USamson Uyoyisa Ngenxa Yamandla KaYehova!

IZIKHOHLAKALI zabaqweqwedisi zilikrukra amehlo zize zilinyanzele ngomsebenzi onzima. Zandula ke zilikhuphe entolongweni zilise kwitempile yabahedeni ukuze zonwabise ngalo izihlwele. Ziyaliqhuba phambi kwaloo mawaka abantu abukeleyo zize zihlekise ngalo. Eli banjwa alisosaphuli-mthetho lingenguye nomphathi womkhosi olutshaba. Lingumnquli nje kaYehova yaye libe ngumgwebi kwaSirayeli kangangeminyaka engama-20.

Kwenzeka njani ukuba uSamson—oyena mntu unamandla wakha waphila—aphethe sele ekuloo meko ithob’ isidima? Ngaba amandla akhe angaqhelekanga ayeza kumhlangula? Ayevela phi amandla kaSamson? Ukuba ikho, yintoni esinokuyifunda kweli bali lobomi bakhe?

‘Uya Kukhokela Ekusindiseni USirayeli’

Oonyana bakaSirayeli babenomkhwa wokushiya unqulo lokwenyaniso. Ngoko bathi bakuphinda “babandakanyeka ekwenzeni okubi emehlweni kaYehova kwakhona, . . . uYehova wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane.”—ABagwebi 13:1.

Le mbali kaSamson yaqala xa kwabonakala ingelosi kaYehova kumfazi oludlolo wendoda engumSirayeli uManowa ize kumxelela ukuba uza kuzala umntwana oyinkwenkwe. Le ngelosi yathi kuye: “Incakuba ayiyi kufika entlokweni yakhe, ngenxa yokuba umntwana lowo uya kuba ngumNaziri kaThixo ekuphumeni kwakhe esiswini; yaye nguye oya kukhokela ekusindiseni uSirayeli esandleni samaFilisti.” (ABagwebi 13:2-5) Ngaphambi kokuba uSamson akhawulwe, uYehova wamabela umsebenzi okhethekileyo. Kwasekuzalweni kwakhe, wayeza kuba ngumNaziri—umntu okhethelwe inkonzo engcwele ethile ekhethekileyo.

“Nguye Kanye Olungileyo Emehlweni Am”

Njengoko uSamson ekhula, ‘uYehova wamsikelela.’ (ABagwebi 13:24) Ngenye imini uSamson waya kuyise nonina wathi: “Kukho umfazi endimbonileyo eTimna ezintombini zamaFilisti, kwaye ke ndithabatheleni yena njengomfazi.” (ABagwebi 14:2) Unokuyicingela nje indlela abothuka ngayo. Kunokuba akhulule amaSirayeli kubacinezeli, unyana wabo wayefuna ukwakha ubuhlobo ngokutshata nentombi yabo. Ukutshata nentombi engumnquli wezithixo zobuhedeni kwakungavunyelwa nguMthetho kaThixo. (Eksodus 34:11-16)  Ngenxa yoko, abazali bakhe bala besithi: “Akukho mfazi na phakathi kweentombi zabazalwana bakho naphakathi kwabo bonke abantu bakowethu, ukuba uye kuthabatha umfazi kumaFilisti angalukanga?” Sekunjalo, uSamson wazingisa esithi: ‘Ndithabatheleni nje yena, ngenxa yokuba nguye kanye olungileyo emehlweni am.’—ABagwebi 14:3.

Lo mFilistikazi waba “nguye kanye olungileyo” njani kuSamson? IMcClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia ithi, wayengenguye ngenxa yokuba “wayemanz’ andonga, ethi ndijonge, enomtsalane, kodwa kwakungenxa yenjongo ethile.” Yiyiphi loo njongo? Incwadi yaBagwebi 14:4 ithi uSamson “wayefuna ithuba nxamnye namaFilisti.” USamson waba nomdla ngenxa yaloo njongo kwelo bhinqa. Njengoko uSamson ekhula, “umoya kaYehova wamqhuba” ukuba enze okuthile. (ABagwebi 13:25) Ngoko ngumoya kaYehova owawubangela uSamson enze eso sicelo somfazi singaqhelekanga nokuba abe ngumgwebi kwaSirayeli. Ngaba uSamson walifumana elo thuba wayelifuna? Makhe siqale sibone indlela uYehova amqinisekisa ngayo ukuba uza kumnceda.

USamson wayesinge kwisixeko salowo uza kuba ngumtshakazi wakhe, eTimna. IZibhalo zithi: “Akufika kwizidiliya zaseTimna, kaloku, khangela! nantso ingonyama entsha enesingci igquma ize kumhlangabeza. Waza umoya kaYehova wasebenza kuye, ukuze ayiqwenge kubini.” La mandla angaka uSamson wawafumana eyedwa. Kwakungekho bantu bambonayo. Ngaba le yindlela uYehova awayemqinisekisa ngayo uSamson ukuba njengomNaziri wayenokuluphumeza uthumo alunikwe nguThixo? IBhayibhile ayithethi nto, kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo uSamson waqonda ukuba loo mandla asingowakhe. Amele ukuba ayevela kuThixo. Wayenokuthembela kuYehova ukuze enze umsebenzi wakhe. Ngenxa yokomelezwa seso siganeko sengonyama, uSamson “waqhubeka nendlela yakhe waza wathetha nomfazi lowo; yaye wayesalungile emehlweni” akhe.—ABagwebi 14:5-7.

Kamva xa uSamson wabuyela esiya kuthabatha loo mfazi ukuze eze naye ekhaya, “waphambuka waya kukhangela isidumbu sengonyama, kwaye apho kwakukho ibubu leenyosi kwisidumbu sengonyama, nobusi.” Ekhumbula oku, uSamson wawenzela eli qhina amaFilisti angama-30 awayengabakhaphi bakhe: “Kodlayo kwaphuma into edliwayo, kowomeleleyo kwaphuma into emnandi.” Xa elicombulule elo qhina, uSamson wayeza kuwanika iimpahla zangaphantsi nezinxibo ezingama-30. Xa engakwazi, kwakuza kufuneka anike yena ezo zinto. La maFilisti axakwa leli qhina kangangeentsuku ezintathu. Kusuku lwesine, abhenela ekusongeleni lo mfazi. Athi kuye: “Qhatha indoda yakho ukuze isixelele iqhina. Kungenjalo siya kukutshisa wena nendlu kayihlo ngomlilo.”  Enjani yona inkohlakalo! Ukuba amaFilisti ayekwazi ukusongela abantu bawo ngale ndlela, unokuzicingela intlungu amele ukuba ayehleli kuyo amaSirayeli acinezelweyo!—ABagwebi 14:8-15.

Ngenxa yokoyika lo mfazi wamphek’ emophula uSamson ukuze amxelele elo qhina. Ebonisa ukuba wayengamthandi yaye enganyanisekanga kuSamson, akazange aphozise maseko wabaxelela abo bakhaphi. Balicombulula elo qhina, yaye uSamson waqonda ukuba bakwazi njani. Wathi kubo: “Ukuba beningalimanga ngethokazi lam lenkomo, ngeningalicombululanga iqhina lam.” Ngoku lavela ithuba uSamson awayekade elilindele. “Umoya kaYehova wasebenza kuye, ukuze ehle aye eAshkelon, waxabela amadoda angamashumi amathathu awo waza wathabatha oko wayewahlube kona waya kunika abo babexele iqhina izinxibo.”—ABagwebi 14:18, 19.

Ngaba isenzo sikaSamson eAshkelon wasenza kuba efuna ukuziphindezelela? Akunjalo. YayinguThixo esebenzisa umhlanguli amkhethileyo. Esebenzisa uSamson, uYehova waqalisa umlo nxamnye nezo zikhohlakali zicinezela abantu bakhe. Eli phulo laliseza kutyhalela phambili. Elinye ithuba lavela xa uSamson wayetyelele umfazi wakhe.

Ulwa Imfazwe Yedwa

Ekubuyeleni kwakhe eTimna, uSamson ufumanisa ukuba umkhwe wakhe uye wamendisela kwenye indoda umfazi wakhe, ecinga ukuba uSamson umthiyile. USamson waba ligqabi ngumsindo. Waya kubamba iimpungutye ezingama-300 waza wazibophelela ngambini ngemisila yazo efakwe izikhuni ezivutha umlilo. Akuzikhulula, zaya kutshisa amasimi, izidiliya nemithi yomnquma, zitshabalalisa izivuno ezithathu eziphambili zonyaka zamaFilisti. Ngenxa yomsindo amaFilisti enza isenzo senkohlakalo. Ambek’ ityala umfazi kaSamson noyise aza abatshisa. Oko kuziphindezelela kwenkohlakalo kwayifeza injongo kaSamson. Wawahlasela ebulala abantu abaninzi.—ABagwebi 15:1-8.

Ngaba amaSirayeli aqonda ukuba uYehova uThixo uyamsikelela uSamson aze azimanye naye aphelise ulawulo lwamaFilisti? Akazange abone. Ephepha inkathazo, amaYuda athumela amadoda angama-3 000 ukuze abambe inkokeli ekhethwe nguThixo aze ayinikela kwiintshaba zayo. Noko ke, ukunganyaniseki kwamaSirayeli kwanika uSamson ithuba lokuzenzakalisa ngakumbi iintshaba zakhe. Xa kanye wayesele eza kunikelwa kumaFilisti, “umoya kaYehova wasebenza kuye, yaye iintsontelo ezazisezingalweni zakhe zaba ngathi yimisonto yelinen etshiswe ngomlilo, kangangokuba amakhamandela akhe anyibilika ezandleni zakhe.” Wandula wathabatha ithambo lomhlathi we-esile waxabela ngalo iwaka leentshaba zakhe.—ABagwebi 15:10-15.

Ecela uYehova, uSamson wathi: “Nguwe onikele olu sindiso lukhulu esandleni somkhonzi wakho, kwaye ngoku ndiya kufa lunxano na ndize ndiwele esandleni sabangalukanga?” UYehova wawuva umthandazo kaSamson wawuphendula. “UThixo wavula umgongxo omile okwesingqusho . . . , kwaza kwaphuma amanzi kuwo, wasela, emva koko wabuya umoya wakhe waza waphila.”—ABagwebi 15:18, 19.

USamson wayezimisele ukuphumeza usukelo lwakhe, ukulwa namaFilisti. Isizathu sokuya kwakhe kwindlu kanongogo eGaza yayikukuze alwe neentshaba zikaThixo. USamson wayefuna indawo yokufihla intloko ngobo busuku kwisixeko sotshaba, ibe loo ndawo yayifumaneka kwikhaya lonongogo. USamson wayengacingi ngokuziphatha kakubi. Wayishiya indlu yelo bhinqa ezinzulwini zobusuku, wabamba iingcango zesango lesixeko nezibonda ezisecaleni ezibini, wazithwala wazisa phezu kwentaba ekufuphi neHebron, eyayimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-60 ukusuka apho. Esi senzo samkholisa uThixo waza wamnika amandla.—ABagwebi 16:1-3.

Indlela owawusebenza ngayo umoya oyingcelwe kuSamson yayingaqhelekanga kuba wayephantsi kweemeko ezingaqhelekanga. Abakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje banokuthembela  kuloo moya ukuze ubanike amandla. UYesu waqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba uYehova uya “kubanika umoya oyingcwele abo bamcelayo.”—Luka 11:13.

Kwakutheni Ukuze UYehova ‘Emke KuSamson’?

Kwenzeka ukuba uSamson athande ibhinqa elinguDelila. Iinkosi ezintlanu zomanyano lwamaFilisti zazikufuna ngamandla ukumbulala uSamson kangangokuba zafuna uncedo kuDelila. Zaya kuye zathi: “Mqhathe uze ubone ukuba asenini na amandla akhe amakhulu noko singamoyisa ngako.” Zimnyoba, nganye kwezi nkosi yamthembisa ukumnika “amaqhosha esilivere aliwaka elinekhulu.”—ABagwebi 16:4, 5.

Ukuba la maqhosha esilivere ayeziishekele, ukuba zamnika iishekele ezingama-5 500 zamnyoba oko kuthetha ukuba zamnyoba ngesityhwentyhwe esikhulu gqitha. UAbraham wahlawula iishekele ezingama-400 ukuze afumane indawo yokungcwaba umfazi wakhe, yaye ikhoboka lalithengiswa ngeeshekele ezingama-30 kuphela. (Genesis 23:14-20; Eksodus 21:32) Into yokuba iinkosi ezimanyeneyo—abalawuli bezixeko ezihlanu zamaFilisti—zabhenela ekumnyobeni uDelila endaweni yokuba zifune athembeke kwisizwe sakhe ibonisa ukuba kunokwenzeka wayengumSirayelikazi. Enoba kunjani na, uDelila wayamkela loo mali.

Izihlandlo ezithathu uSamson akazange amxelele nyaniso uDelila kwimibuzo yakhe, yaye izihlandlo ezithathu wamngcatsha ezama ukumnikela kwiintshaba zakhe. Kodwa “kwathi ngenxa yokuba wayemxina ngamazwi akhe ngalo lonke ixesha kwaye eqhubeka embongoza, umphefumlo wakhe waphelelwa ngumonde ukusa kwinqanaba lokufa.” Ekugqibeleni uSamson wamxelela inyaniso—iinwele zakhe azizange zichetywe. Xa zinokuchetywa, ayeza kuphela amandla akhe afane nabanye abantu.—ABagwebi 16:6-17.

Oko kwathetha ukoyiswa kukaSamson. UDelila wenza indlela yokuba iinwele zakhe zichetywe. Enyanisweni, amandla kaSamson ayengekho kwiinwele zakhe ngokoqobo. Iinwele zakhe zazifuzisela nje ukuba nolwalamano olukhethekileyo kwakhe noThixo njengomNaziri. Xa uSamson wavumela imeko echaphazela ubuNaziri bakhe ngenxa yokucheba iinwele zakhe, ‘uYehova wemka kuye.’ Ngesi sihlandlo amaFilisti amoyisa uSamson, amrhola amehlo aza amvalela entolongweni.—ABagwebi 16:18-21.

Esinjani ukuba namandla isifundo esisifunda koku! Ulwalamano lwethu noYehova sifanele silugqale njengeyona nto ixabisekileyo. Xa siyalalanisa ekuzahluleleni kwethu njengamaKristu ngandlel’ ithile, silindela njani ukuba uThixo aqhubeke esisikelela?

“Umphefumlo Wam Mawufe NamaFilisti”

Enemincili amaFilisti abulela uthixo wawo uDagon ngokoyisa uSamson. Ebhiyozela olo loyiso, amsa kwitempile kaDagon umthinjwa lowo. Kodwa uSamson wayeyazi impazamo yokoyiswa kwakhe. Wayesazi isizathu sokushiywa kwakhe nguYehova, ibe waguquka ngenxa yokona kwakhe. Ngoxa elapho entolongweni, iinwele zakhe zakhula kakhulu. Ekubeni wayephambi kwamawaka amaFilisti, yintoni awayeza kuyenza?

USamson wathandaza wathi: “Nkosi enguMongami Yehova, ndikhumbule, nceda, undomeleze, nceda, nje kube kanye, Owu wena Thixo oyinyaniso, mandiziphindezelele kumaFilisti ngempindezelo yelinye lamehlo am amabini.” Wandula waxhathisa ngeentsika ezimbini zangaphakathi zesakhiwo, waza “wagoba ngamandla.” Kwenzeka ntoni? “Indlu yawela kwiinkosi ezimanyeneyo nakubo bonke abantu ababekuyo, kangangokuba abafileyo awababulalayo ekufeni kwakhe baba ngaphezu kwabo wayebabulele ngexesha lokudla kwakhe ubomi.”—ABagwebi 16:22-30.

USamson wayenamandla angenakulinganiswa namntu. Izenzo zakhe yayizezamandla ngokwenene. Kodwa eyona nto ibalulekileyo, iLizwi likaYehova libala uSamson phakathi kwabo banokholo olomeleleyo.—Hebhere 11:32-34.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

Ayevela phi amandla kaSamson?