DAVIDE anadzipanikiza kudutsana ndi chigulu cha asilikali amene ankathawa kuchoka m’malo awo omenyera nkhondo. Asilikaliwo ankachita kuonekeratu kuti ali ndi mantha kwambiri. Kodi n’chiyani chinawachititsa mantha choncho? Davide ayenera kuti ankamva asilikaliwo akutchula mwamantha dzina la munthu winawake. Kenako anaona munthuyo ataima m’chigwa ndipo anadabwa chifukwa anali asanaonepo munthu wamkulu komanso wamtali choncho.

Munthuyo anali Goliyati ndipo Davide atangomuona anadziwa chifukwa chake asilikali ankamuopa. Anali wamkulu mwachilendo. Ngakhale akapanda kuvala zovala zankhondo, Goliyati ayenera kuti ankalemera kuposa kulemera kwa anthu awiri akuluakulu. Koma anali atanyamula zida zoopsa ndipo anali msilikali wamphamvu komanso waluso pa nkhondo. Kenako Goliyati anafuula mawu oderera Aisiraeli. Taganizirani mphamvu ya mawu ake pamene ankanyoza asilikali a Isiraeli komanso mfumu yawo, Sauli. Iye ananena kuti ngati pali msilikali wolimba mtima, apite kukamenyana naye ndipo nkhondoyo ithera pomwepo.​—1 Samueli 17:4-10.

Aisiraeli anachita mantha kwambiri. Nayenso Sauli anali ndi mantha. Davide anamva kuti zimenezi zinakhala zikuchitika kwa nthawi yopitirira mwezi umodzi. Nkhondo ya pakati pa asilikali a Afilisiti ndi a Isiraeli inkakanika kuyamba chifukwa chakuti tsiku lililonse Goliyati ankaderera Aisiraeliwo. Zimenezi zinamukhumudwitsa kwambiri Davide. Zinali zochititsa manyazi kuona mfumu ya Isiraeli ndi asilikali ake, kuphatikizapo azichimwene atatu a Davide, atagwidwa ndi mantha. Iye ankaona kuti Goliyati sakunyoza asilikali a Isiraeli okha, koma akunyozanso Yehova, Mulungu wa Isiraeli. Koma kodi Davide akanatani popeza anali wamng’ono? Nanga kodi ifeyo tingaphunzire chiyani pa chitsanzo chake?​—1 Samueli 17:11-14.

Tiyeni tikambirane kaye zimene zinachitika miyezi yambiri izi zisanachitike. Kunja kunali kutayamba kuda ndipo Davide n’kuti akudyetsa nkhosa za bambo ake kumapiri enaake kufupi ndi ku Betelehemu. Iye anali mnyamata wooneka bwino komanso wamaso okongola ndipo pa nthawiyi ayenera kuti anali ndi zaka zosakwana 20. Akamapuma ankakonda kuimba zeze. Ankakonda kuimba za zinthu zochititsa chidwi zimene Mulungu analenga ndipo luso lake loimba linawonjezeka chifukwa chokhala ndi nthawi yambiri yoyeserera. Koma tsiku limeneli Davide anaitanidwa kuti apite kunyumba chifukwa bambo ake ankamufuna mwamsanga.​—1 Samueli 16:12.

Atafika anapeza bambo ake, a Jese, akukambirana ndi munthu winawake wokalamba kwambiri. Munthu wokalambayo anali mneneri Samueli. Yehova anali atamutuma kuti akadzoze mwana mmodzi wa Jese kuti adzakhale mfumu ya Isiraeli. Samueli anali ataona kale ana aamuna 7 a Jese, omwe anali aakulu kwa Davide, koma Yehova anamuuza kuti sanasankhe aliyense pagulu lawolo. Koma Davide atafika, Yehova anauza Samueli kuti: “Ndi ameneyu! Nyamuka umudzoze.” Samueli anatenga nyanga imene munali mafuta apadera n’kuthira m’mutu mwa Davide, azichimwene ake onse akuona. Kuyambira nthawi imeneyi, moyo wa Davide unasintha kwambiri chifukwa Baibulo limati: “Mzimu wa Yehova unayamba kugwira ntchito pa Davide kuyambira tsiku limenelo mpaka m’tsogolo.”​—1 Samueli 16:1, 5-11, 13.

Kodi Davide anayamba kuona kuchedwa kuti ayambe kulamulira? Ayi, anadikira kuti mzimu wa Yehova umuthandize kudziwa nthawi yoyenera kuyamba kulamulira. Pa nthawi imene ankadikirayi, anapitirizabe ntchito yake yoweta nkhosa. Ntchito imeneyi  ankaigwira modzipereka komanso molimba mtima. Mwachitsanzo, nthawi ina nkhosa za bambo ake zinkafuna kudyedwa ndi mkango ndipo nthawi inanso zikanadyedwa ndi chimbalangondo. Davide sanapirikitse zilombozi ataima patali. Koma anamenyana nazo kuti ateteze nkhosa za bambo ake. Maulendo awiri onsewa, iye anapha ndi manja zilombo zoopsazi.​—1 Samueli 17:34-36; Yesaya 31:4.

Patapita nthawi, Davide anaitanidwa ndi Sauli chifukwa mbiri yake inali itafika kwa mfumuyo. Ngakhale kuti Sauli anali adakali msilikali wamphamvu, Yehova anali atasiya kumuthandiza chifukwa sankamvera malamulo ake. Yehova anali atamuchotsera mzimu wake moti nthawi zambiri ankakhala wokwiya, ankakayikira aliyense komanso ankachita zachiwawa. Nthawi iliyonse zimenezi zikachitika, Sauli ankafuna kuimbiridwa nyimbo kuti mtima wake ukhalenso m’malo. Atumiki ena a Sauli anali atamva zoti Davide ali ndi luso loimba komanso anali wolimba mtima. Zimenezi zinachititsa kuti Sauli aitanitse Davide ndipo anakhala m’gulu la anthu oimba nyimbo m’nyumba ya mfumu komanso omunyamulira zida.​—1 Samueli 15:26-29; 16:14-23.

Achinyamata angaphunzire zambiri pa chikhulupiriro chimene Davide anasonyeza pa nthawiyi. Pa nthawi yake yopuma, iye ankachita zinthu zimene zinkalimbitsa ubwenzi wake ndi Yehova. Kuwonjezera pamenepa, anayesetsa kuti akhale ndi luso limene likanamuthandiza pa moyo wake komanso kumuthandiza kupeza ntchito. Koma chofunika kwambiri n’choti, analola kuti mzimu wa Yehova uzimutsogolera. Zimenezitu ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwa tonsefe.​—Mlaliki 12:1.

Davide atayamba kutumikira Sauli, nthawi zambiri ankapita kaye kunyumba kwawo komwe ankawetabe nkhosa ndipo nthawi zina ankakhalako nthawi yaitali ndithu. Nthawi ina atapita kwawo, m’pamene bambo ake anamutuma kuti apite kukaona azichimwene ake atatu omwe anali m’gulu la asilikali a Sauli. Davide anamvera bambo akewo ndipo ananyamula katundu woti akapereke kwa abale akewo n’kuyamba ulendo wopita kuchigwa cha Ela. Atafika, anadabwa kupeza nkhondo isanayambe ngati mmene tafotokozera kumayambiriro kuja. Gulu lililonse la asilikali linali litaima m’mbali mwa phiri ndipo pakati pawo panali chigwa.​—1 Samueli 17:1-3, 15-19.

Davide ankaona kuti zinthu sizinayenere kukhala chonchi. Panalibe chifukwa choti asilikali a Yehova Mulungu athawe munthu wina aliyense, makamaka munthu amene salambira Mulungu. Davide ankaona kuti Goliyati sakungonyoza asilikaliwo koma akunyozanso Yehova. Choncho anayamba kulankhula ndi asilikaliwo molimba mtima zogonjetsa Goliyati. Pasanapite nthawi, Eliyabu, yemwe anali mchimwene wamkulu wa Davide, anamva zimene Davide ankanenazo. Iye anamudzudzula mwaukali ndipo anamunena kuti wabwera kunkhondoko kuti adzangoona anthu akuphedwa. Koma Davide anayankha kuti: “Tsopano ndachita chiyani? Inetu ndangofunsa chabe.” Iye anapitiriza kulankhula molimba mtima kuti akhoza kugonjetsa Goliyati ndipo munthu wina anakauza Sauli zimene Davide ankanenazo. Mfumuyo itamva inalamula anthu kuti akamutenge.​—1 Samueli 17:23-31.

Davide anauza mfumuyo mawu olimbikitsa akuti: “Musalole kuti aliyense agwidwe ndi mantha mumtima mwake.” Sauli ndi asilikali ake anali atagwidwadi ndi mantha. N’kutheka kuti anachita mantha chifukwa chodziyerekezera ndi Goliyati n’kumaona kuti akhoza kungomulekeza m’chiuno kapena munthiti. Mwina ankaona kuti Goliyati sangavutike kuwagonjetsa. Koma Davide ankaona zinthu mosiyana kwambiri  ndi Aisiraeli enawo. Choncho anadzipereka kuti akamenyane ndi Goliyati.​—1 Samueli 17:32.

Koma Sauli anamuuza kuti: “Sungapite kukamenyana ndi Mfilisiti ameneyu, chifukwa ndiwe mwana, ndipo Mfilisiti ameneyu wakhala akumenya nkhondo kuyambira ubwana wake.” Kodi n’zoona kuti Davide analidi mwana pa nthawiyi? Ayi. Ngakhale kuti mwina ankaoneka wamng’ono, ayenera kuti anali ndi zaka pafupifupi 20. Komabe anali asanakwanitse zaka zoyenera kulowa usilikali. Ngakhale zinali choncho, Davide anali atayamba kale kudziwika monga munthu wamphamvu komanso wolimba mtima.​—1 Samueli 16:18; 17:33.

Davide anauza Sauli mmene anaphera mkango ndiponso chimbalangondo chija pofuna kusonyeza kuti akhoza kukamenyananso ndi Goliyati. Kodi Davide anauza Sauli zimenezi pongofuna kudzitama? Ayi. Tikutero chifukwa chakuti Davide ankadziwa chimene chinamuthandiza kupha zilombozo. Iye anati: “Yehova amene anandilanditsa m’kamwa mwa mkango ndi m’kamwa mwa chimbalangondo andilanditsanso m’manja mwa Mfilisiti ameneyu.” Sauli atamva zimenezi, anauza Davide kuti: “Pita, ndipo Yehova akhale nawe.”​—1 Samueli 17:37.

Kodi inunso mungakonde kukhala ndi chikhulupiriro ngati cha Davide? Sikuti iye ankangoganiza chabe kuti Mulungu akhoza kumuthandiza. Koma ankamukhulupirira ndi mtima wonse chifukwa chomudziwa bwino komanso chifukwa choti anali ataona kale Mulungu akumuthandiza. Ankadziwa kuti Yehova amateteza anthu ake mwachikondi komanso amakwaniritsa malonjezo ake. Kuti ifenso tikhale ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba, tiyenera kupitiriza kuphunzira za Mulungu. Tikamatsatira zimene timaphunzira, zinthu zidzatiyendera bwino ndipo zimenezi zidzalimbitsa chikhulupirira chathu.​—Aheberi 11:1.

Poyamba, Sauli anayesa kumuveka Davide zovala zake zankhondo. Zovalazi zinali zofanana ndi za Goliyati, zinali zopangidwa ndi mkuwa ndipo n’kutheka kuti anamuvekanso malaya aakulu okhala ndi mamba achitsulo. Koma Davide atayesa kuyenda ndi zovalazo anaona kuti sangakwanitse chifukwa zinali zazikulu komanso zolemera. Iye anali asanazolowere kuvala zovala zankhondo chifukwa anali asanaphunzire usilikali. Ndipo zinali zovuta kwambiri kuti avale zovala za mfumuyi chifukwa Sauli anali munthu wamtali kwambiri kuposa Aisiraeli onse. (1 Samueli 9:2) Ataona kuti zovalazo zikumulemera, anazivula n’kuvala zimene anazizolowera, zomwe ankavala poweta nkhosa.​—1 Samueli 17:38-40.

Davide anatenga ndodo yake yomwe ankagwiritsa ntchito kubusa, kachikwama ndiponso gulaye. Gulaye sangaoneke ngati chida chodalirika koma ndi chida champhamvu kwambiri ndipo kale abusa ankachikonda. Chidachi chinkapangidwa ndi chikopa ndipo chinkakhala ndi zingwe ziwiri. Pochigwiritsa ntchito, ankaika mwala pachikopapo, n’kupukusa mofulumira kwambiri kenako n’kusiya chingwe chimodzi. Izi zinkachititsa kuti mwalawo uthamange kwambiri n’kukagenda chimene akufunacho. Chida chimenechi chinali chodalirika kwambiri moti nthawi zina magulu ankhondo ankakhalanso ndi asilikali ena oponya miyala ndi gulaye.

Davide atatenga zinthuzi, anayamba ulendo wake wokakumana ndi Goliyati. Iye ayenera kuti ankapemphera mochokera pansi pa mtima pamene ankatola miyala m’chigwa. Anatola miyala 5 ing’onoing’ono komanso yosalala. Kenako anatulukira kumalo omenyera nkhondo, akuthamanga.

Kodi Goliyati anaganiza zotani ataona Davide? Baibulo limanena kuti: “Anayamba kumuderera chifukwa anali mnyamata wamaonekedwe ofiirira, ndiponso wokongola.” Goliyati analankhula mwamphamvu kuti: “Kodi ine ndine galu kuti ubwere kwa ine ndi ndodo?” Ayenera kuti anangoona ndodo yokha koma sanaone kuti analinso ndi gulaye. Iye anatemberera Davide m’dzina la milungu ya Afilisiti ndipo anaopseza kuti mtembo wake aupereka kwa mbalame ndi zilombo zakutchire.​—1 Samueli 17:41-44.

Zimene Davide anayankha zimasonyeza kuti anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Taganizirani kuti mnyamata ngati ameneyu anauza Goliyati kuti: “Iwe ukubwera kwa ine ndi lupanga, mkondo ndi nthungo, koma ine ndikubwera kwa iwe m’dzina la Yehova wa makamu, Mulungu wa asilikali a Isiraeli, amene iweyo wam’tonza.” Davide ankadziwa kuti zilibe kanthu kuti Goliyati anali ndi mphamvu komanso zida zoopsa. Goliyati anali atanyoza Yehova Mulungu, ndipo Davide ankadziwa kuti Yehovayo achitapo kanthu. Iye ankadziwa kuti: “Yehova ndiye mwini nkhondo.”​—1 Samueli 17:45-47.

Sikuti Davide sankaona msinkhu wa Goliyati ndiponso zida zimene anali nazo. Kungoti sanalole kuti zinthu zimenezi zimuchititse mantha. Iye sanatengere chitsanzo choipa cha Sauli ndi asilikali ake omwe ankadziyerekezera ndi Goliyati. M’malomwake, Davide ankayerekezera Goliyati ndi Yehova. Goliyati anali  wamtali pafupifupi mamita atatu ndipo ankapitirira anthu ena onse, koma msinkhu umenewu sunali kanthu pouyerekezera ndi Wolamulira Wamkulu wa chilengedwe chonse. Mofanana ndi anthu ena onse, tingati Goliyati anali ngati nyerere, yomwe singavute kuipha.

Davide anayamba kuthamangira kumene kunali Goliyati ndipo anapisa m’chikwama chake n’kutenga mwala. Iye anaika mwalawo pagulaye n’kuyamba kupukusa mwamphamvu. Goliyati anayandikira kumene kunali Davide, ndipo n’kutheka kuti ankayenda kumbuyo kwa munthu womunyamulira chishango. Koma msinkhu wa Goliyati unachititsa kuti zikhale zovuta kumuteteza bwinobwino chifukwa munthu wonyamula chishango sakanatha kuchikweza m’mwamba kuti chifikire kumutu kwake. Davide ataona zimenezi anaona kuti mbali yabwino kugenda ndi mutuwo.​—1 Samueli 17:41.

Kenako Davide anaponya mwalawo. Anthu onse ayenera kuti anangokhala chete pofuna kuona kuti zitha bwanji. Yehova ayenera kuti anathandiza Davide kuti asaphonye chifukwa mwina sakanakhala ndi mpata woponya mwala wina. Iye sanaphonyedi moti mwalawo unalowa m’mutu wa Goliyati ndipo nthawi yomweyo anagwa pansi chafufumimba. Wonyamula chishango uja ayenera kuti anachita mantha n’kuthawa. Davide anafika pafupi n’kutenga lupanga la Goliyati ndipo anadula mutu wake.​—1 Samueli 17:48-51.

Sauli ndi asilikali ake ataona zimenezi, analimba mtima ndipo anathamanga kupita kukamenyana ndi Afilisitiwo. Nkhondoyi inatha mogwirizana ndi zimene Davide anauza Goliyati, zakuti: “Yehova . . . apereka anthu inu m’manja mwathu.”​—1 Samueli 17:47, 52, 53.

Masiku ano, atumiki a Mulungu samenya nawo nkhondo. (Mateyu 26:52) Komabe tiyenera kutsanzira chikhulupiriro cha Davide. Nafenso tiyenera kumaona kuti Yehova yekha ndi amene tiyenera kumutumikira ndiponso kumuopa. Nthawi zina tikhoza kumaona kuti mavuto athu akutikulira, komabe tiyenera kukumbukira kuti mavutowo ndi aang’ono kwambiri tikawayerekezera ndi mphamvu zopanda malire za Yehova. Tikasankha kuti Yehova akhale Mulungu wathu ndiponso kumukhulupirira ngati mmene Davide anachitira, palibe vuto lililonse limene lingatichititse mantha. Zili choncho chifukwa palibe vuto limene Yehova angalephere kuligonjetsa.