1-3. (a) U-Esteri wayezizwa kanjani njengoba esondela esihlalweni sobukhosi somyeni wakhe? (b) Inkosi yasabela kanjani lapho ibona u-Esteri?

U-ESTERI wasondela kancane esihlalweni sobukhosi, inhliziyo yakhe ishaya ngamandla. Cabanga ngokuthula okukhulu okwaba khona ekamelweni elikhulu lasebukhosini esigodlweni sasePheresiya eShushani, ukuthula okwakungenza u-Esteri ezwe umsindo wezinyawo zakhe nomsindo wemvunulo yakhe yasebukhosini. Wayengenakuphazanyiswa ubucwazicwazi basesigodlweni, izinsika ezinhle, uphahla lwangaphakathi olwenziwe ngemisedari yaseLebhanoni. Wanaka indoda eyayihleli esihlalweni sobukhosi, eyayizonquma ukuthi uyaphila yini noma uyafa.

² Inkosi yambukisisa u-Esteri njengoba esondela, yelulela kuye intonga yegolide. Kwakuyisenzo esilula, kodwa sasisho ukusinda kuka-Esteri ngoba ngaleso senzo inkosi yayisho ukuthi iyamxolela ngokwephula umthetho—umthetho wokungena phambi kwenkosi ingambizanga. Njengoba efika esihlalweni sobukhosi, u-Esteri welula ingalo wathinta isihloko sentonga, ebonisa ukubonga.—Est. 5:1, 2.

³ Yonke into ephathelene neNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yayibonisa ukuthi icaphuna kusale futhi inamandla amakhulu. Isembatho sasebukhosini esasigqokwa amakhosi asePheresiya ngalezo zikhathi kuthiwa sasibiza amakhulu ezigidi zamarandi namuhla. Nokho, u-Esteri wabona uthando emehlweni omyeni wakhe; yona bandla inkosi yayimthanda umkayo ngendlela yayo. Yathi: “O Esteri ndlovukazi, ukhala ngani, futhi siyini isicelo sakho? Ngisho noma kungaba yingxenye yobukhosi—mawusinikwe nokusinikwa!”—Est. 5:3.

4. Yiziphi izinselele u-Esteri ayesazobhekana nazo?

⁴ U-Esteri wayesebonise ukholo nesibindi esiphawulekayo; wayeye phambi kwenkosi ukuze avikele abantu bakubo ecebweni lokubaqothula. Kuze kube manje, izinto zazimhambele kahle, kodwa kwakusenezinselele ezinkulu nakakhulu. Kwakusafanele akholise le nkosi eqhoshayo ukuthi umeluleki wayo emethemba kakhulu uyindoda ekhohlakele, eyayikhohlise inkosi ukuze inikele abantu bakubo ka-Esteri ekufeni. Wayezoyikholisa kanjani, futhi yini esingayifunda okholweni lwakhe?

5, 6. (a) U-Esteri wasisebenzisa kanjani isimiso esikumShumayeli 3:1, 7? (b) U-Esteri wakubonisa kanjani ukuhlakanipha endleleni akhuluma ngayo nomyeni wakhe?

⁵ Ingabe u-Esteri kwakufanele ngabe wayisho yonke inkinga phambi kwabo bonke ababekhona? Ukwenza kanjalo kwakungenzeka kuyehlise isithunzi inkosi futhi kunike uHamani ithuba lokuphika lawo macala. Pho wenzenjani u-Esteri? Emakhulwini eminyaka ngaphambili, inkosi ehlakaniphile uSolomoni yaphefumulelwa ukuba ibhale: “Kukhona isikhathi esimisiwe sayo yonke into, . . . isikhathi sokuthula nesikhathi sokukhuluma.” (UmSh. 3:1, 7) Singambona ngeso lengqondo ubaba ka-Esteri wokutholwa, indoda ethembekile uMoridekayi, efundisa le ntokazi izimiso ezinjalo njengoba ayeyikhulisa. Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Esteri wayekwazi ukubaluleka kokukhetha ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma.’

⁶ U-Esteri wathi: “Uma kubonakala kukuhle enkosini, inkosi mayize noHamani namuhla edilini engiyilungiselele lona.” (Est. 5:4) Inkosi yasamukela isicelo, yathi makubizwe uHamani. Uyayibona  indlela ehlakaniphile akhuluma ngayo u-Esteri? Walondoloza isithunzi somyeni wakhe, wahlela isikhathi esikahle sokuveza okumhluphayo.—Funda izAga 10:19.

7, 8. Lalinjani idili lokuqala lika-Esteri, kodwa kungani aqhuba isikhathi wangakhuluma nenkosi?

⁷ Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Esteri wasilungiselela ngendlela econsisa amathe leso sidlo, waqikelela ukuthi kukhona konke okuthandwa umyeni wakhe. Kuleli dili kwakukhona newayini lezinga eliphezulu ukuze lenze kube nomoya wentokozo. (IHu. 104:15) U-Ahashiveroshi wayejabule kakhulu, waze waphinda wabuza u-Esteri ukuthi siyini isicelo sakhe. Ingabe kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba akhulume?

⁸ Ngokuka-Esteri kwakungesona. Kunalokho, waphinde wacela inkosi noHamani ukuba beze edilini lesibili ngakusasa. (Est. 5:7, 8) Kungani aqhuba isikhathi? Khumbula, inkosi yayikhiphe umyalo wokuba bonke abantu bakubo ka-Esteri babulawe. Njengoba isimo sasilubhojozi kanje, kwakufanele aqikelele ukuthi isikhathi akhuluma ngaso sifanele. Ngakho walinda, wenza elinye ithuba lokubonisa indlela amhlonipha namazisa kakhulu ngayo umyeni wakhe.

9. Sibaluleke ngani isineke, futhi singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sika-Esteri kulokhu?

 ⁹ Isineke siyimfanelo eyivelakancane neyigugu. Nakuba ayekhathazekile futhi esha amashushu ngokwazisa inkosi inkinga, u-Esteri waba nesineke walinda ithuba elifanele. Singafunda okukhulu esibonelweni sakhe ngoba sonke cishe siye sazibona izinto ezidinga ukulungiswa. Uma sifuna ukubonisa umuntu osegunyeni ukuthi kumelwe alungise inkinga ethile, kungase kudingeke silingise u-Esteri sibonise isineke. IzAga 25:15 zithi: “Umlawuli unxenxwa ngesineke, nolimi olumnene lungaliphula ithambo.” Uma silinda ngesineke isikhathi esifanele bese sikhuluma ngobumnene, njengoba kwenza u-Esteri, ngisho nokuphikiswa okulukhuni njengethambo kungathanjiswa. Ingabe uNkulunkulu ka-Esteri, uJehova, wambusisa ngokubonisa isineke nokuhlakanipha?

10, 11. Kungani umoya kaHamani washintsha lapho eshiya idili lokuqala, futhi umkakhe nabangane bakhe bamgqugquzela ukuba enzeni?

¹⁰ Ukuba nesineke kuka-Esteri kwaholela ezenzakalweni ezimangalisayo.  UHamani washiya idili lokuqala ethokozile, “ejabula futhi eneme enhliziyweni” ngokuthi inkosi nendlovukazi bambonise umusa omkhulu. Njengoba edlula esangweni lasesigodlweni, wabona uMoridekayi, umJuda owayesanqaba namanje ukumkhothamela. Njengoba sibonile esihlokweni esedlule, izizathu zikaMoridekayi zokungamkhothameli zazingahlangene nokungahloniphi, zazihlangene nonembeza wakhe nobuhlobo bakhe noJehova uNkulunkulu. Kepha “masinyane uHamani wagcwala intukuthelo.”—Est. 5:9.

¹¹ Lapho uHamani etshela umkakhe nabangane bakhe ngalokhu kweyiswa, bamgqugquzela ukuba enze isigxobo esiyizingalo ezingamashumi amahlanu ukuphakama, abese ecela imvume yenkosi ukuba uMoridekayi aphanyekwe kuso. UHamani walithanda leli icebo labo, ngaso leso sikhathi wayala ukuba senziwe.—Est. 5:12-14.

12. Kungani inkosi yafuna ukufundelwa incwadi enemibhalo yoMbuso, futhi yatholani?

¹² Phakathi naleso sikhathi, inkosi yaba nobusuku obungajwayelekile. IBhayibheli lithi, “inkosi yaqwasha,” ngakho yathi mayifundelwe incwadi enemibhalo yoMbuso. Okwafundwa kwahlanganisa nombiko wozungu lokubulala u-Ahashiveroshi. Walukhumbula lolo zungu; abantu ababefuna ukumbulala babanjwa babulawa. Kodwa kuthiwani ngendoda eyembula leli cebo—uMoridekayi? Inkosi yabuza ukuthi uMoridekayi wavuzwa kanjani. Impendulo? Akenzelwanga lutho.—Funda u-Esteri 6:1-3.

13, 14. (a) Izinto zaqala kanjani ukumhambela kabi uHamani? (b) UmkaHamani nabangane bakhe bathini kuye?

¹³ Ikhathazekile, inkosi yabuza ukuthi yiziphi izikhulu zegceke ezazingamsiza alungise leli phutha. Kubo bonke abantu ababengase babe segcekeni lenkosi, kwakukhona uHamani—kubonakala sengathi wayefike ekuseni ezocela imvume yokubulala uMoridekayi. Kodwa ngaphambi kokuba uHamani enze isicelo sakhe, inkosi yambuza ukuthi yini engenzelwa umuntu inkosi ethanda ukumdumisa. UHamani wacabanga ukuthi inkosi isho yena. Ngakho waqhamuka nombono wokuba lowo muntu aphakanyiswe: Makembathiswe isembatho sasebukhosini, agitsheliswe ihhashi lenkosi, esinye sezikhulu zenkosi simhambise kuwo wonke umuzi waseShushani sihambe simthopha kuzwe bonke abantu. Bubone ngeso lengqondo ubuso bukaHamani lapho ethola ukuthi indoda eyayizodunyiswa uMoridekayi! Futhi ubani inkosi eyamthuma ukuba adumise uMoridekayi? UHamani uqobo lwakhe!—Est. 6:4-10.

¹⁴ UHamani wasenza ezihudula lesi sabelo esasimnenga kakhulu, wayesephuthuma ekhaya enenhliziyo ebuhlungu. Umkakhe nabangane bakhe bathi lokhu kushintsha kwezinto kwakuyibika lokubi; wayengeke aphumelele uHamani njengoba ayezimisele ukulwa noMoridekayi umJuda.—Est. 6:12, 13.

15. (a) Isineke sika-Esteri saba namuphi umphumela omuhle? (b) Kungani kuhlakaniphile ngathi ukubonisa ‘isimo sengqondo sokulinda’?

 ¹⁵ Ngenxa yokuthi u-Esteri waba nesineke, walinda olunye usuku ukuze ethule isicelo sakhe enkosini, uHamani wathola ithuba lokuzimbela igodi. Ngeke yini kwenzeke nokuthi nguJehova uNkulunkulu owabangela ukuqwasha kwenkosi? (IzAga 21:1) Akumangalisi-ke ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu lisikhuthaza ukuba sibonise ‘isimo sengqondo sokulinda’! (Funda uMika 7:7.) Lapho silinda uNkulunkulu, singathola ukuthi isisombululo sakhe ezinkingeni zethu sikwedlula kude kakhulu lokho ebesingakwenza thina.

16, 17. (a) Safika nini ‘isikhathi’ sokuba u-Esteri ‘akhulume’? (b) U-Esteri wayehluke kanjani kulowo owayeyinkosikazi yenkosi uVashiti?

¹⁶ U-Esteri wayengeke alokothe adlale ngesineke senkosi; edilini lesibili, kwakufanele ayitshele konke. Kodwa kanjani? Inkosi iyona eyamnika ithuba, yaphinde yambuza ukuthi siyini isicelo sakhe. (Est. 7:2) ‘Isikhathi’ sokuba u-Esteri ‘akhulume’ sase sifikile.

¹⁷ Singamcabanga u-Esteri ethandaza ngenhliziyo kuNkulunkulu wakhe ngaphambi kokusho la mazwi: “O nkosi, uma ngitholé umusa emehlweni akho, futhi uma kubonakala kukuhle enkosini, manginikwe umphefumulo wami siqu ngokukhala kwami nabantu bakithi ngesicelo sami.” (Est. 7:3) Phawula ukuthi waqinisekisa inkosi ngokuthi uyasihlonipha isinqumo sayo ngalokho okubonakala kukuhle. Yeka indlela u-Esteri ayehluke ngayo kuVashiti, owayekade eyinkosikazi yenkosi futhi emhlambalaze ngamabomu umyeni wakhe! (Est. 1:10-12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Esteri akazange ayigxeke inkosi ngobuwula bayo bokwethemba uHamani. Kunalokho, wancenga inkosi ukuba imvikele engozini eyayizomehlela.

18. U-Esteri wayiveza kanjani inkinga enkosini?

 ¹⁸ Leso sicelo sayithinta ngempela inhliziyo yenkosi futhi sayimangaza. Ubani nje owayengalinge afake indlovukazi yayo engozini? U-Esteri waqhubeka: “Sithengisiwe, mina nabantu bakithi, ukuba sibhuqwe, sibulawe futhi sibhujiswe. Manje ukube besithengiselwe ukuba sibe nje yizigqila nezincekukazi, bengizothula. Kodwa lolu sizi alufanelekile uma luzodalela inkosi umonakalo.” (Est. 7:4) Phawula ukuthi u-Esteri wayiveza ngokwethembeka inkinga, kodwa wanezela ukuthi ubezothula ukube bebezoba yizigqila nje kuphela. Lokhu kuqothulwa kwabantu kwakuzoyilahlekisela kwayona inkosi uma ethula.

19. Yini esingayifunda ku-Esteri mayelana nekhono lokukholisa?

¹⁹ Isibonelo sika-Esteri sisifundisa okukhulu ngekhono lokukholisa. Uma kungase kudingeke uveze inkinga engathí sina kumuntu omthandayo noma osegunyeni, isineke, inhlonipho nokungafihli lutho kungasiza kakhulu.—IzAga 16:21, 23.

20, 21. (a) U-Esteri wamdalula kanjani uHamani, inkosi yasabela kanjani? (b) UHamani wenzenjani lapho edalulwa ukuthi uyiqili eliyigwala?

²⁰ U-Ahashiveroshi wabuza: “Ubani lowo, futhi uphi nje lowo muntu oqunge isibindi sokwenza ngaleyo ndlela?” Mcabange u-Esteri ekhomba uHamani njengoba ethi: “Umuntu, umphikisi nesitha, yilo Hamani omubi.” Kazi yayizozala nkomoni! UHamani wajuluka waba manzi uvalo. Yibone ngeso lengqondo inkosi ivuka umbhejazana njengoba ithola ukuthi umeluleki wayo emethembayo uyikhohlisile wayenza yagunyaza umthetho owawuzobulala umkayo emthandayo! Inkosi yaphuma ingqangqa yaya engadini isayopholisa ikhanda.—Est. 7:5-7.

²¹ UHamani, esevezwe obala ukuthi uyiqili eliyigwala, wazincengela endlovukazini. Lapho inkosi ibuyela endlini ibona uHamani  esesihlalweni esisambhede sika-Esteri encenga, yathukuthela yathi uHamani uzama ukudlwengula indlovukazi phakathi emzini wenkosi. Lokho kwasho ukuthi selimshonele uHamani. Wakhishwa endlini embozwe ubuso. Esinye sezikhulu zenkosi satshela inkosi ngesigxobo esikhulu uHamani ayesenzele uMoridekayi. Ngaso leso sikhathi u-Ahashiveroshi wayala ukuba uHamani alengiswe kuso.—Est. 7:8-10.

22. Isibonelo sika-Esteri singasifundisa kanjani ukuba singalahli ithemba noma siphelelwe ukholo?

²² Ezweni lanamuhla elingenabulungisa, kulula ukuvele sicabange ukuthi asisoze sabubona ubulungisa. Wake wazizwa ngaleyo ndlela? U-Esteri akalilahlanga ithemba futhi akazange aphelelwe ukholo. Lapho isikhathi sifika, ngesibindi wamelela okulungile, wayeseshiyela konke kuJehova. Kwangathi nathi singenza okufanayo! UJehova akakashintshi kusukela ngesikhathi sika-Esteri. Njengoba enza kuHamani, usakwazi ukubamba abantu ababi ngamacebo abo.—Funda iHubo 7:11-16.

23. (a) Inkosi yabavuza kanjani oMoridekayi no-Esteri? (b) Sagcwaliseka kanjani isiprofetho uJakobe asisho kuBhenjamini esezokufa? (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “ Isiprofetho Esagcwaliseka.”)

²³ Ekugcineni, inkosi yathola ukuthi wayengubani uMoridekayi—wayengeyena nje kuphela umuntu othembekile owamvikela etulweni lokumbulala kodwa futhi wayengubaba ka-Esteri wokutholwa. U-Ahashiveroshi wanika uMoridekayi isikhundla sikaHamani sokuba undunankulu. Indlu kaHamani—kuhlanganise nengcebo yakhe eningi—inkosi yayinika u-Esteri, yena wamisa uMoridekayi phezu kwayo.—Est. 8:1, 2.

24, 25. (a) Ngemva kokudalulwa kwecebo likaHamani, kungani u-Esteri engayekanga ukukhathazeka? (b) U-Esteri wakufaka kanjani ukuphila kwakhe engozini okwesibili?

²⁴ Manje njengoba u-Esteri noMoridekayi base bephephile, sasisekhona yini isidingo sokuba indlovukazi ikhathazeke? Yayingeke ikhathazeke ukube yayizicabangela yona yodwa. Ngaleso sikhathi, umyalo kaHamani wokubulala wonke amaJuda wawusendleleni uya ezingxenyeni ezikude zombuso. UHamani wayenze inkatho,  noma iPhure—okuwuhlobo oluthile lokusebenzelana nemimoya—ukuze athole isikhathi esikahle sokwenza lesi senzo esinesihluku. (Est. 9:24-26) Kwakusasele izinyanga ngaphambi kokuba kufike lolo suku, kodwa lwalusondela ngokushesha. Sasisengagwemeka yini lesi sibhicongo?

²⁵ U-Esteri wabonisa ukuthi akanabo ubugovu, waphinde wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngokuya phambi kwenkosi ingambizanga. Kulokhu, wakhalela abantu bakubo, encenga umyeni wakhe ukuba achithe lo mthetho omubi. Kodwa imithetho eyayishaywe egameni lenkosi yasePheresiya yayingachithwa. (Dan. 6:12, 15) Ngakho inkosi yanika u-Esteri noMoridekayi amandla okumisa umthetho omusha. Kwakhishwa umthetho omusha onika amaJuda ilungelo lokuzivikela. Izithunywa zaphuthuma ngamahhashi zaya kuzo zonke izinkalo zombuso, ziyisa lezi zindaba ezinhle kumaJuda. Lase likhona ithemba ngamaJuda. (Est. 8:3-16) Singawacabanga amaJuda akuwo wonke lo mbuso omkhulu ehloma elungela impi, into ayengeke ayenze ngaphandle komthetho omusha. Okubaluleke nakakhulu kodwa, ingabe ‘uJehova wamabutho’ wayezobasekela abantu bakhe?—1 Sam. 17:45.

26, 27. (a) UJehova wenza abantu bakhe bazinqoba kakhulu kangakanani izitha zabo? (b) Yisiphi isiprofetho esagcwaliseka ngokubulawa kwamadodana kaHamani?

 ²⁶ Lapho lufika olwamanqamu, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babemi ngomumo. Ngisho nezikhulu eziningi zasePheresiya zase zingasohlangothini lwabo, kwazise zase zifike kude naseduze izindaba eziphathelene nondunankulu omusha, uMoridekayi umJuda. UJehova wenza abantu bakhe banqoba. Akungatshazwa ukuthi wavikela abantu bakhe ngokwenza izitha zabo zife ziphele nya ukuze zingaziphindiseleli kubantu bakhe. *—Est. 9:1-6.

²⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMoridekayi wayengeke akwazi ukwengamela umuzi kaHamani uma amadodana ale ndoda ekhohlakele ayesaphila. Nawo abulawa. (Est. 9:7-10) Ngaleyo ndlela kwagcwaliseka isiprofetho seBhayibheli, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayekubikezele ukucekwa kwesizwe sama-Amaleki, esasizibonakalise siyizitha ezikhohlakele zabantu bakhe. (Dut. 25:17-19) Kungenzeka ukuthi amadodana kaHamani ayengabokugcina ngci kuleso sizwe esilahliwe.

28, 29. (a) Kungani kwakuyintando kaJehova ukuba u-Esteri nabantu bakubo bahlanganyele empini? (b) Kungani isibonelo sika-Esteri siyisibusiso kithi namuhla?

²⁸ Nakuba ayemncane, u-Esteri kwadingeka athwale imithwalo esindayo—njengemithetho yasebukhosini ehilela izimpi nokubulala. Kumelwe ukuba kwakungelula neze. Kodwa intando kaJehova yayiwukuba abantu bakhe bavikelwe bangabulawa; isizwe sakwa-Israyeli kwakumelwe siveze uMesiya othenjisiwe, owukuphela kwethemba lesintu! (Gen. 22:18) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla ziyajabula ngokwazi ukuthi lapho uMesiya, uJesu, esemhlabeni, wabenqabela abalandeli bakhe kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuze kube manje, ukuba bahlanganyele ezimpini ezingokwenyama.—Math. 26:52.

²⁹ Noma kunjalo, amaKristu ayahlanganyela empini engokomoya; uSathane uzimisele kunanini ngaphambili ukuqeda ukholo lwethu kuJehova uNkulunkulu. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 10:3, 4.) Yeka isibusiso okuyiso ukuba nesibonelo esingu-Esteri! Njengaye, kwangathi singabonisa ukholo ngendlela ehlakaniphile nebonisa isineke esisebenzisa ngayo ikhono lokukholisa, ngesibindi sethu, nangokuzimisela kwethu okungenabugovu ukulwela abantu bakaNkulunkulu.