1, 2. Kwakukuphi futhi kunini ngesikhathi uSamuweli ekhuluma nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, futhi kungani kwakudingeka abenze baphenduke?

USAMUWELI wababuka ebusweni abantu bakubo. Isizwe sasihlangene emzini waseGiligali, sibizwe yile ndoda ethembekile eyayisikhonze amashumi eminyaka njengomprofethi nomahluleli. Kwakungu-May noma u-June ngokwekhalenda lethu elivamile; ubusika base buzophela. Amasimu akule ndawo ayesebomvana ngoba ukolweni wawusulungele ukuvunwa. Isixuku sathula sathi cwaka. USamuweli wayezozifinyelela kanjani izinhliziyo zaso?

² Abantu babengaqapheli ukuthi isimo sabo sasibucayi kangakanani. Babefune ngenkani ukuba nenkosi engumuntu ezobabusa. Babengaqondi ukuthi babedelele uNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova, nomprofethi wakhe. Eqinisweni base belahla uJehova njengeNkosi yabo! USamuweli wayezobenza kanjani baphenduke?

3, 4. (a) Kungani uSamuweli akhuluma ngobusha bakhe? (b) Kungani isibonelo sokholo sikaSamuweli siwusizo kithi namuhla?

³ USamuweli wabe esekhuluma. Watshela isixuku: “Sengigugile futhi ngimpunga.” Izinwele zakhe ezimpunga zenza ayekusho kwaba nesisindo. Wayesethi: “Ngihambile phambi kwenu kusukela ebusheni bami kuze kube yilolu suku.” (1 Sam. 11:14, 15; 12:2) Nakuba uSamuweli ayesekhulile, wayengakabukhohlwa ubusha bakhe. Izinsuku zobusha bakhe zazisakhanya bha engqondweni yakhe. Izinqumo ayezenze esakhula zazimholele ekuphileni ngokholo nangokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu wakhe, uJehova.

⁴ USamuweli kwadingeka akhe futhi alondoloze ukholo yize izikhathi eziningi ayenabantu ababengenalukholo nabangathembekile. Nanamuhla, kusenzima ukwakha ukholo ngoba siphila nabantu abangenalo ukholo nabakhohlakele. (Funda uLuka 18:8.) Ake sibone  ukuthi yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaSamuweli, siqale ngesikhathi esengumfana.

5, 6. Kungani singathi uSamuweli wakhula ngendlela engavamile, futhi kungani abazali bakhe babeqiniseka ukuthi uzonakekelwa?

⁵ USamuweli wakhula ngendlela engavamile. Ngemva nje kokuba elunyuliwe, mhlawumbe eneminyaka emithathu noma ngaphezudlwana, waqala ukukhonza etabernakele elingcwele likaJehova eShilo, eliqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-32 uma usuka kubo eRama. Abazali bakhe, u-Elkana noHana, banikela ngomfana wabo kuJehova ukuba ayokwenza inkonzo ekhethekile, okwamenza waba umNaziri ukuphila kwakhe konke. * Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi abazali bakhe babemlahla ngoba bengamthandi?

⁶ Lutho neze! Babazi ukuthi indodana yabo yayizonakekelwa eShilo. Akungabazeki ukuthi umPristi Ophakeme u-Eli nguye owayengamele, ngoba uSamuweli wayesebenza eduze naye. Kwakunabanye besifazane abaningi ababesiza etabernakele, cishe ngendlela ehlelekile.—Eks. 38:8; AbaHl. 11:34-40.

7, 8. (a) Unyaka nonyaka, abazali bakaSamuweli bamnika kanjani isikhuthazo sothando? (b) Yini abazali namuhla abangayifunda kubazali bakaSamuweli?

⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uHana no-Elkana abazange balikhohlwe izibulo labo abalithandayo, elalibe impendulo yomthandazo. UHana wayecele indodana kuNkulunkulu, wathembisa ukuthi uyonikela ngayo kuNkulunkulu yenze inkonzo engcwele. Unyaka nonyaka lapho uHana eyovakashela uSamuweli, wayemphathela ijazi elisha elingenamkhono ayemenzele lona ukuze alisebenzise enkonzweni yasetabernakele. Kumelwe ukuba lo mfanyana wayekujabulela lokho kuvakashelwa. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayesijabulela isikhuthazo sothando nesiqondiso sabazali bakhe njengoba babemfundisa ukuthi kuyilungelo kangakanani ukukhonza uJehova kuleyo ndawo ekhethekile.

⁸ Namuhla abazali bangafunda okuningi kuHana no-Elkana. Kuvamile ngabazali ukuba lapho bekhulisa abantwana bakhathalele kakhulu izinto ezibonakalayo, badebeselele izidingo ezingokomoya. Kodwa abazali bakaSamuweli babeka izinto ezingokomoya kuqala, futhi lokho kwaba nomthelela omkhulu ohlotsheni lwendoda umfana wabo akhula waba yilo.—Funda izAga 22:6.

9, 10. (a) Chaza itabernakele nemizwa kaSamuweli omncane ngale ndawo engcwele. (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.) (b) Kungenzeka yayihlanganisani imisebenzi kaSamuweli, futhi ucabanga ukuthi intsha namuhla ingasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sakhe?

⁹ Singambona ngeso lengqondo lo mfana ekhula ehambahamba  emagqumeni aseShilo. Uma ebuka laphaya phansi kulo muzi nasesigodini esendlaleke ngezansi kwawo, cishe inhliziyo yakhe yayichichima injabulo futhi eziqhayisa lapho ebona itabernakele likaJehova. Lelo tabernakele laliyindawo engcwele ngempela. * Lalakhiwe eminyakeni engaba ngu-400 ngaphambili ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaMose, futhi laliwukuphela kwesikhungo sokukhulekela uJehova okuhlanzekile emhlabeni.

¹⁰ USamuweli omncane wakhula elithanda itabernakele. Ekulandiseni akubhala kamuva, wathi: “USamuweli wayekhonza phambi kukaJehova, engumfana, ebhincé i-efodi lelineni.” (1 Sam. 2:18) Ngokusobala lelo jazi elingenamkhono lalibonisa ukuthi uSamuweli wayesiza abapristi etabernakele. Nakuba ayengeyena owesigaba sabapristi, imisebenzi yakhe yayihlanganisa ukuvula iminyango eya egcekeni letabernakele ekuseni nokunakekela u-Eli owayesekhulile. Nakuba ayewajabulela lawa malungelo, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kwaba khona okuhlupha inhliziyo yakhe emsulwa. Kukhona okwakungahambi neze neze kahle endlini kaJehova.

11, 12. (a) Yiliphi iphutha elikhulu elenziwa uHofini noFinehasi? (b) Yibuphi ububi nenkohlakalo uHofini noFinehasi ababekwenza etabernakele? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹¹ Lapho uSamuweli esemncane, wabona ububi obukhulu nenkohlakalo. U-Eli wayenamadodana amabili, uHofini noFinehasi. Ukulandisa kukaSamuweli kuthi: “Amadodana ka-Eli ayengabantu abangelusizo lwalutho; engamqapheli uJehova.” (1 Sam. 2:12) Amaphuzu amabili akuleli vesi ayahambisana. UHofini noFinehasi ‘babengabantu abangelusizo lwalutho’—ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ukuthi “amadodana angenamsebenzi walutho”—ngoba babengamhloniphi uJehova. Babengenandaba nezindinganiso nezimfuneko zakhe zokulunga. Lelo phutha laholela ekutheni benze ezinye izono.

¹² UMthetho kaNkulunkulu wawungagunci ngemisebenzi okwakumelwe yenziwe abapristi nangendlela okwakufanele banikele ngayo imihlatshelo etabernakele. Kwakunesizathu esihle salokho! Leyo mihlatshelo yayimelela amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu okuthethelela izono ukuze abantu bahlanzeke emehlweni akhe,  bathole isibusiso nesiqondiso sakhe. Kodwa uHofini noFinehasi benza abanye abapristi ukuba bangayihloniphi iminikelo. *

13, 14. (a) Abantu abaqotho kwabathinta kanjani ububi obabenziwa etabernakele? (b) Kungani singathi u-Eli wahluleka njengobaba nanjengompristi ophakeme?

¹³ Mbone ngeso lengqondo uSamuweli esehlahle amehlo, ebukele lobu bubi obukhulu bungalungiswa. Bangaki abantu ayebabona—kuhlanganise nabampofu, abaphansi nabacindezelwe—beze kulelo tabernakele elingcwele ngethemba lokuthola induduzo nokuqiniswa ngokomoya, kodwa bahambe bedumazekile, belimele futhi bephoxekile? Futhi wazizwa kanjani lapho ethola ukuthi uHofini noFinehasi babedelela nemithetho kaJehova yokuziphatha ngokobulili, njengoba babelala nabanye besifazane ababekhonza etabernakele? (1 Sam. 2:22) Mhlawumbe wayenethemba lokuthi u-Eli uzokwenza okuthile ngakho.

¹⁴ U-Eli wayesesimweni esihle kakhulu sokulungisa umonakalo owawuqhubeka. Njengompristi ophakeme, uyena owayenomthwalo wokubheka okwakwenzeka etabernakele. Njengobaba, wayenesibopho sokukhuza amadodana akhe. Phela ayezilimaza wona, elimaza nabanye abantu abaningi ezweni. Nokho, u-Eli wahluleka kuzo zombili lezi zindima, njengobaba nanjengompristi ophakeme. Wawakhuza ngezwi elithambile nangendlela yokugcina icala amadodana akhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 2:23-25.) Kodwa ayedinga iseluleko esiqine kakhulu. Ayenza izono ezifanelwe ukufa!

15. Yimuphi umyalezo onamandla uJehova awuthumela ku-Eli, futhi umndeni wakhe wasabela kanjani kuleso sixwayiso?

¹⁵ Izinto zaba zimbi nakakhulu kangangokuthi uJehova waze wathumela “umuntu kaNkulunkulu,” umprofethi ongabizwanga ngegama, ku-Eli ukuba amnike umyalezo oshubile wesahlulelo. UJehova wathi ku-Eli: “Ulokhu udumisa amadodana akho ngaphezu kwami.” UNkulunkulu wabikezela ukuthi amadodana ka-Eli akhohlakele ayezofa ngosuku olulodwa nokuthi umndeni ka-Eli wawuzojeziswa kakhulu, uze ulahlekelwe nayisikhundla esikhethekile esigabeni sabapristi. Ingabe lesi sixwayiso esinamandla salwenza ushintsho kulo mndeni? Ukulandisa kuveza ukuthi alubanga khona ushintsho.—1 Sam. 2:27–3:1.

16. (a) Yimiphi imibiko esiyithola ngokuphathelene nentuthuko kaSamuweli omncane? (b) Ingabe iyakujabulisa le mibiko? Chaza.

¹⁶ Yamthinta kanjani uSamuweli yonke le nkohlakalo? Kule ndaba  engajabulisi kudamane kuvela okuhle, izindaba ezinhle ngokukhula nentuthuko kaSamuweli. Khumbula ukuthi kweyoku-1 Samuweli 2:18, sifunde ukuthi uSamuweli “wayekhonza” ngokwethembeka “phambi kukaJehova, engumfana.” Ngisho nangaleso sikhathi esemncane, uSamuweli wayephilela inkonzo kaNkulunkulu. Evesini 21 lesahluko esifanayo, sifunda okuthile okuthinta inhliziyo nakakhulu: “Umfana uSamuweli waqhubeka ekhula enoJehova.” Njengoba ekhula, ubuhlobo bakhe noYise wasezulwini baqina. Ukuba nobuhlobo obuseduze kanjalo noJehova kuyisivikelo esiqinisekile kunoma yiluphi uhlobo lwenkohlakalo.

17, 18. (a) Intsha engamaKristu ingasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaSamuweli lapho ibona inkohlakalo? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uSamuweli wakhetha inkambo efanele?

¹⁷ Kwakungaba lula ngoSamuweli ukucabanga ukuthi uma umpristi ophakeme namadodana akhe bona, naye wayengenza akuthandayo. Kodwa inkohlakalo yabanye, kuhlanganise nalabo abasemagunyeni, ayizona izaba zokona. Namuhla, intsha eningi engamaKristu ilandela isibonelo sikaSamuweli iqhubeke ‘ikhula inoJehova’—ngisho noma abayizungezile behluleka ukubabekela isibonelo esihle.

¹⁸ Waba yini umphumela wokulalela kukaSamuweli uJehova? Siyafunda: “Sonke leso sikhathi umfana uSamuweli wayelokhu ekhula futhi ethandeka ngokwengeziwe kuJehova nakubantu.” (1 Sam. 2:26) Ngakho uSamuweli wayethandwa, okungenani babemthanda labo ayeyazisa imibono yabo. UJehova ngokwakhe wayemazisa lo mfana ngenxa yenkambo yakhe yokwethembeka. Futhi uSamuweli wayeqiniseka ukuthi uNkulunkulu wakhe wayezobuqeda bonke ububi obabenzeka eShilo, kodwa mhlawumbe  wayezibuza ukuthi uzobuqeda nini. Ngobunye ubusuku imibuzo efuze leyo yaphenduleka.

19, 20. (a) Chaza okwenzeka kuSamuweli ngobunye ubusuku etabernakele. (b) USamuweli wathola kanjani ukuthi izwi livela kubani, futhi wayemphatha kanjani u-Eli?

¹⁹ Kwakusempondozankomo; isibani esikhulu setende sisalokoza. Kwakuthule kuthe cwaka, uSamuweli wezwa izwi limbiza. Wacabanga ukuthi ubizwa u-Eli, owayesekhule kakhulu namehlo akhe eseqala ukunqundeka. USamuweli wavuka “wagijima” waya ku-Eli. Uyambona lo mfanyana ngeso lengqondo egijima engafake zimbadada eyobheka ukuthi u-Eli udingani? Kuthinta inhliziyo ukuphawula ukuthi uSamuweli wayemphatha ngenhlonipho nangomusa u-Eli. Naphezu kwazo zonke izono zakhe, u-Eli wayesengumpristi ophakeme kaJehova.—1 Sam. 3:2-5.

²⁰ USamuweli wavusa u-Eli, wathi: “Ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile.” Kodwa u-Eli wathi akambizanga, wayesethi akaphindele embhedeni. Kwenzeka into efanayo okwesibili nokwesithathu! Ekugcineni, u-Eli wakuqonda okwakwenzeka. Kwase kuqabukela ukuba uJehova athumele umbono noma isigijimi esiyisiprofetho kubantu bakhe, futhi kulula ukubona ukuthi kungani. Kodwa u-Eli wayazi ukuthi uJehova wayesekhuluma futhi—manje esekhuluma kulo mfana! U-Eli wathi uSamuweli akabuyele embhedeni, wayesemtshela ukuthi aphendule athini. USamuweli walalela. Ngokushesha wezwa izwi limbiza: “Samuweli, Samuweli!” Umfana waphendula: “Khuluma, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.”—1 Sam. 3:1, 5-10.

21. Singamlalela kanjani uJehova namhlanje, futhi kungani kuzuzisa?

²¹ Ekugcineni uJehova wayesenayo inceku elalelayo eShilo. Ukulalela uJehova kwaba indlela kaSamuweli yokuphila. Ingabe kunjalo nakuwe? Thina akudingeki silinde izwi elithile eliyisimangaliso elizokhuluma nathi ebusuku. Namuhla izwi likaNkulunkulu lihlale likhona. Silithola eZwini lakhe eliphelele iBhayibheli. Uma silalela uNkulunkulu futhi senza akufunayo, ukholo lwethu luyokhula nakakhulu. Kwenzeka okufanayo nakuSamuweli.

22, 23. (a) Sagcwaliseka kanjani isigijimi uSamuweli ayesaba ukusidlulisa? (b) Kungani singathi idumela likaSamuweli laqhubeka likhula?

²² Lobo busuku eShilo babuyingqophamlando ekuphileni kukaSamuweli ngoba ngaleso sikhathi waqala ukwazi uJehova ngendlela ekhethekile, waba umprofethi kaNkulunkulu nomkhulumeli wakhe. Ekuqaleni, lo mfana wayesaba ukudlulisela isigijimi sikaJehova ku-Eli, ngoba kwase kungesokugcina esasithi isiprofetho esiphathelene nomndeni wakhe sase sizogcwaliseka. Kodwa uSamuweli waqunga isibindi—futhi u-Eli wasamukela ngentobeko isahlulelo saphezulu. Kungakapheli sikhathi, konke uJehova ayekushilo kwagcwaliseka: U-Israyeli walwa namaFilisti, uHofini noFinehasi babulawa ngosuku olulodwa,  u-Eli naye wafa lapho ezwa ukuthi uMphongolo ongcwele kaJehova uthunjiwe.—1 Sam. 3:10-18; 4:1-18.

²³ Idumela likaSamuweli lokuba umprofethi othembekile lona lakhula. Ukulandisa kuthi: “UJehova waba naye,” bese kwenezela ukuthi uJehova akavumelanga ngisho nesisodwa eziprofethweni zakhe ukuba singagcwaliseki.—Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 3:19.

24. Isiphi isinqumo esenziwa ama-Israyeli ekuhambeni kwesikhathi, futhi kungani lokho kwakuyisono esingathí sina?

²⁴ Ingabe ama-Israyeli asilandela isibonelo sikaSamuweli futhi aba abantu abangokomoya nabathembekile? Akunjalo. Ekuhambeni kwesikhathi anquma ukuthi awasafuni ukwahlulelwa umprofethi. Afuna ukufana nezinye izizwe abe nenkosi engumuntu ezowabusa. Eqondiswa uJehova, uSamuweli wenza ngokwesicelo sawo. Kodwa kwadingeka awabonise ukuthi ayenza isono esingathí sina. Ayehlamuka uJehova ngokwakhe, hhayi umuntu nje! Ngakho uSamuweli wawabizela eGiligali.

25, 26. Ngesikhathi beseGiligali, ikhehla elinguSamuweli labasiza kanjani abantu bakubo babone ukuthi babenze isono esingathí sina kuJehova?

²⁵ Asiphindele kulowaya mzuzu owawushubile ngesikhathi uSamuweli ekhuluma nama-Israyeli eGiligali. Lapho, ikhehla elinguSamuweli lakhumbuza ama-Israyeli ngokuhlala kwalo lithembekile futhi liqotho. Sibe sesifunda: “USamuweli wabiza uJehova.” Wacela uJehova ukuba alethe ukuduma nemvula.—1 Sam. 12:17, 18.

²⁶ Ukuduma nemvula? Ngenkathi okungeyona eyemvula? Hhawu, into enjalo ingenzeka kanjani! Uma kwakubonakala kuwukuphupha emini noma kuyihlaya lokho kubantu, akuhlalanga isikhathi eside. Ngokushesha isibhakabhaka sagqunqa saba mnyama. Kwavunguza imimoya yalalisa phansi ukolweni emasimini. Izulu laduma laqeqebula, laduma landindizela. Lase liyithela. Benzenjani abantu? “Bonke abantu bamesaba kakhulu uJehova noSamuweli.” Ekugcineni, kwabacacela ukuthi babenze isono esingathí sina.—1 Sam. 12:18, 19.

27. UJehova uzizwa kanjani ngalabo abalingisa ukholo lukaSamuweli?

²⁷ Akuyena uSamuweli, kodwa uNkulunkulu wakhe uJehova, owayefinyelele izinhliziyo zabo ezidlubulundayo. Kusukela esemusha aze abe yikhehla, uSamuweli wayenokholo kuNkulunkulu. Futhi uJehova wamvuza. Kuze kube namuhla, uJehova akashintshile. Usabasekela abantu abalingisa ukholo lukaSamuweli.