Sōsiua 1–8; 23–24

ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he tohi ʻa Sōsiuá ʻa e hū e kakai ʻIsilelí ki he fonua ʻo e talaʻofá ʻi he malumalu ʻo e taki e palōfita ko Sōsiuá. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he tohi ko ʻení ʻa e angatonu ʻa e ʻEikí ʻi hono tauhi ʻEne fuakava mo ʻĒpalahamé ke foaki e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá ki he kakai ʻIsilelí. ʻOkú ne fakamatalaʻi foki ʻa e fatongia fuakava ʻo ʻIsileli ke manatuʻi ʻa e ʻEikí mo tauhi ʻEne ngaahi fekaú. ʻE lava ke vahevahe ʻa e tohí ʻo hangē ko ʻení:

• Sōsiua 1–12: Ko e hū ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí ki loto pea kapa ʻa e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá.

• Sōsiua 13–22: Ko e nofoʻi ʻo e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá.

• Sōsiua 23–24: Ngaahi naʻinaʻi fakaʻosi ʻa Sōsiuá mo e fakafoʻou ʻo e fuakavá.

Vakai, “Teutalōnome 34:5–6. Ko e hā naʻe hoko kia Mōsese ʻi he fakaʻosinga ʻo ʻene moʻuí?”

ʻI he kupuʻi lea “tohí ni ʻo e fonó,” ʻoku liliu e foʻi lea ko e “fono” mei he foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ko e torah. ʻOku faʻa ʻuhinga ʻa etorah ki he ʻuluaki tohi ʻe nima ʻo e Fuakava Motuʻá, ʻa ia ʻoku kau ai e fono naʻe foaki ʻe he ʻOtuá kia Mōsese ʻi he Moʻunga Sainaí. ʻI he puipuituʻa ʻo e Sōsiua 1:8, ʻe lava ke ʻuhinga pē ʻa e “tohí ni ʻo e fonó” ki hono toutou lea ʻaki ʻe Mōsese ʻa e fonó ʻi he Teutalōnomé.

Naʻe fekauʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa Sōsiua ke fakalaulauloto ki he tohi ʻo e fonó ʻi he “ʻaho mo e pō.” ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ki he fakalaulauloto ʻi he puipuituʻa ko ʻení ha lau pe fakakaukau fakalongolongo ki he folofolá.

Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ʻe ʻEletā D. Toti Kulisitofāsoni ʻa e founga te tau lava ia ʻo fakalaulauloto ki he folofolá ʻo pehē: “ʻOku ou ʻilo ʻokú ke faʻa lau ha ngaahi veesi ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi, pea kiʻi mālōlō ʻo fakalaulauloto ki ai, pea toe lau fakalelei ʻa e ngaahi vēsí, pea ʻi hoʻo fakakaukau ko ia ki hono ʻuhingá, mo lotua ke mahinó, pea fehuʻi ʻi ho ʻatamaí, ʻo tatali ki ha ueʻi fakalaumālié, pea mo hiki e ngaahi ongo mo e ngaahi ʻilo ʻokú ke maʻú koeʻuhi ke ke lava ʻo manatuʻi mo ako lahi ange ia. Ko e ako ʻi he founga ní, … te ke foaki ai ha potu ʻi ho lotó maʻá e folofola ʻa e ʻOtuá, pea te Ne folofola atu kiate koe.”

Naʻe hoko ʻa Lēhapi ko ha moʻungaʻi tangata maʻa ʻIsileli, neongo naʻe taku ko ha fai feʻauaki ia ʻi Selikō. Naʻe fakamatalaʻi ia ʻe he kau faʻu tohi ʻo e Fuakava Foʻoú ko ha sīpinga ʻo e tuí mo e ngaahi ngāue leleí fakatouʻosi. Hili e tokoni ʻa Lēhapi ke hola ʻa e ongo mataki ʻIsilelí, naʻá ne fakahā ʻene tui ko e ʻEikí ko e ʻOtuá ia pea kuó Ne foaki ʻa e fonuá ki ʻIsileli.

ʻOku vahevahe ʻe he aʻusia ʻa Lēhapí ha meʻa mahuʻinga ʻoku faitatau mo hono fakahaofi e fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí mei ʻIsipité. Hangē ko e kakai ʻIsilelí, ʻa ia naʻe fakahaofi mei he ʻāngelo fakaʻauhá hili hono vali ʻaki e toto ʻo ha lami honau kau matapaá, naʻe fakahaofi ʻa Lēhapi mo hono fāmilí mei he fakaʻauha ʻo Selikoó ʻaki hono tautau ha tupenu kulokula ʻi honau matapā teké.

Naʻe hoko ʻa Lēhapi mo hono fāmilí ko ha konga ʻo e puleʻanga ʻIsilelí ʻi he fonua ʻo e talaʻofá. Neongo ʻoku ʻikai ke toe ʻi ai ha fakamatala kau kia Lēhapi ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá, ka ʻoku hā ia ʻia Mātiu ko ha kui ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi.

Hili pē ha taimi nounou ʻo e hoko ʻa Sōsiua ko e taki ki he fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí, naʻe talaʻofa ange ʻe he ʻEikí kiate ia, “Hangē ko ʻeku ʻia Mōsesé, ʻe pehē pē ʻeku ʻiate koé.” Ko e founga ʻe taha naʻe fakahoko ai ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e talaʻofa ko ʻení ko hono tokoniʻi e kakai ʻIsilelí ke nau kolosi ʻi he Vaitafe Soataní ʻi he kelekele mōmoá, ʻo hangē ko ʻenau kolosi ʻi he Tahi Kulokulá. Hili e maná, ʻoku pehē ʻe he fakamatalá “naʻe fakahīkihiki ʻe [he ʻEikí] ʻa Sōsiua ʻi he ʻaho ko iá ʻi he ʻao ʻo ʻIsileli kotoa pē: pea naʻa nau manavahē kiate ia, ʻo hangē ko ʻenau manavahē kia Mōsesé.”

ʻOku toe fakataumuʻa foki ʻa e mana ʻi he Vaitafe Soataní kia Sīsū Kalaisi. ʻI he lea faka-Hepeluú, ʻoku ʻuhinga ʻa e Sōsiuá ko “Sihova ʻa e fakamoʻuí, pea naʻe faifai ʻo liliu ʻa e hingoá ʻi he lea faka-Kalikí mo e faka-Latiná ki he lea faka-Pilitāniá ko e Sīsū. ʻE lava ke fakamanatu mai ʻe he tataki ʻe Sōsiua ʻa ʻIsileli ki he fonua ʻo e talaʻofá fekauʻaki mo hono tataki ʻe Sīsū Kalaisi ʻa e kau faivelengá kotoa ki he fonua ʻo e talaʻofa taupotu tahá, ʻa e puleʻanga fakasilesitialé. Hili ha lauisenituli mei he mana ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí ʻi Soataní, naʻe papitaiso ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ʻi he vaitafe tatau pē ʻi he kamataʻanga ʻo ʻEne ngāue fakafaifekau ʻi he māmaní.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Tēvita A. Petinā: “Ko e meʻa mālié, naʻe ʻikai mavaeua ʻa e vaí ʻi he tuʻu ʻa e fānau ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻi he veʻe vaitafé ʻo tali ke hoko ha meʻá; ka naʻe viviku honau ʻaofivaʻé kimuʻa pea mavaeua ʻa e vaí. Naʻe fakahaaʻi e tui ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí ʻi heʻenau lue he vaí kimuʻa pea toki mavaeuá.”

ʻI he fakaofi atu ʻa Sōsiua mo e fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí ki he kolo ko Selikoó, naʻe fakafetaulaki mai kiate kinautolu ha taha naʻá ne pehē ko e “ʻeiki tau [ia] ʻo e tau ʻa [e ʻEikí].” Naʻe tūʻulutui hifo ʻa Sōsiua ʻi he lotu ʻo kole ki he ʻeikitaú ke fakahā ange ʻa e finangalo ʻo e ʻEikí. ʻOku fokotuʻu mai ʻe he fakafeangai ko ʻení mahalo ko e ʻeikitaú ko ha tokotaha fakalangi ia, mahalo ko Sihova Tonu pē. ʻOku ngalingali naʻe fakamanatu ʻe he fetaulaki ko ʻeni mo e ʻeikitau ʻo e kau tau ʻa e ʻEikí kia Sōsiua mo e kau ʻIsilelí ʻe tau ʻa e ʻEikí maʻa ʻIsileli ʻi heʻenau feinga ke kapa ʻa e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá.

Naʻe nofotaha ange e ngaahi fakahinohino ʻa e ʻEikí ki hono kapa ʻo Selikoó ʻi he ngaahi ngāue fakataipé mo e tui ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí kae ʻikai ko e palani fakakautaú. Naʻe hoko hono fata e puha ʻo e fuakavá ʻo takatakai ʻi he koló ko ha fakaʻilonga ʻe ʻi ʻIsileli ʻa e mālohi ʻo e ʻEikí. Ko e mataʻifika ko e fitú, ʻoku fakamatala tuʻo lahi ki ai ʻi he ngaahi fakahinohino ʻa e ʻEikí, ʻoku faʻa fakaʻaongaʻi ia ʻi he folofolá ko ha fakaʻilonga ʻo e kātoa, kakato, pe haohaoa. Mahalo naʻe tokoni hono fakaʻaongaʻi ʻo e fika ko ʻení ʻi he ngaahi fakahinohino ʻa e ʻEikí ke mahino ki he kakai ʻIsilelí ko ʻenau ikunaʻi ʻa Selikoó ko ha konga ia ʻo ha ngāue fakalaumālie lahi ange pea mo e kamataʻanga ʻo ha kuonga foʻou.

Naʻe toki maʻu pē ʻe he kau ʻIsilelí ʻa e mālohi ʻo e ʻOtuá ʻi heʻenau talangofua ki Heʻene ngaahi fakahinohinó. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Hauati W. Hanitā, “Ko [e] tukupā [ʻa Sōsiuá] ke talangofua kakato. Ko e meʻa naʻe tokanga ki aí ke fai pau ki he meʻa naʻe fakahinohino ki aí, ke fakahoko ʻa e talaʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí. ʻOku ʻikai ha veiveiua naʻe ngali faikehe ʻa e fakahinohinó, ka naʻe teke ia ʻe heʻene tui ki hono olá.”

ʻOku liliu e foʻi lea malaʻia ʻi he Tatau ʻa Kingi Sēmisí mei ha foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ʻe lava foki ʻo ʻuhinga ki he taʻofi pe fakamavaheʻi ke fakaʻauha. Naʻe lau e meʻa kotoa pē, fanga monumanu, mo e kakai ʻi Selikoó—tuku kehe pē ʻa Lēhapi mo hono fāmilí—naʻe malaʻia. Naʻe ʻikai fiemaʻu ke tauhi ʻe he kakai ʻIsilelí ha meʻa ʻi he koló maʻanautolu ka ke nau ʻave ʻa e koloa ʻo e koló kia Sōsiua ke fakatapui ki he ʻEikí.

Vakai foki, “Teutalōnome 7:1–6, 16–24. Ko e hā e ʻuhinga naʻe fekau ai ʻe he ʻEikí ki ʻIsileli ke fakaʻauha ʻa e kau Kēnaní?”

Naʻe ʻikai tokanga ʻa ʻĀkani ki he fekau ʻa e ʻEikí ke ʻoua naʻá ne toʻo ha faʻahinga meʻa naʻe maumauʻi mei Selikō. Naʻe fakatokanga ʻa e ʻEikí ʻe fakamalaʻiaʻi ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí kapau te nau toʻo “ʻa e meʻa malaʻiá.” Koeʻuhí naʻe fakatapui ha faʻahinga meʻa pē naʻe kei tauhi mei Selikō ki he ʻEikí, naʻe iku ai e ngaahi angafai ʻa ʻĀkaní ke kaihaʻa mei he ʻEikí. Neongo naʻe ngāue toko taha pē ʻa ʻĀkani, ka naʻe folofola ʻaki ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e angahalá ki ʻIsileli kotoa. Ko hono olá, naʻe mole meiate kinautolu ʻa e maluʻi ʻa e ʻEikí pea naʻe ikunaʻi kinautolu ʻe he kiʻi kau tau tokosiʻi ʻa ʻAí. Naʻe fakahā ʻe he ʻEikí kia Sōsiua he ʻikai toe fakafoki mai Hono mālohí mo e maluʻí kae ʻoua kuo toʻo meiate kinautolu ʻa e “meʻa malaʻiá.” Koeʻuhí naʻe fakamalaʻiaʻi heni ʻa ʻĀkani, naʻe fakaʻauha ai ia, ko hono falé, mo ʻene ngaahi koloá, ʻo hangē pē ko e kolo mo e kakai ʻo Selikoó. ʻOku ʻikai fakamatalaʻi mahino ʻi he folofolá ʻa e ʻuhinga naʻe vahevahe ai ʻe he fāmili ʻo ʻĀkaní hono tauteá.

Hili hono ikunaʻi ʻe he kakai ʻIsilelí ʻa e kakai ʻo ʻAí, naʻe tānaki kinautolu ʻe Sōsiua ki Sikemi, ʻa ia naʻe ʻi ha teleʻa ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e Moʻunga ko Kelisimí mo e Moʻunga ʻIpalé. Naʻe fakahoko heni ʻe Sōsiua ʻa e ngaahi fakahinohino naʻe fai ʻe Mōsese ʻi he fakaʻosinga ʻo ʻene moʻui fakamatelié: Naʻe langa ʻe Sōsiua ha ʻesi-feilaulau ʻi he Moʻunga ʻIpalé, fai ha ngaahi feilaulau, mo hiki ha tatau ʻo e fono ʻa Mōsesé ʻi ha ngaahi maka. Naʻe tuʻu leva ha vaheua ʻe taha ʻo e faʻahinga ʻo ʻIsilelí ʻi he Moʻunga ko Kelisimí pea vaeua ʻe tahá ʻi he Moʻunga ʻIpalé. Naʻe tuʻu ʻa e kau Līvaí, naʻa nau fua ʻa e puha ʻo e fuakavá, ʻi he teleʻá ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e ongo moʻungá. Naʻe lau maʻuloto leva ʻe Sōsiua ha ngaahi ngāue ʻe iku ki he ngaahi tāpuakí mo e ngaahi meʻa ʻe iku ki he fakamalaʻiá ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fili ʻe he ʻOtuá, pea tali ki ai ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí ʻo pehē, “ʻĒmeni.”

Ko ha ouau ʻeni ʻo e fakafoʻou ʻo e fuakavá maʻá e kakai ʻIsilelí ʻi he fonua ʻo e talaʻofá. ʻOku ʻi ai ha ngaahi faitatau mo hono fokotuʻu ʻo e fuakava ʻi he Moʻunga Sainaí pea mo e fuakava naʻe fakahoko ʻe he ʻEikí mo ʻĒpalahamé. Naʻe toe kau ʻa e kakai ʻIsilelí ʻi ha ouau tatau ʻi Sikemi ʻi he ofi ki he fakaʻosinga ʻo e moʻui ʻa Sōsiuá. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Niila A. Mekisuele fekauʻaki mo e ouau hono uá ʻo pehē: “Ne ʻi he puipuituʻa ʻo e ʻata maʻongoʻonga ko ʻeni … ʻo e akonakí ne lea ʻaki ai ʻe Sōsiua ʻa e konga lea ʻoku manatua lelei taha ai iá: ‘Mou fili he ʻahó ni ʻa ia te mou tauhí’ (Sōsiua 24:15). Ka naʻe ʻuluaki fakamahinoʻi ʻa e ngaahi meʻa kehe te nau ala filí, ʻi he ʻatá pea mo e leá.”

Ko e foʻi lea naʻe liliu ko e tāfea ʻi he Tatau ʻa Kingi Sēmisí ʻoku ʻuhinga moʻoni ia ko e “vaitafe.” ʻOku ʻuhinga fakapatonu ia ki he Vaitafe ʻIufaletasí. ʻI he ngaahi veesi ko ʻení, naʻe fakamanatu ai ʻe Sōsiua ki he kakai ʻIsilelí ʻa e tauhi tamapua naʻe fakahoko ʻe heʻenau ngaahi kui naʻe nofo ʻi he tafaʻaki ʻe taha ʻo ʻIufaletasí kimuʻa pea foaki ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e fonua ʻo e talaʻofa ko Kēnaní kia ʻĒpalahamé.

Naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe Sōsiua ha lea fefeka ke fakatokanga ki he kau ʻIsilelí ʻe ʻekeʻi ʻe he ʻEikí meiate kinautolu ʻa ʻenau maumauʻi ʻenau fuakava mo Iá. Naʻe fakamamafaʻi ʻe heʻene ngaahi leá ʻa e natula mamafa ʻo e fuakava ʻa ʻIsileli mo e ʻEikí. Neongo ʻoku fakaiku maʻu pē hono maumauʻi ʻo e ngaahi fuakavá ki he mole ʻa e ngaahi tāpuakí, ka ʻoku ʻikai kaunga ʻa e ngaahi fakatokanga pau ʻa Sōsiua ki he kakai ʻIsilelí ki he ngaahi tūkunga kehé.

Kuo akonaki ʻa Palesiteni Lāsolo M. Nalesoni ʻi hotau kuongá ʻo pehē:

“Ko kinautolu kotoa pē kuo nau fakahoko ha fuakava mo e ʻOtuá, ʻoku nau lava ʻo maʻu ha faʻahinga ʻofa mo ha ʻaloʻofa makehe. ʻI he lea faka-Hepeluú, ʻoku ui ʻa e ʻofa fakafuakava ko iá ko e hesed (חֶסֶד). …

“Ko e hesed ko ha faʻahinga ʻofa mo e ʻaloʻofa makehe ia ʻoku ongoʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá pea ʻoku fakaaʻu atu ia kiate kinautolu kuo nau fakahoko ha fuakava mo Iá. Pea ʻoku tau fetauhiʻaki ʻi he hesed mo Ia.

“Koeʻuhí kuo fakahoko ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e hesed kiate kinautolu kuo nau fakahoko ha fuakava mo Iá, te Ne ʻofa ʻiate kinautolu. ʻE hokohoko atu ʻEne ngāue mo kinautolú mo ʻoange ha ngaahi faingamālie ke nau liliu ai. Te Ne fakamolemoleʻi kinautolu ʻi he taimi te nau fakatomala aí. Pea kapau te nau hē, te Ne tokoniʻi kinautolu ke nau ʻilo honau hala ke foki ai kiate Iá.”

• Ann M. Dibb, “Ke ke Loto-toʻa,” Liahona, Mē 2010, 114–16

• David A. Bednar, “Seek Learning by Faith,” Ensign, Sept. 2007, 61–68

• Christopher J. Morgan, “The Sin of Achan,” Ensign, Apr. 2002, 43–45

• Dale G. Renlund, “Mou Fili he ʻAhó Ni,” Liahona, Nōvema 2018, 104–6