1—Usolomon

Ngolawulo lukaDavide nolukaSolomon, uIsrayeli waba namandla phakathi kwezizwe, wanawo namathuba okuphakamisa impembelelo enamandla ngenxa yenyaniso nokulungileyo. Igama likaYehova laphakanyiswa lahlonitshwa, yathi injongo awayemiselwe yona uIsrayeli kwiliZwe leDinga yahamba kakuhle ukuba ibe nokuzaliseka. Izithintelo zawiswa phantsi, nabafuna inyaniso besuka kwamanye amazwe ababuyelanga kuwo benganelisekanga. Inguquko yabakho, lathi ibandla likaThixo emhlabeni lakhula lahambela phambili.AN 25.1

USolomon wathanjiswa wamiselwa wangukumkani ekupheleni kweminyaka kayise uDavide, owehlayo etroneni ukuba kuhlale yena. Ubomi bakhe basekuqaleni babukhanya sisithembiso, kwaye iyinjongo kaThixo eyokuba ahambele phambili emandleni ukuya emandleni, akhule eluzukweni ukusinga eluzukweni, enjenjalo ukusondela kufuphi ngakumbi kwimfano nesimilo sikaThixo, ngaloo ndlela ebakhuthaza abantu ukuba bakufezekise abanikelwe kona, ukuba babe ngabagciniswe inyaniso yezulu.AN 25.2

UDavide wazi ukuba injongo ephezulu kaThixo ngoIsrayeli kwakunokufikelelwa kuyo kuphela ngabalawuli nabantu xa bethe bafuna ngokuphapha bezingisile ukuba bafikelele kumgangatho obekwe phambi kwabo. Wazi ukuba, ukuze unyana wakhe uSolomon awufezekise umthwalo athe uThixo wabona kufanelekile ukuba awubeke phezu kwakhe, lo mlawuli uselula kufuneka anganeli nje ukuba ligorha, umntu obalulekileyo ebuRhulumenteni, nengangalala, kodwa omelele, abe yindoda elungileyo, umfundisi wobulungisa, umzekelo wokunyaniseka.AN 26.1

Ngokunyaniseka okunothando, uDavide wamkhuthaza uSolomon ukuba abe yindoda, abe nesidima, abe nenceba nobubele kubantu abalawulayo, kuthi kuko konke ukwenza kwakhe nezizwe zomhlaba aliphakamise alizukise igama likaThixo abubonakalise ubuhle bobungcwele. Amava avavanyayo namakhulu awadlula kuwo uDavide ngexesha lokuphila kwakhe amfundisa ukuxabiseka nendili yobuhle, kwaza oko kwamkhokelela kumyolelo wakhe athi kuSolomon: “Kuya kuvela umlawuli woluntu olilungisa, elawula ngokoyikauThixo. Unjengokukhanya kwentsasa, lakuphuma ilanga, njengentsasa engenamafu, lakus ibisina, lwakuphuma uhlaza endle.” 2 Samuweli 23:3, 4.AN 26.2

Athi, ubuhle bethuba awayenalo uSolomon! Ukuba nje angalandela umyalelo ophefumlelwe lizulu kayise, ulawulo lwakhe beluya kuba lolobulungisa, njengolo luchazwe kwisahluko samashumi asixhenxe anesibini seNdumiso:AN 26.3

“Thixo, mnike ukumkani imigwebo yakho,
Mnike unyana wokumkani ubulungisa bakho.
Makagwebe ebantwini bakho ngobulungisa,
Nakwabazintsizana zakho ngokwesiko. . . .
Makehle njengemvula ehla
phezu kotyani obusikwayo,
Njengesiphango, njengemvula
emathontsi makhulu, emhlabeni. Malityatyambe ngemihla yakhe ilungisa,
Nobuninzi boxolo, ide ingabi sabakho inyanga.
Makaphathe kuwo uMlambo
ase eziphelweni zehlabathi. . . .
Ookumkani baseTarshishe nabeziqithi
Baya kunika iminikelo;
Ookumkani bakwaShebha nabakwaSebha
Baya kusondeza isithabathaba;
Baqubude kuye bonke ookumkani,
Zimkhonze zonke iintlanga.
Ngokuba uya kulihlangula ihlwempu elizibikayo,
Nabazintsizana abangenaluncedo; . . .
Bahlale bemthandazela,
Bamsikelele imini yonke. . . .
Malime ngonaphakade igama lakhe phambi kwelanga,
Bazisikelele ngaye;
Mazithi zonke iintlanga ungonoyolo.
“Makabongwe uYehova uThixo, uThixo kaIsrayeli.
Ulomenzi wemisebenzi ebalulekileyo yena yedwa.
Malisikelelwe igama lakhe, elizukileyo ngonaphakade,
Lizale lonke ihlabathi luzuko lwakhe.
Amen, amen.”AN 26.4

Ebutsheni bakhe, uSolomon wakwenza ukukhetha kukaDavide ukuba kube kokwakhe, waza iminyaka emininzi wahamba ngokuthe tye, ubomi bakhe buphawuleka ngokuthobela ngqongqo imiyalelo kaThixo. Kuse kutsha ekulawuleni kwakhe, wahamba namaphakathi akhe esizwe baya eGibheyon, apho kwakusekho umnquba owawakhiwe entlango, apho waya wahlangana nabacebisi bakhe abanyuliweyo, “abathetheli bamawaka namakhulu, nakubagwebi, kwizikhulu zonke, kumaIsrayeli onke, kwiintloko zezindlu zooyise,” ekunikeleni imibingelelo kuThixo nasekuzinikeleni kwabo ngokupheleleyo emsebenzini kaYehova. 2 IZikronike 1:2. Ngokuba nokuqonda ubukhulu boxanduva oluhamba nesikhundla sobukhosi, uSolomon wazi ukuba abo bathwele imithwalo enzima bamele ukufuna inkokelo kwiThende loBulumko, ukuze bakwazi ukuyifezekisa ngokwamkelekileyo imithwalo abanayo. Oku kwamkhokelela ukuba akhuthaze amaphakathi akhe ukuba amanyane naye ukuqinisekisa ukwamkeleka kwabo kuThixo.AN 27.1

Ngaphezu kwako konke okulungileyo kwasemhlabeni, ukumkani walangazelela ubulumko nokuqonda ukuze akwazi ukufeza umsebenzi uThixo amnike wona ukuba awenze. Wafuna ingqondo ekhawulezayo, intliziyo ebanzi, nomoya onothando. Ngobo busuku uYehova wavela kuSolomon ephupheni, wathi, “Cela into, ndikuphe.” Kwimpendulo yakhe, umlawuli oselula nongenamava wathetha ngokwezimvo zakhe zokungabi nakuzinceda nolangazelelo lwakhe loncedo. “Wena wenza inceba enkulu,” watsho, “kumkhonzi wakho uDavide ubawo, njengoko abehamba phambi kwakho enyanisweni, nasebulungiseni, nangokuthi tye kwentliziyo kuwe, wamgcinela le nceba inkulu, wamnika unyana ohleli etroneni yakhe, njengokuba kunjalo namhla.AN 28.1

“Kaloku, Yehova Thixo wam, wena umenze umkhonzi wakho lo wangukumkani esikhundleni sikaDavide ubawo; ndingumntwana omncinane; andikwazi ukuphuma nokungena. Umkhonzi wakho lo uphakathi kwabantu bakho obanyulileyo, abantu abaninzi, abangenakubalwa, abangenakuxelwa ukuba baninzi. Mnike umkhonzi wakho intliziyo evayo, yokubalawula abantu bakho, ahlule phakathi kokulungileyo nokungendawo; ngokuba ngubani na onako ukubalawula abantu bakho aba bangaka?AN 28.2

“Lalunga elo lizwi emehlweni eNkosi ukuba uSolomon acele loo nto.”AN 28.3

“Ngenxa enokuba ucele lento,” watshouThixo kuSolomon, “akwazicelelaimihlaemininzi, akwazicelelaubutyebi,akwazicelelaubomi beentshabazakho, wazicelelaukuqonda ukuba uwathethe amatyala, Uyabona, ndikunikile intliziyo enobulumko enokuqonda, ekungabangakho unjengawe phambi kwakho, ekungayi kuvela unjengawe emva kwakho. Kananjalo oko ungakucelanga ndikunikile nako, kwa-ubutyebi nozuko, ukuba kungabikho mntu unjengawe phakathi kookumkani yonke imihla yakho.AN 28.4

“Ke, ukuba uthe wahamba ngeendlela zam, ngokuyigcina imimiselo yam nemithetho yam, njengoko wahamba ngako uDavide uyihlo, ndoyolula imihla yakho.” 1 Kumkani 3:5-14; 2 IZikronike 1:7-12.AN 29.1

UThixo wathembisa ukuba, njengoko wayenaye uDavide, ngokunjalo uya kuba naye uSolomon. Ukuba ukumkani uthe wahamba phambi kukaYehova ngokugqibeleleyo, ukuba uthe wenza oko uThixo amyalele kona, itrone yakhe iya kuzinza kuze ukulawula kwakhe kube yindlela yokumphakamisa uIsrayeli “[nje]ngabantu abalumkileyo, abanengqondo,” ukukhanya kwizizwe ezibangqongileyo. Duteronomi 4:6.AN 30.1

Intetho eyasetyenziswa nguSolomon xa wayethandaza kuThixo phambi kwetrone yakudala eGibheyon yayityhila ukuthobeka kwakhe nolangazelelo oluqinileyo lokumzukisa uThixo. Waqonda ukuba, ngaphandle koncedo lwezulu, wayengenakwenza nto kanye njengomntwana omncinane ukuyifeza imithwalo ephezu kwakhe. Wayezazi ukuba uswele ukuqonda, kwaye waziva enentswelo enkulu nto leyo eyamkhokelela kuThixo ukuba afune ubulumko. Entliziyweni yakhe wawungekho umnqweno wokuzifunela ulwazi oluya kuphakamisela yena ngaphezu kwabanye. Walangazelela ukwenza ngokunyanisekileyo imisebenzi ephezu kwakhe, waza wakhetha isipho esasiya kuba sisixhobo sokwenza ukuba ulawulo lwakhe luzise uzuko kuThixo. USolomon akazange wasisityebi kakhulu, wasisilumko kakhulu, okanye wamkhulu kakhulu njengaxa wayevuma esithi, “Ndingumntwana omncinane; andikwazi ukuphuma nokungena.”AN 30.2

Abo namhlanje bakwizikhundla zentembeko kufuneka bafune ukufunda isifundo esifundiswa ngumthandazo kaSolomon. Okona siphezulu isikhundla akuso umntu, okona lulukhulu uxanduva ekufuneka eluthwele, okona inabe kakhulu impembelelo ayinikayo nokukona kukukhulu ukudingeka kokuba axhomekeke kuThixo. Kufuneka ahlale ekhumbula ukuba, kunye nobizo lokuza emsebenzini, kukwakho nobizo lokuhamba ngobunono phambi kwabantu. Kufunekaamephambi kukaThixo enengqondo yomfundi. Isikhundla asisenzi gcwele isimilo.KungokunikauThixoimbeko nokuthobela imiyalelo yaKhe okumenza mkhulu ngokwenene umntu.AN 30.3

UThixo esimkhonzayo akamkhethi wabuso bamntu. Lowo wanika uSolomon umoya wokukwazi ukucalucalula unentumekelelo ukunika kwaloo ntsikelelo kubantwana baKhe namhla. “Ukuba ke ubani uswele ubulumko,” litsho ilizwi lakhe, “makacele kuThixo, onika bonke engenakumbi, engangcikivi; wobunikwa.” Yakobi 1:5. Xa umthwali wemithwalo elangazelela ubulumko ngaphezu kokulangazelela ubutyebi, okanye udumo, akasayi kudaniswa. Onjalo uya kufunda kwiTitshala eNkulu, kungekuphela oko kufuneka ekwenzile, kodwa nendlela yokukwenza eya kuthi ibe nokwamkelwa lizulu.AN 31.1

Ngalo lonke ixesha ihlala izinikele, indoda uThixo ayinike ingqiqo nesakhono ayisayi kubonakalisa ulangazelelo lwesikhundla esiphezulu, yaye ingayi kufuna ukulawula okanye ukuphatha. Kunyanzelekile kona ukuba abantu kufuneka bathwale imithwalo; kodwa, endaweni yokuzama ukuba phezulu, lowo uyinkokheli enyanisekileyo uya kuthandazela intliziyo eqondayo, ekwazi ukwahlula phakathi kokulungileyo nokubi.AN 31.2

Indlela yabantu ababekwe bazinkokheli ayikho lula. Sekunjalo, kufuneka babone kubo bonke ubunzima ubizo lomthandazo. Akufuneki nakanye ukuba basilele ukubuza kwiThende elikhulu labo bonke ubulumko. Bomeleziwe, bekhanyiselwe nguMsebenzi oyiNkosi, baya kwenziwa bakwazi ukuma baqine bachasane nazo zonke iimpembelelo ezingengcwele bakwazi nokwahlula okulungileyo kokungalunganga, okulungileyo nokubi. Baya kuvumela oko uThixo akuvumelayo, baze balwe benyanisekile nokungeniswa kwemithetho-siseko engeyiyo emsebenzini waKhe.AN 31.3

Ubulumko awayebulangazelela uSolomon ngaphezu kobutyebi, ukuphakanyiswa, okanye ubomi obude, uThixo wamnika. Umthandazowakhe wengqondoekhawulezayo,intliziyo ebanzi, nomoyaonothando,waphendulwa.“UThixowamnika uSolomon ubulumkonengqondo ngokuninzi kunene, nobubanzi bentliziyo, njengentlabathi eselunxwemeni lolwandle. Ubulumko bukaSolomon bebubuninzi ngaphezu koonyana bonke basempumalanga, naphezu kobulumko bonke bamaYiputa. Ubelumkile ngaphezu kwabantu bonke. . . . Igama lakhe belisezintlangeni zonke ngeenxa zonke.” 1 Kumkani 4:29-31.AN 32.1

“Onke amaIsrayeli . . . amoyika ukumkani; ngokuba ayebona ukuba ubulumko bukaThixo buphakathi kwakhe, ukuba enze isigwebo.” I Kumkani 3:28. Iintliziyo zabantu zabuyela kuSolomon, njengoko zazinjalo ngakuDavide, baza bamthobela kwiinto zonke. “USolomon . . . womelela ebukumkanini bakhe; uYehova uThixo wakhe waba naye, wamenza mkhulu, wamphakamisa.” 2 IZikronike 1:1.AN 32.2

Iminyaka emininzi ubomi bukaSolomon babuphawulwe kukuzinikela kuThixo, ukuhamba ngokugqibeleleyo nokuqina kumthetho-siseko, nokuyithobela ngqongqo imiyalelo kaThixo. Wayekhokela kuyo yonke imicimbi ebalulekileyo eyilawula ngobulumko imicimbi yoshishino ehlangene nobukumkani. Ubutyebi nobulumko bakhe, izakhiwo ezihle kakhulu nemisebenzi ejongene noluntu lonke awayakha kwasebutsheni bolawulo lwakhe, amandla, ukuhlonela uThixo, awazibonakalisa ngelizwi nangezenzo, zizinto ezamzuzela ukunyaniseka kwabantu abaphetheyo nokuthandwa nokuhlonitshwa ngabalawuli bamazwe amaninzi.AN 32.3

Igama likaYehova lazukiswa kakhulu ngexesha lasekuqaleni kolawulo lukaSolomon. Ubulumko nobulungisa awabuvezayo ukumkani baba bubungqina kuzo zonke izizwe bokutshatshela beempawu zikaThixo awayemkhonza. Kwaba lixesha uIsrayeli ekukukhanya kwehlabathi, ebonakalalisa ubukhulu bukaYehova. Babungekho kubulumkoobudlulisileyo,kubutyebi obungaphaya, kumandla afikelela kude kunye nodumo izinto ezaba ezakhe, apho kwakulele khona ubuqaqawuli bolawulo lukaSolomon lwasekuqaleni; kodwa kuzuko awaluzisa kwigama likaThixo kaIsrayeli ngokusebenzisa ngobulumko izipho zeZulu.AN 32.4

Ngokuhamba kweminyaka, nodumo lukaSolomon lukhula, wafuna ukumzukisa uThixo ngokongeza kumandla akhe engqondo nawasemoyeni, nangokuqhubeka ngokwabela abanye iintsikelelo awazizuzayo. Akakho owayesazi ukudlula yena ukuba kwakungenxa yothando lukaYehova ukuze afikelele ekubeni namandla nobulumko ngengqiqo, nokuba ezi zipho zanikwaukuze anike ihlabathi ulwazi ngoKumkani wookumkani.AN 33.1

USolomon waba nomdla owodwa kwimbhali yendalo, kodwa abaphandi bakhe babengaphelelanga kumgca omnye wemfundo. Ngokufunda ngenkuthalo konke okudaliweyo, okuphilayo nokungaphiliyo, wazuza ukumqonda kakuhle uMdali. Kumandla endalo, kwizimbiwa nakwizilwanyana, nakuyo yonke imithi, amatyholo neentyatyambo, wabona ukutyhilwa kobulumko bukaThixo; wathi ngokufuna ukufunda ngakumbi, ulwazi lwakhe lukaThixo kunye nokumthanda kwakhe, konke kwathi rhoqo ukukhula.AN 33.2

Ubulumko bukaSolomon obabuphefumlelwe lizulu bafumana ukubekwa ngeengoma zokudumisa nangemizekeliso emininzi. “Wathetha amawaka amathathu emizekeliso; zathi neengoma zakhe zaliwaka elinantlanu. Wathetha ngemithi, ethabathela kumsedare waseLebhanon, ase nakwihisope ephuma eludongeni; wathetha nangeenkomo, nangeentaka nangezinambuzane, nangeentlanzi.” 1 Kumkani 4:32, 33.AN 33.3

Kwimizekeliso kaSolomon kwandlalwe imithetho-siseko yokuphila ngcwele nokuzama okuphezulu, imithetho-siseko ephuma ezulwini nekhokelelaekuhlonipheniuThixo, imithetho-sisekoyokulawula sonke isenzo sobomi. Yayikukungena okubanzi kwale mithetho-siseko, nokumvuma uThixo njengofanelwe yiyo yonke indumiso nokuzukiswa, okwenzaukuba ulawulo lukaSolomon lwasekuqaleni kube lixesha lokuziphatha okuphakamileyo nelempumelelo ngasebutyebini.AN 33.4

“Hayi, uyolo lomntu ofumene ubulumko,” wabhala, “lomntu ozuze ingqondo! Kuba lulungile urhwebo lwabo ngaphezu korhwebo lwesilivere, nongeniselo lwabo ngaphezu kwegolide embiweyo. Bunqabile bona ngaphezu kwekorale, nezinto zakho zonke ezinqwenelekayo azilingani nabo. Imihla emide isesandleni sazo sokunene, kwesokhohlo sabo bubutyebi nozuko. Iindlela zabo ziindlela ezimnandi, wonke umendo wabo unoxolo. Bungumthi wobomi kwababambelela kubo. Unoyolo obubambayo.” IMizekeliso 3:13-18.AN 34.1

“Ubulumko ngoyena ndoqo, bufunisise! Fumana ingqiqo, nokuba kudle konke onako.” IMizekeliso 4:7. “Ingqalo yobulumko kukoyika uYehova.” Ndumiso 111:10. “Ukoyika uYehova kukuthiya into embi: ikratshi nokukratsha, nendlela embi, nomlomo onempenduka, ndiwuthiyile.” (IMizekeliso) 8:13.AN 34.2

Akwaba kwiminyaka elandelayo uSolomon wayewathobele la mazwi amangalisayo obulumko! Akwaba lowo wathi, “Umlomo wezilumko uhlwayela ukwazi” (IMizekeliso 15:7), kwayena lowo wafundisa ookumkani bomhlaba ukunika uKumkani wookumkani indumiso abalangazelela ukuyinika umlawuli wasemhlabeni, ebengakhange athi, “[ngo]mlomo ojibilizayo,” nge“kratshi nokukratsha,” athabathele kuye uzuko olulunge kuThixo kuphela!AN 34.3