1, 2. Bebunjani ubujamo uSamuweli nekakhuluma nabantu bakwa-Israyeli, begodu kubayini bekufuze abasize bona baphenduke?

 USAMUWELI waqala abantu ngemehlweni. Isitjhaba besibuthene edorobheni leGiligali, sibizwe yindoda ethembekileko egade ikhonza njengomporofidi nomahluleli iminyaka. BekunguMay namtjhana uJune ngokwekhalenda yethu; isikhathi esomileko besele sithomile. Amasimu besele atshetlha endaweni leyo ikoroyi ilungele ukuvunwa. Abantu bebathule du. USamuweli bekangazithinta njani iinhliziyo zabo?

² Abantu bebangazwisisi bona into abayenzako yimbi kangangani. Bakatelela bona babuswe yikosi emumuntu. Bebangazi bona bamdelela kangangani uZimabo uJehova nomporofidakhe. Eqinisweni, bebala uJehova njengeKosabo! USamuweli bekazobasiza njani bona baphenduke?

3, 4. (a) Kubayini uSamuweli akhuluma ngobutjha bakhe? (b) Kubayini isibonelo sakaSamuweli sekholo silisizo kithi namhlanje?

³ USamuweli watjela isitjhaba, “Ngiluphele begodu sengineenhluthu ezimhlophe.” Iinhluthu zakhe ezimhlophe zenza amezwakhe aba namandla. Godu wathi: “Ngikhambe phambi kwakho kusukela ebutjheni bami bekwaba namhlanje.” (1 Sam. 11:14, 15; 12:2) Nanyana uSamuweli bekaluphele, bekangakasikhohlwa isikhathi sobutjha bakhe. Bekasasikhumbula kuhle isikhatheso. Iinqunto azenza ngesikhatheso, njengomsanyana osakhulako, zamenza waphila ngekholo nokuzinikela kuZimakhe uJehova.

⁴ USamuweli bekufuze akhe begodu abulunge ikholo nanyana iinkhathi ezinengi bekabhodwe babantu abanganakholo nabangakathembeki. Namhlanje, kusesebudisi ukwakha ikholo, ngombana siphila ephasini elinganakholo nelonakeleko. (Funda uLuka 18:8.) Akhe  sibone bonyana khuyini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe, sithome lapho asesemsana.

5, 6. USamuweli wakhuliswa njani ngendlela engakajayeleki, kodwana kubayini ababelethi bakhe bebaqiniseka bona uzokutlhogonyelwa kuhle?

⁵ USamuweli wakhuliswa ngendlela engakajayeleki. Msinyana ngemva kokukhitjhwa ebeleni, mhlamunye aneminyaka emithathu namtjhana ngaphasana, wathoma ukukhonza etabarnakele lakaJehova elicwengileko eShilo, emakhilomitha ama-30 ukusuka ekhabo eRama. Ababelethi bakhe, u-Elkana noHana, banikela umsanyanabo kuJehova ngendlela ekhethekileko, bamenza umNaziri. a Kghani lokhu bekutjho bona uSamuweli bekalahliwe, ababelethi bakhe bangamthandi?

⁶ Awa, akusinjalo! Bebazi bona umsanyanabo uzokutlhogonyelwa eShilo. UmPristi oPhakemeko u-Eli nguye obekaqale izinto, ngalokho uSamuweli bekasebenza eduze naye. Godu bekunabafazi abambalwa abasebenza eengcenyeni ezihlukahlukeneko etabarnakele, ngokukhanyako basebenza ngendlela ehlelekileko.—Eks. 38:8; Hlu. 11:34-40.

7, 8. (a) Umnyaka nomnyaka ababelethi bakaSamuweli bamkhuthaza njani ngethando? (b) Namhlanje khuyini ababelethi abangayifunda esibonelweni sababelethi bakaSamuweli?

⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uHana no-Elkana akhenge bamkhohlwe umsanyanabo othandekako lo, ukubelethwa kwakhe egade kuyipendulo yomthandazwakhe. UHana wabawa indodana kuZimu, wathembisa ukunikela ngayo kuZimu bona yenze ikonzo ecwengileko. Qobe mnyaka nebayivakatjhelako, uHana bekalethela uSamuweli imbaji enganamkhono amenzele yona bona ayisebenzisele ikonzo yetabarnakele. Siyaqiniseka bona umsanyana lo bekakuthabela ukuvakatjhwelokho. Akunakuzaza bona bekasithabela isikhuthazo sababelethi bakhe sethando nesinqophiso njengombana bamfundisa bona kulilungelo kangangani ukukhonza uJehova endaweni ekhethekileko leyo.

⁸ Namhlanje ababelethi bangafunda likhulu kuHana no-Elkana. Kujayelekile ngababelethi ukutlhogomela iintlhogo zabantwababo zezinto eziphathekako kungilapho bakhohlwa zizinto ezingokomoya. Kodwana ababelethi bakaSamuweli babeka izinto ezingokomoya qangi, begodu lokho kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ehlobeni lendoda indodanabo ezokuba ngilo ekukhuleni kwayo.—Funda IzAga 22:6.

9, 10. (a) Hlathulula itabarnakele nendlela uSamuweli omncani ebekazizwa ngayo ngekonzo ecwengileko le. (Qala umtlolo waphasi.) (b) Ikonzo kaSamuweli beyibandakanyani, begodu ucabanga bona abatjha banamhlanje bangasilingisa njani isibonelo sakhe?

⁹ Singambona ngelihlo lengqondo umsanyana lo akhula begodu  aqalaqala iinkhisi ezibhode iShilo. Njengombana arhudulele idorobho neenkhisi ezithe rhiya phasi ngakelinye ihlangothi amehlo, kungenzeka wathaba khulu begodu wazikhakhazisa nekabona itabarnakele lakaJehova. Itabarnakelelo beliyindawo ecwenge kwamambala. b Lakhiwa eminyakeni epheze ibe ma-400 ngaphambili, ngaphasi kwesinqophiso sakaMosisi ngenyama, bekukuphela kwendawo yokukhulekela kwakaJehova okucwengileko ephasini mazombe.

¹⁰ USamuweli omncani wakhula athanda itabarnakele. Ekulandiseni akutlola ngemva kwesikhathi siyafunda: “USamuweli bekasebenza phambi kwakaJehova, asesemsanyana, abophe i-efodi edinini.” (1 Sam. 2:18) Imbaji enganamkhono elula leyo ngokukhanyako bekulitshwayo lokobana uSamuweli bekasiza umpristi etabarnakele. Nanyana agade angasuye wekoro yabapristi, uSamuweli bekanemisebenzi ehlanganisa ukuvula iminyango yesango letabarnakele ekuseni nokutlhogomela iqhegu elingu-Eli. Nokho, nanyana bekawathabela amalungelo layo, ngesinye isikhathi wezwa ubuhlungu. Bekunento embi khulu eyenziwa ngendlini kaJehova.

11, 12. (a) Ngiwuphi umtjhapho omkhulu owenziwa nguHofeni noFiniyasi? (b) Ngibuphi ubumbi nokonakala uHofeni noFiniyasi abakwenza etabarnakele? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

¹¹ Asesemncani khulu, uSamuweli wabona ubumbi nokonakala okukhulu. U-Eli bekanamadodana amabili, amabizwawo kunguHofeni noFiniyasi. Umlando kaSamuweli ufundeka bunje: “Amadodana ka-Eli bekangazisi; akhenge amtjheje uJehova.” (1 Sam. 2:12) Imiqondo emibili esevesineli iyavumelana. UHofeni noFiniyasi ‘bebangazisi’—ngokwelizwi nelizwi “amadodana anganasizo”—ngombana bekanganandaba noJehova. Bekanganandaba nakancani neenkambisolawulo zakhe ezilungileko neemfuneko. Lokho kwawadosela ekwenzeni ezinye izono.

¹² UmThetho kaZimu bewukhanya bha ngemisebenzi yabapristi nendlela ekufuze benze ngayo iminikelo etabarnakele lakhe. Ngamabanga azwakalako! Iminikelo leyo beyijamele ilungiselelo lakaZimu lokulibalela izono bona abantu bangaba ngabahlwengileko emehlwenakhe, balungele isibusiso nesinqophiso sakhe. Kodwana uHofeni  noFiniyasi benza abanye abapristi bona baphathe iminikelo ngokudelela. c

13, 14. (a) Abantu bathinteka njani ngobumbi obebenziwa etabarnakele? (b) U-Eli wabhalelwa njani njengobaba nanjengompristi ophakemeko?

¹³ Akhe ucabange ngoSamuweli omncani aqalile, awakhiphe woke, njengombana kwenziwa into embi kangaka ingakhalinyelwa. Bangaki abantu abababonako, abatlhagako, abathobekileko nabaphasi baya etabarnakele elicwengileko banethemba lokuthola induduzo engokomoya namandla, kodwana basuke lapho badanile, balimele namtjhana behle isithunzi? Begodu wazizwa njani nekezwa bona uHofeni noFiniyasi nabo abawuhloniphi umthetho kaJehova malungana nokuziphatha ngokomseme, njengombana bebaziphatha kumbi nabanye abafazi ebebakhonza etabarnakele? (1 Sam. 2:22) Mhlamunye bekathemba bona u-Eli gade azobakhalima.

¹⁴ U-Eli bekasebujamweni obuhle bokulungisa umraro okhulako lo. Njengompristi ophakemeko, bekanomthwalo wokubona bonyana kwenzekani etabarnakele. Njengobaba, bekanomthwalo wokukhalima amadodanakhe. Ngaphezu kwakho koke, bewazilimaza alimaza nabanye abanengi esitjhabeni. Nokho, u-Eli azange akwazi ukufeza indimakhe, njengobaba nompristi ophakemeko. Akhenge awakhalime ngamandla amadodanakhe. (Funda 1 Samuweli 2:23-25.) Kodwana amadodanakhe bekatlhoga ukukhalinywa ngamandla. Bekenza isono esifanelwe kukufa!

15. Ngimuphi umlayezo onamandla uJehova awuthumela ku-Eli, begodu umndeni ka-Eli wasabela njani esiyelelisweneso?

¹⁵ Ubumbobu barhagala kangangobana uJehova athumele “umuntu kaZimu,” umporofidi ibizo lakhe elingakavezwa, ku-Eli nomlayezo wesahlulelo onamandla. UJehova watjela u-Eli: “Uhlonipha amadodanakho ngaphezu kwami.” Ngalokho uZimu wabikezela bona amadodana ka-Eli amambi azokufa ngelanga elifanako nokobana umndeni ka-Eli uzokudosa emhlweni, ulahlekelwe nalilungelo lawo lokuba sekorweni yabapristi. Isiyeleliso esinamandlesi sawaletha na amatjhuguluko emndenini loyo? Umlando utjengisa bona akhenge abe khona.—1 Sam. 2:27–3:1.

16. (a) Ngimuphi umbiko esiwufumana malungana nokuragela phambili kwakaSamuweli omncani? (b) Ufumana umbiko lo uthabisa? Hlathulula.

¹⁶ Boke ubumbobu bamthinta njani uSamuweli omncani? Ngezinye iinkhathi emlandweni ongasimuhle lo gade zikhona nezinto ezikarisako ezenzekako, iindaba ezihle ngokukhula nokuragela phambili  kwakaSamuweli. Khumbula bona ku-1 Samuweli 2:18 sifunda bona uSamuweli ‘wakhonza uJehova ngokuthembeka asesemsanyana.’ Ngitjho neminyakeni yobuntwana leyo, uSamuweli wadzimelela ekonzwenakhe kuZimu. Evesini 21 yesahluko esifanako, sifunda okuthileko okuthabisa kwamambala: “Umsanyana uSamuweli waragela phambili akhulela kuJehova.” Njengombana akhula, ubuhlobo bakhe noYise wezulwini uJehova bakhula khulu. Ubuhlobo obuseduze ngendlela leyo noJehova busivikelo esiqinileko kilo loke ihlobo lokonakala.

17, 18. (a) Abatjha abamaKrestu bangasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaSamuweli nebaqalene nokonakala? (b) Khuyini okutjengisa bona uSamuweli wakhetha ngokuhlakanipha?

¹⁷ Bekungaba lula ngoSamuweli ukuthi nengabe umpristi ophakemeko namadodanakhe bebenza izono ezinjalo, naye angazenzela umathanda. Kodwana ukuziphatha okumbi kwabanye, kuhlanganisa nokwalabo abadosa phambili, akusilo ibanga lokwenza isono. Namhlanje, abatjha bamaKrestu abanengi balandela isibonelo sakaSamuweli begodu baragela phambili ‘bakhulela kuJehova,’—ngitjho nanyana abanye abababhodileko bangabeki isibonelo esihle.

¹⁸ Waba yini umphumela wokukhonza kwakaSamuweli uJehova? Siyafunda: “Soke isikhatheso uSamuweli wakhula begodu wathandwa nguJehova nabantu.” (1 Sam. 2:26) Ngalokho uSamuweli bekathandwa, okunganani ngilabo iimbonwabo ebeyiqakathekile kuye. UJehova bekamthandela ukuthembeka kwakhe umsanyana lo. Ngokuqinisekileko uSamuweli bekazi bona uZimakhe uzobususa boke ubumbi oburagela phambili eShilo, kodwana mhlamunye bekazibuza bona uzobususa nini. Ngobunye ubusuku, umbuzo awubuzako waphendulwa.

19, 20. (a) Hlathulula lokho okwenzeka kuSamuweli ngobunye ubusuku etabarnakele. (b) USamuweli wawazi njani umthombo womlayezwakhe, begodu bekamphatha njani u-Eli?

¹⁹ Besele kuzokusa kodwana kusesemnyama; ilampa elikhulu letendeni belisameruza. Kuthule du, uSamuweli wezwa ilizwi libiza igama lakhe. Bekacabanga bona ngu-Eli, obesele aluphele khulu begodu athoma nokuphophala. USamuweli wavuka “wagijimela” endodeni elupheleko le. Ungakwazi ukubona umsanyana lo ngelihlo lengqondo, agijima angakafaki amanyathelo ukuhlola bona u-Eli ufunani? Kuthinta ihliziyo ukwazi bona uSamuweli bekaphatha u-Eli ngehlonipho. Naphezu kwazo zoke izono zakhe, u-Eli bekasesempristi kaJehova ophakemeko.—1 Sam. 3:2-5.

²⁰ USamuweli wavusa u-Eli, wathi: “Nangu mina, ngombana ungibizile.” Kodwana u-Eli wathi akakambizi akayokulala godu. Nokho, intwele yenzeka kanengana! Ekugcineni u-Eli watjheja bona kwenzekani. Besele kuyinto engakajayeleki ngoJehova ukuthumela umbono namtjhana umlayezo wesiporofido ebantwini bakhe, begodu kulula ukubona bonyana kubayini kunjalo. Kodwana u-Eli wazi bona uJehova uyakhuluma godu—kwanje emsaneni lo! U-Eli watjela uSamuweli bona ayokulala begodu wamtjela nokobana aphendule njani nekezwa ilizwi godu. USamuweli walalela. Msinyana wezwa ilizwi libiza: “Samuweli, Samuweli!” Umsanyana lo waphendula: “Khuluma, ngombana incekwakho ilalele.”—1 Sam. 3:1, 5-10.

21. Singamlalela njani uJehova namhlanje, begodu kubayini kuqakathekile ukwenza njalo?

²¹ Ekugcineni uJehova waba nenceku emlalelako eShilo. Lokhu kwaba kuphila kwayo. Kuphila kwakho nawe? Akukafuzi silindele ilizwi elingaphezu kwamandla ajayelekileko ebusuku bona likhulume nathi. Namhlanje, ilizwi lakaZimu lihlala likhuluma nathi. LiseliZwini lakhe elipheleleko, iBhayibhili. Nesiragela phambili silalela uZimu, kulapho ikholo lethu lizokukhula khona. Bekunjalo nangoSamuweli.

22, 23. (a) Umlayezo uSamuweli ekuthomeni ebekasaba ukuwutjela u-Eli wazaliseka njani? (b) Ubudumo bakaSamuweli baragela njani phambili bukhula?

²² Ngobusukobo eShilo bekulilanga eliqakathekileko ekuphileni kwakaSamuweli, wathoma ukuba nobuhlobo obukhethekileko noJehova, waba mporofidi nomkhulumeli wakhe. Kokuthoma, umsanyana lo gade asaba ukudlulisela umlayezo kaJehova ku-Eli, ngombana bekumlayezo wokugcina wokobana isiporofido ngokujamelene nomndeni loyo besele sizokuzaliseka. Kodwana uSamuweli waba nesibindi—begodu u-Eli wasamukela ngokuthobeka isahlulelo sakaZimu. Kungakadluli isikhathi eside, yoke into uJehova ayitjhoko yazaliseka: Ama-Israyeli ayokulwa namaFilisti, uHofeni noFiniyasi babulawa ngelanga elilodwa, begodu u-Eli ngokwakhe wabulawa kukuzwa bona iMbulungelo ecwengileko ithunjiwe.—1 Sam. 3:10-18; 4:1-18.

 ²³ Nokho, ubudumo bakaSamuweli bokuba mporofidi othembekileko bakhula. Ukulandisa kuthi, “UJehova waba naye,” wenza bona kungabi nesisodwa seemporofido zakaSamuweli esingazalisekiko.—Funda 1 Samuweli 3:19.

24. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngisiphi isiqunto esenziwa ma-Israyeli, begodu kubayini lokho bekusisono esikhulu kangaka?

²⁴ Kghani ama-Israyeli alandela isibonelo sakaSamuweli begodu aba babantu abangokomoya nabathembekileko? Awa. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi athi akasafuni ukwahlulelwa mporofidi. Afuna ukufana nezinye iintjhaba abuswe yikosi emumuntu. USamuweli wavumelana nesinqophiso sakaJehova. Kodwana bekufuze abonise ama-Israyeli bona isono sawo sikhulu kangangani. Bekangali umuntu kwaphela, kodwana bekala uJehova ngokwakhe! Ngalokho wabizela abantu eGiligali.

25, 26. EGiligali, uSamuweli olupheleko wasisiza njani isitjhaba sekhabo bonyana sibone umtjhapho waso kuJehova?

²⁵ Akhe sibuyeleni emva, esikhathini esibudisi lokha uSamuweli nekakhuluma nama-Israyeli eGiligali. Lapho, uSamuweli olupheleko wakhumbuza ama-Israyeli ngomlando wakhe wokuthembeka. Siyafunda: “USamuweli wabiza uJehova.” Wabawa uJehova bona kune izulu elikhambisana nokuduma okukhulu.—1 Sam. 12:17, 18.

²⁶ Izulu elikhambisana nokuduma okukhulu? Esikhathini sokoma okungakangaka? Afeke, akhenge khesiyizwe into efana nale! Nengabe bekunokuzaza nofana ukunyefula kibo, akhenge kube yinto eragela phambili isikhathi eside. Ngesikhatjhana kwavele kwaguqubala. Umoya warhadla ikoroyi emasimini. Kwazwakala umdumo obetha ngamandla. Izulu lana. Abantu basabela njani? “Abantu bathukwa khulu ngoJehova nangoSamuweli.” Ekugcineni, babona bonyana bebone kangangani.—1 Sam. 12:18, 19.

27. UJehova uzizwa njani ngalabo abalingisa ikholo lakaSamuweli?

²⁷ Ingasi uSamuweli, kodwana uZimakhe uJehova, nguye owathinta iinhliziyo zaso ezibukhuni. Kusukela asesemutjha bewaluphala, uSamuweli waba nekholo kuZimakhe. UJehova wamtlomelisa. Bekube namhlanje, uJehova akakatjhuguluki. Usabasekela labo abalingisa ikholo lakaSamuweli.