1 Samuela 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuela 5–7

Fakatatau mo e fakamatala tukufakaholo faka-Hepeluú, ko e lahi taha ʻo e ngaahi tatau fakaonopooni ʻo e Fuakava Motuʻá ʻokú ne fakamatalaʻi e māʻolunga ʻo Kolaiaté ko e kiupite ʻe ono mo e hanga. Ko e kiupité naʻe meimei ʻinisi ʻe 18 (senitimita ʻe 45), pea ko e hangá naʻe meimei ko e ʻinisi ʻe ono (senitimita ʻe 15). ʻI hono fakaʻaongaʻi ʻo e ngaahi fuá ni, naʻe mei fute ʻe 9.5 ʻa e māʻolunga ʻo Kolaiaté (meimei mita ia ʻe tolu). ʻOku hiki ʻe ha ngaahi fakamatala fakakuongamuʻa ʻe niʻihi, hangē ko e liliu faka-Kalisi ʻo e Tohi Tapu motuʻá mo e Takainga Tohi ʻo e Tahi Maté, ʻa e māʻolunga ʻo Kolaiaté ko e kiupite ʻe fā mo e hanga—fakafuofua ki he fute ʻe 6.5 (mita ʻe ua) hono māʻolungá. Neongo pe ko e fē ʻa e mataʻifika ʻoku tonú, ka naʻe hā fakailifia mo fakamanavahē ʻa Kolaiate.

ʻI he kuonga muʻá, naʻe faʻa fili he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻe ha ongo konga kau ʻokú na fepaki haʻana fakafofonga ʻe toko taha ke tau ʻo fakafofongaʻi kinautolu kae ʻoua te nau tau kātoa. Naʻe fakaʻatā ʻe he foungá ni ke fakapapauʻi ʻa e olá ʻo siʻi ange ʻa e kau kafó. Naʻe ʻiloa ʻa e tokotaha kuo fili mei he tafaʻaki takitaha ko ha hau, ko ha foʻi lea naʻe liliu mei ha foʻi lea faka-Hepelū ʻoku ʻuhinga “ko ha tangata ʻoku tuʻu-vahaʻa.”

ʻOku faʻa ui ʻa Sihova ko e ʻEiki ʻo e Ngaahi Kau Taú ʻi he kotoa ʻo e folofolá. ʻOku ʻuhinga ʻa e huafa ko ʻení ki Hono fatongia ko e taki ʻo e kau tau ʻo ʻIsilelí mo e kau ʻāngelo ʻo e langí. ʻOku fakamamafaʻi ʻe he hingoá ʻa e mālohi fakalangi ʻo Sihová. ʻI he ʻuhinga ʻa Tēvita ki he ʻEiki ʻo e Ngaahi Kau Taú, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ai ʻEne tui ʻe tokoniʻi ia ʻe Sihova ʻi heʻene tau mo Kolaiaté.

Naʻe angamaheni ʻaki hono fakaʻaongaʻi ʻa e maka-taá ko ha meʻatau lolotonga e kuonga ʻo Tēvitá, ʻi hono maluʻi ʻaki ʻe he kau tauhisipí ʻenau tākangá mo e kau sōtiá ʻi he taú. Ko e maka-tā angamahení naʻe ngaohi ʻaki ia ha maea ʻe ua naʻe fakapipiki ki ha kiʻi kofukofu leta pe tupenu naʻe lahi feʻunga ke ne pukepuke ha foʻi maka. ʻE lava ke faʻo ha ngaahi foʻi maka lalahi kehekehe ʻi he kiʻi kofukofú pea lafoʻi fakataha ʻaki ha mālohi lahi. ʻE lava ʻe ha taha naʻe taukei ʻi hono fakaʻaongaʻi ʻo e maka-taá ʻo lafoʻi atu ʻa e ngaahi foʻi maká hangatonu mei ha feituʻu ʻoku kiʻi mamaʻo atu.

ʻI heʻene foaki ʻe Sonatane hono valá mo e meʻataú kia Tēvitá, naʻá ne fakahaaʻi ai ʻene anga fakakaumeʻá mo ʻene poupou kia Tēvita ke ne hoko ko e tuʻi hokó. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni Sefilī R. Hōlani ʻo pehē: “Ki ha tangata maʻulalo ange—pe ko ha kaungāmeʻa maʻulalo ange—ʻia Sonatane, naʻe mei hoko ʻa Tēvita ko ha fakamanamana fakalilifu, ko ha fili fakanatula. Ka naʻe ʻikai ke pehē ia. ʻOku ʻikai ke tau ʻilo naʻe ʻamanaki ʻa Sonatane ke fetongi ʻene tamai ko e tuʻí, ka naʻá ne mei lava pē ke mamata ki he meʻa ko iá. Ko e meʻa ʻoku tau ʻiló ‘naʻe fepikitaki ʻa e laumālie ʻo Sonatané mo e laumālie ʻo Tēvitá, pea naʻe ʻofa ʻa Sonatane kiate ia ʻo hangē ko hono laumālie ʻoʻoná’ [1 Samuela 18:1]. Naʻe pehē fau hono lahi ʻo ʻena fetauhiʻakí ko ia naʻá na ‘fai ha fuakava’ ʻo e moʻui mateakí. Ko ha fakataipe ia ʻo ʻene līʻoa ki he tuʻi foʻou kuo paní, ko ia naʻe vete ai ʻe Sonatane ʻa e pulupulu fakaʻeiʻeiki naʻá ne tuí ʻʻo ne foaki ia kia Tēvita, mo hono ngaahi kofu, ʻio, ʻa ʻene heletā foki, mo ʻene kaufana, pea mo hono nonoʻó’ [1 Samuela 18:4].”

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Palesiteni ʻEselā Tafu Penisoni ʻo pehē: “Naʻe hoko ʻa Saula ko e fili kia Tēvita tuʻunga ʻi he hīkisiá. Naʻe meheka koeʻuhí he naʻe hivaʻi ʻe ha kau fafine ʻIsileli tokolahi ‘kuo taaʻi ʻe Saula ʻene… toko afe, ka ko Tēvita ʻene ngaahi toko mano’ [1 Samuela 18:6–8].” Naʻe hoko ʻa e hīkisia ʻa Saulá ke ne fehiʻa ai kia Tēvita pea feinga foki ke tamateʻi ia. ʻOku fakamahino ʻe he Liliu ʻa Siosefa Sāmitá ko e laumālie ʻuli naʻe maʻu ʻe Saula ʻoku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he veesi 10 naʻe ʻikai mei he ʻEikí ia.

ʻI he fekumi ʻa Saula kia Tēvitá, naʻá ne hū atu ai ki ha ʻana naʻe ʻikai ke ne ʻilo naʻe toitoi ai ʻa Tēvita. Naʻe mei lava pē ke tāmateʻi ʻe Tēvita ʻa Saula, ka naʻá ne fili ke tuʻusi fakapulipuli ha konga ʻo e pulupulu ʻo Saulá. Ko e konga ʻo e pulupulú naʻe tuʻusi ʻe Tēvitá ko e tapa ki tuʻa pe tuliki ia naʻe ʻi ai ha ngaahi fakaʻilonga makehe ʻo e tuʻunga fakatuʻí. Naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi kimui ange ʻe Tēvita ʻa e konga ʻo e pulupulú ke fakahaaʻi kia Saula naʻe ʻaloʻofa pē ʻa Tēvita kiate ia.

Naʻe akoʻi ʻe Sisitā Kilisitina M. Ī ʻo e Kau Palesitenisī Lahi ʻo e Fineʻofá ʻo pehē:

“ʻI he talanoa ko ʻení, ʻoku lava ke vakai kia ʻApikale ko ha sīpinga mālohi pe fakataipe ʻo Sīsū Kalaisi. ʻOku fakafou ʻi Heʻene feilaulau fakaleleí, ʻa e lava ke Ne fakatauʻatāinaʻi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo e mafatukituki ʻo e ongoʻi ʻitá mo e tāufehiʻá pea ʻomi kiate kitautolu ʻa e tokoni ʻoku tau fiemaʻú.

“Hangē pē ko e loto-fiemālie ʻa ʻApikale ke toʻo maʻana ʻa e angahala ʻa Napalé, naʻe pehē pē ʻa hono toʻo ʻe he Fakamoʻuí—ʻi ha founga taʻe-hano-tatau—Maʻana ʻa ʻetau ngaahi angahalá mo e ngaahi angahala ʻa kinautolu kuo nau fakamamahiʻi pe fakaʻitaʻi kitautolú. …

“ʻE lava ke akoʻi mai ʻe hono ʻomi ko ia ʻe ʻApikale ha meʻatokoni lahi mo e naunaú, ʻoku ‘omi ‘e he Fakamoʻuí kiate kinautolu kuo fakamamahiʻi mo fakalaveaʻí ʻa e poupou mo e tokoni ʻoku tau fiemaʻú ke fakamoʻui mo fakahaohaoaʻí. …

“Hangē pē ko e tokoniʻi ʻe ʻApikale ʻa Tēvita ke ʻoua ʻe ‘fakamamahi ki [hono] lotó’ (1 Samuela 25:31) pea mo maʻu ʻa e tokoni naʻá ne fiemaʻú, ʻe pehē pē ʻa hono tokoniʻi koe ʻe he Fakamoʻuí.”

Naʻe ʻikai ngata pē ʻi hono fatongia kakato ʻaki ʻe ʻApikale ʻa e ngaahi tōʻonga ʻa Napolé, ka naʻá ne toe fekumi foki ʻi he loto-fakatōkilalo ki he fakamolemole ʻa Tēvitá koeʻuhí ko e ngaahi fehalaaki hono husepānití. Ko e meʻa tatau pē, ʻoku tautapa ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi maʻatautolu ʻi he ʻao ʻo e Tamaí ko hotau Taukapo mo e Fakalaloa.

Vakai, “1 Samuela 2:12–17, 22–25. Ko hai ʻa e ‘[ngaahi foha] angakoví’?”

Ki he kau laukonga ʻo onopōní, ʻe malava ke ongo fulikivanu ʻa e kupuʻi lea “[ha taha ʻoku tuʻuofi ʻi he holisí]” ʻoku fakaʻaongaʻi ʻi he Tatau ʻa Kingi Sēmisi ʻo e Tohi Tapú. Ka neongo ia, ʻoku totonu ke tau manatuʻi naʻe fakaʻaongaʻi ʻe he kau faʻu tohi Faka-Hepelū ʻo e kuonga muʻá ha ngaahi lea ke faʻu ʻaki ha “ngaahi ʻata mo e fakakaukau tuʻuloa.” ʻI he tuʻunga ko ʻení, ʻoku ʻuhinga ʻa e kupuʻi lea “[ha taha ʻoku tuʻuofi ʻi he holisí” ki he kakai tangatá pea “ʻoku tatau mo e fakakaukau ke maumauʻi ha fāmilí. ʻOku hoko ʻa e ʻitiome tatau (kae ʻikai ha lea taʻefeʻunga), mo e ʻuhinga tatau, ʻi he folofola ʻi onopōní: ʻPea he ʻikai fuoloa taʻu ka ʻe tafiʻi atu ʻa kinautolu mo honau hakó mei he lalo langí, ʻoku folofola ʻe he ʻOtuá, ke ʻoua naʻa toe ʻi ai hanau taha ke tuʻu ʻi he veʻe ʻaá’ [Tokāteline mo e Ngaahi Fuakava 121:15].”

Ko e tohi 1 mo e 2 Samuelá ko e fuofua tohi pē ia ʻe taha, naʻe ʻiloa ko e tohi ʻa Samuelá. ʻOku pehē naʻe vaeua kinaua ki ha tohi mavahevahe ʻe ua lolotonga hono liliu faka-Kalisi ʻo e Tohi Tapú. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻe he tohi 2 Samuelá ʻa e pani mo e pule ʻa Tēvitá, ko e fuofua pule ki he puleʻanga ʻo Siutá pea ki he kotoa ʻo ʻIsilelí. ʻOku manatua ʻa Tēvita ko e tuʻi maʻongoʻonga taha ʻi he hisitōlia ʻo ʻIsilelí. Koeʻuhí ko e tui faivelenga ʻa Tēvitá, naʻe tāpuekina mo fakalāngilangiʻi ia ʻe he ʻEikí.

Ka neongo ia, ʻoku fakahā ʻi he 2 Samuelá ʻe lava pē ke hinga ʻa e kakai angatonu tahá kapau he ʻikai ke nau faivelenga ʻi hono tauhi ʻo e ngaahi fekau ʻa e ʻEikí. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he vahe 11 ʻa e founga ne hoko ai e fakakaukau ʻa Tēvita ke tono ʻa Patisepá ke ne iku ai ki he kākā mo e angahala lahi angé. ʻOku fakamatalaʻi ʻi he toenga ʻo e 2 Samuelá ʻa e faingataʻa mo e mamahi naʻe tō ki he lotofale ʻo Tēvitá.

ʻOku ngalingali naʻe fili ʻe Tēvita ʻa Selusalema ke hoko ko e kolomuʻa ʻo hono puleʻangá ʻi ha ngaahi ʻuhinga lahi—kau ai hono tuʻuʻangá, maʻu ʻo e ngaahi naunau fakanatulá, mo e tuʻunga māʻolunga ʻoku ʻātakaiʻi ʻe he ngaahi teleʻa lolotó, ʻo faingofua ange ai ke maluʻi mei he ngaahi filí.

Ko Selusalema “ʻa e kolo makehe taha ʻi he hisitōlia fakatohi tapú.” ʻOku ngalingali ko e feituʻu tatau pē ia mo e kolo fakakuongamuʻa ko Seilemí, ʻa ia naʻe pule ai ʻa Melekisēteki ko ha tuʻi angatonu. ʻOku fakahaaʻi foki ʻe he tukufakaholo fakatohitapú ʻa e tuʻuʻanga ʻo e temipale ʻo Solomoné ʻi Selusalemá ko e moʻunga tatau pē ia naʻe fekauʻi ai ʻa ʻĒpalahame ke ne feilaulauʻi ʻa ʻAisaké. Naʻe tokolahi ha kau palōfita ne nau malanga, kikiteʻi, mo fakahoko ha ngaahi mana ʻi Selusalema. Kae mahuʻinga tahá, naʻe hoko ʻa e Fakalelei mo e Toetuʻu ʻa Sīsū Kalaisí ʻi Selusalema. ʻE toe foki ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ki he Moʻunga ʻŌlivé ofi ki Selusalema, ko ha konga ʻo ʻEne Hāʻele ʻAnga Ua Maí.

ʻOku fakapapauʻi mai ʻe he fakahā ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho kimui ní naʻe fakangofua ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa e kau sinifu mo e ngaahi uaifi ʻo Tēvitá, ʻa ia naʻe foaki ʻe he nima ʻo e palōfita ko Nētané—tuku kehe pē ʻa Patisepa.

Vakai foki “Sēnesi 16:1–3. Ko e hā naʻe tuku ai ʻe Sela ʻa Hekaʻā kia ʻĒpalahame ke hoko ko hano uaifí?” mo e “Sēnesi 25:6. Ko e hā ʻa e sinifu?”

Ko e puha ʻo e fuakavá ko ha fakaʻilonga ia ʻo e ʻi ai ʻa e ʻOtuá, Hono nāunaú mo e māfimafí. Naʻe angamaheni ʻaki hono tuku ia ʻi he Māʻoniʻoni ʻo e Ngaahi Māʻoniʻoni ʻo e tāpanekalé, pea naʻe kau foki mo e kau taulaʻeiki Līvaí ʻi he ʻikai fakangofua ke nau ofi ki aí. Ko e kau taulaʻeiki lahí pē naʻa nau lava ʻo fakaofi ki aí, pea ʻi he toki hili pē hono fakahoko ha ouau ʻo e fakamaʻa fakataautaha lahi, ʻa ia naʻá ne fakafofongaʻi hono fakamaʻa ʻo ʻene ngaahi angahalá.

ʻI hono fakahinohinoʻi e kakai ʻIsilelí ki he founga ke ʻave ʻaki e puha ʻo e fuakavá, naʻe fakatokanga ʻa e ʻEikí ʻe mate ha taha pē ʻoku ala ki ai naʻe ʻikai fakamafaiʻi. Naʻe akoʻi ʻe ʻEletā Niila A. Mekisuele fekauʻaki mo e tautea ʻa ʻUsá ʻo pehē: “Mahalo ʻe pehē ʻe ha niʻihi ko e anga pē ia e feinga ʻa [ʻUsa]—neongo naʻe fehalaaki—ke tokoni. Ka ʻi he tuʻo lahi hono fakahaofi mo maluʻi ʻe he ʻEikí ʻa ʻIsilelí, kau ai ʻa e ngāue lahi ki he Tahi Kulokulá mo e mana mei he langí, ko e moʻoni naʻá Ne ʻafioʻi ʻa e founga ke ʻoua ʻe tō ai ʻa e puhá!”

Lolotonga e mālōlō ʻa Tēvita ʻi hono falé, naʻá ne fakakaukau ki he founga naʻe ʻikai maʻu ai ʻe he puha ʻo e fuakavá ha tukuʻanga tuʻuloá. Naʻá ne fifili pe ʻoku totonu nai ke ne langa ha fale (pe temipale) maʻá e ʻEikí pea mo e puhá. Naʻe tali ʻe he ʻEikí ʻo fakafou ʻi he palōfita ko Nētané, ʻoku ʻikai totonu ke langa ʻe Tēvita ha fale Maʻana. Ka naʻe talaʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí te Ne fokotuʻu ʻa e fale ʻo Tēvitá (hono taloní mo e puleʻangá) ʻo taʻengata.

ʻOku faʻa ui he taimi ʻe niʻihi ʻa e ngaahi talaʻofa ʻa e ʻEikí kia Tēvitá ko e fuakava faka-Tēvitá. ʻOku tānaki mai ʻe he Saame 132:11–12 ʻa e tuʻunga taau mahuʻinga ko ia ʻe toki tuʻuloa pē ʻa e puleʻanga ʻo Tēvitá ʻi he māmaní kapau ʻe kei faivelenga ai pē hono hakó ki he ʻEikí. Koeʻuhí ko e faiangahalá, naʻe vahevahe ʻa e puleʻanga ʻo Tēvitá hili e pekia ʻa Solomoné, pea pule hono hakó ʻi he puleʻanga pē ʻo Siutá. ʻI he senituli hono ono BC, naʻe ʻave pōpula ʻa Siuta ʻe Pāpilone, pea naʻe ngata ai e puleʻanga ʻo Tēvitá.

Neongo naʻe ngata ʻa e fuofua puleʻanga ʻo Tēvitá ʻi he māmaní, ka ko e talaʻofa ko ia ʻo ha puleʻanga ʻe fokotuʻu ʻo taʻengatá, naʻe fakahoko ia ʻia Sīsū Kalaisi, ko ha hako ʻo Tēvita. ʻI he hoko ʻa Sīsū Kalaisi ko e ʻAlo ʻo e ʻOtuá, ʻe pule Ia ʻo taʻengata ko hotau Tuʻi Taʻengata.

• Gordon B. Hinckley, “Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives,” Ensign, May 1983, 46, 51–52

• Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, “Tui Faivelenga ʻo Aʻu ki he Ngataʻangá,” Liahona, Mē 2024, 59–61

• Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, “Stones of Preparation, Planning, and Persever,” Liahona, Aug. 2022, 40–43

• Kristin M. Yee, “Hoihoifua ko e fetongi ‘o e Efuefú: Ko e Halanga Faifakamoʻui ʻo e Fakamolemolé,” Liahona, Nōvema 2022, 36–39