonelo sabo esihle singase sibe nethonya elinamandla. Nabo abazali banethuba lokwenza uYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu, aziqhenye ngabo—njengoba kwenza uSamuweli.

“Simisele Inkosi”

Amadodana kaSamuweli ayengazi ukuthi ukuhaha nobugovu bawo kwakuyoba nemiphumela emibi kangakanani. Amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aya kuSamuweli, athi: “Simisele inkosi ukuba isahlulele njengazo zonke izizwe.” Ingabe lawo mazwi atshela uSamuweli ukuthi akasafunwa? Kungenzeka ngoba phela kwase kungamashumi eminyaka uJehova emsebenzisa  njengomahluleli walaba bantu. Kodwa manje babengasamfuni umprofethi nje ofana noSamuweli; base befuna ukwahlulelwa inkosi. Izizwe ezingomakhelwane zazinamakhosi, ngakho no-Israyeli wayeseyifuna! Wasabela kanjani uSamuweli? Siyafunda: “Le nto yayiyimbi emehlweni” akhe.—1 Samuweli 8:5, 6.

Phawula ukuthi uJehova wathini lapho uSamuweli ethandaza emtshela ngalolu daba: “Lilalele izwi labantu kukho konke abakushoyo kuwe; ngoba akuwena abamalile, kodwa yimi abamalile ukuba ngingabi yinkosi phezu kwabo.” Yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba la mazwi amduduza ngayo uSamuweli, kodwa ama-Israyeli ayemedelele ukumedelela uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke! UJehova watshela umprofethi wakhe ukuba atshele ama-Israyeli ukuthi ayeyovuna kabuhlungu ngokufuna inkosi engumuntu. Lapho uSamuweli edlulisa leso sixwayiso, aba nenkani, athi: “Cha, kuzoba khona inkosi phezu kwethu.” Njengenjwayelo, uSamuweli walalela uNkulunkulu, wagcoba inkosi uJehova ayikhetha.—1 Samuweli 8:7-19.

Nokho, sasinjani isimo sengqondo sikaSamuweli njengoba ayelandela lo myalo kaNkulunkulu? Ingabe wawufeza edonsa izinyawo futhi ethukuthele? Ingabe wavumela ukudumazeka ukuba kumenze anyukubale? Abantu abaningi bangasabela ngaleyo ndlela uma bebhekene nesimo esifana nalesi, kodwa uSamuweli akakwenzanga lokho. Wagcoba uSawule futhi wavuma ukuthi wayekhethwe uJehova. Wamanga uSawule, uphawu olwalubonisa ukumamukela nokuzithoba kuye njengenkosi yakhe. Wabe esethi kubantu: “Nimbonile yini lowo uJehova amkhethile, ukuthi akekho noyedwa onjengaye phakathi kwabo bonke abantu?”—1 Samuweli 10:1, 24.

USamuweli akagxilanga emaphutheni, kodwa ezicini ezinhle zendoda uJehova ayeyikhethile. Ngokuqondene nokwakhe ukuphila, wahlala eqotho kuNkulunkulu kunokuba akhathazeke ngokuthola ukwamukelwa abantu abaguquguquka njalo. (1 Samuweli 12:1-4) Wafeza isabelo sakhe ngokwethembeka, eluleka abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezingozi ezingokomoya ababebhekana nazo futhi ebakhuthaza ukuba bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Iseluleko sakhe sasibathinta izinhliziyo, futhi babemncenga ukuba abathandazele. Wabaphendula kahle kakhulu: “Kuyinto engacabangeki ukuba ngone kuJehova ngokuyeka ukunithandazela; futhi kumelwe nginifundise indlela enhle nelungile.”—1 Samuweli 12:21-24.

Wake wadumala yini lapho othile enikwa ilungelo elithile? Isibonelo sikaSamuweli siyisikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuthi akumelwe nanini sivumele umona noma ubuhlungu benhliziyo kusilawule. UNkulunkulu unikeze zonke izinceku zakhe ezithembekile imisebenzi eminingi enemivuzo neyanelisayo.

“Kuyoze Kube Nini Ulilela USawule?”

USamuweli wayengashayanga eceleni ngokuthanda uSawule; wayeyindoda emadodeni. Wayesukile egadeni, ebukeka, enesibindi, ewusizo, kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo ethobekile, engazikhukhumezi. (1 Samuweli 10:22, 23, 27) Ngaphezu kwalezi zipho ayenazo, wayenesinye isipho esiyigugu—inkululeko yokuzikhethela inkambo yokuphila nokuzenzela izinqumo. (Duteronomi 30:19) Ingabe wasisebenzisa kahle leso sipho?

Ngokudabukisayo, lapho umuntu ezwa ubumnandi nodumo lokubusa, ngokuvamile imfanelo yokuthobeka iba eyokuqala ukunyamalala. Kungakabiphi, uSawule waqala ukwedelela. Wakhetha ukungazilaleli iziqondiso zikaJehova ezaziza ngoSamuweli. Ngesinye isikhathi, uSawule waphelelwa isineke sokulinda, wenza umhlatshelo okwakunguSamuweli kuphela onelungelo lokuwenza. Kwadingeka ukuba uSamuweli amkhuze ngamazwi aqatha futhi wabikezela ukuthi ubukhosi bakhe babungeke buhlale emndenini wakhe. Kunokufunda kuleso siyalo, wenza nezinye izono ezimbi kakhulu zokungalaleli.—1 Samuweli 13:8, 9, 13, 14.

Esebenzisa uSamuweli, uJehova watshela uSawule ukuba ayokulwa nama-Amaleki. Esinye seziqondiso zikaJehova sasiwukuba abulale inkosi yawo embi, u-Agagi. Kodwa uSawule akambulalanga u-Agagi futhi akayinikelanga ekubhujisweni impango enhle kakhulu okwakufanele ayinikele ekubhujisweni. Lapho uSamuweli eyomsiza, uSawule wazembula ukuthi  wayesengumuntu onjani. Kunokuba athobeke amukele isiyalo, wazama ukuzibeka ebuhleni, wabeka izaba, wathambisa ububi besimo futhi wazama ukubheca abantu ngecala. Lapho uSawule ezama ukwenza sengathi isenzo sakhe sasingesibi kangako ngokutshela uSamuweli ukuthi enye impango yayizosetshenziselwa ukwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo, uSamuweli washo la mazwi adumile: “Bheka! Ukulalela kungcono kunomhlatshelo.” Waba nesibindi wakhuza le ndoda futhi wayitshela isinqumo sikaJehova: Wayezomucwa ubukhosi, bunikezwe indoda engcono.—1 Samuweli 15:1-33.

Amaphutha kaSawule amzwisa ubuhlungu obukhulu uSamuweli. Wakhala ubusuku bonke, ethandaza kuJehova ngale ndaba. Waze ngisho wamlilela. USamuweli wayebonile ukuthi uSawule wayengenza ezibukwayo njengenkosi, kodwa manje wonke amathemba akhe ayeseshabalele. Indoda ayeyazi yayisishintshile—yayingasenazo leziya zimfanelo ezinhle futhi yayisihlamuke uJehova. USamuweli wenqaba ukuphinde abone uSawule. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, uJehova wamsiza ngesisa uSamuweli ukuba aphinde abheke izinto ngendlela efanele: “Kuyoze kube nini ulilela uSawule, kuyilapho mina, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngimalile ukuba angabe esabusa njengenkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli? Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha uhambe. Ngizokuthuma kuJese waseBhetlehema, ngoba ngizilungiselele inkosi phakathi kwamadodana akhe.”—1 Samuweli 15:34, 35; 16:1.

Injongo kaJehova ayishintshi lapho abantu abangaphelele behluleka ukugcina ubuqotho. Uma umuntu ehluleka ukwethembeka, uJehova uthola omunye ongenza intando yaKhe. Ngakho, uSamuweli osekhulile wagcina eluleme ebuhlungwini benhliziyo ayebuzwa ngoSawule. Eqondiswa uJehova, waya emzini kaJese eJerusalema lapho abona khona amadodana kaJese amaningi amahle. Kodwa kusukela kweyokuqala, uJehova wakhumbuza uSamuweli: “Musa ukubheka ukubonakala kwakhe nokuphakama kwesiqu sakhe . . . Ngoba [indlela uNkulunkulu abona ngayo] akuyona indlela umuntu abona ngayo, ngoba umuntu nje ubona okubonakala emehlweni; kodwa uJehova yena, ubona lokho inhliziyo eyikho.” (1 Samuweli 16:7) Ekugcineni, uSamuweli wabona uthunjana okwakunguyena owayekhethwe uJehova—uDavide!

Lapho esezokufa, uSamuweli wabona ngokucace nangokwengeziwe ukuthi sasifaneleka isinqumo sikaJehova sokususa uSawule abeke uDavide esihlalweni sobukhosi. Inhliziyo kaSawule yayisiyimbi kakhulu; waze wazama nokubulala uDavide futhi waba isihlubuki. Nokho, uDavide wabonisa izimfanelo ezinhle—isibindi, ubuqotho, ukholo nokwethembeka. Njengoba izinsuku zikaSamuweli zazincipha, ukholo lwakhe lwaqina nakakhulu. Wabona ukuthi uJehova angakududuza kungakhathaliseki ukuthi usosizini olungakanani, ukuthi angaxazulula inkinga kungakhathaliseki ukuthi inkulu kangakanani nokuthi angashintsha isimo esibi sibe yisibusiso. Makhathaleni, uSamuweli wafa esecela ekhulwini futhi enomlando omuhle kakhulu. Akumangazi ukuthi wonke u-Israyeli wayililela le ndoda ethembekile! Nanamuhla, izinceku zikaJehova zenza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ingabe ngiyolulingisa ukholo lukaSamuweli?’

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

USamuweli wayengabasiza kanjani abantu bakubo ukuba babhekane nosizi lokufelwa nokudumazeka?

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

USamuweli wabhekana kanjani nokudunyazwa amadodana akhe akhohlakele?