68—UDavide ETsikelage
[Esi sahluko sisekwe ku-1 Samuweli 29; 30; 2 Samuweli 1.]
UDavide namadoda akhe babengathabathanga nxaxheba kwidabi phakathi kukaSawule namaFilisti, nangona babehambe namaFilisti ukuya kwithafa longquzulwano. Ngexesha imikhosi emibini ilungiselela ukungena edabini, unyana kaYese wazifumana ekwingxuba-kaxaka enkulu. Kwakulindeleke ukuba uya kulwa kunye namaFilisti. Ukuba wayengathi ekulweni ayishiye indawo ayabelweyo abuye ethafeni [lemfazwe], wayengayi kuzibizisa nje ngobugwala kuphela, koko ngokungabi nambulelo nokungcatsha uAkish, owayemkhusele, wamthemba. Isenzo esinjalo sasiya kwambathisa igama lakhe ngenkohliso, size simbeke esichengeni kwingqumbo yeentshaba eyayisoyikeka ngaphezu kukaSawule. Kanti ke, wayengakwazi nokomzuzwana ukuvuma ukulwa noIsrayeli. Ukuba angakwenza oku, wayeya kuba ngumngcatshi welizwe lakhe—abe lutshaba lukaThixo nabantu baKhe. Loo nto yayiya kuyivala ngonaphakade indlela yakhe yokukhwela etroneni kaIsrayeli; kuthi ukuba uSawule uye wabulawa, ukufa kwakhe kubalelwe kuDavide.ANa 690.1
UDavide wenziwa ave ngokungathi uyilahlile indlela yakhe. Ngekwakulunge kakhulu ukuba wayeyifumene indawo yokuphephela kwiinqaba zikaThixo ezomeleleyo ezintabeni kunakwiintshaba zikaYehova nabantu baKhe ezizixela ngokuphandle. Noko kunjalo, uYehova ngobukhulu benceba yaKhe akazange ayohlwaye le mposiso yesicaka sakhe ngokumyekela kwinkathazo nokudideka kwakhe; kuba, nangona uDavide waphuncuka kumandla ezulu, wakhubeka waphuma ecaleni kwindlela yokunyaniseka ngokupheleleyo, yayiseyinjongo yentliziyo yakhe ukunyaniseka kuThixo. Lo gama uSathana nomkhosi wakhe babexakekile benceda abachasi bakaThixo noIsrayeli ukuba kucetywe ukuchasa ukumkani owashiya uThixo, zona iingelosi zikaYehova zazisebenza ukuhlangula uDavide kwintlekele awaye wawa kuyo. Izithunywa zezulu zasebenza kumadoda amakhulu amaFilisti ukuba zikuchase ukuhlangana kwebutho likaDavide nomkhosi owawujongene nemfazwe.ANa 690.2
“Ayini na la maHebhere apha?” zakhala izikhulu zamaFilisti, zimngqingile uAkishe. UAkishe, engathandi ukwahlukana nomncedisi obaluleke kangako, waphendula, “Lo asinguye na uDavide umkhonzi kaSawule, ukumkani wamaIsrayeli, oseleneemini neminyaka enam? Andifumananga mposiso kuye, kuthabathela kumhla awaphamba ngawo, kwezisa kule mini?”ANa 691.1
Izikhulu zanyanzelisa ngomsindo kwisicelo sazo: “Yibuyise loo ndoda, ibuyele endaweni yayo, apho wayiyalela khona, ingehli nathi iye ekulweni, hleze isichase ekulweni. Angazikholisisa ngantoni na lo enkosini yakhe? Akungeentloko zala madoda yini na? Lo asinguye na uDavide, ababevuma ngaye ekungqungqeni, besithi, uSawule ubulele amawaka akhe, uDavide ubulele amawaka akhe angamashumi?” Ukuxhelwa kwentshatsheli yawo nokoyisa kukaIsrayeli ngeso siganeko, kwakusankenteza ezingqondweni zezikhulu zamaFilisti. Azizange zikholwe ukuba uDavide angalwa nabantu bakubo; kwaye ukuba angathi, kubushushu bedabi, abe ngakwicala labo, angenza umonakalo omkhulu kakhulu kumaFilisti kunokuba unokwenjenjalo uwonke umkhosi kaSawule.ANa 691.2
Ngenxa yoko uAkishe wanyanzeleka ukuba avume, waza wambiza uDavide, wathi kuye, “Ehleli nje uYehova, uthe tye wena; kuhle emehlweni am ukuphuma kwakho nokungena kwakho nam emkhosini; ngokuba andifumananga bubi kuwe, kuthabathela kumhla wokuza kwakho kum, kuzise kule mini; ke emehlweni ezikhulu akumhle. Ke ngoko buya, uhambe unoxolo, ungenzi bubi emehlweni ezikhulu zamaFilisti.”ANa 691.3
UDavide, esoyika ukungcatsha eyona mvakalelo yakhe, waphendula, “Ndenze ntoni na? Ufumene ntoni na kumkhonzi wakhe, kuthabathela kumhla wokubakho kwam phambi kwakho, kuzise kule mini, ukuba ndingayi nje, ndilwe neentshaba zenkosi yam ukumkani?”ANa 691.4
Impendulo ka-Akishe inokuba yayenza yadidiza lihlazo nokuzisola intliziyo kaDavide, akucinga ngokungafaneleki komkhonzi kaYehova kwiinkohliso awazihlisela kuzo. “Ndiyazi ukuba ulungile emehlweni am njengesithunywa sikaThixo;” watsho ukumkani: “kodwa abathetheli bamaFilisti bathe, Makangenyuki nathi, aye ekulweni. Ngoko vuka kusasa ngomso, nabakhonzi benkozi yakho abaze nawe; nivuke kusasa ke ngomso, kwakusathi nwe, nihambe.” Ngoko ke, umgibe uDavide awayeqamangeleke kuwo waqhawuka, waba uyakhululeka.ANa 691.5
Emva kohambo lweentsuku ezintathu, uDavide nebutho lakhe lamadoda angamakhulu amathandathu bafika eTsikelage, eyayilikhaya labo laseFilisti. Phambi kwabo kwakukho umbono wokuphanziswa. Ama-Amaleki, esebenzisa ithuba lokungabikho kukaDavide kunye nemikhosi yakhe, aziphindezela ngenxa yokungenelwa komhlaba wawo. Awothusa umzi ngexesha wawungalindwanga, athi akuba ewuphangile awutshisa, emka, athabatha bonke abafazi nabantwana njengamabanjwa, nentimbo eninzi.ANa 692.1
Beqhiphuke umbilini luloyiko nokumangaliswa, uDavide namadoda akhe, bazikhangela bethe cwaka iindonga ezimnyama nezitsha ngokungangxamiyo. Ngelo xesha, ingqondo yokwabo ukuphanziswa yabafikela ngamandla, bathi, bengaloo madoda angabalwi abaneziva zamadabi, “baliphakamisa . . . izwi labo balila, kwada akwabakho mandla kubo okulila.”ANa 692.2
Apha, kwakhona uDavide wohlwaywa ngenxa yokungabi nalukholo okwamkhokelela ekubeni azibeke phakathi kwamaFilisti. Wayenalo ithuba lokuba abone ukuba lungakanani ukhuselo anokulufumana phakathi kweentshaba zikaThixo nabantu baKhe. Abalandeli bakaDavide bamjikela njengongunobangela weentlekele zabo. Wayeqhwaye impindezelo yama-Amaleki ngokuwahlasela; kanti, ethembe kakhulu inkuseleko phakathi kweentshaba zakhe, wasishiya isixeko singajongwanga. Ephanjaniswe yintlungu nengqumbo, amasoldati akhe ngoku alungela naliphina inyathelo lokuphelelwa lithemba, ada athembisa ngokuyixuluba inkokeli yawo.ANa 692.3
UDavide wakhangeleka esusiwe kwinkxaso yakhe nawuphi umntu. Bonke awayebaxabisile emhlabeni babetshayelwe basuka kuye. USawule wayemgxothile elizweni lakhe, amaFilisti ayemgxothile kwinkampu yawo; ama-Amaleki ayesiphangile isixeko sakhe; abafazi bakhe nabantwana babenziwe amabanjwa; baza abona bahlobo bakhe bamanyana ukumchasa, bamthembisa nangokumbulala. Ngeyure yakhe yeqoqo lokugqibela loxinzelelo, uDavide, endaweni yokuyivumela ingqondo yakhe ukuba igxile kwezi meko zibuhlungu, wakhangela ngokunyanisekileyo uncedo kuYehova. “Wazomeleza kuYehova.” Wahlola ubomi bakhe obudlulileyo obabuzaliswe ziziganeko. Leliphi ixesha awakha washiywa ngalo nguYehova? Umphefumlo wakhe wahlaziyeka akukhumbula izibonakaliso ezininzi zothando lukaThixo. Abalandeli bakaDavide, ngokunganeliseki nokungabi namonde kwabo, bayenza ingcikivo yabo yabuhlungu ngokuphindiweyo; kodwa indoda kaThixo, inesizathu esingaphezulu sokuba ibe buhlungu, yomelela. “Mhlana ndinxunguphalayo mna, Ndokholosangawe.”(Ndumiso 56:3), yaba lulwimi lwentliziyo yakhe.Nangonayenangokwakhe wayengayiqondi indlela yokuphuma ebunzimeni, uThixo wayeyibona, waye eza kumfundisa into amakayenze.ANa 692.4
Wabiza uAbhiyatare umbingeleli, unyana ka-Ahimeleki, “wabuza uDavide kuYehova, esithi, Ndiwasukele na la matutu? Ndowafumana na?” Impendulo yathi, “Sukela; ngokuba uya kuwafumana okunene; uya kuhlangula konke” 1 Samuweli 30:8.ANa 693.1
Ngala mazwi, ukuxubayela kwentlungu nokuvutha kwaphela. UDavide namasoldati akhe bakhawuleza balusukela utshaba lwabo olwalusaba. Ukukhawuleza kokuhamba kwabo, kwathi, ekufikeni kwabo kumfula iBhesore, ethululela kufuphi eGaza kulwandle iMeditare, amakhulu amabini ebutho anyanzeliswa kukudinwa ukuba asale ngasemva. UDavide yena nabaseleyo banyanzelisa ukubheka phambili, kungekho nto inokubatyhafisa.ANa 693.2
Bathi bebheka phambili, bahlangana nekhoboka lomYiputa ekwakubonakala ukuba sele liza kufa kukudinwa nendlala. Lathi lakufumana ukutya nento eselwayo, lavuseleleka, baza bafumana kulo ukuba lalishiywe ukuba life yinkosi yalo ekhohlakeleyo, umAmaleki womkhosi obuhlasela. Lalibalisa ibali logqogqo nophango; laza emva koko, lakuba lizame lakwazi, ukuba kwenziwe isithembiso sokuba lingabulawa okanye libuyiselwe kwinkosi yalo, lavuma ukukhokelela iqela likaDavide kwinkampu yeentshaba zabo.ANa 693.3
Bathi bakuyibona inkampu, bahlangatyezwa ngumbono wemihlali. Umkhosi owoyisileyo wawusenza itheko elikhulu. “Nango ezithe dwe phezu kwelizwe lonke, esidla, esela, eduda ngenxa yalo lonke ixhoba elikhulu, abelithimbile ezweni lamaFilisti, nasezweni lakwaYuda.” Kwayalelwa uhlaselo olukhawulezileyo, baza abasukelayo balingenela ngokoyikekayo ixhoba labo. Ama-Amaleki othuka adideka. Idabi laqhuba ubusuku bonke nemini elandelayo, phantse wada wabulawa wonke umkhosi. Kwaba kuphela ibutho lamakhulu amane amadoda, awayeqabele iinkamela, awaphumelelayo ukusinda. Ilizwi likaYehova lazaliseka. “Wayihlangula uDavide yonke into abeyithimbile ama-Amaleki. Nabafazi bakhe bobabini wabahlangula uDavide; akwasala nanye into kuzo, kuthabathela kwixhoba kwesa kwinto yonke abeyithimbile kubo. Yonke into wayibuyisa uDavide.”ANa 693.4
Ngexesha uDavide wayewungenela umhlaba wama-Amaleki, waye ebabulele ngekrele bonke abemi abawa ezandleni zakhe. Ukuba kwakungekuba amandla kaThixo athi anqanda, ama-Amaleki ngewayeziphindezele ngokubatshabalalisa abantu baseTsikelage. Agqiba ukuba abasindise njengabathinjwa, ekwafuna nokunyusa izinga lokuhlonitshwa ngoloyiso ngokubuyela ekhaya neqela elikhulu lamabanjwa, ekwajonge nokubathengisa njengamakhoboka. Ngaloo ndlela, engaqondanga, azalisa injongo kaThixo, yokugcina amabanjwa engalinyazwanga, ukuze abuyiselwe kubayeni nooyise.ANa 694.1
Onke amagunya asemhlabeni aphantsi kolawulo lwaLowo ungenasiphelo. Koyena mlawuli unamandla, koyena mcinezeli ukhohlakele kakhulu, uthi, “Fika apha, ungegqithi.” Yobhi 38:11. Amandla kaThixo asoloko esetyenziswa ukuba amelane nezithunywa zobubi; uhlala esebenza phakathi kwabantu, kungekuko ukubatshabalalisa, kodwa ukubalungisa nokubagcina.ANa 694.2
Ngovuyo olukhulu, aboyisi bajika bagoduka. Bathi xa befika kumaqabane abo awayesele ngasemva, abanomona kakhulu nabangalawulekiyo bamakhulu amane, bakhuthaza ukuba, abo babe ngenanxaxheba edabini, bangafumani sabelo kumaxhoba; besithi kubanele ukuba babuyiselwe elowo umfazi wakhe nabantwana bakhe. Noko kunjalo, uDavide akazange ayivume into enjalo. “Ningenjenjalo, bazalwana bam,” watsho, “ngento asinikileyo uYehova. . . . Njengoko sinjalo isabelo sohla aye ekulweni, sinjalo isabelo sosele nempahla; baya kwabelana ngakunye.” Ngaloo ndlela waba uyagqitywa umcimbi, wathi emva koko wangummiselo kwaIsrayeli ukuba, bonke abathe ngembeko bahlangana nephulo lomkhosi, kufuneka bafumane isabelo kumaxhoba ngokulinganayo nabo bebephakathi emsini wokulwa.ANa 694.3
Ngaphandle kokuwabuyisa onke amaxhoba awayethathiwe eTsikelage, uDavide nebutho lakhe bathimba imihlambi namaqela empahla enkulu ezazizezama-Amaleki. Ezi zabizwa ngokuthi, “Lixhoba likaDavide,” bathi bakubuyela eTsikelage, wathumela kula maxhoba, izipho kumadoda amakhulu esizwe sakubo sakwaYuda. Koku kupha, bakhunjulwa bonke abo baba nobuhlobo kuye nabalandeli bakhe kwiingxingwa zeentaba, xa wayenyanzelekile ukuba asabe asuke ehlala ngenxa yobomi bakhe. Ububele babo novelwano lwabo, zizinto ezazixabiseke kakhulu kwimbacu, kwaza kwabonakaliswa ngombulelo omkhulu ukuqatshelwa kwazo.ANa 694.4
Kwaya kwaba lusuku lwesithathu uDavide namadoda okulwa bebuyile eTsikelage. Bathi besebenza nzima bevuselela amakhaya angamanxuwa,balindelangeentliziyoezinexhala iindabazedabi ababesazi ukuba linokuba liyaliwa phakathi kukaIsrayeli namaFilisti. Ngesiquphe, kwangena indoda engumthunywa emzini, “zikrazukile iingubo zayo, inomhlaba entloko.” Yakhawuleza yaziswa kuDavide, yafika yathoba phambi kwakhe ngentlonipho, ibonisa ukumamkela njengenkosi enamandla, neyayilangazelela ukuthandwa yiyo. UDavide wabuza ngenzondelelo ukuba idabi liqhube njani. Le mbacu yabika ngokoyiswa nokufa kukaSawule, kunye nokufa kukaYonatan. Yathetha yadlula ngaphaya kokuthetha into eyenzekileyo. Kucaca ukuba yayicinga ukuba uDavide wayenesixhiba ngakumtshutshisi wakhe ongenalusizi, lo wasemzini wathemba ukuzizuzela imbeko njengobulele ukumkani. Ngomoya wokuzibabaza, yaqhubela phambili le ndoda ibalisa ukuba, ngexesha ledabi, yamfumana ukumkani kaIsrayeli engxwelerhiwe, exinwe kakhulu zintshaba zakhe, yathi, ngokucelwa nguye [uSawule], yambulala. Isithsaba sentloko yakhe, nezacholo zegolide zasengalweni yakhe, zaziswa kuDavide. Walindela eqinisekile ukuba ezi ndaba ziya kwamkelwa ngovuyo, nokuba uya kufumana umvuzo omkhulu ngendawo awathi wayidlala.ANa 695.1
“Wazibamba uDavide iingubo zakhe, wazikrazula, kwanamadoda akhe onke abenawo; bammbambazelela, balila, bakuzila ukudla kwada kwahlwa, ngenxa kaSawule, nangenxa kaYonatan unyana wakhe, nangenxa yabantu bakaYehova, nangenxa yendlu kaIsrayeli; ngokuba bewile likrele.”ANa 695.2
Kwathi kwakudlula ukothuka kokuqala ngeendaba ezoyikekayo, iingcinga zikaDavide zabuyela kwisigidimi esingumhambi, kunye nokwaphula umthetho, ngokwamazwi aso, esasinetyala lako. Inkosi yayibuza indodana, “Ungowaphi na?” Yaphendula, “Ndingunyana wendoda engumhambi, umAmaleki. Wathi uDavide kuyo, utheni ukuba ungoyiki ukusa isandla sakho, umbulale umthanjiswa kaYehova?” Kabini uDavide enoSawule emandleni akhe; kodwa wathi ekhuthazwa ukuba ambulale, wala ukusiphakamisa isandla sakhe ngakulowo wayebekelwe bucala ngokomyalelo kaThixo ukuba alawule uIsrayeli. Kanti ke ama-Amaleki awazange oyike ukuqhayisa ngokuba embulele ukumkani kaIsrayeli. Wazimangalela ngokwakhe ngokwaphula umthetho ofanele ukufa, saza isohlwayo senziwa kuye kwangoko. UDavide wathi, “Igazi lakho malibe sentlokweni yakho; ngokuba umlomo wakho ulingqina ngawe, usithi, Mna ndimbulele umthanjiswa kaYehova.”ANa 695.3
Intlungu kaDavide ngokufa kukaSawule yayinyanisekile inzulu, ibonisaububele bendalo ezukileyo. Akazange avuye ekuweni kotshaba lwakhe. Isithintelo esasivale ukukhwela kwakhe kwitrone kaIsrayeli sasisukile, kodwa oku akuzange kumvuyise. Ukufa kwakuyicime kwaphela inkumbulo yokungathembeki nenkohlakalo kaSawule, ngoku akwabikho nto embalini ecingwayo ngaphandle kwezo zinesidima nezifanele ukumkani. Igama likaSawule laliqhagamshelene nelikaYonatan, ubuhlobo bakhe babunyanisekile bungenamona.ANa 696.1
Ingoma awayivumayo uDavide eyayityhila imvakalelo yentliziyo yakhe yaba ligugu kwisizwe, nakubantu bakaThixo kuzo zonke izizukulwana ezilandelayo:ANa 696.2
Imbalarha, Israyeli, ibulewe
emimangweni yakho!
Hayi, ukuwa kwamagorha!
Musani ukuxela eGati;
Musani ukwenza zindaba ezitratweni
zeAshkelon,
Hleze zivuye iintombi zamaFilisti,
Hleze zivuyelele iintombi zabangalukileyo.
Nina zintaba zaseGilibhowa kungaze
kubekho mbethe,
Makungaze kubekho mvula kuni, namasimi emirhumo;
Ngokuba khona kwangcola iingweletshetshe zamagorha,
Ingweletshetshe kaSawule,
wanga waye engathanjiswanga nge-oli. . . .
USawule noYonatan babeziinzwana,
Bethandeka ekudleni kwabo ubomi,
Nasekufeni kwabo abahlukananga.
Babenamendu ngaphezu kwamaxhalanga,
Babenamandla ngaphezu kwengonyama.
Zintombi zakwaIsrayeli, mlileleni uSawule,
Obenambesa iingubo ezibomvu, eniyolisa;
Obeninxiba izihombo zegolide
ezambathweni zenu.
Hayi, ukuwa kwamagorha phakathi kwemfazwe!
UYonatan ubulawelwe emimangweni yakho
Ndibandezelekile ngenxa yakho,
mzalwana wam Yonatan;
Ubumnandi kakhulu kum;
Kubalulekile ukundithanda kwakho
Ngaphezu kokuthanda komntu oyinkazana.
Hayi, ukuwa kwamagorha!
Adakile amadoda okulwa!”ANa 696.3
2 Samuweli 1:19-27.