“Oku Lelei Lahi ae Talagofua i he Feilaulau”

KO E ʻuluaki tuʻi ʻIsileli ʻo e kuonga muʻá ko Saula. Neongo naʻe fili ʻe he ʻOtua moʻoní, naʻe faifai atu pē ʻo hoko ʻa Saula ʻo talangataʻa.

Ko e hā ʻa e ngaahi fehālaaki naʻe fai ʻe Saulá? Naʻe mei lava ke ne fakaʻehiʻehi mei ai? ʻE lava fēfē ke tau maʻu ʻaonga mei he fakakaukau atu ki heʻene faʻifaʻitakiʻangá?

Fakahaaʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e Tuʻi Kuó Ne Filí

Ki muʻa ke hoko ʻa Saula ʻo tuʻí, ko e palōfita ko Sāmiuelá naʻe ngāue ko ha fakafofonga ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi ʻIsileli. Ko e taimi ko ení naʻe motuʻa ʻa Sāmiuela pea naʻe taʻefaitōnunga hono ongo fohá. ʻI he taimi tatau, naʻe fakamanamanaʻi ʻa e puleʻangá ʻe hono ngaahi filí. ʻI he kole ʻa e kau mātuʻa ʻo ʻIsilelí kia Sāmiuela ke fakanofo hanau tuʻi ʻa ia ʻe lava ke ne fakamāuʻi kinautolu mo taki kinautolu ʻi he taú, naʻe fakahinohino ʻe Sihova ʻa e palōfitá ke ne pani ʻa Saula ke hoko ko ha taki peá ne pehē: “Te ne fakahaofi hoku kakai mei he nima ʻo e kau Filisitia.”—1 Sam. 8:4-7, 20; 9:16.

Ko Saulá naʻe “talavou pea toulekeleka.” Neongo ia, naʻe ʻikai ko hono fōtungá pē naʻe fakaongoongoleleiʻí. Naʻá ne toe anga-fakatōkilalo foki. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe ʻeke ange ʻe Saula kia Sāmiuela: “ʻIkai ko e Penisimani au, ʻo kau ki he siʻi taha ʻi he ngaahi matakali Isileli? pea ko hoku famili ko e kihiʻi siʻi ʻi he ngaahi famili ʻo Penisimani? ko e ha ʻoku ke lea pehe ai kiate au?” Naʻe fakakaukau fakanānā ʻa Saula kiate ia mo hono fāmilí, neongo ko ʻene tamaí, ʻa Kisi, naʻe “koloaʻia lahi.”—1 Sam. 9:1, 2, 21.

Toe fakakaukau foki ki he tali ʻa Saulá ʻi he taimi naʻe fakahaaʻi ai ʻe Sāmiuela ʻa e tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli kuo fili ʻe Sihová. Naʻe ʻuluaki pani ʻe Sāmiuela ʻa Saula fakaekinaua peá ne tala ange kiate ia: “Ke ke hanga ʻo fai ʻa e meʻa ʻoku ʻi ho nima, he ʻiate koe ʻa Elohimi.” Hili iá, naʻe ui ʻe he palōfitá ʻa e kakaí ke nau fakatahataha mai ke fakahaaʻi ʻa e fili ʻa Sihová. Kae kehe, ʻi hono fakahaaʻi ko Saulá, naʻe ʻikai lava ke ʻilo pe ʻokú ne ʻi fē. Naʻe toitoi ʻa Saula he naʻá ne mā. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa e feituʻu naʻá ne ʻi aí, pea naʻe fanongonongo ko Saula ʻa e tuʻí.—1 Sam. 10:7, 20-24.

ʻI he Malaʻe Taú

Naʻe vave ʻa hono fakahalaki ʻe Saula ha taha pē naʻe veiveiua nai ki hono tuʻunga tāú. ʻI he taimi naʻe fakamanamanaʻi ai ha kolo ʻIsileli ʻe he kau ʻĀmoní, naʻe “ʻohofia ʻa Saula ʻe he Laumalie ʻo e ʻOtua.” Naʻá ne fekauʻi ʻi hono mafaí ʻa e kau tau ʻa e puleʻangá, fokotuʻutuʻu kinautolu, pea taki atu leva kinautolu ki he ikuna. Ka naʻe tuku ʻe Saula ʻa e ikuna ko ení ki he ʻOtuá, ʻi heʻene pehē: “Ko e ʻaho e kuo fai ʻe Sihova ha fakamoʻui moʻo Isileli.”—1 Sam. 11:1-13.

Naʻe maʻu ʻe Saula ʻa e ngaahi ʻulungaanga lelei mo e tāpuaki ʻa e ʻOtuá. Naʻá ne toe fakahaaʻi ʻa e mālohi ʻo Sihová. Kae kehe, ko e lavameʻa hokohoko ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí mo honau tuʻí naʻe fakatuʻunga ia ʻi he meʻa tefito mātuʻaki mahuʻinga ʻe taha. Naʻe tala ʻe Sāmiuela ki he kakai ʻIsilelí: “Kabau te mou manavahe kia Jihova, bea tauhi ia, bea fai talagofua ki he ene folofola, bea oua naa agatuu ki he fekau a Jihova, behe e tuu mau be akimoutolu moe tuʻi foki oku bule kiate kimoutolu i he muimui kia Jihova ko ho mou Otua.” Ko e hā naʻe lava ke fakapapauʻi ʻe he kau ʻIsilelí kapau naʻa nau faitōnunga ki he ʻOtuá? “E ikai liaki e Jihova a hono kakai koeuhi ko hono huafa lahi,” ko e lea ia ʻa Sāmiuelá, “he kuo lelei kia Jihova ke ne gaohi akimoutolu ko hono kakai.”—1 Sam. 12:14, 22, PM.

Ko e talangofuá ʻa e kī ki hono maʻu ʻa e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá, pea ʻoku kei pehē ai pē. ʻI he taimi ʻoku talangofua ai ʻa e kau sevāniti ʻa Sihová ki heʻene ngaahi fekaú, ʻokú ne tāpuakiʻi kinautolu. Kae fēfē kapau te nau talangataʻa kia Sihova?

“Kuo Ke Fai Vale”

Ko e ngāue hono hoko naʻe fai ʻe Saula ki he kau Filisitiá naʻe langaʻi ai ha fakafeangai fefeka meia kinautolu. Ko ha kau tau “hange ko e ʻoneʻone ʻi matatahi hono lahi” naʻa nau tuʻu kia Saula. “Naʻe vakai ʻe he kau tangata Isileli kuo nau faingataʻaʻia, (he naʻe fakahohaʻa ʻa e kakai,) pea nau toi ʻi he ngaahi ʻana, mo e vao fihi, mo e ngaahi makatuʻu, mo e ngaahi luo, mo e ngaahi lepa.” (1 Sam. 13:5, 6) Ko e hā ʻe fai ʻe Saulá?

Naʻe tala ʻe Sāmiuela kia Saula ke na fetaulaki ʻi Kilikali, ʻa ia ʻe fai ai ʻe he palōfitá ha ngaahi feilaulau. Naʻe tatali ʻa Saula, ka naʻe tōmui ʻa e haʻu ʻa Sāmiuelá, pea naʻe kamata ke mātuku ʻa e kau tau ʻa Saulá. Ko ia naʻe fakakaukau ai ʻa Saula ke ne fai ʻa e ngaahi feilaulaú. Ko e tuai pē ʻene fai iá mo e aʻu mai ʻa Sāmiuelá. Hili ʻene fanongo ʻi he meʻa kuo fai ʻe Saulá, naʻe tala ange ʻe Sāmiuela kiate ia: “Kuo ke fai vale; kuo ʻikai te ke tauhi ʻa e tuʻutuʻuni ʻa Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻa ia naʻa ne kouna atu: ka ne ke fai, pehe kuo fakapapau ʻe Sihova ho hau ki Isileli ʻo taʻengata. Ka ko eni ʻe ʻikai tuʻu ho hau: kuo kumi ʻe he ʻEiki maʻana ha taha ʻoku tatau mo hono finangalo, pea kuo tuʻutuʻuni ʻe Sihova ke ʻeiki ia ki hono kakai, koeʻuhia naʻe ʻikai te ke tauhi ʻa e meʻa naʻa ne tuʻutuʻuni atu.”—1 Sam. 10:8; 13:8, 13, 14.

Ko e ʻikai ha tuí, naʻe fili fiematamuʻa ai ʻa Saula ke talangataʻa ki he fekau ʻa e ʻOtuá ke tatali kia Sāmiuela ke haʻu ʻo fai ʻa e feilaulaú. He kehe moʻoni ē ko e ʻalunga ʻo Saulá meia Kitione, ko ha ʻeikitau ki muʻa ʻo e kau tau ʻIsilelí! Naʻe fakahinohino ʻe Sihova ʻa Kitione ke ne fakatokosiʻi ʻene kau taú mei he toko 32,000 ki he toko 300, pea naʻe talangofua ki ai ʻa Kitione. Ko e hā hono ʻuhingá? Koeʻuhí naʻá ne tui kia Sihova. ʻI he tokoni ʻa e ʻOtuá, naʻá ne ikunaʻi ʻa e kau tau fakatūʻuta ʻe toko 135,000. (Fkm. 7:1-7, 17-22; 8:10) Naʻe mei tokoniʻi ʻe Sihova ʻa Saula foki. Kae kehe, koeʻuhi ko e talangataʻa ʻa Saulá, naʻe haveki ai ʻe he kau Filisitiá ʻa ʻIsileli.—1 Sam. 13:17, 18.

ʻI he fehangahangai mo e ngaahi faingataʻá, ʻoku anga-fēfē ʻetau fai ʻa e ngaahi filí? Mei he vakai ʻa e faʻahinga ko ia ʻoku ʻikai haʻanau tuí, ʻe hā ngali ʻaonga nai ke tukunoaʻi ʻa e ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni fakaʻotuá. ʻI he ʻikai ke ʻi ai ʻa Sāmiuelá, naʻe fakakaukau nai ʻa Saula naʻe totonu ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne faí. Neongo ia, ki he faʻahinga ʻoku nau fakapapauʻi ke maʻu e hōifua ʻa e ʻOtuá, ko e muimui ʻi he ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni Fakatohitapu ʻoku kaunga ki he fili kuo faí ʻa e ʻalunga totonu pē taha ke fou aí.

Siʻaki ʻe Sihova ʻa Saula

Lolotonga ha feingatau mo e kau ʻAmalekí, naʻe halaia ai ʻa Saula ʻi ha toe faihala mamafa. Naʻe fakahalaiaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e kakai ʻAmalekí koeʻuhi ko ʻenau ʻohofi taʻeʻuhinga ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí hili ʻenau hiki mei ʻIsipité. (Eki. 17:8; Teu. 25:17, 18) ʻIkai ko ia pē, naʻe kau fakataha ʻa e kau ʻAmalekí mo e faʻahinga kehe ʻi hono toe ʻohofi ʻa e kakai fili ʻa e ʻOtuá lolotonga ʻa e taimi ʻo e Kau Fakamāú. (Fkm. 3:12, 13; 6:1-3, 33) Ko ia naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe Sihova ʻa e kau ʻAmalekí ke nau fai ha fakamatala pea fekauʻi ʻa Saula ke ne fakahoko ha fakamaau kia kinautolu.—1 Sam. 15:1-3.

ʻI he ʻikai ke talangofua ki he fekau ʻa Sihova ke tafiʻi atu ʻa e kau ʻAmaleki fakafilí pea fakaʻauha ʻenau koloá, naʻe puke ʻe Saula ʻa honau tuʻí pea tauhi mo ʻenau fanga monumanu lelei tahá. Ko e hā naʻe hokó ʻi hono fakafehuʻi ʻe Sāmiuela ʻa Saula fekauʻaki mo ení? Naʻe feinga ʻa Saula ke hiki meiate ia ʻa e tukuakiʻí ʻaki ʻene pehē: “Nae fakamoui e he kakai ae faga sibi fugani lelei moe faga bulu, ke feilaulau aki kia Jihova.” Pe naʻe fakataumuʻa moʻoni ʻe Saula ke feilaulauʻaki ʻa e fanga monumanú pe ʻikai, naʻá ne talangataʻa. Ko Saulá naʻe ʻikai ‘kei jii i hono mata ooná.’ Ko ia ai, naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe he palōfita ʻa e ʻOtuá kuo talangataʻa ʻa Saula ki he ʻOtuá. Naʻe pehē leva ʻe Sāmiuela: “He oku fiemalie tatau be a Jihova i he gaahi feilaulau tutu, moe gaahi feilaulau, i he fai talagofua ki he leʻo o Jihova? Vakai, oku lelei lahi ae talagofua i he feilaulau . . . Koe mea i hoo liaki ae folofola a Jihova, kuo ne liaki foki koe ke oua naa ke tuʻi.”—1 Sam. 15:15, 17, 22, 23, PM.

ʻI he toʻo ʻe Sihova hono laumālie māʻoniʻoní mo e tāpuakí meia Saulá, naʻe kamata puleʻi ai ʻe ha “laumalie kovi” ʻa e ʻuluaki tuʻi ʻo ʻIsilelí. Ko e tōʻonga ʻa Saulá naʻe fakahaaʻi ia ʻaki ʻa e huʻuhuʻu mo e meheka kia Tēvita—ko ha tangata ʻa ia naʻe foaki ki ai ʻe Sihova ki mui ʻa e tuʻunga-tuʻí. Naʻe laka hake he tuʻo tahá ʻa e feinga ʻa Saula ke tāmateʻi ʻa Tēvita. ʻI hono ʻiloʻi “oku ia Tevita a Jihova,” ko e lau ia ʻa e Tohi Tapú, “nae hoko a Saula koe fili mau ai be o Tevita.” Naʻe feinga ʻa Saula ke tuli ia ke maʻu pea aʻu ʻo ne tuʻutuʻuni ke tāmateʻi ʻa e kau taulaʻeiki mo e niʻihi kehe ʻe toko 85. Tā neʻineʻi ke liʻaki ʻe Sihova ʻa Saula! —1 Sam. 16:14; 18:11, 25, 28, 29, PM; 1 Sam. 19:10, 11; 20:32, 33; 22:16-19.

ʻI he taimi naʻe toe ʻohofi ai ʻe he kau Filisitiá ʻa ʻIsilelí, naʻe tafoki ai ʻa Saula ki he fakahaʻele faʻahikehé ʻi ha kumi taʻeʻaonga ki ha tokoni. ʻI he ʻaho hono hokó, naʻá ne kafo lahi ai ʻi he taú pea taonakita. (1 Sam. 28:4-8; 31:3, 4) ʻI he fekauʻaki mo e talangataʻa ʻa e ʻuluaki tuʻi ʻo ʻIsilelí, ʻoku pehē ʻe he Tohi Tapú: “Naʻe pekia ʻa Saula ʻi he angahala naʻa ne fai kia Sihova, koeʻuhi ko e folofola ʻa Sihova, ʻa ia naʻe ʻikai te ne tokanga ki ai; kaeʻumaʻa foki naʻa ne huhū ʻi ha toko taha naʻe fakahaʻele faʻahikehe ke fehuʻi meʻa ai, ʻo ʻikai te ne fehuʻi kia Sihova.”—1 Kal. 10:13, 14.

Ko e faʻifaʻitakiʻanga kovi ʻa Saulá ʻoku fakahaaʻi mahino ai ko e talangofua kia Sihová ʻoku lelei ange ia ʻi hono fai ha feilaulau pē kiate ia. “Ko eni ia ʻa e ʻofa ki he ʻOtua,” ko e tohi ia ʻa e ʻapositolo ko Sioné “ʻa ʻetau tauhi ki heʻene ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni. Pea ʻoku ʻikai ke fakamafasia ʻene ngaahi tuʻutuʻuni.” (1 Sione 5:3, 4) ʻOfa ke ʻoua ʻaupito naʻa tau tukunoaʻi ʻa e moʻoni tefito ko ení: Ko e kaumeʻa tuʻuloa mo e ʻOtuá ʻoku fakatuʻunga ia ʻi heʻetau talangofua kiate iá.

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Naʻe kamata ʻa Saula ko ha taki anga-fakatōkilalo

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Ko e hā naʻe tala ai ʻe Sāmiuela kia Saula “oku lelei lahi ae talagofua i he feilaulau”?