1, 2. Nguyiphi insayeya Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe lababhekana nayo?

INTFOMBATANE letsite yagijima yayewuhlangabeta uyise. Kwayijabulisa kakhulu kuphindze imbone aphephile njengobe abebuya emphini. Kuncoba kweyise kwayenta yahlabela futsi yadansa ijabulile. Kodvwa loko uyise lakusho futsi wakwenta kufanele kube kwayimangalisa. Wadzabula tingubo takhe futsi wakhala watsi: “Awu, ndvodzakati yami! Ungidzabukisile.” Wabese sewutjela lendvodzakati yakhe kutsi wente setsembiso kuJehova lesitawushintja kuphila kwayo. Lesetsembiso besitsi angeke iphindze ishade nobe ibe nebantfwana. Kodvwa ngekushesha lentfombatane yaniketa uyise imphendvulo lenhle, leyamkhutsata kutsi achubeke asigcine lesetsembiso lasente kuJehova. Lemphendvulo beyikhombisa kutsi lentfombatane yetsemba ngalokuphelele kutsi nobe ngabe yini Jehova layicelako kuyo ilungile. (Tikhulu 11:34-37) Ngesikhatsi uyise abona kukholwa kwayo, wajabula kakhulu ngobe bekati kutsi kuvuma kwayo bekutawujabulisa Jehova.

 ² Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe bebametsemba ngalokuphelele Jehova nendlela yakhe yekwenta tintfo. Bebatsembekile ngisho nobe loko bekungasimelula kubo. Bebafuna kwemukelwa nguJehova futsi loko bekwendlula nobe ngabe ngumuphi umnikelo.

3. Sibonelo saJeftha nendvodzakati yakhe singaba njani lusito kitsi lamuhla?

³ Akusimelula ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kuhlale wetsembekile kuJehova. Kufanele ‘sikulwele kamatima kukholwa.’ (Juda 3) Kute sente loko, ase sifundze ngendlela Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe lababeketelela ngayo tinsayeya ekuphileni kwabo. Bahlala njani betsembekile kuJehova?

4, 5. (a) Ngumuphi umyalo Jehova lawuniketa ema-Israyeli ngalesikhatsi angena eVeni Lesetsembiso? (b) Ngekusho kweTihlabelelo 106, yini leyenteka kuma-Israyeli ngenca yekungalaleli kwawo?

⁴ Kungenteka Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe bebakhunjutwa onkhe malanga ngaloko lokwenteka kuma-Israyeli ngenca yekungamlaleli kwawo Jehova. Eminyakeni lecishe ibe ngu-300 ngaphambi kwaloko, Jehova bekayale ema-Israyeli kutsi abulale bonkhe bakhulekeli bemanga eVeni Lesetsembiso, kodvwa akazange alalele. (Dutheronomi 7:1-4) Ema-Israyeli lamanyenti acala kulingisa bantfu baseKhenani labebakhonta bonkulunkulu bemanga futsi labebatiphatsa kabi.​—Fundza Tihlabelelo 106:34-39.

⁵ Ngesizatfu sekutsi ema-Israyeli akalalelanga, Jehova akazange awavikele etitseni tawo. (Tikhulu 2:1-3, 11-15; Tihlabelelo 106:40-43) Kungenteka bekumatima ngemindeni lebeyitsandza Jehova kutsi ihlale yetsembekile ngaleyo minyaka lebucayi. Nobe kunjalo, liBhayibheli likhuluma ngekutsi bekunebantfu labetsembekile labafaka ekhatsi Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe kanye na-Elkhana, Hana naSamuweli. Bebatimisele kujabulisa Jehova.​—1 Samuweli 1:20-28; 2:26.

6. Ngutiphi tilingo letikulelive lamuhla, futsi kufanele senteni?

⁶ Esikhatsini lesiphila kuso, bantfu bacabanga futsi bente njengebantfu baseKhenani. Baphilela kutijabulisa ngekwelicansi, ngebudlova futsi batsandza imali. Kodvwa Jehova usiniketa tecwayiso leticacile. Ufuna kusivikela njengobe abefuna kuvikela ema-Israyeli etintfweni letifana naleti. Sitawufundza yini emaphutseni labawenta? (1 Khorinte 10:6-11) Kufanele sente konkhe lokusemandleni etfu kute sigweme indlela yekucabanga yebantfu labakulelive. (Roma 12:2) Sitawenta konkhe lesingakwenta yini kute siyigweme?

7. (a) Yini bantfu bakhaboJeftha labayenta kuye? (b) Jeftha wenta njani kuleso simo?

⁷ Ngesikhatsi saJeftha, sive sema-Israyeli sasicindzetelwa ngemaFilisti nema-Amoni ngobe besingamlaleli Jehova. (Tikhulu 10:7, 8) Ngetulu kwaletive lebetititsa, Jeftha abephindze abhekane nebumatima kubomnakabo nakubaholi baka-Israyeli. Ngesizatfu sekutsi bomnakabo bebanemona futsi bamtondza, bamphocelela kutsi ashiye live lakhe. (Tikhulu 11:1-3) Jeftha akazange  avumele letento tabo letimbi kutsi tishintje indlela yakhe yekwenta tintfo. Sikwati njani loko? Sikwati ngobe ngalesikhatsi labadzala baka-Israyeli bamcela kutsi abasite, wavele wabasita ngaleso sikhatsi. (Tikhulu 11:4-11) Yini lokungenteka yakhutsata Jeftha kutsi ente ngaleyo ndlela?

8, 9. (a) Ngutiphi timiso letiseMtsetfweni waMosi letasita Jeftha? (b) Yini lebeyibaluleke kakhulu kuJetfha?

⁸ Jeftha bekalisotja lelinemandla futsi bekawati kahle umlandvo wema-Israyeli kanye neMtsetfo waMosi. Indlela Jehova labebaphatsa ngayo bantfu baKhe yamfundzisa timiso taNkulunkulu mayelana nalokulungile nalokungakalungi. (Tikhulu 11:12-27) Wasebentisa lolo lwati nakatsatsa tincumo ekuphileni kwakhe. Bekati kahle kutsi Jehova utiva njani ngentfukutselo kanye nekuphindzisela, futsi bekati kutsi Nkulunkulu ufuna kutsi bantfu baKhe batsandzane. Ngetulu kwaloko, uMtsetfo wamfundzisa kutsi baphatfwa njani labanye bantfu, ngisho nalabo labebamenyanya.​—Fundza Eksodusi 23:5; Levithikhusi 19:17, 18.

⁹ Kungenteka sibonelo saJosefa naso samsita Jeftha. Mhlawumbe wafundza indlela Josefa lakhombisa ngayo umusa kubomnakabo ngisho nobe bebamenyanya. (Genesisi 37:4; 45:4, 5) Kungenteka kucabanga ngalesibonelo kwasita Jeftha kutsi ente ngendlela leyajabulisa Jehova. Loko bomnakabo labakwenta kwamvisa buhlungu kakhulu. Kodvwa kulwela ligama laJehova ngiko lobekubaluleke kakhulu kuJeftha kwendlula indlela labekativa ngayo. (Tikhulu 11:9) Abetimisele kwetsembeka kuJehova. Simo sakhe sengcondvo samenta wabusiswa yena nema-Israyeli.​—Hebheru 11:32, 33.

10. Singativumela njani timiso taNkulunkulu kutsi tisisite sibe maKhristu lavutsiwe lamuhla?

¹⁰ Sitawufundza yini esibonelweni saJeftha? Sitawenta njani nangabe bazalwane betfu basidvumata nobe nasibona shengatsi abasiphatsi kahle? Akukafaneli sivumele buhlungu labasivise bona busivimbele kutsi sikhonte Jehova. Ungayekeli kuya emihlanganweni yebuKhristu nobe kucitsa sikhatsi nelibandla. Shengatsi singalingisa Jeftha futsi silalele Jehova. Loko kutasisita kutsi simelane netimo letimatima kuze natsi sitewuba sibonelo lesihle.​—Roma 12:20, 21; Kholose 3:13.

11, 12. Ngusiphi sifungo lesentiwa nguJeftha, futsi besifaka ekhatsi ini?

¹¹ Jeftha bekati kutsi udzinga lusito lwaNkulunkulu kute akhulule ema-Israyeli kuma-Amoni. Wetsembisa Jehova kutsi nakaphumelela emphini, umuntfu wekucala lotawuphuma ekhaya atewumhlangabeta nakabuya, utawunikela ngaye abe “ngumnikelo wekushiswa.”  (Tikhulu 11:30, 31) Bekusho kutsini loko?

¹² Jehova akatsandzi kutsi kwentiwe imihlatjelo ngebantfu, ngako siyati kutsi Jeftha abengeke akwente loko. (Dutheronomi 18:9, 10) Ngephansi kwemMtsetfo waMosi, umnikelo wekushiswa bewuba sipho lesikhetsekile umuntfu labekasipha Jehova. Ngako Jeftha bekasho kutsi umuntfu latamnika Jehova utawukhonta ethendeni lekukhontela kuphila kwakhe konkhe. Jehova wamlalela Jeftha futsi wamsita kutsi aphumelele emphini. (Tikhulu 11:32, 33) Ngubani Jeftha labekatawunikela ngaye kuJehova?

13, 14. Emavi aJeftha lakuTikhulu 11:35 embulani ngekukholwa kwakhe?

¹³ Cabanga ngalesimo lesicoce ngaso ekucaleni kwalesihloko. Ngesikhatsi Jeftha abuya emphini, umuntfu wekucala lowaphuma watewumhlangabeta kwakuyindvodzakati yakhe layitsandzako, lelitinyo lekubulala. Abetasigcina yini Jeftha setsembiso sakhe? Abetawunikela yini ngendvodzakati yakhe lokukuphela kwayo kutsi iyokhonta Jehova ethendeni lekukhontela kuphila kwayo konkhe?

¹⁴ Nakulesimo, timiso letiseMtsetfweni waNkulunkulu kufanele kutsi tamsita Jeftha watsatsa sincumo lesihlakaniphile. Kungenteka wakhumbula emavi laku-Eksodusi 23:19, latsi bantfu baNkulunkulu kufanele banikele lokuncono kakhulu kuJehova. LoMtsetfo wawuphindze utsi nangabe umuntfu enta setsembiso kuJehova, “kufanele angawephuli emavi akhe, kodvwa ente konkhe lakukhulumile.” (Numeri 30:2) Jeftha kwadzingeka kutsi asigcine setsembiso sakhe ngisho nobe bekati kutsi loko bekusho kutsini ngendvodzakati yakhe, njengobe kwenta Hana lokungenteka waphila ngesikhatsi sinye naJeftha.  Ngenca yekutsi indvodzakati yakhe beyitawukhonta ethendeni lekukhontela, beyingeke ibe nabo bantfwana. Ngako-ke, bekute lobekatawuba yindlalifa yaJeftha. (Tikhulu 11:34) Nobe kunjalo, ngesibindzi Jeftha watsi: “Ngente sifungo kuSimakadze lengingasoze ngasephula.” (Tikhulu 11:35) Jehova wawemukela umnikelo waJeftha futsi wambusisa. Bowungetsembeka yini nawe njengaJeftha?

15. Ngusiphi sifungo labanyenti betfu labasentile, futsi singakhombisa njani kutsi setsembekile?

¹⁵ Ngesikhatsi sinikela kuphila kwetfu kuJehova, safunga kutsi sitawenta intsandvo yakhe ngisho nobe kumnyama kubovu. Besati kutsi angeke kube lula ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi kugcina lesetsembiso. Kodvwa senta njani nangabe sicelwa kutsi sente intfo letsite lesingatsandzi kuyenta? Nangabe sincoba imiva yetfu futsi silalela Nkulunkulu, sitawube siyakhombisa kutsi setsembekile kuloko lesikwetsembisile. Kutidzela lesikwentako kungase kube matima, kodvwa Jehova utasibusisa kakhulu. (Malakhi 3:10) Kutsiwani ngendvodzakati yaJeftha? Yenta njani ngesetsembiso lebesentiwe nguyise?

16. Yenta njani indvodzakati yaJeftha nayiva ngesetsembiso lesentiwa nguyise? (Buka sitfombe lesisekucaleni kwalesihloko.)

¹⁶ Sifungo lesentiwa nguJeftha besehlukile kunaleso lesentiwa nguHana. Hana wenta sifungo sekutsi utawunikela ngendvodzana yakhe lenguSamuweli kute iyewukhonta ethendeni lekukhontela ibe ngumNaziri. (1 Samuweli 1:11) UmNaziri bekavumelekile kutsi ashade futsi abe nemndeni. Kodvwa indvodzakati yaJeftha yayifanana ‘nemnikelo wekushiswa,’ ngako beyingeke ikujabulele kuba ngumfati nekuba ngumake. (Tikhulu 11:37-40) Cabanga ngaloko! Kungenteka beyingashada nendvodza emadvodzeni ngobe uyise abengumholi ka-Israyeli. Kodvwa nyalo, besekufanele ibe sikhonti lesitfobekile ethendeni lekukhontela. Yenta njani indvodzakati yaJeftha? Yakhombisa kutsi kukhonta Jehova kuta kucala kuyo ngekutsi itjele uyise itsi: “Yenta kimi njengobe ufungile.”  (Tikhulu 11:36) Yadzela sifiso sayo semvelo sekuba nendvodza nebantfwana, kute ikhonte Jehova. Singayilingisa njani?

17. (a) Singakulingisa njani kukholwa kwaJeftha nendvodzakati yakhe? (b) Emavi lakuHebheru 6:10-12 asikhutsata njani kutsi sitidzele?

¹⁷ Tinkhulungwane temaKhristu lasemasha tinesifiso sekuhlala tingakashadi nobe tibebete bantfwana kwanyalo. Kungani? Kungobe tifuna kucitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti tikhonta Jehova. EmaKhristu lamanyenti lasakhulile adzela sikhatsi sawo lobekufanele ngabe asicitsa nebantfwana bawo nobe nebatukulu bawo. Esikhundleni saloko, acitsa sikhatsi lesinyenti nemandla awo akhonta Jehova. Lamanye awo asebenta etakhiweni letehlukahlukene nobe aye eSikolweni Sebavangeli BeMbuso futsi lamanye atfutsela ebandleni lelinesidzingo lesikhulu sebamemeteli. Labanye bahlela kutsi bacitse sikhatsi lesinyenti emsebentini waJehova ngesikhatsi seSikhumbuto. Jehova angeke akukhohlwe kutidzela lokwentiwe ngito tonkhe letikhonti takhe letetsembekile. (Fundza Hebheru 6:10-12.) Kutsiwani ngawe? Ungatidzela yini kute ukhonte Jehova kakhudlwana?

18, 19. Yini lesiyifundzile eBhayibhelini ngaJeftha nendvodzakati yakhe, futsi singabalingisa njani?

¹⁸ Yini leyasita Jeftha kutsi ancobe tinsayeya letinyenti labhekana nato? Abecondziswa nguJehova endleleni labekhetsa ngayo. Akazange akhetse kuyengwa bantfu labekahlala nabo. Wachubeka etsembekile ngisho nobe labanye bantfu bamdvumata. Jehova wambusisa yena nendvodzakati yakhe ngenca yekutsi batidzela, futsi wabasebentisa kute atfutfukise kukhonta kweliciniso. Ngisho nobe labanye bayekela kwenta lokulungile, Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe bachubeka betsembekile kuJehova.

¹⁹ LiBhayibheli litsi: “Nilingise labo labatfola letetsembiso ngekukholwa nangekubeketela.” (Hebheru 6:12) Shengatsi singalingisa Jeftha nendvodzakati yakhe, sati kutsi nasichubeka setsembekile, Jehova utasibusisa.