1, 2. Ko e hā ʻa e pole naʻe fehangahangai mo Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné?

 NAʻE lele atu ha kiʻi fefine ke fakafetaulaki ki heʻene tamaí. Naʻá ne fiefia lahi ʻi heʻene sio atu ʻokú ne foki moʻui mai mei he taú. Naʻe hoko ʻa e ikuna kāfakafa ʻene tamaí ke ne hiva mo tauʻolunga fiefia ai. Ka ko e meʻa hono hoko naʻe fai mo leaʻaki ʻe heʻene tamaí kuo pau pē naʻá ne ʻohovale ai. Naʻe hae ʻe heʻene tamaí hono kofú mo ne kalanga atu: “Oiaue, hoku ofefine! kuo ke fakavaivai aubito au.” Naʻá ne tala ange leva ki hono ʻofefiné kuó ne fai ha fuakava kia Sihova ʻa ia ʻe liliu tuʻuloa ai ʻene moʻuí. Ko e fuakava ʻene tamaí naʻe ʻuhinga iá heʻikai ʻaupito te ne malava ke mali pe maʻu fānau. Ka naʻá ne ʻoatu leva ha tali fakaʻofoʻofa, ʻo fakalototoʻaʻi ʻene tamaí ke tauhi ki heʻene fuakava kia Sihová. Naʻe hā mei heʻene talí ʻene falala kakato ko e hā pē ha meʻa ʻoku kole ʻe Sihova meiate iá ko e lelei pē maʻana. (Fkm. 11:34-37, PM) ʻI he taimi naʻe vakai ai ʻene tamaí ki he mālohi ʻa e tui hono ʻofefiné, naʻá ne mātuʻaki laukauʻaki ia koeʻuhí naʻá ne ʻilo ko ʻene loto-leleí te ne ʻai ai ʻa Sihova ke fiefia.

² Naʻe falala kakato ʻa Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné kia Sihova mo e founga ʻokú ne fai ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻá. Naʻá na faitōnunga naʻa mo e  taimi naʻe ʻikai ke faingofua ai kiate kinauá. Naʻá na loto ke na maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa Sihová pea naʻe tuha ia mo ha feilaulau pē.

3. Ko e hā ʻe lava ke hoko ai ʻo ʻaonga kiate kitautolu he ʻahó ni ʻa e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné?

³ ʻOku ʻikai ke faingofua maʻu pē ke nofoʻaki faitōnunga kia Sihova. ʻOku fiemaʻu ke tau “faitau mālohi maʻá e tuí.” (Sute 3) Ke tokoniʻi kitautolu ke fai ení, tau ako angé ʻa e founga naʻe kātekina ai ʻe Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné ʻa e ngaahi pole ʻi heʻena moʻuí. Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻena nofoʻaki faitōnunga kia Sihová?

4, 5. (a) Ko e hā ʻa e fekau naʻe ʻoange ʻe Sihova ki he kau ʻIsilelí ʻi heʻenau hū ki he Fonua ʻo e Talaʻofá? (e) Fakatatau ki he Saame 106, ko e hā naʻe hoko ki he kau ʻIsilelí koeʻuhí ko ʻenau talangataʻá?

⁴ ʻI he ʻaho kotoa, kuo pau pē naʻe manatua ʻe Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné ʻa e nunuʻa ʻo e talangataʻa kia Sihova ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí. ʻI he taʻu nai ʻe 300 ki muʻá, naʻe fekau ai ʻe Sihova ki he kau ʻIsilelí ke tāmateʻi ʻa e kau lotu loi kotoa pē ʻi he Fonua ʻo e Talaʻofá, ka naʻe ʻikai ke nau talangofua. (Teu. 7:1-4) Naʻe kamata ʻa e kau ʻIsileli tokolahi ke nau faʻifaʻitaki ki he kau Kēnaní, ʻi heʻenau lotu ki he ngaahi ʻotua loí pea fai mo e ngaahi tōʻonga taʻetaau.​—Lau ʻa e Saame 106:34-39.

⁵ Koeʻuhí ko e talangataʻa ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí, naʻe ʻikai ke maluʻi kinautolu ʻe Sihova mei honau ngaahi filí. (Fkm. 2:1-3, 11-15; Saame 106:40-43) Kuo pau pē naʻe mātuʻaki faingataʻa ki he ngaahi fāmili naʻe ʻofa kia Sihová ke nau nofoʻaki faitōnunga lolotonga ʻa e ngaahi taimi faingataʻa ko iá. Kae kehe, ʻoku lave ʻa e Tohi Tapú naʻe ʻi ai ʻa e faʻahinga naʻe faitōnunga, hangē ko Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné pea pehē kia ʻElikena, ʻAna mo Sāmiuela. Naʻa nau fakapapauʻi ke ʻai ʻa Sihova ke fiefia.​—1 Sām. 1:20-28; 2:26.

6. Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi tākiekina ʻoku hoko ʻi he māmaní ʻi he ʻahó ni, pea ko e hā kuo pau ke tau faí?

⁶ ʻI hotau ʻahó ni, ko e fakakaukau mo e ngāue ʻa e kakaí ʻoku hangē pē ko e kau Kēnaní. ʻOku tokangataha pē ʻenau moʻuí ki he fehokotaki fakasinó, fakamālohí mo e paʻangá. Ka ʻoku ʻomai ʻe Sihova ha ngaahi fakatokanga māʻalaʻala. ʻOkú ne loto ke maluʻi kitautolu ʻo hangē ko ia ko ʻene loto ke maluʻi ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí mei he ngaahi tākiekina kovi ko iá. Te tau ako mei heʻenau fehālākí? (1 Kol. 10:6-11) Kuo pau ke tau fai ʻa e meʻa kotoa te tau ala lavá ke fakaʻehiʻehi mei he fakakaukau ʻa e māmaní. (Loma 12:2) Te tau feinga hotau lelei tahá ke fai pehē?

7. (a) Ko e hā naʻe fai ʻe he kakai tonu ʻo Sēfitá kiate iá? (e) Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e tali ʻa Sēfitá?

⁷ ʻI he ʻaho ʻo Sēfitá, naʻe lōmekina ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí ʻe he kau Filisitiá mo e kau ʻĀmoní koeʻuhí naʻe talangataʻa ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí kia Sihova. (Fkm. 10:7, 8) Tānaki atu pē ki ai, naʻe toe hokosia ʻe Sēfita ʻa e ngaahi pole mei hono fanga tokouá tonu pea pehē ki he kau taki ʻo ʻIsilelí. Koeʻuhí naʻe meheka mo fehiʻa hono fanga tokouá ʻiate ia, naʻa nau fakamālohiʻi ia ke ne mavahe mei he tofiʻa naʻe ʻi ai ʻene totonu fakalao ki aí. (Fkm. 11:1-3) Naʻe ʻikai fakaʻatā ʻe Sēfita ʻenau tōʻonga koví ke uesia ʻene fakakaukaú. ʻOku anga-fēfē ʻetau ʻilo iá? Koeʻuhí ʻi he taimi naʻe kōlenga ai ʻa e kau mātuʻa ʻo e fonuá ke tokoniʻi kinautolú naʻá ne fai leva ia. (Fkm. 11:4-11) Ko e hā nai naʻá ne ueʻi ʻa Sēfita ke ne fakafeangai ʻi he founga ko iá?

8, 9. (a) Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻi he Lao ʻa Mōsesé naʻá ne tokoniʻi nai ʻa Sēfitá? (e) Ko e hā naʻe mahuʻinga taha kia Sēfita?

⁸ Naʻe hoko ʻa Sēfita ko ha tokotaha pāteʻi tau mālohi, pea naʻá ne ʻiloʻi lelei ʻa e hisitōlia ʻo ʻIsilelí mo e Lao ʻa Mōsesé. Ko e anga ʻo e fakafeangai ʻa Sihova ki Hono kakaí naʻe akoʻi ai kiate  ia ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga ʻa e ʻOtuá ki he tonú mo e halá. (Fkm. 11:12-27) Naʻe ngāueʻaki ʻe Sēfita ʻi heʻene moʻuí ʻa e ʻilo ko iá ʻi he taimi naʻá ne fai ai ha ngaahi fili. Naʻá ne ʻiloʻi lelei ʻa e anga ʻo e ongoʻi ʻa Sihova fekauʻaki mo e ʻitá mo e sāuní pea mo e founga ʻoku fiemaʻu ai ʻe he ʻOtuá ke feʻofaʻaki Hono kakaí. Tānaki atu ki ai, naʻe akoʻi ia ʻe he Laó ki he founga ke fakafeangai ai ki he niʻihi kehé naʻa mo e faʻahinga naʻe fehiʻa ange kiate iá.​—Lau ʻa e ʻEkisoto 23:5; Livitiko 19:17, 18.

⁹ Ngalingali naʻe tokoniʻi ʻa Sēfita ʻe he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Siosifá. Kuo pau pē naʻá ne ako mei he anga hono fakahāhā ʻe Siosifa ʻa e mēsí ki hono fanga tokouá neongo ʻenau fehiʻa ʻiate iá. (Sēn. 37:4; 45:4, 5) Kuo pau pē naʻe tokoni kia Sēfita ʻene fakakaukau atu ki he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ko ení, ke fakafeangai ai ʻi he founga naʻe fakahōifua kia Sihová. Ko e meʻa naʻe fai ange ʻe he fanga tokoua ʻo Sēfitá kiate iá naʻá ne fakalotomamahiʻi moʻoni ia. Ka ko e faitau maʻá e huafa ʻo Sihová mo ʻene kakaí naʻe mahuʻinga ange ia ʻi he ngaahi ongoʻi fakafoʻituitui ʻa Sēfitá. (Fkm. 11:9) Naʻá ne fakapapauʻi ke faitōnunga kia Sihova. Ko e fakakaukau ko ení naʻe iku atu ia ke ne maʻu ai mo e kau ʻIsilelí ʻa e tāpuaki ʻa Sihová.​—Hep. 11:32, 33.

10. ʻE lava fēfē ke tau fakaʻatā ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni fakaʻotuá ke ne tokoniʻi kitautolu ke tau ngāue ko ha kau Kalisitiane ʻi he ʻahó ni?

¹⁰ ʻE lava ke tau ako mei he faʻifaʻitakiʻanga ʻa Sēfitá? Ko e hā te tau fai kapau ʻoku fakalotomamahiʻi kitautolu ʻe hotau fanga tokoua Kalisitiané pe kapau ʻoku tau ongoʻi ʻoku ʻikai lelei ʻenau fakafeangai maí? ʻOku totonu ke ʻoua te tau fakaʻatā ʻetau ngaahi loto-mamahí ke taʻofi kitautolu mei he tauhi kia Sihová. ʻOua ʻaupito ʻe tuku ʻa e ʻalu ki he ngaahi fakataha faka-Kalisitiané pe feohi mo e fakatahaʻangá. ʻOfa ke tau faʻifaʻitaki kia Sēfita pea talangofua kia Sihova. ʻE tokoni eni kia kitautolu ke tau ikuʻi ha ngaahi tuʻunga faingataʻa koeʻuhí ka tau lava foki mo kitautolu ʻo hoko ko e kau faʻifaʻitakiʻanga lelei.​—Loma 12:20, 21; Kol. 3:13.

11, 12. Ko e hā ʻa e fuakava naʻe fai ʻe Sēfitá, pea ko e hā naʻe kau ki aí?

¹¹ Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Sēfita naʻá ne fiemaʻu ʻa e tokoni ʻa e ʻOtuá ke fakatauʻatāinaʻi ʻa ʻIsileli mei he kau ʻĀmoní. Naʻá ne palōmesi kia Sihova kapau te ne ikuna, te ne ʻoatu ha “feilaulau tutu” kiate Ia, ʻa e fuofua tokotaha ʻe haʻu mei hono falé ʻi he taimi ʻe foki atu ai mei he taú. (Fkm 11:30, 31, PM) Ko e hā ʻa e ʻuhinga ʻo e meʻá ni?

¹² ʻOku fehiʻa ʻa Sihova ʻi hono feilaulauʻi ʻa e faʻahinga ʻo e tangatá, ko ia ʻoku tau ʻiloʻi naʻe ʻikai ʻuhinga ʻa Sēfitá ke ne fai ha feilaulau pehē. (Teu. 18:9, 10) ʻI he malumalu ʻo e Lao ʻa Mōsesé, ko ha feilaulau tutu ko ha meʻaʻofa makehe naʻe foaki kakato atu ʻe ha taha kia Sihova. Ko ia naʻe ʻuhinga ʻa Sēfitá ko e tokotaha te ne ʻoatu kia Sihová te ne ngāue ʻi he tāpanekalé ʻi he toenga ʻene moʻuí. Naʻe fanongo ʻa Sihova kia Sēfita pea naʻá ne tokoniʻi ia ke ne ikunaʻi kakato ʻa e taú. (Fkm. 11:32, 33) Ka ko hai ʻe ʻoatu ʻe Sēfita kia Sihova?

13, 14. Ko e hā ʻoku fakaeʻa ʻi he lea ʻa Sēfita ʻi he Fakamaau 11:35 ʻo fekauʻaki mo ʻene tuí?

¹³ Fakakaukau ki he talanoa naʻe lave ki ai ʻi he kamataʻanga ʻo e kupu ko ení. ʻI he taimi naʻe foki mai ai ʻa Sēfita mei he taú, ko e fuofua tokotaha naʻe haʻu ʻo fakafetaulaki mai kiate iá ko hono ʻofefine ʻofaʻangá, ʻa ʻene tama pē ʻe tahá! ʻE faitōnunga ʻa Sēfita ki heʻene palōmesí? Te ne ʻoatu ʻa hono ʻofefiné tonu kia Sihova ke ne ngāue ʻi he tāpanekalé ʻi he toenga ʻo ʻene moʻuí?

¹⁴ Kuo pau pē naʻe toe tokoniʻi ʻa Sēfita ʻe he ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻi he Lao ʻa e ʻOtuá ke ne fai ʻa e ngaahi fili totonú. Mahalo pē naʻá ne manatuʻi ʻa e ngaahi lea ʻi he ʻEkisoto 23:19, ʻa ia naʻe tala ai ki he kakai ʻa e ʻOtuá ke nau  loto-lelei ke ʻoatu honau lelei tahá kia Sihova. Naʻe toe pehē ʻe he Laó ko e taimi ʻoku fai ai ʻe ha taha ha fuakava kia Sihova, “ʻe ʻikai te ne maumau ʻene lea; te ne fai ʻa e meʻa kotoa kuo puʻaki ʻe hono ngutu.” (Nōm. 30:3) Naʻe pau ke tauhi ʻe Sēfita ʻene palōmesí neongo naʻá ne ʻiloʻi ʻa e meʻa ʻe hoko kiate ia mo hono ʻofefiné, ʻo hangē ko e tokotaha faitōnunga ko ʻAná ʻa ia ngalingali naʻá ne moʻui lolotonga ʻa e taimi ko iá. Koeʻuhí ʻe ngāue hono ʻofefiné ʻi he tāpanekalé, heʻikai ʻaupito te ne maʻu fānau. Ko ia, heʻikai ai ke ʻi ai ha taha ke ne maʻu tukufakaholo ʻa e hingoa mo e tofiʻa ʻo Sēfitá. (Fkm. 11:34) Neongo ia, naʻe lea faitōnunga ʻa Sēfita ʻo pehē: “Kuo u faʻai hoku pokoʻi ngutu ni ki he ʻOtua, pea ʻe ʻikai te u lava ke foki.” (Fkm. 11:35) Naʻe tali ʻe Sihova ʻa e feilaulau lahi naʻe fai ʻe Sēfitá pea naʻá ne tāpuakiʻi ia. Kuó ke faitōnunga ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fai ʻe Sēfita?

15. Ko e hā ʻa e fuakava kuo fakahoko ʻe he tokolahi ʻo kitautolú, pea ʻe lava fēfē ke tau fakamoʻoniʻi ʻetau faitōnungá?

¹⁵ ʻI he taimi naʻa tau fakatapui ai ʻetau moʻuí kia Sihová, naʻa tau fuakava te tau fai hono finangaló ʻo tatau ai pē pe ko e hā ʻa e meʻa ʻe hokó. Naʻa tau ʻiloʻi heʻikai ke faingofua maʻu pē ke tauhi ki he palōmesi ko iá. Ka ʻoku anga-fēfē ʻetau fakafeangai ʻi he taimi ʻoku kole mai ai ke tau fai ha ngāue ʻoku ʻikai ke tau saiʻia ai? Kapau te tau ikuʻi ʻetau ngaahi ongoʻí pea loto-lelei ke talangofua ki he ʻOtuá, ʻoku fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻoku tau faitōnunga ki heʻetau palōmesí. ʻE hoko nai ha ngaahi meʻa fakamamahi ʻi heʻetau ngaahi feilaulaú, ka ʻoku lahi ange maʻu pē ʻa e tāpuaki ʻa Sihová. (Mal. 3:10) Ka naʻe fēfē ʻa e ʻofefine ʻo Sēfitá? Naʻe fēfē ʻene fakafeangai ki he palōmesi naʻe fai ʻe heʻene tamaí?

16. Naʻe anga-fēfē fakafeangai ʻa e ʻofefine ʻo Sēfitá ki he palōmesi ʻa ʻene tamaí? (Sio ki he ʻuluaki fakatātā ʻi he kupú ni.)

¹⁶ Ko e fuakava ʻa Sēfitá naʻe kehe ia meia ʻAna. Naʻá ne fuakava te ne ʻoatu hono foha ko Sāmiuelá ke ne ngāue ʻi he tāpanekalé ko ha Nāsili. (1 Sām. 1:11) Naʻe fakaʻatā ha Nāsili ke ne mali mo maʻu fāmili. Ka ko e ʻofefine ia ʻo Sēfitá naʻe foaki atu ia ko ha “feilaulau tutu” kakato, ʻa ia heʻikai ai ke ne maʻu ʻa e fiefia ʻo e hoko ko ha uaifi mo e faʻē. (Fkm. 11:37-40) Fakakaukau  ki heni! Ngalingali naʻá ne mei malava ke mali mo e tangata lelei taha ʻi he fonuá koeʻuhí ko ʻene tamaí naʻe taki ʻi ʻIsilelí. Ka ko eni te ne hoko ko ha sevāniti maʻulalo ʻi he tāpanekalé. Naʻe anga-fēfē ʻa e fakafeangai ʻa e kiʻi fefiné? Naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ko e ngāue ʻa Sihová ʻa e meʻa muʻomuʻa tahá ʻaki ʻene pehē ki heʻene tamaí: “Fai kiate au, ʻo fakatatau ki he meʻa kuo hū atu mei ho fofonga.” (Fkm. 11:36) Naʻá ne feilaulauʻi ʻene ngaahi holi fakanatula ki ha husepāniti mo ha fānaú kae lava ke ne tauhi ai kia Sihova. ʻE lava fēfē ke tau faʻifaʻitaki ki heʻene moʻui feilaulauʻi-kita?

17. (a) ʻE lava fēfē ke tau faʻifaʻitaki ki he tui naʻe maʻu ʻe Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné? (e) ʻOku anga-fēfē hono fakalototoʻaʻi koe ʻe he ngaahi lea ʻi he Hepelū 6:10-12 ke ke hoko ʻo feilaulauʻi-kitá?

¹⁷ ʻI he ʻahó ni, ʻoku loto-lelei ʻa e kau talavou mo e kau finemui Kalisitiane ʻe laui afe ke nau fai ha feilaulau, ʻaki ʻenau nofo taʻemali pe fili ke ʻoua ʻe maʻu fānau. Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Koeʻuhí ʻoku nau loto ke tokangataha ange ki he tauhi kia Sihová. Pehē foki, ʻoku feilaulauʻi ʻe heʻetau kau taʻumotuʻa tokolahi ʻa e taimi ke feohi ai mo ʻenau fānaú pe fanga makapuná. Ka nau ʻoatu honau taimí mo e iví kia Sihova. Ko e niʻihi ʻo kinautolu ʻoku nau ngāue ʻi he ngāue langá pe kau ki he Ako Maʻá e Kau ʻEvangeliō ʻo e Puleʻangá pea hiki ki ha fakatahaʻanga ʻoku fiemaʻu lahi ange ai ʻa e kau malangá. ʻOku fai ʻe he niʻihi ha palani ke fakalahi ʻenau ngāue kia Sihová lolotonga ʻa e faʻahitaʻu Fakamanatú. Heʻikai ʻaupito ke ngalo ʻia Sihova ʻa e ngaahi feilaulau anga-ʻofa ʻa e faʻahinga faitōnunga kotoa ko ení. (Lau ʻa e Hepelū 6:10-12.) Fēfē koe? Te ke malava ke fai ha ngaahi feilaulau ke toe kakato ange hoʻo ngāue kia Sihová?

18, 19. Ko e hā kuo tau ako mei he fakamatala Fakatohitapu ʻo kau kia Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné, pea ʻe lava fēfē ke tau faʻifaʻitaki kiate kinaua?

¹⁸ Ko e hā naʻá ne tokoniʻi ʻa Sēfita ke ne ikuʻi ʻa e ngaahi polé? Naʻá ne tuku ʻa Sihova ke ne tataki ʻene ngaahi fili ʻi he moʻuí. Naʻá ne fili ke ʻoua naʻa tākiekina ia ʻe he kakai takatakai ʻiate iá. Pea naʻá ne kei faitōnunga pē naʻa mo e taimi naʻe fakalotomamahiʻi ai ia ʻe he niʻihi kehé. Naʻe tāpuakiʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné ʻi heʻena ngaahi feilaulau loto-leleí, pea naʻá Ne ngāueʻaki kinaua ke pouaki ʻa e lotu moʻoní. Naʻa mo e taimi naʻe tuku ai ʻe he niʻihi kehé ʻenau fai ʻa e meʻa naʻe totonú, naʻe kei faitōnunga pē ʻa Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné kia Sihova.

¹⁹ ʻOku pehē ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “Hoko ko e kau faʻifaʻitaki ki he faʻahinga ʻa ia fakafou ʻi he tuí mo e kātakí ʻoku nau maʻu ai ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofá.” (Hep. 6:12) ʻOfa ke tau faʻifaʻitaki kia Sēfita mo hono ʻofefiné, ʻi he ʻiloʻi ko e taimi ʻoku tau hanganaki faitōnunga aí ʻe tāpuakiʻi kitautolu ʻe Sihova.