1. Kungani abantu baseShilo babephakathi kosizi?

USAMUYELI laye wayeluzwa usizi olwaluseShilo. Kwakuyizililo zodwa edolobheni leli. Phose yonke imizi yayembeswe yifu losizi, abantwana bekhalela oyise labafowabo ababengeke baphinde balubhade ngekhaya, omama labo belilela omkabo lamadodana abo ayeselobele empini. Kwakufe amabutho ako-Israyeli angaba ngu-30 000 esilwa lamaFilisti, khonapho isizwe sasisathoba amanxeba okufelwa ngamanye angu-4 000 kweyinye futhi impi.—1 Sam. 4:1, 2, 10.

2, 3. Yiziphi izinhlupho ezabuya zelekene ezatshiya iShilo iphakathi kosizi njalo ingasela nkazimulo?

² Izinhlupho ezaziseShilo kwakungathi zibuye zelekene. Phela uHofini loFinehasi, amadodana ka-Eli uMphristi Omkhulu, babethethe ibhokisi lesivumelwano bahamba lalo empini. Lalihlala eNgcwele Ngcwele yethabanikeli futhi lalimela ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu kuleyondawo. Abantu balithatha-ke iBhokisi leli eliqakathekileyo besithi lizabanceda ukuthi banqobe, samuntu obona angani angagqiza intebe usevikelekile. Kodwa babekhuthe ugatsha. AmaFilisti alithumba ibhokisi lesivumelwano, abulala uHofini loFinehasi.—1 Sam. 4:3-11.

³ Kwasekuleminyaka leminyaka ithabanikeli elaliseShilo lihlonitshwa ngoba ibhokisi lesivumelwano lalihlala khona. Kodwa khathesi laselithunjiwe. U-Eli wathi esizwa okwakwenzakele, wawa ngesiphundu esihlalweni sakhe, wafa. Wayeseleminyaka engu-98. Umalokazana wakhe owayefelwe ngumkakhe mhlalokho laye wafa ngesikhathi ebeletha. Esesifa wathi: “Inkazimulo isisukile ko-Israyeli.” Lakanye wayeqinisile, iShilo yayisazokubona okukhulu.—1 Sam. 4:12-22.

4. Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo esihlokweni lesi?

⁴ USamuyeli wayezathini ebona izinto lezi ezidanisayo? Wayezakuba lalo yini ukholo oluqinileyo olwalungasiza abantu laba abasebelahlwe nguJehova? Sonke lamuhla siyake sehlelwe yibunzima kanye lokunye okudanisayo okungaxegisa ukholo lwethu. Ngakho-ke kasikhangeleni ukuthi singafundani endabeni kaSamuyeli.

5, 6. IBhayibhili lisilandisela ngani okwenzakala phakathi kweminyaka engu-20, njalo uSamuyeli wayesenzani ngesikhathi leso?

⁵ IBhayibhili liyayitshiya kancane indaba kaSamuyeli beselisilandisela ngebhokisi lesivumelwano. Lisitshengisa ukuthi amaFilisti ayezidonsele amanzi ngomsele ngokulithumba, kanye lokuthi acina eselibuyisela ngenkani. IBhayibhili liphinda liyixhume indaba kaSamuyeli sekwedlule iminyaka engaba ngu-20. (1 Sam. 7:2) Wayesenzani iminyaka yonke le? IBhayibhili kalisitshiyi silenga.

⁶ Lisitshela ukuthi iminyaka le ingakaqalisi, “ilizwi likaSamuyeli lafika ku-Israyeli wonke.” (1 Sam. 4:1) Liveza lokuthi ngemva kweminyaka le uSamuyeli wayevakatshela amadolobho amathathu ako-Israyeli minyaka yonke, elungisa izingxabano futhi ephendula imibuzo yabantu. Wayebuyela kibo eRama esewabhode wonke. (1 Sam. 7:15-17) Kukhanya lokhu yikho ayekwenza eminyakeni le engu-20. Wayesebenza gadalala ngoba kwakukunengi okwakumele akwenze.

7, 8. (a) USamuyeli wabatshelani abantu ngemva kweminyaka engu-20 esebenza gadalala? (b) Abantu benzani uSamuyeli esebatshele ukuthi izinto zizantshintsha?

⁷ Abantu bacina bengasela kholo ngenxa yamadodana ka-Eli ayengaziphathanga futhi exhwalile. Kukhanya abanengi baze bacina sebezikhonzela izithombe. Lanxa kunjalo, uSamuyeli wathi esesebenze nzima okweminyaka engu-20 watshela abantu wathi: “Uma libuyela kuJehova ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke zehlukaniseni labonkulunkulu bezizweni labo-Ashithorethi lizinikele kuJehova njalo likhonze yena kuphela, uzalikhulula esandleni samaFilisti.”—1 Sam. 7:3.

⁸ ‘Isandla samaFilisti’ sasesibathwalele ubhulo abantu bako-Israyeli. AmaFilisti ayelitshaye alibhuqa ibutho labo. Yikho ayesecabanga ukuthi angabahlukuluza abantu bakaNkulunkulu kungabi ndaba zalutho. Kodwa uSamuyeli watshela abantu ukuthi izinto zazizantshintsha nxa bengabuyela kuJehova. Babefuna yini ukubuyela? Babefuna sibili, baze balahla izithombe “bakhonza uJehova kuphela.” USamuyeli wathaba wafa! Wabuthanisa isizwe eMizipha, idolobho elalisezintabeni enyakatho yeJerusalema. Babuthana-ke abantu, bazila njalo bayekela ukukhonza izithombe.—Bala u-1 Samuyeli 7:4-6.

9. AmaFilisti enzani lapho esizwa ngomhlangano wabako-Israyeli, njalo abantu bakaNkulunkulu bathini bebona ingozi isiza?

⁹ AmaFilisti ezwa ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayebuthene ahle athi  zimbiwe ngulinda. Bathuma amabutho abo eMizipha ukuthi ayetshaya aqothule izinceku zikaJehova. Abako-Israyeli bezwa ukuthi basebezulelwa ngamanqe. Baqhuqha baba ngumhlanga, bacela ukuthi uSamuyeli abathandazele. Lakanye wenza njalo, waphinda wanikela lomhlatshelo. Kusenjalo ibutho lamaFilisti lafika eMizipha lingasadlanga nkotshana. Kodwa uJehova wawuphendula umthandazo kaSamuyeli. ‘Mhlalokho waduma ngomdumo omkhulu emelane lamaFilisti.’ (1 Sam. 7:7-10) UJehova wayethukuthele wasebangela ukuthi kube lomdumo omkhulu.

10, 11. (a) Kungani kumele ukuthi wawungajayelekanga umdumo uJehova abangela ukuthi ube khona? (b) Yaphetha ngani impi eyaqalisa eMizipha?

¹⁰ Kambe amaFilisti ayenjengabantwana yini abathi nxa bengezwa umdumo wezulu baphaphatheke bayokuthi sobe ngemva kwabonina? Hatshi, la kwakungamaqhawe ayeyiziqwabalanda ayeselwe izimpi ezinengi. Yikho-ke kumele ukuthi umdumo lo kwakuyinto ayengakaze ayizwe. Engxenye ‘umdumo omkhulu’ abawuzwayo wawuphezulu ngendlela engajayelekanga. Kungenzakala yini ukuthi wavela esibhakabhakeni kungela layezi, kumbe wakhwaza ngale ezintabeni? Asazi, kodwa esikwaziyo yikuthi amaFilisti esaba athuthumela. Esaphithene amakhanda izinto zantshintsha, kwaba yiwo asehlaselwa. Ama-Israyeli atheleka kuwo sanyosi zegona esuka eMizipha, awaxotshanisa amaFilisti okomango omude aze ayafika eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeJerusalema futhi awanqoba.—1 Sam. 7:11.

¹¹ Impi le yantshintsha okunengi. AmaFilisti aqhubeka enqotshwa iminyaka yonke uSamuyeli engumahluleli. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu baqhubeka bewathatha amadolobho abo.—1 Sam. 7:13, 14.

12. Kutshoni ukuthi uSamuyeli ‘wenza ukulunga,’ njalo kuyini okwamsiza ukuthi ahlale ewenza kuhle umsebenzi wakhe?

¹² Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi, umphostoli uPhawuli wathi ekhuluma ngabahluleli ababethembekile kanye labaphrofethi ‘abenza ukulunga,’ waqamba loSamuyeli. (Heb. 11:32, 33, TBS) USamuyeli wakwenza sibili okulungileyo kanye lokuhle kuJehova, waphinda wakhuthaza labantu ukuthi benze njalo. Wenelisa ukwenza umsebenzi wakhe ngoba wabekezela, wamelela ukuthi uJehova alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe. Kanti njalo wahlala ethembekile lanxa kwakukunengi okwakumdanisa. Waphinda watshengisa lokuthi wayengumuntu obongayo. Yikho ngemva  kokunqoba eMizipha, wamisa ilitshe lesikhumbuzo ebonga ukuthi uJehova wayebahlomulele abantu bakhe.—1 Sam. 7:12.

13. (a) Kufanele sibe ngabantu abanjani nxa sifuna ukulingisela uSamuyeli? (b) Ubona angathi kufanele uqalise nini ukuba ngumuntu obekezelayo, othobekileyo futhi obongayo?

¹³ Wena uyafuna na ‘ukwenza ukulunga’? Nxa kunjalo, kufanele ulingisele uSamuyeli, ubekezele, uthobeke njalo ube ngumuntu obongayo. (Bala u-1 Phetro 5:6.) Sonke kumele sibe lazo izimpawu lezi. Kwamnceda kakhulu uSamuyeli ukuthi yena waba lazo esesemncane ngenxa yokuthi kunengi okudanisayo ahlangana lakho esekhulile.

14, 15. (a) Kuyini okwamdanisa kakhulu uSamuyeli ngesikhathi “eseluphele”? (b) USamuyeli wayebayekelela yini abantwabakhe njengo-Eli? Chaza.

¹⁴ IBhayibhili liphinda lisilandisele ngoSamuyeli “eseluphele.” Wayeselamadodana amabili ayesekhulile, uJoweli lo-Abhija, futhi wawanika umsebenzi wokuthi lawo ahlulele abantu njengaye. Kodwa wona amdanisa. Azisebenzisa kubi izikhundla zawo lanxa yena wayethembekile njalo elungile. Amadodana akhe kawazange ahlulele ngemfanelo njalo amukela lemfumbathiso.—1 Sam. 8:1-3.

 ¹⁵ Ngelinye ilanga umphrofethi lo wabona ngamadoda amadala esethelekile kuye elesikhalazo. Afika athi: “Amadodana akho kawahambi ezindleleni zakho.” (1 Sam. 8:4, 5) USamuyeli wayekwazi yini lokhu? IBhayibhili kalisitsheli. Loba kunjalo, akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uSamuyeli wayengabayekeleli abantwabakhe njengo-Eli. UJehova wayemsole kakhulu u-Eli ngokuthi wayebayekelela abantwabakhe besenza ukuxhwala njalo wamjezisa ngoba wayeqakathekisa amadodana akhe ukwedlula yena. (1 Sam. 2:27-29) Kodwa uJehova kazange athi uSamuyeli wayengabakhuzi abantwabakhe.

16. Abazali bezwa njani nxa abantwana bekhetha ukuba ngamahlongandlebe, njalo indaba kaSamuyeli ingabanceda njani?

¹⁶ IBhayibhili kalisitsheli ngobuhlungu uSamuyeli abuzwayo mhla esizwa ukuthi amadodana akhe ayegangile. Akula lapho esitshelwa khona ukuthi wakhathazeka kumbe wayangeka. Loba kunjalo, abazali abanengi bangakuzwisisa ukuthi angabe wezwa njani. Ezinsukwini lezi ezinzima, banengi kakhulu abantwana abangalaleli abazali futhi abangamahlongandlebe. (Bala u-2 Thimothi 3:1-5.) Indaba kaSamuyeli ingabaduduza abazali abahlutshwa ngabantwana futhi ingabafundisa ukuthi kumele benzeni. Kazange avumele ukuthi ukungaziphathi kwabantwabakhe kumsuse endleleni eqondileyo. Lingakhohlwa bazali ukuthi lanxa selikhuze laze labeka phansi, umntwana angantshintsha nxa elibona lilokhu lisenza okulungileyo. Kanti njalo lani lilaye uYihlo okumele limthokozise, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Yikho kanye uSamuyeli akwenzayo.

17. Amadoda amadala ako-Israyeli acelani kuSamuyeli, njalo yena wezwa njani?

¹⁷ Kumele ukuthi abantwana bakaSamuyeli babengakwazi ukuthi ubuhwaba babo babuzadala umonakalo ongakanani. Amadoda amadala ako-Israyeli aqhubeka athi kuSamuyeli: “Sibekele inkosi ezasikhokhela, njengezinye izizwe zonke ezilayo.” USamuyeli wezwa angani basebemlahla na? Phela wayeseleminyaka leminyaka ebahlulela abantu labo futhi wayethunywe nguJehova. Kodwa bona basebefuna ukwahlulelwa yinkosi hatshi ngumphrofethi nje. Zonke izizwe ezaziseduze zazibuswa ngamakhosi njalo ama-Israyeli lawo ayeseyifuna inkosi. Pho uSamuyeli wezwa njani? IBhayibhili lithi “lokhu kwamcunula uSamuyeli.”—1 Sam. 8:5, 6.

18. UJehova wamduduza njani uSamuyeli ngapha eveza ukuthi isono sabako-Israyeli sasisikhulu?

¹⁸ UJehova wathini lapho uSamuyeli ethandaza kuye emethulela udaba lolu? Wathi: “Lalela konke lokho abantu abakutshoyo kuwe; akusuwe abamalayo, kodwa bale mina njengoJehova wabo.” Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi amazwi la amqinisa kakhulu uSamuyeli.  Kodwa abantu babemdelelile sibili uNkulunkulu uSomandla. UJehova watshela umphrofethi lo ukuthi abaxwayise ukuthi inkosi ababeyifuna yayizabathwalisa amagabha avuzayo. USamuyeli wayehlala emlalela uJehova, yikho wabaxwayisa kodwa bona baphikelela bathi: “Hatshi! Sifuna inkosi ezasibusa.” Ngakho-ke wahamba wayayigcoba inkosi eyayisikhethwe nguJehova.—1 Sam. 8:7-19.

19, 20. (a) USamuyeli wawenza njani umsebenzi wokugcoba uSawuli ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli? (b) USamuyeli waqhubeka ebasiza njani abantu bakaJehova?

¹⁹ USamuyeli walalela ngenhliziyo yonke yini kumbe wakwenza edonda ayekuthunyiwe? Wadana kakhulu yini waze wathukuthela? Abantu abanengi babengenza njalo kodwa uSamuyeli kazange. Wagcoba uSawuli njalo wamamukela ngazo zombili ngoba nguye owayesekhethwe nguJehova. Wamanga etshengisa ukuthi uyamamukela lokuthi uyazithoba kuye. Wathi ebantwini: “Liyambona yini umuntu osekhethwe nguJehova? Kakho lamunye onjengaye phakathi kwabantu bonke bako-Israyeli.”—1 Sam. 10:1, 24.

²⁰ USamuyeli kazange akhangele amaphutha endoda le eyayikhethwe nguJehova kodwa wakhangela okuhle. Kazange afune ukuthandwa ngabantu abaphonguntshintsha nje kodwa wahlala ethembekile kuNkulunkulu. (1 Sam. 12:1-4) Wasebenza gadalala exwayisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezinto ezazingaba yingozi ekukhonzeni kwabo njalo ebakhuthaza ukuthi bahlale bethembekile kuJehova. Wakhuluma kwathophela ezinhliziyweni zabo, baze bamncenga ukuthi abathandazele. Wabaphendula kuhle wathi: “Mina-ke kangiyikukwenza ukuthi ngenze isono kuJehova ngokungalikhulekeli. Njalo ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.”—1 Sam. 12:21-24.

21. Indaba kaSamuyeli ingakusiza njani nxa udanile ngenxa yokuthi kukhethwe omunye ukuthi enze umsebenzi othile wenkonzo?

²¹ Kwake kwakudanisa yini ukuthi kukhethwe omunye umuntu ukuthi enze umsebenzi othile wenkonzo? Lokho uSamuyeli akwenzayo kusikhumbuza ukuthi akumelanga sibe lomona kumbe sithukuthele. (Bala iZaga 14:30.) UNkulunkulu ulemisebenzi eminengi ethokozisayo angayinika zonke izinceku zakhe ezithembekileyo.

22. USamuyeli wayephambanisile yini ngokubona okuhle kuSawuli? Chaza.

²² USamuyeli wayengaphambanisanga ngokubona okuhle  kuSawuli. USawuli wayemude, eyindoda emadodeni. Wayelesibindi, ekhaliphile njalo ekuqaliseni wayethobekile, engaziphakamisi. (1 Sam. 10:22, 23, 27) Kanti njalo wayelelungelo eliqakathekileyo lokuzenzela izinqumo kanye lokuzikhethela ukuthi wayezaphila njani. (Dute. 30:19) Walisebenzisa kuhle yini?

23. USawuli wayenjani ekuqaliseni, njalo watshengisa njani ukuthi wayesezikhukhumeza?

²³ Okudanisayo nje yikuthi nxa umuntu angaphiwa amandla, kujayele ukuba nzima kakhulu ukuthi ahlale ethobekile. USawuli laye wayethobekile ekuqaliseni, kodwa ngemva kwesikhatshana nje waqalisa ukuzikhukhumeza. Kazange alalele imilayo kaJehova ayeyitshelwa nguSamuyeli. Ngelinye ilanga waze wanikela umhlatshelo okwakumele unikelwe nguSamuyeli ngoba wayebona angathi wayesephuze kakhulu. USamuyeli wamkhuza njalo wamtshela lokuthi imuli yakhe yayizabuthathelwa ubukhosi. Kulokuthi azigoqe alalele, uSawuli wenza ezinye izinto ezimbi.—1 Sam. 13:8, 9, 13, 14.

24. (a) Yiwuphi umlayo kaJehova uSawuli angazange awulalele? (b) USawuli wenzani lapho ekhuzwa, njalo uJehova wakhetha ukwenzani?

²⁴ UJehova wathuma uSamuyeli ukuthi ayetshela uSawuli ukuthi alwe lama-Amaleki. Wamtshela lokuthi abulale inkosi yawo embi, u-Agagi. Loba kunjalo, uSawuli kazange ambulale u-Agagi njalo wagcina okuhle ayekuthumbile lanxa kwakumele akutshabalalise. USamuyeli wamkhuza kodwa yena kazange azithobe. Wazama ukulithela amanzi icala lakhe, wacatsha ngomunwe njalo wazigeza esenza angathi akulanto embi ayenzileyo, waze wathi abantu yibo ababelecala. Wavika langokuthi ayekuthumbile kwakungokokunikela kuJehova. Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuye: “Ukulalela kungcono kulomhlatshelo.” Kazange esabe ukumkhuza kodwa wamtshela ukuthi uJehova wayesekhethe ukuthi ubukhosi abuphe indoda engcono kulaye. *—1 Sam. 15:1-33.

25, 26. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi uSamuyeli alilele uSawuli, njalo uJehova wamqondisa wathini? (b) USamuyeli wafundani ngesikhathi esemzini kaJese?

²⁵ USamuyeli kwamzwisa ubuhlungu kakhulu ukona kukaSawuli. Wathandaza ubusuku bonke kuJehova ekhuluma ngendaba le.  Wasuka lapho wayamlilela uSawuli. Wayembone eyindoda elungileyo futhi wayelethemba lokuthi wayezaphumelela. Kodwa konke lokhu kwasekuphelele emoyeni. Wayengasenguye lowaya Sawuli ayemazi. Wayengaselabo ubuntu obuhle njalo engasamlaleli uJehova. Yikho uSamuyeli kazange aphinde ayembona uSawuli. Kodwa ngokuya kwesikhathi uJehova wathi kuye: “Koze kube nini ulilela uSawuli, lokhu mina ngimalile ekubeni yinkosi yako-Israyeli? Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha uhambe; ngiyakuthuma kuJese eBhethilehema. Sengikhethe enye yamadodana akhe ukuba yinkosi.”—1 Sam. 15:34, 35; 16:1.

²⁶ Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi uJehova kathembelanga ebantwini abalesono ngoba kwezinye izikhathi bayantshintsha. Nxa umuntu angamhlamukela, yena uyadinga omunye ozakwenza intando yakhe. Ngakho-ke uSamuyeli kazange aqhubeke elilela uSawuli kodwa wenza lokho uJehova ayemthume khona. Waya emzini kaJese eBhethilehema lapho athola khona amadodana akhe ayemahle kakhulu. Kodwa uJehova wahle wamkhumbuza ukuthi angathatheki ngokuthi ayekhangeleka njani. (Bala u-1 Samuyeli 16:7.) Ekucineni uSamuyeli wabona uDavida, owayemncane kulabo bonke. Nguye kanye owayekhethwe nguJehova!

27. (a) Kuyini okwenza ukuthi ukholo lukaSamuyeli luqhubeke luqina? (b) Wena uthini ngesibonelo sikaSamuyeli?

²⁷ Esezakufa, uSamuyeli wazibonela ukuthi uJehova wayengaphambanisanga sibili ngokuthathela uSawuli ubukhosi abuphe uDavida. USawuli waba lomhawu ngoDavida waze wafuna lokumbulala futhi wayesetshiye uJehova. Kodwa uDavida waba yindoda elesibindi, elokholo njalo ethembekileyo. Ukholo lukaSamuyeli lona lwaqhubeka luqina. Wakubona ukuthi lanxa kwakungaba lezinto ezimdanisayo, uJehova wayengeke ehluleke ukumthoba inhliziyo, ukumbusisa kanye lokulungisa izinto. Watshona uSamuyeli esephile iminyaka ephosa ibe ngu-100 futhi esenza izinto ezinhle kakhulu. Wonke ama-Israyeli ayililela indoda le eyayithembekile. Phela kwakufe igula elilamasi. Lamuhla munye ngamunye wethu kufanele azibuze umbuzo othi, ‘Ngilalo yini ukholo olunjengolukaSamuyeli?’