1-3. (a) Inhlekelele yafika kanjani phezu kwendlu ka-Abhigayili? (b) Yini esizoyifunda ngalo mama omangalisayo?

U-ABHIGAYILI wabona ukwesaba emehlweni ensizwa ethile. Yayethukile—kube kufanele. Kukhona okwakusina kubajeqeza. Ngaso leso sikhathi, amabutho angu-400 ayesendleleni, ezimisele ukubulala bonke abesilisa bendlu kaNabali, umyeni ka-Abhigayili. Kungani?

² Uchuku lwaluqalwe uNabali. Wayenze isenzo sonya futhi wadelela, njengokuvamile. Nokho, kulokhu wayethinte abangathintwa—umkhuzi oyisilomo webutho elithembekile neliqeqeshwe kahle. Enye insizwa eyisisebenzi sikaNabali, mhlawumbe engumalusi, yaya ku-Abhigayili inethemba lokuthi uzoqhamuka necebo lokubasindisa. Kodwa owesifazane oyedwa wayengamelana kanjani nebutho?

³ Okokuqala, ake sifunde okwengeziwe ngalo mama omangalisayo. Wayengubani u-Abhigayili? Yayiqale kanjani le nhlekelele? Futhi yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe sokholo?

4. Wayeyindoda enjani uNabali?

⁴ U-Abhigayili noNabali babengafanelene. UNabali wayethole umfazi uqobo lwakhe, kanti u-Abhigayili yena wazithola eshade nomuntu onobuntu obubi ngendlela exakile. Yiqiniso, le ndoda yayinemali. Ngenxa yalokho yayizibheka njengebaluleke kakhulu, kodwa abanye babeyibheka kanjani? Kunganzima ukuthola umuntu eBhayibhelini okukhulunywa ngaye kabi njengalo. Kwagama lakhe lisho ukuthi “Ukungabi nangqondo,” noma “Ukuba isiphukuphuku.” Ingabe abazali bakhe bametha lelo gama lapho ezalwa, noma yigama eliyisigcono elamnamathela kamuva? Noma ngabe ikuphi, waziphatha ngendlela evumelana negama lakhe. UNabali “wayenokhahlo nemikhuba emibi.” Wayeyibhoklolo, eyisidakwa, esatshwa kakhulu futhi engathandwa.—1 Sam. 25:2, 3, 17, 21, 25.

5, 6. (a) Ucabanga ukuthi yiziphi izimfanelo zika-Abhigayili ezazikhanga kakhulu? (b) Mhlawumbe kungani u-Abhigayili ashada nendoda engelusizo lwalutho kangaka?

 ⁵ U-Abhigayili wayehluke ngokuphelele kuNabali. Igama lakhe lisho ukuthi “Ubaba Uzenze Wajabula.” Obaba abaningi bayaziqhayisa ngokuba nendodakazi enhle, kodwa ubaba ohlakaniphile ujatshuliswa kakhulu ukubona ubuhle bangaphakathi endodakazini yakhe. Ngokuvamile umuntu obusiswe ngobuhle bangaphandle akasiboni isidingo sokwakha izimfanelo ezinjengokukhalipha, ukuhlakanipha, isibindi noma ukholo. Kwakungenjalo ngo-Abhigayili. IBhayibheli liyamtusa ngokukhalipha kwakhe nangobuhle bakhe.—Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 25:3.

⁶ Abanye namuhla bangase bazibuze ukuthi kungani intokazi ehlakaniphe kangaka yashada nendoda engelusizo lwalutho kanje. Khumbula, imishado eminingi ezikhathini zeBhayibheli yayihlelwa abazali. Uma bengayihlelanga, kwakusabaluleke kakhulu ukuba bavume ukuba lezo zingane zishade. Ingabe abazali baka-Abhigayili bawuvumela lo mshado, mhlawumbe baze bawuhlela, ngoba bethanda umcebo kaNabali noma ubukhulu bakhe? Ingabe babecindezelwe ubumpofu? Kunoma yikuphi, imali kaNabali ayimenzanga umyeni ofanelekayo.

7. (a) Yini abazali namuhla okufanele bayigweme uma befuna ukufundisa izingane zabo umbono omuhle ngomshado? (b) Yini u-Abhigayili ayezimisele ukuyenza?

⁷ Abazali abahlakaniphile bafundisa ngokucophelela izingane zabo umbono omuhle ngomshado. Abazikhuthazi izingane zabo ukuba zishadele imali noma bazicindezele ukuba ziqale ukuqomisana zisencane kakhulu ukuba zingathwala izindima nemithwalo yemfanelo yabantu abadala. (1 Kor. 7:36) Nokho, kwase kwephuze kakhulu ngo-Abhigayili ukuba acabange ngezinto ezinjalo. Noma ngabe sasiyini isizathu, wayeseshadile noNabali futhi wayezimisele ukuwenza uphumelele lo mshado owawungajabulisi.

8. Wayethuke bani uNabali, futhi kungani ungathi lokho kwakungekona neze ukuhlakanipha?

⁸ UNabali wayesanda kwenza isimo sika-Abhigayili saba nzima kunanini ngaphambili. Le ndoda ayeyithukile kwakunguDavide uqobo lwakhe. UDavide wayeyinceku kaJehova ethembekile eyayigcotshwe uSamuweli umprofethi, embula uDavide njengokhethwe uNkulunkulu ukuba abe inkosi esikhundleni sikaSawule. (1 Sam. 16:1, 2, 11-13) Lapho ebalekela iNkosi uSawule eyayinomona futhi ifuna ukumbulala, uDavide wahlala ehlane namabutho akhe athembekile angu-600.

9, 10. (a) UDavide namadoda akhe babedonsa kanzima ukuze baphile ngaphansi kwaziphi izimo? (b) Kungani uNabali kwakufanele akwazise okwakwenziwe uDavide namadoda akhe? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi wesigaba 10.)

⁹ UNabali wayehlala eMawoni kodwa esebenza eduze kweKarmeli  futhi kungenzeka wayenomhlaba lapho. * Leyo mizi yayingasezinkangala ezinotshani ezifanelekela ukufuya izimvu. UNabali wayenezingu-3 000. Nokho, indawo ezungezile yayiyihlane. Eningizimu kwakunehlane elikhulu lasePharanu. Empumalanga, indlela eya oLwandle LukaSawoti yayidlula endaweni ewugwadule egcwele izigodi nemihume. Kulezi zifunda uDavide namadoda akhe babedonsa kanzima ukuze baphile, akungabazeki ukuthi babezingela ukuze bathole ukudla futhi bebhekene nobunzima obuningi. Babeye banqwamane nezinsizwa ezazisebenza njengabelusi bakaNabali oyisicebi.

¹⁰ Lawo masosha asebenza kanzima abaphatha kanjani abelusi? Kwakuyoba lula ngawo ukuba adamane entshontsha izimvu, kodwa awakwenzanga lokho. Kunalokho, aba njengodonga nxazonke zomhlambi kaNabali nezinceku zakhe. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 25:15, 16.) Izimvu nabelusi babebhekana nezingozi eziningi. Izilwane zasendle zaziningi, futhi umngcele oseningizimu wakwa-Israyeli wawuseduze kangangokuba amaviyo abaphangi bakwamanye amazwe namasela ayehlasela njalo. *

11, 12. (a) UDavide walibonisa kanjani ikhono lokungacunuli nenhlonipho emyalezweni wakhe kuNabali? (b) Yini eyayingalungile ngendlela uNabali asabela ngayo emyalezweni kaDavide?

¹¹ Kumelwe ukuba kwakunzima ukugcina wonke lawo madoda enokudla ehlane. Ngakho ngelinye ilanga uDavide wathumela izithunywa eziyishumi kuNabali ukuba ziyocela usizo. UDavide wasikhetha ngokuhlakanipha lesi sikhathi. Kwakuyisikhathi sokujabula ngoba kwakugundwa izimvu, isikhathi abantu ababenza ngaso amadili futhi baphane. UDavide wawakhetha nangokucophelela amazwi akhe, wasebenzisa amazwi nezindlela zokukhuluma ezinenhlonipho. Waze wazibiza ngokuthi “indodana yakho uDavide,” mhlawumbe indlela yenhlonipho yokubonisa ukuthi wayemdala uNabali. Wasabela kanjani uNabali?—1 Sam. 25:5-8.

¹² Wathukuthela wathelwa ngamanzi! ‘Waklabalasa wazethuka,’ insizwa echazwe ekuqaleni yasichaza ngaleyo ndlela isimo ku-Abhigayili. UNabali oncishanayo wakhononda kwezwakala ngesinkwa sakhe esiyigugu, amanzi nangenyama yakhe. Wajivaza uDavide wathi ungumuntu ongabalulekile futhi wamfanisa nenceku eyeqile. Umbono kaNabali kungenzeka ukuthi wawufana nokaSawule, owayezonda uDavide. Womabili la madoda ayengenawo umbono kaJehova. UNkulunkulu wayemthanda uDavide futhi akazange ambheke njengesigqila esiyisihlubuki,  kodwa wambheka njengenkosi yakwa-Israyeli yesikhathi esizayo.—1 Sam. 25:10, 11, 14.

13. (a) UDavide waqale wasabela kanjani ekuthukweni uNabali? (b) Isimiso esilotshwe kuJakobe 1:20 sisifundisani ngokusabela kukaDavide?

¹³ Lapho izithunywa zibikela uDavide okwenzeka, wathukuthela. Waziyala: “Bhincani nonke izinkemba zenu!” Waphaka impi, wahola amadoda ayekanye nawo angu-400 bayohlasela. Wafunga ukuthi uzobulala bonke abesilisa bendlu kaNabali. (1 Sam. 25:12, 13, 21, 22) Intukuthelo kaDavide yayiqondakala, kodwa lokhu ayefuna ukukwenza kwakungalungile. IBhayibheli lithi: “Intukuthelo yomuntu ayikufezi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu.” (Jak. 1:20) Noma kunjalo, u-Abhigayili wayezobasindisa kanjani abendlu yakhe?

14. (a) Kungayiphi indlela u-Abhigayili athatha isinyathelo sokuqala sokulungisa isenzo esingalungile sikaNabali? (b) Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda emehlukweni phakathi kukaNabali no-Abhigayili? (Bheka nombhalo waphansi.)

¹⁴ Sesimbonile u-Abhigayili ethatha isinyathelo sokuqala sokulungisa lesi senzo esingalungile. Ngokungafani nomyeni wakhe uNabali, yena wazibonakalisa ekulungele ukulalela. Ngokuphathelene nokuyisa lolu daba kuNabali, inceku esencane yathi ngaye: ‘Ungumuntu ongelusizo lwalutho ngempela ukuba kungakhulunywa naye.’ * (1 Sam 25:17) Ngokudabukisayo, ukuzibona kukaNabali ebaluleke kakhulu kwamenza wangafuna ukulalela. Ukuzigqaja okunjalo kuvamile ngisho nanamuhla. Kodwa le nsizwa yayazi ukuthi u-Abhigayili uhlukile, cishe yingakho yaya kuye yamtshela ngale nkinga.

15, 16. (a) U-Abhigayili wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenjengomfazi onekhono ochazwe encwadini yezAga? (b) Kungani okwenziwa u-Abhigayili kwakungekona ukudelela igunya elingokomthetho lomyeni wakhe?

¹⁵ U-Abhigayili wacabanga futhi wenza ngokushesha. Siyafunda: “Ngaso leso sikhathi u-Abhigayili washesha.” Izikhathi ezine kule ndaba sithola isenzo esifanayo esithi ‘ukushesha’ sisetshenziswe maqondana nalo wesifazane. Walungiselela uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye isipho somusa. Sasihlanganisa isinkwa, iwayini, izimvu, okusanhlamvu okugazingiwe, amaqebelengwane amagilebhisi omisiwe namaqebelengwane amakhiwane. Kusobala ukuthi u-Abhigayili wayekwazi kahle ayenakho endlini futhi eliphethe kahle ikhaya, njengowesifazane onekhono ochazwa kamuva encwadini yezAga. (IzAga 31:10-31) Wathumela ukudla kuqala nezinye zezinceku zakhe, wabe eselandela  yedwa. Siyafunda: “Kodwa akashongo lutho kumyeni wakhe.”—1 Sam. 25:18, 19.

¹⁶ Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi u-Abhigayili wayevukela igunya lomyeni wakhe elingokomthetho? Cha; khumbula ukuthi uNabali wayenze okubi encekwini kaJehova egcotshiwe, isenzo esasingase siholele ekufeni kwamalungu amaningi endlu kaNabali angenacala. Ukube u-Abhigayili wehluleka ukwenza okuthile, ingabe wayengase abe umhlanganyeli ecaleni lomyeni wakhe? Kulesi simo, kwakumelwe abeke ukuthobela uNkulunkulu wakhe kuqala kunokuthobela umyeni wakhe.

17, 18. U-Abhigayili waya kanjani kuDavide, wathini, futhi yini eyenza amazwi akhe azwakala?

¹⁷ Kungakapheli sikhathi, u-Abhigayili wahlangana noDavide namadoda ayekanye naye. Waphinde washesha, manje esehla embongolweni yakhe, wayesekhothama phambi kukaDavide. (1 Sam. 25:20, 23) Wabe esethulula inhliziyo yakhe, enza isicelo esinamandla sokuba umyeni wakhe nabendlu yakhe baboniswe umusa. Yini eyenza amazwi akhe azwakala?

¹⁸ Wathatha icala walibeka kuye wayesecela uDavide ukuba amthethelele. Wavuma ukuthi umyeni wakhe wayengenangqondo njengoba negama lakhe lisho, mhlawumbe esikisela ukuthi kwakuyomehlisa isithunzi uDavide ukujezisa indoda enjalo. Wazwakalisa ukumethemba uDavide njengommeleli kaJehova, eqaphela ukuthi wayelwa “izimpi zikaJehova.” Wabonisa nokuthi wayesazi isithembiso sikaJehova maqondana noDavide nobukhosi, ngoba wathi: “UJehova ngokuqinisekile . . . uyokumisa njengomholi phezu kuka-Israyeli.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, wancenga uDavide ukuba angenzi noma yini eyayingamenza abe necala legazi noma kamuva eyoba “imbangela yokuyendayenda”—ngokusobala ebhekisela kunembeza okhathazekile. (Funda eyoku-1 Samuweli 25:24-31.) Yeka amazwi anomusa, athinta inhliziyo!

19. UDavide wasabela kanjani emazwini ka-Abhigayili, futhi kungani amtusa?

¹⁹ Wasabela kanjani-ke uDavide? Wakwamukela okwakulethwe u-Abhigayili wayesethi: “Makatuswe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okuthumele kulolu suku ukuba ungihlangabeze! Futhi makubusiswe ukuba nengqondo kwakho, ubusiswe nawe ongivimbele kulolu suku ukuba ngingangeni ecaleni legazi.” UDavide wamtusa ngokubonisa isibindi asheshe azomhlangabeza, futhi wavuma ukuthi wamnqanda wangaba necala legazi. Watshela u-Abhigayili: “Khuphukela endlini yakho ngokuthula,” wayesenezela ngokuthobeka: “Ngililalele izwi lakho.”—1 Sam. 25:32-35.

20, 21. (a) Yini oyithola ituseka ngokuzimisela kuka-Abhigayili ukubuyela kumyeni wakhe? (b) U-Abhigayili wasibonisa kanjani isibindi nokukhalipha ngokukhetha isikhathi sokukhuluma noNabali?

²⁰ Esehambile u-Abhigayili, wayelokhu ecabanga ngalokhu kuhlangana; futhi wawuqaphela umehluko phakathi kwaleya ndoda  ethembekile nenomusa, nalesi sixhwanguxhwangu ayeshade naso. Kodwa akagxilanga kuleyo micabango. Siyafunda: “Kamuva u-Abhigayili wangena kuNabali.” Yebo, wabuyela kumyeni wakhe ezimisele kakhulu ukufeza indima yakhe ngangokusemandleni akhe njengomkakhe. Kwadingeka atshele uNabali ngesipho ayesinike uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye. Wayenelungelo lokwazi. Kwakumelwe amtshele nangengozi ayeyinqandile—ngaphambi kokuba ezwe ngayo kwenye indawo, okwakuyomhlazisa nakakhulu. Kodwa wayengeke amtshela ngaleso sikhathi. UNabali wayezitika edilini likaMkhipheni, edakwe ephelile.—1 Sam. 25:36.

²¹ U-Abhigayili waphinde wabonisa isibindi nokukhalipha, walinda kwaze kwaba sekuseni lapho utshwala sebusile. Wayezobe engasadakiwe okwakuyomenza amuzwe, kodwa kungenzeka nokuthi ulaka lwaluyobe lubhokile. Yize kunjalo, waya kuye wamtshela yonke indaba. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayelindele ukuba abhodle umlilo, mhlawumbe amkhahlameze. Kunalokho wamane wahlala lapho wanganyakaza.—1 Sam. 25:37.

22. Kwenzekani kuNabali, futhi yini esingayifunda ngazo zonke izimo zokuphathwa ngonya noma zokuhlukunyezwa kwasekhaya?

²² Kwakonakelephi kule ndoda? “Inhliziyo yakhe yafa ngaphakathi kuye, yena waba njengetshe.” Mhlawumbe wayeshaywe uhlobo oluthile lukanhlangothi. Ezinsukwini eziyishumi kamuva, wafa—engabulawa izizathu zempilo. Le ndaba iyasitshela: “UJehova wayesemshaya uNabali, wafa.” (1 Sam. 25:38) Leso senzo sokulunga sokubulawa kukaNabali saqeda umshado ka-Abhigayili owawusunesikhathi eside ungajabulisi. Nakuba uJehova engangeneli ngokubulala ngokuyisimangaliso namuhla, le ndaba iyisikhumbuzo esifanelekayo sokuthi akukho kuphathwa ngonya noma ukuhlukunyezwa kwasekhaya okumeqayo angakuboni. Ngesakhe isikhathi, uyobuletha ngaso sonke isikhathi ubulungisa.—Funda uLuka 8:17.

23. Yiziphi izibusiso ezengeziwe ezatholwa u-Abhigayili, futhi wabonisa kanjani ukuthi ithuba ayelitholile alimshintshanga?

²³ Ngaphandle kokukhululwa emshadweni ongajabulisi, u-Abhigayili wayesalindelwe esinye isibusiso. Lapho uDavide ezwa ngokufa kukaNabali, wathumela izithunywa ukuba ziyomcelela umshado. U-Abhigayili wathi: “Nansi incekukazi yakho ukuba ibe incekukazi egeza izinyawo zezinceku zenkosi yami.” Kusobala ukuthi akashintshanga ngoba esethole ithuba lokuba umkaDavide; waze wathi uzoba incekukazi yezinceku zakhe! Siphinde sifunde  ngokushesha kwakhe, kulokhu eselungiselela ukuya kuDavide.—1 Sam. 25:39-42.

24. U-Abhigayili wabhekana naziphi izinselele ekuphileni kwakhe okusha, kodwa umyeni wakhe noNkulunkulu wakhe babembheka kanjani?

²⁴ Lokhu kwakungesona isiphetho esingenazinkinga; ukuphila kuka-Abhigayili noDavide kwakungeke kuhlale kulula. UDavide wayeseshadile kakade no-Ahinohama, futhi nakuba uNkulunkulu ayesivumela isithembu, ngokuqinisekile sasibalethela izinselele abesifazane abathembekile ngalezo zinsuku. Futhi uDavide wayengakabi inkosi ngaleso sikhathi; kwakuzoba nezithiyo nobunzima ayezobhekana nabo ngaphambi kokuba akhonze uJehova njengenkosi. Kodwa njengoba u-Abhigayili ayesiza futhi esekela uDavide waze wamzalela ingane, wayazi ukuthi unomyeni owayemazisa futhi emvikela. Wake wamophula ngisho nakubathumbi! (1 Sam. 30:1-19) Ngaleyo ndlela uDavide walingisa uJehova uNkulunkulu, othanda futhi azise abesifazane abanjalo abakhaliphile, abanesibindi nabathembekile.