Sēnesi 24–33

Naʻe lotu ʻa e kakai Kēnani ʻo e kuonga ʻo ʻĒpalahamé ki he ngaahi ʻotua tamapuá mo fakahoko ha ngaahi angafai kehe naʻe fepaki mo e moihū kia Sihová. Kapau naʻe mali ʻa ʻAisake mo ha Kēnani, naʻe ʻikai ke ne mei lava ʻo hū ki he fuakava ʻa e ʻEikí ki he malí mo maʻu ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki kuo talaʻofa ʻe he ʻEikí fekauʻaki mo e fuakava faka-ʻĒpalahamé. ʻOku kau ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá ha ngaahi fakatokanga mālohi fekauʻaki mo e mali mo kinautolu ʻoku moihū ki he ngaahi ʻotua kehé.

Ki he Kāingalotu ʻo e Siasí, ʻoku fakahoko ʻa e mali ʻi he fuakavá ʻi he fale ʻo e ʻEikí. ʻI heʻetau tauhi e ngaahi fuakava ko ʻení, ʻoku tau feʻunga ai ke maʻu e ngaahi tāpuaki tatau naʻe talaʻofa kia ʻĒpalahamé. Naʻe akonaki ʻa Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni ʻo pehē: “Ko e fuakava ʻo e mali naʻe fakahoko ʻi he temipalé ʻoku haʻi fakahangatonu ia ki he fuakava faka-ʻĒpalahame ko iá. ʻOku fakafeʻiloaki ha ongomeʻa mali ʻi he temipalé ki he ngaahi tāpuaki kotoa pē ʻoku fakatatali maʻá e hako faivelenga ʻo ʻĒpalahame, ʻAisake mo Sēkopé.”

ʻI he kuonga muʻá, ko e sinifú ko ha fefine ia ʻi ha ʻapi naʻe mali fakalao mo ha tangata ka naʻá ne maʻu ha tuʻunga fakalao mo fakasōsiale maʻulalo ange ʻi ha uaifi. Naʻe ʻikai ko ha meʻa foʻou ʻa e mali mo e ngaahi sinifú ʻi he taufatungamotuʻa fakafonua ʻo e Feituʻu Ofi ki he Hahaké—tautautefito ki he ngaahi taimi naʻe ʻikai lava ai ʻe he ʻuluaki uaifi ʻo ha tangata ʻo maʻu ha fānaú. Ko e kau sinifu ʻiloa ʻo ʻĒpalahamé ko Hekaʻā mo Ketula. Naʻe maʻu ʻe Sēkope ʻa Pila mo Silipa ko ha ongo sinifu mei hono ongo uaifi ko Lia mo Lesielí. ʻOku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he fakahā ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho kimui ní naʻe fakangofua ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e ngaahi mali ko ʻení.

Ke maʻu ha fakamatala lahi ange, vakai, “Sēnesi 16:1–3. Ko e hā e ʻuhinga naʻe foaki ai ʻe Sela ʻa Hekaʻā kia ʻĒpalahame ke hoko ko hono uaifí?”

ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ki he “haká” ki he “meʻakai kuo haka.” ʻI he kuonga ʻo e Fuakava Motuʻá, ko e haká naʻe angamaheni ia ko ha sitiu naʻe ngaohi ʻaki ha vesitapolo ʻoku haka, pea taimi ʻe niʻihi ko ha kakanoʻi manu, ʻi he vai. Naʻe ngaohi e haka ʻa Sēkopé mei he lenitilé, ʻa ia ko ha fanga kiʻi tengaʻi ʻakau iiki hangē ko e pīní.

ʻI he Fuakava Motuʻá, naʻe fatongia ʻaki ʻe he tamaí ʻa e lelei fakatuʻasino mo fakalaumālie ʻa hono fāmilí. ʻI he taimi naʻe mālōlō ai ʻa e tamaí, ʻe maʻu ʻe ha foha—meimei ko e lahi tahá—ʻa e fatongia fakatamai ki he fāmilí. Naʻe ʻiloa e ngaahi fatongia fakalaumālie mo fakatuʻasino ko ʻení ko e tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá. Naʻe faʻa maʻu foki ʻe he foha lahi tahá ha liunga ua ʻo e koloa ʻa e tamaí, ʻa ia naʻe fiemaʻu ke ne fakaʻaongaʻi ke tokoni ʻi hono tokangaʻi e ngaahi fiemaʻu fakatuʻasino ʻa e fāmilí.

ʻOku fakaʻosi ʻaki e talanoa ki hono fakatau atu ʻe ʻĪsoa hono tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá ʻa e kupuʻi lea “Naʻe pehē ʻa e siʻaki ʻe ʻĪsoa ʻa e ʻinasi ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá.” ʻE lava foki ke ʻuhinga ʻa e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū naʻe liliu ko e “siʻakí” ki he “taʻetokanga.” ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he ngaahi angafai ʻa ʻĪsoá naʻe mahuʻinga ange kiate ia ʻene ngaahi fiemaʻu fakatuʻasino ʻi he taimi pē ko iá ʻi he ngaahi tāpuaki mo e ngaahi fatongia ʻo hono tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá. Ko e ngaahi sīpinga kehe ʻo e taʻe tokanga ʻa ʻĪsoa ki hono tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá ko ʻene mali mo ha kakai fefine Kēnani ʻi tuʻa ʻi he fuakavá.

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Palesiteni Tāleni H. ʻOakesi, ʻo pehē: “Naʻe fakamahuʻingaʻi ʻe Sēkope ʻa e meʻa fakalaumālié, kae fekumi ʻa ʻĪsoa ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e māmaní. ʻI he taimi naʻe fiekaia ai ʻa ʻĪsoá, naʻá ne fakatau atu hono tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá koeʻuhí ko ha haka lū. … Kuo tokolahi ha kakai hangē ko ʻĪsoá kuo nau tukuange ha meʻa ʻoku taʻengata hono mahuʻingá koeʻuhí ke fakatōliʻa ha holi fakataimi ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻo māmaní”

Naʻe ʻilo ʻe Lepeka ʻi he fakahā ʻe tāpuekina ʻa Sēkope ʻo lahi hake ʻia ʻĪsoa. ʻOku malava pē ko e ngaahi ngāue ʻa Lepeka mo Sēkope ʻoku lekooti ʻi he Sēnesi 27 ko ha ngaahi feinga taʻetūkua, taʻehaohaoa ke tokoniʻi ʻa Sēkope ke ne maʻu ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki kuo ʻosi talaʻofa ʻe he ʻEikí ke foaki maʻaná. ʻOku siʻi foki ha fakaikiiki ʻi he talanoa ko ʻení ʻe lava ʻo tokoni ke mahino lelei ange kiate kitautolu ʻa e ngaahi ngāue mo e taumuʻa ʻa Lepeka mo Sēkopé.

Hili hono ʻiloʻi ʻe ʻAisake kuó ne foaki taʻeʻilo e tāpuakí kia Sēkopé, naʻe mei lava pē ke ne fakafoki e tāpuakí ʻo foaki ia kia ʻĪsoa. Ka neongo ia, naʻá ne fili ke ʻoua te ne fai ia. Naʻe fakapapauʻi leva ʻe ʻAisake naʻe foaki ʻa e tāpuakí ki he tokotaha naʻe fakataumuʻa ki ai ʻa e ʻEikí.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Melioni G. Lomenī, ʻo pehē:

“ʻI he fononga ʻa Sēkope mei Peasipa ki Halaní, naʻá ne mamata ʻi ha misi kiate ia ʻi he kelekelé ʻi ha veʻe naʻe mafao ʻo aʻu ki he langí ʻa ia naʻe ʻafio ʻa e ʻEikí ʻi ʻolunga ai. Naʻe mamata ʻa Sēkope ki ha kau ʻāngelo ne ʻalu hake mo ʻalu hifo ʻi ai, pea naʻá ne ʻilo ai ko e ngaahi fuakava naʻá ne fakahoko mo e ʻEikí ko e ngaahi sitepu ia ʻi he tuʻungá ʻe pau ke ne kaka ai kae lava ke ne maʻu e ngaahi tāpuaki kuo talaʻofa angé—ʻa e ngaahi tāpuaki te ne lava ai ʻo hū ki hēvani pea nofo fakataha mo e ʻEikí.

“Koeʻuhí kuó ne feʻiloaki mo e ʻEikí pea fai ha ngaahi fuakava mo ia ʻi ai, naʻe pehē ai ʻe Sēkope ʻoku toputapu ʻaupito ʻa e feituʻú ʻo ne fakahingoa ia ko Pēteli, ko hano fakanounouʻi ʻo e Pēteli-ʻElohimi, ʻa ia ko hono ʻuhinga moʻoní ʻko e Fale ʻo e ʻEikí.’ Naʻá ne pehē fekauʻaki mo ia: ʻ … ʻoku ʻikai ko ha potu kehe ʻeni, ka ko e fale ʻo e ʻOtuá, pea ko ʻeni ʻa e matapā ʻo e langí’ (Sēnesi 28:17). …

“ʻOku tatau tofu pē ʻa e mahuʻinga ʻo e ngaahi temipalé kiate kitautolú mo e mahuʻinga ʻo Pēteli kia Sēkopé.”

Vakai, “Sēnesi 16:1–3. Ko e hā e ʻuhinga naʻe foaki ai ʻe Sela ʻa Hekaʻā kia ʻĒpalahame ke hoko ko hono uaifí?”

Hili ha taʻu ʻe fitu ʻo e ngāue ʻa Sēkope ke mali mo Lesielí, naʻe kākaaʻi ia ʻe Lēpani peá ne iku ʻo mali mo e taʻokete ʻo Lesieli ko Liá. Naʻe fakaʻapaʻapaʻi ʻe Sēkope ʻene mali mo Liá peá ne loto-lelei ke toe ngāue ʻi ha toe taʻu ʻe fitu ke mali mo Lesieli. Neongo ʻoku ʻikai ha ʻuhinga ke tau pehē ai naʻe ʻikai ngaohi leleiʻi ʻe Sēkope ʻa Lia, ka ʻoku pehē ʻi he Tohi Tapu ʻa Kingi Sēmisí naʻe “ʻafioʻi ʻe [he ʻEikí] kuo fehiʻanekina ʻa Lia.” ʻOku fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe he ngaahi liliu kehé ʻa e ngaahi foʻi lea ko e “ʻikai ʻofaʻi” mo e “taʻeʻofaʻi” kae ʻikai ko e “fehiʻanekina.” Neongo pe ko e hā ʻa e liliú, ka ʻoku fakahaaʻi ʻe he fakamatalá naʻe saiʻia ange ʻa Sēkope ʻia Lesieli.

Hangē ko e aʻusia ʻa Hekaʻaá, naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻEne ʻofa ongongofuá mo e tokangá kia Lia ʻi hono ngaahi tūkunga faingataʻá ʻaki hano tāpuakiʻi ia ʻaki ha fānau. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi hingoa naʻe fakahingoa ʻaki ʻe Lia ha niʻihi ʻo hono ngaahi fohá ʻa e ongo naʻá ne maʻu fekauʻaki mo e ʻOtuá ʻi hono ngaahi faingataʻá.

Ko e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū naʻe liliu ko e “tūtaí” “ʻoku ʻuhinga ia ki he ʻfuaʻiʻakau ʻo e ʻofá.’ Naʻe ifo mo nanamu lelei ʻa e fuaʻiʻakaú, pea naʻe totonu ke ne fakafaingofuaʻi ʻa e tuʻituʻia ha taha.” ʻOku maʻu ʻe he fuʻu ʻakau tūtaí ha ngaahi aka fakalanulanu ʻokú ne faʻa fakafōtunga he taimi ʻe niʻihi ha fanga kiʻi tangata iiki, ʻa ia mahalo naʻá ne ueʻi e ngaahi talatupuʻa naʻe tokoni ʻa e tūtaí ki he fakafanaú.

Naʻe fai ʻe Lēpani ha aleapau ʻe lava ʻe Sēkope ʻo tauhi kotoa e fanga monumanu ʻi heʻene tākangá ʻa ia naʻe ngali kehe e fakalanulanu honau kilí. Ke fakalahi ʻene tākangá, naʻe fokotuʻu ʻe Sēkope ha ʻū vaʻa ʻakau matohitohi mo pulepule ʻi muʻa ʻi he fanga monumanú lolotonga ʻenau fakafanaú. Naʻe ʻi ai ha talatupuʻa naʻe pehē ko e meʻa ʻoku sio ki ai e monumanú lolotonga ʻene fakafanaú, ʻe uesia ai e fōtunga hono ʻuhikí. ʻOku ʻikai toe fehuʻia e ola lelei ʻa e founga ko ʻení ʻi he talanoá, ka ko e kimui angé ʻoku foaki ʻe Sēkope ʻa e lāngilangi kotoa pē ʻo e maná ki he ʻEikí.

Ko e “ngaahi tamapua” naʻe kaihaʻasi ʻe Lesieli mei heʻene tamai ko Lēpaní, ko ha fanga kiʻi maka fakamanatu naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe he kakai ʻi he kuonga muʻá ʻi he Feituʻu Ofi ki he Hahaké ko ha ʻū ʻotua tamapua ʻi honau ngaahi ʻapí. ʻOku toe fakaʻaongaʻi foki ʻa e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū tatau pē ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá ke ʻuhinga ki he ngaahi meʻa naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ki he tuʻunga faka-ʻOtuá pe vavalo ki he kahaʻú.

Neongo ʻoku ʻikai fakamatalaʻi ʻe he fakaleá ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻe ʻave ai ʻe Lesieli ʻa e ʻū ʻotua tamapua ʻene tamaí, ka ʻoku lahi ha ngaahi fakamahamahalo ki ai. ʻOku kau ʻi he ngaahi fakamahamahalo ʻe niʻihi ʻa e feinga ʻa Lesieli ke taʻofi e tauhi ʻotua tamapua ʻa ʻene tamaí pe palani ke fakaʻaongaʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻá ni ko ha totongi huhuʻi telia naʻa puke pōpula ʻe Lēpani ʻa Lia mo Lesieli. Ko ha fakamahamahalo ʻe taha naʻe pīkinga e ʻū tamapuá ki he ngaahi totonu fakalao ʻo e maʻu tofiʻá. Mahalo naʻe feinga ʻa Lesieli ke maʻu maʻa hono fāmilí ʻa e tofiʻa naʻá ne ongoʻi mo Lia naʻe totonu ke ʻoange ʻe heʻena Tamaí moʻonauá.

ʻI he mavahe ʻa Sēkope mei hono fonua tupuʻanga ko Hālaní, naʻe loto ʻa ʻĪsoa ke tāmateʻi ia koeʻuhí ko ʻena fakakikihi ʻi he tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá. Hili e ngāue ʻa Sēkope kia Lēpani ʻi ha taʻu ʻe 20 ʻi Hālaní, naʻe fekau ʻe he ʻEikí kia Sēkope ke foki ki Kēnani, ʻo talaʻofa ange, “Te u ʻiate koe.” Neongo naʻe talangofua ʻa Sēkope, ka naʻá ne manavahē ki he meʻa ʻe ala fai ʻe ʻĪsoa kiate ia mo hono fāmilí.

Kimuʻa pea toe fakataha ʻa Sēkope mo ʻĪsoá, naʻá ne fekumi ki ha tokoni fakapatonu mo fakalangi. ʻI he taimi ko ʻení, ʻoku pehē ʻe he fakamatalá naʻe fefaʻuhi ʻa Sēkope he poó kakato mo ha tangata. ʻOku ʻikai mahino pe ko hai ʻa e tangatá. ʻOku fakakaukau ha niʻihi ko ha ʻāngelo ia, kae pehē ʻe ha niʻihi ko ha talafekau fakamatelie ia naʻe fekauʻi mai mei he ʻOtuá. ʻOku poupouʻi ʻe he foʻi lea faka-Hepelū naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ki he tangata ʻi he ngaahi veesi ko ʻení ʻa e ngaahi tuʻunga malava ko ia ke ʻuhinga ki he ʻOtuá Tonu.

Ko e meʻa ʻoku mahinó naʻe fuʻu fiemaʻu ʻe Sēkope ha tāpuaki. Ko e fefaʻuhi ko ʻení ko e founga ia naʻá ne maʻu ai iá. Hili e aʻusia ʻa Sēkopé, naʻá ne pehē, “Kuó u mamata ki he ʻOtuá, ko e mata ki he mata, ka ʻoku ou kei moʻui.” Naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻe he aʻusiá kia Sēkope ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí mo tokoni ke teuteuʻi ia ke feʻiloaki mo hono tokouá.

ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e Sēkopé ki he “fetongi.” ʻE lava ke fekauʻaki ʻa e hingoá ʻi he lea faka-Hepeluú mo e fakakaukau ʻo hono fetongi ha meʻa ʻaki hano kākaaʻi. Naʻe mamata ʻa ʻĪsoa kia Sēkope ʻi he founga ko ʻení ʻi he taimi naʻe maʻu ai ʻe Sēkope ʻa e tāpuaki ʻo e ʻuluaki fohá mo e tāpuaki naʻe totonu ke maʻu ʻe ʻĪsoa, ko e foha lahi tahá.

Ka ʻi he hili e fefaʻuhi ʻa Sēkope ʻi he pō ko iá, naʻe liliu ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e hingoa ʻo Sēkopé ki he ʻIsileli. ʻI he aʻusia ko ʻení, naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni: “Ka tau fakamanamanatu, ʻi ha kiʻi momeniti, ha liliu mahuʻinga ʻi he moʻui ʻa Sēkopé, ko e mokopuna ʻo ʻĒpalahamé. ʻI he potu ko ia naʻe fakahingoa ʻe Sēkope ko Penielí (ʻa ia ko hono ʻuhingá “ko e fofonga ʻo e ʻOtuá”), naʻe fefaʻuhi ai ʻa Sēkope mo ha pole faingataʻa. Naʻe siviʻi ai ʻene tauʻatāina ke filí. ʻI he fefaʻuhi ko ʻení, naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi ai ʻe Sēkope ʻa e meʻa naʻe mahuʻinga taha kiate iá. Naʻá ne fakamoʻoniʻi naʻá ne loto-fiemālie ke tuku ke lāngilangiʻia ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻi heʻene moʻuí. Ko hono fetongí, naʻe liliu ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e hingoa ʻo Sēkopé ko ʻIsileli, ko hono ʻuhingá, ko e ‘tuku ke lāngilangiʻia ʻa e ʻOtuá.’ Naʻe talaʻofa leva ʻa e ʻOtuá kia ʻIsileli ko e kotoa ʻo e ngaahi tāpuaki naʻe foaki ki he ʻulu ʻo ʻĒpalahamé te ne maʻu mo ia foki.”

Naʻe fakafofongaʻi ʻe he liliu ʻa e hingoa ʻo Sēkopé ko ʻIsilelí ʻa e liliu fakataautaha ʻa Sēkopé. Naʻe hoko foki ʻa e “ʻIsilelí” ko e hingoa ia ʻo e puleʻanga ʻe tukuʻau mai meiate iá. Naʻe tupu mei hono ngaahi foha ʻe toko 12 ʻa e faʻahinga ʻe hongofulu mā ua ʻo ʻIsilelí, pea naʻe ʻuhinga tatau ʻa e hingoa ʻIsilelí mo e kakai kuo fili ʻe he ʻOtuá ke fakahoko ʻEne fuakavá.

• D. Todd Christofferson, “ʻUhinga ʻo e Malí, ʻUhinga ʻo e Fāmilí,” Liahona, Mē 2015, 50–53

• Julie B. Beck, “Akoʻi ʻa e Tokāteline ʻo e Fāmilí,” Liahona, Māʻasi 2011, 32–37

• Bradley R. Wilcox, “ʻE Toʻu Tupu Tofiʻa Fakaʻeiʻeiki,” Liahona, Nōvema 2024, 93–96

• Russell M. Nelson, “Ko e Fuakava Taʻengatá,” Liahona, ʻOkatopa 2022, 4–11