DAVIDE anayesetsa kudzilimbitsa kuti asilikali amene anali kuthawa adani asamukankhe n’kumugwetsa. Mitima yawo inali phaphapha cifukwa ca mantha pamene anali kuthawa m’bwalo la nkhondo. Kodi n’ciani cinawacititsa mantha? Mobweleza-bweleza Davide ayenela kuti anali kuwamvela akuchula dzina la munthu wina-wake amene anali kumuopa. Tsopano Davide anadzionela yekha munthuyo. Anamuona ataimilila m’cigwa modzitukumula, ndipo anali munthu wamaonekedwe woopsa kwambili kuposa munthu aliyense amene Davide anaonapo.

Munthu ameneyo anali Goliyati. Davide atamuona, anamvetsa cifukwa cake asilikali a Isiraeli anali kumuopa. Anali cimunthu cacikulu ndi coopsa, kapena kuti ciphona. Ngakhale popanda kunyamula zida za nkhondo, Goliyati anali wolemela kuposa anthu aŵili akulu-akulu. Koma panthawiyi, ananyamula zida zoopsa za nkhondo. Iye anali wamphamvu kwambili ndiponso wodziŵa kumenya nkhondo. Goliyati anayamba kufuula mwaukali. Mwacionekele, mau ake amphamvu ndi ocititsa mantha anali kumveka mbali zonse m’cigwaco pamene anali kunyoza asilikali a Isiraeli ndi mfumu yawo Sauli. Iye anauza asilikali a Isiraeli kuti asankhe munthu amene angamenyane naye, n’kumupha kuti nkhondo ithe.—1 Samueli 17:4-10.

Aisiraeli anacita mantha. Nayenso Mfumu Sauli anacita mantha. Davide anauzidwa kuti vuto limenelo lakhalapo kwa mwezi ndi masiku. Magulu aŵili a asilikali, la Afilisiti ndi la Aisiraeli, anangokhala cilili osacita ciliconse pamene Goliyati anali kunyoza Aisiraeli tsiku na tsiku. Davide anakhumudwa na zimenezo. Zinali zocititsa manyazi kuona kuti mfumu ya Isiraeli ndi asilikali ake, kuphatikizapo abale ake atatu a Davide, akucita mantha. Davide anaona kuti Goliyati anali kucita cinthu cina coipa kwambili kuposa kucititsa manyazi gulu la asilikali a Aisiraeli. Anaona kuti anali kunyoza Yehova, Mulungu wa Isiraeli. Koma kodi Davide, amene anali wacicepele panthawiyo, anacita ciani? Nanga ife masiku ano tiphunzilapo ciani pa cikhulupililo cake?—1 Samueli 17:11-14.

Tsopano tiyeni tibwelele m’mbuyo miyezi yambili zimenezi zikalibe kucitika. Davide anali kuŵeta nkhosa za atate ŵake kumapili a kufupi na Betelehemu. Iye anali mnyamata wooneka bwino, ndipo ayenela kuti anali ndi zaka zapakati pa 13 ndi 19. Khungu lake linali lofiilila ndipo anali ndi maso okongola. Poyembekezela nkhosa, Davide anali kuimba zeze ndi kuona zinthu zokongola zimene Mulungu analenga. Luso lake loimba linakula mwamsanga cifukwa cakuti anali kukhala na nthawi yoculuka yoyimba. Koma tsiku lina madzulo, Davide anaitanidwa. Atate ŵake anali kumufuna mwamsanga.—1 Samueli 16:12.

Atafika kunyumba anapeza atate ŵake, a Jese, akamba na munthu wina wokalamba. Munthuyo anali mneneli wokhulupilika Samueli, amene Yehova anamutuma kukadzoza mmodzi wa ana a Jese kuti akhale mfumu yotsatila ya Isiraeli. Samueli anali ataona kale ana 7 a Jese, koma Yehova anamuuza momveka bwino kuti sanasankhepo aliyense wa iwo. Pamene Davide anafika, Yehova anauza Samueli kuti: “Ndi ameneyu! Nyamuka umudzoze.” Samueli anatenga nyanga ya mafuta opatulika ndi kudzoza Davide abale ake onse akuona. Umoyo wa Davide unasinthilatu atangodzozedwa. Baibulo imati: “Zitatelo, mzimu wa Yehova unayamba kugwila nchito pa Davide kuyambila tsiku limenelo mpaka m’tsogolo.”—1 Samueli 16:1, 5-11, 13.

 Kodi Davide anayamba kulaka-laka kukhala mfumu? Iyai. Anayembekezela kuti mzimu wa Yehova umuthandize kudziŵa nthawi imene angayambe kusamalila udindo waukulu. Kwa nthawi, Davide anapitiliza kugwila nchito yake yoŵeta nkhosa. Anali kugwila nchito imeneyi modzipeleka kwambili ndiponso molimba mtima. Kaŵili konse, nkhosa za atate ŵake zinafuna kugwidwa na zilombo zolusa. Koyamba na mkango, ndipo kaciŵili na cimbalangondo. Davide sanangozithamangitsila kutali zilombozo, koma anayamba kulimbana nazo kuti ateteze nkhosa za atate ŵake. Panthawi zonse ziŵili, iye anapha zilombo zolusazo.—1 Samueli 17:34-36; Yesaya 31:4.

Patapita nthawi, Davide anaitanidwanso. Mfumu Sauli anamva za mbili yake. Ngakhale kuti Sauli anali akali msilikali wamphamvu, Yehova analeka kumukonda cifukwa sanamvele malangizo ake. Yehova anacotsa mzimu wake pa Sauli, ndipo nthawi zambili anali kuvutitsidwa ndi mzimu woipa. Anali wamkali, wokayikila ena, ndi wankhanza. Mzimu woipa ukafika pa Sauli, cinthu cimene cinali kumukhazikako mtima pansi ni nyimbo. Atumiki ena a Sauli anamva kuti Davide anali woimba waluso ndiponso mwamuna wankhondo. Conco Davide anaitanidwa, ndipo anakhala mmodzi wa oyimbila nyimbo mfumu Sauli ndi omunyamulila zida zankhondo.—1 Samueli 15:26-29; 16:14-23.

Acicepele angaphunzile zambili pa cikhulupililo ca Davide. Iye anaseŵenzetsa nthawi yake yopumula pocita zinthu zolimbitsa ubwenzi wake na Yehova. Kuwonjezela apo, anaphunzila maluso othandiza amene akanapangitsa kuti anthu ena amulembe nchito. Koma koposa zonse, analola mzimu wa Yehova kumutsogolela. Ndithudi, iye n’citsanzo cabwino kwambili kwa aliyense wa ife.—Mlaliki 12:1

Pamene Davide anali kutumikila Sauli, nthawi zambili anali kubwelela kwawo kukaŵeta nkhosa, ndipo nthawi zina anali kukhalako nthawi yaitali. Nthawi ina Davide ali kwawo, atate ake, a Jesse, anamutuma kuti akaone azikulu ake, amene anali m’gulu la asilikali a Sauli. Davide anamvela, ndipo ananyamuka kupita ku Cigwa ca Ela atanyamula cakudya cokapatsa abale ake. Atafika, anadabwa kuona kuti magulu aŵili a asilikali angoimilila cilili m’bwalo lomenyela nkhondo monga mmene takambila poyamba paja. Iwo anakhala moyang’anana ku mbali ziwili za cigwa cacikulu ca Ela.—1 Samueli 17:1-3, 15-19.

Davide ataona zimenezi, anaipidwa kwambili. Iye sanamvetsetse cifukwa cake asilikali a Mulungu wamoyo, Yehova, anali kuthawa munthu wamba wopembedza mafano. Davide anaona kuti Goliyati anali kunyoza Yehova. Conco anayamba kuuza asilikali molimba mtima kuti angathe kugonjetsa Goliyati. Posapita nthawi, m’bale wake wamkulu kwambili wa Davide, Eliyabu, anamva zimene Davideyo anakamba. Iye anadzudzula Davide mwaukali, ndipo anamunena kuti anabwela kukaonelela kuphedwa kwa anthu pa nkhondo. Koma Davide anamuyankha kuti: “Tsopano ndacita ciani? Inetu ndangofunsa cabe.” Davide anapitiliza kukamba motsimikiza kuti angakwanitse kugonjetsa Goliyati, ndipo munthu wina anapita kukauza Sauli zimenezi. Cotelo, mfumu inaitanitsa Davide.—1 Samueli 17:23-31.

Davide anauza mfumu mau olimbikitsa ponena za Goliyati. Iye anati: “Musalole kuti aliyense agwidwe ndi mantha mumtima mwake.” Sauli ndi anthu ake anasowa mtengo wogwila cifukwa ca Goliyati. Monga mmene anthufe timacitila nthawi zambili, mwina  Aisiraeli anali kudziyelekezela ndi munthu woopsa ameneyu, ndipo anali kuwopa poona kuti anali kulekeza cabe m’ciuno mwake kapena pa cifuwa cake. Iwo anaona kuti munthu wotelo angawagonjetse mosavuta. Koma Davide sanali kuganiza mwanjila imeneyi. Monga mmene tionele, iye sanali kuona Goliyati ngati mmene Aisiraeli ena anali kumuonela. N’cifukwa cake anadzipeleka kuti akamenyane na Goliyati.—1 Samueli 17:32.

Sauli anauza Davide kuti: “Sungapite kukamenyana ndi Mfilisiti ameneyu, cifukwa ndiwe mwana, ndipo Mfilisiti ameneyu wakhala akumenya nkhondo kuyambila ubwana wake.” Kodi Davide analidi mwana? Ayi, koma anali asanafike pa msinkhu woloŵa usilikali, ndipo ayenela kuti anali kuonekabe wacicepele. Ngakhale n’conco, Davide anali kudziŵika kuti ndi mwamuna wankhondo wolimba mtima ndipo ayenela kuti anali ndi zaka pafupifupi 20 panthawiyo.—1 Samueli 16:18; 17:33.

Davide anatsimikizila Sauli kuti angagonjetse Goliyati. Anacita zimenezi mwa kufotokozela Sauli mmene anaphela mkango ndi cimbalangondo. Kodi anali kudzitama? Iyai. Davide anadziŵa kuti Mulungu ndiye anamuthandiza. Iye anati: “Yehova amene anandilanditsa m’kamwa mwa mkango ndi m’kamwa mwa cimbalangondo andilanditsanso m’manja mwa Mfilisiti ameneyu.” Atamva zimenezi, Sauli anangomuuza kuti: “Pita, ndipo Yehova akhale nawe.”—1 Samueli 17:37.

Kodi mufuna kukhala ndi cikhulupililo ngati ca Davide? Ngati n’conco, dziŵani kuti cikhulupilo ca Davide sicinali ngati maloto cabe koma cinali na maziko ake. Iye anali na cikhulupililo mwa Mulungu cifukwa ca zimene anaphunzila ndi zimene zinam’citikila paumoyo. Anadziŵa kuti Yehova ndi Mtetezi wacikondi ndi Wosunga malonjezo. Kuti tikhale ndi cikhulupililo cotelo, tifunika kuphunzila za Mulungu woona. Tikamacita zimene timaphunzila, timakhala na umoyo wabwino ndipo cikhulupililo cathu cimalimba.—Aheberi 11:1.

Poyamba Sauli anavalika Davide zovala zake zankhondo. Zinali zopangidwa ndi mkuwa mofanana ndi za Goliyati, ndipo zinaphatikizapo covala ca mamba a citsulo. Atavala zovalazo, Davide anafuna kuyenda, koma anaona kuti sangakwanitse kuyenda nazo. Iye sanaphunzitsidwe monga msilikali, ndipo anali asanajaile kuvala zovala zankhondo maka-maka za Sauli, amene anali wamtali kwambili pakati pa Aisiraeli. (1 Samueli 9:2) Cotelo anavula zovalazo ndi kuvala covala ca ubusa cimene anali kuvala nthawi zonse poteteza nkhosa.—1 Samueli 17:38-40.

Davide anatenga ndodo, cola, ndi gulaye. Masiku ano, gulaye angaoneke ngati cida cosathandiza, koma kale cinali cida coopsa kwambili. Gulaye cinali cida cokhala na kathumba kakang’ono pakati pa nthambo ziŵili za cikumba, ndipo cinali cida cothandiza kwambili kwa m’busa. Davide anali kuika mwala m’kathumba ka gulaye n’kuzungulutsa gulayeyo mwamsanga pamwamba pa mutu wake, kenako n’kuponya mwalawo mwamphamvu mwa kutaya nthambo imodzi. Gulaye anali cida cothandiza kwambili moti nthawi zina panali kukhala gulu la asilikali ogwilitsila nchito gulaye.

Atanyamula cida cimeneci, Davide anathamanga kuti akumane ndi mdani wake. N’zosacita kufunsa kuti Davide anapemphela mocondelela pamene anali kutola miyala 5 yosalala ing’ono-ing’ono m’mbali mwa mtsinje wouma wa m’cigwaco. Ndiyeno anathamangila m’bwalo la nkhondo.

Kodi Goliyati anaganiza ciani ataona Davide? Baibulo imati: “Anayamba kumudelela cifukwa anali mnyamata wamaonekedwe ofiilila, ndiponso wokongola.” Conco Goliyati anafuula kuti: “Kodi ine ndine galu kuti ubwele kwa ine ndi ndodo?” Iye anaona ndodo imene Davide ananyamula, koma sanaikileko nzelu kuti ananyamulanso gulaye. Goliyati anatembelela Davide m’dzina la milungu ya Afilisiti ndipo analumbila kuti apeleka mnofu wake kwa mbalame zam’mlengalenga ndi kwa zilombo zakuchile.—1 Samueli 17:41-44.

Mau amene Davide anakamba poyankha Goliyati ndi olimbikitsa ngakhale masiku ano. Yelekezelani kuti mukumva wacicepele ameneyu akuuza Goliyati kuti: “Iwe ukubwela kwa ine ndi lupanga, mkondo ndi nthungo, koma ine ndikubwela kwa iwe m’dzina la Yehova wa makamu, Mulungu wa asilikali a Isiraeli, amene iweyo wam’tonza.” Davide anadziŵa kuti mphamvu za munthu kapena zida sizinali zofunika kwenikweni. Goliyati ananyoza Yehova Mulungu, ndipo Yehovayo anacitapo kanthu. Davide anakamba kuti: “Yehova ndiye mwini nkhondo.”—1 Samueli 17:45-47.

 Davide anaona kutalika kwa Goliyati ndi zida zake za nkhondo. Koma sanalole zimenezo kumucititsa mantha. Iye sanacite zinthu mofanana ndi mmene Sauli ndi asilikali ake anacitila. Davide sanadziyelekezele ndi Goliyati. Mmalomwake, anayelekezela Goliyati ndi Yehova. N’zoona kuti Goliyati anali wamtali mamita 2.9, ndipo anali kuposa anthu onse, koma sanali kanthu poyelekezela ndi Mulungu wacilengedwe conse. Iye anali ngati nyelele m’maso mwa Yehova, ndipo Mulungu anali wokonzeka kumuononga kothelatu.

Davide anathamangila mdani wake, kwinaku akupisa m’cola kuti atenge mwala. Anauika pa gulaye ndi kuzungulutsa gulayeyo mofulumila pamwamba pa mutu wake. Goliyati, anayamba kupita kumene kunali Davide. Iye ayenela kuti anafika pafupi kwambili na wonyamula cishango cake. N’zoonekelatu kuti kutalika kwa Goliyati kunapangitsa kuti asakhale wotetezeka kwenikweni, cifukwa wonyamula zida zake sakanakwanitsa kunyamula cishango pa saizi yakuti ateteze mutu wa Goliyati. Ndipo Davide analunjika kumutuko.—1 Samueli 17:41.

Ndiyeno, Davide anaponya mwalawo ndipo unayenda mwamphamvu kulunjika Goliyati. Mwacionekele, Yehova ndiye anacititsa kuti Davide amenye Goliyati kamodzi-n’kamodzi. Mwalawo unamenya Goliyati pamphumi ndi kuloŵelatu m’mutu mwake. Ciphonaco cinagwa pansi cafufumimba. Wonyamula zida zake ayenela kuti anathaŵa cifukwa ca mantha. Kenako Davide anafika pafupi, ndi kutenga lupanga la Goliyati n’kumudula mutu.—1 Samueli 17:48-51.

Tsopano Sauli ndi asilikali ake anapeza mphamvu. Asilikali a Isiraeli anayamba kufuula ndi kuthamangitsa Afilisiti. Aisiraeli anapambana nkhondoyo monga mmene Davide anauzila Goliyati kuti: “Yehova . . . apeleka anthu inu m’manja mwathu.”—1 Samueli 17:47, 52, 53.

Masiku ano, atumiki a Mulungu samenya nkhondo yeni-yeni. Zimenezi zinatha. (Mateyu 26:52) Komabe, tifunika kutengela cikhulupililo ca Davide. Mofanana ndi Davide, tifunika kukhulupilila Yehova. Tifunikanso kutumikila iye yekha ndi kumuopa. Nthawi zina tingathedwe nzelu ndi mavuto athu, koma tiyenela kukumbukila kuti palibe vuto limene Yehova angalephele kuthetsa cifukwa ali ndi mphamvu zopanda malile. Tikasankha Yehova kukhala Mulungu wathu ndi kumukhulupilila monga mmene Davide anacitila, tidzakhala olimba mtima tikakumana ndi mavuto. Palibe vuto limene Yehova angalephele kuthetsa.