UJehova Wenza USamsoni Waba Namandla

Ama-Israyeli amaningi ayesebuyele ekukhonzeni izithombe, ngakho uJehova wavumela amaFilisti ukuba awabuse. Kodwa ayekhona ama-Israyeli ayemthanda uJehova. Omunye wawo kwakuyindoda okuthiwa uManowa. Yena nomkakhe babengenazo izingane. Ngolunye usuku uJehova wathumela ingelosi kumkaManowa. Ingelosi yathi kuye: ‘Uzothola indodana. Iyosindisa ama-Israyeli kumaFilisti. Izoba umNaziri.’ Uyazi ukuthi ayengabantu abanjani amaNaziri? Ayeyizikhonzi ezikhethekile zikaJehova. AmaNaziri kwakungamele agunde izinwele.

Ngesikhathi esifanele, yazalwa indodana kaManowa futhi wayiqamba ngokuthi uSamsoni. Lapho uSamsoni ekhula, uJehova wamenza waba namandla kakhulu. Wayekwazi ukubulala ibhubesi ngezakhe izandla. Ngesinye isikhathi, uSamsoni wabulala amaFilisti angu-30 eyedwa. AmaFilisti aqala ukumzonda futhi afuna izindlela zokumbulala. Ngobunye ubusuku lapho uSamsoni esalele eGaza, amaFilisti aya esangweni ledolobha alinda lapho ukuze ambulale ekuseni. Kodwa uSamsoni wavuka phakathi nobusuku, waya esangweni ledolobha wafike wabhoncula isango. Walithwala isango ngamahlombe akhe waze wafika esiqongweni sentaba eseduze neHebroni!

Kamuva, amaFilisti aya entombini kaSamsoni uDelila, athi: ‘Ngamunye uzokunika izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-1 100 uma ungasitholela ukuthi kungani uSamsoni enamandla kangaka. Sifuna ukumbamba simbophe.’ UDelila wayefuna imali, ngakho wavuma. Ekuqaleni uSamsoni wenqaba ukumtshela ukuthi kungani enamandla angaka. Kodwa wayelokhu emcefezela waze wakhathala, ekugcineni wayikhipha imfihlo. Wathi: ‘Izinwele zami azikaze zigundwe ngenxa yokuthi ngingumNaziri. Uma izinwele zami zingagundwa, amandla ami azophela.’ Uyabona ukuthi uSamsoni wenza iphutha elikhulu kanjani ngokumtshela lokho?

Ngokushesha uDelila watshela amaFilisti: ‘Ngiyayazi imfihlo yakhe!’ Walalisa uSamsoni emathangeni akhe, wabe esetshela othile ukuba amgunde. UDelila wamemeza: ‘Nanka amaFilisti, Samsoni!’ USamsoni waphaphama futhi amandla akhe ayengasekho. AmaFilisti ambamba, amkhipha amehlo abe esemfaka ejele.

Ngolunye usuku, izinkulungwane zamaFilisti zazihlangene ethempelini likankulunkulu wazo uDagoni, zazimemeza zithi: ‘Unkulunkulu unikele uSamsoni kithi! Mletheni lapha uSamsoni sidlale ngaye!’ Bammisa phakathi kwezinsika ezimbili futhi bahlekisa ngaye. USamsoni wamemeza wathi: ‘O Jehova, ngicela uphinde ungiphe amandla okokugcina.’ Ngaleso sikhathi, izinwele zikaSamsoni zase ziphinde zakhula. Waphusha izinsika zethempeli ngawo wonke amandla ayenawo. Ithempeli ladilika, bafa bonke abantu ababekulo, uSamsoni wafa kanye nabo.