1-3. (a) Yintoni eyayinokwenza uEstere oyike ukuya kumyeni wakhe? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyixubusha ngoEstere?

UESTERE wazama ukuthoba ixhala njengoko wayesondela kwibhotwe lakomkhulu eShushan. Kwakungelulanga. Yonke into eyayikweli bhotwe yayenzelwe ukukushiya ubamb’ ongezantsi—imifanekiso eqingqiweyo eyenziwe ngezitena yeenkunzi zeenkomo ezinamaphiko nezimibalabala, abatoli neengonyama, iintsika zamatye ezithi ndijonge, neeNtaba zeZagros elakhiwe kufutshane nazo ezinekhephu, ezivelele umlambo iChoaspes. Zazenzelwe ukukhumbuza umntu ngamnye otyelele apha ngegunya lendoda awayeza kuthetha nayo uEstere, eyayizibiza ngokuba “ngukumkani omkhulu.” Yayikwangumyeni wakhe.

² Umyeni wakhe! Wayahluke kakhulu uAhaswerosi kwindoda eyayinokufunwa yiyo nayiphi na intombi yomYuda ethembekileyo! * Wayengalandeli umzekelo wamadoda anjengoAbraham, owathobela uThixo waza waphulaphula umfazi wakhe uSara. (Gen. 21:12) Ukumkani wayengazi nowathwethwa okanye engazi kangako ngoThixo kaEstere uYehova, nangoMthetho wakhe. Kodwa uAhaswerosi wayewazi umthetho wamaPersi, owawungamvumeli uEstere ukuba enze le nto wayecinga ukuyenza. Yayiyintoni leyo? Kaloku, umthetho wawusithi nabani na oza kukumkani wasePersi engabizwanga wayefanele abulawe. UEstere wayengabizwanga kodwa wayesiya kukumkani. Njengoko wayesondela kwintendelezo engaphakathi enetrone kakumkani nawayeza kubonakala eseza xa ekuyo, mhlawumbi wayezixelela ukuba uya kwantsonga-nyawana.—Funda uEstere 4:11; 5:1.

³ Kwakutheni ukuze abeke ubomi bakhe esichengeni? Yintoni esinokuyifunda kukholo lweli bhinqa? Okokuqala, makhe sibone ukuba kwenzeka njani ukuba uEstere abe yikumkanikazi yamaPersi.

4. Wayenemvelaphi enjani uEstere, ibe kwenzeka njani ukuba aye kuhlala nomzala wakhe uMordekayi?

⁴ UEstere wayeyinkedama. Akukho nto ingako esiyaziyo ngabazali bakhe abamthiya ngokuba nguHadasa, igama lesiHebhere elithetha umdubulo wentyatyambo emhlophe. Emva kokusweleka kwabazali bakaEstere, esinye sezalamane zakhe, indoda enobubele egama linguMordekayi, yaba nemfesane. Babezalana, kodwa uMordekayi wayemdala kuye. Wamthatha uEstere weza kuhlala naye waza wamkhulisa.—Estere 2:5-7, 15.

5, 6. (a) UMordekayi wamkhulisa njani uEstere? (b) UEstere noMordekayi babephila ubomi obunjani eShushan?

⁵ UMordekayi noEstere babeziimbacu zamaYuda kwelo komkhulu lasePersi, mhlawumbi kwakufuneka banyamezele impatho engentle ngenxa yonqulo lwabo noMthetho ababezama ukuwulandela ngokungqongqo. Kodwa umele ukuba uEstere wasondela ngakumbi kuMordekayi njengoko wayemfundisa ngoYehova, uThixo onenceba owahlangula abantu bakhe izihlandlo ezininzi ngaphambili—nowayeza kuphinda abahlangule kwakhona. (Lev. 26:44, 45) Kucacile ukuba kwakungangeni moya phakathi kukaMordekayi noEstere.

⁶ Kubonakala ukuba uMordekayi wayeligosa elithile kwibhotwe laseShushan, wayesoloko engasesangweni nezinye izicaka zikakumkani. (Estere 2:19, 21; 3:3) Asinakuqiniseka ukuba wayesenza ntoni uEstere ekukhuleni kwakhe, kodwa umele ukuba wayenyamekela umza wakhe nekhaya labo ekusenokwenzeka ukuba lalingenabunewunewu yaye lingaphesheya komlambo. Mhlawumbi wayekuthanda ukuya emarikeni eShushan, apho iingcibi zegolide nesilivere nabanye abarhwebi babethengisa khona izinto zabo. Ifanele ukuba yayingathi qatha nokuthi qatha engqondweni kaEstere into yokuba ngenye imini uya kuba nazo ezo zinto.

7. Kwakutheni ukuze uVashti ayekiswe ukuba ngukumkanikazi, ibe waba yintoni umphumo woko?

⁷ Ngenye imini, eShushan kwakuthe  ndii ngamarhe ombhodamo owawusenzeka kwakumkani. Kwisihikahika sesidlo uAhaswerosi awayesenzele izihandiba zakhe, wabiza ukumkanikazi uVashti owayeyimbelukazi emanz’ andonga, owayesidla namanina. Kodwa uVashti akazange avume. Eziva ethotyiwe kwaye eligqabi ngumsindo, ukumkani wabuza kumaphakathi akhe ukuba kwenziwe ntoni kuVashti. Kwagqitywa kwelithini? Wayekiswa ukuba yikumkanikazi. Izicaka zikakumkani zehla zinyuka elizweni zikhangela amagqiyazana; ukumkani wayeza kukhetha ukumkanikazi omtsha phakathi kwawo.—Estere 1:1–2:4.

8. (a) Yintoni eyayinokubangela ukuba uMordekayi abe nexhala ngoEstere njengokuba wayekhula? (b) Ucinga ukuba sinokuyisebenzisa njani imbono elungeleleneyo yeBhayibhile ngobuhle bangaphandle? (Funda neMizekeliso 31:30.)

⁸ Sinokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaMordekayi emana ukumondela, ezidla ngaye kodwa enexhala njengokuba wayekhula loo dadewabo, esiya esiba yimbelukazi ephandla abafana. Sifunda oku: “Eli bhinqa liselula lalimile kakuhle, lilihle nangembonakalo.” (Estere 2:7) IBhayibhile ichaza ubuhle ngendlela elungeleleneyo—bunomtsalane, kodwa kufuneka bukhatshwe bubulumko nokuthobeka. Kungenjalo, bunokumenza umntu azicingele kakhulu, abe nekratshi nezinye iimpawu ezimbi. (Funda iMizekeliso 11:22.) Ngaba wakha wayibona loo nto? Ubuhle bukaEstere babuza kumenza umntu onjani? Kwakuza kubonakala ekuhambeni kwexesha.

9. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni xa izicaka zikakumkani zabona uEstere, ibe kutheni kumel’ ukuba kwakubuhlungu ukwahlukana noMordekayi? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze uMordekayi avumele uEstere ukuba atshate umntu ongakholwayo? (Quka nebhokisi.)

⁹ Izicaka zikakumkani zambona uEstere. Zamthatha kuMordekayi, zahamba naye zamsa ebhotwe ngaphesheya komlambo. (Estere 2:8) Kumele ukuba kwakunzima ukwahlukana, kuba ulwalamano lwabo lwalufana nolwentombi noyise. UMordekayi wayengenakuthanda ukuba le ntombi itshate nomntu ongakholwayo, kwanokumkani lowo, kodwa kwakungekho nto anokuyenza. * Umele ukuba uEstere wawaphulaphula ngenyameko amacebiso kaMordekayi ngaphambi kokuba ahambe! Njengoko wayesiya komkhulu eShushan, ingqondo yakhe yayithatha ibeka. Zaziza kuba njani iimeko zale ndawo aya kuyo?

10, 11. (a) Imeko yokuphila entsha kaEstere yayinokumchaphazela njani? (b) UMordekayi wayibonisa njani inkxalabo ngoEstere?

¹⁰ UEstere wazibona sele ekwindawo awayengayazi kwaphela  nentsha kuye. Wayengomnye ‘wamabhinqa aselula’ awayevela kwiimbombo zone zoBukhosi basePersi. Afanele ukuba ayenamasiko, iilwimi nezimo zengqondo ezahlukene kakhulu. La mabhinqa ayephantsi kweliso elibukhali legosa eligama linguHegayi, ayesenziwa mahle ithuba elingangonyaka, ethanjiswa ngeeoli zabafazi. (Estere 2:8, 12) Imeko enjalo yayinokuwenza loo mabhinqa athi phithi bubuhle bawo, azicingele kakhulu aze akhuphisane. Waqhuba njani uEstere?

¹¹ Akakho umntu omele ukuba wayexhalabele uEstere njengoMordekayi. Sifunda ukuba usuku nosuku wayesiya kufutshane nentendelezo yabafazi ukuze azi ngentlalo-ntle kaEstere. (Estere 2:11) Njengoko wayemana esiva ngaye, mhlawumbi ngezicaka zakomkhulu, umele ukuba wayesiba neqhayiya. Ngoba?

12, 13. (a) Abantu ababekunye noEstere babecinga ntoni ngaye? (b) Kutheni sinokuthi uMordekayi wayenokuvuya xa esiva ukuba uEstere akazichazanga ukuba ungumYuda?

 ¹² UHegayi wakholwa nguEstere kangangokuba wamphatha ngobubele, wamnika izicakakazi ezisixhenxe nelona gumbi lisemgangathweni kuloo ndlu yabafazi. Le ngxelo ide ithi: “Ngalo lonke elo xesha uEstere wayezuza inkoleko emehlweni akhe wonk’ ubani owayembona.” (Estere 2:9, 15) Ngaba abantu babemthanda ngenxa nje yobuhle bakhe? Akunjalo, yayingebobuhle kuphela obumenza athandeke.

¹³ Ngokomzekelo sifunda oku: “UEstere akazange athethe ngabantu bakowabo okanye ngezalamane zakhe, kuba uMordekayi wayembekele umyalelo ukuba angaxeli.” (Estere 2:10) UMordekayi  wamyalela ukuba angazichazi ukuba ungumYuda; ngokungathandabuzekiyo wayebona ukuba kubukhosi basePersi, babengathandwa. Umele ukuba wayevuya ngokwenene kukufumanisa ukuba, nangona uEstere wayengasekho phambi kwakhe, wayebonisa ubulumko nokuthobeka.

14. Abantu abaselula banokuwuxelisa njani umzekelo kaEstere namhlanje?

¹⁴ Nanamhlanje abaselula banokubavuyisa abazali babo nabantu abaphantsi kweliso labo. Xa bengabonwa ngabazali babo—nokuba baphakathi kwabantu abaziphethe kakubi okanye abakhohlakeleyo—banokuyixhathisa impembelelo embi baze babambelele kwimilinganiselo abayaziyo ukuba mihle. Xa besenjenjalo, njengoEstere, bavuyisa uYise osezulwini.—Funda iMizekeliso 27:11.

15, 16. (a) Ukumkani wamthanda ngenxa yantoni uEstere? (b) Kutheni kusenokwenzeka ukuba iinguqu ebomini bukaEstere zazilucelomngeni?

¹⁵ Lathi lakufika ixesha lokuba uEstere abonwe ngukumkani, wanikwa ilungelo lokukhetha nantoni na ayifunayo, mhlawumbi ukuze azilungise ngakumbi. Sekunjalo, wathobeka waza akafuna nto ngaphandle kwezo wayezinikwe nguHegayi. (Estere 2:15) Waqonda ukuba ubuhle bubodwa abunakumenza athandwe ngukumkani; ukuthozama nokuthobeka yayizezona mpawu zinqabileyo kwabo bafazi. Ngaba wayechanile?

¹⁶ Ingxelo ithi: “Ukumkani wamthanda uEstere ngaphezu kwawo onke amanye amabhinqa, kangangokuba wakholeka ngakumbi wafumana nobubele bothando obungakumbi kuye ngaphezu kwazo zonke ezinye iintombi ezinyulu. Yaye wabeka isigqubuthelo sentloko sasebukhosini entlokweni yakhe waza wamenza ukumkanikazi esikhundleni sikaVashti.” (Estere 2:17) Kumele ukuba kwakunzima kule ntombazana yomYuda ithobekileyo ukuqhelana nale meko— wayengukumkanikazi omtsha, umfazi woyena kumkani wayenamandla ehlabathini ngeloo xesha! Ngaba esi sikhundla sakhe sitsha samza entloko, samenza wee lwale likratshi? Hayi nakancinane!

17. (a) UEstere wahlala emthobela ngaziphi iindlela uMordekayi? (b) Kutheni umzekelo kaEstere ubalulekile kuthi namhlanje?

¹⁷ UEstere waqhubeka emthobela uMordekayi. Ulwalamano lwakhe namaYuda walugcina luyindaba yakwamkhozi. Ukongezelela koko, xa uMordekayi wamchazela ngeyelenqe lokubulawa kuka-Ahaswerosi, ngokuthobeka uEstere wachazela ukumkani laza elo yelenqe laphanza. (Estere 2:20-23) Wabonisa ukholo kuThixo wakhe ngokuthobeka nokuthobela. Umzekelo kaEstere ufuneka ngamandla kule mihla, kuba lunqabe okwezinyo lenkuku olu phawu lokuthobeka! Kodwa abantu abanokholo lokwenene bayakuxabisa ukuthobela njengoEstere.

18. (a) Yintoni esenokuba yabangela ukuba uMordekayi angavumi ukuqubuda kuHaman? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.) (b) Amadoda namabhinqa anokholo namhlanje awuxelisa njani umzekelo kaMordekayi?

¹⁸ Indoda egama linguHaman yafumana isikhundla esiphakamileyo ebukhosini buka-Ahaswerosi. Ukumkani wamenza inkulumbuso, nentonga yakhe yasekhosi nomntu wesibini ukuba negunya ebukhosini. Ukumkani wade wakhupha umyalelo wokuba bonke abantu baqubude kweli gosa xa belibona. (Estere 3:1-4) Loo mthetho wawuza kubangela ingxaki kuMordekayi. Wayekholelwa ukuba ufanele athotyelwe ukumkani, kodwa anganyhashwa uThixo. Kaloku, uHaman ‘wayengumAgagi.’ Kubonakala ukuba wayephuma kumlibo ka-Agagi, ukumkani wama-Amaleki owabulawa ngumprofeti kaThixo uSamuweli. (1 Sam. 15:33) Ama-Amaleki ayengendawo ngendlela egqith’ emgceni kangangokuba aba ziintshaba zikaYehova namaSirayeli. Uhlanga lwama-Amaleki lwaluqalekisiwe nguThixo. * (Dut. 25:19) UmYuda othembekileyo wayenokuqubuda njani kumAmaleki? Wayengenakuyenza loo nto uMordekayi. Wabonisa inkalipho. Nanamhla oku, amadoda namabhinqa anokholo aye abeka ubomi bawo esichengeni ukuze athobele lo mgaqo: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZe. 5:29.

19. Wayefuna ukwenza ntoni uHaman, ibe wameyisela njani ukumkani?

¹⁹ UHaman waba lugcwabevu ngumsindo. Kodwa wayengafuni nje ukubulala uMordekayi kuphela. Wayefuna ukubatshayela bonke abantu bakuloMordekayi! UHaman wathetha kakubi ngamaYuda kukumkani. Akazange awabize ngagama, wathi ngabantu abangabalulekanga nganto, “abachithachithiweyo nabahlukileyo abaphakathi kwezizwana.” Into embi nangakumbi kukuba wathi abayithobeli imithetho kakumkani; bayavukela. Wathi uza kuzihlawula ngokwakhe iindleko zokubulawa kwawo onke amaYuda akobo bukhosi. * UAhaswerosi wanika uHaman umsesane wakhe wokutywina ukuze atywine nawuphi na umthetho awenzileyo.—Estere 3:5-10.

20, 21. (a) Isigwebo sikaHaman sasiza kuwachaphazela njani amaYuda awayeseBukhosini basePersi, kuquka noMordekayi? (b) UMordekayi wambongoza ukuba enze ntoni uEstere?

²⁰ Akuzange kube kudala izithunywa zakomkhulu zathi  bhazalala kobo bukhosi bukhulu bamaPersi, zichaza isigwebo sokubulawa kwamaYuda. Khawuthelekelele indlela eyavakalelwa ngayo intsalela eyayiseYerusalem yakuva ngeso sigwebo, apho amaYuda awayevela elubhacweni eBhabhiloni ayezama ukuvuselela isixeko esasingenazo neendonga zokuwakhusela. Mhlawumbi uMordekayi wacinga ngawo, nangabahlobo nezalamane zakhe eShushan, ukuva kwakhe ezi ndaba zibuhlungu. Ebuhlungu, wakrazula iingubo zakhe, wambatha irhonya wazigalela uthuthu entloko, waza wakhala embindini wesixeko. Ngelo xesha, uHaman usela nokumkani, akukho nento le ethi thiki ngentlungu awayeyibangele amaYuda nabahlobo bawo abaseShushan.—Funda uEstere 3:12–4:1.

²¹ UMordekayi wayesazi ukuba akanakuhlala nje asonge izandla. Kodwa wayeza kwenza ntoni? UEstere weva ngentlungu yakhe waza wamthumelela iimpahla, kodwa uMordekayi akazange athuthuzeleke. Mhlawumbi wayezibuza ukuba kwakutheni ukuze uThixo wakhe uYehova avumele uEstere owayeyintandane yakhe ahluthwe kuye aze atshatiswe nomlawuli womhedeni. Ngoku sasibonakala isizathu. UMordekayi wathumela umyalezo kukumkanikazi, ebongoza uEstere ukuba athethe nokumkani, ukuba amele “abantu bakowabo.”—Estere 4:4-8.

22. Yintoni eyenza uEstere woyika ukuya kuvela ngaphambi komyeni wakhe ongukumkani? (Funda nombhalo osemazantsi.)

 ²² Kumele ukuba kwathi xhungu kuEstere esakuva ezo ndaba. Olu yayilolona vavanyo luqatha lokholo lwakhe. Wayesoyika, kwaye wayiveza loo nto xa waphendula uMordekayi. Wamkhumbuza ngomthetho kakumkani. Ukuya kukumkani engakubizanga kwakuza kuthetha ukufa. Wayenokusinda kuphela xa ukumkani emolulele intonga yobukhosi yegolide. Ngaba uEstere wayenaso isizathu sokulindela ukuba enzelwe loo nceba, emva kwento eyenzeka kuVashti ongazange avume ukuza xa ebizwa ngukumkani? UEstere waxelela uMordekayi ukuba kudlule iintsuku ezingama-30 ukumkani engambizanga! Ukungananzwa kwakhe kwayitsho ingqondo yabethabethana, ezibuza ukuba usathandwa kusini na ngukumkani. *—Estere 4:9-11.

23. (a) Wathetha waphi amazwi uMordekayi ukuze omeleze ukholo lukaEstere? (b) Kutheni uMordekayi engowokuxeliswa?

²³ UMordekayi wamphendula ngokucacileyo uEstere esomeleza ukholo lwakhe. Wathi ukuba uyasilela, amaYuda aya kusindiswa ngenye indlela. Kodwa ngaba uEstere wayemele alindele ukusinda xa sele iqalisile intshutshiso? Apha uMordekayi wabonisa ukuba wayenokholo olunzulu kuYehova, ongenakuze avumele ukuba batshatyalaliswe abantu bakhe zize izithembiso zakhe zingazaliseki. (Yosh. 23:14) Emva koko uMordekayi wabuza uEstere oku: “Ngubani owaziyo enoba uye wafumana isidima sasebukhosini ngenxa yexesha elinje?” (Estere 4:12-14) Ngaba asimele simxelise uMordekayi? Kaloku wayekholose ngokupheleleyo ngoThixo wakhe, uYehova. Ngaba nathi sinjalo?—IMize. 3:5, 6.

24. UEstere walubonisa njani ukholo nenkalipho?

²⁴ Lalifikile ixesha lokuba uEstere enze isigqibo. Wacela uMordekayi ukuba amqokelelele amadoda aza kuzila nawo iintsuku ezintathu, waza wathetha la mazwi aye aqhubeka ekho de kube namhlanje nabonisa ukholo nenkalipho: “Ukuba ndimele nditshabalale, manditshabalale.” (Estere 4:15-17) Umele ukuba wathandaza nzulu ngezo ntsuku zintathu kunanini na ngaphambili ebomini bakhe. Ekugqibeleni lade lafika eli xesha. Wanxiba impahla yasebukhosini engayiwayo, esenza yonke into ukuze athimbe umxhelo kakumkani. Emva koko waya kukumkani.

25. Chaza into eyayisenzeka njengoko uEstere wayesondela kumyeni wakhe.

²⁵ Njengokuba bekuchaziwe ekuqaleni kwesi sahluko, uEstere waya entendelezweni kakumkani. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela awayenexhala ngayo, ethandaza ngaphakathi. Wangena entendelezweni awayenokumbona uAhaswerosi ehleli etroneni yakhe. Mhlawumbi wazama ukufunda inkangeleko yobuso bakhe obabuneendevu ezazindindwe kakuhle. Ukuba kwakuza kufuneka alinde, umele ukuba kwakungathi ulinde unaphakade. Kodwa ixesha ladlula waza wambona umyeni wakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo wothuka, kodwa wathamba akumbona. Wamolulela intonga yakhe yobukhosi yegolide!—Estere 5:1, 2.

26. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba amaKristu okwenyaniso abe nenkalipho enjengekaEstere, ibe kutheni sinokuthi wayengekabi phi?

²⁶ UEstere wafumana ithuba lokuthetha. Wamela uThixo nabantu bakowabo, emisela umzekelo bonke abakhonzi bakaThixo ukutyhubela imbali. AmaKristu okwenyaniso ayayixabisa imizekelo elolu hlobo. UYesu wathi abafundi bakhe baya kuphawulwa ngothando lwabo lokuzincama. (Funda uYohane 13:34, 35.) Ukuze sibonise uthando olunjalo, kufuneka sibe nenkalipho njengoEstere. Kodwa kwanasemva kokuba uEstere emele abantu bakowabo, kwakungekabi phi. Wayeza kumchazela njani ukumkani ukuba intonga yakhe yasekhosi, uHaman, yayiqulunqa iyelenqe elingendawo? Wayeza kubahlangula njani abantu bakhe? Le mibuzo siza kuyiphendula kwinqaku elilandelayo.