1-3. (a) Ingozi le yathoma njani emzini kaNabhali? (b) Singafundani ngomfazi oveleleko lo?

 U-ABHIGAYILI wabona ukutshwenyeka emehlweni wesokaneli. Belithukiwe—begodu kufanele. Bekutjhidela ingozi ekulu. Ngesikhatheso, amanye amadoda wepi ama-400 bekasendleleni, azimisele ukubulala woke umuntu omduna endlini kaNabhali, indoda ka-Abhigayili. Kubayini bewafuna ukwenza njalo?

² Yoke inyakanyaka le yathonywa nguNabhali. Wenza ngelunya nangokudelela njengokujayelekileko. Nokho, okwanje, bekathuke indoda engathukwako—umrholi othandekako webutho lepi elithembekileko nelibandulwe kuhle. Manje esinye seensebenzi zakaNabhali esisesesitjha, mhlamunye umalusi, seza ku-Abhigayili, sithemba bona uzokwenza iqhinga lokubaphulusa. Kodwana umfazi oyedwa angenzani kilo loke ibutho lepi?

³ Kokuthoma, akhe sifunde okungeziweko ngomfazi oveleleko lo. Bekungubani u-Abhigayili? Inyakanyaka le yathoma njani? Begodu khuyini esingayifunda esibonelweni sekholo lakhe?

4. UNabhali bekayindoda enjani?

⁴ U-Abhigayili noNabhali bebangafanelani. UNabhali bengekhe amthole umfazi odlula lo, kungilapho u-Abhigayili yena azifumana atjhade nendoda engakalungi. Kuyavunywa, indoda le beyidla kusale. Beyizibona iqakatheke khulu, kodwana abantu bona bebayiqala njani? Akusilula ukuthola umuntu okukhulunywa kumbi kangaka ngaye eBhayibhilini njengoNabhali. Kwabizo lakhe litjho “onganangqondo,” namtjhana “Isidlhayela.” Ababelethi bakhe bamthiya ibizweli nekabelethwako na namtjhana lamnamathela ngokukhamba kwesikhathi? Kunanyana ngikuphi, waliphilela ibizo lakhe. UNabhali “bekanelunya  begodu enza izinto ezimbi.” Athelisa begodu asidakwa, bekasatjwa khulu ene angathandwa.—1 Sam. 25:2, 3, 17, 21, 25.

5, 6. (a) Ucabanga bona ngiziphi iimfanelo zaka-Abhigayili ezikarisa khulu? (b) Kubayini u-Abhigayili atjhada nendoda engazisiko kangaka?

⁵ U-Abhigayili bekahluke khulu kuNabhali. Ibizo lakhe belitjho ukuthi “Ubaba Uzenze Wathaba.” Abobaba abanengi bayakuthabela ukuba namadodakazi amahle, kodwana ubaba ohlakaniphileko uthabela ukuba nomntwana omuhle ngaphakathi nohlakaniphileko. Ngokuvamileko, umuntu omuhle ngaphandle uyabhalelwa kubona ukuqakatheka kokuhlawulela iimfanelo ezinjengokuhlakanipha, isibindi, namtjhana ikholo. Bekungasinjalo ngo-Abhigayili. IBhayibhili iyambuka ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe nobuhle.—Funda 1 Samuweli 25:3.

⁶ Abanye bangazibuza bona kubayini umfazi ohlakaniphe kangaka atjhade nomuntu ongazisiko lo. Khumbula, imitjhado eminengi ngeenkhathi zeBhayibhili beyihlelwa babelethi. Nengabe akusinjalo, imvumo yababelethi beyisaqakatheke khulu. Ababelethi baka-Abhigayili bebawuthabele na umtjhadwakhe, babe bawubhincela ngombana bebakarwe bunjinga bakaNabhali nobudumo? Bebazizwa bagandelelwe mtlhago? Kunanyana ngikuphi, imali kaNabhali akhenge imenze indoda engcono.

7. (a) Ngikuphi okufuze ababelethi bakubalekele namhlanje nengabe bafuna ukufundisa abantwababo ukuba nombono omuhle ngomtjhado? (b) U-Abhigayili bekazimisele ukwenzani?

⁷ Ababelethi abahlakaniphileko bafundisa abantwababo ukuqala umtjhado ngombono omuhle. Abakhuthazi abantwababo bona batjhadele imali namtjhana babagandelele ukuthandana basesebancani bona bangakwazi ukutlhogomela umthwalo okhambisana nomtjhado. (1 Kor. 7:36) Nokho, besele kulada ngo-Abhigayili bona acabange ngento enjalo. Kunanyana ngikuphi, besele atjhade noNabhali, begodu bekazimisele ukwenza angakwenza ngobujamo obubudisobu.

8. Ngubani owathukwa nguNabhali, begodu kubayini singathi lokhu bekungasikho ukuhlakanipha?

⁸ UNabhali wenza ubujamo baka-Abhigayili baba bumbi ukudlula ngaphambilini. Indoda ayithukako bekunguDavidi ngenyama. Le, bekuyinceku kaJehova ethembekileko uSamuweli umporofidi ayizesako, ayiveza njengekhethwe nguZimu ukulandela uSawulu njengekosi. (1 Sam. 16:1, 2, 11-13) Abalekela umona nokubulawa yiKosi uSawulu, uDavidi bekahlala emangweni namabuthwakhe athembekileko ama-600.

9, 10. (a) Ngibuphi ubujamo obubudisi uDavidi namadoda ebekanawo obekufuze baqalane nabo? (b) Kubayini uNabhali bekufuze athabele lokho okwenziwa nguDavidi namadoda ebekanawo? (Qala umtlolo waphasi wesigaba 10.)

⁹ UNabhali bekahlala eMawoni kodwana asebenza begodu kungenzeka  bona bekanendawo eduze kweKarmeli. a Amadorobho la bekasemibundwini enotjani obulungele ukondla izimvu, uNabhali ebekane-3000 zazo. Nokho, bekabhodwe ziindawo ezingakalinywa. Ngesewula, kuneemango emikhulu yePharani. Ngepumalanga, newuya eLwandle Letswayi udlula emangweni ezele iinkhisi nemigodi. Esifundenesi, ukuphila bekubudisi kuDavidi namadoda ebekanawo, akunakuzaza bona bekufuze bazifunele ukudla begodu bakghodlhelelele nobudisi. Bebanande bahlangana namasokana ebekabalusi bakaNabhali onjingileko.

¹⁰ Amajoni asebenza budisi layo abaphatha njani abelusi? Bekungaba lula ngawo ukunande azisiza ngemvu eyodwa, kodwana akhenge enze njalo. Ngokuhlukileko, bekafana neboda elisivikelo emhlambini neensebenzini zakaNabhali. (Funda 1 Samuweli 25:15, 16.) Izimvu nabelusi bebaqalana neengozi ezinengi. Imbandana bezingangoNzunza noManala ngesikhatheso, begodu umkhawulo wakwa-Israyeli ongesewula bewuvaliwe, ngalokho iinqhema zeengebengu bezivame ukusahlela. b

11, 12. (a) UDavidi wakutjengisa njani ukuhlakanipha endleleni akhuluma ngayo nehlonipho emlayezwenakhe kuNabhali? (b) Khuyini ebeyingakalungi endleleni uNabhali asabela ngayo emlayezweni kaDavidi?

¹¹ Kungenzeka bekubudisi ukondla woke amadoda la emangweni. Langelinye uDavidi wathumela iinthunywa kuNabhali bona ziyokufuna isizo. UDavidi wasikhetha ngokuhlakanipha isikhathi. Bekusikhathi esimnandi sokukera izimvu, lapho abantu bebathanda ukuphana izipho. Godu uDavidi wakhetha amezwakhe ngokuhlakanipha, wasebenzisa amezwi amahle nanehlonipho. Wabe wazibiza ngokuthi “indodanakho uDavidi,” mhlamunye okuyindlela etjengisa ukutjheja bonyana uNabhali mkhulu kunaye. Wasabela njani uNabhali?—1 Sam. 25:5-8.

¹² Wasilingeka khulu! “Warhuwelela wabathuka,” leyo yindlela isokana ekukhulunywe ngalo ekuthomeni elamhlathulula ngayo ku-Abhigayili. UNabhali onghamelako wanghonghoyila ngoburotho bakhe obuligugu, amanzi, nenyama. Wathuka uDavidi njengomuntu ongakaqakatheki begodu wammadanisa nesisebenzi esibalekileko. Umbono kaNabhali kungenzeka bewufana nokaSawulu obekahloye uDavidi. Ayikho emadodeni la ebeyinombono kaJehova. UZimu bekamthanda uDavidi begodu wambona, ingasi njengenceku ehlubukileko, kodwana njengekosi yangomuso.—1 Sam. 25:10, 11, 14.

13. (a) Ekuthomeni uDavidi wasabela njani ekuthukweni nguNabhali? (b) Ikambisolawulo etlolwe kuJakobosi 1:20 isifundisani ngesenzo sakaDavidi?

 ¹³ Iinthunywa zakaDavidi nezimtjela ngokwenzekileko, wasilingeka khulu. Wazitjela: “Ngamunye akathathe isabulakhe!” Ahlomile, uDavidi warhola amadoda ama-400 bona bayokusahlela. Wafunga ukurhayila woke umuntu omduna obekasendlini kaNabhali. (1 Sam. 25:12, 13, 21, 22) Ukusilingeka kwakaDavidi bekuzwakala, kodwana indlela ebekazokubonisa ngayo beyingakalungi. IBhayibhili ithi: “Umuntu othukuthelako angekhe akwenza okulungileko okufunwa nguZimu.” (Jak. 1:20) Nokho, u-Abhigayili angawuvikela njani umzakhe?

14. (a) Kungamuphi umqondo u-Abhigayili athatha ngawo igadango lokuthoma lokulungisa umonakalo owenziwa nguNabhali? (b) Ngisiphi isifundo esisifunda ngomahluko okhona phakathi kwakaNabhali no-Abhigayili? (Qala umtlolo waphasi.)

¹⁴ Ngalokho, sesimbonile u-Abhigayili athatha igadango lokuthoma lokulungisa umonakalo lo. Ngokungafani nendodakwakhe, uNabhali, yena wazimisela ukulalela. Endabeni yokuletha indaba le kuNabhali, isokaneli lathi ngaye: “Mumuntu ongazisiko khulu bona ungakhuluma naye.” c (1 Sam. 25:17) Ngokudanisako, ukuzibona kwakaNabhali aqakathekile kwamenza wangazimisela ukulalela. Ukuzikhukhumeza okunjalo kujayelekile namhlanje. Kodwana isokaneli belazi bona u-Abhigayili uhlukile, lokho okwalenza laya kuye ngomraro lo.

15, 16. (a) U-Abhigayili watjengisa njani bona ufana nomfazi onekghono ohlathululwe encwadini yezAga? (b) Kubayini isenzo saka-Abhigayili kungasikho ukuvukela ubuhloko bendodakwakhe?

¹⁵ U-Abhigayili wacabanga begodu wenza msinyana. Siyafunda: “U-Abhigayili warhaba.” Iinkhathi ezine emlandweni owodwa lo sifumana isenzo esifanako ‘ukurhaba,’ esisetjenziswa malungana nomfazi lo. Walungiselela uDavidi namadoda egade anawo isipho. Isiphwesi besihlanganisa uburotho, iwayini, okusanthoro okukhanzingiweko, amakhekhe anamadiribe onyisiweko namakhekhe anamafeya. Ngokukhanyako, bekazi kuhle bona unani begodu bekatlhogomela yoke into emzinakhe, kuhle komfazi onekghono ohlathululwe emtlolweni wezAga. (IzA. 31:10-31) Wathumela iinsebenzi zakhe qangi ziphethe izipho, bese wazilandela ngemva. Siyafunda, “Kodwana akhenge ayitjele litho indodakwakhe uNabhali.”—1 Sam. 25:18, 19.

 ¹⁶ Kghani lokhu kutjho bona u-Abhigayili gade avukela ubuhloko bendodakwakhe? Awa; khumbula bona uNabhali wenza okumbi encekwini kaJehova ezesiweko, isenzo ebesizokuphumela ekurhayilweni kwabantu abanengi abanganamlandu emzini kaNabhali. Nengabe u-Abhigayili wabhalelwa kungenela, naye bekazokubandakanywa ebumbini obenziwa yindodakwakhe na? Endabeni le, bekufuze abeke ukuzithoba kuZimu ntanzi kunokuzithoba endodenakwakhe.

17, 18. U-Abhigayili waya njani kuDavidi, wathini, begodu khuyini eyenza amezwakhe aphumelela?

¹⁷ Kungasi kade, u-Abhigayili wahlangana noDavidi. Godu warhaba, ngesikhatheso ukwehla kudumbanakhe begodu wazithoba kuDavidi. (1 Sam. 25:20, 23) Ngemva kwalokho wamthululela isifuba sakhe, arabhelela indodakwakhe nomzakhe. Khuyini eyenza amezwakhe aba nesisindo?

¹⁸ Wazibeka yena umlandu ngomraro lo begodu wabawa uDavidi bona amlibalele. Wakubona kwamambala ukutlhoga ingqondo kwendodakwakhe njengombana kutjho ibizo layo, mhlamunye wabona bonyana kuzomehlisa isithunzi uDavidi ukukhalima indoda enjengale. Watjengisa bona uyamthemba uDavidi njengojamele uJehova, atjheja bonyana bekalwa “izipi zakaJehova.” Godu watjengisa bona uyasazi isithembiso sakaJehova malungana noDavidi nobukhosi, wathi: “UJehova . . . ngokuqinisekileko uzokubeka ube mrholi ku-Israyeli.” Ukuragela phambili, wakhuthaza uDavidi bona angenzi nanyana yini ezomenza abe nomlandu wokuphalaza iingazi namtjhana enze into “ezomrara” ngokukhamba kwesikhathi—ngokukhanyako atjho into ezokutshwenya isazelo sakhe. (Funda 1 Samuweli 25:24-31.) Qala bona mamezwi athinta ihliziyo kangangani!

19. UDavidi wasabela njani emezwini ka-Abhigayili, begodu kubayini ambuka?

¹⁹ UDavidi wasabela njani? Wakwamukela okwatjhiwo ngu-Abhigayili begodu wathi: “Akabusiswe uJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli, okuthumele bona uzongihlangabeza namhlanje! Akubusiswe ukuhlakanipha kwakho, begodu awubusiswe nawe ongivimbele ukuphalaza iingazi namhlanje.” UDavidi wambuka ngokuba nesibindi nokurhaba ukuyomhlangabeza, begodu watjheja bona wamkhandela ekuphalazeni iingazi. Wamtjela: “Iya emzinakho ngokuthula,” begodu ngokuzithoba wangezelela: “Ngililalele ilizwi lakho.”—1 Sam. 25:32-35.

20, 21. (a) Khuyini okukukarako ngokuzimisela kwaka-Abhigayili ukubuyela endodenakhe? (b) U-Abhigayili wasitjengisa njani isibindi nokuhlakanipha ngokukhetha isikhathi sokukhuluma noNabhali?

²⁰ Ngemva kokukhamba, u-Abhigayili akhenge alise ukucabanga ngomhlangano lo; watjheja umehluko okhona phakathi kokuthembeka nesisa sendoda leyo nelunya lendodakwakhe. Kodwana  akhenge adzimelele emcabangweni onjalo. Siyafunda: “Ngemva kwesikhathi u-Abhigayili waya kuNabhali.” Kwamambala, wabuyela endodenakhe azimisele ukuragela phambili nomsebenzakhe njengomkakhe ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Bekufuze ayitjele ngesipho asinikele uDavidi namadoda ebekanaye. Beyinelungelo lokwazi. Naye bekufuze ayitjele ngengozi ayivimbileko le ngaphambi kobana iyizwe komunye umuntu—ngombana lokho bekungaba yihlazo elikhulu. Nokho, bengeze akghona ukuyitjela khonokho. Beyidla njengekosi begodu idakwe ifile.—1 Sam. 25:36.

²¹ Godu atjengisa isibindi nokuhlakanipha, walinda bekwaba ngakusasa ekuseni nesele iqaqulukile. Besele iqaquluke ngokwaneleko bona ingakwazi ukumzwisisa, nokho, bekungenzeka ibhoke ngobukhali. Nanyana kunjalo, watjhidela kiyo wayitjela yoke into eyenzekileko. Akunakuzaza bona bekalindele ukuthi izokusilingeka khulu mhlamunye ibe ilwe. Kunalokho, yase yakokomala lapho akhenge isikinyeke.—1 Sam. 25:37.

22. Kwenzekani kuNabhali, begodu khuyini esingayifunda malungana nayo yoke iimlando yokutlhoriswa ekhaya?

²² Bewuyini umraro wendoda le? “Ihliziywakhe yafa, naye waba njengelitje.” Mhlamunye gade afe ihlangothi. Nokho, ngemva kwamalanga alitjhumi—wahlongakala begodu akhenge abulawe kugula kwaphela. Umlando uyasitjela: “UJehova wambetha uNabhali, wafa.” (1 Sam. 25:38) Ngesigwebo sobulungiswesi, umtjhado ka-Abhigayili ongathabisiko waphela. Nanyana uJehova angangeneli ngesigwebo esiyikarisomraro namhlanje, umlando lo usikhumbuzo esifaneleko sokobana asikho isenzo sokutlhoriswa ekhaya angasiboniko. Ngesikhathi sakhe, uzokuletha ubulungiswa.—Funda uLuka 8:17.

23. Ngiziphi ezinye iimbusiso ezatholwa ngu-Abhigayili, begodu watjengisa njani bona ukufumana ithuba lokuba mfazi kaDavidi wesikhathi esizako akhenge kumtjhentjhe?

²³ Ngaphandle kokutjhaphuluka emtjhadweni ongathabisiko, u-Abhigayili wafumana esinye isibusiso godu. Nekezwa ngokuhlongakala kwakaNabhali, uDavidi wathumela abakhongi bona bayokuhlongoza umtjhado. Uyaphendula: “Nasi isigqila sakho somntazana,” “njengencekukazi yokuhlanza iinyawo zeenceku zekosami.” Ngokukhanyako, gade angaziqali njengozokuba mfazi kaDavidi; kunalokho wazinikela bona abe yincekukazi yeenceku zakhe! Godu sifunda ngokurhaba kwakhe, okwanje sele azilungisela ukuya kuDavidi.—1 Sam. 25:39-42.

24. U-Abhigayili waqalana naziphi iintjhijilo epilwenakhe etja, kodwana indodakwakhe noZimu bamqala njani?

 ²⁴ Lokho bekungatjho bona baphila kamnandi ukuphila kwabo koke; ipilo ka-Abhigayili noDavidi beyingasilula ngaso soke isikhathi. UDavidi besele atjhade no-Ahinohama, nanyana uZimu bekasivumela isithembu, ngokuqinisekileko lokhu bekuletha iintjhijilo ezikhethekileko kibomma abathembekileko bangesikhatheso. UDavidi bekangakabi yikosi ngesikhatheso; gade kuzokuba neenqabo nobudisi okufuze abuhlule ngaphambi kobana ayokukhonza uJehova ngendlela leyo. Kodwana njengombana u-Abhigayili asiza bewasekela uDavidi njengombana baraga nepilo, ekugcineni wambelethela nomsanyana, wabona bonyana ufumene indoda emthatha njengoligugu nemvikelako. Kesinye isehlakalo wabe wamvikela kubathumbi! (1 Sam. 30:1-19) Ngalokho uDavidi walingisa uJehova uZimu, othanda nokuthatha njengegugu ukuhlakanipha okunjalo, isibindi nabafazi abathembekileko.