1-3. (a) Bekunjani ku-Esta ukuya esihlalweni sobukhosi sendodakwakhe? (b) Ikosi yasabela njani ekuvakatjhelweni ngu-Esta?

 U-ESTA kancani kancani watjhidela esihlalweni sobukhosi, ihliziywakhe ibethela phezulu. Akhe ucabange esigodlweni sePheresiya eShushani kuthule du, kangangobana u-Esta bekakghona ukuzwa iinsindi zeenyawo zakhe nokurhatjhazela kweembatho zakhe zebukhosini. Bekuqakathekile bona angathikaziswa buphaziphazi besigodlweni, amabunjo akarisako, namafulelo amahle enziwe ngomuthi womsedari ovela kude le eLibhanoni. Amehlwakhe gade aphezu kwendoda ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi, okungiyo ephethe ukuphila kwakhe.

² Ikosi yamrhudulela amehlo njengombana atjhidela kiyo, yalula intonga yayo yegolide yamkhomba. Gade kubonakala kusisenzo esingazisiko, kodwana esitjho ukuphila kwaka-Esta, ngombana ngaso ikosi beyimtjhaphulule ecaleni lokubulawa—ukuvela ekosini ungakabizwa. Njengombana atjhidela esihlalweni sobukhosi, u-Esta watjhidela ngesineke bese wathinta ihloko yentonga.—Esta 5:1, 2.

³ IKosi u-Ahatjhiverotjhi beyibonakala injingile begodu inamandla. Izambatho zababusi bePheresiya bangesikhatheso kuthiwa bezibiza imali engalingana namakhulu weengidi zamaranda. Nokho, u-Esta bekabona ithando lodwa emehlweni wendodakwakhe. Wathi: “Ulila ngani ndlovukazi Esta, ufuna ngikwenzeleni? Ngitjho nanyana kungaba yingcenye yobukhosi—awunikelwe yona!”—Esta 5:1, 2.

4. Ngiziphi iintjhijilo u-Esta ebekaqalene nazo?

⁴ U-Esta besele atjengise ikholo elikhulu nesibindi; waya ekosini ukuyokuvikela isitjhaba sekhabo eriyadlhaneni lokusibulala. Bekube nje, sekaphumelele khulu, kodwana bekusafuze anyuke umbundu. Bekufuze enze umbusi ozikhakhazisako lo avume bona umlulekakhe amthembako bekayindoda embi ezama ukumfaka ngehloko ekugwebeleni amaJuda ukufa. Bekazomenza njani akuvume lokho begodu khuyini esingayifunda ekholweni lakhe?

5, 6. (a) U-Esta wayisebenzisa njani ikambisolawulo efumaneka kuMtjhumayeli 3:1, 7? (b) U-Esta wakutjengisa njani ukuhlakanipha nekakhuluma nendodakwakhe?

⁵ Kghani u-Esta bekufuze aveze woke umrarwakhe phambi kwabo boke abantu? Ukwenza njalo bekuzokwehlisa ikosi isithunzi kunikele nomlulekayo uHamani ithuba lokuphika umlandwakhe. Manje-ke wenzani u-Esta? Amakhulu weminyaka ngaphambilini uSolomoni watjhukumiseleka bona atlole: “Kunesikhathi esibekiweko sayo yoke into, . . . kunesikhathi sokuthula nesikhathi sokukhuluma.” (Mtj. 3:1, 7) Ungacabanga ngobaba ka-Esta wokutholwa, indoda ethembekileko uMoridekayi, ifundisa umntazana loyo iinkambisolawulo ezinjalo njengombana akhulela ngaphasi kwakhe. Ngokuqinisekileko u-Esta bekakuzwisisa ukuqakatheka kokukhetha ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma.’

⁶ U-Esta wathi: “Nengabe kubonakala kukuhle emehlweni wekosi, ikosi ayize noHamani namhlanje emnyanyeni engiyilungiselele wona.” (Esta 5:4) Ikosi yavumela phezulu yathi akubizwe uHamani. Uyabona bonyana u-Esta wakhuluma ngokuhlakanipha okungangani?  Azange ehlise indodakwakhe isithunzi begodu wafuna ukuveza ukutshwenyeka kwakhe ngesikhathi esifaneleko.—Funda IzAga 10:19.

7, 8. Bekunjani ukudla kwaka-Esta kokuthoma, nokho kubayini ariyada ukukhuluma nekosi?

⁷ Akunakuzaza bona u-Esta wawubhincela kuhle umnyanya loyo, waqiniseka bona ufaka zoke izinto ezithandwa yindodakwakhe. Ukudlokhu bekubandakanya newayini elihle elizokwenza kuthatjwe. (Rha. 104:15) U-Ahatjhiverotjhi wakuthabela khulu, lokho kwamtjhukumisela bona abuze u-Esta godu bonyana yini ayibawako. Inga-kghani leso bekusikhathi esifaneleko sokukhuluma?

⁸ U-Esta bekangacabangi njalo. Kunalokho, wamema ikosi noHamani bona beze esidlweni godu ngelanga elilandelako. (Esta 5:7, 8) Kubayini ariyada? Khumbula, soke isitjhaba sekhabo lika-Esta besizokubulawa ngomlayo wekosi. Ukuphila kusengozini kangaka, u-Esta bekufuze aqiniseke bona sikhathi esifaneleko. Ngalokho walinda, godu wenza elinye ithuba lokubonisa indodakwakhe bona uyihlonipha kangangani.

9. Kuqakatheke ngani ukubekezela, begodu singasilingisa njani isibonelo saka-Esta malungana nalokhu?

 ⁹ Ukubekezela akusilula begodu yinto eligugu. Nanyana bekatshwenyeke kangaka begodu afuna ukuthululela ikosi isifuba sakhe, u-Esta ngesineke walinda isikhathi esifaneleko. Singafunda likhulu esibonelweni sakhe, ngombana soke kungenzeka sakhe sabona izinto ezimbi okufuze zilungiswe. Nengabe sifuna ukwenza umuntu osegunyeni alungise umraro othileko, kufuze silingise u-Esta, sibekezele. IzAga 25:15 zithi: “Ngokubekezela, umrholi uyancengeka nelimu elithambileko lingaphula ithambo.” Nengabe sisilinda ngokubekezela isikhathi sokukhuluma ngesineke, njengombana kwenza u-Esta, singaphula nokuphikiswa okuqine ngho njengethambo. UZimu ka-Esta uJehova, wakubusisa na ukubekezela nokuhlakanipha kwakhe?

10, 11. Kubayini amazizo kaHamani atjhuguluka ngemva kokukhamba esidlweni sokuthoma, umkakhe nabangani bathi enzeni?

¹⁰ U-Esta ngesineke wandlala indlela yomlandelande wezenzakalo.  UHamani wasuka esidlweni sokuthoma kuthi ihliziyo ayiphume ngomlomo, “athabe kwamambala” bona ikosi nendlovukazi bamthanda kangakangaka. Nokho, njengombana uHamani adlula esangweni lesigodlweni, nekathi mehlo suka, wabona uMoridekayi, umJudakazi obhala ukukhothama kuye loya. Njengombana sibonile esahlukweni esigadungileko, ibanga lakaMoridekayi akusikutlhoga ihlonipho, kodwana kunalokho, kungebanga lesazelo sakhe nobuhlobo bakhe noJehova uZimu. Ngalokho uHamani “wasilingeka khulu.”—Esta 5:9.

¹¹ UHamani nekatjela umkakhe nabangani ngokuphoqokhu, bathi enze isigodo esikhulu, esingaphezu kwamamitha ayi-22 ubude, bese abawe imvumo yekosi bona aphanyeke uMoridekayi kiso. UHamani wawuthanda umbono lo begodu msinyana wathi asenziwe.—Esta 5:12-14.

12. Kubayini ikosi yafuna bona ifundelwe umlando weNarha ongokomthetho, begodu yini eyayifumanako?

¹² Kusesenjalo, ikosi beyingakalali kuhle. IBhayibhili iyasitjela, “Ikosi yalala ingakalali,” ngalokho yathi ayifundelwe umlando wenarha ongokomthetho. Ukufundokho bekuhlanganisa nombiko wokufuna ukubulala ikosi u-Ahatjhiverotjhi. Wayikhumbula indaba leyo; abantwabo ebebalinga ukubulala ikosi babanjwa begodu babulawa. Nokho kuthiwani ngendoda eyabavezako—uMoridekayi? Msinyana ikosi yabuza bona uMoridekayi waphurwa ngani. Ipendulo yaba yini? Akhenge enzelwe litho.—Funda u-Esta 6:1-3.

13, 14. (a) Izinto zathoma njani ukumkhambela kumbi uHamani? (b) Umkakhe nabangani bamtjela ini uHamani?

¹³ Itshwenyekile, ikosi beyifuna ukulungisa intwele, ngalokho yabuza bona ngubani okhona ongayisiza. Kibo boke abantu, nguHamani obekasesangweni lekosi—ngamarimarima, kubonakala kwanga ngombana bekazimisele ukufumana imvumo yokurhayila uMoridekayi. Ngaphambi kobana uHamani enze isibawo sakhe, ikosi yambuza bona ingayiphura njani indoda efumene umusa emehlweni wekosi. UHamani bekacabanga bona nguye osemcabangweni wekosi. Ngalokho uHamani wathi: Akalethelwe isambatho sebukhosini, bamkhweze epereni yekosi bese isikhulu esikhulu sekosini simatjhe naye etatawini lomuzi iShushani, bamdumise bona boke abantu bezwe. Cabanga ngendlela uHamani azizwa ngayo nekezwa bona indoda ezokuhlonitjhwa le nguMoridekayi! Ngubani ikosi eyamkhetha bona azokudumisa uMoridekayi? NguHamani!—Esta 6:1-3.

¹⁴ Ngokusilingeka uHamani wenza lokho kuye okubonakala njengesabelo asihloye khulu begodu msinyana waya ekhaya atshwenyekile. Umkakhe nabangani bakhe baqala ukutjhuguluka kwezenzakalwezi njengetshwayo lokobana uHamani uzokuhluleka ekulweni noMoridekayi.—Esta 6:12, 13.

15. (a) Ngikuphi okuhle okwavela ekubekezeleni kwaka-Esta? (b) Kubayini kukuhlakanipha ‘ukulinda’?

 ¹⁵ Ngombana u-Esta bekabekezela, bekalindele elinye ilanga lokwenza isibawo sakhe ekosini, uHamani wazibangela yena ukuwa kwakhe. Kungenzeka na bona nguJehova uZimu owabangela ikosi bona ilale ingakalali? (IzA. 21:1) Akusirari bona iliZwi lakaZimu lisikhuthaza bona ‘silinde’! (Funda uMika 7:7.) Nesithembela kuZimu, singafumana bona isirarululo sakhe emirarwenethu siyidlula kude indlela yethu yokwenza izinto.

16, 17. (a) Safika nini ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma‘ saka-Esta? (b) U-Esta bekahluke njani kuVashiti, obekamfazi wekosi?

¹⁶ U-Esta zange asalinda bona alinge isineke sekosi godu; esidlweni sakhe sesibili, wayitjela yoke into ikosi. Kodwana njani? Njengombana basadla, ikosi yamnikela ithuba, yambuza godu bona siyini isibawo sakhe. (Esta 7:2) Besele sifikile ‘isikhathi sokukhuluma’ saka-Esta.

¹⁷ Singacabanga ngo-Esta enza umthandazo buthule kuZimakhe ngaphambi kobana akhulume: “Kosi, nengabe ngifumene umusa emehlwenakho, begodu nengabe kubonakala kukuhle ekosini, anginikelwe umphefumulwami ngokwawo ngokulila kwami nabantu bekhethu ngesibawo sami.” (Esta 7:3) Tjheja bona waqinisekisa ikosi bona uyasihlonipha isahlulelo sayo malungana nalokho okubonakala kukuhle. Qala bona u-Esta bekahluke kangangani kuVashiti, ogade amfazi wekosi, owahlazisa indodakwakhe ngamabomu! (Esta 1:10-12) Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Esta azange anyaze ikosi ngobudlhayela bayo bokuthemba uHamani. Kunalokho, wabawa ikosi bona imvikele engozini ebekaqalene nayo.

18. U-Esta wayiveza njani ikinga ekosini?

 ¹⁸ Ngokuqinisekileko isibaweso sayitjhukumisa begodu sayirara ikosi. Ngubani obekangafuna ukufaka ukuphila kwendlovukazayo engozini? U-Esta waragela phambili: “Ngombana sithengisiwe, mina nabantu bekhethu sithengiselwe ukutjhatjalaliswa, ukubulawa nokubhujiswa. Ngathana besithengiselwe ukuba ziingqila neencekukazi, bengizokuthula. Kodwana angikwazi ukuthula nengabe ukutjhatjalalisokhu kuzokubangela ikosi umonakalo.” (Esta 7:4) Tjheja bona ngesibindi u-Esta wawuveza umraro, wathi bekazokuthula angakhulumi nengabe gade kukusongelwa kobugqila. Nokho, ukubandlululwa kobuhlangokhu bekuyizolimaza khulu ikosi nengabe bekazokuthula ngakho.

19. Khuyini esingayifunda ku-Esta malungana nekghono lokutjhukumisa?

¹⁹ Isibonelo saka-Esta sisifundisa likhulu malungana nekghono lokutjhukumisa. Nengabe ufuna ukuveza ikinga ekulu emntwini omthandako namtjhana emntwini osegunyeni, ukubekezela, ihlonipho nokukhuluma ngokuthembeka kungasiza khulu.—IzA 16:21, 23.

20, 21. (a) U-Esta wamveza njani uHamani, ikosi yona yazizwa njani? (b) UHamani wenzani nekuvezwa ubugirikitjhana bakhe?

²⁰ U-Ahatjhiverotjhi wathi: “Ngubani loyo, ene ukuphi umuntu onesibindi sokwenza into enjalo?” Cabanga ngo-Esta akhomba athi: “Umuntu loyo yinaba elikhulu, nguHamani omumbi lo.” Sizoyibawa ivuthiwe. UHamani wangenwa mamanzi emadolweni. Cabanga ngoHamani ajika aba bomvu ngekani nekabona bona ikosi imjikele ekutlikitleni umlayo ozokutjhabalalisa umuntu ikosi emthandako! Ikosi yaphuma msinya yaya ngaphandle etoninayo bona icabangisise kuhle ngendaba le.—Esta 7:5-7.

 ²¹ Ubugikiritjhana bakaHamani bavela, wakhasela eenyaweni zendlovukazi. Ikosi neyibuyela ngendlini begodu ibona uHamani azibethela irhobhe ku-Esta, ngokusilingeka yasola uHamani ngokulinga ukugagadlhela indlovukazi endlini yekosi. Ukusolokho bekutjho ukufa ngoHamani. Wathathwa, ubuso bakhe bugubuzesiwe. Esinye seenkhulu zekosini sakhuluma, sitjela ikosi ngesigodo esikhulu uHamani ebekasenzele uMoridekayi. Khonokho u-Ahatjhiverotjhi wakhupha umlayo wokobana uHamani aphanyekwe kiso.—Esta 7:8-10.

22. Isibonelo saka-Esta singasifundisa njani bona singalahli itewu begodu siphelelwe likholo?

²² Ephasini lanamhlanjesi elinganabulungiswa, kulula ukucabanga bona angekhe kwenziwe ubulungiswa. Ukhe wazizwa ngendlela efanako? U-Esta azange alahle itewu begodu azange aphelelwe likholo. Nekufika isikhathi, wakhuluma ngesibindi ngalokho okulungileko begodu wathembela kuJehova bona enze koke okhunye. Nathi kufuze senze okufanako! Nanamhlanje uJehova akakatjhuguluki kusukela ngemihla ka-Esta. Usakghona ukubamba abangakalungi namaqhingabo, njengombana enza kuHamani.—Funda IRhalani 7:11-16.

23. (a) Ikosi yabavuza njani u-Esta noMoridekayi? (b) Isiporofido sakaJakobho ngoBhenjamini sazaliseka njani? (Qala ibhoksi “Isiporofido Siyazaliseka.”)

²³ Ekugcineni ikosi yathola bona ngubani kuhle kuhle uMoridekayi—bona akusimvikelayo kwaphela ebantwini ebebafuna ukuyibeka isandla kodwana yindoda eyakhulisa u-Esta. U-Ahatjhiverotjhi wanikela uMoridekayi isikhundla sakaHamani sokuba ngundunakulu. Indlu kaHamani—kuhlanganise nomnotho omkhulu—ikosi yawunikela u-Esta, yabela uMoridekayi bona awutlhogomele.—Esta 8:1, 2.

24, 25. (a) Kubayini u-Esta angazange azigedle ngemva kokuveza iriyadlhana lakaHamani? (b) U-Esta wakufaka njani ukuphila kwakhe engozini godu?

²⁴ Kwanjesi njengombana uMoridekayi no-Esta sebaphephile, inga-kghani indlovukazi seyingazigedla na? Nengabe beyizicabangela yona kwaphela beyingakwenza lokho. Ngesikhatheso, umthetho kaHamani wokubulala woke amaJuda bewusele uthunyelwe kiyo yoke indawo embusweni. UHamani besele enze ikatho —ihlobo elithileko  lokusebenzelana nemimoya—ukufumana isikhathi esihle sokusahlela kwakhe okumbi. (Esta 9:24-26) Nokho bekusasele iinyanga bona ilangelo lifike, kodwana belitjhidela msinya. Bekungabalekelwa na ukurhayilokhu?

²⁵ Ngokuzidela u-Esta wafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini godu, avela ekosini godu ngaphandle kokumenywa. Kwanjesi, bekalilela abantu bekhabo, abawa indodakwakhe bona isule umlayo omumbi lo. Kodwana imithetho egunyazwe yikosi yePheresiya beyingasulwa. (Dan. 6:12, 15) Ngalokho ikosi yathi ku-Esta noMoridekayi batlole omunye umthetho omutjha. Isimemezelo sesibili sathunyelwa, sinikela amaJuda ilungelo lokuzivikela. Abawukhambisako bakhamba yoke indawo, basa iindaba ezimnandezi kumaJuda. Kwanjesi amaJuda gade sele anethemba. (Esta 8:3-16) Singacabanga amaJuda kiwo woke umbuso loyo azilungiselela begodu ahlomela ipi, ebengekhe akwenze ngathana umlayo omutjha lo bewungakaphumi. Nokho, okuqakatheke khulu, “uJehova wamabutho” bekazokuba nabantu bakhe na?—1 Sam 17:45.

26, 27. (a) Bekukukhulu begodu kunamandla kangangani ukuhlula uJehova akunikela abantu bakhe emanabenabo? (b) Ngisiphi isiporofido esazaliseka ngokutjhatjalaliswa kwamadodana kaHamani?

²⁶ Ekugcineni ilanga elikhethiweko nelifikako, abantu bakaZimu bebazilungiselele. Ngitjho neenkhulu zombuso wePheresiya  ezinengi bezizimisele ukuvikela amaJuda nezizwa ngokubekwa kwakandunakulu omutjha, uMoridekayi umJuda. UJehova wenza abantu bakhe bahlula. Ngaphandle kokuzaza wavikela abantu bekhabo emanabeni wabo ngokuhlula khona angazokulimaza abantu bakhe. a—Esta 9:1-6.

²⁷ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMoridekayi bekangeze avikeleke ukuphatha indlu kaHamani nengabe amadodana alitjhumi wendoda ekhohlakeleko le asaphila. Nawo abulawa. (Esta 9:7-10) Ngalokho isiporofido seBhayibheli sazaliseka, ngombana uZimu wabikezela kusesengaphambili ukuhlulwa ngokupheleleko kwama-Amaleki, azibonakalisa amanaba wabantu bakhe. (Dut. 25:17-19) Amadodana kaHamani kungenzeka bewahlangana nesitjhaba sokugcina esatjhatjalaliswako.

28, 29. (a) Kubayini bekuyintando kaJehova bona u-Esta nabantu bekhabo bazibandakanye epini? (b) Kubayini isibonelo saka-Esta sisibusiso kithi namhlanje?

²⁸ Nanyana bekamncani, u-Esta bekufuze naye athwale wakhe umthwalo emahlombe njengesabelo sakhe esibudisi—njengemithetho yebukhosini ehlanganisa ipi nokurhayila. Bekungekhe kube lula lokho. Kodwana uJehova bekazokufuna bona abantu bakhe bavikeleke ekutjhatjalalisweni; esitjhabeni sakwa-Israyeli bekuzokuvela uMesiya othenjisiweko, okukuphela komthombo wethemba labo boke abantu! (Gen. 22:18) Iinceku zakaZimu namhlanje ziyakuthabela ukwazi bona uMesiya, uJesu nekeza ephasini, wakhandela abalandeli bakhe kusukela ngesikhatheso ukuya phambili bona bangazibandakanyi epini.—Mat. 26:52.

²⁹ Nanyana kunjalo, amaKrestu ayazibandakanya epini engokomoya; uSathana uzimisele khulu ukutjhabalalisa ikholo lethu kuJehova uZimu. (Funda 2 Korinte 10:3, 4.) Qala bona sibusiso esingangani bona sibe nesibonelo esinjengesika-Esta! Njengaye, kwanga nathi singatjengisa ikholo ngokusebenzisa kwethu ikghono lokukholisa ngokuhlakanipha nangesineke, ngokuba nesibindi, nangokuzimisela ngokuzithandela ukujamela abantu bakaZimu.