IZwi LikaJehova Liyaphila

Amaphuzu Avelele Encwadi KaSamuweli Wokuqala

UNYAKA ngu-1117 B.C.E. Sekudlule iminyaka engaba ngu-300 uJoshuwa anqoba iZwe Lesithembiso. Amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aya kumprofethi kaJehova eyokwenza isicelo esimangalisayo. Lo mprofethi uyathandaza ngalesi sicelo, futhi uJehova uyasamukela isicelo sawo. Lokhu kusho ukuphela kwenkathi yabaHluleli futhi kuqala inkathi yokubusa kwamakhosi angabantu. Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaSamuweli Wokuqala ilandisa ngezenzakalo ezithakazelisayo zoshintsho emlandweni wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli.

Incwadi kaSamuweli Wokuqala yabhalwa uSamuweli, uNathani noGadi futhi izenzakalo ezilotshwe kuyo zenzeka phakathi neminyaka engu-102—kusukela ngo-1180 B.C.E. kuya ku-1078 B.C.E. (1 IziKronike 29:29) Iwumlando wabaholi abane bakwa-Israyeli. Ababili kubo abahluleli, ababili amakhosi; ababili bayamlalela uJehova kuyilapho ababili bengamlaleli. Isifundisa nangabesifazane ababili abayisibonelo nangeqhawe elinesibindi kodwa elimnene. Lezi zibonelo zisifundisa izifundo ezibalulekile ngezimo zengqondo nangezenzo okufanele sizilingise nokufanele sizigweme. Ngakho, okuqukethwe incwadi kaSamuweli Wokuqala kungayithonya ngendlela enamandla imicabango nezenzo zethu.—Hebheru 4:12.

USAMUWELI ULANDELA U-ELI NGOKUBA UMAHLULELI

(1 Samuweli 1:1–7:17)

Sekuyisikhathi soMkhosi Wokubutha, futhi uHana ohlala eRama, uchichima injabulo.a UJehova usewuphendulile umthandazo wakhe futhi usebelethé indodana. Ukuze agcwalise isifungo sakhe, uHana unikela ngendodana yakhe uSamuweli ukuze ikhonze “endlini kaJehova.” Elapho, umfana uba “isikhonzi sikaJehova phambi kuka-Eli umpristi.” (1 Samuweli 1:24; 2:11) Esemncane kakhulu uSamuweli, uJehova ukhuluma naye ngesahlulelo azosiletha endlini ka-Eli. Njengoba uSamuweli ekhula, bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bayaqaphela ukuthi ungumprofethi kaJehova.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaFilisti ayakhuphuka ayolwa no-Israyeli. Athatha uMphongolo futhi abulale womabili amadodana ka-Eli. Lapho ezwa lezi zindaba, u-Eli osemdala uyafa, ‘esahlulele u-Israyeli iminyaka engamashumi amane.’ (1 Samuweli 4:18) Ukuhlala noMphongolo kuwabangela inhlekelele amaFilisti, ngakho ayawubuyisela kuma-Israyeli. USamuweli ube eseba umahluleli kwa-Israyeli futhi izwe liba nokuthula.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

2:10—Kungani uHana athandaza kuJehova ukuba “anike inkosi yakhe izikhwepha” kuyilapho yayingekho inkosi engumuntu kwa-Israyeli? Kwakubikezelwe eMthethweni KaMose ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayeyoba nenkosi engumuntu. (Duteronomi 17:14-18) Esokhukhweni lwakhe lokufa, uJakobe waprofetha: “Intonga yobukhosi [uphawu lwegunya lokubusa] ngeke isuke kuJuda.” (Genesise 49:10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokuqondene noSara—ukhokhokazi wama-Israyeli—uJehova wathi: “Amakhosi ezizwe ayovela kuye.” (Genesise 17:16) Ngakho uHana wayethandazela inkosi yesikhathi esizayo.

3:3—Ingabe uSamuweli wayelala eNgcwelengcwele? Cha, akazange alale lapho. USamuweli wayengumLevi womndeni wamaKohati angebona abapristi. (1 IziKronike 6:33-38) Ngakho, wayengavunyelwe ukuba ‘angene abone izinto ezingcwele.’ (Numeri 4:17-20) Ukuphela kwendawo engcwele uSamuweli ayengangena kuyo kwakuyigceke letabernakele. Kumelwe ukuba wayelala lapho. Kubonakala sengathi no-Eli wayelala kwenye indawo kodwa khona egcekeni. Inkulumo ethi “lapho kwakukhona khona umphongolo kaNkulunkulu” ngokusobala ibhekisela etabernakele.

7:7-9, 17—Kungani uSamuweli anikela ngomhlatshelo wokushiswa eMispa futhi wamisa i-altare eRama, kuyilapho imihlatshelo kwakumelwe inikelwe njalo endaweni eyayikhethwe uJehova? (Duteronomi 12:4-7, 13, 14; Joshuwa 22:19) Lapho sewususiwe uMphongolo ongcwele etabernakele eShilo, ubufakazi bokuba khona kukaJehova babungasekho lapho. Ngakho njengommeleli kaNkulunkulu, uSamuweli wanikela ngomhlatshelo wokushiswa eMispa futhi wamisa ne-altare eRama. Kubonakala sengathi uJehova wakwamukela lokhu.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

1:11, 12, 21-23; 2:19. Ukuthembela kukaHana emthandazweni, ukuthobeka, ukwazisa kwakhe umusa kaJehova nothando lukamama olungokomzwelo kuyizimfanelo eziyisibonelo kubo bonke abesifazane abesaba uNkulunkulu.

1:8. Yeka isibonelo esihle esabekwa u-Elkana sokuqinisa abanye ngamazwi! (Jobe 16:5) Waqala ngokubuza uHana owayecindezelekile umbuzo ongagxeki: “Kungani inhliziyo yakho iphatheka kabi?” Lo mbuzo wakhuthaza uHana ukuba aveze imizwa yakhe. U-Elkana wabe esemqinisekisa ngothando ayenalo ngaye, ethi: “Angingcono yini kuwe kunamadodana ayishumi?”

2:26; 3:5-8, 15, 19. Uma siwufeza ngenkuthalo umsebenzi esiwunikwe uNkulunkulu, sizuze ngokugcwele ekuqeqeshweni okungokomoya, futhi sibe nesizotha kanye nenhlonipho, ‘siyothandeka ngokwengeziwe’ kuNkulunkulu nakubantu.

4:3, 4, 10. Ngisho nento engcwele njengomphongolo wesivumelwano, ayizange ibe yisivikelo. Kumelwe ‘siziqaphe ezithombeni.’—1 Johane 5:21.

INKOSI YOKUQALA YAKWA-ISRAYELI—IYAHLULEKA NOMA IYAPHUMELELA?

(1 Samuweli 8:1–15:35)

Kukho konke ukuphila kwakhe uSamuweli uyathembeka kuJehova, kodwa amadodana akhe awahambi ezindleleni zikaNkulunkulu. Lapho amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli ecela inkosi engumuntu, uJehova uyawanika yona. Elalela isiqondiso sikaJehova, uSamuweli ugcoba uSawule, insizwa enhle yakwaBhenjamini, ukuba abe yinkosi. USawule uqinisa isikhundla sakhe njengenkosi ngokunqoba abakwa-Amoni.

UJonathani, indodana kaSawule enesibindi, unqoba amabutho amaFilisti. AmaFilisti akhuphuka nebutho elikhulu ayolwa nama-Israyeli. USawule uyethuka futhi wephula umthetho ngokuzinikelela yena umhlatshelo wokushiswa. Ehamba nodibi lwakhe kuphela, uJonathani onesibindi uhlasela elinye ibutho eliqaphile lamaFilisti. Nokho, isifungo sikaSawule asenza ngokuphamazela senza ukunqoba kwamabutho akhe kungabi okuphelele. USawule ‘ulwa nxazonke’ nazo zonke izitha zakhe. (1 Samuweli 14:47) Nokho, ngemva kokuba esenqobé ama-Amaleki, akamlaleli uJehova ngokusindisa lokho okufanele ngabe ‘kunikelwe ekubhujisweni.’ (Levitikusi 27:28, 29) Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova uyamlahla uSawule njengenkosi.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

9:9—Yini ephawulekayo ngamazwi athi “umprofethi wanamuhla wayebizwa ngokuthi umboni ezikhathini zangaphambili”? La mazwi angase abonise ukuthi njengoba indima yabaprofethi yayiya ivelela ngezinsuku zikaSamuweli nangesikhathi samakhosi kwa-Israyeli, igama elithi “umprofethi” langena esikhundleni selithi “umboni.” USamuweli ungowokuqala ohlwini lwabaprofethi.—IzEnzo 3:24.

14:24-32, 44, 45—Ingabe uJonathani walahlekelwa umusa kaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokudla uju, ephula isifungo sikaSawule? Akubonakali ukuthi lesi senzo senza uJonathani wazondwa uNkulunkulu. Okokuqala, uJonathani wayengazi ngesifungo sikayise. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lesi sifungo esasishukunyiswa intshiseko yokuzenzisa noma umbono ophambene ngegunya sabangela abantu izinkinga. UNkulunkulu wayengasamukela kanjani isifungo esinjalo? Nakuba uJonathani ayezimisele ukuthola isijeziso ngokwephula isifungo, akafanga.

15:6—Kungani uSawule awabonelela amaKheni? AmaKheni ayengamadodana omukhwe kaMose. Asiza u-Israyeli lapho esuka eNtabeni YaseSinayi. (Numeri 10:29-32) EKhanani, amaKheni ake ahlala nabantwana bakwaJuda. (AbaHluleli 1:16) Yize kamuva ahlala nama-Amaleki kanye nezinye izizwe ezihlukahlukene, amaKheni aqhubeka ezwana nama-Israyeli. Ngenxa yaleso sizathu-ke uSawule akazange awabulale amaKheni.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

9:21; 10:22, 27. Isizotha nokuthobeka uSawule ayenakho ngesikhathi eqala ukubusa kwamvikela ekwenzeni ngobuwula lapho “abantu abangenalusizo” bengabamukeli ubukhosi bakhe. Yeka ukuthi isimo sengqondo esinjalo siyisivikelo kanjani ekwenzeni izinto ezingenangqondo!

12:20, 21. Ungazivumeli “izinto ezingezona ezingokoqobo,” ezinjengokuthembela kubantu, ukuthembela emandleni amabutho ezizwe, noma ezithombeni, ukuba zikuphambukise ekukhonzeni uJehova.

12:24. Isihluthulelo sokulondoloza ukwesaba uJehova okunenhlonipho nokumkhonza ngayo yonke inhliziyo yethu, ‘siwukubheka izinto ezinkulu azenzele’ abantu bakhe endulo kanye nanamuhla.

13:10-14; 15:22-25, 30. Kuqaphele ukugabadela—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kubonakaliswa ngezenzo zokungalaleli noma ngokuqhosha.—IzAga 11:2.

UMFANA ONGUMALUSI UKHETHELWA UKUBA INKOSI

(1 Samuweli 16:1–31:13)

USamuweli ugcoba uDavide wesizwe sakwaJuda ukuba abe yinkosi yesikhathi esizayo. Ngemva nje kwalokho, uDavide ubulala uGoliyati, umdondoshiya ongumFilisti, ngendwayimane. Kuqala ubungane obukhulu phakathi kukaDavide noJonathani. USawule ubeka uDavide abe induna yamabutho. Ngenxa yokunqoba kukaDavide ezimpini eziningi, abesifazane bakwa-Israyeli bayahlabelela: “USawule ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, uDavide yena amashumi ezinkulungwane zakhe.” (1 Samuweli 18:7) Egcwele umona, uSawule usefuna ukubulala uDavide. Esemhlasele kathathu, uDavide uyabaleka futhi uphila njengombaleki.

Phakathi neminyaka engumbaleki, uDavide uthola amathuba amabili okubulala uSawule kodwa akambulali. Futhi uhlangana no-Abhigayili omuhle kakhulu, ekugcineni bashade. Njengoba amaFilisti ekhuphuka ezolwa nama-Israyeli, uSawule ubuza kuJehova. Kodwa uJehova usemshiyile uSawule. USamuweli usefile. Ekhathazeke kakhulu, uSawule uya esangomeni futhi simtshela ukuthi uzobulawa empini yamaFilisti. Empini, uSawule ulinyazwa kabi futhi amadodana akhe ayabulawa. Lokhu kulandisa kuphetha ngokufa kukaSawule njengesehluleki. UDavide usalokhu ecashile.

Izimpendulo Zemibuzo YemiBhalo

16:14—Yimuphi umoya omubi owesabisa uSawule? Umoya omubi owancisha uSawule ukuthula kwengqondo kwakuwukuthambekela kwengqondo nenhliziyo yakhe ebubini—umuzwa ongaphakathi kuye owawumshoshozela ukuba enze okubi. Lapho uJehova esusa umoya wakhe ongcwele kuSawule, awubange usamvikela futhi waqala ukubuswa umoya wakhe omubi. Njengoba kunguNkulunkulu owavumela lowo moya ukuba ungene esikhundleni somoya waKhe ongcwele, lo moya omubi ubizwa ngokuthi “umoya omubi ovela kuJehova.”

17:55—Ngokweyoku-1 Samuweli 16:17-23, kungani uSawule abuza ukuthi wayeyindodana kabani uDavide? USawule wayengabuzi nje igama likayise kaDavide. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi luhlobo luni lwendoda eyazala umfana owayesanda kwenza umbukwane ngokubulala umdondoshiya.

Izifundo Esizitholayo:

16:6, 7. Kunokuba sithatheke ngenxa yokubukeka kwangaphandle noma sahlulele abanye ngokuphamazela, kumelwe sizame ukubabheka ngendlela uJehova ababheka ngayo.

17:47-50. Singabhekana ngesibindi nokuphikiswa noma ushushiso oluvela ezitheni ezinjengoGoliyati ngoba “impi ngekaJehova.”

18:1, 3; 20:41, 42. Abangane beqiniso bangatholakala kubantu abathanda uJehova.

21:12, 13. UJehova ulindele ukuba sisebenzise amandla ethu okucabanga namakhono ethu ukuze sibhekane nezimo ezinzima ekuphileni. Usinike iZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe, elisinika ukuhlakanipha, ulwazi, nekhono lokucabanga. (IzAga 1:4) Sinanosizo lwabadala abamisiwe abangamaKristu.

24:6; 26:11. Yeka ukuthi uDavide ubeka isibonelo esihle kanjani sokumhlonipha ngokujulile ogcotshiweyo kaJehova!

25:23-33. Ukuhlakanipha kuka-Abhigayili kuyisibonelo okudingeka silingiswe.

28:8-19. Imimoya emibi ingazenza abantu asebafa ukuze izame ukudukisa noma ukulimaza abantu. Kumelwe sizigweme zonke izinhlobo zokusebenzelana nemimoya.—Duteronomi 18:10-12.

30:23, 24. Lesi sinqumo esisekelwe kuNumeri 31:27, sibonisa ukuthi uJehova uyabazisa labo abafeza ezinye izindima eziwusizo ebandleni. Ngakho, noma ngabe senzani, ‘masiyenzeni ngomphefumulo wonke njengokungathi senzela uJehova, hhayi abantu.’—Kolose 3:23.

Yini ‘Engcono Kunomhlatshelo’?

Yiliphi iqiniso elibalulekile eligcizelelwa yilokho u-Eli, uSamuweli, uSawule noDavide ababhekana nakho? Yileli: “Ukulalela kungcono kunomhlatshelo, ukunaka kungcono kunamanoni ezinqama; ngoba ukudlubulunda kuyafana nesono sokubhula, nokuphikelela ngokugabadela kuyafana nokusebenzisa amandla angaqondakali namatherafi.”—1 Samuweli 15:22, 23.

Yeka ukuthi sinelungelo elingakanani lokuhlanganyela emsebenzini owenziwa emhlabeni wonke wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokwenza abafundi! Njengoba sinikela kuJehova “ngamaduna ezinkomo ezindebe zethu,” kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ethu ukuba silalele iziqondiso azinikeza ngeZwi lakhe elilotshiwe nangengxenye esemhlabeni yenhlangano yakhe.—Hoseya 14:2; Hebheru 13:15.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Inkosi yokuqala yakwa-Israyeli yashintsha isuka ekubeni umbusi othobekile nonesizotha yaba umbusi oqhoshayo nogabadelayo

[Isithombe ekhasini 24]

Yini esingaqiniseka ngayo lapho sibhekene nokuphikiswa okuvela ezitheni ezinjengoGoliyati?