Xelisa Ukholo Lwabo

Wamela Abantu BakaThixo

UESTERE wazama ukuthoba ixhala njengoko wayesondela kwibhotwe lakomkhulu eShushan. Kwakungelulanga. Yonke into eyayikweli bhotwe—imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yeenkunzi zenkomo ezinamaphiko nezimibalabala eyenziwe ngezitena, abatoli neengonyama, iintsika zamatye ezithi ndijonge, neentaba zeZagros elakhiwe kufutshane nazo ezinekhephu, ezivelele umlambo iChoaspes—zazenzelwe ukukhumbuza umntu ngamnye otyelele apha ngegunya le ndoda awayeza kuthetha nayo, eyayizibiza ngokuba “ngukumkani omkhulu.” yayikwangumyeni wakhe.

Umyeni wakhe! Wayahluke kakhulu kwindoda eyayinokufunwa yiyo nayiphi na intombi yomYuda ethembekileyo!a Wayengalandeli umzekelo wamadoda anjengoAbraham, owathobela uThixo waza waphulaphula umfazi wakhe uSara. (Genesis 21:12) Ukumkani wayengazi nowathwethwa okanye engazi kangako ngoThixo kaEstere uYehova, okanye uMthetho wakhe. Kodwa uAhaswerosi wayewazi umthetho wamaPersi, owawungamvuli uEstere ukuba enze le nto wayecinga ngayo. Yayiyintoni leyo? Umthetho wawusithi nabani na oza kukumkani wasePersi engabizwanga ngukumkani wayefanele abulawe. UEstere wayengabizwanga kodwa nakuba kunjalo wayesiya kukumkani. Njengoko wayesondela kwintendelezo engaphakathi enetrone kakumkani nawayeza kumbona eseza xa ekuyo, mhlawumbi wayezixelela ukuba uya kwantsongwa nyawana.—Estere 4:11; 5:1.

Kwakutheni ukuze abeke ubomi bakhe esichengeni? Kwaye yintoni esinokuyifunda kukholo lweli bhinqa? Okokuqala makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba uEstere abe yikumkanikazi yamaPersi.

‘Wayemhle Ngembonakalo’

UEstere wayeyinkedama. Akukho nto ingako esiyaziyo ngabazali bakhe abamthiya ngokuba nguHadasa, igama lesiHebhere elithetha umdubulo wentyatyambo emhlophe. Emva kokusweleka kwabazali bakaEstere esinye sezalamane zakhe, indoda enobubele egama linguMordekayi, yaba nemfesane. Wayeyintombi kayisekazi, kodwa uMordekayi wayemdala kunaye. Wamthatha uEstere weza kuhlala naye waza wamkhulisa.—Estere 2:5-7, 15.

UMordekayi noEstere babezimbacu zamaYuda kwelo komkhulu lasePersi, mhlawumbi kwakufuneka banyamezele impatho engentle ngenxa yonqulo noMthetho ababezama ukuwulandela ngokungqongqo. Kodwa umele ukuba uEstere wasondela ngakumbi kuMordekayi njengoko wayemfundisa ngoYehova, uThixo onenceba owahlangula abantu bakhe izihlandlo ezininzi ngaphambili—kwaye wayeza kuphinda abahlangule kwakhona. (Levitikus 26:44, 45) Kucacile ukuba kwakungangeni moya phakathi kukaMordekayi noEstere.

Kubonakala ukuba uMordekayi wayeligosa elithile kwibhotwe laseShushan, wayesoloko engasesangweni nezinye izicaka zikakumkani. (Estere 2:19, 21; 3:3) Asinakuqiniseka ukuba wayesenza ntoni uEstere ekukhuleni kwakhe, kodwa umele ukuba wayenyamekela umza wakhe nekhaya labo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba lalingenabunewunewu lingaphesheya komlambo. Mhlawumbi wayekuthanda ukuya emarikeni eShushan, apho iingcibi zegolide nesilivere nabanye abarhwebi babethengisa khona izinto zabo. Ifanele ukuba yayingathi qatha nokuthi qatha engqondweni kaEstere into yokuba ngenye imini ezi zinto ziya kuze zithi tata kuye.

Ukumkanikazi Uphelelwa Ngumendo

Ngenye imini, eShushan kwakuthe ndii ngamarhe ngombhodamo owawusenzeka kwakumkani. Kwisihikahika sesidlo uAhaswerosi awayesenzele izihandiba, ukumkani wabiza ukumkanikazi uVashti owayeyimbelukazi emanz’ andonga, owayesidla namanina. Kodwa uVashti akazange avume. Eziva ethotyiwe kwaye eligqabi ngumsindo, ukumkani wabuza kumaphakathi akhe ukuba makenziwe ntoni uVashti. Kwagqitywa kwelithini? Wayekiswa ukuba yikumkanikazi. Izicaka zikakumkani zehla zinyuka elizweni zikhangela amagqiyazana awayeza kukhetha ukumkanikazi omtsha kuwo.—Estere 1:1–2:4.

Sinokuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni kaMordekayi emana ukumondela ingqondo ithatha ibeka njengokuba wayekhula loo dadewabo esiya esiba yimbelukazi ephandla abafana. Sifunda oku: “Eli bhinqa liselula lalimile kakuhle, lilihle nangembonakalo.” (Estere 2:7) Ubuhle bangaphandle bunomtsalane, kodwa kufuneka bukhatshwe bubulumko nokuthobeka. Kungenjalo, bunokumenza umntu azicingele kakhulu, abe nekratshi nezinye iimpawu ezimbi. (IMizekeliso 11:22) Ngaba wakha wayibona loo nto? Ubuhle bukaEstere babuza kumenza umntu onjani? Kwakuza kubonakala ekuhambeni kwexesha.

Izicaka zikakumkani zambona uEstere. Zahamba naye wohlukana noMordekayi zamsa ebhotwe ngaphesheya komlambo. (Estere 2:8) Kumele ukuba kwakunzima ukwahlukana, kuba ulwalamano lwabo lwalufana nolwentombi noyise. UMordekayi wayengenakuthanda ukuba le ntombi itshate nomntu ongakholwayo, kwanokumkani lowo, kodwa kwakungekho nto anokuyenza. Umele ukuba Estere wawaphulaphula ngenyameko amacebiso kaMordekayi ngaphambi kokuba ahambe! Njengoko wayesiya komkhulu eShushan, ingqondo yakhe yayithatha ibeka. Zinjani iimeko zale ndawo ndiya kuyo?

Wayethandwa ‘Nguye Wonke Ubani Owayembona’

UEstere wazibona sele ekwindawo awayengayazi kwaphela nentsha kuye. Wayengomnye ‘wamabhinqa aselula’ awayevela kwiimbombo zonke zoBukhosi basePersi. Afanele ukuba ayenamasiko, iilwimi nezimo zengqondo ezahlukene kakhulu. La mabhinqa ayephantsi kweliso elibukhali legosa eligama linguHegayi, alungiswa ithuba elingangonyaka ethanjiswa ngeeoli zabafazi. (Estere 2:8, 12) Imeko enjalo yayinokuwenza loo mabhinqa athi phithi yindlela akhangeleka ngayo, aze akhuphisane. Waqhuba njani uEstere?

Akakho umntu omele ukuba wayexhalabele uEstere njengoMordekayi. Sifunda ukuba usuku nosuku wayesiya kufutshane nentendelezo yabafazi ukuze azi ngentlalo-ntle kaEstere. (Estere 2:11) Njengoko wayemana esiva mhlawumbi ngezicaka ezinentsebenziswano zakomkhulu, umele ukuba wayeneqhayiya ngaye. Ngoba?

UHegayi wakholwa nguEstere kangangokuba wamphatha ngobubele, wamnika izicakakazi ezisixhenxe nelona gumbi lisemgangathweni kuloo ndlu yabafazi. Le ngxelo ihlabela mgama isithi: “ngalo lonke elo xesha uEstere wayezuza inkoleko emehlweni akhe wonk’ ubani owayembona.” (Estere 2:9, 15) Ngaba abantu babemthanda ngenxa nje yobuhle bakhe? Akunjalo.

Ngokomzekelo sifunda oku: “UEstere akazange athethe ngabantu bakowabo okanye ngezalamane zakhe, kuba uMordekayi wayembekele umyalelo ukuba angaxeli.” (Estere 2:10) UMordekayi wamyalela ukuba angazichazi ukuba ungumYuda; ngokungathandabuzekiyo wayebona ukuba kubukhosi basePersi, babengathandwa. Umele ukuba wayevuya ngokwenene kukufumanisa ukuba, nangona uEstere wayengasekho phambi kwakhe, wayebonisa ubulumko nokuthobeka.

Nanamhlanje abantwana banokubavuyisa abazali nabantu abaphantsi kweliso labo. Xa bengabonwa ngabazali babo—nokuba baphakathi kwabantu abaziphethe kakubi okanye abakhohlakeleyo banokuyixhathisa impembelelo embi baze babambelele kwimilinganiselo abayaziyo ukuba mihle. Xa besenjenjalo njengoEstere, bavuyisa uBawo wabo wasezulwini.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

Lathi lakufika ixesha lokuba uEstere abonwe ngukumkani, wanikwa ilungelo lokukhetha nantoni na ayifunayo, mhlawumbi ukuze azilungise ngakumbi. Sekunjalo wathobela icebiso likaHegayi, akazange afune ezinye izinto ngaphandle kwezo wayezinikiwe. (Estere 2:15) Waqonda ukuba ubuhle bubodwa abunakumenza athandwe ngukumkani; ukuthozama nokuthobeka yayizezona mpawu zinqabileyo kwabo bafazi. Ngaba wayechanile?

Ingxelo ithi: “Ukumkani wamthanda uEstere ngaphezu kwawo onke amanye amabhinqa, kangangokuba wakholeka ngakumbi wafumana nobubele bothando obungakumbi kuye ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye iintombi ezinyulu. Yaye wabeka isigqubuthelo sentloko sasebukhosini entlokweni yakhe waza wamenza ukumkanikazi esikhundleni sikaVashti.” (Estere 2:17) Kumele ukuba kwakunzima kule ntombazana yomYuda ithobekileyo ukuqhelana nale meko— wayengukumkanikazi omtsha, umfazi woyena kumkani wayenamandla ehlabathini ngelo xesha. Ngaba esi sikhundla sakhe sitsha samza entloko, samenza weelwale likratshi?

Akunjalo. UEstere waqhubeka emthobela uyise uMordekayi. Ulwalamano lwakhe namaYuda walugcina luyindaba yakwamkhozi. Ukongezelela koko, xa uMordekayi wamchazela ngeyelenqe lokubulawa kuka-Ahaswerosi, ngokuthobeka uEstere wachazela ukumkani laza elo yelenqe laphanza. (Estere 2:20-23) Wabonisa ukholo kuThixo wakhe ngokuthobeka nokuthobela. Namhlanje lunqabe okwezinyo lenkuku olu phawu lokuthobeka. Abantu abanokholo olunyanisekileyo bayakuxabisa ukuthobela njengoEstere.

Ukholo LukaEstere Luyavavanywa

Indoda egama linguHaman yafumana isikhundla esiphakamileyo ebukhosini buka-Ahaswerosi. Ukumkani wamenza inkulumbuso, nentonga yakhe yasekhosi nomntu wesibini ukuba negunya eBukhosini. Ukumkani wade wakhupha umyalelo wokuba bonke abantu baqubude kweli gosa xa belibona. (Estere 3:1-4) Loo mthetho wawuza kubangela ingxaki kuMordekayi. Wayekholelwa ukuba ufanele athotyelwe ukumkani kodwa anganyhashwa uThixo. Kaloku, uHaman ‘wayengumAgagi.’ Loo nto ithetha ukuba wayephuma kumlibo ka-Agagi, ukumkani wama-Amaleki owabulawa ngumprofeti kaThixo uSamuweli. (1 Samuweli 15:33) Ama-Amaleki ayengendawo ngendlela egqith’ emgceni kangangokuba aba ziintshaba zikaYehova namaSirayeli. Uhlanga lwama-Amaleki lwaluqalekisiwe nguThixo.b (Duteronomi 25:19) UmYuda othembekileyo wayenokuqubuda njani kumAmaleki? Wayengenakuyenza loo nto uMordekayi. Wabonisa inkalipho. Nanamhla oku, amadoda namabhinqa anokholo aye abeka ubomi bawo esichengeni ukuze athobele lo mgaqo: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZenzo 5:29.

UHaman waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo. Kodwa wayengafuni nje ukubulala uMordekayi kuphela. Wayefuna ukubatshayela bonke abantu bakuloMordekayi. UHaman wathetha kakubi ngamaYuda kukumkani. Akazange awabize ngagama, wathi ngabantu abangabalulekanga nganto, “abachithachithiweyo nabahlukileyo abaphakathi kwezizwana.” Into embi nangakumbi wathi abayithobeli imithetho kakumkani; bayavukela. Wathi uza kuzihlawula ngokwakhe iindleko zokubulawa kwawo onke amaYuda akobo bukhosi.c UAhaswerosi wanika uHaman umsesane kakumkani wokutywina ukuze atywine nawuphi na umthetho awenzileyo.—Estere 3:5-10.

Akuzange kube kudala izithunywa zakomkhulu zathi bhazalala kobo bukhosi bukhulu bamaPersi, zichaza isigwebo sokubulawa kwamaYuda. Khawuthelekelele indlela eyavakalelwa ngayo intsalela eyayiseYerusalem, apho amaYuda awayevela elubhacweni eBhabhiloni ayezama ukuvuselela isixeko esasingenazo neendonga zokuwakhusela. Mhlawumbi uMordekayi wacinga ngawo, nangabahlobo nezalamane zakhe eShushan, ukuva kwakhe ezi ndaba zibuhlungu. Ebuhlungu, wakrazula iingubo zakhe, wambatha irhonya wazigalela uthuthu entloko, waza wakhala embindini wesixeko. Ngelo xesha, uHaman usela nokumkani, akukho nento le ethi thiki xa ebona intlungu awayeyibangele amaYuda nabahlobo bawo abaseShushan.—Estere 3:12–4:1.

UMordekayi wayesazi ukuba umele enze into. Kodwa wayeza kwenza ntoni? UEstere weva ngentlungu yakhe waza wamthumelela impahla, kodwa uMordekayi akazange athuthuzeleke. Mhlawumbi wayezibuza ukuba kwakutheni ukuze uThixo wakhe uYehova avumele uEstere owayeyintandane yakhe ohluthwe kuye aze atshatiswe nomlawuli womhedeni. Ngoku sasibonakala isizathu. UMordekayi wathumela umyalezo kukumkanikazi, ebongoza uEstere ukuba athethe nokumkani, ukuba ‘acelele abantu bakowabo.’—Estere 4:4-8.

Kumele ukuba kwathi xhungu kuEstere esakuva ezo ndaba. Olu yayilolona vavanyo luqatha lokholo lwakhe. Wayesoyika, kwaye wayiveza loo nto xa wayephendula uMordekayi. Wamkhumbuza ngomthetho kaKumkani. Ukuya kukumkani engakubizanga kwakuza kuthetha ukufa. Wayenokusinda kuphela xa ukumkani emolulele intonga yobukhosi yegolide. Ngaba uEstere wayenaso isizathu sokulindela ukuba enzelwe loo nceba, ngemva kwento eyenzeka kuVashti ongazange avume ukuza xa ebizwa? Waxelela uMordekayi ukuba kudlule iintsuku ezingama-30 ukumkani engambizanga. Ukungananzwa kwakhe kwayitsho ingqondo yabethabethana, ezibuza ukuba usathandwa kusini na ngukumkani.d—Estere 4:9-11.

UMordekayi wamphendula ngokucacileyo uEstere esomeleza ukholo lwakhe. Wathi ukuba uyasilela, amaYuda aya kusindiswa ngenye indlela. Kodwa wayeza kusinda njani xa sele iqalisile intshutshiso? Apha uMordekayi wabonisa ukuba wayenokholo olunzulu kuYehova, ongenakuze avumele ukuba batshatyalaliswe abantu bakhe zize izithembiso zakhe zingazaliseki. (Yoshuwa 23:14) Emva koko uMordekayi wabuza uEstere oku: “Ngubani owaziyo enoba uye wafumana isidima sasebukhosini ngenxa yexesha elinje?” (Estere 4:12-14) UMordekayi wayekholose ngokupheleleyo ngoThixo wakhe, uYehova. Ngaba nathi sinjalo?—IMizekeliso 3:5, 6.

Ukholo Olunamandla Kunokoyika Ukufa

Lalifikile ixesha lokuba uEstere enze isigqibo. Wacela uMordekayi ukuba amqokelelele amadoda aza kuzila nawo iintsuku ezintathu, waza wathetha la mazwi aye aqhubeka ekho ukutyhubela iinkulungwane nabonisa ukholo nenkalipho: “ukuba ndimele nditshabalale, manditshabalale.” (Estere 4:15-17) Umele ukuba wathandaza nzulu ngezo ntsuku zintathu kunanini na ngaphambili ebomini bakhe. Ekugqibeleni lade lagaleleka eli xesha. Wanxiba impahla yasebukhosini engayiwayo, esenza yonke into ukuze athimbe umxhelo kakumkani. Emva koko waya kukumkani.

Njengokuba bekuchaziwe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku, uEstere waya entendelezweni kakumkani. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela awayenexhala ngayo ethandaza ngaphakathi. Wangena entendelezweni awayenokumbona uAhaswerosi ehleli etroneni yakhe. Mhlawumbi wazama ukufunda inkangeleko yobuso bakhe obabuneendevu ezazindindwe kakuhle. Ukuba kwakuza kufuneka alinde umele ukuba kwakungathi ulinde unaphakade. Kodwa ixesha ladlula waza wambona umyeni wakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo wayothukile, kodwa wathamba akumbona. Wamolulela intonga yakhe yobukhosi yegolide.—Estere 5:1, 2.

UEstere wafumana ithuba lokuthetha. Wamela uThixo nabantu bakowabo, emisela umzekelo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo ukutyhubela imbali. Kodwa kwakungekabi phi. Wayeza kumchazela njani ukumkani ukuba intonga yakhe yasekhosi, uHaman, wayequlunqa iyelenqe elingendawo? Wayeza kubahlangula njani abantu bakhe? Le mibuzo siza kuyiphendula kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 19]

UMordekayi wayefanele abe nelunda ngale ntombi awayeyikhulisile

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

UEstere wayesazi ukuba ukuthobeka nobulumko zazibalulekile kunenkangaleko yangaphandle

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22, 23]

UEstere wabeka ubomi bakhe esichengeni ukuze akhusele abantu bakaThixo