ILizwi LikaYehova Liphilile
Iimbalasane Zencwadi KaEstere
ELI yelenqe libonakala lingenakuphanza nokuba kumnyam’ entla. AmaYuda aza kutshayelwa kungasali nempunde. Ngosuku oluthile oluchaziweyo, onke amaYuda akubukhosi bamaMedi namaPersi, obususela eIndiya buye kuthi xhaxhe ngeTiyopiya, aza kutshayelwa kungasali nomnqongo. Ucinga njalo umqulunqi weli yelenqe. Noko ke, kukho umba obalulekileyo angakhange awuseso. UThixo wamazulu unokubahlangula abantu bakhe abakhethileyo nokuba sele kumnyam ‘entla. Esi siganeko sikwincwadi yeBhayibhile kaEstere.
Incwadi kaEstere, yabhalwa ligqala lomYuda uMordekayi, igubungela iminyaka emalunga ne-18 ngexesha lolawulo lukaKumkani uAhaswerosi wamaPersi, okanye uXerxes I. Eli bali libumdlalorha libonisa indlela abahlangula ngayo uYehova abantu bakhe kumayelenqe angendawo eentshaba zabo, nangona abakhonzi bakhe bethe saa kobo bukhosi. Namhlanje, olo lwazi lomeleza ukholo lwabantu bakaYehova, abamkhonza kumazwe angama-235. Ngaphezu koko, abantu ekuthethwa ngabo kule ncwadi kaEstere basibonisa imizekelo esinokuyixelisa naleyo simele siyiphephe. Ewe, “ilizwi likaThixo liphilile, linamandla.”—Hebhere 4:12.
UKUMKANIKAZI UMELE ANGENELELE
Ngonyaka wesithathu wolawulo lwakhe (493 B.C.E.), uKumkani uAhaswerosi wenza ingxikela yesidlo. Kweso sidlo uKumkanikazi uVashti, odume ngobuhle ucaphukisa ukumkani abe sele ekhiqwa njengokumkanikazi. Kuzo zonke iintombi zelo lizwe kutyunjwa umYudakazi ogama linguHadasa ukuba abe nguKumkanikazi. Ecetyiswa ngumza wakhe uMordekayi akalichazi igama lakhe lobuYuda kunoko usebenzisa igama lakhe lesiPersi elinguEstere.
Ekuhambeni kwexesha, indoda enekratshi egama linguHaman yenyuselwa kwisikhundla sokuba yinkulumbuso. Kumphath’ emanyeni uHaman ukwala kukaMordekayi, ‘ukuthoba okanye ukuqubuda kuye,’ ngenxa yoko uceba ukuwacim’ igama onke amaYuda akuBukhosi bamaPersi. (Estere 3:2) UHaman ubongoza uAhaswerosi ukuba agunyazise ukuba anqunqelw’ egoqweni onke amaYuda. UMordekayi ‘wambethe amarhonya wafaka nothuthu.’ (Estere 4:1) Lixesha lokuba uEstere angenelele ngoku. Umemela ukumkani nenkulumbuso kwisidlo sabucala. Xa bezayo, uEstere ubamema ukuba beze esidlweni kwakhona ngosuku olulandelayo. UHaman uxhelelw’ exhukwane. Noko ke, ucatshukiswa kukungavumi kukaMordekayi ukuqubuda kuye. Ngoku uHaman uqulunqa iyelenqe lokubulala uMordekayi ngaphambi kwesidlo sosuku olulandelayo.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
1:3-5—Ngaba esi sidlo sathabatha iintsuku ezili-180? Ezi ndinyana azitsho ukuba esi sidlo sathabatha ixesha elide kangako kodwa zithi ukumkani wabonisa amagosa akhe ubutyebi nozuko lobukumkani bakhe iintsuku ezili-180. Mhlawumbi ukumkani wasebenzisa esi siganeko ukuze aqhayise ngozuko lobukumkani bakhe ngenjongo zokuchukumisa izihandiba ukuze azeyisele kwelokuba wayenokoyisa. Kule meko, indinyana yesi-3 neyesi-5 zimele ukuba zibhekisela kwisidlo esathabatha iintsuku ezisi-7 esenziwa ekupheleni kweentsuku ezili-180.
1:8—Babenganyanzelwa ngayiphi indlela ‘ngokuphathelele ukusela ngokuvumelana nomthetho’? Kwesi sihlandlo, uKumkani uAhaswerosi wayekelela koko kubonakala ngathi yayisisithethe samaPersi sokubongozana ukuba ubani asele ngomlinganiselo othile kwimbutho ezilolo hlobo. Enye imbekiselo ithi: “Babenokusela kangangoko befuna.”
1:10-12—Kwakutheni ukuze uKumkanikazi uVashti ale ukuza kukumkani? Bambi abaphengululi bacingela ukuba ukumkanikazi akazange athobele kuba engafuni “ukuthob’ isidima sakhe phambi kwezihandiba zikakumkani ezizitshize ngentombi kaLudiza.” Okanye ekubeni wayeyimbelukazi wayengathobekanga. Ngoxa iBhayibhile ingayichazi intsusa yesenzo sakhe, amaphakathi kakumkani akubona ukungathobeli kukakumkanikazi uVashti njengomzekelo ombi owawuya kuphembelela bonke abafazi kumaphondo amaPersi.
2:14-17—Ngaba uEstere wabelana ngesondo nokumkani ngaphambi kokuba batshate? Akunjalo. Ingxelo ihambisa ithi ekuseni abanye abafazi abeziswa kukumkani babuyiselwa kwindlu yesibini eyayiphethwe lithenwa likakumkani, “umlindi wamashweshwe.” Amabhinqa alala nokumkani ayesibangamashweshwe okanye abafazi besibini. Yena uEstere akazange asiwe kwindlu yamashweshwe emva kokuba ebonene nokumkani. Xa uEstere weziswa kuAhaswerosi, “ukumkani wamthanda uEstere ngaphezu kwawo onke amanye amabhinqa, kangangokuba wakholeka ngakumbi wafumana nobubele bothando obungakumbi kuye ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye iintombi ezinyulu.” (Estere 2:17) Wenza njani ukuze ‘afumane ububele bothando’ buka-Ahaswerosi? Wabufumana ngendlela efanayo naleyo wayebufumene ngayo obabanye abantu. “Eli bhinqa liselula lalikholekile emehlweni [kaHegayi] kangangokuba lazuza ububele bothando phambi kwakhe.” (Estere 2:8, 9) Lamkholisa gqitha uHegayi ngenxa yembonakalo neempawu zalo ezintle. Enyanisweni, “uEstere wayezuza inkoleko emehlweni akhe wonk’ ubani owayembona.” (Estere 2:15) Ngendlela efanayo ukumkani wachukunyiswa koko wakubonayo kuEstere waze wamthanda.
3:2; 5:9—Kwakutheni ukuze uMordekayi ale ukuqubuda kuHaman? Kwakungekho nxamnye nomthetho wamaSirayeli ukuzithoba aze anqwale kwigosa likarhulumente. Noko ke, kwimeko kaHaman kwakubandakanyeke okungakumbi. UHaman wayengumAgagi, mhlawumbi umAmaleki, kwaye uYehova wayethe aze atshatyalaliswe ama-Amaleki. (Duteronomi 25:19) KuMordekayi, ukuqubuda kuHaman kwakuya kuthetha ukuba akathembekanga kuYehova. Wakhaba ngaw’ omane esithi yena ungumYuda.—Estere 3:3, 4.
Oko Sikufundayo:
2:10, 20; 4:12-16. UEstere walwamkela ulwalathiso nesiluleko esivela kumkhonzi kaYehova oqolileyo. Sakuba senza ngobulumko ukuba ‘siyabathobela abo bakhokelayo phakathi kwethu.’—Hebhere 13:17.
2:11; 4:5. Asifanele ‘sinyamekele, izilangazelelo zobuqu kuphela, kodwa kwanezilangazelelo zabanye.’—Filipi 2:4.
2:15. UEstere wabonisa ukuthozama nokuzeyisa ngokungaceli izacholo ezingakumbi okanye impahla engayiwayo kunezo wayezilungiselelwe nguHegayi. ‘Yayingumntu ofihlakeleyo wentliziyo ofake isivatho esingenakonakala somoya ozolileyo nowobulali’ owamenza wathandwa uEstere ngukumkani.—1 Petros 3:4.
2:21-23. UEstere noMordekayi babeyimizekelo emihle kumba ‘wokuthobela amagunya.’—Roma 13:1.
3:4. Maxa wambi, kusenokuba bubulumko ukungazichazi njengoEstere. Noko ke, xa kusiziwa kwizinto ezibalulekileyo, njengolongamo lukaYehova nengqibelelo yethu, asimele sibe manyonywana ukuzichaza ukuba singamaNgqina kaYehova.
4:3. Xa sivavanywa, sifanele sithandaze kuYehova ukuze asomeleze asinike nobulumko.
4:6-8. UMordekayi wafuna isicombululo sasemthethweni kwiyelenqe elalenziwe nguHaman.—Filipi 1:7.
4:14. Ukuthembela kukaMordekayi kuYehova kwakungumzekelo.
4:16. Ethembele ngoYehova ngokupheleleyo, uEstere wathobeka waze wajamelana ngenkalipho nemeko eyayinokuphumela ekufeni. Kubalulekile ukuba sifunde ukukholosa ngoYehova kungekhona ngeziqu zethu.
5:6-8. Ukuze uEstere akholise uAhaswerosi, wammemela kwisidlo sesibini. Wenza ngobulumko kanye njengokuba simele senjenjalo.—IMizekeliso 14:15.
UMQA WOMEL’ EPHININI
Izinto ziguquka kungalindelekanga. UHaman uxhonywa esibondeni ebeza kuxhoma kuso uMordekayi, emva koko uMordekayi uba yinkulumbuso! Kuthekani ngeyelenqe lokubulawa kwamaYuda? Nalo liyaphanza ize ibe ngamaYuda abulala iintshaba zawo.
UEstere uyathetha kwakhona. Ebeka ubomi bakhe esichengeni, uya kukumkani ukuze aphanzise iyelenqe ebeliqulunqwe nguHaman. UAhaswerosi uyakwazi oko amele akwenze. Ngoko lakufika usuku lokuba kubulawe amaYuda, isikhuni sibuya nomkhwezeli. UMordekayi ukhupha umyalelo wokuba kwenziwe uMthendeleko wePurim minyaka le ukuze kukhunjulwe esi siganeko. Ekubeni wayengowesibini ukuba negunya emva kukaKumkani uAhaswerosi, uMordekayi ‘wayesebenzela ukulungelwa kwabantu bakowabo ethetha uxolo kuyo yonke inzala yabo.’—Estere 10:3.
Iimpendulo Kwimibuzo YeZibhalo:
7:4—Kwakuza ‘kumenzakalisa njani ukumkani’ ukubulawa kwamaYuda? Ngobuchule wachaza ukuba amaYuda aza kuthengiswa ebukhobokeni, emva koko uEstere waphum’ egusheni wachazela ukumkani ukuba uza kungena engxakini. Iingqekembe zesilivere ezili-10 000 ezazithenjiswe nguHaman zazi zakuba lithontsi emphandeni kwingxowa kakumkani kunengeniso eyayiza kwenziwa ukuba uHaman wayewathengise ebukhobokeni amaYuda. Ukuphunyezwa kweli yelenqe lokuwabulala laliza kuthetha ukubulawa kukakumkanikazi.
7:8—Kwakutheni ukuze amagosa enkundla abugqume ubuso bukaHaman? Mhlawumbi oku kwakubonisa ihlazo okanye isigwebo sokufa esingenakujika. Ngokutsho kwenye imbekiselo: “Mandulo babugqunywa ubuso babantu abaza kubulawa.”
8:17—Kwakutheni ukuze ‘abaninzi kwizizwana zelizwe bazivakalise njengamaYuda’? Kuyabonakala ukuba inkoliso yamaPersi yaguqukela ebuYudeni, icinga ukuba umyalelo owawuthintela ukubulawa kwamaYuda wawubonisa ukuthandwa kwawo nguThixo. Lo mgaqo mnye uyasebenza kwinzaliseko yesiprofeto sencwadi kaZekariya. Esi siprofeto sithi: “Amadoda alishumi aphuma kuzo zonke iilwimi zeentlanga aya kubamba, ewe, okunene aya kubamba isondo lendoda engumYuda, esithi: ‘Siza kuhamba nani, kuba sivile ukuba uThixo unani.’”—Zekariya 8:23.
9:10, 15, 16—Ekubeni lo myalelo wawukwagunyazisa ukuphangwa kwamaxhoba, kwakutheni ukuze amaYuda angaphangi? Ukwala kwawo kwenza kwacaca ukuba injongo yawo yayikukuba akhuselwe kungekhona ukuba abe zizityebi.
Oko Sikufundayo:
6:6-10. “Ikratshi liphambi kokuwa, yaye umoya wekratshi uphambi kokukhubeka.”—IMizekeliso 16:18.
7:3, 4. Ngaba siyazichaza ukuba singamaNgqina kaYehova nangona oko kusenokuthetha intshutshiso?
8:3-6. Sinako yaye simele sibhenele kumagunya aseburhulumenteni nakwiinkundla zomthetho ukuze sikhuselwe kwiintshaba zethu.
8:5. Ngobuchule uEstere akazange alikhankanye igalelo likakumkani kumyalelo wokubulawa kwamaYuda. Ngendlela efanayo, kufuneka sisebenzise ubuchule xa sinikela ubungqina kumagosa aphakamileyo.
9:22. Asimele sibalibale abo bangathath’ intweni baphakathi kwethu.—Galati 2:10.
UYehova ‘Uyakhulula Ahlangule’
UMordekayi unxibelelanisa ukuba ngukumkanikazi kukaEstere nenjongo kaThixo. Xa esongelwa, amaYuda ayazila aze athandaze ecela uncedo. Ukumkanikazi uya kukumkani engambizanga kwaye uyamkeleka sihlandlo ngasinye. Ukumkani akakwazi ukulala ngobo busuku. Ewe, incwadi kaEstere ibonisa indlela angenelela ngayo uYehova ukuze kulungelwe abantu bakhe.
Ingxelo ebangel’ imincili kaEstere ilukhuthazo kakhulu kuthi ekubeni siphila “kwixesha lesiphelo.” (Daniyeli 12:4) “Ekupheleni kwemihla,” oko kukuthi kwinxalenye yokugqibela yexesha lesiphelo, uGogi wakwaMagogi—uSathana uMtyholi—uya kubahlasela ngenxa zonke abantu bakaYehova. Uza kube ephum’ iphulo efuna ukulusiphula nengcambu unqulo lokwenyaniso. Kodwa njengakwimihla kaEstere, uYehova ‘uya kubakhulula aze abahlangule’ abanquli bakhe bokwenyaniso.—Hezekile 38:16-23; Estere 4:14.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
UEstere noMordekayi ngaphambi kuka-Ahaswerosi