1 Samuela 8–10; 13; 15–16

Naʻe hoko ʻa Samuela ko ha palōfita, taulaʻeiki, mo e fakamaau ki ʻIsileli kotoa ʻi ha ngaahi taʻu lahi. ʻI heʻene fakaʻau ʻo motuʻá, naʻá ne fili hono ngaahi fohá ko ha kau fakamaau, ka naʻe hoko ʻenau faiangahalá ke nau taʻefeʻunga ai ke hoko ko ha taki. Naʻe haʻu ʻa e kaumātuʻa ʻo ʻIsilelí kia Samuela ʻo kole hanau tuʻi, ko e fakaʻamu ke “tatau foki mo e ngaahi puleʻangá.” Naʻa nau fakakaukau ʻe tokoni hono maʻu ha tuʻí ki heʻenau ngaahi taú. ʻOku ngalingali naʻe fakautuutu ʻa e fakaʻamu ko ʻeni ki ha tuʻí ʻi he ʻalu ke lahi ange ʻa e fakamanamana ʻa e kau Filisitiá, ʻa ia naʻa nau maʻu ʻa e mālohi mo e ivi tākiekina ʻi he vahefonuá.

Naʻe hohaʻa ʻa Samuela ki heʻenau kolé, ʻo ʻikai koeʻuhí he ʻoku hala hono maʻu ha tuʻí, kae lahi ange ʻa e hohaʻá ki he taumuʻa ʻo ʻenau fiemaʻu ha tuʻí. Ko e ʻEikí pē naʻá Ne talaʻofa ange ke tauʻi ʻa e ngaahi tau ʻa e kau ʻIsilelí ʻi he taimi te nau faivelenga ai kiate Iá. Naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe hono kole ha tuʻí ʻa e ʻikai ke nau falala ki he ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa Sihová mo honau vā fetuʻutaki fakafuakava mo Sihová. Naʻe tali ʻe he ʻOtuá ʻa e fakaʻamu ʻa e kakaí ʻaki hono tala kia Samuela, “ʻOku teʻeki ai ke nau siʻaki koe, ka kuo nau siʻaki au, ke ʻoua naʻá ku pule kiate kinautolu.”

Naʻe pehē ʻe Palesiteni Sefilī R. Hōlani: “Ko e meʻa fakamamahi hení he kuo ʻosi ʻi ai honau tuʻi naʻe muʻomuʻa ʻiate kinautolu ʻo tau maʻanautolu. Ko Sihova Ia, ko e Tuʻi ʻo e kakai kotoa pē, ka naʻe ʻikai ke nau toe loto ke puleʻi kinautolu ʻe Sihova. Naʻe ʻikai ke nau toe fiemaʻu Ia ke Ne fai ʻenau ngaahi taú. Pea fakatatau mo e kaveinga ʻo e ngaahi lēsoni lahi ʻi he hisitōliá, naʻe hoko ha ngaahi nunuʻa fakamamahi ʻi he taimi naʻe fuʻu tōmui ai ke fakaʻehiʻehi meiate kinautolú. Naʻe tangilaulau kimui ange ʻa e kakaí ʻo pehē, ‘Kuo mau fakalahi ʻaki ʻemau ngaahi angahala kotoa pē ʻa e koví ni, ke kole ʻa e tuʻí moʻomautolu’ (1 Samuela 12:19).”

Naʻe akonaki ʻa Palesiteni ʻEselā Tafu Penisoni ʻo pehē: “Kuo pau ke ngāue ʻa e ʻOtuá ʻo fakafou ʻi ha ngaahi tuʻunga kehekehe ʻo e fakalakalaka fakalaumālié. ʻOkú ne faʻa foaki fakataimi ʻi he taimi ʻe niʻihi ki he tangatá ʻenau ngaahi kole taʻe-fakapotopotó koeʻuhí ke nau ako mei heʻenau ngaahi aʻusia fakamamahí. ʻOku ui ʻeni ʻe ha niʻihi ko e ‘tefitoʻi moʻoni ʻa Samuelá.’ Naʻe fiemaʻu ʻe he fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí ha tuʻi, ke tatau mo e ngaahi puleʻanga kehe kotoa pē. … Ko ia naʻe foaki ange ʻe he ʻOtuá hanau tuʻi pea tuku ke nau faingataʻaʻia. Naʻa nau ako mei ha founga faingataʻa. Naʻe finangalo ʻa e ʻOtuá ke kehe, ka ʻokú ne foaki ki he tangatá ʻo fakatatau mo ʻenau ngaahi holí ka ʻoku ʻi ai pē hono ngaahi fakangatangata pau.”

Ko e tangata kikité “ko ha tokotaha kuo fakamafaiʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá ke ne mamata ʻaki ʻa e fofonga fakalaumālié ki he ngaahi meʻa kuo fufuuʻi ʻe he ʻOtuá mei he māmaní.” Hangē pē ko hono fakamatalaʻi ʻi he Tohi ʻa Molomoná, ko e kau tangata kikité ko e kau tangata maʻu fakahā mo e kau palōfita. ʻOku foaki kiate kinautolu ha mālohi mei he ʻOtuá ke nau “ʻilo ki he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e kuohilí, kae ʻumaʻā foki mo e ngaahi meʻa ʻe hoko maí.” ʻOku hikinimaʻi mo fakanofo ʻi he ʻahó ni ʻa e kau mēmipa kotoa ʻo e Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí, mo e Kōlomu ʻo e Kau ʻAposetolo ʻe Toko Hongofulu Mā Uá, ko ha kau palōfita, kau tangata kikite mo e kau tangata maʻu fakahā.

Ko e “ngaahi potu māʻolungá” ko e ngaahi moʻunga, ngaahi tafungofunga, pe ngaahi tuʻunga māʻolunga ia naʻe langa ai ʻe he kau ʻIsilelí ha ngaahi ʻōlita kia Sihova. Naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi foki ʻe he kau Kēnaní ha ngaahi potu māʻolunga ke langa ai ha ngaahi ʻōlita pe maka fakamanatu ki honau ngaahi ʻotua loí. Naʻe fekauʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ki he kau ʻIsilelí ke nau fakaʻauha ʻa e ngaahi potu māʻolunga ʻo e kau Kēnaní lolotonga hono tauʻi ʻo e fonua ʻo e talaʻofá. Hili ha ngaahi senituli siʻi mei he taimi ʻo Samuelá, naʻe tuʻutuʻuni ʻe he Tuʻi ko Sōsaiá ke toʻo ʻa e ngaahi potu māʻolungá koeʻuhí ko ha ngaahi tōʻonga fakalotu kovi ʻoku felāveʻi mo ia.

Vakai, “1 Samuela 16:1–13. Ko e hā e taumuʻa hono pani ʻo Tēvitá?”

ʻOku faʻa toutou ʻasi ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá ha kulupu pe ngaahi kulupu ʻo ha kau palōfita. Mahalo naʻe kau ʻi he ngaahi kulupu ko ʻení ha niʻihi fakafoʻituitui angatonu naʻa nau kau fakataha ʻi he ngaahi taimi ʻo e hē ʻa ʻIsileli mei he moʻoní ke fefakamālohiaʻaki mo felangahakeʻaki.

ʻOku tui ʻa e kau mataotao tokolahi ʻoku hala ʻa e lahi ʻo e ngaahi sāliote Filisitia ʻe 30,000. ʻOku ʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi liliu ʻe niʻihi ʻo e Tohi Tapú ʻoku nau liliu ʻa e fiká ki he 3,000. ʻOku ʻasi ʻa e ngaahi fehalaaki ʻi he faʻahinga meʻá ni ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻi ha ngaahi ʻuhinga kehekehe, kau ai ʻa e ngaahi fehalaaki ʻi he liliú pea mahalo mo ha ngaahi fakalahi mei he kau tangata tohi kimui angé.

Naʻe talaange ʻe he palōfita ko Samuelá kia Saula ke ne ʻalu ki Kilikali ʻo tatali ʻi ha ʻaho ʻe fitu kae toki ʻalu atu ʻa Samuela ʻo fai ha ngaahi feilaulau ki he ʻEikí. Naʻe ʻikai maʻu ʻe Saula ʻa e mafai ʻo e lakanga fakataulaʻeikí naʻe fiemaʻu ke fai ʻaki ʻa e ngaahi feilaulau tutú. Ka neongo ia, ʻi he hokosia ʻa e ʻaho naʻe fokotuʻu ke hoko aí pea teʻeki aʻu atu ʻa Samuelá, naʻe ʻikai ke faʻa tatali ʻa Saula ia ka ne fai pē ʻe ia ʻa e feilaulaú. Naʻe hā mei he meʻá ni ʻa e mahuʻingaʻia ange ʻa Saula ʻi he meʻa naʻá ne loto ki aí ʻo laka ange ia ʻi he meʻa naʻe finangalo ʻa e ʻEikí ke ne faí ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe hoko kimuʻá.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Tieta F. ʻUkitofa, ko ha mēmipa ʻi he Kau Palesitenisī ʻUluakí ʻo pehē:

“Naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻe he palōfita ko Samuelá ha kiʻi vaivai ʻi he ʻulungaanga ʻo Saulá. ʻI he taimi naʻe fefeka ai ʻa e fusi ʻa e ngaahi mālohi mei tuʻá, naʻe ʻikai lava ʻa Saula ʻo mapuleʻi ia ke ne tuʻu maʻu ʻi he meʻa totonú, ke falala ki he ʻEikí mo ʻEne palōfitá, pea muimui ʻi he founga kuo fokotuʻu ʻe he ʻOtuá.

“Mahalo ʻe ngali siʻisiʻi pē ʻa e faikehekehé ʻaki ha lau tikilī ʻo hange ko e … ʻikai ke lava ʻa Saula ʻo pīkitai ki he akonaki ʻa e palōfitá ʻo kiʻi fuofuoloa siʻí. Ka ʻe ʻau pē ki he fanga kiʻi fehalaaki īkí, ʻe tātānaki pē ʻo hoko ai ha fuʻu faikehekehe lahi ʻi heʻetau moʻuí.”

Ko e kau ʻAmalekí ko ha kakai naʻe ʻikai ke nau manavahē ki he ʻEikí. Naʻa nau toe lapasi foki ʻa e fānau ʻa ʻIsilelí, ʻa ē naʻa nau nofo kemi ʻi he feituʻu maomaonganoá lolotonga ʻa e Hikifonongá, pea tāmateʻi ʻa e tokolahi ʻi he kau ʻIsileli ʻoku tuʻu laveangofua tahá. Naʻe folofola ʻa e ʻEikí ʻo pehē ʻoku totonu ke aʻu ki ha tuʻunga kuo hanga ai ʻe he kau ʻIsilelí ʻo “tamateʻi ʻa e manatu ki ʻAmalekí mei he lalo langí.” ʻOku ʻikai ke tau ʻiloʻi kotoa ʻa e ngaahi ʻuhinga naʻe fekau ai ʻe he ʻOtuá kia Saula mo ʻene kau taú ke nau fakaʻauha kotoa ʻa e kau ʻAmalekí mo ʻenau fanga monumanú. Ka neongo ia, ʻoku tau ʻiloʻi ʻa e fuʻu tokanga lahi ʻa e ʻOtuá ki Heʻene fānaú kotoa he ʻoku ʻikai ke Ne “fiemālie ʻi he mate ʻa e angahalá.” ʻOkú Ne ʻafioʻi ʻa e meʻa kotoa pē pea ʻoku haohaoa moʻoni mo mohu ʻaloʻofa.

Vakai foki, “ʻOku tau fakaʻuhingaʻi fēfē e ngaahi fetāʻaki ʻi he folofolá?,” ʻi he Ngaahi Tefitó mo e Ngaahi Fehuʻí, “Religion vs. Violence,” Gospel Library.

Naʻe pehē ʻe ʻEletā Lōpeti D. Heili:

“Naʻe ʻikai ke muimui ʻa Saula ki he fekau ʻa e ʻEikí. Naʻá ne fai ʻa e meʻa te u ui ko e ‘talangofua filifili pē.’ Naʻá ne falala pē ki hono poto ʻoʻoná, ʻo ne fakahaofi ʻa e moʻui ʻa e Tuʻi ko ʻĒkakí mo ne ʻomi ʻa e fanga sipi, pulu, mo e fanga monumanu kehe lelei tahá. …

“… Koeʻuhí naʻe ʻikai talangofua matematē ʻa Saula—he naʻá ne fili ke filifili pē ʻene talangofuá—naʻe mole ai hono faingamālié mo e tauʻatāina ke hoko ko e tuʻí.”

Vakai, “Sēnesi 6:6. Ko e hā e meʻa ʻoku fiemaʻu ke mahino kiate kitautolu mei he kupuʻi lea ʻnaʻe fakatomala [ʻa e ʻEikí]’?”

Ko hono tākai ʻaki ʻa e loló ko ha founga angamaheni ia ʻi he Fuakava Motuʻá. ʻOkú ne fakataipe “ha liliu ʻi he tuʻungá pe vaheʻi ki ha uiuiʻi fakalangi” ki he ngaahi tuʻunga toputapu ʻo e palōfitá, taulaʻeikí, mo e tuʻí. Naʻe felāveʻi ʻa e lolo ʻōlivé mo e haohaoá, fakamoʻuí, pea mo e Laumālie Māʻoniʻoní. Naʻe faʻa ʻave holo ia ʻi ha meʻatui, ʻa ia naʻá ne fakafofongaʻi ʻa e iví pe mālohi.

Hangē pē ko hono tākai ʻa Saula kimuʻá, naʻe muiaki mai mei hono tākai ʻo Tēvitá ʻa hono maʻu ʻa e Laumālie ʻo e ʻEikí. Naʻe faʻa ui ʻa Tēvita mo e niʻihi kehe naʻe pani ʻi he kuonga muʻá ko e “kakai kuo paní.” ʻI he foungá ni, naʻe fakamelomelo ai ʻe Tēvita hono hako ʻi he kahaʻú, ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi, ʻa ia ʻoku ʻuhinga hono huafa ko e Mīsaiá “ko e tokotaha kuo pani.”

ʻOku fakamahino ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá ko e laumālie ʻuli naʻe hoko kia Saulá naʻe ʻikai mei he ʻEikí ia. Neongo naʻe ngali tākiekina fakahangatonu ʻa Saula ʻe ha laumālie ʻuli, ka ʻoku malava pē foki ke ne aʻusia ha laumālie ʻo e taʻefiemālié koeʻuhí ko ʻene ngaahi angahalá.

• Jeffrey R. Holland, “Fili ʻa e ʻEikí mo ʻEne Palōfitá,” Liahona, Sune 2022, 4–9

• Peggy Furniss Lee, “A King for Israel,” Ensign, June 2002, 21–23

• Robert D. Hales, “Tauʻatāina ke Filí: Mahuʻinga ki he Palani ʻo e Moʻuí,” Liahona, Nōvema 2010, 24–27

• Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Ko ha Lau Tikilī Pē,” Liahona, Mē 2008, 57–60