UDEBORA ubuka amasosha ahlangene phezulu esiqongweni seNtaba iThabori. Kumthinta inhliziyo ukuwabona emi lapho. Njengoba kuya kusa, ucabanga ngesibindi sawo nangokholo lomholi wawo uBharaki. Nakuba la masosha ayengu-10 000, ukholo nesibindi sawo sasizovivinywa kakhulu ngalolo suku. Ayezokulwa nesitha esinonya, ayembalwa futhi engahlomile ngokwanele uma eqhathaniswa naso. Noma kunjalo ayelapha—ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yokukhuthazwa yilona wesifazane.

Mbone ngeso lengqondo uDebora, izingubo zakhe zipheshulwa umoya njengoba yena noBharaki bebuka le ndawo enkulu. INtaba iThabori inesiqongo esiyisicaba, esingamamitha angu-400 ukuya phansi. Uma umi kuso ubona sonke isiGodi sase-Esdraelon ukuya ngaseningizimu-ntshonalanga. UMfula iKishoni udabula ethafeni eliluhlaza uze uyongenisa oLwandle Olukhulu ngaseNtabeni iKarmeli. Kungenzeka ukuthi isihlabathi esisogwini lomfula sasomile ngalolo suku ekuseni kodwa kukhona okunye okucwebezelayo okwakusondela. Ibutho likaSisera lalisondela nezikhali zalo zensimbi ezicwebezelayo. Leli kwakuyibutho likaSisera elikhethekile—izinqola zempi ezingu-900 okungenzeka ukuthi zazifakwe imicibisholo yensimbi emasondweni azo. USisera wayehlose ukuceka ama-Israyeli ayengahlomile ngokushesha.

UDebora wayazi ukuthi uBharaki nebutho lakhe babelinde izwi noma uphawu oluvela kuye. Ingabe wayengukuphela kowesifazane owayelapho? Wayezizwa kanjani ngokuphathiswa umthwalo omkhulu kangaka? Ingabe wayezibuza ukuthi ufunani lapho? Akubonakali kanjalo. UJehova, uNkulunkulu wakhe, wayemtshele ukuba aqale le mpi; wayebonise nokuthi uyosebenzisa owesifazane ukuze aqede le mpi. (AbaHluleli 4:9) Yini esingayifunda ngokholo kuDebora nasemadodeni anesibindi ayelwa kuleyo mpi?

Lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma okokuqala ngoDebora, limbiza ngokuthi “umprofethikazi.” IBhayibheli liyakhuluma ngabaprofethikazi abambalwa abafana noDebora nakuba bengebaningi. * UDebora wayenomunye umsebenzi ayewenza. Wayephinde abe ngumahluleli ngokunikeza abantu izimpendulo ezivela kuJehova lapho kunezinkinga.—AbaHluleli 4:4, 5.

UDebora wayehlala esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi, phakathi nemizi yaseBhethele naseRama. Kuleyo ndawo wayehlala ngaphansi komuthi wesundu akhonze abantu njengoba uJehova eyalile. Umsebenzi wakhe wawunzima ngempela, kodwa uDebora akawuvumelanga ukuba umqede amandla. Inkonzo yakhe yayidingeka kakhulu. Empeleni, kamuva waba nengxenye ekubhaleni ingoma ephefumulelwe, kuleyo ngoma washo lokhu ngokuphathelene nabantu bakubo abangathembekile: “Bakhetha onkulunkulu abasha. Yingaleso sikhathi lapho kwaba khona impi emasangweni.” (AbaHluleli 5:8) Ngenxa yokuthi ama-Israyeli ayeka ukukhonza uJehova akhonza abanye onkulunkulu, uJehova wawanikela ezitheni zawo. Inkosi yaseKhanani uJabini yawanqoba ama-Israyeli isebenzisa ujenene wayo onamandla uSisera.

USisera! Lelo gama lilodwa lalibangela ukwesaba nokuthuthumela kuma-Israyeli. Inkolo nesiko lamaKhanani  lalinonya, kwakwenziwa umhlatshelo ngezingane futhi kudayiswa umzimba ethempelini. Kwakunjani ukubuswa ujenene waseKhanani nebutho lakhe? Ingoma kaDebora ibonisa ukuthi kwakunzima kakhulu ukuhamba ezweni futhi emaphandleni kwakukhala ibhungane. (AbaHluleli 5:6, 7) Singase sibabone ngeso lengqondo abantu becashe emahlathini nasemagqumeni besaba ukulima noma ukuhlala emaphandleni angenazivikelo, besaba ukuhamba emigwaqweni evulekile futhi besaba ukuhlaselwa, ukulahlekelwa izingane zabo nokudlwengulwa kwamakhosikazi abo. *

Lokho kuhlukumezeka kwaqhubeka iminyaka engu-20, kwaze kwaba yilapho uJehova ebona ubufakazi bokuthi laba bantu abantamo lukhuni base bekulungele ukuphenduka noma njengoba ingoma ephefumulelwe kaDebora noBharaki isho, “Kwaze kwaba yilapho mina, Debora ngisukuma, Kwaze kwaba yilapho ngisukuma njengomama kwa-Israyeli.” Asazi ukuthi uDebora, umkaLapitodi, wayenazo yini izingane, kodwa le nkulumo yayisetshenziswa ngendlela engokomfanekiso. Empeleni uJehova wanika uDebora isabelo sokuvikela isizwe njengomama. Wamthuma ukuba abize indoda enokholo oluqinile, umaHluleli uBharaki futhi ayiyale ukuba imelane noSisera.—AbaHluleli 4:3, 6, 7; 5:7.

UJehova wayala ngoDebora: “Hamba uthi chithi saka eNtabeni iThabori.” UBharaki kwakumelwe aqoqe amadoda angu-10 000 ezizweni ezimbili zakwa-Israyeli. UDebora wachaza isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu sokuthi babezomnqoba uSisera onamandla nezinqola zakhe zempi ezingu-900! Ngokuqinisekile leso sithembiso sammangaza uBharaki. Ama-Israyeli ayengenalo ibutho lempi futhi engenazo izikhali zempi. Noma kunjalo uBharaki wavuma ukuya empini—kuphela uma uDebora eya nabo eNtabeni iThabori.—AbaHluleli 4:6-8; 5:6-8.

Abanye abantu baye bathi uBharaki wayengenalo ukholo ngenxa yalesi sicelo, kodwa lokho akulona iqiniso. UBharaki akazange acele ukuba uNkulunkulu abanike izikhali ezengeziwe. Kunalokho, njengendoda enokholo, wakubona ukubaluleka kokuba nommeleli kaJehova owayezoqinisa yena namadoda ayekanye naye. (Hebheru 11:32, 33) UJehova wabasekela. Wavuma ukuba uDebora ahambe nabo, njengoba uBharaki ayecelile. Nokho uJehova waphefumulela uDebora ukuba abikezele ukuthi impi yayingeke inqotshwe ngesandla sendoda. (AbaHluleli 4:9) UNkulunkulu wanquma ukuthi uSisera omubi wayezobulawa owesifazane!

 Ezweni namuhla, abesifazane baphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa, ngobudlova futhi bayahlukunyezwa. Kuyethukela ukubona abesifazane behlonishwa ngendlela uNkulunkulu afuna ngayo. Nokho uNkulunkulu wamukela abesilisa nabesifazane ngendlela efanayo. (Roma 2:11; Galathiya 3:8) Isibonelo sikaDebora sisikhumbuza ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyababusisa nabesifazane ngamalungelo futhi uyababonisa ukuthi uyabethemba futhi uyabathanda. Kubalulekile ukugwema ukucwaswa kwabesifazane okwandile namuhla ezweni.

UBharaki wahamba wayoqoqa ibutho lakhe. Waqoqa amadoda angu-10 000 ayenesibindi sokulwa nebutho likaSisera elinamandla. Njengoba uBharaki ayehola ibutho lakhe, ekhuphuka nalo iNtaba iThabori, kwakumjabulisa ukwazi ukuthi kunomuntu oqinisa ibutho lakhe. Siyafunda: ‘UDebora wenyuka kanye naye.’ (AbaHluleli 4:10) Cabanga nje indlela la masosha akhuthazeka ngayo lapho ebona lona wesifazane onesibindi owayezimisele ukubeka ukuphila kwakhe engozini ngenxa yokholo lwakhe kuJehova uNkulunkulu, ekhuphuka nawo njengoba belibangise eNtabeni iThabori!

Lapho uSisera ethola ukuthi ama-Israyeli ayeqoqe ibutho elalizomelana naye, ngokushesha waqoqa ibutho lakhe. Amakhosi amaningi aseKhanani aba mdibi munye neNkosi uJabini, okungenzeka yayinamandla kakhulu kunawo. Izinqola zikaSisera ezinkulu zazamazamisa umhlaba njengoba ziphokophele phambili empini. AmaKhanani ayeqiniseka ukuthi ayezowanqoba ngokushesha ama-Israyeli angenamandla.—AbaHluleli 4:12, 13; 5:19.

Babezokwenzenjani oBharaki noDebora njengoba isitha sisondela,? Ukube baqhubeka behleli ohlangothini lweNtaba iThabori, babengase babe sethubeni elihle lokunqoba ngoba izinqola zidinga indawo eyisicaba ukuze zikwazi ukuhamba kahle. UBharaki wayezolandela isiqondiso sikaJehova, ngakho walinda izwi elivela kuDebora. Ekugcineni wafika lowo mzuzu. UDebora wathi: “Sukuma, ngoba lolu usuku uJehova azonikela ngalo ngokuqinisekile uSisera esandleni sakho. Akuyena yini uJehova ophumé phambi kwakho?” Sibe sesifunda ukuthi: “UBharaki wehla esuka eNtabeni iThabori elandelwa amadoda ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi.”—AbaHluleli 4:14. *

Amabutho akwa-Israyeli ehla entabeni aya ezansi endaweni eyisicaba, abhekana ngqo nalezo zinqola ezesabekayo zempi. Ingabe uJehova wabasekela njengoba uDebora ayethembisile? Basheshe bayithola impendulo. Siyafunda: “Umhlaba wazamazama, namazulu aconsa.” Ibutho likaSisera eliqhoshayo ladideka. Layidliva imvula. Ngokushesha umhlabathi waphenduka udaka. Kunokuba izinqola ezisindayo zenze izinto zibe lula, zaba yinkinga. Zabhajwa odakeni, zahluleka ukuhamba.—AbaHluleli 4:14, 15; 5:4.

Imvula ayizange imkhathaze uBharaki namadoda ayekanye naye. Babazi ukuthi ibangelwa ubani. Baqonda ngqo emabuthweni amaKhanani. Njengoba ayemelela uNkulunkulu, ama-Israyeli aliqothula lonke ibutho likaSisera. UMfula iKishoni wakhukhula izidumbu zamasosha waziphonsa oLwandle Olukhulu.—AbaHluleli 4:16; 5:21.

Namuhla, uJehova akasazithumeli izinceku zakhe ezimpini ezingokoqobo. Nokho, ucela abantu bakhe ukuba balwe impi engokomoya. (Mathewu 26:52; 2 Korinte 10:4) Uma sizama ukulalela uNkulunkulu namuhla, sima ngasohlangothini lwakhe kuleyo mpi. Sidinga isibindi, ngoba labo abangosohlangothini lukaNkulunkulu namuhla babhekana nokuphikiswa okukhulu. Kodwa uJehova akakashintshi. Usabavikela abantu abanokholo kuye nabathembela kuye njengoDebora, uBharaki namasosha anesibindi akwa-Israyeli wasendulo.

Isitha esisodwa esingumKhanani sabaleka—isitha esibi kunazo zonke! USisera umcindezeli omkhulu wabantu bakaNkulunkulu, wabaleka ngezinyawo. Washiya amabutho akhe ebulawa odakeni, wabaleka engabonwa walibangisa ezizweni eziseduze ezazingamsiza. Njengoba eqhubeka egijima kulelo thafa elivulekile, ekhathazeke ngokuthi amasosha akwa-Israyeli angamfica, wangena ematendeni kaHebhere umKheni owayenze isivumelwano neNkosi uJabini sokuhlala kulelo zwe.—AbaHluleli 4:11, 17.

 Ekhathele, uSisera wafika etendeni likaHebhere. Wathola ukuthi uHebhere wayesaphumile. Kodwa uJayeli umkakhe wayekhona. USisera wacabanga ukuthi uJayeli wayezohlonipha isivumelwano esasiphakathi komyeni wakhe neNkosi uJabini. Mhlawumbe kwakungacabangeki kuye ukuthi lona wesifazane angenza noma acabange ngendlela ehlukile kweyomyeni wakhe. Kuyacaca ukuthi uSisera wayengamazi uJayeli! Lona wesifazane wabubona kahle ububi bamaKhanani nendlela ayecindezela ngayo abantu, kungenzeka wabona nokuthi manje kwakumelwe enze isinqumo. Kwakuphakathi kokuthi usiza le ndoda embi noma uthembela kuJehova ukuba amsize abulale lesi sitha sabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Yini ayengayenza? Owesifazane wayengayinqoba kanjani indoda enamandla, eyiqhawe lempi?

UJayeli kwadingeka acabange ngokushesha. Wabonisa uSisera indawo yokulala. USisera wamyala ukuba athi akekho kunoma ubani ombuzayo. UJayeli wamembathisa njengoba elala, kwathi lapho ecela amanzi wamnika ubisi. Ngokushesha uSisera wazumeka, walala zwί. UJayeli wabe esethatha isikhonkwane setende nesando—amathuluzi ayekwazi kahle ukuwasebenzisa. Njengoba eqoshama eduze kwekhanda likaSisera, wayesebhekene nomsebenzi onzima wokukhipha isahlulelo njengommeleli kaJehova. Ukungabaza kwakungasho inhlekelele. Ingabe wacabanga ngabantu bakaNkulunkulu nangendlela le ndoda eye yabahlukumeza ngayo amashumi eminyaka? Noma ingabe wacabanga ngelungelo lokumelela uJehova? Ukulandisa akusho. Esikwaziyo nje ukuthi wasithatha isinyathelo. USisera wafa!—AbaHluleli 4:18-21; 5:24-27.

Kamuva uBharaki wafika kuleyo ndawo ecinga uSisera. Lapho uJayeli embonisa isidumbu esasibethelwe ngesikhonkwane setende, uBharaki waqonda ukuthi isiprofetho sikaDebora sigcwalisekile. USisera iqhawe elinamandla wayebulawe owesifazane! Abagxeki banamuhla baye babiza uJayeli ngamagama okweyisa, kodwa uBharaki noDebora abavumelani nalokho. Engomeni yabo baphefumelelwa ukuba babize uJayeli ngokuthi “obusiswé ukubedlula bonke phakathi kwabesifazane” ngenxa yesenzo sakhe sesibindi. (AbaHluleli 4:22; 5:24) Phawula umoya omuhle kaDebora. Akazange amfele umona uJayeli, kunalokho wayejatshuliswa ukuthi izwi likaNkulunkulu liye lafezeka.

Njengoba esefile uSisera, amandla eNkosi uJabini ancipha kakhulu. Ekugcineni ukucindezelwa amaKhanani kwaphela. Kwaba nokuthula iminyaka engu-40. (AbaHluleli 4:24; 5:31) Yeka indlela uDebora, uBharaki noJayeli ababusiseka ngayo ngokuba nokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu! Uma silingisa isibonelo sikaDebora, simelele uJehova ngesibindi futhi sikhuthaze abanye ukuba benze okufanayo, uJehova uyosibusisa ngempumelelo—nangokuthula okuhlala njalo.