UYonatan—‘Wasebenzisana NoThixo’

UNYANA wekumkani yokuqala kwaSirayeli utyelela ndoda ithile ebalekela ukusindisa ubomi bayo. Ufika athi kuyo: “Musa ukoyika; kuba isandla sikaSawule ubawo asiyi kukufumana, yaye wena kanye uya kuba ngukumkani phezu koSirayeli, mna ke ndiya kuba ngowesibini kuwe.”—1 Samuweli 23:17.

Lo nyana nguYonatan; yona le ndoda ibalekela ubomi bayo, nguDavide. Ukuba uYonatan wayengakhawulezanga wafa, kuyacaca ukuba ngewaba yintonga esekhosi kaDavide.

UYonatan noDavide babengabahlobo abasenyongweni. Enyanisweni, uYonatan wayebalasele. Nabanye abantu babevakalelwa ngolo hlobo, kuba bathi xa bethetha ngaye: “Usebenzisene noThixo.” (1 Samuweli 14:45) Kwakutheni ukuze batsho? Wayenaziphi iimpawu uYonatan? Ingxelo yobomi bakhe ikuchaphazela njani wena?

AmaSirayeli “Asezingxakini Ezinkulu”

IBhayibhile iqala ukuthetha ngoYonatan xa kanye amaSirayeli ‘esezingxakini ezinkulu.’ Ilizwe lawo laliphangwe ngamaFilisti abe engakwazi nokuzikhusela.—1 Samuweli 13:5, 6, 17-19.

Noko ke, uYehova wayetshilo ukuba akayi kubashiya enyanyeni abantu bakhe, ibe uYonatan wayeqinisekile ngaloo nto. UThixo wayethetha ngoyise, uSawule xa wayesithi: “Imele ibasindise abantu bam esandleni samaFilisti.” UYonatan wayewathembile loo mazwi. Ngelo xesha uYonatan wayesele ekhokele umkhosi ongaxhobanga kuyaphi wamaSirayeli ali-1 000 kodwa wawoyisa amaFilisti. Ngoku wayezimisele ukuwacim’ igama.—1 Samuweli 9:16; 12:22; 13:2, 3, 22.

Ukuhlasela Ngenkalipho

UYonatan wafunza kwinkampu yamaFilisti eyayikufutshane nengxingwa yaseMikimashe. (1 Samuweli 13:23) Ukuze aye kufika apho, kwakuza kufuneka anyuke ekhasa “ngezandla neenyawo.” Oko akuzange kumtyhafise nakancinane uYonatan. Wagqiba ekubeni ahlasele ekunye nomphathi wezikrweqe zakhe kuphela waza wathi kuye: “Mhlawumbi uYehova uya kusisebenzela, kuba akukho sithintelo kuYehova ukuba asindise ngabaninzi okanye ngabambalwa.”—1 Samuweli 14:6, 13.

La maSirayeli mabini afuna umqondiso kuYehova. Ayengayi kuzifihla kumadoda akuloo nkampu. Kwakuya kuthi xa amaFilisti esithi: “Yimani ngxi side sifike kuni!,” uYonatan nomphathi wezikrweqe zakhe bangenyuki baye kuwo. Kodwa ukuba ezo ntshaba zithe: “Nyukani nize kuthi!” oko kwakuya kuthetha ukuba uYehova uzinikele esandleni sikaYonatan nomphathi wezikrweqe zakhe. Eqinisekile ukuba uThixo uza kumxhasa, uYonatan wenyuka waya kulwa.—1 Samuweli 14:8-10.

Yintoni eyayinokwenziwa ngamadoda amabini kumajoni azalise inkampu? Akazange na uYehova amncedise uMgwebi uEhudi xa wakhokela uSirayeli esiya kulwa noMowabhi? Akazange na kanene uThixo abe noShamgare, emncedisa ngoxa wayebulala amaFilisti angama-600 ngoviko lweenkomo? AsingoYehova na owanika uSamson amandla waza wawaphathel’ imbengwana eyedwa amaFilisti? UYonatan wayenethemba lokuba uThixo uya kumnceda naye.—ABagwebi 3:12-31; 15:6-8, 15; 16:29, 30.

Esakubona loo maSirayeli mabini, amaFilisti akhwaza esithi: “Nyukani nize kuthi, kukho into esiza kunazisa yona!” Benza loo nto kanye ke uYonatan nomphathi wezikrweqe zakhe. Ngenkalipho bahlasela baza babulala amajoni amalunga nama-20 ezo ntshaba, bebangela ukungcangcazela kuloo nkampu. Mhlawumbi amaFilisti ayecinga ukuba kukho amajoni amaninzi akwaSirayeli awayelandela loo madoda mabini. Le ngxelo ithi: “Kwandula ke, kwabakho ukungcangcazela . . . phakathi kwabo bonke abantu abasenkampini; nomkhosi wabaphangi wangcangcazela, wona kanye, nomhlaba waqala ukunyikima, yaba kukungcangcazela okuvela kuThixo.” Ngenxa yenyikima eyabangelwa nguThixo, kwavuk’ isiphithiphithi phakathi kwamaFilisti, kangangokuba “ikrele lomnye lalinxamnye nedlelane lakhe.” Isakubona oku imikhosi yakwaSirayeli yakhalipha. Incediswa ngamaSirayeli awayezifihlile, nalawo ayekade ekwicala lamaFilisti, le mikhosi ‘yawaxabela amaFilisti ukusuka eMikimashe ukuya eAyalon.’—1 Samuweli 14:11-23, 31.

Wakhululwa Ngabantu

Ngobuyatha uKumkani uSawule wawaqalekisa onke amajoni akhe awayenokudla ngaphambi kokuba koyiswe emfazweni. Ngasizathu sithile, uYonatan akazange ayive loo nto, ngoko wadla. Wafak’ incam yentonga yakhe kwinqatha lobusi waza wadla incindi yabo. Kuyacaca ukuba, oko kwamhlaziya wanamandla okugqibezela loo mfazwe.—1 Samuweli 14:24-27.

Esakuva ukuba uYonatan udlile, uSawule wathi makabulawe. Zange imoyikise uYonatan loo nto. Wathi: “Ndim lo! Mandife ke!” “Kodwa abantu bathi kuSawule: ‘Afe na uYonatan, owenze olu sindiso lukhulu kwaSirayeli? Makube lee oko! Ephila nje uYehova, akusayi kuwa nonwele olu lunye lwentloko yakhe emhlabeni; kuba ngale mini usebenzisene noThixo.’ Baba ke abantu bayamkhulula uYonatan, akafa.”—1 Samuweli 14:38-45.

Namhlanje umkhonzi kaThixo akalwi zimfazwe zokoqobo, kodwa abakho amaxesha apho kuye kufuneke ukholo nenkalipho. Kusenokuba nzima ukwenza okulungileyo xa bonke abantu okunye nabo besenza okubi. Noko ke, uYehova uya kukomeleza aze awusikelele umnqweno wakho wokubambelela kwimilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa. Kusenokufuneka ukhaliphe ukuze wamkele amalungelo athile enkonzo kwintlangano kaYehova, njengokwandisa ubulungiseleli bakho, ukwamkela izabelo ezitsha, okanye ufuduke uye kukhonza kwindawo efuna abavakalisi boBukumkani abangakumbi. Usenokungaqiniseki enoba usifanele kusini na eso sabelo. Noko ke, qiniseka ukuba wenza umsebenzi omhle xa uzenza ufumaneke ukuze uYehova akusebenzise ngendlela afuna ngayo. Khumbula uYonatan! ‘Wasebenzisana noThixo.’

UYonatan NoDavide

Malunga neminyaka engama-20 kamva, ikroti elingumFilisti uGoliyati lagculela umkhosi wamaSirayeli, kodwa uDavide walibulala. Nakuba uYonatan esenokuba wayemdala ngeminyaka engama-30 yonke kunoDavide, zaba ninzi izinto ezidibanisa la madoda mabini.a Inkalipho kaYonatan eMikimashe yayikho nakuDavide. Eyona nto ibaluleke gqitha ababedibana ngayo, lukholo awayenalo uDavide kumandla okusindisa kaYehova, nolwamenza akamoyika uGoliyati ngoxa onke amanye amaSirayeli ayengcangcazela. Kungenxa yaloo nto “umphefumlo kaYonatan wabophana nomphefumlo kaDavide, waza uYonatan wamthanda njengomphefumlo wakhe.”—1 Samuweli 17:1–18:4.

Nakuba ubukroti bukaDavide babangela ukuba uKumkani uSawule amjonge njengotshaba, zange kubekho nentwana yaloo nto kuYonatan. Yena noDavide baba yintlaka nexolo, ibe kusenokwenzeka ukuba xa behlinz’ impuku, yayikhe ivele into yokuba uDavide uthanjiselwe ukuba ngukumkani olandelayo kwaSirayeli. UYonatan wasihlonela eso sigqibo sikaThixo.

Xa uKumkani uSawule wathetha nalo nyana nabakhonzi bakhe ngokubulala uDavide, uYonatan wamlukisa uDavide. UYonatan waqinisekisa uSawule ukuba akamele oyike nto kuDavide. Enyanisweni, akukho nto imbi yakha yenziwa nguDavide kulo kumkani! Akazange na uDavide abeke ubomi bakhe esichengeni ngokulwa noGoliyati? Wathi uYonatan akuveza impazamo yokuphathwa kakubi komhlobo wakhe watsho wehla umsindo kaSawule. Kodwa zange kube kudala lo kumkani wenza amanye amacebo okubulala uDavide, kwaza kwanyanzeleka ukuba asabe.—1 Samuweli 19:1-18.

UYonatan wema noDavide. Aba bahlobo badibana baza baceba oko kwakumele kwenziwe. Enyanisekile kumhlobo wakhe, ngoxa wayezabalazela ukunyaniseka nakuyise, uYonatan wathi kuDavide: “Makube lee oko! Akuyi kufa.” Noko ke, uDavide wathi kuYonatan: “Linyathelo nje elinye phakathi kwam nokufa!”—1 Samuweli 20:1-3.

UYonatan noDavide bapheka iqhinga elaliza kubanceda babone iinjongo zikaSawule. Wayeya kuthi ukumkani akuphawula ukuba uDavide akakho kwitafile yesidlo, uYonatan axelele uyise ukuba uDavide ucele ukutsiba kowabo ukuze abekho kumbingelelo wentsapho. Kwakuya kuthi ke uSawule akucaphuka, baqiniseke ukuba ufuna ukumbulala uDavide. UYonatan wamsikelela uDavide ebonisa nokuba uyayamkela into yokuba uDavide eza kuba ngukumkani, ngala mazwi: “Ngamana uYehova angaba nawe, kanye njengoko wayenobawo.” Bobabini benza izithembiso zokunyaniseka omnye komnye, begqiba ngendlela uYonatan awayeya kumchazela ngayo uDavide imiphumo yovavanyo lwabo.—1 Samuweli 20:5-24.

Xa uSawule wabonayo ukuba uDavide akakho, uYonatan wamchazela ukuba uDavide ucele kuye esithi: “Ukuba ndifumene ukukholeka emehlweni akho, makhe ndimke, ndiyacela, ndiye kubona abantakwethu.” UYonatan zange oyike ukuchaza ukuba uyakholwa nguDavide. Ukumkani waba ligqabi ngumsindo! Wamthuka uYonatan ebonisa ukuba uDavide wayeza kuvalela lo nyana wakhe ekubeni ngukumkani. USawule wathi uYonatan umele eze noDavide kuye kuba ufanelwe kukufa. UYonatan wabuza oku: “Kutheni efanele abulawe? Wenze ntoni na?” Elugcwabevu uSawule wagibisela unyana wakhe ngomkhonto. UYonatan wabhungca kodwa waba buhlungu gqitha ngenxa kaDavide.—1 Samuweli 20:25-34.

Okunjani kona ukunyaniseka okwaboniswa nguYonatan! Ngokwembono yabantu, kwakungekho nto ingako wayeza kuyizuza kobo buhlobo bakhe noDavide ngaphandle nje kokuba wayeza kulahlekelwa kokuninzi. Ukanti, uYehova wayemisele uDavide ukuze abe ngukumkani ezihlangwini zikaSawule, ibe uThixo wayenenjongo yokuba kulungelwe uYonatan nabanye.

Ukwahlukana Okubuhlungu

UYonatan waya kudibana noDavide ngokufihlakeleyo ukuze amazise oko kwakucingwa nguSawule. Kwacaca mhlophe ukuba uDavide akanakuze aphinde awubeke umcondo kwaSawule. La madoda mabini alila aza angana. Emva koko uDavide wasaba.—1 Samuweli 20:35-42.

Emva kokuba uDavide ebalekile, baphinda babonana noYonatan, xa wayezimele uSawule “kwintlango yeZifi eHoreshi.” Ngelo xesha uYonatan wamomeleza uDavide wathi: “Musa ukoyika; kuba isandla sikaSawule ubawo asiyi kukufumana, yaye wena kanye uya kuba ngukumkani phezu koSirayeli, mna ke ndiya kuba ngowesibini kuwe; noSawule ubawo uyakwazi oko.” (1 Samuweli 23:15-18) Kungekudala emva koko, uYonatan noSawule bafa kwidabi nxamnye namaFilisti.—1 Samuweli 31:1-4.

Bonke abo bathanda uThixo baya kuba bahlaba bekhangele xa becamngca ngeli khondo likaYonatan. Ngaba ujamelene nocelomngeni lokunyaniseka? Khumbula ukuba uSawule wayefundisa uYonatan ukuba azicingele. Kodwa uYonatan wathobeka waza wabeka uYehova ngentliziyo yakhe yonke, evuyisana nalowo ukhethwe nguThixo ukuba abe ngukumkani olandelayo kwaSirayeli. Ngokwenene, uYonatan wamxhasa uDavide, ngoxa wayenyanisekile kuYehova.

UYonatan wayeneempawu ezintle. Nawe zixelise! Njengokuba abantu batshoyo kuYonatan, nangawe baya kuthi: “Usebenzisene noThixo.”—1 Samuweli 14:45.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

UYonatan akazange ammonele uDavide