UJonathani—‘Wasebenza Kanye NoNkulunkulu’

INDODANA yenkosi yokuqala yakwa-Israyeli iyahamba iyobona isaphula-mthetho esibhacile. “Ungesabi,” itshela lo mbaleki, “ngoba isandla sikaSawule ubaba ngeke sikuthole, futhi wena ngokwakho uzoba yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, mina ngokwami ngibe ngowesibili ukusuka kuwe.”—1 Samuweli 23:17.

Le ndodana uJonathani; umbaleki, uDavide. Ukube uJonathani akafanga ngokushesha ngemva kwalokhu, kungenzeka ukuthi wayeyoba isethenjwa sikaDavide.

Ubungane bukaJonathani noDavide babumangaza. Empeleni, uJonathani wayeyindoda emangalisayo. Abantu ayephila nabo, nabo babecabanga kanjalo, ngoba bathi ngaye: “Usebenzé kanye noNkulunkulu.” (1 Samuweli 14:45) Kungani basho kanjalo? UJonathani wayenaziphi izimfanelo? Futhi ukuphila kwakhe kukuthinta kanjani wena?

Ama-Israyeli ‘Asebunzimeni Obukhulu’

Lapho iBhayibheli liqala ukukhuluma ngoJonathani, ama-Israyeli ‘asebunzimeni obukhulu.’ AmaFilisti alicekele phansi izwe lawo futhi awenza angakwazi ukuzivikela.—1 Samuweli 13:5, 6, 17-19.

Nokho, uJehova wathi ngeke abalahle abantu bakhe, futhi uJonathani wayeqiniseka ngalokho. UNkulunkulu wayethé maqondana noyise, uSawule: “Uzosindisa abantu bami esandleni samaFilisti.” UJonathani wayekwethemba lokho. Kwayena wayesehole ama-Israyeli ayinkulungwane angahlomile ngokuphelele ukuba ayokulwa namaFilisti awanqoba. Manje wayesefuna ukuliqenda nyá usongo lwamaFilisti.—1 Samuweli 9:16; 12:22; 13:2, 3, 22.

Ukuhlasela Okudinga Isibindi

UJonathani wayesophe ukuhlasela ibutho eliqaphile lamaFilisti eduze nensungubezi esesihosheni saseMikimashi. (1 Samuweli 13:23) Ukuze afike khona, kwadingeka akhuphuke “ngezandla nangezinyawo.” Lokhu akuzange kumqede amandla. UJonathani wanquma ukuhlasela enodibi lwakhe kuphela, futhi wathi kulo: “Mhlawumbe uJehova uzosisebenzela, ngoba akukho okuthiya uJehova ukuba asindise ngabaningi noma ngabambalwa.”—1 Samuweli 14:6, 13.

La ma-Israyeli amabili afuna uphawu kuJehova. Ayezoziveza emadodeni asebuthweni eliqaphile. Uma amaFilisti ethi: “Yimani size sithintane nani!” uJonathani nodibi lwakhe babengeke bakhuphukele kubo. Kodwa uma izitha zithi: “Khuphukani nilwe nathi!”, lokho kwakuyosho ukuthi uJehova wayezokwenza uJonathani nodibi lwakhe banqobe. Uma uJonathani ayeqiniseka ngokusekela kukaNkulunkulu, wayezimisele ukukhuphukela ebuthweni eliqaphile ayokulwa.—1 Samuweli 14:8-10.

Amadoda amabili ayengalenzani nje lonke ibutho eliqaphile? UJehova akazange yini amsize uMahluleli u-Ehudi ngenkathi ehola u-Israyeli eyokulwa noMowabi? UNkulunkulu akazange yini abe noShamgari, amsize ukuba abulale amaFilisti angu-600 ngokhandi lwezinkomo? UJehova akamnikanga yini noSamsoni amandla okuba awahlasele kaninginingi amaFilisti eyedwa? UJonathani wayemethemba uNkulunkulu ukuthi uzomsiza naye.—AbaHluleli 3:12-31; 15:6-8, 15; 16:29, 30.

Lapho amaFilisti ewabona la ma-Israyeli amabili, amemeza: “Khuphukelani kithi, sizonifundisa isifundo!” UJonathani nodibi lwakhe bakhuphuka. Ngesibindi, bahlasela futhi babulala amadoda ayizitha angaba ngu-20, okwabangela ukwesaba nokudideka kulo lonke ikamu. Mhlawumbe amaFilisti azitshela ukuthi kunamabutho amaningi akwa-Israyeli ayelandela uJonathani nodibi lwakhe. Ngemva kwalokho, ukulandisa kuthi kwaba “khona ukuthuthumela . . . phakathi kwabo bonke abantu bebutho eliqaphile, . . . nomhlaba wazamazama, kwaba ukuthuthumela okuvela kuNkulunkulu.” Ngenxa yokuzamazama komhlaba okuvela phezulu, kwaba nesiyaluyalu phakathi kwamaFilisti kangangokuba ‘yilowo nalowo wagwaza umuntu wakubo ngenkemba yakhe.’ Lapho amabutho akwa-Israyeli ekubona lokhu, aba nesibindi. Esehlangene nama-Israyeli ayecashile kanye nalawo ayesengasohlangothini lwamaFilisti, “babelokhu bewabulala amaFilisti kusukela eMikimashi kuya e-Ajaloni.”—1 Samuweli 14:11-23, 31.

Wakhululwa Abantu

Ngobuwula iNkosi uSawule yaqalekisa noma yiliphi isosha elalizodla ingakanqotshwa impi. Ngasizathu simbe, uJonathani wayengakwazi lokhu. Wadla. Wagcobhoza induku yakhe ekhekhebeni lezinyosi wadla uju. Kubonakala sengathi lokhu kwamvuselela amandla ukuze akwazi ukuqeda impi.—1 Samuweli 14:24-27.

Lapho ezwa ukuthi uJonathani wayedlile, uSawule wathi kufanele abulawe. UJonathani akazange akwesabe ukufa. “Nangu mina! Mangife!” esho. “Kodwa abantu bathi kuSawule: ‘Ingabe uJonathani kumelwe afe, yena owenzé le nsindiso enkulu kwa-Israyeli? Kuyinto engacabangeki! Kuphila kukaJehova, ngeke kuwele ngisho nonwele olulodwa lwekhanda lakhe emhlabathini; ngoba usebenzé kanye noNkulunkulu namuhla.’ Ngalokho abantu bamkhulula uJonathani, wangafa.”—1 Samuweli 14:38-45.

Inceku kaNkulunkulu yanamuhla ayilwi izimpi ezingokoqobo, kodwa ziningi izikhathi ekuphileni kwakho lapho nawe udinga khona ukholo nesibindi. Kungase kube nzima ukwenza okulungile kuyilapho wonke umuntu okuzungezile enza okungalungile. Nokho, uJehova uyokuqinisa futhi uyosibusisa isifiso sakho sokumelela izindinganiso zakhe zokulunga. Ungase udinge isibindi ukuze wamukele ilungelo elithile lenkonzo enhlanganweni kaJehova, njengokwandisa inkonzo yakho, ukwamukela izabelo ezintsha, noma ukuyokhonza lapho kunendingeko enkulu yabamemezeli boMbuso. Ungase uzibuze ukuthi uyilungele yini le nselele. Qiniseka ukuthi uyobe wenza into enhle uma uzenza utholakale ukuze uJehova akusebenzise ngendlela abona ifanele. Khumbula uJonathani! ‘Wasebenza kanye noNkulunkulu.’

UJonathani NoDavide

Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-20, iqhawe elingumFilisti uGoliyati ladelela ibutho lakwa-Israyeli, kodwa uDavide walibulala. Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi uJonathani wayemdala kunoDavide ngeminyaka engu-30, kuningi ababefana ngako.a UDavide wabonisa isibindi esifanayo naleso esaboniswa uJonathani eMikimashi. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uDavide wayenokholo olufanayo emandleni kaJehova okusindisa, okwamenza wakwazi ukubhekana noGoliyati ngokungesabi kuyilapho wonke amanye ama-Israyeli ayeyibalekele le nselele. Ngenxa yalokho “umphefumulo kaJonathani wanamathelana nomphefumulo kaDavide, uJonathani waqala ukumthanda njengoba ethanda umphefumulo wakhe.”—1 Samuweli 17:1–18:4.

Nakuba ubuqhawe bukaDavide benza ukuba iNkosi uSawule imbheke njengembangi, uJonathani wayengenawo nomncane umona. Yena noDavide baba abangane abakhulu, futhi kungenzeka ukuthi lapho bethululelana izifuba, uJonathani wathola ukuthi uDavide wayesegcotshwe njengenkosi ka-Israyeli elandelayo. UJonathani wasihlonipha isinqumo sikaNkulunkulu.

Lapho iNkosi uSawule ikhuluma nendodana yayo nezinceku zayo ngokubulala uDavide, uJonathani waxwayisa uDavide. UJonathani wenza uSawule wabona ukuthi asikho isidingo sokuba amesabe uDavide. Phela uDavide wayengayonanga ngalutho inkosi! UDavide wayengakufakanga yini ukuphila kwakhe engozini lapho elwa noGoliyati? Ukuncengela kukaJonathani umngane wakhe ophathwe kabi kwalehlisa igwebu kuSawule. Kodwa ngokushesha inkosi yabuye yaqala ukuceba ukubulala uDavide futhi yenza eminye imizamo yokumbulala, okwenza uDavide wabaleka.—1 Samuweli 19:1-18.

UJonathani wamsekela uDavide. Laba bangane ababili bahlangana ukuze babone ukuthi yini okumelwe bayenze. Eqotho kumngane wakhe ngesikhathi esifanayo engafuni ukulahla uyise, uJonathani wathi kuDavide: “Kuyinto engacabangeki! Ngeke ufe.” Kodwa, uDavide watshela uJonathani: “Isinyathelo esisodwa nje kuphela esikhona phakathi kwami nokufa!”—1 Samuweli 20:1-3.

UJonathani noDavide benza icebo lokuthola okwakuhloswe uSawule. Uma kubonakala ukuthi uDavide akekho etafuleni lenkosi, uJonathani wayezotshela uyise ukuthi uDavide ucele ukuya emhlatshelweni womkhaya wakubo. Uma uSawule ebhoka ngolaka, kwakuzoba uphawu lokuthi akamfuni uDavide. UJonathani wambusisa, washo namazwi ayebonisa ukuthi uyakuqaphela ukubusa kwakhe kwesikhathi esizayo, ethi: “Kwangathi uJehova angaba nawe, njengoba nje eye waba nobaba.” Bobabili bafunga ukuthi bazoba qotho komunye nomunye base benquma nendlela uJonathani ayezokwazisa ngayo uDavide ngomphumela wesivivinyo.—1 Samuweli 20:5-24.

Lapho uSawule ebona ukuthi uDavide akekho, uJonathani wachaza ukuthi uDavide wayemncengile, wathi: “Uma ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, siza ungivumele ngithi shelele ngiyobona abafowethu.” UJonathani wayengesabi ukuvuma ukuthi uyamthanda uDavide. Inkosi yathukuthela yagan’ unwabu! Yachwensa uJonathani, yamemeza ithi uDavide ulusongo ekubuseni kwendodana yakhe njengenkosi elandelayo. USawule watshela uJonathani ukuthi akamlethe la uDavide ukuze abulawe. UJonathani waphendula: “Kungani kufanele abulawe? Wenzeni?” Ehlanyiswe intukuthelo, uSawule wajikijela indodana yakhe ngomkhonto. UJonathani wakwazi ukubaleka kodwa walimala kakhulu enhliziyweni ngenxa kaDavide.—1 Samuweli 20:25-34.

Yeka ubuqotho obaboniswa uJonathani! Ngokubheka komuntu, kuncane ayengakuzuza ngokuba umngane kaDavide, kube kukuningi okwakungamlahlekela. Kodwa uJehova wayegcobe uDavide ukuba alandele uSawule njengenkosi, futhi lokho uNkulunkulu ayekuhlosile kwakuzosiza uJonathani nabanye.

Ukuhlukana Okumunyu

UJonathani wahlangana noDavide ngasese ukuze amtshele okwakwenzekile. Kwakhanya kuDavide ukuthi wayengeke aphinde alubhade endlini kaSawule. La madoda amabili akhala futhi angana. UDavide wahamba wayocasha.—1 Samuweli 20:35-42.

UJonathani wabuye wambona kanye kuphela uDavide, ngenkathi ecashele uSawule “ehlane laseZifi eHoreshi.” Kwakungaleso sikhathi lapho uJonathani akhuthaza khona uDavide ngala mazwi: “Ungesabi; ngoba isandla sikaSawule ubaba ngeke sikuthole, futhi wena ngokwakho uzoba yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, mina ngokwami ngibe ngowesibili ukusuka kuwe; uSawule ubaba uyakwazi lokho.” (1 Samuweli 23:15-18) Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, uJonathani noSawule bafa ngenkathi belwa namaFilisti.—1 Samuweli 31:1-4.

Bonke abathanda uNkulunkulu benza kahle ngokucabanga ngenkambo eyalandelwa uJonathani. Ingabe uzithola usenkingeni yokungazi ukuthi ube qotho kubani? Khumbula ukuthi uSawule wakhuthaza uJonathani ukuba azicabangele yena. Nokho, uJonathani wakhazimulisa uJehova ngokuzithoba okusuka enhliziyweni nangenhlonipho futhi wajabula ngokuthi umuntu owayekhethwe uNkulunkulu wayezoba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli elandelayo. Yebo, uJonathani wasekela uDavide futhi waba qotho kuJehova.

UJonathani wayenezimfanelo ezinhle kakhulu. Zilingise! Kanjalo abantu bayokwazi ukusho ngawe njengoba basho ngoJonathani: “Usebenzé kanye noNkulunkulu.”—1 Samuweli 14:45.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

UJonathani wayengenawo umona ngoDavide