KWAKUYISIMINYEMINYE amasotsha ephambana loDavida. Ayesethwele amehlo ebaleka. Kwasekulesikhathi uDavida elokhu ebezwa bephindaphinda ibizo lendoda ethile. Nxa ephosa amehlo ngale esigodini abone nansiya inkalakatha yendoda eyesabekayo ebalekelwa ngamasotsha akibo.

Indoda le kwakunguGoliyathi. UDavida waphanga wabona ukuthi kuyini okwakusenza amasotsha ayesabe kangaka. Yayiqine iyinsimbi, inde itshaya khonale, iqhawe lamaqhawe sibili. Isisindo sayo sasingalingana lamadoda amabili alamandla. Mhlalokho uGoliyathi wayehlome ephelele. Kwezwakala ilizwi liqaqamba ezintabeni likhwaza, lithethisa ibutho lako-Israyeli kanye lenkosi yalo uSawuli. Wayesithi nxa ikhona indoda ezizwayo kayibuye bahle baqedelane, impi ihle iphelele kubo bobabili!—1 USamuyeli 17:4-10.

Lokho kwawethusa ama-Israyeli kanye lenkosi yawo uSawuli. UDavida wadana esizwa ukuthi kwasekulenyanga uGoliyathi elokhu ebethusela. Ibutho lamaFilisti kanye lelama-Israyeli lalilokhu lijamelene okwesikhathi sonke lesi, ngapha uGoliyathi ephethe ehoza ama-Israyeli nsukuzonke. Kwamkhathaza kakhulu uDavida ukuthi inkosi yako-Israyeli lamasotsha kanye labanewabo abathathu babemesaba kangaka uGoliyathi. UDavida wayebona ukuthi uGoliyathi wayengasukeli ibutho lako-Israyeli kuphela kodwa wayethethisa uNkulunkulu wabo uJehova. Kambe wayengenzani uDavida njengoba wayesesemncane? Thina singalulingisela njani ukholo lukaDavida?—1 USamuyeli 17:11-14.

Ake sibuyele emuva sibone okunye okwake kwenzakala. Laselibekezela, uDavida eluse izimvu zikayise emaqaqeni aduze leBhethilehema. Wayelijaha elibukekayo ebomvana njalo ehlakaniphile emehlweni. Wacina eseyintshantshu ekutshayeni ichacho ngoba yinto ayejayele ukuyenza nxa eziphumulele. Wayekuthanda lokubuka indalo kaNkulunkulu. Mhlalokho ntambama uyise wayemdinga ngabomvu yikho kwathiwa aphenduke ekhaya.—1 USamuyeli 16:12.

Wathi efika ngekhaya wathola uyise uJese exoxa lexhegu. Kwakungumphrofethi othembekileyo uSamuyeli. UJehova wayemthume ukuthi ayegcoba enye yamadodana kaJese ukuthi ibe yinkosi yako-Israyeli. Kwasekulethwa-ke amadodana kaJese ayisikhombisa amadala phambi kukaSamuyeli kodwa uJehova wamtshela ukuthi akula ayeyikhethile phakathi kwawo. UDavida wathi efika, uJehova watshela uSamuyeli wathi: “Sukuma umgcobe; nguye.” USamuyeli wathatha uphondo lwamafutha wagcoba uDavida phambi kwabanewabo. Impilo kaDavida yahle yantshintsha kusukela khonapho. IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili, umoya kaJehova wafika kuDavida ulamandla.’—1 USamuyeli 16:1, 5-13.

Kambe uDavida wahle wazitshela ukuthi useyinkosi yini? Kazange enze njalo, walindela ukuthi isikhathi sifike lapho umoya kaJehova owawuzamkhokhela ukuthi enze njalo. Esalindele lokhu waqhubeka ngomsebenzi wakhe ophansi  wokwelusa izimvu. Wayewuthanda umsebenzi lo njalo kwabalula ukuthi awenze ngoba wayelesibindi. Ngokwesibonelo izimvu zikayise zake zahlaselwa yisilwane, kwelinye ilanga kwaba libhere. Zombili izikhathi lezi kazange azame ukuxotsha izinyamazana lezi emi khatshana kodwa walwisana lazo waze wazibulala ukuze avikele izimvu zikayise.—1 USamuyeli 17:34-36; U-Isaya 31:4.

Ngemva kwesikhathi uSawuli wezwa ngobugagu bukaDavida, waselaya ukuthi abizwe esigodlweni. Lanxa wayelokhu eliqhawe elilamandla, wayengaselaso isibusiso sikaJehova ngoba wayengasalaleli imilayo yakhe. UJehova wayesewususile umoya wakhe ongcwele kuSawuli yikho-ke wayesehlala efikelwa ngumoya omubi owawumenza abelolaka lodlakela kanye lomhawu. Umculo yiwo wodwa owawusenza uSawuli abe ngcono nxa wayesefikelwe ngumoya omubi. Ezinye izinceku zikaSawuli zasezikwazi ukuthi uDavida yingcitshi kwezomculo lokuthi uliqhawe. Yikho-ke wacina esebizwa uDavida, kwaba nguye otshayela inkosi ichacho njalo waba ngumthwali wezikhali zenkosi.—1 USamuyeli 15:26-29; 16:14-23.

Abasakhulayo bangafunda okunengi kulokho okwenziwa nguDavida. Nanzelela ukuthi ngesikhathi sakhe sokuphumula wayesenza izinto ezazimsondeza kuJehova. Kanti njalo wafunda lemisebenzi yezandla eyabangela ukuthi kube lula ngaye ukuthola umsebenzi. Okuhle kakhulu yikuthi wavuma ukukhokhelwa ngumoya kaJehova. Yizifundo ezinhle kakhulu lezi!—UmTshumayeli 12:1.

Lanxa wayesebenzela uSawuli, kwezinye izikhathi uDavida wayebuyela ngakibo ayekwelusa. Ngelinye ilanga engakibo wathunywa nguyise ukuthi ayekhangela abafowabo ababesebuthweni likaSawuli. UDavida waqonda eSigodini sase-Ela esindwa yimithwalo eyayisiya kubanewabo. Wathi efika wamangala ebona amabutho ejamelene ngendlela okukhulunywe ngayo ekuqaliseni. Ayethobelene amanye ekulolu uqaqa amanye ekuloluya kulesigodi phakathi.—1 USamuyeli 17:1-3, 15-19.

UDavida wayengeke akumele ayekubona. Wayengakuzwisisi ukuthi kungani ibutho likaJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo liyesaba kangaka indoda le engumhedeni. Wayekubona ukuthi uGoliyathi weyisa uJehova ngokwakhe. Waqalisa ukutshela ibutho ukuthi yena wayengamlahla phansi uGoliyathi. Umnewabo u-Eliyabi wezwa udletshana ngalokho okwakukhulunywa nguDavida. Wathukuthela wasola umnawakhe esithi wayelande ukuzabona impi kuphela. UDavida waphendula wathi: “Manje sengenzeni kanti? Angivunyelwa yini ukukhuluma?” Waqhubeka ekhuluma ngesibindi ukuthi yena angamehlula uGoliyathi, omunye waze wayabika kuSawuli. USawuli wathi kabizwe ambone.—1 USamuyeli 17:23-31.

UDavida wakhuluma amazwi la akhuthazayo kuSawuli wathi: “Akungabi lomuntu ophelelwa lithemba ngenxa yomFilisti lo.” USawuli lebutho lakhe basebephelelwe lithemba sibili. Kungenzeka ukuthi babenze iphutha ngokuziqathanisa lenkalakatha yendoda le, phela bona babengacina okhalweni  lwayo. Babezibona bempantshazwa yindoda le ingani bazintotoviyane. Ayisikho okwakusengqondweni kaDavida. Yena wayeyibona ngelinye ilihlo indaba le. Yikho wazimisela ukuthi aqondane laye uGoliyathi.—1 USamuyeli 17:32.

USawuli watshela uDavida wathi: “Kawanelisi ukuyamelana lomFilisti lo ulwe laye; wena ungumfana nje, yena kade waba ngumuntu wokulwa kusukela ebutsheni bakhe.” Kanti uDavida wayelokhu engumfanyana yini? Hatshi, yikuthi wayengakafikisi iminyaka yokungena esibuthweni njalo wayekhangeleka esesemncane. Kungenzeka ukuthi wayesebanga amatshumi amabili ubudala lanxa kunjalo wayesesaziwa njengeqhawe elilesibindi.—1 USamuyeli 16:18; 17:33.

Ukuze uSawuli amkholwe, uDavida wamlandisela ngendlela abulala ngayo isilwane kanye lebhere. Wayesezikhukhumeza yini? Hatshi, ngoba wayemazi owamenza wabulala izinyamazana lezi. Yikho wathi: “UJehova owangikhululayo ezinzitsheni zesilwane lasezinzitsheni zebhere uzangikhulula esandleni somFilisti lo.” USawuli wacina emvumela wathi: “Hamba, uJehova kabe lawe.”—1 USamuyeli 17:37.

Uyafuna yini ukuba lokholo olufanana lolukaDavida? Nanzelela ukuthi ukholo lukaDavida lwalulesisekelo esiqinileyo. Ulwazi ayelalo kanye lalokho ayebone uNkulunkulu emenzela khona kwamenza waba lokholo oluqinileyo. Wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi uJehova uyabavikela ngothando abantu bakhe kanye lokuthi uyazigcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Ukuze sibe lokholo oluqinileyo kumele siqhubeke sifunda ngoNkulunkulu eBhayibhilini njalo sikusebenzise esikufundayo.—KumaHebheru 11:1.

USawuli wagqokisa uDavida impahla yakhe yempi. Impahla le yayihambelana lekaGoliyathi, yenziwe ngethusi njalo kwakulebhatshi elalelukwe ngensimbi ezazelekene. UDavida wazama ukuhambahamba egqoke impahla le esindayo kodwa kwamcacela ukuthi wayengeke afike ndawo eyigqokile. Phela wayengazijayelanga ezempi ngoba wayengafundelanga ezebutho, ikakhulu lezi ezazigqokwa nguSawuli indoda ende kulawo wonke amadoda ko-Israyeli zazinzima kakhulu kuDavida. (1 USamuyeli 9:2) Wazikhumula wasegqoka ezakhe azijayeleyo ezokwelusa.—1 USamuyeli 17:38-40.

UDavida wathwala umqwayi wakhe, wagaxa isikhwama ehlombe wathatha lesavutha sakhe. Isavutha singakhanya sidelelekile kodwa kwakuyisikhali esiyingozi. Sasilungiswa ngentambo zesikhumba ezimbili ezinde besesisiba lendawo yokufaka ilitshe. Umuntu wayebhodisa isavutha emoyeni ngesiqubu esikhulu, abe eseyekela enye intambo ilitshe liphume livutha. Sasisebenza okokuthi amanye amabutho ayesisebenzisa isikhali lesi nxa esempini.

Wahuba sakhozi uDavida esehlomile elanda isitha sakhe. Mhlawumbe wathandaza ngesikhathi edobha amatshe amahlanu abutshelezi esifuleni esasisesigodini. Wasegijima eqonda enkundleni yokulwa.

Wathini uGoliyathi ebona isitha sakhe? IBhayibhili lithi: “wameyisa” ngoba “wabona ukuthi wayengumfana nje, ebomvana emuhle.” Yikho wakhwaza wathi: “Kanti ngiyinja yini, usiza kimi uphethe izinti?” Wayebone umqwayi kaDavida kuphela kasabonanga ukuthi wayephethe lesavutha. Waqalekisa uDavida ngabonkulunkulu bamaFilisti, wafunga ukuthi zazizaphapha zimsuthi.—1 USamuyeli 17:41-44.

Impendulo kaDavida yatshengisa ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo. Ake umbone ngelihlo lengqondo umfana osakhulayo ememeza esithi: “Wena uzemelana lami ngenkemba lomkhonto kanye lomdikadika, kodwa mina ngizemelana lawe ngebizo likaJehova uSomandla, uNkulunkulu wamabutho ka-Israyeli wena omeyisayo.” UDavida wayekwazi ukuthi izikhali kanye lamandla akutsho lutho. UGoliyathi wayedelele uJehova uNkulunkulu njalo uJehova nguye owayezalungisa indaba. UDavida wathi, “Impi ngekaJehova.”—1 USamuyeli 17:45-47.

UDavida wayebona ukuthi uGoliyathi unganani futhi lezikhali zakhe wayezikhangele. Kodwa  kazange avumele ukuthi izinto lezi zimethuse. Kazange enze iphutha elenziwa nguSawuli lebutho lakhe. UDavida kazange aziqathanise lesitha sakhe, kodwa waqathanisa uGoliyathi loJehova. UGoliyathi wayesedlula amanye amadoda ngobude, phela yena wayengamamitha angu 2.9 ubude. Lanxa kunjalo laye njengabantu bonke wayezifananela lesibungu nje nxa eqathaniswa loMbusi wendawo yonke. Njalo uJehova wayeselungele ukumhlifiza.

UDavida wahwatsha ilitshe esikhwameni eqonda kuGoliyathi. Walifaka endaweni yalo wabhodisa isavutha emoyeni saze saduma. UGoliyathi laye wasondela mhlawumbe ethe sece ngemva komthwali wehawu lakhe. Ubude bakhe babusenza kube nzima ngomthwali wehawu ukuthi amvikele ekhanda. UDavida yena wayevele eqophe lona.—1 USamuyeli 17:41.

Waliyekela ilitshe. Lavutha liqonde khona kanye ekhanda. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi uJehova wenza ukuthi atshaye kanye. Lanemba khona kanye lapho ayefuna khona, langena latshona ebunzini lendoda. Yezwakala phansi inkalakatha yendoda. Umthwali wezikhali uthe ebona lokhu wathi nyawo mbeletha. UDavida wafika wathatha inkemba kaGoliyathi wamquma ngayo ikhanda.—1 USamuyeli 17:48-51.

Lapho-ke uSawuli lebutho lakhe bahle babalesibindi. Bawahlala izithende amaFilisti bememeza. Kwenzakala khona kanye uDavida ayekutshele uGoliyathi ukuthi: “UJehova . . . uzalinikela ezandleni zethu.”—1 USamuyeli 17:47, 52, 53.

Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kazisalwi izimpi njengakudala. (UMathewu 26:52) Lanxa kunjalo kumele silingisele ukholo lukaDavida. Lathi kumele sibe lokholo oluqinileyo kuJehova futhi sikhonze yena yedwa. Kwezinye izikhathi singazibona singela mandla okunqoba izinhlupho zethu, kodwa kumele sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi uJehova ulamandla angelamkhawulo. Nxa singakhetha uJehova ukuthi abe nguNkulunkulu wethu njalo sibe lokholo kuye njengoDavida, asisoze siphele amandla loba sekunzima njani. Akulalutho olungehlula uJehova uNkulunkulu!