ʻEkesōtosi 1–6

ʻOku ʻomi ʻi he tohi ʻEkesōtosí ha fakamatala ki he mavahe ʻa ʻIsileli mei he nofo pōpula ʻi ʻIsipité mo ʻenau teuteu ke maʻu ʻa e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá ʻi heʻenau hoko ko ha kakai fuakava ʻa e ʻEikí. ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e foʻi lea ʻekesōtosí ki he “hū ki tuʻa” pe “mavahe.” ʻOku tau fakamoʻoniʻi ʻi he tohí ni ʻa e mālohi lahi ʻo Sihová mo ʻEne ʻofa fakafuakavá. ʻOku ʻomi foki ʻe he tohi ʻEkesōtosí ha ngaahi fakaikiiki ki hono ohi hake ʻo Mōsesé pea mo e kamataʻanga ʻo ʻene ngāue ko ha palōfita maʻongoʻonga ʻa e ʻEikí.

Naʻe hoko ʻa e ngaahi meʻa naʻe hoko ʻoku lekooti ʻi he ʻEkesōtosí—hangē ko hono vaheua ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e Tahi Kulokulá, foaki ʻo e maná ʻi he toafá, mo hono foaki ʻo e Ngaahi Fekau ʻe Hongofulú—ko e fakavaʻe ki he tuʻunga ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻi heʻenau hoko ko ha kakaí. Kuo fakamatalaʻi ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi mo ʻEne kau palōfitá e ngaahi meʻa fakaofo ko ʻeni naʻe hokó ke akoʻi ha ngaahi tefitoʻi moʻoni kehekehe ʻo e ongoongoleleí. ʻE lava ke fakataipe ʻe he hola ʻa ʻIsileli mei he nofo pōpulá mo ʻenau fononga ʻi he toafá ʻa ʻetau fononga ʻi ha māmani hinga pea foki ki he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá.

ʻOku vahevahe ʻa e tohi ʻEkesōtosí ki ha konga lalahi ʻe ua. ʻOku fakamatala ʻa e vahe 1–18 ki hono ui ʻo Mōsese pea mo hono fakahaofi ʻo ʻIsileli mei he nofo pōpulá. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he vahe 19–40 ʻa e fuakava ʻa e ʻEikí mo ʻIsilelí pea mo hono foaki ʻo ʻEne fonó ʻi he Moʻunga Sainaí, fakataha mo hono langa ʻo e tāpanekalé.

ʻOku tui ha kau mataotao tokolahi ko e lolotonga e taimi ʻo Siosefá, naʻe puleʻi ʻa e fakatokelau ʻo ʻIsipité ʻe he kakai Hekisosi naʻe ʻikai ko ha kau ʻIsipité. Naʻe faifai pea hanga ʻe ha haʻa tuʻi foʻou ʻo fakaʻauha ʻa e kau pule muli ko ʻení, ʻa ia ʻe ala fakamatalaʻi ʻa e kupuʻi lea “naʻe toki hoko ʻa e tuʻi foʻou ke pule ki ʻIsipite.” Naʻe hohaʻa lahi ʻa e Felo foʻoú ki he kau ʻIsilelí ʻi ha ngaahi ʻuhinga kehekehe, kau ai e fakaʻau ke nau tokolahí, ko e tuʻunga malava ke nau faʻahi mo e ngaahi fili ʻo ʻIsipité, pea mahalo mo ʻenau fehokotaki mo e kau pule Hekisosi kimuʻá.

Naʻe fakafepakiʻi ʻe he ongo māʻuli Hepelū ko Sifila mo Piuá ʻa e fekau ʻa Felo ke tāmateʻi e ngaahi foha valevale Hepeluú koeʻuhí naʻá na “manavahē … ki he ʻOtuá.” ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e manavahē ki he ʻOtuá ke maʻu ha ʻapasia mo e fakaʻapaʻapa lahi kiate Ia.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Tēvita A. Petinā ʻo pehē, “‘Oku ‘ikai hangē ia ko e ilifia fakamāmani ‘okú ne fakatupu ‘a e loto-tailiilí mo e loto-hohaʻá, ka ko e manavahē ‘oku faka-ʻOtuá ko ha maʻuʻanga melino, loto-fakapapau, mo e loto-falala.” Naʻá ne toe fakamatala ko e manavahē ki he ʻOtuá ʻokú ne “kāpui … ʻa e ongoʻi loto-ʻapasia moʻoní, fakaʻapaʻapa, mo e tanganeʻia ʻi he ʻEiki ko Sīsū Kalaisí … , mo e talangofua ki Heʻene ngaahi fekaú … , mo e nofo ʻamanaki ki he Fakamaau Fakaʻosí mo e fakamaau totonú ʻi Hono toʻukupú.”

Naʻe kau ʻa Mōsese ʻi he kau palōfita maʻongoʻonga taha kuo ʻiloa ʻi he māmaní. Naʻe hoko ʻene moʻuí mo e misioná ko e kaveinga ia ʻo e ngaahi kikite ʻa Siosefa ʻo ʻIsipité ʻi ha ngaahi senituli kimuʻa pea fanauʻi iá. ʻOku lahi ha ngaahi faitatau ʻi he moʻui ʻa Mōsesé pea mo e moʻui mo e misiona ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí, ʻa ia naʻe ui ko “ha palōfita … ʻo hangē” ko Mōsesé. ʻI he taimi naʻe ui ai ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa Mōsese ke hoko ko ha palōfitá, naʻá Ne folofola ange kiate ia, “ʻOkú ke ʻi he tatau ʻo hoku ʻAlo pē Taha naʻe Fakatupú.”

ʻOku ʻoatu ʻi he tēpile ko ʻení ha niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku faitatau ai ʻa Mōsese mo Sīsū Kalaisí.

ʻOku ʻomi ʻe he tohi ʻEkesōtosí ha fakamatala fakangatangata fekauʻaki mo e moʻui ʻa Mōsese ʻi ʻIsipité hili hono ohi ia ʻe he ʻofefine ʻo Feló. Ka neongo ia, ʻoku ʻomi ʻe he tohi ʻa Ngāué ha ngaahi fakakaukau lahi ange fekauʻaki mo e ngaahi taʻu kimuʻa ʻo Mōsesé. Naʻe pehē ʻe Sitīveni, “Naʻe akonakiʻi ʻa Mōsese ʻi he poto kotoa pē ʻo e kakai ʻIsipité, pea naʻe mālohi ia ʻi he leá mo e ngāué.” Pea naʻe fokotuʻu mai ʻe he faihisitōlia Siu ʻo e kuonga muʻá ko Siosefasí ko Mōsesé ko ha pilinisi ia naʻe ako lelei mo ha seniale ngāue fakakautau ʻo ʻIsipite.

ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he ngaahi akonaki ʻa Sitīvení naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe Mōsese ko ia te ne fakahaofi ʻa e kau Hepeluú mei ʻIsipité. Naʻá ne akoʻi ko e taimi naʻe “kakato [kia Mōsese] ʻa e taʻu ʻe fāngofulu, pea tupu ʻi hono lotó ke ʻaʻahi ki hono kāingá ko e fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí. … He naʻe mahalo ʻe ia kuo ʻilo ʻe hono kāingá ʻe fakamoʻui ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa kinautolu ʻi hono nimá: ka naʻe ʻikai te nau ʻilo.”

ʻOku nounou pē ʻa e fakamatala ki hono taaʻi ʻe Mōsese ha tangata pule ʻIsipité pea ʻikai ha ngaahi fakaikiiki lahi ki ai. Ko e foʻi lea faka-Hepelū naʻe liliu ko e “taaʻi” ʻi he veesi 11 ʻoku liliu ia ko e “tamateʻi” ʻi he veesi 12 pea fakamatalaʻi e anga fītaʻa ʻa e kau sōtiá. ʻOku fokotuʻu mai heni naʻe ʻi ha tuʻunga fakatuʻutāmaki moʻoni e moʻui ʻa e pōpula Hepeluú. ʻI hono fakalea ʻe tahá, naʻe tāmateʻi ʻe Mōsese ʻa e tangata ʻIsipité ke fakahaofi e moʻui ʻa e tangata Hepeluú. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi angafai ʻa Mōsese kimuʻa pea ʻi he hili ʻa e meʻa naʻe hokó, naʻá ne ʻiloʻi he ʻikai tali ʻe he kau ʻIsipité ʻa e meʻa naʻá ne faí. Ka neongo ia, koeʻuhí ko haʻane feinga ke maluʻi, naʻe ʻikai halaia ʻa Mōsese ʻi he fakapoó.

Ko Seteloó (naʻe toe ʻiloa foki ko Liueli) ko e taulaʻeiki lahi ia ʻo Mitiané, ko ha vahefonua ki he fakahahake ʻo ʻIsipité. ʻI he hoko ʻa Setelō ko ha taha Mitiané, ko ha hako ia ʻo ʻĒpalahame mo Ketula ʻo fakafou ʻi hona foha ko Mitianí. Naʻe mali ʻa Mōsese mo Sīpola, ko e taha ʻo e ngaahi ʻofefine ʻo Seteloó. ʻOku tau ako mei he folofola ʻo e ngaahi ʻaho kimui ní, naʻe maʻu ʻe Setelō ʻa e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí ʻo fakafou ʻi he hako ʻo ʻĒpalahamé pea naʻá ne foaki ʻa e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí kia Mōsese.

Naʻe fai ʻe he ʻEikí ha ngaahi talaʻofa fakaofo ʻo fakafou ʻi Heʻene ngaahi fuakava mo ʻĒpalahame, ʻAisake, mo Sēkopé. Naʻe kau ʻi he ngaahi talaʻofa ko ʻení ʻa e tukuʻau mai ʻa e ngaahi tuʻí mo e ngaahi puleʻangá meia ʻĒpalahame, ke faitāpuekina ʻa e ngaahi puleʻanga kotoa pē ʻo e māmaní ʻo fakafou ʻi hono hakó, pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ʻĒpalahame mo hono hakó ʻa e fonua ko Kēnaní ko ha “tofiʻa taʻengata.” Naʻe talaʻofa foki ʻe he ʻEikí kia ʻĒpalahame neongo ʻe pōpula hono hakó ʻi ha ʻaho “ʻi ha fonua ʻoku ʻikai ʻonautolu,” ka te nau iku ʻo “haʻu mei ai mo e koloa lahi.”

Hili ha ngaahi senituli ʻo e nofo pōpula ʻi ʻIsipité, mahalo naʻe faingofua ki he kau ʻIsilelí ke nau ongoʻi kuo ngalo kinautolu ʻi he ʻOtuá. Ka ʻoku fakamanatu mai ʻe he ʻEkesōtosi 2:24 ʻoku “manatuʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻene fuakava kia ʻĒpalahame, mo ʻAisake, pea mo Sēkopé.” ʻE tauhi maʻu pē ʻe he ʻEikí ʻEne ngaahi fuakava mo Hono kakaí. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni: “ʻI he taimi pē kuó ta fakahoko ai ha fuakava mo e ʻOtuá, ʻoku toe vāofi ange ai hota vā fetuʻutaki mo Iá ʻo laka ange ia ʻi he taimi kimuʻa peá ta fakahoko e fuakavá. Kuo haʻi fakataha ʻeni kitautolu. Koeʻuhí ko ʻetau fuakava mo e ʻOtuá, he ʻikai ke Ne teitei fiu ʻi Heʻene feinga ke tokoniʻi kitautolú, pea he ʻikai ʻaupito ke tau teitei lava ʻo ikunaʻi ʻEne faʻa kātaki ʻaloʻofa kitautolú. ʻOku tau takitaha maʻu ha potu makehe ʻi he loto ʻo e ʻOtuá.”

Naʻe hoko ʻa e fefolofolai ʻa Mōsese mo e ʻEikí ʻi he ʻuluʻakau vela ʻi Hōlepi, “ko e moʻunga ʻo e ʻOtuá.” ʻOku ui foki ʻa Hōlepi ko e Moʻunga Sainaí pea ko e feituʻu ia ʻe maʻu ai ʻe Mōsese kimui ange ʻa e fonó mo e Ngaahi Fekau ʻe Hongofulú mei he ʻEikí.

Naʻe fuofua folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá kia Mōsese mei ha ʻuluʻakau ʻi he Moʻunga Sainaí naʻe “ulo … ʻi he afi, ka naʻe ʻikai ʻosi ai ʻa e ʻuluʻakaú.” Ko e fuofua taimi ʻeni ne lekooti ʻo e hā ʻa e ʻEikí kia Mōsesé. Kimui ange, kimuʻa pea tataki atu e fānau ʻo ʻIsilelí mei ʻIsipité, naʻe toe fefolofolai ʻa Mōsese mo e ʻEikí—ka ʻi he taimi ko ʻení ko e “mata ki he mata.” ʻI he fefolofolai ko iá, “naʻe ʻia Mōsese ʻa e nāunau ʻo e ʻOtuá; ko ia naʻe lava ai ʻe Mōsese ke matuʻuaki ʻa hono lotolotongá.”

ʻI he kotoa ʻo e folofolá, ʻoku faʻa fakamamafaʻi ʻe he ngaahi fakamatala ki he ʻao ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻa e ngingila, nāunau, pe afi. ʻI he taimi naʻe hā ai ʻa e ʻEikí kia Mōsese ʻi ha tūkunga ʻe taha ʻi Sainaí, naʻe hangē ʻEne hā maí ko ha “afi fakaʻauhá.” Naʻe tataki e fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí ʻe he ʻao ʻo e ʻEikí ʻi ha “pou afi” lolotonga ʻenau fononga ʻi he feituʻu maomaonganoá. ʻI ha fakamatala ʻe taha ʻo e ʻUluaki Mata Meʻa-Hā-Maí, naʻe fakamatalaʻi ai ʻe he Palōfita ko Siosefa Sāmitá ha pou afi naʻe ʻikai ke ne tutu e ʻuluʻakau takatakaí. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe Līhai ha pou afi ʻi ha funga maka. Kuo fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe he kau palōfita kehé ha lea faitatau ke fakamatalaʻi ʻaki e nāunau ʻo e ʻOtuá.

Ko e hingoa faka-Hepelū ki he ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsilelí ko e YHWH, ko ha foʻi lea ʻoku angamaheni ʻaki hono liliu ko e Sihova ʻi he lea faka-Pilitāniá. ʻOku fakatefito ʻa e huafa ko ʻení ʻi he lea ngāue “ke hoko” pea ʻe lava ke ʻuhinga ia ki he “Ko Ia,” pe, ʻi he fetongi nauna ʻuluaki ko e, “Ko au.” ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻa e natula taʻengata ʻo Sīsū Kalaisí ʻi he huafa ko ʻení. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā D. Toti Kulisitofasoni: “Ko Ia ʻa e Sihova mo e Mīsaiá, ko Ia ʻa e Ko Aú, ʻa e ʻOtua ʻoku moʻui pē ʻiate Iá. Ko ia pē ia ʻo aʻu ki he ngataʻangá.”

Ko e fakafefeka ʻo e loto ʻo Feló ko ha kaveinga ia ʻoku toutou ʻasi ʻi he ngaahi fuofua vahe ʻo e tohi ʻEkesōtosí. ʻOku pehē ʻe he konga lahi ʻo e ngaahi potufolofola ko ʻení naʻe fakafefeka ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e loto ʻo Feló. Ka neongo ia, ʻi he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá, ʻoku toe fakaleleiʻi ʻa e potufolofola takitaha ko iá ke pehē naʻe fakafefeka ʻe Felo hono loto ʻoʻoná. ʻOku fakamamafaʻi ʻe he ngaahi fakalelei ko ʻení ʻa e tauʻatāina fakafoʻituitui ʻa Felo ke fili ʻi hono fakafepakiʻi e finangalo ʻo e ʻOtuá.

ʻOku faingataʻa ke mahino ʻa e fakamatala ki he feinga ʻa e ʻOtuá ke tāmateʻi ʻa Mōsesé koeʻuhí ʻoku ʻikai lahi ha ngaahi fakaikiiki mahuʻinga ʻi he tohí. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá naʻe houhau ʻa e ʻEikí kia Mōsese ʻi he ʻikai ke ne kamu hono fohá pea naʻe fakahaofi ʻe he ngāue ʻa Sīpola ke kamu ʻa e tamasiʻí, ʻa e moʻui ʻa Mōsesé.

ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he fakamatala ʻi he ʻEkesōtosi 6:3 naʻe ʻikai ʻiloʻi ʻe ʻĒpalahame, ʻAisake, mo Sēkope ʻa e huafa Sihová. Ka neongo ia, ʻoku fehangahangai ʻa e fokotuʻu ko ʻení mo e ngaahi talanoa kimuʻa ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá ʻa ia ʻoku pehē ai naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe he kakai he kuonga muʻá ʻa e huafa ʻo e ʻEikí. ʻOku toe fokotuʻutuʻu ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá ʻa e hokohoko ʻo e ngaahi foʻi lea ʻi he veesi ko ʻení ke fai ha fehuʻi ʻoku fokotuʻu mai ai ha tali lelei kae ʻikai ko ha fakamatala.

• Heather B. Moore, “The Women in Moses’s Life” (digital-only article), Liahona, Mar. 2022, Gospel Library

• Neil L. Andersen, “Ko e Palōfita ʻa e ʻOtuá,” Liahona, Mē 2018, 24–27

• Willard Elieson and Michael Magleby, “Leadership Lessons from Moses” (digital-only article), Liahona, Apr. 2022, Gospel Library