UYOSEFU wayephefumla impepho ephole kamnandi, esezela nobuqholo bevumba leenyibiba nezinye izityalo ezikhula emanzini. Wayeqhutywa ngabarhwebi, begugutha ummandla othe tyaba ogudle umlambo uMnayile. Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wamadoda elandelelana eqhuba iinkamela, esehla ngomlambo, etyhutyha iidolophu zaseYiputa, emangaliswe bubuhle bokundanda kweentaka ezinjengookhwalimanzi namang’ang’ane. Ngoku uYosefu wayesele ehambe amakhulukhulu eekhilomitha, ibe umele ukuba wayecing’ emva ekhaya kwiinduli ezingumqwebedu zaseHebron; kodwa ngoku, wayekwilizwe elahluke mpela.

Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wabo besiva iingxolo yeenkawu encochoyini yemithi yesundu neyefiya. Ulwimi olwaluthethwa ngabantu abadlula kubo lwalufana naloo ngxolo kuYosefu. Mhlawumbi wayefane eve loo magama naloo magama. Wayemele nje aqalise ukulufunda, kuba wayeqonda ukuba wayengasoze aphinde alibeke kowabo.

UYosefu wayesengumfanyana—oneminyaka eyi-17 okanye eyi-18—kodwa wanyamezela iingxaki amadoda amadala angenakukwazi ukuzimela. Waphantse wabulawa ngabantakwabo ababecaphukela into yokuba ethandwa kakhulu ngutata wabo, kodwa baphela bemthengisa kubarhwebi. (Genesis 37:2, 5, 18-28) Emva kohambo lwabo olwathatha iiveki, kufanele ukuba aba barhwebi babeziva bechulamancile xa babesiya besondela kwisixeko esikhulu, apho babeza kufumana imali entle ngokuthengisa uYosefu nezinye izinto zabo zexabiso. Yintoni eyanceda uYosefu akaziva enomvandedwa nentliziyo ebuhlungu? Yintoni esinokuyenza thina namhlanje ukuze singavumeli iingxaki zobomi ziphazamise ukholo lwethu? Ininzi into esinokuyifunda kuYosefu.

“Ke kaloku uYosefu, wehliselwa eYiputa, waza uPotifare, igosa lenkundla kaFaro, intloko yamafanankosi, umYiputa, wamthenga esandleni samaIshmayeli awayemhlisele khona.” (Genesis 39:1) Ngaloo mazwi ambalwa, eli bali leBhayibhile lisenza sibone indlela ekufanele ukuba waziva ethotywe ngayo lo mfanyana xa wayephinda ethengiswa. Wayeyinto nje enokuthengiswa! Khawumbone uYosefu elandela emva kwenkosi yakhe, igosa lenkundla elingumYiputa, bedlula kwizitrato zesixeko ezineemarike neziphithizelayo, besiya kwikhaya lakhe elitsha.

Ikhaya? Le ndawo yayingafani kwaphela nekhaya awayesuka kulo. Kaloku yena wakhulela kwintsapho eyayihlala kwiintente, neyayisoloko ifuduka, isalusa iigusha. Apha, amaYiputa afana noPotifare ayehlala kumapomakazi ezindlu ezipeyintwe ngemibala-bala egqamileyo. Abembi bezinto zakudala bathi amaYiputa amandulo ayethanda iigadi ezibiyelweyo, ezinamachibi acwengileyo, neziyokozela imithi, iingcongolo, iinyibiba kunye nezinye izityalo ezikhula emanzini. Ezinye izindlu zaziba segadini, zibe neveranda ukuze bakwazi ukunandipha impepho, zineefestile eziphezulu ukuze zingene umoya, zinamagumbi amaninzi, amanye awo ingawokutyela, amanye ingawabasebenzi.

Ngaba uYosefu wayevuyiswa bobo butyebi? Akubonakali njalo. Eyona nto kusenokwenzeka  uba yayimthe mbende bubulolo. Wayengaqhelananga nolwimi lwamaYiputa, engayiqhelanga nendlela anxiba nazilungisa ngayo, singasathethi ke ngonqulo lwawo. Ayenothotho loothixo, esebenzisa ubugqi nemilingo, yaye ebambelele kwinto yokuba abantu abafileyo bayaphila. Inye into eyagcina uYosefu omelele. Eli bali leBhayibhile lithi: “UYehova waba noYosefu.” (Genesis 39:2) Ngokuqinisekileyo uYosefu waphalaza imbilini yakhe kuThixo. IBhayibhile ithi “usondele uYehova kubo bonke abo bambizayo.” (INdumiso 145:18) Yiyiphi enye indlela uYosefu awasondela ngayo kuThixo?

Eli tyendyana lomfana alizange libe nomvandedwa, kunoko lazimisela kangangoko kunokwenzeka ukuzinikela kumsebenzi walo. Ngenxa yoko lasikelelwa nguYehova, lathandwa nayinkosi yalo entsha. UPotifare wabona ukuba eli tyendyana lalisikelelwa nguYehova, uThixo wabantu bakuloYosefu, ibe ngokuqinisekileyo ezo ntsikelelo zazisa ubutyebi endlwini yalo mYiputa. Ngokuthe ngcembe uPotifare wayesiya emthemba uYosefu, wada wamenza umphathi wendlu yakhe yonke.—Genesis 39:3-6.

UYosefu ngumzekelo omhle kubantu abatsha abakhonza uThixo. Ngokomzekelo, esikolweni kusenokwenzeka ukuba baziva bekwindawo engaqhelekanga, enabantu abathanda ubugqi, nekungekho nto ibavuyisayo ngobomi. Ukuba nawe ukuloo meko, khumbula ukuba uYehova akatshintshanga. (Yakobi 1:17) Usaqhubeka ebaxhasa bonke abo bathembekileyo kuye, nabazama kangangoko ukumvuyisa. Ubasikelela ngeyona ndlela, ibe uya kwenza njalo nakuwe.

Eli bali lithi, uYosefu wakhula waba yindoda enezoso, ‘entle nangembonakalo.’ Kuyacaca ukuba lo mfana wayeza kuba nengxaki, kaloku ubuhle bumtsalela amehlo umntu, nawabantu abangenazintloni.

UYosefu wayekubona kubalulekile ukuthembeka, kodwa umfazi kaPotifare wayengaboni njalo. Sifunda oku: “Umfazi wenkosi yakhe waphosa amehlo akhe kuYosefu waza wathi: ‘Ndilale.’” (Genesis 39:7) Ngaba uYosefu wayemncwasile lo mfazi ungumhedeni nongenazintloni? EBhayibhile akukho nto isenza sicinge ukuba uYosefu wayengenazo imvakalelo abanazo bonke abantu abatsha, nokuba lo mfazi uphila tofo-tofo unomyeni ongusozimali, nonesikhundla esiphezulu enkundleni wayengekho mhle. Ngaba uYosefu wayenokuzithethelela ngelithi inkosi yakhe ngekhe yazi? Ngaba wayeya kucinga ngamaqithi-qithi awayeya kuwafumana ngokuba likrexe lalo mfazi?

Enyanisweni asinakuyazi into eyayicingwa nguYosefu. Kodwa icacile into eyayisentliziyweni  yakhe. Icaca mhlophe kwimpendulo yakhe ethi: “Yabona, inkosi yam ayikwazi oko ndinako apha endlwini, nezinto zonke enazo izinikele esandleni sam. Akukho bani mkhulu kunam endlwini apha, kwaye ayindibandezanga nantoni na ngaphandle kwakho, kuba ungumfazi wayo. Ngoko ndingathini ukwenza obu bubi bukhulu kangaka ndize eneneni ndone kuThixo?” (Genesis 39:8, 9) Khawufane ube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni weli tyendyana liphalaza imbilini yalo ngala mazwi. Kwaukucinga obu bubi lo mfazi wayefuna abenze kwakumxhela emphefumlweni. Ngoba?

Njengokuba uYosefu watshoyo, inkosi yakhe yayimthembile. UPotifare wayeyinikele esandleni sikaYosefu yonke into endlwini yakhe, engambandezanga nto ngaphandle komfazi wakhe. UYosefu wayengayenza njani into yokumjikela? Wayengakwazi nokuyicinga into enjalo. Kodwa eyona nto yayimenza ayicaphukele nangakumbi le nto, kukungafuni ukona uYehova. UYosefu wafunda lukhulu kubazali bakhe ngendlela uThixo awujonga ngayo umtshato nokukrexeza. Xa uYehova wayesenza umtshato wokuqala, watsho phandle ukuba ulindele ntoni. Indoda nomfazi wayo bamele bamanyane babe “nyama-nye.” (Genesis 2:24) Abo bakhe bazama ukuluqhawula olo manyano, babasesichengeni sokugagana nomsindo kaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, abo baphantse bathatha umfazi kaAbraham, owayengukhokho kaYosefu, nomfazi kaIsake, umakhulu kaYosefu, basinda cebetshu. (Genesis 20:1-3; 26:7-11) UYosefu wafunda kuloo nto, ibe wayezimisele ukungayenzi impazamo enjalo.

Umfazi kaPotifare wayengafuni nokuyiva le nto ithethwa nguYosefu. Khawufan’ ucinge, ikhoboka eliphantsi kangaka limbhebhetha, lide libize esi sicelo sakhe ‘njengobubi obukhulu’! Sekunjalo, akazange ancame. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba waziva ethotywe isidima, wazixelela ukuba uza kumenza ade avume. Indlela awayesenza ngayo lo mfazi yayifana nendlela uSathana awenza ngayo xa wayelinga uYesu. Naye uSathana akazange aphumelele, kodwa akazange ancame, walinda de kwaba ‘lelinye ixesha elimlungeleyo.’ (Luka 4:13) Ngoko ke, abantu abathembekileyo kuThixo bamele bomelele, bangagungqiswa lula. Wayenjalo kanye uYosefu. Nakuba le nto yaqhubeka “imihla ngemihla” akazange anikezele. Sifunda ukuba, “akazange” avume. (Genesis 39:10) Kodwa umfazi kaPotifare waqhubeka emcenga.

Wakhetha ixesha laxa bonke abasebenzi babengekho endlwini. Wayesazi ukuba uYosefu wayeza kungena ukuze enze umsebenzi wakhe. Wathi akungena, lo mfazi wazama iqhinga lakhe. Wathi hlasi isambatho sikaYosefu, waza wamcenga esithi: “Ndilale!” UYosefu waxhuma ngoko nangoko. Wazidluthula, kodwa lo mfazi watsala isambatho sakhe. Sakhululeka, waza wasishiya, wabaleka!—Genesis 39:11, 12.

Oku kusikhumbuza isiluleko esiphefumlelweyo sikampostile uPawulos esithi: “Sabani kulo uhenyuzo!” (1 Korinte 6:18) Onjani wona ukuba mhle umzekelo uYosefu awumisele onke amaKristu okwenyaniso! Sisenokungakwazi ukukuphepha ukuba phakathi kwabantu abangayikhathalelanga imithetho kaThixo yokuziphatha, kodwa oko akuthethi kuthi simele sibavumele basiphembelele. Simele sisabe, nokuba uyintoni na umphumo woko.

Kwimeko kaYosefu, ukusaba kwamzisela iingxaki ezinkulu. Umfazi kaPotifare wafuna ukuziphindezela. Watsho ngesikrakra isikhalo, wabiza abasebenzi ukuba beze endlwini. Watyhola uYosefu esithi ebezama ukumdlwengula, waza wabaleka akumva ekhala. Wasigcina isambatho sikaYosefu ukuze asibonise umyeni wakhe. Ekufikeni kukaPotifare, umfazi wakhe wamchazela ngesi senzo sikaYosefu, exoka ke phofu, egxeka nomyeni wakhe ngokuzisa eli khoboka endlwini yakhe. Wenza ntoni uPotifare? IBhayibhile ithi, ‘Wavutha umsindo wakhe’! Wamvalela entolongweni uYosefu.—Genesis 39:13-20.

Asinalwazi lungako ngeentolongo zaseYiputa zelo xesha. Kodwa amabhodlo aye afunyanwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala, abonisa ukuba iintolongo zelo xesha zaziziinqaba ezinkulu ezinezisele ezingaphantsi komhlaba. Kamva uYosefu wazichaza ezo ntolongo ngokuthi ‘ngumhadi,’ nto leyo ebonisa ukuba zaziyindawo yesithokothoko sobumnyama nenganiki themba. (Genesis 40:15) Incwadi yeNdumiso ichaza ukuba uYosefu wathuthunjiswa,  isithi: “Bazixhwalekisa iinyawo zakhe ngamakhamandela, umphefumlo wakhe waba sezintsimbini.” (INdumiso 105:17, 18) AmaYiputa ayedla ngokuzibophelela ngasemva ngamakhamandela iingalo zamabanjwa; amanye ayefakwa intsimbi emqaleni. Enjani yona ukuba gadalala impatho awayifumanayo uYosefu—nangona kwakungekho kwanto iphosakeleyo wayenzayo!

Okubuhlungu nangakumbi kukuba, le yayingeyompatho nje yokwexeshana. IBhayibhile ithi uYosefu “wahlala apho endlwini yentolongo.” Wachitha iminyaka kuloo ndawo yoyikekayo! * Ibe uYosefu wayengathembi ukuba wayeya kuze akhululwe. Njengoko kwakugqitha iiveki, kwalandela iinyanga ekobo bugxwayiba, yintoni eyamncedayo ukuba angaphelelwa lithemba?

IBhayibhile isiqinisekisa ngokuthi: “UYehova waqhubeka enoYosefu waza wamenzela ububele bothando.” (Genesis 39:21) Akukho zindonga zantolongo, namakhamandela, nazisele zimnyama ezinokuthintela uYehova ukuba angakwazi ukubonisa uthando kubakhonzi bakhe. (Roma 8:38, 39) UYosefu umel’ ukuba wayethandaza rhoqo, ephalaza imbilini yakhe ‘kuThixo wentuthuzelo yonke,’ nto leyo eyayimnceda ukuba ahlale enoxolo yaye ezolile. (2 Korinte 1:3, 4; Filipi 4:6, 7) Yintoni enye uYehova awamenzela yona uYosefu? Sifunda ukuba wamenza “wakholeka emehlweni egosa eliyintloko lendlu yentolongo.”

Kuyacaca ukuba amabanjwa ayenikwa imisebenzi, ibe indlela uYosefu awazilahlela ngayo emsebenzini yamenza wasikelelwa nguYehova. Wayezijul’ ijacu kuyo yonke imisebenzi awayeyinikwa, aze enye nenye ayiyekele kuYehova. UYehova wamsikelela uYosefu kuba wathandwa waza wathenjwa njengokuba kwakunjalo nakwaPotifare. Sifunda oku: “Ngoko igosa eliyintloko lendlu yentolongo lawanikela esandleni sikaYosefu onke amabanjwa awayesendlwini yentolongo; yaye yonk’ into awayeyenza apho, yayisenziwa nguye. Igosa eliyintloko lendlu yentolongo lalingaveleli nanye into eyayisesandleni salo, kuba uYehova wayenoYosefu yaye oko wayekwenza uYehova wayekuphumelelisa.” (Genesis 39:22, 23) Kufanele ukuba kwakumomeleza nyhani uYosefu ukwazi ukuba uYehova wayemkhathalele!

Ubomi busenokuba krakra, singehlelwa nazizinto ezibuhlungu ezingasifanelanga; sekunjalo, singafunda lukhulu kukholo lukaYosefu. Ukuba sithandaza rhoqo kuYehova, sigcine imithetho yakhe, size sizame konke okusemandleni ukwenza ukuthanda kwakhe, uya kusisikelela. Kumanqaku alandelayo kolu ngcelele siza kubona indlela uYehova awaqhubeka emsikelela ngayo uYosefu.