Inkosi Yokuqala Yako-Israyeli

UJehova wayekhethe abahluleli ukuthi bakhokhele ama-Israyeli kodwa wona ayefuna inkosi. Abantu bathi kuSamuyeli: ‘Lathi sifuna ukuba lenkosi njengezinye izizwe.’ USamuyeli kazange akuthande lokho yikho wakhuleka kuJehova ngendaba leyo. UJehova wathi kuye: ‘Kabali ukukhokhelwa nguwe kodwa bala ukukhokhelwa yimi. Batshele ukuthi bazakuba layo inkosi kodwa izabathwalisa nzima.’ Lanxa kunjalo abantu bathi: ‘Asilandaba, sifuna inkosi.’

UJehova watshela uSamuyeli ukuthi indoda ethiwa nguSawuli yiyo eyayizakuba yinkosi yokuqala yako-Israyeli. USawuli wathi evakatshele uSamuyeli eRama, uSamuyeli wamenza waba yinkosi ngokumgcoba amafutha ekhanda.

Kwathi sokudlule isikhathi esithile, uSamuyeli wabuthanisa ama-Israyeli ukuze awatshengise inkosi yawo entsha. Kodwa uSawuli wayesebaleke wayacatsha. Bathi sebemtholile bamthatha bammisa phakathi kwabantu. USawuli wayemude kulabo bonke futhi wayemuhle kakhulu. USamuyeli wathi: ‘Nangu umuntu osekhethwe nguJehova.’ Abantu bamemeza bathi: ‘Impilo ende enkosini.’

Ekuqaliseni iNkosi uSawuli yayimhlonipha uSamuyeli njalo imlalela uJehova. Kodwa yantshintsha. Ngokwesibonelo uSawuli kwakungamelanga enze iminikelo. Ngelinye ilanga kwakumele amelele uSamuyeli ukuthi azokwenza iminikelo kodwa uSamuyeli waphuza. Yikho uSawuli wasesenza iminikelo. USamuyeli wathini ngalokhu? Wathi: ‘Kawulalelanga umlayo kaJehova.’ Kodwa uSawuli kazisolanga ngayekwenzile.

Kwathi sekudlule isikhathi esithile, uSawuli wahamba wayakulwa lama-Amaleki. USamuyeli wamtshela ukuthi awabulale wonke kodwa yena kazange ayibulale inkosi yama-Amaleki okwakuthiwa ngu-Agagi. UJehova wathi kuSamuyeli: ‘USawuli usengifulathele njalo kalandelanga imilayo yami.’ Lokhu kwamdanisa uSamuyeli wasesithi kuSawuli: ‘UJehova uzakhetha eyinye inkosi ngoba wena awumlalelanga.’ USamuyeli wathi esehamba, uSawuli wabamba umphetho wejazi likaSamuyeli ladabuka. USamuyeli wasesithi: ‘UJehova usewudabule umbuso kuwe.’ UJehova wayezakhetha omunye umuntu omthandayo njalo omlalelayo ukuthi abe yinkosi.