1, 2. Ko e hā ko ha faʻifaʻitakiʻanga tuʻu-ki-muʻa ai ʻo e mateakí ʻi he kaumeʻa ʻa Sionatane mo Tēvitá?

 KUO pau pē naʻe ofoofo ʻa Sionatane ʻi he anga ʻo e loto-toʻa ʻa e kiʻi talavou ko Tēvitá. Naʻe tāmateʻi ʻe Tēvita ʻa e fuʻu saianiti ko Kolaiaté peá ne ʻave ʻa e “ʻulu ʻo e Filisitia” ki he tamai ʻa Sionatane ko Tuʻi Saula ʻo ʻIsilelí. (1 Sām. 17:57) Naʻe ʻikai veiveiua ʻa Sionatane naʻe kau ʻa Tēvita mo e ʻOtuá, pea talu mei he taimi ko iá mo e hoko ʻa Sionatane mo Tēvita ko e ongo kaumeʻa vāofi ʻaupito. Naʻá na fefuakavaʻaki te na hoko ʻo femateakiʻaki maʻu pē. (1 Sām. 18:1-3) Naʻe mateaki ʻa Sionatane kia Tēvita ʻi he toenga ʻene moʻuí.

² Naʻe nofoʻaki mateaki ʻa Sionatane kia Tēvita neongo hono fili ʻe Sihova ʻa Tēvita ko e tuʻi hono hoko ki ʻIsilelí kae ʻikai ko Sionatane. Pea ʻi he taimi naʻe feinga ai ʻa Saula ke tāmateʻi ʻa Tēvitá, naʻe hohaʻa ʻa Sionatane ki hono kaumeʻá. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi naʻe ʻi he toafa ʻo Hōlesí ʻa Tēvita, ko ia naʻe ʻalu leva ʻa Sionatane ki ai ke fakalototoʻaʻi ia ke ne hanganaki falala kia Sihova. Naʻe tala ange ʻe Sionatane kia Tēvita: “Oua te ke manavahe, he ʻikai maʻu koe ʻe he nima ʻo Saula ko  ʻeku tamai; pea te ke Tuʻi Isileli koe, kau palemia au.”​—1 Sām. 23:16, 17.

3. Ko e hā naʻe mahuʻinga ange kia Sionatane ʻi heʻene hoko ʻo mateaki kia Tēvitá, pea ʻoku anga-fēfē ʻetau ʻiloʻi iá? (Sio ki he ʻuluaki fakatātā ʻi he kupú ni.)

³ ʻOku tau faʻa leleiʻia ʻi he kakai ʻoku nau mateakí. Ka ʻoku tau leleiʻia ʻia Sionatané koeʻuhi pē ko ʻene mateaki kia Tēvitá? ʻIkai, ko ʻene hoko ʻo mateaki ki he ʻOtuá ʻa e meʻa mahuʻinga taha ʻi he moʻui ʻa Sionatané. Ko hono moʻoní, ko e ʻuhinga ia naʻá ne mateaki ai kia Tēvitá pea ʻikai meheka kiate ia, neongo ʻe hoko ʻa Tēvita ko e tuʻi kae ʻikai ko ia. Naʻe aʻu ʻo tokoniʻi ʻe Sionatane ʻa Tēvita ke ne falala kia Sihova. Naʻe nofoʻaki mateaki ʻa e ongo tangatá kia Sihova peá na toe femateakiʻaki. Naʻá na tauhi ki he fuakava naʻá na fakahokó: “Ko Sihova te ne ʻi hota vahaʻa, pea ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo hota hako, ʻo taʻengata.”​—1 Sām. 20:42.

4. (a) Ko e hā te ne ʻai ke tau maʻu ʻa e fiefia mo e fiemālie moʻoní? (e) Ko e hā te tau lāulea ki ai ʻi he kupu ko ení?

⁴ Kuo pau foki ke tau mateaki ki hotau fāmilí, ngaahi kaumeʻá mo hotau fanga tokoua mo e fanga tuofāfine ʻi he fakatahaʻangá. (1 Tes. 2:10, 11) Ka ko e meʻa mahuʻinga tahá, kuo pau ke tau mateaki kia Sihova. Ko ia ʻa e Tokotaha naʻá ne ʻomai ʻa e moʻuí! (Fkh. 4:11) ʻI heʻetau mateaki kiate iá, ʻoku tau maʻu ai ʻa e fiefia mo e fiemālie moʻoní. Ka ʻoku tau ʻiloʻi kuo pau ke tau mateaki ki he ʻOtuá naʻa mo e ngaahi taimi faingataʻá. ʻI he kupu ko ení, te tau lāulea ki he founga ʻe lava ai ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ʻe he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sionatané ke tau nofoʻaki mateaki ai pē kia Sihova ʻi he tuʻunga ʻe fā: (1) ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau ongoʻi ai ʻoku ʻikai tuha ha tokotaha maʻu mafai mo ʻetau fakaʻapaʻapá, (2) ʻi he taimi kuo pau ai ke tau fai ha fili ki he tokotaha ʻoku totonu ke tau mateaki ki aí, (3) ʻi he taimi ʻoku ʻikai mahinoʻi ai kitautolu ʻe ha tokoua ʻoku takimuʻa pe ko ha fakafeangai taʻetotonu mai, pea ko e (4) ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau ongoʻi ai ʻoku faingataʻa ke tauhi ha fuakava.

5. Ko e hā naʻe faingataʻa ai ki he kakai ʻIsilelí ke nau mateaki ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi naʻe tuʻi ai ʻa Saulá?

⁵ Naʻe hokosia ʻe Sionatane mo e kakai ʻIsilelí ʻa e tuʻunga faingataʻa. Naʻe talangataʻa ʻa Tuʻi Saula ko e tamai ʻa Sionatané, pea naʻe talitekeʻi ia ʻe Sihova. (1 Sām. 15:17-23) Kae kehe, naʻe fakaʻatā ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa Saula ke hokohoko atu pē ʻene pulé ʻi he ngaahi taʻu lahi. ʻI heʻene peheé, naʻe faingataʻa ki he kakaí ke nau mateaki ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi naʻe faikovi ʻaupito ai ʻa e tuʻi naʻe fili ke nofo ʻi he ‘taloni ʻo Sihová.’​—1 Kal. 29:23.

6. Ko e hā ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai naʻe nofoʻaki mateaki ʻa Sionatane kia Sihová?

⁶ Naʻe nofoʻaki mateaki ʻa Sionatane kia Sihova. Fakakaukau ki he meʻa naʻe fai ʻe Sionatane ʻi he hili pē ʻa e kamata ke talangataʻa ʻa Saula ki he ʻOtuá. (1 Sām. 13:13, 14) ʻI he taimi ko iá, naʻe haʻu ʻa e fuʻu kau tau saliote ʻe toko 30,000 ʻa e kau Filisitiá ke ʻohofi ʻa ʻIsileli. Naʻe maʻu ʻe Saula ʻa e kau sōtia pē ʻe toko 600, pea ko ia pē mo Sionatane naʻe ʻi ai ʻena meʻataú. Ka naʻe ʻikai ilifia ʻa Sionatane. Naʻá ne manatuʻi ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻa e palōfita ko Sāmiuelá: “He talaʻehai ʻe liʻaki ʻe he ʻEiki hono kakai telia hono fuʻu huafa.” (1 Sām. 12:22) Naʻe tala ange ʻe Sionatane ki ha sōtia ʻe taha: “Oku ikai faigataa kia Jihova ke fakamoui i he toko lahi, be i he toko jii.” Ko ia, naʻá ne hanga ai mo e sōtiá ʻo ʻohofi ha kulupu ʻo e kau Filisitiá pea tāmateʻi ʻa e toko 20 nai ʻo kinautolu. Naʻe tui ʻa Sionatane kia Sihova pea naʻe tāpuakiʻi ia ʻe Sihova. Naʻe fakatupunga ʻe Sihova ha mofuike pea naʻe kamata ke manavahē ʻa e kau Filisitiá. Naʻa nau feʻohofaki mo fetāmateʻaki pē ʻiate kinautolu, pea naʻe ikuna ai ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí ʻi he taú.​—1 Sām. 13:5, 15, 22; 14:1, 2, 6, PM, 14, 15, 20.

7. Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e fakafeangai ʻa Sionatane ki heʻene tamaí?

⁷ Neongo naʻe hokohoko atu pē ʻa e talangataʻa  ʻa Saula kia Sihová, naʻe kei talangofua pē ʻa Sionatane ki heʻene tamaí ʻi he taimi pē naʻe malava aí. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻá na faitau fakataha ke maluʻi ʻa e kakai ʻa Sihová.​—1 Sām. 31:1, 2.

8, 9. ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻetau mateaki ki he ʻOtuá ʻi he taimi ʻoku tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ai ʻa e faʻahinga ʻoku nau maʻu ʻa e mafaí?

⁸ ʻI he hangē ko Sionatané, ʻe lava ke tau mateaki kia Sihova ʻaki ʻetau talangofua ki he founga-pule ʻo e fonua ʻoku tau nofo aí ʻi he taimi pē ʻoku malava aí. ʻOku fakaʻatā ʻe Sihova ʻa e “ngaahi mafai māʻolungá” ke nau pule mai, pea ʻokú ne fiemaʻu mai ke tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi kinautolu. (Lau ʻa e Loma 13:1, 2.) Ko e ʻuhinga ia ʻoku totonu ai ke tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ha tokotaha maʻu mafai ʻi he puleʻangá, naʻa mo e taimi ʻoku ʻikai ke ne faitotonu aí pea tau ongoʻi ʻoku ʻikai ke ne tuha mo ʻetau fakaʻapaʻapá. Ko e moʻoni, ʻoku totonu ke tau fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻa e kotoa ʻo e faʻahinga kuo ʻoange ʻe Sihova kiate kinautolu ʻa e mafaí.​—1 Kol. 11:3; Hep. 13:17.

⁹ Ko ʻOlokā, ^[1] ko ha tuofefine mei ʻAmelika Tonga, naʻá ne fakahāhā ʻa e mateaki kia Sihová ʻaki ʻene fakaʻapaʻapaʻi hono husepānití neongo hono ngaohikoviʻi iá. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, naʻe fakalongolongoʻi ia ʻe hono husepānití pe ko ʻene leakoviʻi ia koeʻuhí ko ʻene hoko ko e taha ʻo e Kau Fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihová. Naʻe aʻu ʻo ne tala ange kia ʻOlokā te ne liʻaki ia pea te ne ʻave ʻe ia ʻa e fānaú. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke hanga ʻe ʻOlokā ʻo “fetongi ʻa e koví ʻaki ʻa e kovi.” Naʻá ne fai hono lelei tahá ke ne hoko ko e uaifi lelei. Naʻá ne feimeʻatokoni maʻa hono husepānití, fō hono valá pea naʻá ne toe tokanga ki he fāmili hono husepānití. (Loma 12:17) Pea naʻá ne ʻalu fakataha mo ia ʻo ʻaʻahi ki he fāmili mo e ngaahi kaungāmeʻa hono husepānití ʻi he taimi naʻe faingamālie aí. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻi he taimi naʻe fiemaʻu ai ʻe hono husepānití ke ʻalu ki he putu ʻene tamaí ʻi ha kolo ʻe taha, naʻá ne teuteu ʻa e meʻa kotoa naʻe fiemaʻu ki heʻenau fonongá. ʻI he putú, naʻe talitali pē ʻa ʻOlokā ki hono husepānití ʻi tuʻa ʻi he fale lotú. ʻI he hili ha ngaahi taʻu lahi, naʻe kamata ke lelei ange ʻa e fakafeangai ʻa e husepāniti ʻo ʻOlokā kiate ia koeʻuhí ko ʻene kātaki lahí mo fakahāhā maʻu pē ʻa e fakaʻapaʻapá. ʻI he taimí ni, ʻoku fakalototoʻaʻi ʻe he husepānití ʻa ʻOlokā ke ʻalu ki he ngaahi fakatahá pea ʻokú ne toe ʻave ia ki ai. ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi, ʻoku aʻu ʻo ne ʻalu mo ʻOlokā ki he ngaahi fakatahá.​—1 Pita 3:1.

10. Naʻe anga-fēfē hono ʻiloʻi ʻe Sionatane ʻa e tokotaha ʻoku totonu ke ne mateaki ki aí?

¹⁰ ʻI he taimi naʻe tala ange ai ʻe Saula te ne tāmateʻi ʻa Tēvitá, naʻe pau ke fai ʻe Sionatane ha fili faingataʻa. Naʻá ne loto ke mateaki ki heʻene tamaí, ka naʻá ne toe loto ke mateaki kia Tēvita. Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Sionatane naʻe kau ʻa e ʻOtuá mo Tēvita kae ʻikai ko Saula, ko ia naʻá ne fili ke mateaki kia Tēvita. Naʻá ne fakatokanga kia Tēvita ke ne toitoi peá ne tala ange leva kia Saula ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻoku totonu ai ke moʻui ʻa Tēvitá.​—Lau ʻa e 1 Sām. 19:1-6.

11, 12. ʻOku anga-fēfē hono tokoniʻi kitautolu ʻe he ʻofa ki he ʻOtuá ke tau fili ke mateaki kiate iá?

¹¹ Ko ʻĀlisi ko ha tuofefine mei ʻAositelēlia, naʻe pau ke ne fai ha fili ki he tokotaha te ne mateaki ki aí. ʻI he taimi naʻá ne ako ai ʻa e Tohi Tapú, naʻá ne fakamatala ange ki hono fāmilí ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻá ne akó. Naʻá ne toe tala ange heʻikai te ne kātoangaʻi ʻa e Kilisimasí mo kinautolu pea naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi ʻa e ʻuhingá. ʻI he ʻuluaki taimí, naʻe loto-mamahi ʻa e ngaahi mēmipa hono fāmilí, ka ki mui ai naʻa nau ʻita lahi ʻaupito. Naʻa nau ongoʻi naʻe ʻikai toe tokanga ange ʻa ʻĀlisi kia kinautolu. Naʻe tala ange leva ʻe heʻene faʻeé ʻoku ʻikai ke ne toe loto ke sio kia ʻĀlisi. Naʻe pehē ʻe ʻĀlisi: “Naʻá ku ʻohovale peá u loto-mamahi lahi koeʻuhí naʻá ku ʻofa moʻoni ʻi hoku fāmilí. Kae kehe, naʻá ku fakapapauʻi ke fakamuʻomuʻa ʻa Sihova mo hono ʻAló ʻi hoku lotó, pea naʻá ku papitaiso ʻi he ʻasemipilī hono hokó.”​—Māt. 10:37.

¹² Kuo pau ke ʻoua te tau mateaki ki ha faʻahinga meʻa pē ʻo hangē ko ha timi sipoti, ʻapiako pe fonua ʻo mahuʻinga ange ia kiate kitautolu ʻi heʻetau mateaki kia Sihová. Ko e fakatātaá, ko Henelī naʻá ne saiʻia ʻi he vaʻinga chess mo ʻene timi ʻi he ʻapiakó pea naʻá ne loto ke ikuna maʻa hono ʻapiakó. Ka koeʻuhí ko ʻene vaʻinga chess ʻi he fakaʻosinga uike kotoa pē, naʻe ʻikai ai ke ne maʻu ha taimi ki he ngāue fakafaifekaú pe ko e ngaahi fakatahá. Naʻe pehē ʻe Henelī, naʻe kamata ke mahuʻinga ange kiate ia ʻene mateaki ki he ʻapiakó ʻi he ʻOtuá. Ko ia, naʻá ne fili ke tukuange ʻene vaʻinga chess maʻa hono ʻapiakó.​—Māt. 6:33.

13. ʻE lava fēfē ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ʻe he mateaki ki he ʻOtuá ke tau fekuki mo e ngaahi palopalema fakafāmilí?

¹³ ʻI he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻoku faingataʻa ke tau mateaki ki he ngaahi mēmipa kehekehe ʻi hotau fāmilí ʻi he taimi pē taha. Ko e fakatātaá, ʻoku pehē ʻe Keni: “Naʻá ku loto ke ʻaʻahi maʻu pē ki heʻeku faʻē taʻumotuʻá pea ke ʻomai ia ke mau nofo ʻi ha taimi. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke fetaulaki lelei ʻeku faʻeé mo hoku uaifí.” ʻOkú ne hoko atu: “Heʻikai lava ke u fakahōhōʻiaʻi ha tokotaha he ʻe ʻita ʻa e tokotaha.” Naʻe fakakaukau ʻa Keni ʻo fekauʻaki mo e meʻa ʻoku leaʻaki ʻe he Tohi Tapú peá ne ʻiloʻi ʻi he tuʻunga ko ení kuo pau ke ne fakahōhōʻiaʻi hono uaifí pea ke ne mateaki kiate ia. Ko ia, naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻa e fakaleleiʻangá ʻa ia naʻe fiefia ai hono uaifí. Naʻá ne fakamatalaʻi leva ki hono uaifí ʻa e ʻuhinga kuo pau ai ki hono uaifí ke anga-lelei ki heʻene faʻeé. Naʻá ne toe fakamatalaʻi ki heʻene faʻeé ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻoku totonu ai ke fakaʻapaʻapa ʻene faʻeé ki hono uaifí.​—Lau ʻa e Sēnesi 2:24; 1 Kolinitō 13:4, 5.

14. Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e fakafeangai ʻikai lelei ʻa Saula kia Sionatané?

¹⁴ ʻOku lava ke tau toe mateaki kia Sihova kapau ʻoku fakafeangai taʻetotonu mai ha tokoua ʻoku takimuʻa. Naʻe fakanofo ʻa Tuʻi Saula ʻe he ʻOtuá ka naʻá ne ngaohikoviʻi ʻa hono fohá tonu. Naʻe ʻikai ke ne mahinoʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻe ʻofa ai ʻa Sionatane ʻia Tēvitá. Ko ia ʻi he taimi naʻe feinga ai ʻa Sionatane ke tokoniʻi ʻa Tēvitá, naʻe ʻita lahi ʻa Saula peá ne fakamaaʻi hono fohá ʻi he haʻohaʻonga ʻo ha fuʻu kakai. Ka naʻe kei fakaʻapaʻapa pē ʻa Sionatane ki heʻene tamaí. ʻI he taimi tatau, naʻá ne nofoʻaki mateaki kia Sihova pea kia Tēvita, ʻa e tokotaha kuo fili ʻe he ʻOtuá ko e tuʻi hono hoko ki ʻIsilelí.​—1 Sām. 20:30-41.

15. Kapau ʻoku fakafeangai taʻetotonu mai ha tokoua, ʻoku totonu ke fēfē ʻetau fakafeangaí?

 ¹⁵ ʻI heʻetau fakatahaʻangá ʻi he ʻahó ni, ʻoku feinga ʻa e fanga tokoua ʻoku takimuʻá ke nau fakafeangai tatau ki he tokotaha kotoa. Ka ko e fanga tokoua ko ení ʻoku nau taʻehaohaoa. ʻI he tuʻunga ko iá, ʻe faingofua ai ke nau hoko ʻo ʻikai mahinoʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻoku tau fai ai ha meʻa. (1 Sām. 1:13-17) Ko ia, ka faifai ange pea fakamaauhalaʻi pe ʻikai mahinoʻi kitautolu, ʻofa ke tau nofoʻaki mateaki ai pē kia Sihova.

16. Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga kuo pau ke tau mateaki ai ki he ʻOtuá pea ʻikai siokitá?

¹⁶ Naʻe loto ʻa Saula ke hoko ʻa Sionatane ko e tuʻi hokó kae ʻikai ko Tēvita. (1 Sām. 20:31) Ka naʻe ʻofa ʻa Sionatane ʻia Sihova pea mateaki kiate ia. ʻI he ʻikai siokita ʻa Sionatané, naʻá ne kaumeʻa ai mo Tēvita pea tauhi ʻene fuakava kiate iá. Ko e moʻoni, ko ha taha ʻoku ʻofa mo mateaki kia Sihova heʻikai te ne “fai ha fuakava ʻo iku ki haʻane kovi, ka ʻoku ʻikai te ne mioʻi.” (Saame 15:4) Koeʻuhí ko ʻetau mateaki kia Sihová, te tau tauhi ai ʻetau ngaahi fuakavá. Ko e fakatātaá, kapau ʻoku tau fai ha aleapau fakapisinisi, te tau fai ʻa e meʻa naʻa tau aleapau ki aí neongo kapau ʻoku hoko eni ʻo faingataʻa. Pea kapau kuo tau hokosia ha ngaahi palopalema ʻi heʻetau nofo malí, te tau fakahāhā ʻetau ʻofa kia Sihová ʻaki ʻetau nofoʻaki mateaki ki hotau husepānití pe uaifí.​—Lau ʻa e Malakai 2:13-16.

17. Kuo anga-fēfē hono tokoniʻi koe ʻi he ako ko ení?

¹⁷ ʻOku tau loto ke mateaki ki he ʻOtuá naʻa mo e ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻá, ʻo hangē ko ia ko Sionatané. Ko ia, ʻofa ke tau nofoʻaki mateaki ai pē ki hotau fanga tokouá mo e fanga tuofāfiné, ʻi he taimi ʻoku nau fakalotomamahiʻi ai kitautolú. Te tau ʻai leva ai ʻa e loto ʻo Sihová ke fiefia, pea ko e meʻa ia te tau fiefia taha aí. (Pal. 27:11) ʻOku lava ke tau fakapapauʻi te ne fai maʻu pē ʻa e meʻa ʻoku lelei tahá maʻa kitautolu mo tokangaʻi kitautolu. ʻI he kupu hokó, te tau vakai ki he meʻa ʻe lava ke tau ako mei he niʻihi naʻe mateaki mo e niʻihi naʻe ʻikai mateaki ʻi he taimi ʻo Tēvitá.