1-3. (a) Abetiva njani Esta ngesikhatsi asondzela esihlalweni sebukhosi sendvodza yakhe? (b) Inkhosi yenta njani nayibona Esta ayivakashele?

KANCANE KANCANE Esta wasondzela esihlalweni sebukhosi, futsi inhlitiyo yakhe beyishayela etulu. Asewubone ngeliso lengcondvo esigodlweni lesikhulu sasePheresiya lebesiseSusa kuthule kutse dvu, kangangekutsi Esta abetiva nakanyatsela, eva nekuhwashatela kwetingubo takhe tasebukhosini. Abengeke avume kuphatanyiswa bukhulu balesigodlo, tinsika taso letikhangako kanye neluphahla lwaso lolwentiwe kahle ngemisedari yaseLebhanoni. Abenake lendvodza lebeyihleti esihlalweni sebukhosi, lebekusetandleni tayo konkhe kuphila kwakhe.

² Inkhosi yambukisisa Esta njengobe asondzela, yase imphakamisela indvuku yayo yeligolide. Lesi bekusento lesimelula kodvwa ku-Esta besisho kuphila, ngobe ngekwenta njalo, inkhosi beyimtsetselela ngekwephula kwakhe umtsetfo wekutsi akukafaneli uvele embikwenkhosi ingakakubiti. Watsi nakefika esihlalweni sebukhosi, Esta welula sandla watsintsa sihloko salendvuku kute avete kubonga kwakhe.​—Esta 5:1, 2.

³ Tonkhe tintfo iNkhosi Ahashiveroshi lebeyinato betiveta kunjinga kwayo kanye nemandla ayo lamakhulu. Timphahla tasebukhosini lebetigcokwa ngemakhosi asePheresiya ngaleto tikhatsi kungenteka betibita imali lelingana nemakhulu etigidzi temarandi. Esta wawubona umusa emehlweni endvodza yakhe, futsi wabona kutsi iyamtsandza. Yatsi: “Kwenteke njani, nkhosikati Esta? Ngitjele kutsi ufunani, utakutfola, nome ngabe kuyincenye yembuso wami.”​—Esta 5:3.

4. Ngumuphi umsebenti Esta lebekusafanele awente?

⁴ Esta abesavele abonise kukholwa nesibindzi lesimangalisako; bekete enkhosini kute avikele bantfu bakubo kulelicebo lebelentiwe lekubabulala bonkhe. Kute kube nguleso sikhatsi abephumelele, kodvwa bekusekunyenti lebekufanele akwente. Bekufanele ente lenkhosi letigabatisako ikholwe kutsi lomeluleki wayo lemetsembako abengumuntfu lomubi futsi abemkhohlisile kuze kubulawe  bantfu bakubo-Esta. Abetayicinisekisa njani ngaloku, futsi sifundzani ekukholweni kwakhe?

5, 6. (a) Esta wasisebentisa njani simiso lesitfolakala kuMshumayeli 3:1, 7? (b) Indlela Esta lakhuluma ngayo nendvodza yakhe yaba njani ngulehlakaniphile?

⁵ Bekufanele yini Esta achazele inkhosi ngalenkinga embikwabo bonkhe lebebakhona? Kwenta njalo bekutayihlazisa inkhosi futsi kwente Hamani aphikise loko lokwakushiwo ngu-Esta. Yini-ke Esta layenta? Etinkhulungwaneni teminyaka ngembikwaloko, inkhosi lehlakaniphile Solomoni yaphefumulelwa kutsi ibhale: “Konkhe kunesikhatsi sako, . . . sikhatsi sekubindza nesikhatsi sekukhuluma.” (Shu. 3:1, 7) Singase simcabange Modekhayi indvodza leyetsembekile leyakhulisa Esta, amfundzisa timiso letinjalo njengobe achubeka akhula. Kufanele kutsi Esta wakubona kubaluleka kwekusikhetsa kahle ‘sikhatsi sekukhuluma.’

⁶ Esta watsi: “Uma kukuhle enkhosini yami, ngicela kutsi inkhosi ite naHamani lamuhla edzilini lengililungiselela bona.” (Esta 5:4) Inkhosi yavuma yase itsi akubitwe Hamani. Uyabona yini kutsi Esta  wakhuluma ngekuhlakanipha? Wasilondvolota sitfunti sendvodza yakhe futsi wahlela kukuveta ngesikhatsi lesincono loko lokwakumkhatsata.​—Fundza Taga 10:19.

7, 8. Belinjani lidzili lekucala lelentiwa ngu-Esta, kodvwa kungani atsatsa sikhatsi kukhuluma nenkhosi?

⁷ Asingabati kutsi Esta walilungiselela kahle lelidzili, waciniseka kutsi wenta konkhe lokutsandvwa yindvodza yakhe. Kulelidzili bekukhona neliwayini lelimnandzi lebelibenta bajabule. (Hla. 104:15) Ahashiveroshi watijabulisa, futsi loko kwamenta waphindze wabuta Esta kutsi siyini sicelo sakhe. Besekusikhatsi lesikahle yini sekutsi akhulume?

⁸ Esta akazange abone kanjalo. Esikhundleni saloko, wamema inkhosi kanye naHamani kutsi bete edzilini lesibili ngelilanga lelilandzelako. (Esta 5:7, 8) Yini leyamenta watsatsa lesinye sikhatsi? Khumbula kutsi bonkhe bantfu bakubo-Esta bebasengotini yekufa ngenca yemyalo wenkhosi. Njengobe kuphila kwebantfu labanyenti bekusengotini, Esta bekufanele aciniseke kutsi ukhuluma ngesikhatsi lesifanele. Ngako walindza kutsi kuvele lelinye litfuba lekutsi akhombise indlela layihlonipha ngayo indvodza yakhe.

9. Kubaluleke ngani kubeketela, futsi singasilingisa njani sibonelo sa-Esta kulendzaba?

 ⁹ Kubeketela kuyintfo lengakavami kodvwa leligugu. Nanobe abecindzetelekile futsi afuna kusho lobekusengcondvweni yakhe, Esta wabeketela walindza sikhatsi lesikahle. Singafundza lokunyenti esibonelweni sakhe, ngobe sonkhe kuyenteka kutsi sibone lokubi lokudzinga kulungiswa. Nangabe sifuna kucinisekisa umuntfu loneligunya kutsi alungise inkinga letsite, kungase kudzingeke silingise Esta futsi sibeketele. Taga 25:15 titsi: “Ngekubeketela umbusi angancengeka aze avume, nelulwimi lolumnandzi lungatsambisa ematje.” Nangabe ngekubeketela silindza sikhatsi lesikahle futsi sikhulume ngemusa njengobe kwenta Esta, singakwati kuncoba umuntfu losiphikisako. Nkulunkulu wa-Esta, Jehova, wakubusisa yini kubeketela nekuhlakanipha kwakhe?

10, 11. Kungani Hamani atfukutsela nakacedza kusuka edzilini lekucala, futsi yini umkakhe nebangani bakhe labamkhutsata kutsi ayente?

¹⁰ Kubeketela kwa-Esta kwavula indlela yekutsi kwenteke tintfo  letinyenti letimangalisako. Hamani wesuka kulelidzili lekucala atsakasile, “ativa amnandzi, ajabule kakhulu” ngekutsi utsandvwa yinkhosi kanye nendlovukazi. Ngesikhatsi Hamani endlula esangweni lalesigodlo wabona Modekhayi, umJuda labengafuni kumkhotsamela. Njengobe sibonile esehlukweni lesendvulele, akusiko kutsi Modekhayi abedzelela, kepha abebangelwa ngunembeza wakhe nebuhlobo bakhe naJehova Nkulunkulu. Kodvwa Hamani “watfukutsela watselwa ngemanti.”​—Esta 5:9.

¹¹ Ngesikhatsi Hamani atjela umkakhe nebangani bakhe ngalokuhlanjalatwa, bamkhutsata kutsi amise sigodvo lesikhulu lesingemamitha langetulu kwalangu-22 budze, bese ucela imvume enkhosini kute alengise Modekhayi kuso. Hamani wawutsandza lombono wabo futsi ngekushesha watsi akwentiwe njalo.​—Esta 5:12-14.

12. Kungani inkhosi yacela kufundzelwa emabhuku emilandvo yeMbuso, futsi yatfolani ngesikhatsi afundvwa?

¹² Inkhosi ayizange ilale kahle ebusuku. LiBhayibheli lisitjela kutsi “abuzange sebehle butfongo enkhosini,” ngako yacela kufundzelwa emabhuku emilandvo yeMbuso. Nakusafundvwa, kwafundvwa nembiko lowawumayelana nelicebo lekubulala Ahashiveroshi. Inkhosi yakukhumbula loko lokwenteka, kutsi labo lebebafuna kuyibulala babanjwa base bayabulawa. Kutsiwani-ke ngaModekhayi, lendvodza leyembula lelicebo? Ngekushesha inkhosi yabuta kutsi ukhona yini umvuzo Modekhayi lanikwa wona. Bamphendvula njani? Batsi kute lentelwa kona.​—Fundza Esta 6:1-3.

13, 14. (a) Tintfo tacala njani kungamhambeli kahle Hamani? (b) Umfati waHamani kanye nebangani bakhe batsini kuye?

¹³ Ikhatsatekile, inkhosi yabuta kutsi ngutiphi tindvuna lebetilapho lebetingayisita kulendzaba. Kwatfolakala Hamani alapho esigodlweni senkhosi—kubonakala shengatsi abefike ekuseni kakhulu ngobe ajake kucela imvume yekubulala Modekhayi. Kodvwa kwatsi Hamani asengakasisho sicelo sakhe, inkhosi yambuta kutsi nguyiphi indlela lencono yekubonga umuntfu lotsandzekako kuyo. Hamani abecabanga kutsi inkhosi isho yena. Ngako waveta indlela yekubonga lomuntfu ngekubukisa lokukhulu watsi: Akembatsiswe ingubo yasebukhosini, indvuna lenkhulu ihambe embikwakhe kuyo yonkhe iSusa, lomuntfu abe agibele lihhashi lenkhosi futsi advunyiswe embikwabo bonkhe bantfu. Asewumbone Hamani aswaca nakeva kutsi lomuntfu lebekufanele abongwe bekunguModekhayi. Ngubani inkhosi leyatsi akahambe amemetela emavi ekudvumisa Modekhayi? NguHamani lucobo lwakhe!​—Esta 6:4-10.

¹⁴ Hamani wawenta angatsandzi lowo msebenti lowawumcansula, futsi ngemuva kwaloko wajaka ekhaya acindzetelekile. Umfati wakhe nebangani bakhe batsi konkhe loku bekulishwa, futsi bekuluphawu lwekutsi abengeke aphumelele naketama kulwa naModekhayi longumJuda.​—Esta 6:12, 13.

15. (a) Kubeketela kwa-Esta kwasita njani? (b) Kungani kukuhlakanipha ngatsi kutsi sibe nesimo ‘sekulindza’?

 ¹⁵ Ngesizatfu sekutsi Esta wabeketela, futsi walindza lelinye lilanga kute avete sicelo sakhe enkhosini, loko kwavula litfuba lekutsi Hamani atihlazise yena. Mhlawumbe nguJehova Nkulunkulu lowabangela kutsi bungehli butfongo benkhosi. (Taga 21:1) Akumangalisi-ke kutsi liVi laNkulunkulu lisikhutsata kutsi sibe nesimo ‘sekulindza.’ (Fundza Mikha 7:7.) Nasilindza Nkulunkulu, singatfola kutsi indlela yakhe yekucatulula tinkinga tetfu ikwendlula khashane loko tsine lebesingase sikucabange.

16, 17. (a) Sefika nini ‘sikhatsi sekutsi Esta akhulume’? (b) Esta abehluke njani kuVashti labeke waba ngumfati wenkhosi?

¹⁶ Esta abengeke afune kutsi inkhosi iphindze imbeketelele; edzilini lakhe lesibili besekufanele ayitjele konkhe. Kodvwa abetawukwenta njani loko? Inkhosi yamnika litfuba lekutsi akhulume, yaphindze yambuta kutsi siyini sicelo sakhe. (Esta 7:2) Ngako besesifikile ‘sikhatsi sekutsi Esta akhulume.’

¹⁷ Singase simcabange Esta athantaza ngenhlitiyo kuNkulunkulu wakhe ngembikwekutsi asho lamavi latsi: “Nakukuhle enkhosini yami kwemukela sicelo sami, nome ngingesibani, sifiso sami, nkhosi, kutsi mane usindzise imphilo yami, nemphilo yesive sakitsi.” (Esta 7:3) Naka kutsi wayicinisekisa inkhosi ngekutsi uyakuhlonipha kwehlulela kwayo mayelana naloko lekubona kulungile. Esta abehluke kakhulu kuVashti labeke waba ngumfati wenkhosi, lowayihlazisa ngemabomu indvodza yakhe. (Esta 1:10-12) Ngetulu kwaloko, Esta akazange ayisole inkhosi ngekungahlakaniphi kwayo ngekutsi yetsembe  Hamani. Kunaloko, wayincenga kutsi imvikele kulentfo lebeyibeka kuphila kwakhe engotini.

18. Esta wayembula njani inkinga enkhosini?

¹⁸ Kufanele kutsi lesicelo sayitsintsa inkhosi futsi sayimangalisa. Ngubani labengabeka kuphila kwendlovukazi yakhe engotini? Esta wachubeka watsi: “Mine nesive sakitsi sitsengisiwe kutsi sibulawe size sife sonkhe siphele. Kube mane bekutsengiswe ngatsi kutsi simane sibe tigcili netigcilikati ngabe ngithulile, ngobe angiboni kutsi loko singaze sikwetfwese inkhosi; kodvwa sitawubhujiswa sonkhe!” (Esta 7:4) Naka kutsi Esta wayichaza ngalokucacile inkinga, kodvwa waphindze watsi abetawubindza kube bebamane nje bafuna kubenta tigcili. Kodvwa lokubulawa kwesive sakubo bekutayitsintsa kakhulu inkhosi, ngako abengeke abindze.

19. Yini lesingayifundza ku-Esta mayelana nekuba nelikhono lekucinisekisa?

¹⁹ Sibonelo sa-Esta sisifundzisa lokukhulu mayelana nekuba nelikhono lekucinisekisa. Nakwenteka udzinga kwembula inkinga lenkhulu kumuntfu lomtsandzako nobe kumuntfu loneligunya, kubeketela, inhlonipho kanye nekukhuluma kahle kungakusita kakhulu.—Taga 16:21, 23.

20, 21. (a) Esta walembula njani licebo laHamani, futsi loku kwenta inkhosi yativa njani? (b) Yini Hamani layenta ngesikhatsi asembulwe njengelicili leliligwala?

²⁰ Ahashiveroshi watsi: “Ngubani lowo? Ukuphi yena lowo muntfu lowente leso sento lesinjalo?” Asewumcabange Esta elula sandla futsi akhomba njengobe atsi: “Sitsa setfu, umuntfu losenyanyako, nalesisinengiso kuye ngunangu Hamani lonenhlitiyo lembi!” Kwentekani ngemuva kwaloko? Hamani lwamutsi bi luvalo! Bubone ngeliso lengcondvo buso benkhosi bushintja njengobe ibona kutsi umeluleki wayo lemetsembako uyente yasayina umtsetfo lobewutawubulala  umfati wayo lemtsandzako. Khona lapho, inkhosi yaphumela ngephandle kute ikwati kucabangisisa kahle.​—Esta 7:5-7.

²¹ Njengobe Hamani besekembuliwe kutsi ulicili leliligwala, wakhasa ngemadvolo waya etinyaweni tendlovukazi. Yatsi nayibuya inkhosi kulendlu lebebakuyo yabona Hamani asesihlalweni sa-Esta amncenga, ngako ngekutfukutsela yasola Hamani ngekutsi abefuna kudlwengula indlovukazi yayo khona lapha esigodlweni. Letinsolo betisicinisekiso sekutsi Hamani utawubulawa. Ngako watsatfwa, asambonywe buso. Lenye yetindvuna tenkhosi yatjela inkhosi kutsi Hamani abelungise lugodvo lolukhulu labefuna kulengisa Modekhayi kulo. Masinyane, Ahashiveroshi watsi akube nguHamani lolengiswa kulo.​—Esta 7:8-10.

22. Sibonelo sa-Esta singasifundzisa njani kutsi singapheli emandla, singaphelelwa litsemba nobe kukholwa kwetfu?

²² Kulelive lalamuhla lelite kulunga, kumelula kucabanga kutsi ngeke kwenteke kutsi siboniswe kulunga. Uke wativa yini ngalendlela? Esta akazange aphele emandla, aphelelwe litsemba nobe kukholwa kwakhe. Nasesifikile sikhatsi sekutsi akhulume, wakumelela ngesibindzi kulunga, futsi konkhe lokunye wakushiyela etandleni taJehova. Natsi asente lokufanako. Jehova akakashintji, usenjengobe abenjalo esikhatsini sa-Esta. Usakwati kubamba lababi nalabanebucili emacebweni abo njengobe enta kuHamani.​—Fundza Tihlabelelo 7:11-16.

23. (a) Inkhosi yababonga njani boModekhayi na-Esta? (b) Siphrofetho lesimayelana naBhenjamini lesentiwa nguJakobe ngesikhatsi alele embhedzeni asatawukufa sagcwaliseka njani? (Fundza libhokisi lelitsi “ Kugcwaliseka Kwesiphrofetho.”)

²³ Ekugcineni, inkhosi yatfola kutsi Modekhayi abengubani​—abengasiye nje umuntfu lowetsembekile lowamsindzisa ekubulaweni, kodvwa abephindze abe ngubabe lowakhulisa Esta. Ahashiveroshi watsatsa sikhundla saHamani sekuba ngundvunankhulu, wasinika Modekhayi. Indlu yaHamani​—lokufaka ekhatsi umcebo wakhe—​inkhosi yakunika Esta, futsi Esta wakunika Modekhayi kuze akunakekele.​—Esta 8:1, 2.

24, 25. (a) Kungani Esta abengeke akhululeke ngemuva kwekwembula licebo laHamani? (b) Esta waphindze wakubeka njani kuphila kwakhe engotini?

²⁴ Nyalo njengobe Esta naModekhayi besebakhululekile, lendlovukazi  beseyitawuyekela yini kukhatsateka? Loko beyingakwenta kube beyiticabangela yona kuphela. Ngaso leso sikhatsi, umtsetfo waHamani wekutsi kubulawe onkhe emaJuda besewusakateke kuyo yonkhe indzawo. Hamani abente inkatho nobe iPhurimu, lokuluhlobo lolutsite lwekusebentelana nemimoya, kuze atfole kutsi ngusiphi sikhatsi lesikahle sekuhlasela ngebudlova. (Esta 9:24-26) Bekusasele tinyanga kutsi lelilanga lifike, kodvwa belisondzela ngekushesha. Lenhlekelele beyisengavimbeka yini?

²⁵ Ngenca yekutsi abengaticabangeli yena, Esta waphindze wakufaka engotini kuphila kwakhe, waya enkhosini ingakambiti. Kuloku, wafike wakhalela bantfu bakubo, wancenga indvodza yakhe kutsi iwesule lomtsetfo lomubi. Kodvwa imitsetfo lebeyishaywa egameni lenkhosi yasePheresiya beyingeke yesulwe. (Dan. 6:12, 15) Ngako lenkhosi yavumela Esta naModekhayi kutsi bakhiphe lomunye umtsetfo. Kwentiwa simemetelo sesibili, emaJuda aniketwa imvume yekutsi ativikele. Bagibeli bemahhashi bebaya kuyo yonkhe indzawo bamemetela letindzaba letimnandzi kumaJuda. Loku kwaphindze kwawaletsela litsemba emaJuda. (Esta 8:3-16) Singase siwacabange emaJuda lakuyo yonkhe lendzawo alungela imphi, lokuyintfo lebeyingeke seyenteke kube awuzange ushaywe lomtsetfo lomusha. Kodvwa umbuto lobaluleke kakhulu kutsi: ‘Simakadze wetimphi’ abetawubakhulula yini bantfu bakhe?​—1 Sam. 17:45.

26, 27. (a) Kuncoba Jehova lakuniketa bantfu bakhe bekukukhulu kangakanani futsi kwaphumelela kangakanani? (b) Ngusiphi siphrofetho lesagcwaliseka ngekubulawa kwemadvodzana aHamani?

 ²⁶ Latsi naselifikile lelilanga lebelibekiwe, bantfu baNkulunkulu besebakulungele kulwa. Ngisho netindvuna letinyenti tasePheresiya betibasekela, njengobe tindzaba mayelana nandvunankhulu lomusha, Modekhayi umJuda, besetisakateke kuyo yonkhe indzawo. Jehova wenta kutsi bantfu bakhe bancobe. Akungabateki kutsi wabavikela bantfu bakhe ekuphatfweni kabi, ngekutsi abente batehlule ngalokuphelele titsa tabo. *​—Esta 9:1-6.

²⁷ Ngetulu kwaloko, Modekhayi abengeke akwati kwengamela kahle endlini yaHamani njengobe emadvodzana lalishumi alendvodza lebeyilicili abesaphila. Nawo-ke abulawa. (Esta 9:7-10) Ngaleyo ndlela, siphrofetho seliBhayibheli sagcwaliseka ngobe ngaphambilini Nkulunkulu abebiketele kubhujiswa ngalokuphelele kwema-Amaleki, labetitsa letinkhulu tebantfu bakhe. (Dut. 25:17-19) Kufanele kutsi emadvodzana aHamani abesemkhatsini webantfu bekugcina baleso sive lababulawa.

28, 29. (a) Kungani bekuyintsandvo yaJehova kutsi Esta nebantfu bakubo bahlanganyele emphini? (b) Kungani sibonelo sa-Esta sisibusiso kitsi lamuhla?

²⁸ Nanobe Esta abesemncane ngeminyaka, bekunemitfwalo lemikhulu lebekufanele ayetfwale, njengemitsetfo yasesigodlweni lehlanganisa kulwiwa kwetimphi kanye nekukhishwa kwetehlulelo. Loko bekungasimelula. Kodvwa Jehova abefuna bantfu bakhe bavikeleke ekubhujisweni, ngobe sive saka-Israyeli bekufanele sivete Mesiya lowetsenjisiwe, lokuphela kwelitsemba labo bonkhe bantfu. (Gen. 22:18) Tinceku taNkulunkulu lamuhla tiyakujabulela kwati kutsi ngesikhatsi Mesiya longuJesu eta emhlabeni, wabalela balandzeli bakhe kutsi bahlanganyele etimphini.​—Mat. 26:52.

²⁹ Nanobe kunjalo, kunalenye imphi emaKhristu lahlanganyela kuyo, ngobe Sathane utimisele kakhulu kunanobe ngunini ngaphambili kutsi acedze kukholwa kwetfu kuJehova Nkulunkulu. (Fundza 2 Khorinte 10:3, 4.) Kusibusiso lesikhulu kutsi Esta abe sibonelo setfu! Njengaye, shengatsi singakhombisa kukholwa kwetfu ngekutsi sihlakaniphe, sibeketele nasicinisekisa bantfu, sibe nesibindzi, futsi sitimisele kumelela bantfu baNkulunkulu ngekutidzela.