U-Esteri Usindisa AmaJuda

U-Esteri wayeyintombazane engumJuda eyayihlala ePheresiya edolobheni laseShushani. Umndeni wakubo owawuhlala eJerusalema wathunjwa uNebukhadinezari. U-Esteri wakhuliswa umzala wakhe, uMoridekayi, inceku yenkosi yasePheresiya u-Ahashiveroshi.

INkosi u-Ahashiveroshi yayifuna indlovukazi entsha. Izinceku zayo zayilethela amantombazane amahle kunawo wonke ezweni, kuhlanganise no-Esteri. Kuwo wonke amantombazane, inkosi yakhetha u-Esteri ukuba abe indlovukazi. UMoridekayi watshela u-Esteri ukuba angavezi ukuthi ungumJuda.

Indoda eziqhenyayo okuthiwa uHamani yayiyinduna yazo zonke izikhulu. Yayifuna wonke umuntu ayikhothamele. UMoridekayi wenqaba futhi kwamcasula lokho uHamani kangangokuthi wafuna ukumbulala. Lapho uHamani ethola ukuthi uMoridekayi ungumJuda, wakha icebo lokubulala wonke amaJuda ezweni. Wathi enkosini: ‘AmaJuda ayingozi; kumelwe uwaxoshe.’ U-Ahashiveroshi wathi: ‘Yenza noma yini okumelwe uyenze,’ wabe esemnika imvume yokubeka umthetho. UHamani wabeka umthetho owawuthi akubulawe wonke amaJuda ngomhla ka-13 enyangeni ka-Adari. UJehova wayebukele.

U-Esteri wayengazi lutho ngalo mthetho. Ngakho uMoridekayi wamthumelela ikhophi yawo wabe esethi kuye: ‘Hamba uyokhuluma nenkosi.’ U-Esteri wathi: ‘Noma ubani oya enkosini engabizwanga uzobulawa. Sekuphele izinsuku ezingu-30 inkosi ingangibizi! Kodwa ngizoya. Uma yelulela intonga yayo kimi, ngizophila. Uma kungenjalo ngizokufa.’

U-Esteri waya endlini yenkosi. Lapho inkosi imbona, yelula intonga yayo. Waya kuyo, yabe isimbuza: ‘Yini ongathanda ngikwenzele yona Esteri?’ Wathi: ‘Ngicela ukumema wena noHamani esidlweni namuhla kusihlwa.’ Esidlweni, uEsteri waphinde wabamema futhi okwesibili. Esidlweni sesibili, inkosi yaphinde yambuza: ‘Yini ongathanda ngikwenzele yona?’ Wathi: ‘Kunomuntu ozobulala mina nabantu bakithi. Sicela usisindise.’ Inkosi yathi: ‘Ubani lowo ofuna ukukubulala?’ Wathi: ‘Yile ndoda embi uHamani.’ U-Ahashiveroshi wayecasuke kakhulu kangangokuthi wayefuna ukumbulala uHamani ngaso leso sikhathi.

Kodwa akekho owayengawesula umthetho owawubekwe uHamani, ngisho nenkosi yayingeke ikwazi. Ngakho inkosi yabeka uMoridekayi waba induna yezikhulu futhi yamnika imvume yokubeka umthetho omusha. UMoridekayi wabeka umthetho owawuvumela amaJuda ukuba azivikele lapho ehlaselwa. Ngomhla ka-13 enyangeni ka-Adari amaJuda azehlula izitha zawo. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, amaJuda ayegubha lokho kunqoba yonke iminyaka.