UJOSEFA wayemi engadini yakhe njengoba sekuqala ukuhwalala. Mhlawumbe egqolozele izihlahla zesundu kanye nezinye izihlahla ezithela izithelo namachibi anezitshalo ezimila emanzini, kanti ngale kodonga kuvele kancane isigodlo sikaFaro. Ungayicabanga nje imisindo eqhelile uJosefa ayeyizwa ivela endlini yakhe; uManase indodana yakhe wayelokhu edlalisa umfowabo u-Efrayimi osewusana. UJosefa wayekubona ngeso lengqondo lokho okwakwenzeka ngaphakathi endlini yakhe, umkakhe ehlekela phansi njengoba ebuka abafana babo bedlala. Wamomotheka. Wayazi ukuthi uyindoda ebusisekile.

UJosefa wayeqambe izibulo lakhe ngokuthi uManase, ngoba lelo gama lalibhekisela egameni elithi ukukhohlwa. (Genesise 41:51) Indlela uNkulunkulu ayembusise ngayo eminyakeni eyayisanda kudlula, ngokuqinisekile yayibudambisile ubuhlungu bukaJosefa bokukhumbula ekhaya, ekhumbula abafowabo kanye noyise. Inzondo abafowabo abadala ababenayo ngaye yayishintshe konke ukuphila kwakhe. Bamhlasela, baceba ukumbulala base bemdayisa njengesigqila kubathengisi abahambahambayo. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ukuphila kwakhe kwaba nezinsizi ezingapheli. Cishe wabekezelela ukugqilazwa nokugqunywa etilongweni iminyaka engu-12—ngesinye isikhathi eboshwe ngezinsimbi. Kodwa manje, wayeyisikhulu—engowesibili ngobukhulu kuFaro ezweni elinamandla laseGibhithe! *

Kwase kuyiminyaka uJosefa elokhu ebona izenzakalo ezithile zigcwaliseka njengoba nje uJehova ayezibikezele. EGibhithe, kwakuyisikhathi seminyaka eyisikhombisa yenala njengoba nje kwakuprofethiwe futhi uJosefa wayeqondisa ukuqoqwa kwenala yokusanhlamvu yesizwe. Ngaleso sikhathi, wayesenamadodana amabili awathola kumkakhe u-Asenati. Nokho, wayehlala ecabanga ngomndeni wakhe owawuhlala endaweni eqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha—ikakhulukazi umfowabo omncane uBhenjamini nobaba wabo abamthanda kakhulu uJakobe. Kungenzeka uJosefa wayezibuza ukuthi kaze basaphila futhi balondekile yini. Mhlawumbe wayezibuza nokuthi, kaze abafowabo abadala base beshintshile yini bayeka ukuba nesihluku nokuthi wayeyoke axole yini futhi aphinde abuyisane nomndeni wakhe.

Uma ukuthula komndeni wakho kuye kwaphazanyiswa umona, ukungathembeki noma inzondo, cishe uyasiqonda isimo uJosefa ayekuso. Yini esingayifunda okholweni lukaJosefa njengoba anakekela umndeni wakhe?

Kwakuyisikhathi esimatasa kakhulu lesi kuJosefa futhi neminyaka yahamba ngokushesha. Iminyaka eyisikhombisa yesivuno esiyinala yalandelwa ushintsho olukhulu, njengoba nje uJehova ayebikezele ephusheni alithumela kuFaro. Izitshalo zayeka ukukhiqiza ukudla! Ngokushesha indlala yahlasela wonke amazwe angomakhelwane. Nokho, iBhayibheli lithi, “kulo lonke izwe laseGibhithe sasitholakala isinkwa.” (Genesise 41:54) Akungabazeki ukuthi ukubikezela kukaJosefa okuphefumulelwe kanye nesibonelo sakhe esihle sokuhlela izinto sabazuzisa abantu baseGibhithe.

 Kungenzeka abaseGibhithe babezizwa bemkweleta uJosefa futhi bamdumisa ngekhono lakhe lokuhlela kahle izinto. Nokho, uJosefa wayefuna ukuba lonke udumo luye kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova. Uma sisebenzisa noma yimaphi amakhono esingase sibe nawo ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu, angase asisize siwasebenzise ngendlela esingakaze siyicabange.

Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abaseGibhithe nabo baqala ukuyizwa indlala. Lapho becela usizo kuFaro, wathi kubo: “Yanini kuJosefa, noma yini ayishoyo kini, niyenze.” Ngakho uJosefa waqala ukuvula zonke izinqolobane zokusanhlamvu, futhi abantu babethenga lokho ababekudinga.—Genesise 41:55, 56.

Nokho, emazweni azungezile, abantu babengenayo leyo nhlanhla. Ezweni laseKhanani eliqhele ngamakhulu amakhilomitha, umndeni kaJosefa wawubulawa indlala. UJakobe osekhulile wezwa ukuthi kwakukhona okusanhlamvu eGibhithe, ngakho wathuma amadodana akhe ukuba ehlele khona ayothenga ukudla.—Genesise 42:1, 2.

UJakobe wathuma amadodana akhe ayishumi kodwa uBhenjamini indodana yakhe encane yasala. Wayesasikhumbula kahle isikhathi athuma ngaso indodana yakhe ayithandayo uJosefa kubafowabo abadala. UJakobe kwabe uyamgcina ngaleso sikhathi umfana wakhe. Abafowabo abadala babuya nengubo kaJosefa enhle—uphawu lukayise lothando—idabukile futhi igcwele igazi. Benza ukuba uJakobe osekhulile akholelwe ukuthi uJosefa wayedwegulwe izilwane zasendle.—Genesise 37:31-35.

Ngemva kohambo olude, amadodana kaJakobe afika eGibhithe. Lapho ebuza ngokusanhlamvu okudayiswayo, athunyelwa esikhulwini sikahulumeni esiphakeme uZafenati-phaneya. (Genesise 41:45) Ingabe lapho embona aqaphela ukuthi kwakunguJosefa lo? Lutho neze. Amane nje azibonela umbusi waseGibhithe onesikhundla esiphakeme, ayedinga usizo lwakhe. Ukuze abonise inhlonipho, enza okwakwenziwa ezikhulwini: ‘Akhothama kuye ubuso bawo bubheke phansi emhlabathini.’—Genesise 42:5, 6.

Kuthiwani ngoJosefa? Wababona ngaso leso sikhathi abafowabo! Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho ebabona bekhothama phambi kwakhe, wavele wacabanga ngesikhathi esengumfanyana. Ukulandisa kusitshela ukuthi: “Ngokushesha uJosefa wakhumbula amaphupho” uJehova ayemenze wawaphupha ngesikhathi esengumfanyana, amaphupho ayebikezela isikhathi lapho abafowabo babeyokhothama khona phambi kwakhe—njengoba kwase kunjalo manje! (Genesise 37:2, 5-9; 42:7, 9) Yini uJosefa ayengayenza? Ingabe wayeyobamukela? Noma wayeyofuna ukuziphindiselela?

UJosefa wayazi ukuthi kwakungafanele axhamazele enze lokho okwakufiswa inhliziyo yakhe. Kusobala ukuthi nguJehova owayeqondisa lolu shintsho oluphawulekayo. Lokhu kwakuhilela injongo yaKhe. Wayethembise ukwenza inzalo kaJakobe ibe yisizwe esinamandla. (Genesise 35:11, 12) Ukube abafowabo bakaJosefa babesaqhubeka nobudlova, ubugovu futhi bengamadoda angathembekile, kwakungaba nemiphumela emibi! Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma  uJosefa ayengase enze engacabanganga, kwakungaba nemiphumela engemihle ekhaya, mhlawumbe aze afake ngisho nokuphila kukayise nokukaBhenjamini engozini. Ingabe bona babesaphila nje? UJosefa wanquma ukungazivezi ukuze ahlole abafowabo abone ukuthi base beshintshile yini. Ngemva kwalokho wayeyokwazi ukuthi yini uJehova ayefuna ayenze.

Akuvamile ukuba sizithole sisesimweni esingavamile njengalesi. Nokho, umbango nokwahlukana emindenini kuyinto evamile ezweni namuhla. Lapho sibhekene nezinselele ezinjalo, kalula nje singase silandele inhliziyo yethu futhi senze ngokwemizwelo yethu engaphelele. Kuwukuhlakanipha ukulingisa uJosefa sizame ukuqonda indlela uNkulunkulu afuna sisingathe ngayo izinto. (IzAga 14:12) Khumbula, nakuba kubalulekile ukwenza ukuthula namalungu omndeni, ukuthula noJehova neNdodana yakhe kona kubaluleke ngisho nakakhulu.—Mathewu 10:37.

UJosefa wavivinya abafowabo kaningana ngenjongo yokuba athole lokho ababeyikho ngempela enhliziyweni. Waqala ngokuthi akhulume nabo kabuhlungu, esebenzisa umhumushi, ebamangalela ngokuthi bayizinhloli. Bezama ukuzivikela, bamtshela ngomndeni wabo—baveza nento ebaluleke kakhulu ukuthi babenomfowabo omncane owayesele ekhaya. UJosefa wazama ukuyifihla injabulo yakhe. Ingabe umfowabo omncane wayesaphila ngempela? Manje uJosefa wakwazi lokho okwase kufanele akwenze. Wathi: “Nizovivinywa ngalokhu,” wabe esebatshela ukuthi wayefuna ukumbona lo mfowabo omncane. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wavuma ukubadedela, babuyele ekhaya bayolanda umfowabo omncane uma oyedwa wabo ayezovuma ukusala agcinwe eboshiwe.—Genesise 42:9-20.

Njengoba abafowabo babesahlangene bekhuluma ngale ndaba, bengazi ukuthi uJosefa uyabezwa, bazisola ngesono esibi ababesenze eminyakeni engu-20 edlule. Bathi: “Ngokungangabazeki sinecala ngomfowethu, ngoba salubona usizi lomphefumulo wakhe lapho enxusa ububele kithi, kodwa asilalelanga. Yingakho lolu sizi lusehlele.” UJosefa wayebezwa futhi wabafulathela ukuze bangaboni ukuthi uyakhala. (Genesise 42:21-24) Nokho, wayazi ukuthi ukuphenduka kwangempela kuhilela okungaphezu nje komuzwa wokuzisola ngemiphumela yezenzo zobubi. Ngakho waqhubeka nokubavivinya.

Wababuyisela emuva kodwa wagcina uSimeyoni njengesiboshwa. Wayala nokuba babuyiselwe imali yabo iboshelwe emasakeni abo okudla ababeya nakho ekhaya. Abafowabo babuyela ekhaya, bafike bancenga uJakobe ukuba abanike uBhenjamini babuyele naye eGibhithe futhi lokhu akubanga lula neze. Lapho befika eGibhithe, batshela inceku kaJosefa ngemali ababeyithole emasakeni abo, bacela ukuyibuyisela njengoba injalo. Leso senzo sasincomeka kakhulu, kodwa uJosefa wayesafuna ukubona okwengeziwe ngobuntu babo. Wabenzela idili, ezama ukufihla injabulo ayenayo ngokubona uBhenjamini. Wabe esebabuyisela ekhaya, nakulokhu futhi egcwalise amasaka abo ngokudla, kodwa kulokhu wayala ukuba kufakwe indebe yesiliva esakeni likaBhenjamini.—Genesise 42:26–44:2.

UJosefa wabe esesebenzisa iqhinga lakhe. Wayala ukuba kubanjwe abafowabo futhi baboshwe, besolwa ngokuthi bantshontshe indebe. Lapho itholakala esakeni likaBhenjamini, bonke balethwa kuJosefa. Manje uJosefa wayesenethuba lokuthola ukuthi abafowabo base bengabantu abanjani. UJuda waba ngumkhulumeli wabo. Wanxusa ecela ukuba baboniswe umusa, waze wathi yena nabafowabo abayishumi bazoba izigqila zaseGibhithe. Nokho uJosefa yena wathi nguBhenjamini kuphela okwakufanele asale eGibhithe abe yisigqila kodwa bonke abanye kwakufanele bahambe babuyele emuva.—Genesise 44:2-17.

UJuda waphendula ngamazwi athinta inhliziyo. Wathi: “Kusele yena yedwa kunina, futhi uyise uyamthanda.” Lawo mazwi amthinta kakhulu uJosefa ngoba wayeyindodana endala kaRaheli umkaJakobe othandekayo, owafa ngesikhathi ezala uBhenjamini. UJosefa, njengoyise, kufanele ukuba wayemkhumbula kakhulu uRaheli. Mhlawumbe lobo buhlobo benza uBhenjamini wathandeka kakhulu kuJosefa.—Genesise 35:18-20; 44:20.

UJuda waqhubeka encenga uJosefa ukuba angamenzi isigqila uBhenjamini. Waze wacela ukuba yena abe isigqila esikhundleni sikaBhenjamini. Wabe esephetha ngala mazwi abonisa ukudabuka okukhulu: “Ngingakhuphukela kanjani kubaba  umfana engenami, funa ngibone inhlekelele ezokwehlela ubaba?” (Genesise 44:18-34) Lobu, kwakuwubufakazi bangempela bomuntu osephendukile. Akagcinanga nje ngokubonisa umoya wokuphenduka kuphela kodwa wabonisa uzwela kanye nokuzidela.

UJosefa wayengasakwazi ukuzibamba. Wayesefukamele lobu buhlungu isikhathi eside. Ekhipha zonke izinceku zakhe endlini, wakhala ngezwi elikhulu kangangokuthi waze wezwakala nasesigodlweni sikaFaro. Ngemva kwalokho waziveza kubafowabo wathi: “NginguJosefa umfowenu.” Abafowabo babethuke befa, nokho wabanga futhi ngomusa wabaxolela ngakho konke ababekwenze kuye. (Genesise 45:1-15) Ngaleyo ndlela wabonisa isimo sengqondo sikaJehova, othethelela ngokukhululekile. (IHubo 86:5) Ingabe siyakwenza okufanayo?

Lapho uFaro ezwa ngalokho okwakwenzeke endlini kaJosefa, watshela uJosefa ukuba alande uyise osekhulile eze eGibhithe, kanye nawo wonke umndeni wakhe. Akubanga isikhathi eside, uJosefa waphinde wahlangana noyise amthandayo. UJakobe wakhala wathi: “Manje ngiyavuma ukufa, njengoba sengibubonile ubuso bakho, njengoba usaphila.”—Genesise 45:16-28; 46:29, 30.

Empeleni, uJakobe waqhubeka ephila eminye iminyaka engu-17 eGibhithe. Waphila isikhathi esanele kangangokuba wakwazi ukubikezela iziprofetho eziyisibusiso kumadodana akhe ayishumi nambili. Wanika uJosefa indodana yakhe yeshumi nanye isilinganiso esiphindwe kabili, ngokuvamile esitholwa yizibulo. Izizwe ezimbili zakwa-Israyeli zaziyophuma kuye. Kuthiwani ngoJuda, indodana yakhe yesine, owabonisa umoya wokuphenduka ukwedlula bonke abafowabo? Wathola isibusiso esihle kakhulu: UMesiya wayeyovela ohlwini lomndeni wakhe!—Genesise, izahluko 48, 49.

Lapho uJakobe efa eneminyaka engu-147, abafowabo bakaJosefa besaba ukuthi wayengase afune ukuziphindiselela. Nokho uJosefa wabaqinisekisa ngothando. Wayesenesikhathi eside azi ukuthi nguJehova owayebangele ukuba umndeni wakhe uthuthele eGibhithe, ngakho abafowabo kwakungafanele bazizwe kabi ngalokho okwakwenzekile. Wabe esenezela ngalo mbuzo ophawulekayo: “Ngisesikhundleni sikaNkulunkulu yini?” (Genesise 15:13; 45:7, 8; 50:15-21) UJosefa wabona uJehova enguMahluleli ophelele. Wayengubani-ke uJosefa, ukuba ahlulele labo uNkulunkulu ayesebaxolele?—Hebheru 10:30.

Ingabe uyaye ukuthole kuyinselele ukuxolela abanye? Kungase kube nzima ikakhulukazi lapho umuntu esone ngamabomu. Nokho uma sibaxolela ngokusuka enhliziyweni labo abaphenduka ngobuqotho, siyosiza ekudambiseni izinhlungu zabanye—kuhlanganise nezethu. Siyolingisa nokholo lukaJosefa kanye nesibonelo sikaYise onesihe, uJehova.