1, 2. USamuweli wathetha nabantu bakwaSirayeli phantsi kwaziphi iimeko, ibe kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke abancede baguquke?

USAMUWELI wabajonga ebusweni abantu bakowabo. Le ndoda eyayikhonze njengomprofeti nomgwebi kangangamashumi eminyaka yayihlanganise uhlanga lonke kwidolophu yaseGiligali. Kufanele ukuba kwakungoMeyi okanye ngoJuni ngokwekhalenda yanamhlanje yaye kwakulixesha lonyaka elomileyo. Amasimi engqolowa ayesel’ elungele ukuvunwa. Isihlwele sathula sathi cwaka. USamuweli wayeza kukwazi njani ukusifikelela iintliziyo?

² Abantu babengabuqondi ubunzulu bemeko ababekuyo. Babecele ukulawulwa ngukumkani ongumntu. Babengaqondi ukuba babemdelele uThixo wabo uYehova kunye nomprofeti wakhe. Enyanisweni babengasafuni ukuba uYehova abe nguKumkani wabo! USamuweli wayeza kubanceda njani ukuze baguquke?

3, 4. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uSamuweli athethe ngeentsuku zobutsha bakhe? (b) Kutheni sinokungenelwa kumzekelo kaSamuweli wokholo?

³ USamuweli wathetha wathi kwisihlwele: “Mna ke, ndimdala yaye ndiyingwevu.” Iinwele zakhe ezingwevu zaziwenza abe nesidima amazwi akhe. Emva koko wathi: “Ndihambe phambi kwenu ukususela ebutsheni bam kwada kwayile mini.” (1 Sam. 11:14, 15; 12:2) Nangona wayemdala, uSamuweli wayengabulibelanga ubutsha bakhe. Wayesayikhumbula kakuhle  imihla yobutsha bakhe. Izigqibo awazenza xa wayeseyinkwenkwana zamenza wanokholo waza wazinikela kuThixo wakhe uYehova.

⁴ USamuweli kwafuneka aqhubeke enokholo olomeleleyo nangona wayephila phakathi kwabantu abangenalukholo nabanganyanisekanga. Nanamhlanje kunzima ukuba nokholo kuba siphila phakathi kwabantu abangenalukholo nabonakeleyo. (Funda uLuka 18:8.) Makhe sibone ukuba yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaSamuweli, ukususela ebuntwaneni bakhe.

5, 6. Kutheni sinokuthi uSamuweli wakhula ngendlela engaqhelekanga, kodwa yintoni eyayisenza abazali bakhe baqiniseke ukuba uza kunyanyekelwa?

⁵ USamuweli wakhula ngendlela engaqhelekanga. Emva kokulunyulwa kwakhe, mhlawumbi xa wayeneminyaka emithathu ubudala nangaphezulu, waqalisa ukukhonza kwintente yokuhlangana kaYehova eShilo eyayikumgama weekhilomitha ezingama-30 ukusuka kowabo eRama. Abazali bakhe uElikana noHana banikela ngaye ukuze abe ngumNaziri kaYehova ubomi bakhe bonke. * Ngaba loo nto ithetha ukuba abazali bakaSamuweli babemlahlile?

⁶ USamuweli wayengalahlwanga! Abazali bakhe babesazi ukuba wayeza kunyanyekelwa eShilo. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba wayephantsi kweliso loMbingeleli Omkhulu uEli kuba uSamuweli wayesebenza naye. Kwakukho nabanye abafazi ababesebenza kwintente yokuhlangana.—Eks. 38:8, Abagwe. 11:34-40

7, 8. (a) Abazali bakaSamuweli bamkhuthaza njani ngothando unyana wabo? (b) Abazali banokufunda ntoni kumzekelo wabazali bakaSamuweli?

⁷ Ngaphezu koko, uHana noElikana abazange balilibale izibulo labo ababelicele kuYehova. UHana wayecele unyana kuThixo, waza wathembisa ukuba uza kunikela ngaye ukuze amkhonze ubomi bakhe bonke. Xa wayemtyelela unyaka nonyaka, wayemphathela isambatho esitsha esingenamikhono awayeza kusebenza ngaso kwintente yokuhlangana. Sinokuqiniseka ukuba le nkwenkwe yayisonwaba xa ize kubonwa. Ngokuqinisekileyo kumele ukuba kwayomeleza ukukhuthazwa nokuqeqeshwa ngabazali bayo njengoko babeyifundisa ukuxabisa ilungelo lokukhonza uYehova kuloo ndawo ikhethekileyo.

⁸ Ininzi into enokufundwa ngabazali kuHana noElikana. Kuyinto eqhelekileyo ngabazali ukubenzela yonke into abayifunayo abantwana babo kodwa bangabafundisi ngoThixo. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, abazali bakaSamuweli bamfundisa ngoThixo kuqala, ibe loo nto yamnceda naxa sele ekhulile.—Funda iMizekeliso 22:6.

9, 10. (a) Chaza indlela eyayiyiyo intente yokuhlangana nendlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uSamuweli ngale ndawo ingcwele. (Bona nombhalo osemazantsi.) (b) Imel’ ukuba yayiyintoni eminye yemisebenzi kaSamuweli, ibe ucinga ukuba abaselula namhlanje banokumxelisa njani?

 ⁹ Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaSamuweli ekhula yaye emane ehamba hamba kwezo nduli zaseShilo. Njengoko wayekhangele ezantsi edolophini nasentlanjeni kwelinye icala, umele ukuba wayevuya xa ebona intente yokuhlangana kaYehova. Loo ntente yayiyindawo engcwele. * Le ntente eyayakhiwe ngaphantsi kolwalathiso lukaMoses malunga neminyaka engama-400 ngaphambili, yayikuphela kwesazulu sonqulo olunyulu lukaYehova emhlabeni wonke.

¹⁰ USamuweli oselula wayeyithanda intente yokuhlangana. Kwingxelo awayibhala kamva, sifunda oku: “USamuweli wayelungiselela phambi koYehova, eyinkwenkwe, ebhinqe iefodi yelinen.” (1 Sam. 2:18) Kuyabonakala ukuba isambatho sakhe esingenamikhono sasibonisa ukuba wayencedisa ababingeleli kwintente yokuhlangana. Nangona wayengengombingeleli, umsebenzi kaSamuweli wawuquka ukuvula iingcango zentendelezo nokunceda uEli owayesele ekhulile. Nangona wayewuthanda umsebenzi wakhe, kwakukho into eyayimkhathaza. Izinto zazingahambi kakuhle endlwini kaYehova.

11, 12. (a) UHofeni noFinehasi basilela koluphi uphawu olungundoqo? (b) Bubuphi ubungendawo nobuqhophololo obabusenziwa nguHofeni noFinehasi kwintente yokuhlangana? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹¹ Eselula, uSamuweli wabona ubungendawo obugqith’ emgceni. UEli wayenoonyana ababini, uHofeni noFinehasi. Ingxelo kaSamuweli ithi: “Oonyana bakaEli babengamadoda angamatshivela; babengamqondi uYehova.” (1 Sam. 2:12) Kule vesi kubethelelwa into enye. UHofeni noFinehasi ‘babengamatshivela’ okanye “oongantweni” kuba babengamnanzanga uYehova. Babengayikhathalelanga imilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Loo nto yaba ngunobangela wazo zonke izono zabo.

 ¹² UMthetho kaThixo wawuyichaza ngokweenkcukacha imisebenzi yababingeleli nendlela ababefanele bawenze ngayo amadini. Lo mthetho wawubekwe ngenxa yezizathu ezibalulekileyo. Loo madini ayemela ukukulungela kukaThixo ukuxolela izono zabantu ukuze bacoceke emehlweni akhe nokuze abasikelele aze abakhokele. Kodwa ke uHofeni noFinehasi babangela ukuba nabanye ababingeleli bayidelele imibingelelo. *

13, 14. (a) Ubungendawo obabusenzeka kwintente yokuhlangana babubachaphazela njani abantu abamsulwa? (b) UEli wasilela njani kokubini njengotata nanjengombingeleli omkhulu?

¹³ Yiba nomfanekiso kaSamuweli oselula ebukele yonke loo nto, kungekho mntu unqandayo. Umele ukuba wabona abantu abaninzi kuquka abangathathi ntweni, abathobekileyo nabacinezelekileyo besiza kwintente yokuhlangana ngethemba lokuba baza kufumana intuthuzelo baze bahlaziyeke, kodwa bebuyela emva bephoxekile, beneentliziyo ezibuhlungu yaye bethotyw’ isidima. Umel’ ukuba wathini esakufumanisa ukuba uHofeni noFinehasi babelala nabanye abafazi ababesebenza kwintente yokuhlangana? (1 Sam. 2:22) Mhlawumbi wayecinga ukuba uEli uza kubakhalimela.

¹⁴ NguEli umntu owayenokukwazi ukuyilungisa le ngxaki. Ekubeni wayengumbingeleli omkhulu, wayejongene nayo yonke into eyayisenzeka ententeni. Njengotata wayefanele abaluleke oonyana bakhe. Ngaphezu koko babezenzakalisa bona kunye nabanye abantu. Kodwa ke uEli wasilela kokubini njengombingeleli nanjengotata. Akazange abakhalimele kabukhali oonyana bakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 2:23-25.) Aba bafana bakhe babefanelwe sisohlwayo esiqatha. Babesenza izono ezazifanelwe kukufa.

15. Nguwuphi umgwebo oqatha owadluliselwa nguYehova kuEli, ibe yasabela njani intsapho kaEli kwesi silumkiso?

¹⁵ Izinto zaba mbi kangangokuba uYehova wathumela “umntu kaThixo,” umprofeti ongachazwanga ngagama, ukuba aye kuxelela indlu kaEli umgwebo oqatha. UYehova wathi kuEli: “Ubeka oonyana bakho ngaphezu kwam.” UThixo waprofeta ukuba bobabini oonyana bakaEli abangendawo babeza kufa ngamin’ inye nokuba ububingeleli babuza kuhluthwa kwintsapho yakhe. Ngaba esi silumkiso sayitshintsha le ntsapho? Akukho ndawo eBhayibhileni ibonisa ukuba yaguquka.—1 Sam. 2:27–3:1.

16. (a) Yiyiphi ingxelo esiyifundayo ngokuphathelele inkqubela kaSamuweli? (b) Ngaba ziyakuchukumisa ezi ngxelo? Chaza.

 ¹⁶ Bamchaphazela njani obu bungendawo uSamuweli oselula? Le ngxelo imana isithela thsuphe ngeendaba ezimnandi zokukhula nenkqubela kaSamuweli. Khumbula ukuba, kweyoku-1 kaSamuweli 2:18 sifunda ukuba uSamuweli “wayelungiselela phambi koYehova, eyinkwenkwe” ethembekileyo. Kwangelo xesha, uSamuweli wayephilela ukukhonza uThixo. Kwivesi 21 yesi sahluko sifunda ngento echulumancisayo: “Yona inkwenkwe uSamuweli yaqhubeka ikhulela kuYehova.” Njengoko wayesiya ekhula waya esondela ngakumbi kuYise wasezulwini. Ukusondela ngolo hlobo kuYehova kuyasikhusela kuko konke ukonakala.

17, 18. (a) Ulutsha olungamaKristu lunokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo kaSamuweli xa lujongene nabantu abenza ububi? (b) Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uSamuweli wakhetha ikhondo elilungileyo?

¹⁷ Kwakunokuba lula ngoSamuweli ukucinga ukuba xa umbingeleli omkhulu noonyana bakhe besona, naye kubhetele azeke mzekweni. Kodwa asifanele sone kuba sibona ukonakala kwabanye kuquka nabo bakwizikhundla zembopheleleko. Namhlanje ulutsha oluninzi lwamaKristu luxelisa uSamuweli luze luqhubeke ‘lukhulela kuYehova’—kwanaxa abanye bengamiseli mzekelo mhle.

¹⁸ Ukunyaniseka kukaSamuweli kwamnceda njani? Sifunda oku: “Lonke elo xesha inkwenkwe uSamuweli yayikhula ngokukhula yaye ithandeka ngakumbi kokubini kuYehova nakubantu.” (1 Sam. 2:26) Ngoko ke uSamuweli wayethandwa ngabantu abanyanisekileyo. NoYehova wayeyithanda le nkwenkwe ngenxa yokunyaniseka kwayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo noSamuweli wayesazi ukuba uThixo wayeza kubulungisa bonke  ubungendawo obabusenzeka eShilo, kodwa ke mhlawumbi wayezibuza ukuba nini. Ngobunye ubusuku yaphendulwa loo mibuzo.

19, 20. (a) Chaza into eyenzeka kuSamuweli ngobunye ubusuku kwintente yokuhlangana. (b) USamuweli wayazi njani ukuba ngubani othetha naye, yaye wamphatha njani uEli?

¹⁹ Kwakuxa kusithi qheke ukusa yaye nesibane esasikhanyisa intente ebusuku sasingekacinywa. USamuweli weva ilizwi limbiza. Wayecinga ukuba nguEli, ngelo xesha owayesele aluphele namehlo akhe enorhatyazo. USamuweli wavuka waza waya kwelo xhego “ebaleka.” Ngaba unawo umfanekiso ngqondweni wale nkwenkwe ibetha ngezikaTshiwo ibaleka isiya kuEli? Kuyavuyisa ukubona ukuba uSamuweli wayemhlonela uEli. UEli wayesengumbingeleli omkhulu kaYehova nangona wayenze izono ezininzi.—1 Sam. 3:2-5.

²⁰ USamuweli wavusa uEli waza wathi: “Ndim lo, ngokuba undibizile.” Kodwa ke uEli wamxelela ukuba wayengambizanga yaye wathi makaphinde aye kulala. Loo nto yaphinda yenzeka izihlandlo eziliqela. Ekugqibeleni uEli wayiqonda into eyayisenzeka. Ngaloo mihla uYehova wayengafane athumele umbono okanye isiprofeto kubantu bakhe yaye siyaqondakala isizathu soko. Kodwa ke uEli waqonda ukuba nguYehova owayethetha—ethetha nale nkwenkwana! Waxelela uSamuweli ukuba aye kulala waza wamxelela nento amakayithethe xa ebizwa kwakhona. USamuweli wathobela. Kungekudala weva ilizwi lisithi: “Samuweli, Samuweli!” Waphendula wathi: “Thetha, ngokuba uphulaphule umkhonzi wakho.”—1 Sam. 3:1, 5-10.

21. Sinokumphulaphula njani uYehova namhlanje, yaye kutheni kubalulekile ukwenza oko?

²¹ Ekugqibeleni uYehova wayenomkhonzi owayemphulaphula eShilo. USamuweli waphulaphula uYehova ubomi bakhe bonke. Ngaba nawe uyaphulaphula? Akuyomfuneko ukuba side sive ilizwi elivela ezulwini lithetha nathi ebusuku. Ilizwi likaThixo lisoloko livakala yaye lifumaneka kwiLizwi lakhe elipheleleyo iBhayibhile. Ukholo lwethu luyakhula xa siphulaphula uThixo size simthobele. Kwenzeka loo nto nakuSamuweli.

22, 23. (a) Umgwebo uSamuweli awayesoyika ukuwudlulisela ekuqaleni wazaliseka njani? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uSamuweli ahlonelwe?

²² Isiganeko esenzeka eShilo ngobo busuku sabutshintsha ubomi bukaSamuweli, watsho wamazi kakuhle uYehova kuba waba ngumprofeti nesithethi sikaThixo. Ekuqaleni, le nkwenkwe yoyika ukuxelela uEli oko kwakuthethwe nguYehova, kuba lalifikile ixesha lokuba isiprofeto esasixelwe nxamnye nendlu yakhe sizaliseke. Kodwa ke uSamuweli waqweba isibindi yaye noEli wasamkela isigwebo sikaThixo. Kungekudala yenzeka yonke into awayeyithethile uYehova; uSirayeli walwa imfazwe namaFilisti yaye uHofeni noFinehasi bafa  ngamini nye, noEli wafa ngoko nangoko esakuva ukuba ityeya kaYehova engcwele ithinjiwe.—1 Sam. 3:10-18; 4:1-18.

²³ Noko ke, uSamuweli yena waba ngumprofeti ohlonelwayo. IBhayibhile ithi “noYehova waba naye,” kwaye iphinda ithi uYehova wazizalisekisa zonke iziprofeto zikaSamuweli.—Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 3:19.

24. Sisiphi isigqibo esenziwa ngamaSirayeli kamva, yaye yintoni eyayisenza ibe sisono esinzulu?

²⁴ Kodwa ngaba amaSirayeli amxelisa uSamuweli ngokunyaniseka kuThixo? Akunjalo. Ekuhambeni kwexesha abantu bathi abasafuni kugwetywa ngumprofeti. Babefuna ukulawulwa ngukumkani njengezinye iintlanga. USamuweli wathobela umyalelo kaYehova waza wabavumela ukuba babe nokumkani. Kodwa ke kwafuneka axelele amaSirayeli indlela ayemone ngayo uYehova. Ayengagatyi mntu kodwa ayegatya uYehova ngokwakhe. Ngoko wabizela abantu eGiligali.

25, 26. EGiligali, uSamuweli osele eyingwevu wabanceda njani abantu bakhe babone ubunzulu bendlela abamone ngayo uYehova?

²⁵ Makhe sive ukuba wathini kumaSirayeli awayehlanganisene eGiligali. Apho uSamuweli wakhumbuza onke amaSirayeli ngokuthembeka kwakhe kuThixo. Emva koko kuthiwa: “USamuweli wabiza kuYehova.” Wacela uYehova ukuba azise iindudumo.—1 Sam. 12:17, 18.

²⁶ Zaziza kubakho njani iindudumo kungekho mvula? Kaloku loo nto yayingazange ibonwe ngaphambili. Nakuphi na ukuthandabuza nokuhlekisa ekusenokuba kwakukho kwathi shwaka aza amazinyo ajika aziinyanda. Isibhakabhaka sakhawuleza sagutyungelwa ngamafu kwaza kwavuthuza nemimoya. Emva koko kwatshawuz’ imibane kwaza kwalandel’ izantyalantyala zemvula. Bathini abantu xa bebona yonke le nto? “Abantu bamoyika kakhulu uYehova noSamuweli.” Ekugqibeleni batsho babubona ubunzulu besono sabo.—1 Sam. 12:18, 19.

27. UYehova uvakalelwa njani ngabo baxelisa ukholo lukaSamuweli?

²⁷ AsingoSamuweli kodwa nguThixo wakhe uYehova owafikelela iintliziyo zabo bavukeli. USamuweli wayenokholo kuThixo wakhe ukususela ebutsheni bakhe de wayingwevu. NoYehova wamvuza. UYehova akakatshintshi kunanamhlanje. Usabaxhasa abantu abaxelisa ukholo lukaSamuweli.