1-3. (a) Kwakulula yini ukuthi u-Esta alande umkakhe esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi? Chaza. (b) Inkosi yamemukela njani u-Esta?

U-ESTA wasondela esihlalweni sobukhosi, uvalo selumvavatha kungathi luzamlahla phansi. Mhlawumbe endlini le enkulu yesikhosini eyayingaphakathi kwesigodlo saseSusa ePhesiya kwakuthule cwaka okokuthi nxa u-Esta wayehamba wayezizwa izisinde zakhe kanye lomsindo wezigqoko zakhe zasesikhosini. Kwakulemiduli emihle okwamagama kanye lophahla olubabazekayo olwaluceciswe ngamapulanka omsedari ayevela khonale eLebhanoni. Kodwa lesi kwakungayisiso sikhathi sokubukana lezinto lezi. Amehlo akhe wawathi nhlo enkosini eyayihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi. Phela yiyo eyayiphethe ukuphila kwakhe.

² Layo yamkhangela imuthe nzo u-Esta, yasiselulela kuye intonga yayo yegolide. Isenzo lesi sasingakhanya singatsho lutho kodwa sasindisa ukuphila kwakhe. Inkosi yayisitsho ukuthi ayisoze imgwebele icala lokufika kuyo ingambizanga. Wasondela-ke u-Esta esihlalweni sobukhosi, wathinta isihloko sentonga. Kumele ukuthi wayeyibonga inkosi enhliziyweni yakhe.—Esta. 5:1, 2.

³ Kwakuzikhanyela ukuthi iNkosi u-Ahasuweru yayilamandla amakhulu njalo iyisipatsha. Amakhosi ePhesiya ayegqoka impahla zesikhosini ezazingabiza amakhulu amamiliyoni amadola ngemali yalamuhla. U-Esta wayikhangela inkosi wazibonela ukuthi yayimthanda. Yathi: “Kutheni Ndlovukazi Esta? Kuyini okucelayo na? Uzanikwa loba yini, okungafika kungxenye yombuso.”—Esta. 5:3.

4. U-Esta kwasekumele enzeni?

⁴ U-Esta wayesevele ekuvezile ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo kanye lesibindi. Wayelande inkosi esiyakhulumela isizwe sakibo ukuze singathanyelwa siqedwe. Izinto zaya ngasifudlana kodwa kwakulomunye umsebenzi onzima okwasekumele awenze. Kwakumele atshele inkosi le eyayizikhukhumeza ukuthi umeluleki wayo eyayimthembile wayeyiqilile yacina ikhipha isigwebo sokuthi abantu bakibo ka-Esta babulawe. Pho wayezalubeka njani udaba lwakhe ukuze inkosi imkholwe? Kanti njalo indaba yowesifazana lo owayelokholo ingasifundisani?

5, 6. (a) U-Esta wasisebenzisa njani isimiso esikumTshumayeli 3:1, 7? (b) U-Esta watshengisa njani ukuthi wayehlakaniphile ngesikhathi ekhuluma lomkakhe?

⁵ Kwakuqondile yini ukuthi u-Esta aluhlinzele ebandla udaba lwakhe, phambi kwabo bonke ababesesigodlweni? Nxa wayengaluchaya enkundleni, mhlawumbe inkosi yayingayangeka njalo uHamani umeluleki wayo wayeyahle athole itshoba lokuziphungela. Manje wenzani u-Esta? Endulo iNkosi uSolomoni eyayihlakaniphile yaphefumulelwa ukuthi ibhale amazwi athi: ‘Zonke izinto zilesikhathi sazo. Isikhathi sokuthula lesikhathi sokukhuluma.’ (UmTshu. 3:1, 7) Kumele ukuthi uModekhayi wayemfundisile u-Esta izimiso ezinjengalezi njengoba wayeyindoda ethembekileyo futhi kunguye owamkhulisayo. U-Esta wayekwazi ukuthi kuqakatheke kakhulu ukukhetha ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma’ esifaneleyo.

⁶ Yikho-ke wathi: “Nxa inkosi ithokoza ngalokhu, bengicela ukuthi inkosi, kanye loHamani beze lamhla edilini engililungisele yona.”  (Esta. 5:4) Inkosi yavuma yasisithi uHamani abizwe. Amazwi ka-Esta atshengisa ukuthi wayehlakaniphile sibili. Wamnika isithunzi umkakhe futhi wahlela ukuthi bakhulumele endaweni efaneleyo, ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.—Bala iZaga 10:19.

7, 8. Kwakunjani edilini lika-Esta lokuqala, njalo kungani engazange ahle atshele inkosi udaba lwakhe?

⁷ Uyambona yini u-Esta elungiselela idili futhi esiba leqiniso lokuthi kuba lokudla okukhwabithekayo okuthandwa ngumkakhe? Edilini leli kwakulewayini elimnandi elalizakwenza ukuthi abantu bathokoze. (Hubo. 104:15) U-Ahasuweru wakholisa waze wambuza futhi u-Esta ukuthi ulesikhalazo bani. Sasesifikile yini isikhathi sokuthi akhulume?

⁸ U-Esta wakubona kungcono ukuthi angaphangi umdaka izulu lingakani. Ngakho-ke wanxusa inkosi loHamani ukuthi babuye kwelinye idili ngelanga elilandelayo. (Esta. 5:7, 8) Kanti kungani engazange ahle akhulume? Khumbula ukuthi abakibo ka-Esta basebezabulawa ngoba uHamani wayethole imvumo enkosini yokubulala wonke amaJuda. Yikho-ke u-Esta kwakumele akhethe isikhathi sokukhuluma  esifaneleyo ngoba nxa wayengawalazela kwakungafa abantu abanengi. Walinda ukuze athole elinye ithuba lokutshengisa umkakhe ukuthi wayemhlonipha kakhulu.

9. Ukubekezela kuqakatheke ngani, njalo singamlingisela njani u-Esta endabeni le?

⁹ Lamuhla balutshwana kakhulu abantu ababekezelayo kodwa ukubekezela kuqakatheke kakhulu. U-Esta walinda saze safika isikhathi esifaneleyo lanxa wayekhathazekile kusithi alibhoboze ithumba leli elalimfuthela. Lathi singafunda okunengi kuye ngoba phose sonke siyake sibone okuthile okunxele esiyabe sifisa ukuthi kuqondiswe. Nxa kulomuntu osesikhundleni esifuna ukuthi asixakululele udaba olusihluphayo, kungaba kuhle ukuthi sibekezele njengo-Esta. IZaga 25:15 zithi: “Ngokubekezela inkosi ingancengwa ize ivume, lolimi oluthambileyo lungalephula ithambo.” Nxa singabekezela njalo sikhulume ngolimi oluthambileyo njengo-Esta, lomuntu olukhuni njengethambo angacina evumelana lesikutshoyo. Sesibonile ukuthi u-Esta wahlakanipha waphinda wabekezela. Manje uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe wambusisa yini?

10, 11. Kuyini okwacaphula uHamani evela edilini lenkosi, njalo umkakhe labangane bakhe bamtshela ukuthi enzeni?

¹⁰ Ukubekezela kuka-Esta kwanceda ngoba kunengi okwenzakala ngesikhathi esalindile. UHamani wathi esuka edilini ‘wayethabe kakhulukazi’ inhliziyo idlala lephaphu ngoba inkosi kanye lendlovukazi babekhethe ukubiza yena yedwa edilini labo. Kodwa uthe esedlula esangweni lenkosi wadibana loModekhayi umJuda owayesala ukumkhothamela. Esihlokweni esidlulileyo sibonile ukuthi kwakungayisikho ukuthi uModekhayi wayedelela kodwa wayengafuni ukonela uJehova uNkulunkulu. Lanxa kunjalo, uHamani “wagcwalelana ngokumthukuthelela.”—Esta. 5:9.

¹¹ Wathi esefikile endlini watshela umkakhe labangane bakhe ukuthi uModekhayi wayemkhangelela emanzini. Bamtshela ukuthi enze isigodo sokulengisa abantu esedlula amamitha angu-22 ubude, abesesiya enkosini acele imvumo yokumlengisa kuso. Lokhu kwamthokozisa uHamani wahle wathi lothu, wanika umlayo wokuthi isigodo leso senziwe.—Esta. 5:12-14.

12. Kwakutheni inkosi ize icele ukubalelwa ugwalo lwemilando olwalulemibhalo yombuso wayo, njalo yatholani kulo?

¹² Inkosi layo yathwala nzima ebusuku. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi “inkosi yaswela ubuthongo.” Ngakho yathi kakubalwe ugwalo lwemilando olwalulemibhalo yombuso wayo. Yathola ukuthi kulabantu ababenze icebo lokuyibulala. Kwathi qhwi engqondweni yayo yakhumbula ukuthi izigangi lezo zabanjwa zabulawa. Yasibuza ukuthi uModekhayi wayephiwe dumo bani njengoba kunguye owayevumbulule iqhinga lababefuna ukuyibulala? Yatshelwa ukuthi akulamvuzo ayewutholile.—Bala u-Esta 6:1-3.

13, 14. (a) Izinto zamntshintshela njani uHamani? (b) UmkaHamani kanye labangane bakhe bamtshelani?

¹³ Inkosi yayingasahlalisekanga, yikho yabuza ukuthi yiziphi izikhulu zayo ezazikhona esigodlweni ezazingayincedisa ukulungisa impazamo le. Kwatholakala ukuthi owayekhona nguHamani. Kukhanya angani wayevuke kusesele, watshaya amazolo esiza esigodlweni ngoba kwasekumphuzele ukucela imvumo yokubulala uModekhayi. Kodwa engakasitsho isikhalazo sakhe, inkosi yambuza ukuthi kuyini engakwenzela umuntu eyayifuna ukumupha udumo. UHamani wahle wazitshela ukuthi inkosi yayisitsho yena. Wazama ukungena ngenxeba njengempethu wathi umuntu lo kalethelwe isambatho sobukhosi, abesekhokhelwa edabula phakathi kwedolobho egade ibhiza lenkosi futhi kumenyezwe phambi kwakhe ukuthi inkosi imupha udumo. Kodwa watshelwa ukuthi indoda okwakumele iphiwe udumo kwakunguModekhayi. Kumele ukuthi ubuso bukaHamani babuna esizwa lokhu. Okwababuhlungu kakhulu yikuthi inkosi yathuma yena ukuthi ahambe ememeza phambi kukaModekhayi.—Esta. 6:4-10.

 ¹⁴ UHamani wakwenza ngenhliziyo ebuhlungu lokhu ngoba kwakumyangisa. Wathi eqeda lapho wahle wagijimela endlini yakhe emboze ikhanda elila. Umkakhe kanye labangane bakhe bamtshela ukuthi lapho kwasekwephuke izikeyi lokuthi wayengeke abe esaphumelela empini le ayeyilwa loModekhayi umJuda.—Esta. 6:12, 13.

15. (a) Ukubekezela kuka-Esta kwanceda ngani? (b) Kungani kuyikuhlakanipha ukuthi ‘silindele’ uNkulunkulu?

¹⁵ Sibonile ukuthi indlovukazi u-Esta kayizange ihle itshele inkosi isicelo sayo kodwa yabekezela. Ngesikhathi isalindile, uHamani wayesenza izinto ezazizamthela emanyaleni. Mhlawumbe uJehova uNkulunkulu nguye owayebangele ukuthi inkosi iswele ubuthongo. (Zaga. 21:1) Nxa lathi singalindela uNkulunkulu sizabona ukuthi indlela alungisa ngayo izinhlupho zethu ingcono khatshana kulalokho ebesingazenzela khona. Yikho iLizwi lakhe lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘simlindele.’—Bala uMikha 7:7.

16, 17. (a) Safika nini isikhathi sokuthi u-Esta akhulume? (b) U-Esta wayetshiyene njani loVashithi owayeke waba yindlovukazi yenkosi?

¹⁶ U-Esta wayengafuni ukuthi inkosi icine iphelelwa yisineke. Edilini lakhe lesibili kwasekumele isiziba sidungwe, ayitshele konke. Kodwa wayezaqalisela ngaphi? Okuhle yikuthi inkosi yaphinda yamnika elinye ithuba, yambuza ukuthi wayekhala ngani. (Esta. 7:2) Sasesifikile-ke ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma.’

¹⁷ Engxenye u-Esta waqala wathandazela enhliziyweni, wasesithi: ‘Nxa ngifumene umusa kuwe nkosi, njalo nxa inkosi kuyithokozisa, bengicela ukuphila, yisicelo sami lesi.’ (Esta. 7:3) Nanzelela ukuthi waqinisekisa inkosi ukuthi wayeyithemba ukuthi yahlulela kuhle. Wayengafanani ngitsho lakancane lendlovukazi yakuqala, uVashithi,  eyayangisa inkosi phakathi kwabantu. (Esta. 1:10-12) Kanti njalo indlovukazi u-Esta kayizange ichothoze inkosi ithi yayenze ubuwula ngokuthemba uHamani. Kodwa yayincenga inkosi iyicela ukuthi iyivikele ukuze ingabulawa.

18. U-Esta waluveza njani uhlupho lwakhe enkosini?

¹⁸ Kumele ukuthi inkosi yaphelelwa, yazibuza ukuthi kambe ngubani owayengaba lesibindi sokuzama ukubulala indlovukazi yayo. U-Esta waqhubeka wathi: “Mina kanye labantu bakithi sithengisiwe ukuze sichithwe njalo sibulawe ukuze singabikhona emhlabeni. Ngabe besimane sathengiswa njengezigqili ezesilisa lesifazana, bengizazithulela, ngoba akulahlupho olunje olungabangela ukuthi inkosi iphanjaniswe.” (Esta. 7:4) U-Esta kazange akhekheleze kodwa wahle wayithi bhadla indaba yakhe. Waphinda wathi wayezazithulela aluba kwakuyindaba yokuthengiswa ukuthi babeyizigqili nje. Kodwa nxa abantu bonke laba babengabulawa, inkosi layo yayiyabe ilahlekelwe kakhulu.

19. Singamlingisela njani u-Esta ukuze esikutshoyo kuthophele ezinhliziyweni zabanye?

¹⁹ Okwenziwa ngu-Esta kusifundisa lokho okumele sikwenze ukuze esikutshoyo kuthophele ezinhliziyweni zabanye. Nxa kuyikuthi kulodaba olukhulu okumele ulutshele otshade laye, isihlobo, umngane kumbe umuntu olesikhundla, kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi ubekezele, ube lenhlonipho futhi ukhulume kucace.—Zaga. 16:21, 23.

20, 21. (a) U-Esta wamchaya njani uHamani, futhi inkosi yenzani isizwe izigigaba zakhe? (b) UHamani wenzani sekuvezwe egcekeni ukuthi wayelimenemene eliligwala?

²⁰ U-Ahasuweru wabuza wathi: “Ngubani lowo? Ungaphi umuntu obelesibindi sokwenza into enje?” Akumbone u-Esta emkhomba ngomunwe wakhe esithi: “Isitha lomuntu ololunya nguyenalo uHamani olomona.” Wasesithini-ke uHamani? Wethuka amadolo  atshayana. Akuyicabange inkosi le eyayingaphuzi ukuzonda ihwaqa amehlo esebomvu gebhu, isinanzelele ukuthi umuntu lo ebimthemba wayeyibambe amehlo wayisayinisa umlayo owawuzabulalisa lendlovukazi yayo eyayiyithanda. Yaphuma ihaluzela isiya esivandeni isithi ike iyekwehlisa umoya.—Esta. 7:5-7.

²¹ UHamani wayesechaywe egcekeni kwakhanya ukuthi wayelimenemene eliligwala. Waziphosa ezinyaweni zika-Esta eqhaqhazela. Inkosi ithe ingena endlini, yathi qaqabu yabona uHamani esethe sece ku-Esta emncenga. Yazonda yadla amahabula isithi kambe uHamani angazama ukubamba indlovukazi yayo iganyavu yona ikhona. Kwahle kwamcacela uHamani ukuthi kwasekuphelile ngaye. Wasuswa endlini sebemgubuzele ubuso. Esinye isisebenzi satshela inkosi ukuthi kwakulesigodo sokulengisa abantu uHamani ayesenzele uModekhayi. U-Ahasuweru wahle wathi uHamani kalengiswe kuso.—Esta. 7:8-10.

22. Okwenziwa ngu-Esta kungasinceda njani ukuthi singakhalali kumbe siphelelwe lukholo nxa izinto zingahambi kuhle?

²² Emhlabeni lo omubi kulula ukuthi nxa kungaba lokunye okungahambi kuhle sicabange ukuthi akusoze kwafa kwalunga. Uyake ucabange njalo yini? Nxa kunjalo kumele ulingisele u-Esta. Kazange akhalale acabange ukuthi izinto zazingeke zalunga njalo kazange aphelelwe lukholo. Isikhathi esifaneleyo sathi sesifikile waqunga isibindi, wakhuluma okwakumele kulungiswe, wasetshiyela okunengi kuJehova ngoba wayemthemba. UJehova kantshintshi. Wabamba uHamani ngomjibila ayezilungisele wona. Lalamuhla akulalutho olungamehlula ukuthi enze njalo ebantwini abangamamenemene.—Bala iHubo 7:11-16.

23. (a) Inkosi yamnikani uModekhayi futhi yamuphani u-Esta? (b) Sagcwaliseka njani isiphrofetho esasimayelana loBhenjamini? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Kwagcwaliseka Isiphrofetho.”)

²³ U-Ahasuweru wacina esekwazi ukuthi indoda le okwakuthiwa nguModekhayi eyayitshengise ukuthi iqotho kuye ngokumvikela ebantwini ababefuna ukumbulala yiyo eyayikhulise u-Esta. Wayinika isikhundla sokuba yindunankulu waphinda wapha u-Esta indlu kaHamani kanye lenotho yakhe. U-Esta wathi uModekhayi kube nguye ophatha impahla kaHamani.—Esta. 8:1, 2.

24, 25. (a) Kungani u-Esta engazange ahlale achelese lanxa wayeselivezile icebo likaHamani? (b) U-Esta waphinda wenzani okwakungambulalisa?

 ²⁴ U-Esta wazihlalela wachelesa yini njengoba izinto zasezimhambela kuhle yena loModekhayi? Kazange akwenze lokhu ngoba wayelendaba labanye. Ngalesosikhathi umlayo kaHamani wokubulala amaJuda wawulokhu usabalala kuzo zonke izindawo embusweni. UHamani wayesebenzise inkatho okuthiwa yiPhuri, njalo kukhanya lokhu kwakuyisidimoni. Wayefuna ukubona ukuthi yisiphi isikhathi okwakufanele aqothule ngaso abantu laba. (Esta. 9:24-26) Kwakusasele izinyanga ukuthi ilanga lokuthi babulawe lifike, kodwa amalanga ayelokhu esondela. Manje u-Esta wenzani ukuze amaJuda angabulawa?

²⁵ Wazinikela, wahamba enkosini engabizwanga lanxa lokhu kwakungambulalisa. Wafika wakhala izinyembezi encenga umkakhe ukuthi esule umlayo lo owawuzabatshabalalisa. Kodwa uhlupho olwalukhona yikuthi imithetho eyayibhalwa ebizweni lenkosi yePhesiya yayingeke yesulwe. (Dan. 6:12, 15) Yikho-ke inkosi yanika u-Esta loModekhayi ilungelo lokuthi bafake umthetho omutsha owawuzavumela ukuthi amaJuda azivikele. Kwathunyelwa isimemezelo sesibili njalo izithunywa ezazihamba ngamabhiza zasabalala embusweni zitshela amaJuda umbiko lo owawumuhle. Athi ekuzwa lokhu aba lenhlansi yethemba. (Esta. 8:3-16) Kungasimthetho lo omutsha, amaJuda ayengeke azivikele. Akuwabone ngelihlo lengqondo sehlome aphelela elungele ukulwa. Kambe uJehova “uNkulunkulu wamabutho” wayezabasekela yini abantu bakhe?—1 Sam. 17:45.

26, 27. (a) UJehova wabasiza na abantu ukuthi banqobe izitha zabo? Chaza. (b) Yisiphi isiphrofetho esagcwalisekayo lapho kubulawa amadodana kaHamani?

 ²⁶ Ilanga elalikhethiwe lafika abantu bakaNkulunkulu sebevele belindile. Leziphathamandla zePhesiya zasezibasekela ngoba zasezizwile ukuthi kwasekulendunankulu entsha eyayingumJuda okuthiwa nguModekhayi. UJehova wabancedisa abantu bakhe bazitshaya bazibhuqa izitha zabo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wabavikela ezitheni lezi ezazifuna ukubaqeda, baziqothula zaphela du. *—Esta. 9:1-6.

²⁷ Amadodana kaHamani alitshumi lawo abulawa ngoba uModekhayi wayengeke akhululeke ukuba ngumphathi wempahla kaHamani wona esaphila. (Esta. 9:7-10) Lokhu kwagcwalisa isiphrofetho esiseBhayibhilini uNkulunkulu ayesikhulumile esasiphathelane lokuthi ama-Amaleki ayezabhujiswa ngoba ayeyizitha zabantu bakhe. (Dute. 25:17-19) Kungenzakala ukuthi ukubulawa kwamadodana kaHamani kwaba yikuphela kwesizwe lesi.

28, 29. (a) Kungani kwakuyintando kaJehova ukuthi u-Esta labantu besizwe sakibo balwe impi? (b) Indaba ka-Esta isinceda ngani?

²⁸ U-Esta wayekhuluma lenkosi ngezindaba eziphathelane lemithetho yesizwe kanye lempi. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi lokhu kwakunzima sibili. Loba kunjalo, uJehova wayefuna ukuthi abantu bakhe bavikelwe bangatshabalali. Phela wayethembise ukuthi kwakuzakuba loMesiya owayezavela esizweni sako-Israyeli asindise uluntu. (Gen. 22:18) Lamuhla kuyazithokozisa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuthi uMesiya wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuthi bangathwali izikhali besilwa labanye.—Mat. 26:52.

²⁹ Lanxa kunjalo, kulenye impi amaKhristu ayilwayo. Alwa loSathane okufuna ngabomvu ukubhidliza ukholo lwawo, awehlukanise loJehova uNkulunkulu. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 10:3, 4.) Sibusisiwe sibili ngoba kulokunengi esingakufunda endabeni ka-Esta. Kungaba kuhle nxa singaba lesibindi, sizinikele ngenxa yabanye, sihlakaniphe, sibekezele njalo sikhulume ngendlela ezakwenza ukuthi esikutshoyo kuthophele ezinhliziyweni zabanye. Konke lokhu kuzatshengisa ukuthi silokholo.