1, 2. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uHana angonwabi xa kulungiselelwa uhambo? (b) Sifunda ntoni kwibali likaHana?

UHANA wayezixakekisile elungiselela uhambo, ezama ukulibala ngeengxaki zakhe. Kwakumele ukuba esi sisihlandlo esivuyisayo; umyeni wakhe, uElikana, wayenesiko lokusa intsapho yakhe yonke kwintente yokuhlangana eShilo. UYehova wayefuna ezo zihlandlo zibe zezivuyisayo. (Funda iDuteronomi 16:15.) Alithandabuzeki nelokuba, ukususela ebusaneni, uHana wayekuthanda ukuthatha olu hambo. Kodwa ngoku izinto zazitshintshile.

² Wayesikelelwe ngokufumana umyeni omthandayo. Noko ke, uElikana wayenomnye umfazi. Igama lakhe yayinguPenina, yaye wayezimisele ukumngcikiva uHana. UPenina wayefumene nendlela yokwenza olu hambo lumngcungcuthekise uHana. Njani? Okubaluleke nangakumbi, ukukholosa kukaHana ngoYehova kwamnceda njani wajamelana nemeko eyayibonakala ingenasicombululo? Xa ujamelane nengxaki ekuhlutha ulonwabo, unokuchukunyiswa libali likaHana.

3, 4. Ziziphi iingxaki ezimbini awayenazo uHana, yaye yintoni ebangela ukuba zombini ezi ngxaki zibe lucelomngeni?

³ IBhayibhile ithetha ngeengxaki ezimbini awayenazo uHana. Kwakungekho nto ingako anokuyenza ngengxaki yokuqala, ingekho kwaphela anokuyenza ngengxaki yesibini. Okokuqala, wayendele kwisithembu, ethiyiwe ngumfazi wesibini. Okwesibini, wayeludlolo. Le ngxaki ilucelomngeni kuye nawuphi na umfazi onqwenela abantwana, kodwa ngemihla kaHana, yayibangela intlungu engathethekiyo. Ntsapho nganye yayifuna abantwana abaza kugcina igama layo. Ukungabi nabantwana yayilihlazo.

⁴ Mhlawumbi uHana wayenokukwazi ukunyamezela le ntlungu ukuba wayengangcikivwa nguPenina. Kwakungelulanga ukutshatela kwisithembu. Ubutshaba, usukuzwano nentliziyo ebuhlungu yayizizinto zomhla nezolo. Eli lungiselelo lalahluke mpela kwelo lalenziwe nguThixo emyezweni wase-Eden, lokuba umntu abe neqabane  lomtshato elinye. (Gen. 2:24) IBhayibhile ayithethi kakuhle ngesithembu yaye usukuzwano olwalugquba kwintsapho kaElikana lwenza kucace ukuba kutheni.

5. Kwakutheni ukuze uPenina afune ukuvisa uHana intlungu, yaye wakwenza njani oku?

⁵ Kaloku, uElikana wayemthanda kakhulu uHana. Imbali yamaYuda ithi uElikana watshata noHana kuqala, waza emva kweminyaka ethile watshata noPenina. Enoba yinyani leyo okanye akunjalo, uPenina, owayemmonela uHana, wayekhangela zonke iindlela anokumenza buhlungu ngazo. Eyona nto wayebhetele ngayo uPenina kuHana kukuba yena wayefumana abantwana. Njengokuba uPenina eqhubeka esiba nabantwana, waya eziva ebaluleke ngakumbi. Endaweni yokusizela nokuthuthuzela uHana, uPenina wagalela ityuwa kwelo nxeba ukuze amenze buhlungu. IBhayibhile ithi, uPenina wayemcaphukisa uHana “ukuze amenze azive ephazamisekile.” (1 Sam. 1:6) UPenina wayekwenza ngabom oko. Wayefuna ukumenza buhlungu uHana yaye waphumelela.

6, 7. (a) Nakuba uElikana wazama ukuthuthuzela uHana, sasinokuba yintoni isizathu sokungafuni kwakhe ukumchazela yonke into? (b) Ngaba ukuba ludlolo kukaHana kwakuthetha ukuba akathandwa nguYehova? Cacisa. (Funda umbhalo osemazantsi.)

⁶ Kubonakala ukuba uPenina wayefumana ithuba elihle nyaka ngamnye xa kusiyiwa eShilo. Ngamnye wabantwana bakaPenina ababebaninzi—“bonke oonyana bakhe neentombi zakhe”—wanikwa nguElikana isabelo sokubingelela kuYehova. UHana owayethandwa yena wanikwa isabelo sakhe kuphela. UPenina onomona wamgculela uHana emkhumbuza ngokuba ludlolo kwakhe kangangokuba walila akakwazi nokutya. UElikana wabona ukuba isithandwa sakhe uHana sidandathekile yaye asityi, wazama ukusithuthuzela. Wambuza wathi: “Hana, kutheni ulila nje, yaye kutheni ungadli nje, kwaye kutheni intliziyo yakho imbi nje? Andilungile na kuwe ngaphezu koonyana abalishumi?”—1 Sam. 1:4-8.

⁷ UElikana uyathetheleleka kuba wabona ukuba intlungu kaHana yayibangelwa kukuba ludlolo kwakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo noHana wayekuxabisa ukukhunjuzwa ukuba usathandwa. * Kodwa uElikana akazange athethe ngenkohlakalo kaPenina; ibe iBhayibhile ayitsho ukuba uHana wamxelela ngayo. Mhlawumbi waqonda ukuba  ukuthetha ngayo kwakuya kumenza angcikivwe ngakumbi. Ngaba uElikana wayeza kuyitshintsha le meko? Mhlawumbi uPenina wayeza kumthiya nangakumbi uHana, bade nabantwana nezicaka zakhe bathelele ekumgculeleni. UHana wayeza kuziva engafunwa emzini wakhe.

8. Xa ujamelene nobubi okanye okungekho sikweni, kutheni kuthuthuzela ukukhumbula ukuba uYehova nguThixo wokusesikweni?

⁸ Enoba uElikana wayesazi kangakanani ngobukrwada bukaPenina, uYehova uThixo wakubona konke okwenzekayo. ILizwi lakhe lisixelela yonke into, nto leyo esisilumkiso kuye nabani na oyoliswa kukumonela nokugculela abanye. Kwelinye icala, abantu abathanda uxolo nabangenatyala, njengoHana, banokuthuthuzeleka kukwazi ukuba uThixo othanda okusesikweni ulungisa yonke imicimbi ngexesha lakhe nangendlela yakhe. (Funda iDuteronomi 32:4.) Mhlawumbi uHana wayekwazi oko, kuba walucela kuYehova uncedo.

9. Ziziphi izifundo esinokuzifunda kukuvuma kukaHana ukuya eShilo nakuba wayesazi ukuba utshaba lwakhe luza kwenza ntoni?

⁹ Ngale ntsasa, laliphithizela eli khaya. Wonke umntu, kuquka nabantwana, wayelungiselela uhambo. Le ntsapho yayiza kuthatha uhambo lweekhilomitha ezingaphezu kwama-30 kwiinduli zelizwe lakwaEfrayim. * Olu hambo lwalunokuthatha usuku ukusa kwezimbini ngeenyawo. UHana wayesazi ukuba wayeza kwenza ntoni uPenina. Sekunjalo, uHana akazange asale ngasemva. Ngenxa yoko, umisela umzekelo obalaseleyo kubanquli bakaYehova namhlanje. Asibobulumko ukuvumela izenzo zabanye zisiphazamise ekunquleni uThixo. Ukuba besinokwenza oko, besiya kuphoswa ziintsikelelo ezisinceda sinyamezele.

10, 11. (a) Kwakutheni ukuze uHana akhawuleze aye emnqubeni akufumana ithuba? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uHana aphalaz’ imbilini yakhe kuYise osezulwini ngomthandazo?

¹⁰ Emva kohambo olude kwiindlela ezingamajiko-jiko nezinqumla ezintabeni, le ntsapho inkulu yasondela eShilo. Le ndawo isendulini yayingqongwe zezinye iinduli eziphakamileyo kunayo. Njengoko besondela, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uHana wayecinga nzulu ngamazwi aya kuwathetha kuYehova emthandazweni. Ekufikeni kwayo, le ntsapho yonwabela isidlo. Akufumana ithuba, uHana wathi gu bucala waya kwintente yokuhlangana kaYehova. UMbingeleli Omkhulu uEli wayekhona, ehleli ngasemgubasini. Kodwa uHana akazange ambone kuba wayecinga ngoThixo wakhe. Apha kule ntente, wayeqinisekile ukuba uza kuviwa. Nokuba abanye abantu babengayazi  intlungu akuyo, uYise osezulwini wayeyiqonda. Intliziyo yakhe yaba lihlwili, waqalisa ukulila.

¹¹ Njengoko umzimba wakhe wawungcangcazela ngenxa yokulila kwakhe, uHana wathandaza kuYehova ngaphakathi. Imilebe yakhe yayibebezela njengoko ecinga ngamazwi okuchaza intlungu yakhe. Wathandaza ixesha elide, ephalaz’ imbilini yakhe kuYise. Kodwa akazange acele nje ukuba uThixo amnike abantwana. UHana wayenganqweneli ukufumana iintsikelelo kuphela kuThixo, kodwa wayenawo nomnqweno wokumnika oko anako. Ngoko wenza isifungo, esithi ukuba unokufumana unyana, wayeya kunikela ngaye ukuba akhonze uYehova.—1 Sam. 1:9-11.

12. Njengoko umzekelo kaHana ebonisa, ziziphi izinto esimele sizikhumbule ngomthandazo?

¹² UHana ngumzekelo omhle wendlela yokuthandaza kubo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo. UYehova umema bonke abantu bakhe ukuba bathethe naye ngokukhululekileyo, bamchazele konke okusentliziyweni njengomntwana othetha nomzali wakhe. (Funda iNdumiso 62:8; 1 Tesalonika 5:17.) Umpostile uPetros waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale la mazwi athuthuzelayo ngoYehova: “Liphoseni kuye lonke ixhala lenu, kuba unikhathalele.”—1 Petros 5:7.

13, 14. (a) UEli wakhawuleza wamtyhola ngantoni uHana? (b) Indlela awaphendula ngayo uHana kuEli ingumzekelo obalaseleyo njani wokholo?

¹³ Noko ke, abantu abasoloko benovelwano njengoYehova. Njengoko uHana wayethandaza, wothuswa lilizwi lomntu. YayinguEli, umbingeleli omkhulu, owayembukele njengoko ethandaza. Wathi: “Kuya kude kube nini na unxila? Yisuse iwayini yakho kuwe.” UEli wayebone ukubebezela kwemilebe kaHana, ukulila nokudandatheka kwakhe. Kunokuba abuze into eyayimkhathaza, wasuka wamtyhola ngokunxila.—1 Sam. 1:12-14.

¹⁴ Umel’ ukuba wakhathazeka kakhulu uHana, kuba kanye ngexesha awayesentlungwini ngalo, watyholwa ngento elihlazo—phofu etyholwa ngumntu okwisikhundla esibekekileyo! Nangona kunjalo, uphinda asimisele umzekelo obalaseleyo wokholo. Akazange avumele ukungafezeki komntu kuphazamise ukunqula kwakhe uYehova. Wamphendula ngentlonelo uEli waza wamchazela imeko yakhe. UEli waphendula, mhlawumbi ethethela phantsi ngenxa yeentloni, wathi: “Hamba ngoxolo, yaye ngamana uThixo kaSirayeli angenza ngokwesibongozo sakho osicelileyo kuye.”—1 Sam. 1:15-17.

15, 16. (a) Waba yintoni umphumo wokuba uHana aphalaze imbilini yakhe kuYehova aze amnqule kwintente yokuhlangana? (b) Singawuxelisa njani umzekelo kaHana xa sijamelene neemvakalelo ezibuhlungu?

¹⁵ Waba yintoni umphumo wokuba uHana aphalaze imbilini yakhe kuYehova aze amnqule kwintente yokuhlangana? Le ngxelo ithi: “Wahamba ke umfazi lowo, wadla, nobuso bakhe ababi  saba bobuxhalabileyo.” (1 Sam. 1:18) IThe Jerusalem Bible iyibeka ngolu hlobo: “Imbonakalo yakhe yayeka ukudakumba.” UHana waziva ekhululekile. Kwakungathi wothule umthwalo onzima weemvakalelo ezibuhlungu emagxeni akhe, wawubeka kumagxa amakhulu nawomeleleyo kunawakhe, amagxa kaYise osemazulwini. (Funda iNdumiso 55:22.) Ngaba ikho ingxaki enokumoyisa? Ayikho tu—yayingekho ngoko, ayikho ngoku yaye ayisoze ibe kho!

¹⁶ Ukuba siziva sixinekile, siminxwe okanye sisonganyelwa kukukhathazeka, simele silandele umzekelo kaHana size siphalaz’ imbilini yethu kuLowo iBhayibhile imbiza ngokuba ‘ngumphulaphuli wemithandazo.’ (INdu. 65:2) Ukuba nathi siyakwenza oko ngokholo, intlungu yethu iya kuthatyathelwa indawo ‘luxolo lukaThixo olungaphaya kokuqonda.’—Fil. 4:6, 7.

17, 18. (a) UElikana wasixhasa njani isifungo sikaHana? (b) Lwaphela njani ungcikivo lukaPenina kuHana?

¹⁷ Kusuku olulandelayo, uHana wabuyela kwintente yokuhlangana kunye noElikana. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayemxelele ngomthandazo nangesifungo sakhe, kuba uMthetho kaMoses wawusithi indoda inelungelo lokusijika isifungo esenziwe ngumfazi wayo ngaphandle kwemvume yayo. (Num. 30:10-15) Loo ndoda inokholo ayizange iyenze loo nto. Kunoko, yona noHana banqula uYehova kwintente yokuhlangana ngaphambi kokuba bagoduke.

¹⁸ UPenina wabona nini ukuba amazwi akhe okugculela awasamkhathazi uHana? Le ngxelo ayisixeleli, kodwa amazwi athi “ababi saba bobuxhalabileyo” abonisa ukuba uHana waqalisa ukonwaba ukususela ngelo xesha. Enoba kutheni, kungekudala uPenina wabona ukuba akusekho nto anokumenza yona uHana. Asiphindi sive ngaye eBhayibhileni kwakhona.

19. Ziziphi iintsikelelo ezafunyanwa nguHana, yaye wabonisa njani ukuba uyaqonda ukuba zivela phi ezo ntsikelelo?

¹⁹ Njengoko iinyanga ziqhubeka, uxolo lukaHana lwaye lukhula ngakumbi. Wakhulelwa! Nakuba wayevuya, uHana akazange nakancinane alibale ukuba zivela phi iintsikelelo zakhe. Yakuzalwa inkwenkwe, wayithiya ngokuba nguSamuweli, gama elo lithetha “Igama LikaThixo,” kusenokwenzeka ukuba libhekisela ekubizeni kwigama eliphakamileyo, njengokuba uHana wenzayo. Ngaloo nyaka, akazange ahambe noElikana noPenina kuhambo oluya eShilo. Wasala ngasemva iminyaka yaba mithathu, de usana olo lwalunyulwa. Emva koko, walungisa intliziyo yakhe kuba wayesele eza kwahlukana nonyana wakhe oyintanda.

20. UHana noElikana basizalisekisa njani isifungo ababesenze kuYehova?

²⁰ Kumel’ ukuba kwakunzima ukwahlukana kwakhe nonyana  wakhe. Kakade ke, uHana wayesazi ukuba uSamuweli uya kuphathwa kakuhle eShilo, mhlawumbi anyanyekelwe ngamabhinqa ayekhonza kwintente yokuhlangana. Sekunjalo, wayesemncinci, phofu nguwuphi umama ongafuniyo ukuba kunye nosana lwakhe? Nakuba kunjalo, uHana noElikana bayisa le nkwenkwana, kungekhona ngokukrokra, kodwa benombulelo. Babingelela endlwini kaThixo, baza basa uSamuweli kuEli, bemkhumbuza ngesifungo esenziwa nguHana kwiminyaka ngaphambili.

21. Umthandazo kaHana kuYehova ububonisa njani ubunzulu bokholo lwakhe? (Bona nebhokisi ethi “ Imithandazo Emibini Echukumisayo.”)

²¹ Emva koko uHana wenza umthandazo oxatyiswa nguThixo kangangokuba waqinisekisa ukuba uba yinxalenye yeLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo. Njengoko ufunda amazwi akhe kweyoku-1 kaSamuweli 2:1-10, isivakalisi ngasinye sikubonisa ubunzulu bokholo lwakhe. Wadumisa uYehova ngenxa yamandla akhe angummangaliso—ukukwazi kwakhe ukuthoba abanekratshi, ukusikelela abacinezelekileyo nokukwazi kwakhe ukuphelisa ubomi okanye ukubusindisa ekufeni. Wadumisa uYise ngobungcwele bakhe obungenakulinganiswa nanto, okusesikweni nokuthembeka kwakhe. UHana wayenezizathu ezivakalayo zokuthi: “Akukho liwa linjengoThixo wethu.” UYehova unokuthenjwa ngokupheleleyo, akatshintshi, yaye uyindawo yokusabela kubantu abacinezelekileyo nabakhalela uncedo kuye.

22, 23. (a) Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uSamuweli wakhula esazi ukuba uyathandwa ngabazali bakhe? (b) UYehova waqhubeka emsikelela njani uHana?

²² USamuweli oselula wayesikelelwe kakhulu kukuba nonina onokholo kuYehova. Nangona wayemkhumbula unina njengoko ekhula, akazange azive elityelwe. Nyaka ngamnye, uHana wayesiza eShilo, ephathele uSamuweli isambatho esincinane esingenamikhono aza kusinxiba xa ekhonza  kwintente yokuhlangana. Eso sambatho wayesithunge ngezandla zakhe sasibonisa uthando nenkathalo uHana awayenayo ngomntwana wakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 kaSamuweli 2:19.) Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni wakhe enxibisa unyana wakhe eso sambatho, asilungise, aze amjonge encumile njengoko ethetha naye ngobubele, emkhuthaza. USamuweli wayesikeleleke ngokwenene kukuba nomama ololu hlobo yaye naye waba yintsikelelo kubazali bakhe nakuye wonke uSirayeli akukhula.

²³ NoHana akazange alityalwe. UYehova wamsikelela nangabanye abantwana, yaye wazalela uElikana abantwana abahlanu. (1 Sam. 2:21) Eyona ntsikelelo inkulu kuHana, lulwalamano awayenalo noYise wasezulwini, uYehova, olwaqhubeka lukhula njengoko kwakuqengqeleka iminyaka. Ngamana loo nto inokwenzeka nakuwe, njengoko uxelisa ukholo lukaHana.