USamsoni Unqoba Ngamandla KaJehova!

ABATHUMBI abaziphindiselelayo basikhiphe amehlo lesi siboshwa futhi basisebenzisa kanzima. Ngemva kwalokho, basikhipha ejele basiyise ethempelini lamaqaba ukuze sijabulise isixuku. Basenza umbukiso phambi kwezinkulungwane zezibukeli futhi bayasigcona. Lesi siboshwa asisona isigebengu noma umholi wamabutho esitha. Singumkhulekeli kaJehova futhi sesibé umahluleli wakwa-Israyeli iminyaka engu-20.

Kwénzeka kanjani ukuba uSamsoni—umuntu onamandla ngaphezu kwawo wonke umuntu owake waphila—azithole ekulesi simo esidumaza kangaka? Ingabe amandla akhe angaphezu kwavamile ayengamsindisa? Yayikuphi imfihlo yamandla kaSamsoni? Ingabe kukhona esingakufunda kule ndaba yokuphila kwakhe?

‘Uyohola Ekusindiseni U-Israyeli’

Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babehlubuka kaningi ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Ngakho lapho ‘bephinda benza okubi emehlweni akhe, uJehova wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane.’—AbaHluleli 13:1.

Umlando kaSamsoni waqala lapho ingelosi kaJehova ifika kowesifazane oyinyumba, oyinkosikazi yomIsrayeli ogama lakhe linguManowa futhi imtshela ukuthi uzothola indodana. Ingelosi yamyala: “Akukho nsingo okufanele ithinte ikhanda layo, ngoba lo mntwana uyoba umNaziri kaNkulunkulu lapho ephuma esiswini; nguye oyohola ekusindiseni u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.” (AbaHluleli 13:2-5) Ngaphambi kokuba unina amkhulelwe, uJehova wanquma ukunika uSamsoni isabelo esikhethekile. Kusukela ekuzalweni kwakhe, wayezoba umNaziri—umuntu owabelwe uhlobo olukhethekile lwenkonzo engcwele.

‘Ulungile Emehlweni Ami’

Njengoba uSamsoni ayeqhubeka ekhula, “uJehova waqhubeka embusisa.” (AbaHluleli 13:24) Ngolunye usuku uSamsoni waya kuyise nonina wafike wathi: “Kukhona owesifazane engimbonile eThimna emadodakazini amaFilisti, manje ngithatheleni yena abe ngumkami.” (AbaHluleli 14:2) Cabanga ngendlela okwabashaqisa ngayo lokho. Esikhundleni sokuba ikhulule ama-Israyeli kubacindezeli, indodana yabo ifuna ukwenza ubuhlobo nabacindezeli ngokushada nendodakazi yabo. Ukuthatha umfazi okhulekela onkulunkulu bamaqaba kwakungqubuzana noMthetho kaNkulunkulu. (Eksodusi 34:11-16) Ngenxa yalokho, abazali  bayenqaba: “Yingoba engekho yini owesifazane phakathi kwamadodakazi abafowenu naphakathi kwabo bonke abantu bakithi, ukuba uze uyothatha umfazi kumaFilisti angasokile?” Nakuba kunjalo, uSamsoni uyaphikelela athi kuyise: “Ngithathele yena nje, ngoba nguye kanye olungile emehlweni ami.”—AbaHluleli 14:3.

KuSamsoni, ‘wayelungile’ ngayiphi indlela lona wesifazane ongumFilisti? I-Cyclopedia kaMcClintock noStrong ayisikiseli ukuthi “wayenguphuma langa sikothe, enogazi futhi eyisimomondiya, kodwa wayelungile ngenxa yenjongo ethile noma ngomqondo othile.” Ngenxa yayiphi injongo? AbaHluleli 14:4 bachaza ukuthi uSamsoni “wayefuna ithuba lokulwa namaFilisti.” USamsoni wayemthandela lokho lona wesifazane. Njengoba uSamsoni ayekhula eba yindoda, “umoya kaJehova wamqhuba,” noma wamshukumisela ukuba enze okuthile. (AbaHluleli 13:25) Ngakho, ngumoya kaJehova owashukumisa uSamsoni ukuba enze isicelo sokuthola umfazi esizweni esingalindelekile futhi yiwo owawumshukumisa phakathi naso sonke isikhathi lapho ayengumahluleli kwa-Israyeli. Ingabe uSamsoni walithola ithuba ayelifuna? Okokuqala, ake sihlole indlela uJehova amqinisekisa ngayo ukuthi uyomsekela.

USamsoni wayelibangise emzini wengoduso yakhe, iThimna. Ukulandisa komBhalo kuthi: “Lapho efika ngasezivinini zaseThimna, bheka! ibhongo lengonyama elinomhlwenga lalimhlangabeza libhonga. Khona-ke umoya kaJehova wasebenza kuye, walidwengula.” Lokhu kubonakaliswa kwamandla okumangalisayo kwenzeka ngesikhathi uSamsoni eyedwa. Abekho ababona. Ingabe lena kwakuyindlela uJehova ayeqinisekisa ngayo uSamsoni ukuthi wayezokwazi ukufeza isabelo ayesinikwe uNkulunkulu njengomNaziri? IBhayibheli alisho, kodwa kumelwe ukuba uSamsoni waqaphela ukuthi la mandla angavamile kwakungewona awakhe. Kumelwe ukuba ayevela kuNkulunkulu. Wayengathembela kuJehova ukuze amsize emsebenzini ayesazowenza. Eqiniswe yilesi senzakalo sengonyama, uSamsoni “waqhubeka wehla wakhuluma nalona wesifazane; wayesalungile emehlweni [akhe].”—AbaHluleli 14:5-7.

Kamuva, lapho uSamsoni eyolanda lona wesifazane, “waphambuka ukuze ayobona isidumbu sengonyama, bheka kwakunequlo lezinyosi esidunjini sengonyama, kanye noju.” Ekhumbula lokhu, uSamsoni usho imfumbe ezimpelesini zakhe ezingamaFilisti ezingu-30, ezisemshadweni wakhe: “Kodlayo kwaphuma okudliwayo, konamandla kwaphuma okumnandi.” Uma bekwazi ukuyichaza imfumbe yakhe, uSamsoni wayezobanika izingubo zangaphansi ezingu-30 nezimvunulo ezingu-30. Uma bengakwazi kwakuzodingeka benze okufanayo kuye. Kwaphela izinsuku ezintathu amaFilisti eshikashikana nale mfumbe. Ngosuku lwesine  aqala ukuyosongela ingoduso yakhe. Athi kuyo: “Khohlisa umyeni wakho ukuze asitshele le mfumbe. Ngaphandle kwalokho sizokushisa ngomlilo wena nendlu kayihlo.” Yeka unya! Uma amaFilisti ayephatha abantu bakubo kanje, ake ucabange ngesimo esiyingozi ama-Israyeli acindezelwe ayebhekene naso!—AbaHluleli 14:8-15.

Owesifazane wethuka, wacindezela uSamsoni ukuba amtshele impendulo. Ebonisa ukungathembeki nokungabi nalo uthando ngoSamsoni, ngokushesha watshela lezi zimpelesi impendulo. Zayixazulula imfumbe futhi uSamsoni wazi ukuthi ziyitholé kuphi impendulo. Wathi kuzo: “Ukube beningalimanga ngesithokazi sami, nga ningazange niyixazulule imfumbe yami.” Manje kwase kuyilo kanye ithuba uSamsoni ayekade elilindele. “Umoya kaJehova wasebenza kuye, wehlela e-Ashikeloni wabulala kubo amadoda angamashumi amathathu wathatha izingubo azihlubule kuwo wazinika abalandisi bemfumbe.”—AbaHluleli 14:18, 19.

Ingabe isenzo sikaSamsoni e-Ashikeloni sasiwukuziphindiselela? Cha. Kwakuyisenzo sikaNkulunkulu esebenzisa umkhululi wakhe okhethiwe. UJehova waqala ukusebenzisa uSamsoni ukuba alwe nabacindezeli abanonya babantu baKhe. Le mpi yaqhubeka. Elinye ithuba lavela ngesikhathi uSamsoni evakashele umkakhe.

USamsoni Ulwa Nezitha Eyedwa

Lapho uSamsoni ebuyela eThimna wathola ukuthi umukhwe wakhe usendisele umkakhe kwenye indoda, ecabanga ukuthi uSamsoni useyamzonda umkakhe. Kwamcasula lokho uSamsoni. Wabamba izimpungushe ezingu-300, wazibophela ngambili wabe esebophela izimbaqa emisileni yazo. Lapho ezidedela zashisa amasimu okusanhlamvu, izivini nezixhobo zeminqumo, zaqothula lezi zilimo ezintathu eziyinhloko zamaFilisti zangalowo nyaka. AmaFilisti ayethukuthele egane unwabu aziphindiselela ngonya. Ngokwawo, umkaSamsoni noyise yibo ababangele lokhu, ngakho abashisa. Ukuziphindiselela kwawo okunonya kwaba yisizathu esihle sokuba uSamsoni afeze injongo yakhe. Yena, wawabulala ngokuceka okukhulu.—AbaHluleli 15:1-8.

Ingabe ama-Israyeli abona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wayembusisa uSamsoni, abe esezihlanganisa naye ukuze aqede ingcindezelo yamaFilisti? Akunjalo neze. Ukuze abalekele inkinga, amadoda akwaJuda athumela amadoda angu-3 000 ukuba ayobopha lo mholi okhethwe uNkulunkulu futhi amnikele ezitheni zakhe. Nokho, lokhu kungathembeki kwama-Israyeli kunikeza uSamsoni elinye ithuba lokuba aqhubeke elwa nezitha zakhe. Lapho nje esezonikelwa kumaFilisti “umoya kaJehova wasebenza kuye, izindophi ezazisezingalweni zakhe zaba njengemicu yelineni ehangulwe ngumlilo, izibopho zakhe zancibilika ezandleni zakhe.” Wabe esethatha umhlathi wembongolo, wabulala izitha zakhe eziyinkulungwane ngawo.—AbaHluleli 15:10-15.

USamsoni wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Nguwe oniké isandla senceku yakho le nsindiso enkulu, manje ingabe kufanele ngife ngenxa yokoma futhi ingabe kumelwe ngiwele esandleni sabangasokile?” UJehova wawuzwa umthandazo kaSamsoni futhi wawuphendula. “UNkulunkulu waqhekeza isigoxi esimise okwesigqulo . . . , amanzi aqala ukuphuma kuso, waphuza, ngemva kwalokho umoya wakhe wabuya wavuseleleka.”—AbaHluleli 15:18, 19.

USamsoni wayezimisele ukufeza umgomo wakhe, okungukuthi ukulwa namaFilisti. Wahlala endlini yesifebe eGaza ngenjongo yokulwa nezitha zikaNkulunkulu. USamsoni wayefuna indawo angalala kuyo emzini wesitha, futhi wayithola endlini yesifebe. USamsoni wayengacabangi ngokuziphatha okubi. Wasuka emzini walona wesifazane phakathi kwamabili, wabhoncula amasango omuzi nezigxobo zombili ezisemaceleni, wakuthwala wenyukela nakho esiqongweni sentaba eseduze kweHebroni, eyayiqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-60. Lokhu wakwenza evunyelwe uNkulunkulu futhi nguye owamnika amandla.—AbaHluleli 16:1-3.

 Indlela umoya ongcwele owasebenza ngayo kuSamsoni yayihlukile ngoba kwakuhileleke izimo ezingavamile. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile namuhla zingancika kulowo moya ukuze zithole amandla. UJesu waqinisekisa abalandeli bakhe ngokuthi uJehova “uyobanika umoya ongcwele labo abawucela kuye.”—Luka 11:13.

Kungani UJehova ‘Amuka KuSamsoni’?

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uSamsoni wathandana nowesifazane ogama lakhe linguDelila. Amakhosi amahlanu amaFilisti ayefisa ukunqoba uSamsoni kangangokuthi aze afuna usizo kulona wesifazane. Aya kuDelila athi: “Myenge uthole ukuthi akuphi la mandla akhe amakhulu nokuthi singamnqoba ngani.” Inkosi ngayinye yamfumbathisa ‘ngezinhlamvu zesiliva eziyinkulungwane nekhulu.’—AbaHluleli 16:4, 5.

Uma izinhlamvu zesiliva zazingamashekeli, kusho ukuthi wayefunjathiswe ngamashekeli angu-5 500 okwakuyimali eningi. U-Abrahama wathenga indawo yokungcwaba umkakhe ngamashekeli angu-400, kanti isigqila sasidayiswa ngamashekeli angu-30 nje kuphela. (Genesise 23:14-20; Eksodusi 21:32) Iqiniso lokuthi la makhosi—ababusi abahlanu bamaFilisti—amfumbathisa uDelila kunokuba amcele ukuba athembeke esizweni sakubo lisikisela ukuthi mhlawumbe wayengowesifazane wakwa-Israyeli. Kunoma yikuphi, uDelila wayamukela leyo mali.

Lapho uDelila ebuza, uSamsoni wamkhohlisa kathathu, futhi uDelila wazama kathathu ukumkhaphela ezitheni zakhe. Kodwa “ngenxa yokuthi ngaso sonke isikhathi wayelokhu emcindezela ngamazwi akhe elokhu emnxusa, umphefumulo wakhe waphelelwa isineke kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokufuna ukufa.” Ekugcineni uSamsoni walembula iqiniso—izinwele zakhe zazingakaze zigundwe. Uma zazingagundwa, wayeyoba buthaka futhi afane nawo wonke umuntu.—AbaHluleli 16:6-17.

Lokho kwaba ukuwa kukaSamsoni. UDelila wakha icebo lokuba aphucwe ikhanda. Nokho, amandla kaSamsoni ayengekho ngempela ezinweleni. Njengoba ayengumNaziri, izinwele zakhe zazimane zimelela ubuhlobo obukhethekile ayenabo noNkulunkulu. Lapho uSamsoni ezifaka esimweni esathonya ubuNaziri bakhe ngokuphuca ikhanda, ‘uJehova wamuka kuye.’ Manje amaFilisti amnqoba uSamsoni, amkhipha amehlo, futhi amfaka ejele.—AbaHluleli 16:18-21.

Yeka ukuthi isifundo esihle kanjani kithi lesi! Akufanele yini sibazise ubuhlobo bethu noJehova sibubheke njengobuyigugu? Uma nganoma yiyiphi indlela siyekethisa ekuzinikeleni kwethu kobuKristu, singalindela yini ukuba uNkulunkulu aqhubeke esibusisa?

“Umphefumulo Wami Mawufe Kanye NamaFilisti”

Egcwele injabulo, amaFilisti ábonga unkulunkulu wawo uDagoni ngokunqoba kwawo uSamsoni. Ngesikhathi egubha umkhosi wokunqoba kwawo, áletha isithunjwa sawo ethempelini likaDagoni. Kodwa uSamsoni wayesazi isizathu sangempela sokuwa kwakhe. Wayesazi isizathu esenza uJehova amshiye futhi waphenduka ekoneni kwakhe. Ngesikhathi uSamsoni esejele, izinwele zakhe zaqala ukukhula ngamandla. Njengoba manje ayesephambi kwezinkulungwane zamaFilisti, yini ayezoyenza?

USamsoni wathandaza: “Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova, ngicela ungikhumbule, ungiqinise, ngiyacela, kulokhu nje kuphela, wena Nkulunkulu weqiniso, futhi ungivumele ngiziphindiselele kumaFilisti ngempindiselo ngenxa yelilodwa lamehlo ami.” Wabe esebamba izinsika ezimbili ezaziphase isakhiwo, futhi “wagoba ngamandla.” Waba yini umphumela? “Indlu yawela phezu kwamakhosi ahlangene naphezu kwabo bonke abantu ababengaphakathi kuyo, kangangokuba abafa ababulala lapho efa, baba baningi kunalabo ayebabulele phakathi nesikhathi sokuphila kwakhe.”—AbaHluleli 16:22-30.

USamsoni wayenamandla ngaphezu kwanoma yimuphi umuntu. Izenzo zakhe zamandla zaziphawuleka ngempela. Kodwa okubaluleke kunakho konke ukuthi iZwi likaJehova limbala phakathi kwalabo ababenokholo oluqinile.—Hebheru 11:32-34.

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Yayikuphi imfihlo yamandla kaSamsoni?