1. Kungani kwakunosizi nesililo eShilo?

USAMUWELI wayelubona usizi olwaluseShilo. Kwakubonakala sengathi wonke umuzi uyalila. Bangaki nje omama nezingane ababekhihla isililo, bekhalela obaba, abayeni, amadodana nabafowabo ababengeke besabuya ekhaya? Esikwaziyo nje ukuthi u-Israyeli wayelahlekelwe amasosha angu-30 000 ngesikhathi ehlulwa kabuhlungu amaFilisti, kanti wayesanda kulahlekelwa angu-4 000 kwenye impi.—1 Sam. 4:1, 2, 10.

2, 3. Iziphi izinhlekelele ezilandelanayo ezaletha usizi zaqeda nenkazimulo eShilo?

² Leyo kwakungenye yezinhlekelele ezehla zilandelana. Amadodana amabili akhohlakele omPristi Ophakeme u-Eli, uHofini noFinehasi, ayephume eShilo ephethe umphongolo ongcwele wesivumelwano. Lo mphongolo oyigugu, ngokuvamile owawugcinwa endaweni engcwele yetabernakele—ithempeli elisatende—wawuwuphawu lokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu. Abantu bawuthatha baya nawo empini, ngobuwula becabanga ukuthi uzobalethela izinhlanhla ubenze banqobe. Kodwa amaFilisti awuthumba uMphongolo, abulala uHofini noFinehasi.—1 Sam. 4:3-11.

³ Kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka itabernakele laseShilo linelungelo elikhethekile lokuba noMphongolo. Manje wawungasekho. Lapho ezwa lezi zindaba, u-Eli owayeseneminyaka engu-98 ubudala wawa esihlalweni washayeka ngesiphundu wafa. Umalokazana wakhe, owayebe umfelokazi ngalo lelo langa, washona ebeletha. Ngaphambi kokuba afe wathi: “Inkazimulo isukile kwa-Israyeli yaya ekudingisweni.” Impela, iShilo lalingeke lisafana nasekuqaleni.—1 Sam. 4:12-22.

4. Sizoxoxa ngani kulesi sahluko?

⁴ USamuweli wayezobhekana kanjani nalezi zimo ezidumaza kangaka? Ingabe ukholo lwakhe lwaluzoqina akwazi ukusiza abantu abase belahlekelwe isivikelo nomusa kaJehova? Ngezinye izikhathi sonke siyabhekana nezimo ezinzima nezidumazayo ezivivinya ukholo lwethu, ngakho ake sibone ukuthi yikuphi okunye esingakufunda kuSamuweli.

5, 6. Ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kugxilaphi ngokuqondene nenkathi yeminyaka engu-20, futhi uSamuweli wayenzani phakathi naleyo minyaka?

⁵ Kuleli qophelo, ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kuyasuka kuSamuweli kugxile eMphongolweni ongcwele, kusibonise indlela amaFilisti ahlupheka ngayo ngokuwuthatha futhi aphoqeleka ukuba awubuyise. Lapho sesibuyela kuSamuweli, sekuphele iminyaka ecishe ibe ngu-20. (1 Sam. 7:2) Wayenzani phakathi naleyo minyaka? Akudingeki siqagele.

⁶ Sifunda ukuthi ngaphambi kokuba le nkathi iqale, “izwi likaSamuweli laqhubeka lifika ku-Israyeli wonke.” (1 Sam. 4:1) Ukulandisa kwembula ukuthi ngemva kokuphela kwale nkathi, uSamuweli wakwenza umkhuba ukuvakashela imizi emithathu yakwa-Israyeli, eyijikeleza njalo ngonyaka, exazulula izingxabano aphendule nemibuzo. Lapho eseqedile, wayebuyela kubo eRama. (1 Sam. 7:15-17) Ngokusobala, uSamuweli wayezigcina ematasa, futhi phakathi naleyo minyaka engu-20, kuningi ayekwenza.

7, 8. (a) Yisiphi isigijimi uSamuweli asitshela abantu ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 esebenza kanzima? (b) Abantu basabela kanjani esiqinisekisweni sikaSamuweli?

⁷ Ukuziphatha okubi nenkohlakalo yamadodana ka-Eli kwaluqeda ukholo lwabantu. Kubonakala sengathi abaningi baphendukela ekukhonzeni izithombe ngenxa yalokho. Nokho, ngemva kwamashumi amabili eminyaka esebenza kanzima, uSamuweli watshela abantu lesi sigijimi: “Uma kuwukuthi nibuyela kuJehova ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu, lahlani onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe abaphakathi kwenu kanye nemifanekiso ka-Ashitoreti, niqondise inhliziyo yenu kuJehova ngokungagudluki, nikhonze yena yedwa, khona-ke uzonikhulula esandleni samaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:3.

⁸ ‘Isandla samaFilisti’ sasiqine kakhulu kubantu. Njengoba ibutho lama-Israyeli lase lidliselwe ogageni, amaFilisti aba nomuzwa wokuthi angabacindezela abantu bakaNkulunkulu kodwa angajezi. Kepha uSamuweli waqinisekisa abantu ukuthi izinto zazizoshintsha uma nje bebuyela kuJehova. Ingabe babezimisele? USamuweli wajabula kakhulu ngoba bazilahla izithombe zabo “baqala ukukhonza uJehova yedwa.” USamuweli wabaqoqela eMispa, umuzi osezweni elinezintaba enyakatho yeJerusalema. Babuthana lapho, bazila ukudla futhi baphenduka ezonweni zabo eziningi zokukhulekela izithombe.—Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 7:4-6.

9. AmaFilisti abona ithuba lani, futhi abantu bakaNkulunkulu basabela kanjani?

 ⁹ Kepha amaFilisti ezwa ngalo mbuthano omkhulu ayesebona ithuba lokuhlasela. Athumela ibutho lawo eMispa ukuze liyoqotha imbokodo nesisekelo kubakhulekeli bakaJehova. Ama-Israyeli akuzwa lokhu ayesesaba, acela uSamuweli ukuba awathandazele. Wawathandazela waze wenza nomhlatshelo. Phakathi nalo mbuthano ongcwele, ibutho lamaFilisti lafika qathatha eMispa. UJehova wabe esephendula umthandazo kaSamuweli. Empeleni, uJehova wabonakalisa intukuthelo enkulu kakhulu. “Wabangela ukuba lidume ngomsindo omkhulu ngalolo suku ngokumelene namaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:7-10.

10, 11. (a) Kungani kumelwe ukuba kwakukhona okuthile okungavamile ngokuduma uJehova akuqondisa ebuthweni lamaFilisti? (b) Waba yini umphumela wempi eyaqala eMispa?

¹⁰ Ingabe kufanele sicabange ukuthi lawo maFilisti ayenjengezingane ezincane ezithi uma zethuswe ukuduma zigijimele konina? Cha, kwakungamasosha anesibindi nangomakadebona lawa. Kumelwe ukuba ayengakaze akuzwe ukuduma okunje. Ingabe ayemane nje ethuswa yilo “msindo omkhulu”? Ingabe laduma libalele kwabha, noma landindizela lisuka le ezintabeni? Noma ngabe ikuphi, la masosha ethuka kwaxhaphazela amathumbu. Ngenxa yokuphithana kwamakhanda, kwaphela ukuba iziqhwaga aba imithothongo. Amadoda akwa-Israyeli atheleka evela eMispa, awanqoba, awahubha ibanga elide awayisa endaweni eseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema.—1 Sam. 7:11.

¹¹ Leyo mpi yazijika izinto. AmaFilisti ayelokhu ebaleka phakathi nazo zonke izinsuku uSamuweli ayengumahluleli ngazo. Imizi eyayidliwe amaFilisti yayilokhu ibuyela kubantu bakaNkulunkulu.—1 Sam. 7:13, 14.

12. Kusho ukuthini ukuthi uSamuweli ‘wenza ukulunga,’ futhi yiziphi izimfanelo ezamsiza waphumelela?

¹² Ngemva kwamakhulu eminyaka, umphostoli uPawulu wabala uSamuweli phakathi kwabahluleli nabaprofethi abathembekile ‘abenza ukulunga.’ (Heb. 11:32, 33) Ngempela uSamuweli wasiza wakhuthaza ukuba kwenziwe okuhle nokulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Waphumelela ngoba walindela uJehova ngesineke, waqhubeka ngokwethembeka nomsebenzi wakhe naphezu kwezimo ezidumazayo. Wabonisa nomoya wokwazisa. Ngemva kokunqoba eMispa, uSamuweli wakha isikhumbuzo sokukhumbula indlela uJehova ayebasize ngayo abantu bakhe.—1 Sam. 7:12.

13. (a) Ukuze silingise uSamuweli, yiziphi izimfanelo esizidingayo? (b) Ucabanga ukuthi yisiphi isikhathi esihle sokuhlakulela izimfanelo ezifana nezikaSamuweli?

 ¹³ Ingabe uyafuna ‘ukwenza ukulunga’? Uma kunjalo, kuhle ufunde esinekeni sikaSamuweli nasemoyeni wakhe wokuthobeka nowokwazisa. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:6.) Ubani kithi ongazidingi lezo zimfanelo? Kwaba kuhle ukuba uSamuweli azihlakulele futhi azibonise esemncane lezo zimfanelo ngoba wabhekana nokudumazeka okukhulu esekhulile.

14, 15. (a) Yini eyamdumaza kakhulu uSamuweli lapho “esemdala”? (b) Ingabe uSamuweli wayengubaba osolekayo njengo-Eli? Chaza.

¹⁴ Lapho siphinde sifunda ngoSamuweli, ‘wayesemdala.’ Wayesenamadodana amabili akhulile, uJoweli no-Abhiya, futhi wawaphathisa umsebenzi wokumsiza ekwahluleleni. Ngeshwa, wayethemba abantu okwakungafanele abethembe. Nakuba uSamuweli ayethembekile futhi elungile, amadodana akhe asebenzisa izikhundla zawo ukuze azizuzise wona, ephendukezela ubulungisa amukela nezifumbathiso.—1 Sam. 8:1-3.

¹⁵ Ngelinye ilanga amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aya kulo mprofethi osekhulile ayokhalaza. Athi: “Amadodana akho awahambanga ngezindlela zakho.” (1 Sam. 8:4, 5) Ingabe uSamuweli  wayeyazi le nkinga? IBhayibheli alisho. Kodwa ngokungafani no-Eli, uSamuweli wayengeyena neze ubaba osolekayo. UJehova wayekhuze futhi wajezisa u-Eli ngokungawakhuzi amadodana akhe ngenxa yobubi bawo, ngokuwadumisa ngaphezu kukaNkulunkulu. (1 Sam. 2:27-29) UJehova akalitholanga iphutha elinjalo kuSamuweli.

16. Yimiphi imizwa ekhathaza abazali bezingane ezihluphayo, futhi yini eyosiza abazali bathole induduzo nesiqondiso esibonelweni sikaSamuweli?

¹⁶ IBhayibheli alisitsheli ngamahloni, ukukhathazeka noma ukudumala kukaSamuweli lapho ezwa ngokuziphatha okubi kwamadodana akhe. Kepha abazali abaningi bayiqonda kahle indlela azizwa ngayo. Kulezi zikhathi zanamuhla ezimbi, ukuvukela igunya nesiyalo sabazali kudlangile. (Funda eyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.) Abazali abezwa lolo hlobo lobuhlungu bangase bathole induduzo nesiqondiso esibonelweni sikaSamuweli. Akazange avumele ukungabi nalukholo kwamadodana akhe kumchezukise. Khumbula, ngisho noma amazwi nesiyalo sekwehlulekile ukuthinta izinhliziyo ezilukhuni, isibonelo sabazali siyohlale siyindlela enamandla yokufundisa. Futhi abazali bahlale benethuba lokwenza uYise, uJehova uNkulunkulu, aziqhenye—njengoba kwenza uSamuweli.

17. Yini amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli ayifuna ngenkani kuSamuweli, futhi wazizwa kanjani?

¹⁷ Amadodana kaSamuweli awazange acabange ukuthi ukuhaha nobugovu bawo buyoba nomphumela ongakanani. Amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aqhubeka athi kuSamuweli: “Simisele inkosi ukuba isahlulele njengazo zonke izizwe.” Ingabe la mazwi enza uSamuweli waba nomuzwa wokuthi akasafunwa? Phela kwase kuphele amashumi eminyaka uJehova emsebenzisa njengomahluleli. Manje babengasamfuni umprofethi onjengoSamuweli sebefuna inkosi ezobahlulela. Izizwe ezazibazungezile zazinamakhosi, nama-Israyeli ayesefuna eyawo inkosi! Wazizwa kanjani uSamuweli? Sifunda ukuthi “le nto yayiyimbi emehlweni kaSamuweli.”—1 Sam. 8:5, 6.

18. UJehova wamduduza kanjani uSamuweli kodwa futhi wembula isono esingathí sina sika-Israyeli?

¹⁸ Phawula indlela uJehova asabela ngayo lapho uSamuweli ethandaza ngalolu daba: “Lilalele izwi labantu kukho konke abakushoyo kuwe; ngoba akuwena abamalile, kodwa yimi abamalile ukuba ngingabi yinkosi phezu kwabo.” Yeka indlela aduduzeka ngayo uSamuweli, kodwa yeka indlela ababemdelele ngayo uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke! UJehova watshela umprofethi wakhe ukuba axwayise ama-Israyeli ngokuthi ayeyokhala ezimathonsi ngokuba nenkosi engumuntu. Lapho uSamuweli ewaxwayisa, aba nenkani athi: “Cha, kuzoba khona inkosi phezu kwethu.” Njengenjwayelo uSamuweli  walalela uNkulunkulu, wahamba wayogcoba inkosi uJehova ayeyikhethile.—1 Sam. 8:7-19.

19, 20. (a) USamuweli wasilalela kanjani isiqondiso sikaJehova sokugcoba uSawule njengenkosi yakwa-Israyeli? (b) Iyiphi indlela uSamuweli aqhubeka ebasiza ngayo abantu bakaJehova?

¹⁹ Walalela ngasiphi isimo sengqondo uSamuweli? Ingabe lokho ayekuthunyiwe wakwenza ecasukile noma ngokugcina icala? Ingabe wavumela ukudumazeka kwenza inhliziyo yakhe yagaya izibozi, waba nenzondo? Abaningi bangasabela kanjalo kuleso simo, kodwa uSamuweli akenzanga kanjalo. Wagcoba uSawule futhi wavuma ukuthi ukhethwe uJehova. Wanga uSawule, okuwuphawu lokwamukela inkosi entsha nokuzithoba kuyo. Wayesethi kubantu: “Nimbonile yini lowo uJehova amkhethile, ukuthi akekho noyedwa onjengaye phakathi kwabo bonke abantu?”—1 Sam. 10:1, 24.

²⁰ USamuweli akagxilanga emaphutheni alo muntu uJehova ayemkhethile, kodwa wagxila kokuhle kuye. Ngokuqondene naye uSamuweli, wagxila kowakhe umlando wobuqotho kuNkulunkulu kunokuba afune ukwamukelwa abantu abaguquguqukayo. (1 Sam. 12:1-4) Waphinde wasebenza ngokwethembeka esabelweni sakhe, eluleka abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezingozi ezingokomoya ababebhekene nazo, futhi ebakhuthaza ukuba bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Iseluleko sakhe sabathinta izinhliziyo, base bencenga uSamuweli ukuba abathandazele. Wabanika le mpendulo enhle: “Kuyinto engacabangeki ukuba ngone kuJehova ngokuyeka ukunithandazela; futhi kumelwe nginifundise indlela enhle nelungile.”—1 Sam. 12:21-24.

21. Isibonelo sikaSamuweli singase sikusize kanjani uma kwenzeka udumala lapho othile ethola isikhundla noma ilungelo?

²¹ Wake wazizwa udumala lapho kukhethwa omunye umuntu ukuba anikwe isikhundla noma amalungelo athile? Isibonelo sikaSamuweli siyisikhumbuzo esinamandla sokuba singalokothi nanini sivumele umona noma inzondo kwakhele ezinhliziyweni zethu. (Funda izAga 14:30.) UNkulunkulu unemisebenzi eminingi ezuzisayo neyanelisayo ayinika zonke izinceku zakhe ezithembekile.

22. Kungani uSamuweli enza kahle ngokubheka okuhle kuSawule ekuqaleni?

²² USamuweli wayenza kahle ngokubheka okuhle kuSawule; wayeyindoda emadodeni. Wayesukile egadeni, ebukeka, enesibindi, enamasu, futhi ekuqaleni wayethobekile engazikhukhumezi. (1 Sam. 10:22, 23, 27) Ngaphezu kwalezi zipho, wayenesinye esiyigugu —inkululeko yokuzikhethela, ikhono lokuzikhethela inkambo yakhe yokuphila nokuzenzela ezakhe izinqumo. (Dut. 30:19) Ingabe wasisebenzisa kahle leso sipho?

23. Iyiphi imfanelo ebaluleke kakhulu eyamlahlekela kuqala uSawule, futhi wakubonisa kanjani ukukhukhumala?

²³ Ngeshwa, lapho umuntu eseqhwakele esikhundleni esithile ngenxa yegunya alitholile, ngokuvamile ukuthobeka yimfanelo yokuqala eqathakayo. Kungakabiphi uSawule waqala ukuzikhukhumeza. Wakhetha ukungazilandeli iziqondiso zikaJehova ayezithole kuSamuweli. Ngesinye isikhathi uSawule wahluleka ukulinda, wanikela umhlatshelo uSamuweli ayehlose ukuwunikela. Kwadingeka uSamuweli amkhuze ngamazwi aqatha, wabikezela nokuthi ubukhosi babungeke buhlale emndenini wakhe. Kunokuba afunde kuleso siyalo, uSawule waqhubeka wenza ezinye izenzo ezimbi kakhulu zokungalaleli.—1 Sam. 13:8, 9, 13, 14.

24. (a) USawule akamlalelanga ngayiphi indlela uJehova lapho elwa nama-Amaleki? (b) USawule wasabela kanjani lapho ekhuzwa, futhi saba yini isinqumo sikaJehova?

²⁴ NgoSamuweli, uJehova watshela uSawule ukuba ayokulwa nama-Amaleki. UJehova wayethe kumelwe ibulawe inkosi yawo embi, u-Agagi. Kepha uSawule wamsindisa u-Agagi kanye nempango yekhethelo okwakufanele ibhuqwe. Lapho uSamuweli efika ezomkhuza, uSawule waveza indlela ayeseshintshe kakhulu ngayo. Kunokuba akwamukele ngentobeko ukukhuzwa, wabeka izaba, wazibeka ebuhleni, wazithethelela, wayiziba indaba futhi wazama ukusulela icala kubantu. Lapho uSawule ezama ukululaza isiyalo ngokuthi athi enye yempango yayizoba umhlatshelo kaJehova, uSamuweli wamtshela la mazwi adumile: “Bheka! Ukulalela kungcono kunomhlatshelo.” USamuweli wayikhuza ngesibindi le ndoda futhi wayembulela isinqumo sikaJehova: Ubukhosi babuyosuswa kuSawule bunikwe omunye umuntu—umuntu ongcono. *—1 Sam. 15:1-33.

25, 26. (a) Kungani uSamuweli alilela uSawule, futhi uJehova wathini lapho emsola ngomusa umprofethi wakhe? (b) Yisiphi isifundo uSamuweli asifunda lapho esemzini kaJese?

²⁵ Amaphutha kaSawule amzwisa ubuhlungu obujulile uSamuweli. Wachitha usuku lonke ekhalela uJehova ngalolu daba. Waze wayililela nokuyililela le ndoda. USamuweli wayebonile ukuthi  uSawule angaba umbusi omuhle, wabona okuningi okuhle kuye, kodwa manje wayesephelelwe ithemba. Indoda ayeyazi yayisishintshile—yayisilahlekelwe izimfanelo zayo ezinhle yalahla noJehova. USamuweli akafunanga ukuphinde ambone uSawule. Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJehova wamsola ngomusa uSamuweli: “Kuyoze kube nini ulilela uSawule, kuyilapho mina, ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngimalile ukuba angabe esabusa njengenkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli? Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha uhambe. Ngizokuthuma kuJese waseBhetlehema, ngoba ngizilungiselele inkosi phakathi kwamadodana akhe.”—1 Sam. 15:34, 35; 16:1.

²⁶ Injongo kaJehova ayixhomekile kubantu abangaphelele, ababuye bahluleke ukugcina ubuqotho ngezinye izikhathi. Uma umuntu engathembeki, uJehova uthola omunye ozokwenza intando yakhe. Ngakho uSamuweli owayesekhulile wayeka ukulilela uSawule. Eqondiswa uJehova, uSamuweli waya emzini kaJese eBhetlehema, lapho athola khona amadodana kaJese amaningi amahle. Kodwa kusukela kweyokuqala, uJehova wakhumbuza uSamuweli ukuba abheke ngale kokubukeka kwangaphandle. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 16:7.) Ekugcineni, uSamuweli wabona uthunjana, futhi kwakunguyena-ke uJehova ayemkhethile—uDavide!

27. (a) Yini eyenza ukholo lukaSamuweli lwaqina nakakhulu? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngesibonelo esabekwa uSamuweli?

²⁷ Eminyakeni yakhe yokugcina, uSamuweli wabona ngokucace bha ukuthi sasifanele isinqumo sikaJehova sokususa uSawule abeke uDavide. USawule waba nomona owamenza wafuna ukubulala futhi wahlubuka. Nokho, uDavide wabonisa izimfanelo ezinhle—isibindi, ubuqotho, ukholo nokwethembeka. Njengoba izinsuku zikaSamuweli zazincipha, ukholo lwakhe lwaqina nakakhulu. Wabona ukuthi azikho izimo ezidumazayo uJehova angehluleka ukuzilungisa, ukuzixazulula noma ukuzishintsha zibe isibusiso. Ekugcineni, uSamuweli waphangalala, washiya umlando wokuphila ophawulekayo owathatha cishe amakhulu eminyaka. U-Israyeli wonke wayililela le ndoda ethembekile—futhi kube kufanele! Namuhla, izinceku zikaJehova zenza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Mina ngizolulingisa yini ukholo lukaSamuweli?’