1. Yintoni eyayisenza kubekho intlungu nokukhala eShilo?

USAMUWELI wayeyiva intlungu eyayiseShilo. Yayisoloko ingathi bonke abantu bayalila. Babebangaphi abafazi kunye nabantwana, ababekhala ngenxa yokufa kootata, abayeni, oonyana kunye noobhuti babo? Esikwaziyo kukuba, amaSirayeli ayephulukene namajoni angama-30 000 xa oyiswa ngamaFilisti emva kokuba esandul’ ukuphulukana nangama-4 000 kwelinye idabi.—1 Sam. 4:1, 2, 10.

2, 3. Luluphi uthotho lweentlekele olwenza iShilo ilahlekelwe luzuko eyayinalo?

² Olu yayiluthotho lweentlekele. Umbingeleli omkhulu uEli wayenoonyana ababini abangendawo, uHofeni noFinehasi, abaphuma netyeya yomnqophiso eShilo. Yayidla ngokugcinwa kwingcwele yomnquba—itempile engathi yintente—le tyeya ixabisekileyo yayifuzisela ubukho bukaThixo. Abantu bahamba nayo le tyeya xa babesiya edabini, ngobudenge becinga ukuba iza kubenza bakhuselwe nguThixo. Kodwa amaFilisti ayithimba aza abulala uHofeni noFinehasi.—1 Sam. 4:3-11.

³ Intente yokuhlangana eyayiseShilo yayixabisekile kuba kangangeenkulungwane le Tyeya yayihlala kuyo. Ngoku yayingasekho. Esakuva ezi ndaba, uEli owayeneminyaka engama-98 wawa ngomqolo kwisitulo awayehleli kuso waza wafa. Umolokazana wakhe owaba ngumhlolokazi ngaloo mini, wafa ebeleka. Amazwi akhe okugqibela athi: “Uzuko lumkile kwaSirayeli luye ekuthinjweni.” Inene, iShilo yayingasoze ifane nangaphambili.—1 Sam. 4:12-22.

4. Yintoni esiza kuyifunda kwesi sahluko?

⁴ Wayeza kumelana njani noku kuphoxeka kungaka uSamuweli? Ngaba ukholo lwakhe lwaluza kumenza akwazi ukunceda abantu ababengasathandwa futhi bengasakhuselwa nguYehova? Nathi namhlanje, ngamaxesha athile, sisenokudibana neengxaki kunye nokuphoxeka okuvavanya ukholo lwethu, ngoko makhe sibone ukuba yintoni esinokuyifunda kuSamuweli.

5, 6. IBhayibhile isixelela ntoni ngeminyaka engama-20, ibe yintoni awayexakeke yiyo uSamuweli ngelo xesha?

⁵ Ngoku iBhayibhile iyayeka ukuthetha ngoSamuweli ize ithethe ngeTyeya, isibonisa indlela abandezeleka ngayo amaFilisti ngenxa yokuthatha kwawo ityeya, aza anyanzelwa ukuba ayibuyisele. Xa iphinda ithetha ngoSamuweli, sele kudlule iminyaka engama-20. (1 Sam. 7:2) Wayexakeke yintoni kule minyaka? IBhayibhile iyasixelela.

⁶ Sifunda ukuba ngaphambi kwale minyaka ingama-20, “ilizwi likaSamuweli laqhubeka lifika kuSirayeli wonke.” (1 Sam. 4:1) Ingxelo isixelela ukuba ngaphambi kokuba kuphele eli xesha, uSamuweli wayeqhele ukutyelela izixeko ezithathu zakwaSirayeli, esenza umjikelo nyaka ngamnye, ecombulula iingxaki ephendula nemibuzo. Emva koko wayebuyela kwidolophu yakowabo eRama. (1 Sam. 7:15-17) Kuyacaca ukuba uSamuweli wayesoloko exakekile, ibe kule minyaka ingama-20 kwakukuninzi ekwakufuneka akwenze.

7, 8. (a) USamuweli wathumela wuphi umyalezo emva kweminyaka engama-20 yomsebenzi onzima? (b) Basabela njani abantu kwisiqinisekiso sikaSamuweli?

⁷ Ukuziphatha okubi nobuqhophololo boonyana bakaEli kwalukhukulisa ukholo lwabantu. Abaninzi kubonakala ukuba baqalisa ukunqula izithixo. Emva kweminyaka engamashumi amabini esebenza nzima, uSamuweli wathetha la mazwi ebantwini: “Ukuba nibuyela kuYehova ngentliziyo yenu yonke, balahleni oothixo basemzini abaphakathi kwenu kwakunye nemifanekiso ka-Ashtoreti, nize nibhekise ngokungaxengaxengiyo intliziyo yenu kuYehova nikhonze yena yedwa, yaye uya kunihlangula esandleni samaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:3.

⁸ “Isandla samaFilisti” sasibaxhaphaza abantu. Emva kokuba oyise umkhosi wakwaSirayeli, amaFilisti aziva ekhululekile ukwenza unothanda kubantu bakaThixo. Kodwa uSamuweli wabaqinisekisa abantu ukuba izinto zazinokutshintsha kuphela ukuba babenokubuyela kuYehova. Ngaba babekulungele ukukwenza oko? USamuweli wavuya kukubona abantu belahla izithixo baza “baqala ukukhonza uYehova yedwa.” USamuweli walungiselela indibano eMizpa, idolophu esezintabeni emantla eYerusalem. Abantu badibana, bazila baza baguquka kwizono zabo ezininzi zonqulo zithixo.—Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 7:4-6.

9. AmaFilisti afumana liphi ithuba, yaye abantu bakaThixo benza ntoni?

 ⁹ Nangona kunjalo, amaFilisti eva ngale ndibano inkulu aze abona ithuba elihle. Athumela umkhosi wawo eMizpa ukuze atyumze abo bakhonzi bakaYehova. AmaSirayeli eva ngolu hlaselo lwaluza kubafikela. Etyhwatyhwa, acela uSamuweli ukuba awathandazele. Wawathandazela waza wawenzela nombingelelo. Ngoxa wayesenza loo mbingelelo, umkhosi wamaFilisti wahlasela eMizpa. UYehova wawuphendula umthandazo kaSamuweli. Kwakungathi uYehova uvakalise umsindo wakhe. Le ngxelo ithi “uYehova wabangela ukuba kududume ngengxolo enkulu ngaloo mini kumaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:7-10.

10, 11. (a) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba yintoni eyayingaqhelekanga ngeendudumo ezaziswa nguYehova kumkhosi wamaFilisti? (b) Waba yintoni umphumo wedabi elaqalisa eMizpa?

¹⁰ Ngoku, ngaba simele sicinge ukuba amaFilisti ayefana nabantwana abancinane abatyhwatyhwayo baze bazimele ngoonina xa besiva iindudumo? Hayi, yayingamajoni angwanzilili, aqhele ukulwa. Amel’ ukuba ayeqala ukuyiva indudumo elolu hlobo. Ngaba ayenkwantyiswa sisandi sale ‘ngxolo inkulu’? Ngaba le ngxolo yayivela esibhakabhakeni, okanye ngaba yayivela ezintabeni? Enoba yayivela phi, le ngxolo yawothusa amaFilisti. Adideka, ayeka ukuba ngabaxhaphazi ajika aba ngamaxhoba. Amadoda akwaSirayeli abaleka esuka eMizpa, oyisa awaleqa kangangeekhilomitha ezininzi, ngakumzantsi-ntshona weYerusalem.—1 Sam. 7:11.

¹¹ Elo dabi layitshintsha imeko yabantu bakaThixo. AmaFilisti ayesoloko esoyiswa xa uSamuweli wayengumgwebi. Abantu bakaThixo babethimba isixeko emva kwesinye.—1 Sam. 7:13, 14.

12. Athetha ukuthini amazwi athi uSamuweli ngomnye wabantu ‘abaphumeza ubulungisa,’ ibe ziziphi iimpawu ezamnceda waphumelela?

¹² Kwiinkulungwane eziliqela emva koko, umpostile uPawulos waquka uSamuweli kuludwe lwabagwebi abathembekileyo nabaprofeti ‘abaphumeza ubulungisa.’ (Heb. 11:32, 33) USamuweli waqinisekisa ukuba kwenziwa okulungileyo emehlweni kaThixo. Waba nempumelelo kuba walindela kuYehova, waqhubeka esebenza nzima ngaphezu nje kokuphoxeka. Wayenawo nombulelo. Emva koloyiso lwaseMizpa, uSamuweli wamisa ilitye lokukhumbula indlela uYehova awabanceda ngayo abantu bakhe.—1 Sam. 7:12.

13. (a) Ziziphi iimpawu ezifunekayo kuthi ukuze sixelise uSamuweli? (b) Ucinga ukuba umele uqalise nini ukuhlakulela iimpawu ezifana nezikaSamuweli?

¹³ Ngaba nawe uyafuna ‘ukuphumeza ubulungisa’? Ukuba kunjalo,  umele ufunde kwindlela awayenomonde ngayo uSamuweli nakwindlela awayethobeke nawayenombulelo ngayo. (Funda eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:6.) Akakho kuthi ezingeyomfuneko kuye ezo mpawu. USamuweli wanceda wahlakulela ezo mpawu eselula, kuba waphoxeka kakhulu kwiminyaka kamva.

14, 15. (a) Waphoxeka njani uSamuweli “akuba mdala”? (b) Ngaba uSamuweli wayesilele njengoEli ukuqeqesha oonyana bakhe? Cacisa.

¹⁴ Siphinda sive ngoSamuweli “akuba mdala.” Ngeli xesha uSamuweli wayesele enoonyana ababini abasele bebadala, uYoweli noAbhiya, yaye wabanika imbopheleleko yokumncedisa ekugwebeni. Okubuhlungu kukuba, abazange bathembeke. Nangona uSamuweli wayelilungisa yaye enyanisekile, oonyana bakhe basebenzisa igunya ababenalo ukuze bahlohl’ izisu zabo, begweba ngobuqhophololo yaye benyotywa.—1 Sam. 8:1-3.

¹⁵ Ngenye imini, amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli aya kukhalaza kulo mprofeti mdala. Athi: “Oonyana bakho abahambanga ngeendlela zakho.” (1 Sam. 8:4, 5) Ngaba uSamuweli wayeyazi le ngxaki? Le ngxelo ayisixeleli. Noko ke, ngokungafaniyo noEli, uSamuweli wayengasilelanga ekuqeqesheni oonyana bakhe. UYehova  wayemkhalimele waza wamohlwaya uEli ngenxa yokungaluleki oonyana bakhe abangendawo nangenxa yokuxabisa oonyana bakhe ngaphezu koThixo. (1 Sam. 2:27-29) UYehova akazange afumane ezo mpawu kuSamuweli.

16. Ziziphi iimvakalelo abazinyamezelayo abazali abanabantwana abangevayo, yaye abazali banokuthuthuzeleka baze bawulandele njani umzekelo kaSamuweli?

¹⁶ Le ngxelo ayisixeleli ngenkxwaleko, inkxalabo nokuphoxeka kukaSamuweli emva kokuba eve ngobungendawo boonyana bakhe. Noko ke, abazali abaninzi bayazi kakuhle indlela amel’ ukuba wayevakalelwa ngayo. Kule mihla, abanqabanga abantwana abavukela igunya nengqeqesho yabazali. (Funda eyesi-2 kuTimoti 3:1-5.) Abazali abanyamezele loo ntlungu banokuthuthuzeleka baze bafumane amacebiso kumzekelo kaSamuweli. Akazange avumele ikhondo elibi loonyana bakhe lityhafise ukholo lwakhe. Khumbula, kwanaxa amazwi nengqeqesho zingayifikeleli intliziyo elukhuni, umzekelo wabazali unokuba namandla. Abazali basoloko benawo amathuba okukholisa uYise wabo, uYehova uThixo—njengoSamuweli.

17. Amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli afuna ntoni kuSamuweli, yaye wasabela njani?

¹⁷ Oonyana bakaSamuweli babengayiqondi imiphumo yokunyoluka nokuzingca kwabo. Amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli ahlabela mgama athi kuSamuweli: “Ke kaloku simisele ukumkani abe ngumgwebi phezu kwethu njengazo zonke iintlanga.” Ngaba uSamuweli wavakalelwa kukuba uyalahlwa? Kaloku, nguye owayemiselwe nguYehova ukuba agwebe aba bantu kangangeminyaka. Ngoku babengasafuni mprofeti unguSamuweli ukuba abagwebe, babefuna ukumkani. Ezinye iintlanga zazinookumkani, ngoko namaSirayeli ayefuna owawo! Wasabela njani uSamuweli? Sifunda ukuba “le nto yayimbi” emehlweni akhe.—1 Sam. 8:5, 6.

18. UYehova wamthuthuzela njani uSamuweli yaye wabubonisa njani ubunzulu besono samaSirayeli?

¹⁸ Khawuve ukuba uYehova wathini xa uSamuweli emxelela ngalo mba emthandazweni: “Liphulaphule ilizwi labantu kuko konke abakutshoyo kuwe; kuba ingenguwe abamgatyayo, kodwa bagatye mna ukuba ndingabi ngukumkani phezu kwabo.” La mazwi amel’ ukuba amthuthuzela uSamuweli, kodwa aba bantu babemnyol’ esweni uThixo onguSomandla! UYehova waxelela umprofeti wakhe ukuba alumkise amaSirayeli ngeengxaki ezibangelwa kukuba nokumkani ongumntu. USamuweli wakwenza oko, bamphendula bathi: “Hayi, kodwa ke thina siya kuba nokumkani phezu kwethu.” USamuweli owayesoloko emthobela uThixo wakhe, waya kunyula ukumkani okhethwe nguYehova.—1 Sam. 8:7-19.

19, 20. (a) USamuweli wawuthobela ngasiphi isimo sengqondo umyalelo kaYehova wokuba athambise uSawule njengokumkani wakwaSirayeli? (b) USamuweli waqhubeka ebanceda njani abantu bakaYehova?

 ¹⁹ Kodwa uSamuweli wathobela enasiphi isimo sengqondo? Ngaba waqumba, ethobela nje kuba enyanzelekile? Ngaba wavumela ukuphoxeka kwakhe kumenze acaphuke? Abantu abaninzi babenokuvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela, kodwa akuzange kube njalo ngoSamuweli. Wathambisa uSawule waza wavuma ukuba le ndoda ikhethwe nguYehova. Wamanga, ebonisa ukuba wayemamkela njengokumkani omtsha. Wathi ebantwini: “Nimbonile na lowo uYehova amnyulileyo, ukuba akukho namnye unjengaye phakathi kwabantu bonke?”—1 Sam. 10:1, 24.

²⁰ USamuweli wanikela ingqalelo, kungekhona kwiimpazamo, kodwa kwiimpawu ezintle zendoda enyulwe nguYehova. Wanikela ingqalelo kwikhondo lakhe lokugcina ingqibelelo kuThixo kunokuba acinge ngokuthandwa ngabantu abangazaziyo ukuba bafuna ntoni. (1 Sam. 12:1-4) Wazimisela nakwisabelo sakhe, eluleka abantu bakaThixo ngeengozi ababejamelene nazo waza wabakhuthaza ukuba bahlale bethembekile kuYehova. Isiluleko sakhe sazifikelela iintliziyo zabo, baza bambongoza uSamuweli ukuba abathandazele. Wabaphendula ngala mazwi achukumisayo: “Makube lee kum, ukuba ndone kuYehova ngokuyeka ukunithandazela; yaye ndimele ndiniyalele ngendlela elungileyo nefanelekileyo.”—1 Sam. 12:21-24.

21. Umzekelo kaSamuweli unokukunceda njani xa udanile ngenxa yokuba kunikwe omnye umntu isigxina okanye ilungelo elithile?

²¹ Ngaba wakha wadana xa kwanikwa omnye umntu isigxina okanye ilungelo elithile? Umzekelo kaSamuweli usikhumbuza ukuba asimele sivumele umona okanye ukucaphuka kusilawule. (Funda iMizekeliso 14:30.) UThixo unezabelo ezininzi ezanelisayo anokuzinika abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo.

22. Kutheni sinokuthi uSamuweli wayefanele ukubona iimpawu ezintle kuSawule ekuqaleni?

²² USamuweli wayefanele ukubona iimpawu ezintle kuSawule; kuba wayeyindoda elungileyo. Wayesukil’ egadeni yaye eyinzwana, ekrelekrele, kodwa kwangaxeshanye ethozamile yaye engazicingeli kakhulu. (1 Sam. 10:22, 23, 27) Ukongezelela kwezo ziphiwo, wayenesinye esikhethekileyo—inkululeko yokuzikhethela, ukukwazi  ukukhetha ubomi aza kubuphila nokuzenzela izigqibo. (Dut. 30:19) Ngaba wasisebenzisa kakuhle eso siphiwo?

23. Luluphi uphawu oluxabisekileyo olwakhawuleza lwaphela kuSawule, yaye wabonisa njani ukuba wonganyelwe likratshi?

²³ Okubuhlungu kukuba, xa indoda ifumana igunya, ukuthozama lolona phawu ludla ngokukhawuleza luthi shwaka. Akuzange kube kudala, uSawule waba nekratshi. Wakhetha ukungayithobeli imiyalelo kaYehova awayinikwa nguSamuweli. Ngesinye isihlandlo, uSawule waphelelwa ngumonde waza wenza umbingelelo owawuza kwenziwa nguSamuweli. USamuweli wanyanzeleka ukuba amluleke qatha waza wachaza kusengaphambili ukuba ubukumkani babungayi kuqhubeka entsatsheni kaSawule. Endaweni yokuba afunde kule ngqeqesho, uSawule waqhubeka esenza izinto ezibonisa ukungathobeli.—1 Sam. 13:8, 9, 13, 14.

24. (a) Kwimfazwe eyayisiliwa nama-Amaleki, uSawule akazange amthobele njani uYehova? (b) USawule wasabela njani kwisiluleko, yaye saba yintoni isigqibo sikaYehova?

²⁴ Esebenzisa uSamuweli, uYehova waxelela uSawule ukuba alwe nama-Amaleki. Omnye wemiyalelo kaYehova yayikukuba kubulawe ukumkani uAgagi wama-Amaleki ongendawo. Noko ke, uSawule wamsindisa uAgagi waza wagcina nempahla eyayifanele itshatyalaliswe. Xa uSamuweli weza kumlungisa, uSawule wabonakala ukuba wayetshintshile. Kunokuba azithobe aze avume ukulungiswa, wazama ukuzithethelela engafuni kuthethwe ngalo mbandela, waza watyhola abantu. Xa uSawule wazama ukulugatya uqeqesho esithi loo mpahla wayeza kubingelela ngayo kuYehova, uSamuweli wathetha la mazwi aziwayo: “Khangela! Ukuthobela kulunge ngakumbi kunombingelelo.” Ngenkalipho uSamuweli wamkhalimela waza wachaza isigqibo sikaYehova: Ubukumkani babuza kuthatyathwa kuSawule buze bunikwe enye indoda elunge ngakumbi kunaye. *—1 Sam. 15:1-33.

25, 26. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uSamuweli azilele uSawule, yaye uYehova wamluleka njani ngobubele lo mprofeti wakhe? (b) Wafunda siphi isifundo uSamuweli xa waya kwindlu kaYese?

²⁵ USamuweli wayekhathazeke kakhulu kukusilela kukaSawule. Wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza kuYehova ngalo mbandela.  Wada wamzilela. USamuweli wayebone iimpawu ezininzi ezintle kuSawule kodwa ngoku wayephelelwe lithemba kuye. Indoda awayekade eyazi yayitshintshile—yayingasenazo iimpawu ezintle yaye yayimjikele uYehova. USamuweli akazange avume ukuphinda adibane noSawule kwakhona. Kodwa ekuhambeni kwexesha uYehova wamluleka ngobunono uSamuweli wathi: “Kuya kude kube nini na uzilile ngenxa kaSawule, ngoxa mna, kwelinye icala, ndimgatyile ekulawuleni njengokumkani phezu koSirayeli? Zalisa uphondo lwakho ngeoli uze uhambe. Ndiya kukuthumela kuYese waseBhetelehem, ngenxa yokuba ndizilungiselele ukumkani phakathi koonyana bakhe.”—1 Sam. 15:34, 35; 16:1.

²⁶ Injongo kaYehova ayixhomekekanga kubantu abangafezekanga abakhe banganyaniseki ngamanye amaxesha. Ukuba umntu akathembeki, uYehova uza kusebenzisa omnye umntu. USamuweli osele emdala wayeka ukulilela uSawule. Ngolwalathiso lukaYehova uSamuweli waya emzini kaYese eBhetelehem, apho wadibana neqela loonyana bakaYese abanomkhitha. Kwasekuqaleni uYehova wakhumbuza uSamuweli ukuba akajongi mpawu zangaphandle. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 16:7.) Ekugqibeleni uSamuweli wadibana nonyana kaYese wokugqibela yaye uYehova wakhetha yena—uDavide!

27. (a) Yintoni eyanceda ukholo lukaSamuweli lomelela? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngomzekelo omhle kaSamuweli?

²⁷ Kwiminyaka yakhe yokugqibela, uSamuweli wasibona kakuhle isizathu sokubeka kukaYehova uDavide endaweni kaSawule. USawule wajika waba ngumbulali onomona waza waba ngumwexuki. UDavide wabonakalisa iimpawu ezintle—inkalipho, ingqibelelo, ukholo nokunyaniseka. Njengoko ubomi bukaSamuweli babusiya ngasekupheleni, ukholo lwakhe lwaya lusomelela. Wabona ukuba ayikho into angenakuyilungisa uYehova okanye ayicombulule, ijike ibe yintsikelelo. Ekugqibeleni uSamuweli wafa ethembekile emva kokuphila iminyaka ephantse ilingane nenkulungwane. Onke amaSirayeli akuzilela ukufa kwaloo ndoda ithembekileyo—yaye ayefanele. Nanamhlanje, abakhonzi bakaYehova benza kakuhle xa bezibuza lo mbuzo: ‘Ngaba ndiya kuluxelisa ukholo lukaSamuweli?’