1-3. (a) Kubayini u-Esta athuswa ukuya endodenakwakhe? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo esizokukhuluma ngayo malungana no-Esta?

 U-ESTA walinga ukwehlisa umoya njengombana atjhidela esangweni esigodlweni eShushani. Bekungasilula. Koke ebekusesigodlweni bekukuhle ngendlela esabekako—imifanekiso emibalabala yeenkunzi ezinamaphiko, abadumuzi, amabhubezi enziwe ngeentina ezinemibala, amatje nemifanekiso ethusako, ngitjho nendlela ebekwe ngayo phezu kwamaplatifomu eduze kweeNtaba zeZagros elele ilothe begodu eqale amanzi acwengileko womlambo iChoaspes. Koke bekwenzelwe ukukhumbuza isivakatjhi ngasinye ngamandla amakhulu wendoda u-Esta egade ayoyibona, leyo ezibiza ngokuthi “ikosi ekulu.” Beyiyindodakwakhe.

² Indodakwakhe! Qala bona u-Ahatjhiverotjhi bekahluke njani endodeni ebeyingalindelwa nginanyana ngimuphi umntazana womJuda othembekileko! a Akhenge alinge ukulingisa iimbonelo ezinjengezabo-Abrahama, indoda ngokuthobeka eyamukela isinqophiso sakaZimu sokulalela uSara umkakhe. (Gen. 21:12) Ikosi beyingazi okunengi namtjhana beyingazi litho ngoZimu ka-Esta uJehova, namtjhana imiThetho Yakhe. Nokho, u-Ahatjhiverotjhi bekazi umthetho wePheresiya, obewalela into u-Esta ebekazoyenza. Bekungimuphi umthetho loyo? Umthetho loyo bewuthi nanyana ngubani obekaya kumbusi wePheresiya angakabizwa yikosi bekufuze abulawe. U-Esta bekangakabizwa, kodwana nokho bekazokuya ekosini. Njengombana atjhidela esangweni elingaphakathi, lapho ebekazokubonakala khona esihlalweni sobukhosi, bekazi bona uyokubulawa.—Funda u-Esta 4:11; 5:1.

³ Kubayini bekangafuna ukufaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini kangaka? Begodu khuyini esingayifunda ekholweni lomfazi oveleleko lo? Kokuthoma, asiboneni bonyana u-Esta waba njani sesikhundleni esingakajayelekesi sokuba yindlovukazi yePheresiya.

4. Bewunjani umlando ka-Esta, begodu kweza njani bona ayokuhlala nomzawakhe uMoridekayi?

⁴ U-Esta gade ayintandani. Sazi okuncani ngababelethi abathiya u-Esta ibizo lakaHadasa, ibizo lesiHebheru elitjho “obomvana,” umuthi omuhle oba namabhlomu amhlophe. Ababelethi baka-Esta nebahlongakalako, omunye weenhlobo zakhe, indoda enomusa ibizo layo elinguMoridekayi, yamrhawukela umntwana lo. Bekamzawakhe, kodwana uMoridekayi bekamkhulu khulu kunaye. Wasa u-Esta kwakhe wamphatha njengendodakazakhe.—Esta 2:5-7, 15.

5, 6. (a) UMoridekayi wamkhulisa njani u-Esta? (b) Bekunjani ukuphila kwaka-Esta noMoridekayi eShushani?

⁵ UMoridekayi no-Esta bebabathunjwa abamaJuda ehlokodorobho yePheresiya, lapho ebebahloywa khona ngebanga lekolo yabo nomThetho ebebalinga ukuwulandela. Kodwana u-Esta watjhidelana khulu nomzawakhe njengombana amfundisa ngoJehova, uZimu onomusa owaphulusa abantu Bakhe emirarweni eminengi esikhathini esidlulileko—begodu usazokwenza njalo. (Lef. 26:44, 45) Ngokukhanyako, ukutjhidelana ngokuthembeka kwaka-Esta noMoridekayi kwakhula.

⁶ Kubonakala kwanga uMoridekayi wasebenza njengesikhulu esithileko eShushani, kanengi ahlala esangweni lekosini nezinye iinceku zekosi. (Esta 2:19, 21; 3:3) Bona u-Esta wakhula njani, asazi, nokho, kubonakala kufaneleka ukuthi wamtlhogomela kuhle umzawakhe omdala nekhaya, lelo ebelisendaweni ehlala abantu abadobha phasi edorobhenelo. Mhlamunye bekakuthabela ukuya emakethe eShushani, lapho abasebenza ngegolide, isiliva nezinye izinto ebebazithengisa khona. U-Esta akhenge akhe acabange bona izinto eziphambilezo zingaba ngezokuphila kwaqobe langa kuye; bekangazi bona ikusasa limphatheleni.

7. Kubayini uVashiti athathelwa isikhundla sokuba yindlovukazi, begodu waba yini umphumela?

⁷ Langelinye iShushani beyigcwele  amahlebezi wokutjharagana emzini wekosi. Emnyanyeni omkhulu, lapho u-Ahatjhiverotjhi ebekathabisa iinkhulu zakhe ngokudla okuphambili neenselo, ikosi yabiza indlovukazayo ehle, uVashiti, naye ogade enze wakhe umnyanya nabafazi. Kodwana uVashiti wabhala ukuya. Yehliswe isithunzi begodu ibila, ikosi yabuza abeluleki bayo bona imenzeni uVashiti. Waba yini umphumela? Ikosi yamsusa ekubeni yindlovukazi. Iinceku zekosi zathoma ukufuna kiyo yoke inarha iintombi ezitja nezihlamazana; hlangana nazo ikosi beyizokukhetha indlovukazi etja.—Esta 1:1–2:4.

8. (a) Kubayini uMoridekayi bekatshwenyekile ngo-Esta njengombana akhula? (b) Kubayini kufuze sibe nombono weBhayibhili ngobuhle bangaphandle? (Qala IzAga 31:30.)

⁸ Singacabanga ngoMoridekayi aqala u-Esta ngethabo nokuzikhakhazisa okukhambisana nokutshwenyeka njengombana umzawakhe lo akhula—begodu aba muhle kwamambala. Siyafunda, “Umfazi omutjha lo bekamuhle begodu anejamo.” (Esta 2:7) IBhayibhili iyalinganisela endabeni yobuhle bangaphandle—bona buyathandeka, kodwana kufuze bukhambisane nokuhlakanipha nokuthobeka. Nekungasi njalo umuntu angaba nemikghwa emimbi efana nokuzikhakhazisa. (Funda IzAga 11:22.) Wakhe wakutjheja lokho? Endabeni ka-Esta, ubuhle bebuzomenza abe njani—athobeke namtjhana azikhakhazise? Sizokubona ngokukhamba kwesikhathi.

9. (a) Khuyini eyenzekako iinceku zekosi nezibona u-Esta, begodu kubayini ukuhlukana kwakhe noMoridekayi bekubuhlungu? (b) Kubayini uMoridekayi avumela u-Esta watjhada nomrhedeni? (Hlanganisa nebhoksi.)

⁹ Iinceku zekosi zabona u-Esta. Naye wabuthwa, wathathwa kuMoridekayi wasiwa esigodlweni esikhulu ngaphetjheya komlambo. (Esta 2:8) Kwaba buhlungu ukuhlukana kwabo, njengombana bebanjengomuntu nomntwanakhe. UMoridekayi bengekhe athande indodakazakhe yokutholwa itjhade nomuntu ongakholwako, ngitjho nanyana angaba yikosi, kodwana lokhu bekungaphezu kwamandlakhe. b Qala indlela okufuze bona u-Esta wazilalelisisa ngayo iinluleko uMoridekayi amnikela zona ngaphambi kobana akhambe! Njengombana alethwa esigodlweni eShushani, bekanemibuzo eminengi azibuza yona. Ngikuphi ukuphila egade azokuqalana nakho?

10, 11. (a) Kubayini ukuphila kwaka-Esta okutjha kungenzeka kwamthinta khulu? (b) UMoridekayi wakutjengisa njani ukutshwenyeka ngehlalakuhle ka-Esta?

¹⁰ Ukuphila kwaka-Esta kwatjhentjha ngokupheleleko. Bekahlangana  “nabafazi abatjha abanengi” ababuthwa kiwo woke umBuso wePheresiya. Amasikwabo, ilimi, nendlela abaziphatha ngayo kungenzeka bekuhluke khulu. Babekwe ngaphasi kwesikhulu esibizwa bona nguHegayi, abafazi abatjhaba bekufuze bamonyongwe khulu, ihlelo ebelizokuthatha umnyaka woke ebelibandakanya nokumasajwa ngamafutha anuka kamnandi. (Esta 2:8, 12) Ukuphila okunjalo kungenzeka kwabangela abanye babafazi abatjhaba batshwenyeka ngendlela edluleleko ngokubonakala kwabo. Lokhu kwamthinta njani u-Esta?

¹¹ Akekho noyedwa ephasinapha obekangatshwenyeka ngo-Esta ukudlula uMoridekayi. Sizwa bona ilanga nelanga bekatjhidela endlini yabafazi ngendlela angakghona ngayo bona ezwe bonyana u-Esta uraga njani. (Esta 2:11) Njengombana adobha okuncazana ngalokho, mhlamunye ngenceku esesigodlweni, bekathaba kwamambala. Kubayini kunjalo?

12, 13. (a) Ngibuphi ubudumo u-Esta azifumanela bona kilabo abambhodileko? (b) Kubayini uMoridekayi kwamthabisa ukuzwa bona u-Esta akhenge aziveze bona umJuda?

 ¹² U-Esta wamkara khulu uHegayi kangangobana wamphatha ngomusa, wamnikela iinceku zabantazana ezilikhomba nendawo engcono kunazo zoke ngendlini yabafazi. Ukulandisa kuthi: “U-Esta bekasolo afumana umusa emehlweni wabo boke abambonako.” (Esta 2:9, 15) Kghani ubuhle bubodwa bungakara woke umuntu kangakangaka? Awa, bekungasi bubuhle bodwa obenza u-Esta wathandwa.

¹³ Ngokwesibonelo, siyafunda: “U-Esta akhenge akhulume ngabantu bekhabo namtjhana iinhlobo zakhe, ngombana uMoridekayi wamtjela bona angakhulumi ngabo.” (Esta 2:10) UMoridekayi wayala umntazana lo bona angazivezi ukuthi umJuda; ngombana bekazi bona abantu bePheresiya bebawahloye khulu  amaJuda. Qala bona kwamthabisa kangangani ukwazi bonyana kwanje, ngitjho nanyana u-Esta bekangasekho emehlwenakhe, bekasolo atjengisa ukuhlakanipha nokulalela!

14. Namhlanje abantu abatjha bangasilingisa njani isibonelo saka-Esta?

¹⁴ Ngokufanako, abantu abatjha namhlanje bangathabisa ababelethi babo nabantu ababakhulisako. Nebangekho emehlweni wababelethi babo—ngitjho nanyana banabantu abazindlhayela, abaziphatha kumbi namtjhana abanelunya—bangakubalekela ukuziphatha njengabo begodu bakakarele eenkambiswenilawulo ezilungileko. Nebenza njalo, njengo-Esta, bathabisa ihliziyo kaYise osezulwini.—Funda IzAga 27:11.

15, 16. (a) U-Esta wakufumana njani ukwamukelwa yikosi? (b) Kubayini amatjhuguluko ekuphileni kwaka-Esta kungenzeka aba budisi?

¹⁵ Nekufika isikhathi sokobana u-Esta ayokuvela ekosini, wanikelwa ithuba lokukhetha into ayifunako, mhlamunye bona azikghabise ukuya phambili. Nokho, ngokuzithoba, akhenge abawe nayinye into ngaphandle kwalezo uHegayi amnikela zona. (Esta 2:15) Kungenzeka watjheja bona ubuhle bubodwa angekhe bumenze athandwe yikosi; bekazi bona ukuthobeka kuthandeka khulu kunokuzikhakhazisa. Bekaqinisile?

¹⁶ Ukulandisa kuyaphendula: “Ikosi yathanda u-Esta ukuphala boke abanye abafazi, kangangobana wafumana ukwamukelwa okukhulu nomusa wethando kiyo kunazo zoke ezinye iintombi. Yamthwesa umnqwazi wobukhosi yamenza indlovukazi esikhundleni sakaVashiti.” (Esta 2:17) Kufuze bona kwaba budisi ngomntazana omJuda othobekileko lo bona azivumelanise nokuphila okutjha—bekayindlovukazi etja, umfazi wombusi obekanamandla khulu ephasini ngesikhatheso! Isikhundla esitjhesi sambalekela ehloko na, samenza wazikhakhazisa? Lokho akhenge kwenzeke nakancani!

17. (a) Ngiziphi iindlela u-Esta ahlala ngazo athembekile kuyise wokutholwa? (b) Kubayini isibonelo saka-Esta siqakathekile kithi namhlanje?

¹⁷ U-Esta wahlala athembekile kuyise wokutholwa uMoridekayi. Akhenge aziveze bona mJuda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMoridekayi nekaveza iriyadlhana lokubulala u-Ahatjhiverotjhi, ngokuhlakanipha u-Esta wayelelisa ikosi, begodu iriyadlhanelo laqedwa. (Esta 2:20-23) Nokho, waragela phambili atjengisa ikholo kuZimakhe ngokuthobeka nokulalela. Qala bona kuqakatheke kangangani ukulandela isibonelo saka-Esta ngombana abantu abanengi namhlanje abanandaba nokulalela, kunalokho abalaleli begodu bayavukela! Kodwana abanekholo lamambala bakuthatha  njengokuqakathekileko ukulalela, njengombana kwenza u-Esta.

18. (a) Kubayini uMoridekayi wabhala ukukhothama kuHamani? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.) (b) Amadoda nabafazi bekholo namhlanje bangasilingisa njani isibonelo sakaMoridekayi?

¹⁸ Indoda ekuthiwa nguHamani yabekwa esikhundleni esiphakemeko esigodlweni saka-Ahatjhiverotjhi. Ikosi yamenza undunakulu, waba mlulekayo oyihloko nonezwi lesibili embusweni. Ikosi yabe yakhupha umlayo wokobana boke ababona isikhulwesi kufuze bakhothame. (Esta 3:1-4) KuMoridekayi, umthetho lo waba mraro. Bekayihlonipha ikosi kodwana ingasi ngaphezu kwakaZimu. UHamani gade am-Agagi. Ngokukhanyako lokho bekutjho bona bekasizukulwana saka-Agagi, ikosi yama-Amaleki eyabulawa mporofidi kaZimu uSamuweli. (1 Sam. 15:33) Ama-Amaleki bekamambi kangangobana aba manaba kaJehova nama-Israyeli. Njengesitjhaba, ama-Amaleki ahlulelwa nguZimu. c (Dut. 25:19) UmJuda othembekileko bekangamkhothamela njani um-Amaleki? KuMoridekayi belingawa lidojwe ziinkukhu. Wabetha ngenyawo phasi. Bekube namhlanje, amadoda nabafazi bekholo babeka ukuphila kwabo engozini bona balalele umthetho lo: ‘Kufuneka sihloniphe uZimu kunabantu.’—IzE. 5:29.

19. UHamani bekafuna ukwenzani, begodu wayenza njani ikosi bona ivumelane naye?

¹⁹ UHamani wasilingeka khulu. Kodwana bekungekhe kumthabise ukubulala uMoridekayi kwaphela. Bekafuna ukubulala woke amaJuda! UHamani wenza amaJuda aba babantu abambi ekosini. Ngaphandle kokuwabiza ngegama, wathi bekangakaqakatheki ekosini, abantu ‘abarhatjhekileko nabahlukaniswe nabanye abantu.’ Okumbi khulu, wathi akhenge awuhloniphe umlayo wekosi; ngikho aziinhlubuki eziyingozi. Wahlela ukunikela emnothweni wekosi imali enengi khulu bona abhadele iindleko zabantu abazokubulala woke amaJuda asembusweni. d U-Ahatjhiverotjhi wanikela uHamani idzilamunwanakhe njengetshwayo lokobana uvumela bona enze nanyana yini ayicabangako.—Esta 3:5-10.

20, 21. (a) Isimemezelo sakaHamani sawathinta njani amaJuda asemBusweni wePheresiya, kuhlanganise noMoridekayi? (b) UMoridekayi wabawa u-Esta bona enzeni?

 ²⁰ Msinyana iinthunywa bezirhatjha umlayezo kiyo yoke indawo, umlayezo olingana nesigwebo sokufa emaJudeni. Akhe ucabange ngamandla wesimemezelweso esakhamba besayokufika eJerusalema, lapho amaJuda aseleko abuya ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni atlhaga nokwakha umuzi ogade unganamaboda wokuwuvikela. Mhlamunye uMoridekayi wacabanga ngawo, abangani bakhe, neenhlobo eziseShushani nekezwa ngeendaba ezibuhlungwezi. Atshwenyekile, warathula iimpahla zakhe, wambatha umgodla wazithela nangomlotha ehloko, walila irhabiya phakathi komuzi. Nokho, uHamani yena bekazihlalele asela nekosi, anganandaba ngamatlhuwo awabangele amaJuda amanengi nabangani bawo abaseShushani.—Funda u-Esta 3:12–4:1.

²¹ UMoridekayi bekazi bona kufuze athathe igadango. Kodwana uzokwenza njani? U-Esta wezwa ngokugandeleleka kwakhe wamthumela iimpahla, kodwana uMoridekayi wala ukududuzwa. Mhlamunye bekasolo azibuza bona kubayini uZimakhe uJehova, avumele u-Esta othandekako athathwe kuye enziwe indlovukazi yombusi omrhedeni. Kwanje iqiniso liba sepepeneneni. UMoridekayi wathumela umlayezo endlovukazini,  abawa u-Esta bona ayokurabhela ikosi, bona ijame ngeenyawo “ngebanga labantu bekhabo.”—Esta 4:4-8.

22. Kubayini u-Esta bekasaba ukuya endodenakwakhe ikosi? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

²² U-Esta kungenzeka watshwenyeka nekezwa umlayezo loyo. Lesi bekusilingo esibudisi sekholo lakhe. Wathukwa, njengombana lokho kutjengiswa yipendulwakhe kuMoridekayi. Wamkhumbuza ngomthetho wekosi. Ukuya ekosini ungakabizwa kutjho isigwebo sokufa. Kulapho ikosi ikhupha intongayo yegolide kwaphela obekungaphulusa umuntu esigwebeneso. U-Esta bekanalo na ibanga lokucabanga bona angekhe abulawe, khulu khulu nekacabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kuVashiti nekala umlayo wekosi? U-Esta watjela uMoridekayi bona ikosi akhenge imbize amalanga ama-30! Njengombana akhenge imbize isikhathi eside kangaka wazibuza bona ikosi isamthanda na. e—Esta 4:9-11.

23. (a) UMoridekayi wathini ukuqinisa ikholo laka-Esta? (b) Kubayini uMoridekayi afanelwe kulingiswa?

²³ UMoridekayi waphendula ngesibindi ukuqinisa ikholo laka-Esta. Wamqinisekisa bona nekabhalelwa kuthatha igadango, iphuluso yamaJuda izokuvela kenye indawo. Kodwana bekangalindela njani ukuphuluka ukutlhoriswokho nekuthomako? La, uMoridekayi watjengisa ikholo eliqinileko kuJehova, ongekhe avumele bona abantu Bakhe batjhatjalaliswe begodu iinthembiso Zakhe zingazaliseki. (Josh. 23:14) Ngalokho uMoridekayi wabuza u-Esta: “Kwazi bani bona ufumene isithunzi sebukhosini ngebanga leenkhathi ezifana nalezi?” (Esta 4:12-14) Kwamambala uMoridekayi ufanelwe kulingiswa. Wathembela ngokuzeleko kuZimakhe uJehova. Kuthiwani ngathi?—IzA. 3:5, 6.

24. U-Esta walitjengisa njani ikholo nesibindi?

²⁴ Ku-Esta, lafika elingaliko. Wabawa uMoridekayi bona abuthe amadoda wamaJuda bonyana ahlanganyele naye ekuzileni kwamalanga amathathu, waphetha umlayezwakhe ngamezwi abulula asabuyelelwa nanamhlanjesi atjengisa ikholo lakhe nesibindi wathi: “Nekufuze ngirhayilwe, ngizakurhayilwa.” (Esta 4:15-17) Wathandaza ngamandla emalangeni amathathu layo kunanini ngaphambili. Nokho, emaswapheleni, isikhathi safika. Wambatha iimpahla zakhe zebukhosini eziphuma phambili, wenza koke angakwenza bona abe muhle. Ngemva kwalokho waya ekosini.

25. Hlathulula indlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo njengombana u-Esta avela endodenakwakhe?

²⁵ Njengombana kuhlathululwe ekuthomeni kwesahlukwesi, u-Esta waya esigodlweni sekosi. Singacabanga ngendlela egade atshwenyeke ngayo, nangemithandazo enamandla ebeyisengqondweni nehliziywenakhe. Wangena esangweni lapho angakghona ukubona khona u-Ahatjhiverotjhi asesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi. Mhlamunye walinga ukufunda ubuso bakhe—ubuso obunerhwanqa elilungiswe kuhle. Nengabe bekufuze alinde, lokho kwabonaka kwanga kuthethe unyaka woke. Kodwana kwadlula isikhathi—indodakwakhe yambona. Yarareka khulu, kodwana ubuso bayo bathabuluka. Yakhupha intongayo yegolide!—Esta 5:1, 2.

26. Kubayini amaKrestu weqiniso atlhoga isibindi esinjengesaka-Esta, begodu kubayini leso bekumane kusithomo somsebenzakhe?

²⁶ Ikosi beyizimisele ukumlalela. U-Esta wathembeka kuZimu begodu wabeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini bona avikele abantu Bakhe. AmaKrestu weqiniso namhlanje azithatha njengeziqakathekileko iimbonelo ezinjalo. UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe beqiniso bazokubonakala ngethando lokuzidela. (Funda uJwanisi 13:34, 35.) Ukutjengisa ithando elinjalo kutlhoga isibindi esinjengesaka-Esta. Kodwana ngitjho nanyana u-Esta ajamela abantu bakaZimu mhlokho, umsebenzakhe bewusesekuthomeni. Bekazoyenza njani ikosi ikholwe bona umluleki wayo oyintandokazi, uHamani, bekamlukimano omumbi? Bekazokwenzanjani ukuphulusa isitjhaba sekhabo? Imibuzo le sizoyicabangela esahlukweni esilandelako.