UYAMBONA yini lomfana lomncane kutsi muhle kanjani? Ligama lakhe nguSamuweli. Lendvodza lembambe inhloko ngu-Eli, ingumphristi lomkhulu ka-Israyeli. Laba labamletsa ku-Eli, ngubabe wakhe Elkhana kanye namake wakhe Hana.

Samuweli abeneminyaka lemine nobe lesihlanu budzala, futsi abetawuhlala ethendeni lekukhontela laJehova na-Eli, kanye nalabanye baphristi. Kungani bo-Elkhana naHana banikela ngemtfwana wabo lomncane kangaka, kutsi ayewukhonta Jehova ethendeni lakhe lekukhontela? Ase sibone.

Eminyakeni lembalwa ngembi kwekutsi kwenteke loku, Hana abeva buhlungu lobukhulu. Kungenca yekutsi abefuna kuba nebantfwana, kodvwa abengabatfoli. Ngalelinye lilanga Hana waya ethendeni lekukhontela, wefika wathandaza kuJehova watsi: ‘Awu Jehova, ungangikhohlwa! Nawungangipha indvodzana, ngiyetsembisa kutsi ngitawunikela ngayo ibe yinceku yakho kuphila kwayo konkhe.’

Jehova wawuphendvula umthandazo waHana. Ngemuva kwetinyanga athandazile, watala Samuweli. Abemtsandza umfana wakhe, futsi wacala kumfundzisa ngaJehova asemncane kakhulu. Ngako watjela indvodza yakhe loku: ‘Utawutsi nasekakhulile Samuweli angasamunyi, ngitamtsatsa ngimyise ethendeni lekukhontela Jehova, ayohlala khona.’

Nguloko lesibabona bakwenta boHana naElkhana kulesitfombe. Ngenca yekutsi Samuweli abefundziswe kahle batali bakhe, wakujabulela kuyewukhonta Jehova ethendeni lakhe. Minyaka yonkhe Hana na-Elkhana bebeta kulelithende lelikhetsekile batewukhulekela, futsi bavakashele umfana wabo lomncane. Njalo ngemnyaka Hana abemphatsela ingubo lengenamikhono, lamtfungele yona.

Njengoba iminyaka ihamba, Samuweli wachubeka akhonta Jehova ethendeni lakhe lekukhontela. Jehova kanye nebantfu bebamtsandza Samuweli. Kodvwa emadvodzana a-Eli umphristi lomkhulu boHofni naFinehasi, bebangakalungi. Bebenta tintfo letinyenti letimbi, futsi bebabangela nalabanye bantfu kutsi bangamlaleli Jehova. Eli kwakufanele abayekelise kuba baphristi, kodvwa akazange akwente loko.

Samuweli akazange avumele tintfo letimbi lebetenteka ethendeni lekukhontela kutsi timyekelise kukhonta Jehova. Kodvwa ngenca yekutsi bantfu labatsandza Jehova besebambalwa, kwasekusikhatsi lesidze Jehova agcina kukhuluma nebantfu. Ngalesikhatsi Samuweli asakhulakhulile, naku lokwenteka:

Watsi Samuweli aselele ethendeni lekukhontela, weva livi limvusa. Wasabela watsi: “Ngilapha.” Wavuka wagijima waya ku-Eli, watsi kuye: “Sengikhona, ngive ungibita.”

Kodvwa Eli wamphendvula watsi: ‘Cha, angikakubiti, hamba uyewulala.’ Ngako Samuweli wahamba wayewulala.

Livi laphindze lambita kwesibili: ‘Samuweli!’ Wavuka wagijima waya ku-Eli, wafike watsi: “Sengikhona, ngive ungibita.” Kodvwa Eli watsi: “Ndvodzana yami angikakubiti, hamba uyewulala.” Wajika wayewulala.

Laphindze lambita kwesitsatfu. ‘Samuweli!’. Wavuka wagijima waya ku-Eli wafike watsi: ‘Sengikhona, ngive ngatsi uyangibita,’ Eli wabona kutsi ubitwa nguJehova. Ngako watsi kuSamuweli: “Hamba uyewulala, nakaphindza akubita, ubotsi: ‘Khuluma, Jehova, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.’”

Nguloko-ke Samuweli lakwenta nakaphindze ambita Jehova. Jehova wamtjela kutsi abetawujezisa Eli nemadvodzana akhe. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi boHofni naFinehasi bafa emphini ngalesikhatsi balwa nemaFilisti. Kwatsi Eli nakeva ngalentfo lebeyentekile, wawa, waphuka intsamo, naye wafa. Livi laJehova laba liciniso.

Samuweli wakhula, waba sikhulu sekugcina saka-Israyeli. Kwatsi asagugile, bantfu bamcela batsi: ‘Sikhetsele inkhosi leyawusibusa.’ Yena abengafuni kukwenta loko, ngoba inkhosi yabo kwakunguJehova. Kodvwa Jehova watsi akalalele loko bantfu labakushoko.