1-3. (a) Yaba sesichengeni njani indlu ka-Abhigali? (b) Yintoni esiza kuyifunda ngeli bhinqa lisisilumko?

UABHIGALI wayebona ukuba eli tyendyana lomfana linexhala. Lalingcangcazela kukothuka—phofu ke lifanele. Ubomi balo babuphakathi kwenyama nozipho. Kaloku kanye ngelo xesha amadoda axhobe afohlela angama-400 ayesendleleni, eze kucima igama yonke into eyindoda eyayihlala kwaNabhali, indoda ka-Abhigali. Kwakutheni?

² Yayiqalwe nguNabhali yonke le nto. Wayevukwe likakade lakhe lokusa nenkohlakalo. Kodwa ke, kwesi sihlandlo wadibana neembila zithutha—kuba wayethuke inkumanda eyayithandwa ngamajoni ayo aqeqeshwe kakuhle nawayenyanisekile kuyo. Omnye umfana owayesebenzela uNabhali, mhlawumbi engumalusi, weza kuAbhigali, enethemba lokuba wayenokuza necebo lokubasindisa. Kodwa ke, yintoni eyayinokwenziwa ngumfazi nje omnye kumkhosi ongako?

³ Kuqala, makhe sifunde okungakumbi ngalo mfazi usisilumko. Wayengubani uAbhigali? Yabangelwa yintoni le ntlekele? Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo wakhe wokholo?

4. Wayeyindoda enjani uNabhali?

⁴ Abhigali noNabhali babengafanelani. UNabhali wayemkhethe kakuhle umfazi, kodwa yena uAbhigali wayefumene indoda engenangqondo. Ewe kona, le ndoda yayisisityebi. Ngenxa yoko yayizibona inguthile, kodwa abanye abantu babeyijonga njani? Bambalwa abantu iBhayibhile ebachaza njengabangabhadlanga njengoNabhali. Kwaigama lakhe lithetha “Ukungabi nangqiqo” okanye “Isidenge.” Ngaba eli gama walithiywa ngabazali bakhe okanye walifumana xa sele ekhulile ngenxa yendlela awayeziphethe ngayo? Enoba kwakuyintoni na,  wayesisidenge njengokuba negama lalisitsho. UNabhali ‘wayengqwabalala noqheliselo lwakhe lulubi.’ Wayelinxila eligagamela abantu, esoyikwa yaye ecatshukelwa.—1 Sam. 25:2, 3, 17, 21, 25.

5, 6. (a) Ucinga ukuba ziziphi iimpawu zika-Abhigali ezazithandeka? (b) Yintoni ekusenokwenzeka ukuba yabangela uAbhigali atshate nongantweni wendoda?

⁵ UAbhigali wayehluke mpela kuNabhali. Igama lakhe lalithetha ukuthi “Utata Uzibangele Uvuyo.” Ootata abaninzi baba nelunda ngeentombi zabo ezintle kodwa bonwaba ngakumbi xa zineempawu ezithandekayo. Amaxesha amaninzi abantu abahle abazikhathazi ngokuhlakulela iimpawu ezintle njengokuba nengqiqo, ubulumko, inkalipho okanye ukholo. Wayengenjalo uAbhigali. IBhayibhile iyamzukisa ngenxa yengqiqo nobuhle bakhe.—Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 25:3.

⁶ Abantu abaninzi namhlanje basenokuzibuza ukuba kwakutheni ukuze umfazi okrelekrele ngolo hlobo atshate ungantweni wendoda. Ungalibali ukuba ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile abantu abaninzi babebonelwa ngabazali babo. Kwanaxa bengabonelwanga, yayibaluleke gqitha imvume yabazali. Ngaba bethu abazali baka-Abhigali bamtshatisa noNabhali kuba bethanda ubutyebi nodumo lwakhe? Ngaba benziwa kukuhlupheka? Enoba sasiyintoni isizathu, imali kaNabhali ayizange imenze abe ngumyeni ofanelekileyo.

7. (a) Yintoni abamele bayiphephe abazali xa befundisa abantwana babo ukuhlonela umtshato? (b) Wayezimisele ukwenza ntoni uAbhigali?

⁷ Abazali abalumkileyo bafundisa abantwana babo ukuba bawujonge ngendlela efanelekileyo umtshato. Ababakhuthazi abantwana babo ukuba batshate nabantu abanemali okanye baqalise ukuthandana bengekakulungeli ukuthwala iimbopheleleko. (1 Kor. 7:36) Noko ke, uAbhigali wayengenakuba sakwazi ukucinga ngezo zinto. Enoba sasiyintoni isizathu, ngoku wayesele etshatile noNabhali yaye wayezimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni ukuze uphumelele umtshato wakhe.

8. Wayethuke bani uNabhali, yaye kutheni sinokuthi wayezibethekisa ngenyhek’ etyeni?

⁸ UNabhali wayemfake engxakini enkulu uAbhigali. Kaloku wayethuke uDavide ngenkqu. UDavide wayengumkhonzi kaYehova othembekileyo owayethanjiswe ngumprofeti uSamuweli, nto leyo eyayibonisa ukuba uThixo wayemkhethile ukuba angene ezihlangwini zikaSawule njengokumkani. (1 Sam. 16:1, 2, 11-13) UDavide owayebaleke uKumkani uSawule onomona nowayefuna ukumbulala, wayehlala endle kunye nomkhosi wakhe wamadoda angama-600.

9, 10. (a) UDavide namajoni akhe babenyamezele buphi ubunzima? (b) Yintoni eyayimele yenze uNabhali akuxabise oko kwenziwa nguDavide namadoda akhe? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi wesiqendu 10.)

⁹ UNabhali wayehlala eMahon kodwa wayesebenza eKarmele,  indawo ekufutshane ekusenokwenzeka ukuba wayenomhlaba kuyo. * Ezo dolophu zazinengca eninzi eyayinokutyiwa ziigusha zakhe ezingama-3 000. Kodwa ke loo mhlaba wawujikelezwe yintlango. Ngasezantsi kwakukho intlango enkulu yaseParan. Kanti ngasempuma, indlela eya kuLwandle Lwetyuwa yayinqumla kwintlango eyomileyo enemiwonyo nemiqolomba. Kucacile ukuba uDavide namadoda akhe babephila nzima kule mimandla, ukutya bekufumana ngokuzingela yaye benyamezele iimeko ezinzima. Babedla ngokudibana nabafana ababesalusa imfuyo kaNabhali owayesisityebi.

¹⁰ Loo majoni ayesebenza nzima abaphatha njani abelusi? Kwakunokuba lula ngawo ukumane ezithathela kuloo mhlambi, kodwa ke akazange ayenze loo nto. Kunoko awukhusela umhlambi kunye nabelusi bakaNabhali. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 25:15, 16.) Iigusha nabelusi zaziba sezingozini ezininzi. Zazixhaphakile izilwanyana zasendle ezidla iigusha yaye babekufutshane nomda osemazantsi wakwaSirayeli, awayedla ngokungena ngawo amatutu xa eze kuba. *

11, 12. (a) UDavide wabubonisa njani ubuchule bokuthetha nentlonelo kwisicelo sakhe esasisiya kuNabhali? (b) Yintoni eyayiphosakele ngendlela uNabhali awasiphendula ngayo isicelo sikaDavide?

¹¹ Kufanele ukuba kwakungumsebenzi onzima ukondla loo madoda entlango. Ngoko ke, ngenye imini uDavide wathumela amadoda alishumi ukuba aye kucela uncedo kuNabhali. UDavide wawathuma ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Yayilixesha lokucheba izimvu, xesha elo abantu babesiba nobubele yaye kukho nokutya okuninzi. Kwakhona, uDavide wayewakhethe kakuhle namazwi akhe, ethetha ngembeko. Wada wazazisa kuNabhali ngokuthi ‘unyana wakho uDavide,’ mhlawumbi emhlonela ngenxa yobudala bakhe. Wathini uNabhali?—1 Sam. 25:5-8.

¹² Waba ligqabi ngumsindo! Xa wayechazela uAbhigali, umfana ekuthethwe ngaye ekuqaleni wathi uNabhali ‘wabakhalimela kakhulu.’ UNabhali owayeligqolo wakhalazela ukuphisa ngesonka, amanzi kunye nenyama yakhe exheliweyo. Wamgculela uDavide esithi akabalulekanga nganto yaye kuye wayefana nje nomkhonzi oqhweshileyo. Mhlawumbi uNabhali wayemjonga ngendlela efanayo naleyo uSawule onentiyo, wayemjonga ngayo uDavide. Loo madoda mabini ayengenayo imbono kaYehova. UThixo wayemthanda uDavide, kuye wayengelokhoboka elinemvukelo kodwa wayengukumkani olandelayo wakwaSirayeli.—1 Sam. 25:10, 11, 14.

13. (a) UDavide wasabela njani ekuqaleni kwisithuko sikaNabhali? (b) Umgaqo okuYakobi 1:20, usifundisa ntoni ngesenzo sikaDavide?

 ¹³ UDavide waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo esakuva ingxelo yaloo madoda awayewathumile. Wathi kuwo: “Bhinqani elowo ikrele lakhe!” UDavide waxhoba waza wakhokela amadoda angama-400 kumadoda akhe esiya kuhlasela. Wayezimisele ukucima igama layo yonke into eyindoda endlwini kaNabhali. (1 Sam. 25:12, 13, 21, 22) Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uDavide abe nomsindo kodwa wayengafanelanga abulale onke amadoda alapho. IBhayibhile ithi: “Ingqumbo yomntu ayisebenzi bulungisa bukaThixo.” (Yak. 1:20) Noko ke, uAbhigali wayeza kuyisindisa njani intsapho yakhe?

14. (a) UAbhigali walithabatha ngayiphi indlela inyathelo lokuqala ekulungiseni ingxaki kaNabhali? (b) Sinokufunda ntoni kwindlela awayohluke ngayo uNabhali kuAbhigali? (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁴ Singatsho sithi sesilibonile inyathelo lokuqala elathatyathwa nguAbhigali ukuze alungise le ngxaki. Ngokungafaniyo noNabhali indoda yakhe, yena uAbhigali wayezimisele ukuphulaphula. Xa wayechaza isizathu sokuba angawusi lo mba kuNabhali, lo mfana usisicaka wathi: ‘Ngumfo olitshivela ukuba kungathethwa naye.’ * (1 Sam. 25:17) Okubuhlungu kukuba ukuzicingela ngokugqithiseleyo kukaNabhali kwamenza akaphulaphula. Nanamhlanje baxhaphikile abantu abazicingela ngolo hlobo. Lo mfana wayesazi ukuba uAbhigali wayehlukile, yaye ngokuqinisekileyo yiloo nto eyamenza wayixelela yena le ngxaki.

15, 16. (a) UAbhigali wazibonakalisa njani engumfazi ofana nalo ufanelekayo ochazwe kwiMizekeliso? (b) Kutheni sinokuthi uAbhigali wayengavukeli ubuntloko bomyeni wakhe?

¹⁵ UAbhigali wacinga waza wenza into ngokukhawuleza. Sifunda oku: “Kwaoko uAbhigali wangxama.” Isenzi esithi “ukungxama” sisetyenziswa izihlandlo ezine kule ngxelo kubhekiswa kweli bhinqa. Waphathela uDavide kunye namadoda akhe isipho. Sasiquka isonka, iwayini, inyama yegusha, iinkozo ezigcadiweyo, izicumba zeerasintyisi nezamakhiwane. Kucacile ukuba uAbhigali wayezazi kakuhle izinto awayenazo nento eyayiqhubeka emzini wakhe, kanye njengalaa mfazi ukhutheleyo kuthethwa ngaye kwiMizekeliso. (IMize. 31:10-31) Ukutya wakuphathisa abakhonzi bakhe waza yena  walandela ngasemva. Siva oku: “Kodwa akayixelelanga nto indoda yakhe uNabhali.”—1 Sam. 25:18, 19.

¹⁶ Ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba uAbhigali wayevukela ubuntloko bendoda yakhe? Nakanye; khumbula ukuba uNabhali wayephethe kakubi umthanjiswa kaYehova, nto leyo eyayinokuphumela ekubeni kubulawe abantu abamsulwa abaninzi bendlu yakhe. Ukuba uAbhigali wayesuke wasonga izandla, ngaba wayeza kuba netyala naye njengomyeni wakhe? Enoba kuyintoni, kwakufuneka ngoku athobele uThixo kunokuba athobele umyeni wakhe.

17, 18. UAbhigali wenza ntoni akudibana noDavide, yaye yintoni eyenza amazwi akhe anamandla?

¹⁷ Kungekudala uAbhigali wadibana noDavide kunye namadoda akhe. Kwakhona wangxama, kweli tyeli esehla e-esileni lakhe waza wazithoba kuDavide. (1 Sam. 25:20, 23) Emva koko waphalaza imbilini yakhe kuDavide, embongoza ukuba enzele inceba indoda yakhe kunye nendlu yakhe. Yintoni eyawenza anamandla amazwi akhe?

¹⁸ Wayithwala emagxeni akhe loo ngxaki waza wacela uDavide ukuba amxolele. Wavuma ukuba indoda yakhe yayingabhadlanga kanye njengoko negama layo lalisitsho, mhlawumbi ebonisa ukuba uDavide wayeya kuba uzithoba isidima ngokuyohlwaya. Wachaza ukuba wayemthemba uDavide njengommeli kaYehova yaye eqonda ukuba wayesilwa “iimfazwe zikaYehova.” Wabonisa nokuba wayesazi isithembiso sikaYehova kuDavide ngokuphathelele ubukumkani kuba wathi: “UYehova . . . ngokuqinisekileyo uya kukumisela njengenkokeli phezu koSirayeli.” Ukongezelela, wabongoza uDavide ukuba angenzi nto eyayiza kumenza abe netyala legazi okanye eyayiza kuba “sisizathu sokuhexa”—ngokucacileyo ebhekisela ekukhathazweni ngumvandedwa. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 25:24-31.) Wathetha amazwi amnandi nachukumisayo!

19. UDavide wasabela njani kumazwi ka-Abhigali, yaye kwakutheni ukuze amncome?

¹⁹ Wathini yena uDavide? Wazamkela izipho zika-Abhigali waza wathi: “Makabongwe uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, okuthumeleyo ngale mini wandihlangabeza! Makubongwe nokuba nengqiqo kwakho, kubongwe nawe ondithinteleyo ngale mini ndingangeni etyaleni legazi nasekuzisindiseni ngesam isandla.” UDavide wamncoma ngokuba nesibindi nokumsindisa kwakhe kwityala legazi. Wathi kuye: “Nyuka ngoxolo uye endlwini yakho,” ibe ngokuthobeka wongezelela wathi: “Ndiliphulaphule ilizwi lakho.”—1 Sam. 25:32-35.

20, 21. (a) Yintoni oyithandayo ngokubuyela kuka-Abhigali kumyeni wakhe? (b) UAbhigali wayibonisa njani inkalipho nengqiqo xa wayekhetha ixesha lokuthetha noNabhali?

²⁰ Emva kokuba emkile, kufanele ukuba uAbhigali waqhubeka  ecinga ngencoko yakhe noDavide; wawuphawula umahluko phakathi kwalo ndoda ithembekileyo nenobubele kunye neso sikhohlakali sendoda awayetshate naso. Kodwa ke akazange ahlale ecinga ngezo zinto. Kaloku iBhayibhile ihlabela mgama isithi: “Kamva uAbhigali wafika kuNabhali.” Ewe wabuyela endodeni yakhe ezimisele kangangoko ukuphumeza indima yakhe njengomfazi. Kwakufuneka amxelele ngezipho awayeziphe uDavide namadoda akhe. Wayenelungelo lokwazi. Kwakufuneka amxelele nangehlazo lakhe elikhulu nengozi awayemsindise kuyo—ngaphambi kokuba ayive esithubeni. Kodwa ke wayengenakumxelela kanye ngeloo xesha. Kaloku umfo omkhulu wayenesihikahika setheko, oku kokumkani, yaye wayenxile engazazi negama.—1 Sam. 25:36.

²¹ Nakweli tyeli uAbhigali wabonisa isibindi nengqiqo, kuba walinda de kwalusuku olulandelayo, xa engasanxilanga. Kaloku xa engasanxilanga wayeza kumphulaphula kakuhle, nakuba nangoku umsindo wakhe wawusempumlweni. Nangona kunjalo, wathetha naye waza wamchazela yonke into eyenzekileyo. Ngokuqinisekileyo wayelindele ukuba abe ligqabi ngumsindo, mhlawumbi ade ambethe nokumbetha. Kodwa ke wasuka woma.—1 Sam. 25:37.

22. Kwenzeka ntoni kuNabhali, yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda ngokuphathwa kakubi kwabantu emtshatweni?

²² Kwakwenzeke ntoni ngoku kumfo omkhulu? “Intliziyo yakhe yafa ngaphakathi kwakhe, yena ke waba njengelitye.” Mhlawumbi wayefe icala. Noko ke, malunga neentsuku ezilishumi kamva, wafa—kodwa engabulawa kukugula. Le ngxelo ithi: “UYehova wambetha uNabhali, wafa.” (1 Sam. 25:38) Wapheliswa nguloo mgwebo wobulungisa ke umtshato ka-Abhigali. Nangona uYehova engangeneleli ngokungummangaliso namhlanje xa abantu bephethwe kakubi emtshatweni, le ngxelo iyasinceda sibone ukuba ubajongile abantu abangoozwilakhe nabaxhaphaza iintsapho zabo. Ngexesha lakhe uya kwenza okusesikweni.—Funda uLuka 8:17.

23. Ziziphi ezinye iintsikelelo ezafunyanwa nguAbhigali, yaye wabonisa njani ukuba ezi ntsikelelo zazingamtshintshanga?

²³ Ngaphezu kokuhlangulwa kuloo mtshato, uAbhigali wayeza kusikelelwa nangenye indlela. Xa uDavide weva ukuba uNabhali ufile, wathuma amadoda akhe ukuba aye kumcelela umtshato kuAbhigali. Yathi le ntokazi: “Nali ikhobokazana lakho lokuba sisicakakazi sokuhlamba iinyawo zabakhonzi benkosi yam.” Kucacile ukuba isimo sakhe sengqondo asizange sitshintshe kuba ngoku  wayeza kuba ngumfazi kaDavide! Kwakhona le ngxelo ithi wangxama, ezilungiselela ukuya kuDavide.—1 Sam. 25:39-42.

24. Ziziphi iimvavanyo awajamelana nazo uAbhigali, yaye umyeni wakhe noThixo wakhe bamjonga njani?

²⁴ Asifanelanga sicinge ukuba ukutshata noDavide kwakuza kumenza aphile ubomi obutofotofo uAbhigali. Kaloku ngeloo xesha uDavide wayesele etshate noAhinowam, yaye kufanele ukuba abafazi abathembekileyo abatshatele kwisithembu babe neengxaki. NoDavide ke wayengekabi ngukumkani; wayeseza kuba neengxaki ezininzi ngaphambi kokuba akhonze uYehova kweso sikhundla. Njengokuba uAbhigali wayenceda yaye exhasa uDavide ngalo lonke ixesha lokudla kwakhe amazimba, ekugqibeleni wamzalela nonyana, waqonda ukuba wayenomyeni owayemxabisa yaye emkhusela. Ngesinye isihlandlo wade wamhlangula nakubahlaseli ababemthimbile! (1 Sam. 30:1-19) Ngoko uDavide waxelisa uYehova uThixo obathandayo aze abaxabise abafazi abalumkileyo, abanesibindi nabathembekileyo.