1, 2. (a) Kungani uHana wayengajabuli ngesikhathi elungiselela uhambo lwabo? (b) Indaba kaHana ingasinceda ngani?

UHANA wabambabamba lokhu lalokhuya elungiselela uhambo lwabo, ezama ukuthi ake akhohlwe ngendubo zakhe. Lesi kwakumele kube yisikhathi sentokozo. Minyaka yonke umkakhe u-Elikhana wayethatha yonke imuli yakhe ahambe layo eShilo besiyakhonza ethabanikeli. UJehova wayefuna ukuthi abantu bakhe bajabule ngezikhathi lezi. (Bala uDutheronomi 16:15.) Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi esakhula, uHana wayethaba afe nxa kuyiwa emikhosini le. Kodwa khathesi okwakuyiziziba kwasekungamazibuko.

² UHana wayebusisiwe sibili ngoba wayelendoda eyayingamthontisi. Lanxa kunjalo, u-Elikhana wayelomunye umfazi okwakuthiwa nguPhenina. Kukhanya angathi uPhenina wayezimisele ukumdlisa imbuya ngoluthi unyanewabo. Sizabona ukuthi nxa kwasekuyisikhathi semikhosi le eyayisenziwa minyaka yonke, wayesenzani ukuze amzwise ubuhlungu obukhulu. Kanti njalo okuqakatheke kakhulu esizaxoxa ngakho yikuthi ukholo lukaHana lwamsiza njani ukuthi abhensele ubunzima ayekubo. Nxa ulezinhlupho ezenza ukuthi ungajabuli, indaba kaHana ingakukhuthaza kakhulu.

3, 4. Yiziphi izinto ezimbili ezazihlupha uHana, njalo kungani zonke zazinzima?

³ IBhayibhili lisitshela ngezinto ezimbili ezazincitsha uHana ubuthongo. Okokuqala, wayesesithenjini futhi unyanewabo wayemzonda engafuni lakumbona. Kwakukuncane ayengakwenza ngalokhu. Okwesibili yikuthi weyeyinyumba njalo akulanto ayengayenza ngohlupho lolu. Loba nguphi owesifazana owendileyo ofisa ukuba lomntwana kungamzwisa ubuhlungu lokhu. Ngesikhathi sikaHana khona wayeyabe eseziko elivuthayo ngoba imuli ngayinye yayithembele ebantwaneni ukuthi bakhulise ibizo lomndeni. Ukuba yinyumba kwakukhanya kuyikuqalekiswa okuphindiweyo njalo kwakuyangisa.

 ⁴ UHana wayengabubhensela ubunzima lobu aluba uPhenina wayengekho. Kunengi okwakuhlupha esithenjini. Kwakugcwele ingxabano, ukuncintisana lokuzwisana ubuhlungu. UNkulunkulu weyevele ehlose ukuthi indoda ibe lomfazi oyedwa zwi kusukela ensimini yase-Edeni. (Gen. 2:24) Kuyakhanya-ke ukuthi iBhayibhili kalikusekeli ukuthatha isithembo njalo ubunzima obabusemulini ka-Elikhana butshengisa ukuthi kasilunganga.

5. Kungani uPhenina wayefuna ukuthi uHana athwale nzima, njalo wayesenzani ukuze amzwise ubuhlungu?

⁵ UHana wayeyintandokazi ka-Elikhana. Ngokwesiko lamaJuda, u-Elikhana waqala wathatha uHana wasethatha uPhenina ngemva kweminyaka. IBhayibhili lona lisitshengisa ukuthi uPhenina wayelomona lobukhwele njalo wayelamaqhinga angapheliyo okuhlukuluza unyanewabo. Okwakusenza ukuthi amkhulele yikuthi yena wayephiwe inzalo. Wayelabantwana abanengi futhi lokhu kwakusenza ukuthi azikhukhumeze kakhulu. Kulokuthi azwele uHana usizi njalo amduduze ngokuthi wayeyinyumba, yena wayehlikihlela ibilebile kuleso silonda. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi uPhenina wayemgolomba uHana “ukuze amcaphule.” (1 Sam. 1:6) Wayesenza konke lokhu ngabomo. Wayefuna ukumzwisa ubuhlungu njalo wayephumelela.

6, 7. (a) Lanxa u-Elikhana wayezama ukumduduza, kungani uHana engazange amtshele konke okwakusenzakala? (b) Ukuba yinyumba kukaHana kwakusitsho ukuthi uJehova wayemqalekisile yini? Chaza. (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

⁶ Kukhanya minyaka yonke nxa babesiyakhonza eShilo, uPhenina wayethola ithuba elihle lokuzwisa uHana ubuhlungu. U-Elikhana wayenika “wonke amadodana lamadodakazi” kaPhenina izabelo zeminikelo ababezayinikela kuJehova. Kodwa wayenika intandokazi yakhe uHana isabelo esiphindwe kabili. Umhawu kaPhenina wawumenza amgqabhazele uHana, amkhumbuze ukuthi wayeyinyumba, zithi wohlo ezikaHana lenhliziyo yakhe ibe mnyama. U-Elikhana wayekubona ukuthi isithandwa sakhe sasihlulukelwe lokuthi sasingasafaki lutho emlonyeni, wasesithi kahle asiduduze. Wasibuza wathi: “Ukhalelani na? Kungani na ungadli? Kungani udanile? Kuwe angiqakathekanga ukudlula amadodana alitshumi na?”—1 Sam. 1:4-8.

⁷ Kuhle ukuthi u-Elikhana wayekunanzelela ukuthi okwakusenza uHana ahlulukelwe yikuthi wayeyinyumba. Kumele ukuthi amazwi omkakhe owayelothando ayemduduza uHana. * Kodwa u-Elikhana kazange akhulume ngesihluku  sikaPhenina, njalo iBhayibhili lalo kalitsho ukuthi uHana wamtshela. Mhlawumbe uHana wabona ukuthi ukumceba kwakuzabe kuyikukhwezela umlilo. Kukhona yini u-Elikhana ayengakwenza? UPhenina wayengeke yini amzonde kakhulu? Mhlawumbe wayezacina esezondwa langabantwana bakaPhenina kanye lezinceku zowesifazana lo owayelolunya. Engxenye babezamhlamukela aze acine esezizwa eyindlubu ewele ephokweni yena esemzini wakhe.

8. Nxa uhlukuluzwa, kungani kuqakathekile ukukhumbula ukuthi uJehova nguNkulunkulu othanda ukulunga?

⁸ Kungelani lokuthi u-Elikhana wayesibona isihluku sikaPhenina kumbe hatshi, uJehova uNkulunkulu wayekhangele konke okwakusenzakala. ILizwi lakhe likuveza mgceke ukuthi wayekubona konke. Yikho-ke indaba le ilimukisa bonke abalomhawu lenzondo futhi abenza izinto ezingakhanya zizincane kodwa ezizwisa abanye ubuhlungu. Kanti njalo iduduza abahlukuluzwa bengelacala labathanda ukuthula njengoHana ngoba iveza ukuthi uNkulunkulu othanda ukulunga uyazilungisa izinto ngesikhathi sakhe langendlela yakhe. (Bala uDutheronomi 32:4.) Engxenye uHana laye wayekwazi lokhu, yikho wacela ukuthi uJehova amsize.

9. Kusifundisani ukuthi uHana wahamba eShilo lanxa wayekwazi ukuthi unyanewabo wayezamphatha kubi?

⁹ Kwakusempondozankomo, imuli yonke isididizela ilungiselela uhambo. Labantwana labo basebemi ngezinyawo. Imuli le kwakumele ihambe umango ongaba ngamakhilomitha angu-32 idabula phakathi kwamaqaqa ako-Efrayimi. * Uhambo lolu lwaluzabathatha ilanga elilodwa loba amabili ngenyawo. UHana wayekwazi ukuthi unyanewabo wayezamthwalisa amagabha avuzayo. Loba kunjalo, kazange asale ethe kho ngekhaya. Lamuhla lathi kumele silingisele isibonelo sakhe. Akufanelanga sivumele ukuthi amaphutha abanye aphambanise ukukhonza kwethu uNkulunkulu ngoba lokhu kungenza ukuthi singazitholi izibusiso ezingasisiza ukuthi silwisane lobunzima esiyabe sikubo.

10, 11. (a) Kungani uHana wathi ethola nje ithuba wahle waqonda ethabanikeli? (b) Ngesikhathi uHana ethandaza, kuyini akutshela uYise osezulwini?

¹⁰ Bathi sebehambe okwelanga lonke emigwaqweni eyayimazombezombe phakathi kwezintaba, bayibona nansiya iShilo. Indawo le yayiphezu koqaqa, ngapha igqagqelwe zintatshana. Kumele ukuthi sebezafika, uHana wayelokhu enakana ngokuthi wayezathandaza athini kuJehova. Befika nje bahle baqala ngokudla. UHana wathi ethola ithuba, wathi nyelele waya ethabanikeli likaJehova. U-Eli owayenguMphristi  Omkhulu wayekhona, ehlezi duze lensika yomnyango. Kodwa uHana kazange amnanzelele ngoba ingqondo yakhe yayikuNkulunkulu wakhe. Wayengathandabuzi ukuthi njengoba wayesethabanikeli, wayezawuzwa umthandazo wakhe. Lanxa kwakungaswelakala owayengaluzwisisa ngokugcweleyo usizi ayekulo, uYise osezulwini wayezaluzwisisa. Imizwa yosizi yaqubuka phakathi kwakhe, zahlengezela izinyembezi.

¹¹ UHana wathi elokhu ebihla lomzimba uqhaqhazela, wathandazela enhliziyweni. Zanyikinyeka izindebe, ecinga amazwi ayengachasisa ubuhlungu ayebuzwa. Wathandaza okwesikhathi eside, etshela uYise konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe. Isifiso sakhe esikhulu kwakuyikuba lomntwana. Kodwa kazange acele lokhu kuphela. Phela wayefuna lokunikela kuNkulunkulu, hatshi ukuthola izibusiso kuphela. Ngakho-ke wafunga kuJehova emthembisa ukuthi nxa wayengathola indodana, wayezayinikela kuye ukuthi imkhonze impilo yayo yonke.—1 Sam. 1:9-11.

12. Isibonelo sikaHana sisifundisa ukuthi kuyini okumele sikwenze nxa sithandaza?

¹² UHana watshiyela zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu isibonelo okumele zisilingisele nxa zithandaza. UJehova unxusa abantu bakhe ukuthi bangathikazi ukumtshela okusezinhliziyweni zabo. Ufuna bamtshele konke okubakhathazayo, njengomntwana okhuluma loyise olothando futhi amthembayo. (Bala iHubo 62:8; 1 KwabaseThesalonika 5:17.) Umphostoli uPhetro waphefumulelwa ukuthi alobe amazwi aduduzayo amayelana lokuthandaza kuJehova. Wathi: “Yethulani kuye konke ukukhathazeka kwenu ngoba yena uyalikhathalela.”—1 Phet. 5:7.

13, 14. (a) U-Eli wahle wazitshela ukuthini lapho ebona uHana? (b) Indlela uHana aphendula ngayo u-Eli isifundisani?

¹³ UJehova kafanani lathi abantu. Ulesihawu futhi uyazwisisa zikhathi zonke. UHana wathi elokhu ethandaza ekhala, wethuka esizwa ilizwi lendoda. Lalingelika-Eli uMphristi Omkhulu owayelokhu embukele. Wathi: “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.” Wayebone uHana engahlalisekanga, ebihla, futhi lezindebe zakhe ziqhaqhazela. Kulokuthi ambuze ukuthi kanti kwakutheni, yena wahle wazitshela ukuthi wayedakiwe.—1 Sam. 1:12-14.

¹⁴ Kufanele ukuthi lokhu kwamzwisa ubuhlungu uHana. Inhliziyo yakhe yayivele isopha, nanso lendoda eyayilesikhundla esiqakathekileyo imbhixa ngento angayaziyo! Lanxa kunjalo, lalapha watshengisa ukuthi ulokholo futhi kumele simlingisele. Kazange avumele ukuthi amaphutha omuntu aphambanise ukukhonza kwakhe uJehova. Wamphendula ngenhlonipho u-Eli, wamchasisela uhlupho lwakhe. U-Eli laye wamphendula, mhlawumbe ngelizwi elipholileyo ezisola wathi: “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”—1 Sam. 1:15-17.

15, 16. (a) Kwamnceda ngani uHana ukutshela uJehova konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe kanye lokuyamkhonza ethabanikeli? (b) Singamlingisela njani uHana nxa sikhathazeke kakhulu?

 ¹⁵ Kwamnceda ngani uHana ukutshela uJehova konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe kanye lokuyamkhonza ethabanikeli? IBhayibhili lithi: “Wasuka wahamba, wadla, njalo ubuso bakhe babungasadananga.” (1 Sam. 1:18) UHana wezwa angathi wethule umthwalo osindayo. Kwakungani uwuthe ji phezu kwamahlombe kaYise osezulwini olamandla amangalisayo futhi angapheliyo. (Bala iHubo 55:22.) Kukhona yini okungamsinda? Hatshi akukho, akukaze kube khona njalo akusoze kwafa kwaba khona!

¹⁶ Nxa sizizwa sihlulukelwe, sisenzikini yosizi kumbe sesihlala sidanile, kumele senze njengoHana, sitshele uJehova konke ngoba iBhayibhili lithi ‘yena uyawuzwa umthandazo.’ (Hubo. 65:2) Nxa singathandaza silokholo, ngeke siqhubeke sidanile kodwa sizakuba ‘lokuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula ukuqedisisa konke.’—Flp. 4:6, 7.

17, 18. (a) U-Elikhana watshengisa njani ukuthi wayesisekela isifungo sikaHana? (b) Izinto ezazisenziwa nguPhenina zaqhubeka zimhlupha yini uHana? Chaza.

¹⁷ Kusisa ekuseni, uHana wabuyela ethabanikeli eselo-Elikhana. Mhlawumbe wayesemtshelile ngesicelo sakhe langesifungo ayesenzile ngoba uMthetho kaMosi wawusithi indoda yayilelungelo lokwalisa umkayo ukugcwalisa isifungo ayesenze yona ingakwazi. (Nani. 30:10-15) Kodwa u-Elikhana kazange amalise ngenxa yokuthi wayeyindoda elokholo. Yena loHana bakhonza uJehova ethabanikeli, basebebuyela ngekhaya.

¹⁸ UPhenina wakunanzelela nini ukuthi uHana wayesehlala ezichelesele lanxa yena wayemgolomba? IBhayibhili kalisitsheli kodwa lithi “ubuso bakhe babungasadananga,” okutshengisa ukuthi kusukela ngaleso sikhathi uHana wayesejabula, engasazihluphi ngitsho. Lanxa uPhenina wayengaqhubeka emhlukuluza, kwakuyabe sekufana nje lokuthela amanzi emhlana wedada. IBhayibhili licina khonapho ukukhuluma ngoPhenina.

19. Yisiphi isibusiso uHana asitholayo, njalo watshengisa njani ukuthi kazange alibale ukuthi sasivela kubani?

¹⁹ Ukukhathazeka kukaHana kwaphela. Ngemva kwezinyanga wezwa ethelwa ngeminye imikhizo yentokozo. Wayesezithwele! Wajabula kakhulu, kodwa kazange alibale ukuthi isibusiso leso sasivela kubani. Lapho indodana yakhe izalwa, wayetha ibizo elithi Samuyeli elitsho ukuthi “Ibizo likaNkulunkulu.” Kungenzakala ukuthi lalichaza lokho uHana ayekwenzile, ukubiza ibizo likaNkulunkulu. Ngalowo mnyaka kazange ahambe lo-Elikhana labanye bonke eShilo. Kwaba yiso leso okweminyaka emithathu, waze wamkhipha ebeleni. Kwasekumele aqunge  isibindi ngoba laselifikile-ke ilanga ayezehlukana lendodana yakhe ayithandayo.

20. UHana lo-Elikhana basigcwalisa njani isithembiso ababesenze kuJehova?

²⁰ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kwakunzima ukwehlukana lomntanakhe. UHana wayekwazi sibili ukuthi uSamuyeli wayezanakekelwa kuhle eShilo. Phela kwakulabesifazana ababesebenza ethabanikeli. Kodwa wayesesemncane kakhulu. Kambe ukhona umama ongafuniyo ukuhlala lomntanakhe? Lanxa kwakubuhlungu, uHana lo-Elikhana bayihambisa indodana yabo, futhi lokhu kabakwenzanga behudula inyawo kodwa bakwenza ngenhliziyo yonke. Banikela imihlatshelo endlini kaNkulunkulu basebehambisa uSamuyeli ku-Eli, bakhumbuza uMphristi lo ngesifungo okwasekuleminyaka emithathu uHana esenzile.

21. Umthandazo kaHana watshengisa njani ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Imithandazo Emibili Emihle Kakhulu.”)

²¹ UHana wathandaza njalo uNkulunkulu wakubona kufanele ukuthi umthandazo lo ufakwe eLizwini lakhe eliphefumulelweyo. Nxa uwubala ku-1 Samuyeli 2:1-10, uzananzelela ukuthi umutsho ngamunye uveza ukuthi wayelokholo oluqinileyo. Wadumisa uJehova ngokuthi wayewasebenzisa ngendlela emangalisayo amandla akhe. Wamdumisa ngokuthi ulamandla okwehlisa abazikhukhumezayo, okubusisa abahlukuluzwayo kanye lawokuletha ukufa lokuphila. Waphinda wamdumisa ngokuthi ungcwele, ulungile langokuthi uthembekile. Yikho waze wathi: “AkulaDwala elinjengoNkulunkulu wethu.” UJehova ngeke asibambise ilitshe futhi kaguquki. Nxa abahlukuluzwayo kanye labasosizini becela usizo kuye, uba yisiphephelo sabo.

22, 23. (a) Kungani singathandabuzi ukuthi uSamuyeli wakhula ekwazi ukuthi abazali bakhe babemthanda? (b) UJehova waphinda wambusisa ngani uHana?

²² USamuyeli wayebusisiwe sibili ngokuba lomama owayelokholo oluqinileyo. Wayesesemncane futhi akuthandabuzwa ukuthi wayeke amkhanuke kakhulu. Lanxa kunjalo,  kazange abone angani wayemkhohliwe. Minyaka yonke uHana wayemvakatshela eShilo, emphathele ijazana elingelamikhono ukuze aligqoke nxa esebenza ethabanikeli. Indlela elalithungwe ngayo yayitshengisa ukuthi unina wayemthanda kakhulu futhi emkhathalela. (Bala u-1 Samuyeli 2:19.) Akumbone emgqokisa lona, abesemlungilungisa, amthaphe ngamehlo othando ngapha emtshela amazwi akhuthazayo futhi alomusa. USamuyeli wayebusisiwe sibili ngokuba lomama onjalo. Laye wenza izinto ezathokozisa abazali bakhe futhi zanceda abako-Israyeli.

²³ UJehova laye kazange amkhohlwe uHana. Wambusisa, wazalela u-Elikhana abanye abantwana abahlanu. (1 Sam. 2:21) Kodwa kumele ukuthi isibusiso esihle kulazo zonke asitholayo sasingesokuba ngumngane kaJehova uYise osezulwini, futhi ubungane babo baqhubeka buqina eminyakeni eyalandelayo. Lawe uzakuba ngumngane kaNkulunkulu nxa ungalingisela uHana ube lokholo njengaye.