Incwadi YeBhayibhile 7—ABagwebi

Umbhali: NguSamuweli

Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: KwaSirayeli

Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Malunga nowe-1100 B.C.E.

Ixesha Eligutyungelweyo: Malunga nowe-1450 kuse malunga nowe-1120 B.C.E.

 1. Ixesha labagwebi laliphawuleka ngaziphi iindlela?

LE YINGXELO yembali yamaSirayeli enothotho lweziganeko, ethetha ngemigibe eyintlekele yonqulo lobudemon nokubahlangula kukaYehova ngokunenceba abantu bakhe abaguqukileyo ngokusebenzisa abagwebi abamiselwe ngokobuthixo. Izenzo zobugorha zikaOteniyeli, zikaEhude, zikaShamgare nezabanye abagwebi abalandelayo zomeleza ukholo. Kunjengokuba umbhali wamaHebhere wathi: “Ndingaphelelwa lixesha ndibalisa ngoGidiyon, kwanoBharaki, noSamson, noYifeta, . . . abathe ngokholo beyisa izikumkani, basebenza ubulungisa, . . . bomelela ekubeni bebeswele amandla, baba ngamagorha emfazweni, bagxotha imikhosi yabasemzini.” (Heb. 11:32-34) Kwinani elipheleleyo labagwebi abathembekileyo abali-12 beli thuba, kukwakho uTola, uYahire, uIbhetsan, uElon noAbhedon. (USamuweli akadli ngakubalelwa phakathi kwabagwebi.) UYehova wabalwela amadabi abagwebi, kwaye babezaliswa ngumoya njengoko babephumeza izenzo zabo zobukroti. Lonke uzuko nendumiso bazisa kuThixo wabo.

 2. Igama lesiHebhere lencwadi yaBagwebi lifaneleke ngayiphi indlela?

² KwiSeptuagint le ncwadi ibizwa ngokuthi Kri·taiʹ, kwaye kwiBhayibhile yesiHebhere, ibizwa ngokuthi Sho·phetimʹ, gama elo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ABagwebi.” Igama elithi Sho·phetimʹ lithatyathwe kwisenzi esingusha·phatʹ, esithetha “ukugweba, ukuthethelela, ukohlwaya, ukulawula,” esisichaza kakuhle isikhundla saba banyulwa bolawulo lobuthixo ‘boThixo onguMgwebi wabo bonke.’ (Heb. 12:23) Babengamadoda awaveliswa nguYehova ngezihlandlo ezikhethekileyo ukuze ahlangule abantu bakhe kubukhoboka basemzini.

 3. Yabhalwa nini incwadi yaBagwebi?

³ Yabhalwa nini incwadi yaBagwebi? Amabinzana amabini akule ncwadi asinceda sifumane impendulo. Nali elokuqala: “Ke amaYebhusi, abehleli eYerusalem, . . . unanamhla.” (ABagwe. 1:21) Ekubeni uKumkani uDavide wayithimbayo “imboniselo yeZiyon” kumaYebhusi ngomnyaka wesibhozo wokulawula kwakhe, okanye ngowe-1070 B.C.E., kumele ukuba eyaBagwebi yabhalwa ngaphambi kwaloo nyaka. (2 Sam. 5:4-7) Ibinzana lesibini livela izihlandlo ezine: “Ngaloo mihla bekungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli.” (ABagwe. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) Ngenxa yoko, le ngxelo yabhalwa ngexesha laxa kwakukho ‘ukumkani kwaSirayeli,’ oko kukuthi, emva kokuba uSawule wathi waba ngukumkani wokuqala ngowe-1117 B.C.E. Ngoko imele ukuba yabhalwa phakathi kowe-1117 nowe-1070 B.C.E.

 4. Wayengubani umbhali wencwadi yaBagwebi?

⁴ Wayengubani umbhali wayo? Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, wayengumkhonzi ozinikeleyo kaYehova. NguSamuweli obalasele yedwa njengomthetheleli oyintloko wonqulo lukaYehova ngeli xesha lenguqulelo eyayisenzeka ukusuka kubagwebi ukusa kookumkani, kwaye ukwangowokuqala kumnombo wabaprofeti abathembekileyo. Ekubeni kunjalo, ngokusengqiqweni uSamuweli ebeya kuba ngulowo wabhala imbali yabagwebi.

 5. Lisenokubalwa njani ithuba lokubhalwa kweyaBagwebi?

⁵ ABagwebi bagubungela ithuba elide kangakanani? Eli thuba linokubalwa ngokusuka kweyoku-1 yooKumkani 6:1, ebonisa ukuba uSolomon waqalisa ukwakha indlu kaYehova ngomnyaka wesine wokulawula kwakhe, thuba elo ‘elikwangumnyaka wamakhulu amane anamanci asibhozo emva kokuba oonyana bakaSirayeli bephumile ezweni lamaYiputa.’ (Ekubeni ibinzana elithi “ngomnyaka wamakhulu omane anamanci asibhozo” libonisa ukuba lo mnyaka wokugqibela usaqhubeka, ngoko limela iminyaka epheleleyo engama-479.) Amaxesha aziwayo naqukiweyo kule minyaka engama-479 yiminyaka engama-40 phantsi kukaMoses entlango (Dut. 8:2), yiminyaka engama-40 yolawulo lukaSawule (IZe. 13:21), yiminyaka engama-40 yolawulo lukaDavide (2 Sam. 5:4, 5) neminyaka emithathu yokuqala epheleleyo yolawulo lukaSolomon. Xa kuthatyathwa eli nani lipheleleyo leminyaka eli-123 kwiminyaka engama-479 echazwe kweyoku-1 yooKumkani 6:1, kusala iminyaka engama-356 egubungela ithuba eliphakathi kokungena kwamaSirayeli eKanan nokuqalisa kolawulo lukaSawule.a Iziganeko ezibhalwe kwincwadi yaBagwebi, ubukhulu becala ezisusela ekufeni kukaYoshuwa ukuhla ukuza kufikelela kwixesha likaSamuweli, zigubungela iminyaka enokuba ngama-330 yeli thuba leminyaka engama-356.

 6. Yintoni ebonisa ubunyaniso bencwadi yaBagwebi?

⁶ Ubunyaniso beyaBagwebi abunakuthandatyuzwa. AmaYuda ebesoloko eyigqala njengenxalenye yezibhalo eziphefumlelweyo zeBhayibhile. Ababhali beZibhalo zesiHebhere nezamaKristu zesiGrike baye bayisebenzisa ingxelo yayo, njengakwiNdumiso 83:9-18; Isaya 9:4; 10:26; nakumaHebhere 11:32-34. Kwingxelo yayo engqalileyo, ayizifihli iintsilelo nokurhoxobisa kwamaSirayeli, ngoxa kwangaxeshanye iphakamisa ububele obunothando obungapheliyo bukaYehova. NguYehova, kungekhona nje umgwebi ongumntu, ozukiswayo njengoMhlanguli kwaSirayeli.

 7. (a) Inzululwazi yokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala iyixhasa njani ingxelo ekweyaBagwebi? (b) Kutheni le nto ngokufanelekileyo uYehova wakhupha ummiselo wokuba batshatyalaliswe abanquli bakaBhahali?

⁷ Ngokubhekele phaya, izinto ezifunyenwe ekumbiweni kwezinto zakudala ziyabuxhasa ubunyaniso beyaBagwebi. Ezizezona zichukumisayo zezo zinokuthanani nohlobo lonqulo lukaBhahali olwaluqheliselwa ngamaKanan. Ngaphandle kweembekiselo zeBhayibhile, akukho nto ingako yayisaziwa ngonqulo lukaBhahali de kwaba sekumbiweni kwesixeko samandulo samaKanan iUgarit (iRas Shamra yezi mini ekunxweme lwaseSiriya ngakwincam yomntla-mpuma wesiqithi saseSipro), okwaqaliswa ngowe-1929. Apha, unqulo lukaBhahali lwatyhilwa njengolwalubalaselisa ukuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ubuhlanga obugqithiseleyo nokunqulwa kwesini. Ngokucacileyo sixeko ngasinye kwelakwaKanan sasinendawo yaso yokunqulela uBhahali kunye neetempile zokunqulela ezazisaziwa ngokuba ziziganga. Ngaphakathi kwezi tempile zokunqulela kusenokuba kwakukho imifanekiso kaBhahali, kwaye kufuphi nezibingelelo ngaphandle kwakufumaneka iintsika zamatye—mhlawumbi ezazingumfuziselo welungu lesini lobudoda likaBhahali. Ukubingelela ngabantu okuthiyekileyo kwazizalisa ngegazi ezi tempile zokunqulela. Xa amaSirayeli athi angcoliswa lunqulo lukaBhahali, ngokukwanjalo nawo abingelela ngoonyana neentombi zawo. (Yer. 32:35) Kwakukho isibonda esingcwele esasimela umama kaBhahali, uAshera. Uthixokazi wenzala uAshtorete, umfazi kaBhahali, wayenqulwa ngoqheliselo olungacocekanga lwesini, ibe amadoda nabafazi babegcinwa njengoonongogo basetempileni “abangcwalisiweyo.” Akumangalisi ukuba uYehova wayalela ukuba lutshatyalaliswe unqulo lukaBhahali nabaxhasi balo abangcolileyo. “Iliso lakho lingabi nanceba kuzo, ungabakhonzi oothixo bazo.”—Dut. 7:16.b

OKUQULETHWE YEYABAGWEBI

 8. EyaBagwebi yahlulahlulwe yangawaphi amacandelo ngokusengqiqweni?

⁸ Ngokusengqiqweni le ncwadi yahlulahlulwe yangamacandelo amathathu. Izahluko zokuqala ezibini zichaza iimeko zakwaSirayeli ngelo xesha. Isahluko 3 kuse kwese-16 zichaza ukuhlangulwa ngokusetyenziswa kwabagwebi abali-12. Sandula ke isahluko 17 kuse kwesama-21 sichaze iziganeko ezithile ezibandakanya ingxwabangxwaba phakathi kwamaSirayeli.

 9. Yiyiphi inkcazelo enikelwa zizahluko zokuqala zeyaBagwebi?

⁹ Iimeko zakwaSirayeli ngexesha labagwebi (1:1–2:23). Apha kuchazwa izizwe zikaSirayeli njengoko zisasazeka ukuya kuhlala kwimihlaba yazo eziyabelweyo. Noko ke, kunokuba ziwagxothe ngokupheleleyo amaKanan, amaninzi awo ziwenzisa umsebenzi wesinyanzelo, ziwavumela ukuba ahlale phakathi kwamaSirayeli. Ngoko ke isithunywa sezulu sikaYehova sivakalisa oku, “Bamele babe yimigibe kuni, kwaye niya kutsaleleka koothixo babo.” (2:3, NW) Ngaloo ndlela, xa kuthi kuvele isizukulwana esitsha esingamaziyo uYehova okanye imisebenzi yakhe, ngokukhawuleza abantu bayamshiya baze bakhonze ooBhahali nabanye oothixo. Ngenxa yokuba isandla sikaYehova sibazisela intlekele, ‘babandezeleka kakhulu.’ Ngenxa yokuba neenkani nokungavumi kwabo ukuphulaphula kwanabagwebi, uYehova akatshabalalisi nalunye uhlanga kwiintlanga azishiyele ukuba zivavanye amaSirayeli. Le nkcazelo iluncedo ekuqondeni iziganeko ezilandelayo.—2:15.

10. UOteniyeli ulawula ngamandla kabani, kwaye ngawuphi umphumo?

¹⁰ UMgwebi uOteniyeli (3:1-11). Bebandezelekile ngenxa yokuthinjwa kwabo ngamaKanan, oonyana bakaSirayeli baqalisa ukukhala kuYehova becela uncedo. Okokuqala uvelisa uOteniyeli njengomgwebi. Ngaba uOteniyeli ulawula ngamandla nangobulumko bomntu? Akunjalo, kuba sifunda oku: “Wafikelwa nguMoya kaYehova” ukuba azoyise iintshaba zamaSirayeli. “Lazola ke ilizwe iminyaka emashumi mane.”—3:10, 11.

11. UYehova umsebenzisa njani uEhude ekuhlanguleni amaSirayeli?

¹¹ UMgwebi uEhude (3:12-30). Xa oonyana bakaSirayeli bebephantsi kokumkani wakwaMowabhi uEglon kangangeminyaka eli-18, kwakhona uYehova uyasiva isikhalo sabo sokucela uncedo, kwaye uvelisa uMgwebi uEhude. Ethetha ngasese nokumkani, uEhude olinxele urhola ikrele lakhe azenzeleyo ngaphantsi kwengubo yakhe yokwaleka aze ambulale uEglon ngokulifaka liphelele ikrele esiswini sikaEglon. AmaSirayeli ahlanganisana ngokukhawuleza ngakwicala likaEhude kumlo onxamnye namaMowabhi, kwaye kwakhona ilizwe linandipha ukuphumla okunikelwe nguThixo, kangangeminyaka engama-80.

12. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uloyiso lukaShamgare lubangelwe ngamandla kaThixo?

¹² UMgwebi uShamgare (3:31). UShamgare usindisa amaSirayeli ngokubulala amaFilisti angama-600. Into yokuba olu loyiso lubangelwe ngamandla kaYehova iboniswa sisixhobo asisebenzisayo—uviko nje lweenkomo.

13. Ziziphi iziganeko eziphawulekayo ezifikiswa encotsheni yingoma yoloyiso kaBharaki noDebhora?

¹³ UMgwebi uBharaki (4:1–5:31). Ngokulandelayo amaSirayeli alawulwa ngukumkani wakwaKanan uYabhin nomthetheli-mkhosi wakhe, uSisera, oqhayisa ngokuba uneenqwelo zokulwa zesinyithi ezingama-900. Njengoko kwakhona amaSirayeli eqalisa ukukhala kuYehova, uvelisa uMgwebi uBharaki, oxhaswa ngokufanelekileyo ngumprofetikazi uDebhora. Ukuze uBharaki nomkhosi wakhe bangabi nasizathu sakuqhayisa, uDebhora uyenza yaziwe into yokuba idabi liya kuliwa ngokolwalathiso lukaYehova, kwaye uprofeta esithi: “UYehova uya kuthengisa ngoSisera, amnikele esandleni senkazana.” (4:9) UBharaki uhlanganisela eNtabeni yeTabhore amadoda akwaNafetali nawakwaZebhulon. Wandula ke umkhosi wakhe wabali-10 000 uhle ukuya edabini. Lukholo lwabo olomeleleyo olubenza baphumelele ngolu suku. ‘UYehova uyamdubaduba uSisera neenqwelo zakhe zonke zokulwa nomkhosi wakhe wonke,’ ebagubungela ngomkhukula wephanyazo womlanjana waseKishon. ‘Akuzange kusale nokuba abe mnye.’ (4:15, 16) UYaheli, umfazi kaHebhere umKeni, asabele ententeni yakhe uSisera, ulufikisa encotsheni olu bulawo ngokubethelela intloko kaSisera emhlabeni ngesikhonkwane sentente. “Ngaloo ndlela uThixo wamoyisa uYabhin.” (4:23, NW) UDebhora noBharaki bavuma ingoma begcoba, bebalaselisa ubugorha obungenakoyiswa nto bukaYehova, owabangela ukuba neenkwenkwezi zilwe noSisera. Ngokwenyaniso, eli lixesha ‘lokumbonga uYehova’! (5:2) Kuthi ke kulandele iminyaka yoxolo engamashumi amane.

14, 15. Nguwuphi umqondiso wokuxhaswa nguYehova awufumanayo uGidiyon, ibe le nkxaso iboniswa njani ngokubhekele phaya ekoyisweni kokugqibela kwamaMidiyan?

¹⁴ UMgwebi uGidiyon (6:1–9:57). Kwakhona oonyana bakaSirayeli benza ububi, kwaye ilizwe lonakaliswa ngamaMidiyan ahlaselayo. Esebenzisa isithunywa sakhe sezulu, uYehova uthuma uGidiyon njengomgwebi, kwaye uYehova ngokwakhe wongezelela amazwi esiqinisekiso athi, “Ndiya kuba nawe.” (6:16) Isenzo sokuqala senkalipho esenziwa nguGidiyon kukudiliza isibingelelo sikaBhahali kwisixeko sakowabo. Ngoku imikhosi ehlanganiseneyo yotshaba iwelela eYizereli, kwaye ‘umoya kaYehova usibekela uGidiyon,’ njengoko eyalela amaSirayeli ukuba aye edabini. (6:34) Esebenzisa uvavanyo lokubeka uboya embetheni esandeni, uGidiyon ufumana umqondiso ontlumbini wokuba uThixo unaye.

¹⁵ UYehova uxelela uGidiyon ukuba umkhosi wakhe wabangama-32 000 mkhulu kakhulu nokuba ubukhulu bawo busenokubangela ukuba abantu baqhayise ngoloyiso. Okokuqala amagwala abuyiselwa ekhaya, kuze kusale kuphela abali-10 000. (ABagwe. 7:3; Dut. 20:8) Bandula ke bonke abantu badendwe ngovavanyo lokusela amanzi kuze kusale nje kuphela abangama-300 abaphaphileyo nabalumkileyo. UGidiyon uhlola umnquba wamaMidiyan ebusuku kwaye uthi aqiniseke ngakumbi xa esiva enye indoda ichaza iphupha njengelithetha ukuthi “loo nto kunje likrele likaGidiyon, . . . uThixo uwanikele amaMidiyan nomkhosi wonke esandleni sakhe.” (ABagwe. 7:14) UGidiyon unqula uThixo aze andule ke ahlule amadoda akhe abe ngamaqela amathathu ajikeleze umnquba wamaMidiyan. Inzolo ekhoyo ebusuku ngequbuliso iphazanyiswa ngokuvuthelwa kwezigodlo, ngokuqhekezwa kwemiphanda emikhulu yamanzi ibe ziingceba, ngokudanyaza kwezibane ezivuthayo nangokudanduluka kwamadoda angama-300 kaGidiyon esithi, “Ikrele likaYehova, likaGidiyon!” (7:20) Utshaba olusemnqubeni luyadideka. Amadoda alwa odwa aze asabe. AmaSirayeli ayawasukela, awaxabele aze abulale nabathetheli bawo. Ngoku abantu bakwaSirayeli bacela uGidiyon ukuba abalawule, kodwa akavumi, esithi, “NguYehova oya kunilawula nina.” (8:23) Noko ke, wenza iefodi ngamajikazi abawathimbe kumaxhoba abo emfazwe, ethi kamva ihlonelwe ngokugqithiseleyo ize ngenxa yoko ibe ngumgibe kuGidiyon nakwabendlu yakhe. Ilizwe liphumla kangangeminyaka engama-40 ebudeni bokuba ngumgwebi kukaGidiyon.

16. Liliphi ishwangusha elehlela umrhwaphilizi wegunya uAbhimeleki?

¹⁶ UAbhimeleki, omnye woonyana bakaGidiyon awamzalelwa lishweshwe, uzirhwaphilizela igunya emva kokufa kukaGidiyon, kwaye uyababulala abantakwabo ngoyise abangama-70. UYotam, oyena nyana mncinane kaGidiyon, nguye kuphela osindayo, kwaye esencotsheni yeNtaba yeGerizim uvakalisa ukutshatyalaliswa kuka-Abhimeleki. Kulo mzekeliso ungemithi, ufanisa ‘ukuba ngukumkani’ kuka-Abhimeleki noko kwequnube. Kungekudala uAbhimeleki ubandakanyeka kwingxwabangxwaba engaphakathi kwaShekem kwaye uhlaziswa ngokufa, ngokuthi abulawe yinkazana xa imchana ngelitye lokusila eliphose ikwinqaba yeTebhetse, ize imtyumze ukakayi.—ABagwe. 9:53; 2 Sam. 11:21.

17. Ithini ingxelo ngoMgwebi uTola noYahire?

¹⁷ UMgwebi uTola noYahire (10:1-5). Aba ngabagwebi abalandelayo ukuhlangula ngamandla kaYehova, kwaye balawula iminyaka engama-23 nengama-22 ngokwahlukeneyo.

18. (a) Yintlangulo eluhlobo luni ebangelwa nguYifeta? (b) Sisiphi isibhambathiso asenze kuYehova asiphumeza ngokuthembekileyo uYifeta? Njani?

¹⁸ UMgwebi uYifeta (10:6–12:7). Njengoko amaSirayeli ezingisa ukubuyela kunqulo lwezithixo, kwakhona umsindo kaYehova uyavutha kolu hlanga. Ngoku abantu bacinezelwa ngama-Amon namaFilisti. UYifeta uyabuyiswa ekuthinjweni ukuze akhokele amaSirayeli edabini. Kodwa ngubani kanye umgwebi wokwenene kule mbambano? Amazwi kaYifeta anikela impendulo: “UYehova uMgwebi makagwebe namhla phakathi koonyana bakaSirayeli noonyana baka-Amon.” (11:27) Njengoko umoya kaYehova umfikela ngoku, wenza isibhambathiso sokuba ekubuyeni kwakhe kwa-Amon eseluxolweni, uya kumnikela kuYehova lowo uya kuba ngowokuqala ukuphuma endlwini yakhe ukuba amhlangabeze. UYifeta uyawoyisa ama-Amon ngobulawo olukhulu. Njengoko ebuyela ekhayeni lakhe eliseMizpa, intombi yakhe yiyo ephuma kuqala ibaleka ukuza kumhlangabeza kwaye ivuyiswa luloyiso lukaYehova. UYifeta uyasizalisekisa isibhambathiso sakhe—kungekhona ngokubingelela ngomntu kobuhedeni okwenziwa ngokwezithethe zikaBhahali, kodwa ngokunikela le ntombi ikuphela kwayo kwinkonzo epheleleyo endlwini kaYehova ukuze kudunyiswe Yena.

19. Ziziphi iziganeko ezikhokelela ekuvavanyweni ngegama elithi “Shibholete”?

¹⁹ Ngoku amadoda akwaEfrayim akhalazela into yokuba engabizwanga ukuya kulwa nama-Amon, kwaye ayamsongela uYifeta, othi anyanzeleke ukuba alwe nawo. Lilonke, amaEfrayim angama-42 000 ayabulawa, amaninzi awo ebulawelwa kumazibuko aseYordan apho athi afaniswa khona ngokungakwazi kwawo ukubiza ngokuchanileyo igama elithi “Shibholete” ukuze agqithe. UYifeta uba ngumgwebi wakwaSirayeli kangangeminyaka emithandathu.—12:6.

20. Ngabaphi abagwebi abathathu abakhankanywa ngokulandelayo?

²⁰ UMgwebi uIbhetsan, uElon noAbhedon (12:8-15). Nangona kungakhankanywa nto kangako ngaba bagwebi, ixesha lokulawula kwabo lichazwa njengeliyiminyaka esixhenxe, elishumi nesibhozo ngokwahlukeneyo.

21, 22. (a) Ziziphi izenzo zobukroti ezenziwa nguSamson, kwaye uzenza ngawaphi amandla? (b) USamson woyiswa njani ngamaFilisti? (c) Ziziphi iziganeko eziphumela kokona koyisa kukhulu kukaSamson, kwaye ngubani omkhumbulayo ngeli lixa?

²¹ UMgwebi uSamson (13:1–16:31). Kwakhona amaSirayeli athinjwa ngamaFilisti. Ngeli xesha uYehova uvelisa uSamson njengomgwebi. Abazali bakhe bamnikela njengoMahlulwa kwasekuzalweni, kwaye oku kuthetha ukuba iinwele zakhe zimele zingaze zichetywe. Njengoko ekhula, uYehova uyamsikelela, kwaye ‘ekuhambeni kwexesha umoya kaYehova uyamqhuba.’ (13:25) Imfihlelo yamandla akhe ayizozihlunu zomntu, kodwa ngamandla awanikwe nguYehova. Kuxa ‘umoya kaYehova usebenza kuye’ le nto enikwa amandla okubulala ingonyama ngezandla zakhe kwaye kamva awokuhlawulisa amaFilisti ngobuqhophololo bawo ngokubulala kuwo angama-30. (14:6, 19) Njengoko amaFilisti eqhubeka esenza ubuqhophololo bokutshatisa uSamson nentombi engumFilisti, uSamson uthabatha iimpungutye ezingama-300 kwaye, akuba ezidibanise ngemisila ngambini ngambini, ubophelela izikhuni ezivuthayo phakathi kwemisila yazo aze azithumele ukuba ziye kutshisa amasimi engqolowa, imiyezo yomdiliya nemiyezo yomnquma yamaFilisti. Wandula ke awabulale kanobom amaFilisti, “ihleza nethanga.” (15:8) AmaFilisti abongoza amaSirayeli adlelana naye, amadoda akwaYuda, ukuba amkhonkxe uSamson aze amnikele kuwo, kodwa kwakhona ‘umoya kaYehova uyasebenza kuye,’ kwaye, ngokungathi kunjalo, amakhamandela asezandleni zakhe ayanyibilika. USamson uxabela iwaka lamaFilisti—“imfumba enye, iimfumba ezimbini!” (15:14-16, NW) Sisiphi isixhobo asisebenzisayo sokuphumeza le ntshabalaliso? Ngumhlathi osemtsha we-esile. UYehova uyamhlaziya lo mkhonzi wakhe udiniweyo ngokubangela ukuba ngommangaliso kugqabhuke umthombo wamanzi kwindawo ekulwelwa kuyo idabi.

²² Ngokulandelayo uSamson ulalisa endlwini yehenyukazi eGaza, apho amaFilisti athi achwechwe aze amrhawule. Noko ke, kwakhona umoya kaYehova uba naye njengoko evuka ezinzulwini zobusuku, ancothule iingcango zesango lesixeko nemigubasi, aze azithwalele encotsheni yentaba phambi kweHebron. Emva koku uthi athandane noDelila onobuqhophololo. Ekubeni esisixhobo esivumayo samaFilisti, urhwebesha uSamson de amtyhilele ukuba ukunikelwa kwakhe njengoMahlulwa kuYehova, njengoko kufuziselwa ziinwele zakhe ezinde, kungumthombo wokwenene wamandla akhe amakhulu. Ngoxa elele, uDelila uyazicheba iinwele zakhe. Ngoku ukuvuka kwakhe ukuba alwe kulilize, kuba “uYehova umkile kuye.” (16:20) AmaFilisti ayambamba, amkrukra amehlo aze amenze umsili endlwini yamakhonkxwa. Njengoko kufika ixesha lombhiyozo omkhulu wokuzukisa uthixo wawo uDagon, amaFilisti ayamkhupha uSamson ukuze aze kumenza into yokuhlekisa. Engasithabathelanga ngqalelweni isibakala sokuba iinwele zakhe ziphinde zakhula ngokukhawuleza, amvumela ukuba amiswe phakathi kweentsika ezimbini ezomeleleyo zendlu esetyenziselwa ukunqula uDagon. USamson ubiza kuYehova esithi: “Nkosi yam, Yehova, khawundikhumbule, khawundomeleze okwesi sihlandlo sodwa.” UYehova uyamkhumbula. USamson uyazibamba ezi ntsika aze ‘agobe ngamandla’—amandla kaYehova—‘ize indlu iwe bhuma, kangangokuba abafi awababulala ekufeni kwakhe baba baninzi kunabafi awababulala esaphilile.’—16:28-30.

23. Ziziphi iziganeko ezibaliswayo kwisahluko 17 kuse kwesama-21, kwaye zenzeka nini?

²³ Ngoku siqwalasela isahluko 17 kuse kwesama-21, ezichaza ingxwabangxwaba yamaSirayeli ethi iwathwaxe ngokungonwabisiyo ebudeni beli xesha. Ezi ziganeko zenzeka ngexesha lokuqalisa kokubakho kwabagwebi, njengoko kuboniswa ngokukhankanywa kukaYonatan noPinehasi, abazukulwana bakaMoses noAron, njengabasaphilayo.

24. AmaDan athile alumisela njani unqulo oluzimeleyo?

²⁴ UMika namaDan (17:1–18:31). UMika, indoda yakwaEfrayim, umisa eyakhe indawo yonqulo, ‘indlu yoothixo,’ enomfanekiso oqingqiweyo opheleleyo nombingeleli ongumLevi. (17:5) Abantu besizwe sakwaDan bagqitha apha besendleleni eya emntla ukuya kufuna ilifa. Bayawuphanga umfanekiso oqingqiweyo wonqulo kaMika nombingeleli wakhe, baze imibombo bayijongise kumntla okude ukuze ngokungalindelekanga batshabalalise isixeko saseLayishe. Endaweni yaso bakha esabo isixeko sakwaDan baze bamise kuso umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaMika. Ngaloo ndlela, balandela unqulo abazikhethele lona yonke imihla esekho ngayo indlu kaYehova yonqulo lokwenyaniso eShilo.

25. Ingxwabangxwaba ephakathi kwamaSirayeli ifikelela njani encotsheni eGibheha?

²⁵ Isono sikaBhenjamin eGibheha (19:1–21:25). Isiganeko esilandelayo esibhaliweyo sibangela ukuba kamva uHoseya athethe la mazwi: “Kususela kwimihla yaseGibheha, Sirayeli wona.” (Hos. 10:9) Ebuyela ekhaya neshweshwe lakhe, umLevi ovela kwaEfrayim ulalisa endlwini yenye indoda esel’ ikhulile eGibheha yakwaBhenjamin. Amadoda angamatshijolo eso sixeko arhangqa le ndlu, efuna ngegunya ukuba neentlobano zesini nalo mLevi. Phofu ke, endaweni yakhe amkela ishweshwe lakhe aze alixhaphaze ubusuku bonke. Ekuseni lifunyanwa lifile phambi komnyango. Lo mLevi uthabatha umzimba walo awuse ekhaya, awusike ube ziziqa ezili-12, aze azithumele kuwo onke amaSirayeli. Ngaloo ndlela izizwe ezili-12 zibekwa eluvavanyweni. Ngaba ziza kuyohlwaya iGibheha zize ke ziyishenxise imeko yokuziphatha okubi kwaSirayeli? UBhenjamin uyaluthethelela olu lwaphulo-mthetho lubi. Ezinye izizwe zihlanganisana kuYehova eMizpa, apho zithi zenze isigqibo sokumvukela ngamaqashiso uBhenjamin waseGibheha. Emva kokoyiswa izihlandlo ezibini ekuphalazwe igazi kuzo, ezinye izizwe ziyaphumelela ngokuhlasela ngokungalindelekanga kwaye phantse zisitshabalalisa sonke isizwe sikaBhenjamin, kusinda kuphela amadoda angama-600 asabele kwingxondorha yeRimon. Kamva, amaSirayeli ayazisola ngenxa yokuba esinye isizwe siye sanqanyulwa. Kufunyanwa isihlandlo sokuba amaBhenjamin asindileyo anikwe abafazi phakathi kweentombi zaseYabheshe yaseGiliyadi nezaseShilo. Oku kuqukumbela ingxelo engengxwabangxwaba nosukuzwano kwaSirayeli. Ngokutsho kwamazwi aqukumbelayo naphindwayo eyaBagwebi, “Ngaloo mihla kwakungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli; elowo wenza ngokubona kwakhe.”—ABagwe. 21:25.

ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO

26. Ziziphi izilumkiso ezinamandla ezikweyaBagwebi ezisebenzayo nanamhlanje?

²⁶ Kunokuba ibe yingxelo nje yengxwabangxwaba nophalazo-gazi, incwadi yaBagwebi ibalaselisa uYehova njengoMhlanguli omkhulu wabantu bakhe. Ibonisa indlela anenceba nazeka kade ngayo umsindo ngokungenakuthelekiswa nanto kubantu begama lakhe xa besiza kuye ngeentliziyo eziguqukileyo. Incwadi yaBagwebi iyingenelo ngokubalaseleyo ekuthetheleleni kwayo ngokungqalileyo unqulo lukaYehova nezilumkiso zayo ezinamandla ezimayela nokuba bubudenge konqulo lweedemon, uzwelonke nonxulumano lokuziphatha okubi. Ukulugweba kukaYehova ngokuqatha unqulo lukaBhahali kufanele kusishukumisele ukuba sime ngokwahlukileyo nxamnye nezinto zanamhlanje ezifana nalo ezinjengokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ubuhlanga nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini.—2:11-18.

27. Sisenokungenelwa njani thina namhlanje ngumzekelo omhle wabagwebi?

²⁷ Ukuhlolisisa ukholo lokungabi naloyiko nolwenkalipho lwabagwebi kufanele kusishukumise ezintliziyweni zethu ukuba sibe nokholo olufanayo. Akumangalisi ukuba babe banconywa ngokubalaseleyo kumaHebhere 11:32-34! Babelwela ukungcwalisa igama likaYehova, kodwa bengalwi ngamandla abo. Babewazi umthombo wamandla abo, umoya kaYehova, kwaye bawuvuma ngokuthobekileyo. Ngokukwanjalo, nathi namhlanje sinokuqubula “ikrele lomoya,” iLizwi likaThixo, sinentembelo yokuba uThixo uya kusinika amandla njengoko wenzayo kuBharaki, kuGidiyon, kuYifeta, kuSamson nakwabanye. Ewe, ekoyiseni imiqobo enzima, sincedwa ngumoya kaYehova, sinokomelela ngokomoya njengokuba wayenjalo uSamson ngokomzimba ukuba sithandaza size sayame ngoYehova.—Efe. 6:17, 18; ABagwe. 16:28.

28. Incwadi yaBagwebi yalatha njani phambili ekungcwalisweni kwegama likaYehova ngeMbewu yoBukumkani?

²⁸ Kwiindawo ezimbini umprofeti uIsaya ubhekisela kweyaBagwebi ukuze abonise indlela aya kuthi ngayo uYehova, ngokungasileliyo, ayaphule idyokhwe eziyibeke phezu kwabantu bakhe iintshaba Zakhe, kanye njengokuba wenzayo ngemihla yamaMidiyan. (Isa. 9:4; 10:26) Oku kukwasikhumbuza ingoma kaDebhora noBharaki, equkumbela ngalo mthandazo wokunyaniseka othi: “Makube njalo ukubhubha kweentshaba zakho zonke, Yehova; ke abamthandayo mababe njengokuphuma kwelanga linamandla.” (ABagwe. 5:31) Ibe bangoobani abo bamthandayo? Ebabonisa beziindlalifa zoBukumkani, uYesu Kristu ngokwakhe wasebenzisa amazwi afanayo kuMateyu 13:43 athi: “Aya kwandula ke amalungisa ukubengezela njengelanga ebukumkanini boYise wawo.” Ngaloo ndlela, incwadi yaBagwebi yalatha phambili kwixesha laxa uMgwebi olilungisa neMbewu yoBukumkani, uYesu, eya kusebenzisa igunya. Esebenzisa yena, uYehova uya kwenza ukuba igama Lakhe lizukiswe kwaye lingcwaliswe, ngokuvisisana nomthandazo womdumisi omayela neentshaba zikaThixo othi: “Yenza kubo njengoko wenza ngako kumaMidiyan, nakuSisera, nakuYabhin esihlanjeni seKishon . . . bazi ukuba wena, ugama linguYehova, unguwe wedwa osenyangweni phezu kwehlabathi lonke.”—INdu. 83:9, 18; ABagwe. 5:20, 21.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]