UYOSEFU wayemi egadini yakhe ngorhatya lwemivundla. Mhlawumbi wayebukele imithi yesundu neminye imithi yeziqhamo, amadama avathiswe ziintyatyambo, ngaphaya kwawo kuthe gqi ibhotwe likaFaro. Kanti khawuphinde ube nomfanekiso ngqondweni wakhe esiva uqhuzu-qhuzu wentsinana kaEfrayim njengoko enyunjazwa ngumntakwabo uManase qelele phayaa. Mhlawumbi naye wayezibona ngathi ukuloo ndlu, inkosikazi yakhe ihleka le ntswahla yenziwa zezi ngqeqe. Inoba watsho ngoncumo olugoso xa ecinga ngendlela asikeleleke ngayo.

UYosefu wathiya izibulo lakhe igama elinguManase, elithetha ukulibala. (Genesis 41:51) Ngokuqinisekileyo, iintsikelelo awayesandul’ ukuzifumana kuThixo kuloo minyaka zayithomalalisa intlungu awayenayo yokukhumbula ikhaya lakhe, abantakwabo kunye noyise. Ukuthiywa kwakhe ngabantakwabo kwabutshintsha ubomi bakhe. Bamxhimfa becinga nangokumbulala, kodwa ekugqibeleni bamthengisela ebukhobokeni kubarhwebi. Emva koko ubomi bakhe baba ngumbhodamo emva kombhodamo. Kangangeminyaka eliqela wanyamezela ubukhoboka nobubhantinti, ibe kangangethuba elithile wabotshelelwa ngamakhamandela. Kodwa ngoku, wayengowesibini ngegunya kulawulo lukaFaro waseYiputa, isizwe esinobungangamsha! *

Kangangeminyaka, uYosefu wabukela izinto ezazixelwe kwangaphambili nguYehova zisenzeka. Ngelo xesha iYiputa yayikwiminyaka esixhenxe yentlutha eyayixelwe kwangaphambili, ibe uYosefu wayejongene nokugcinwa kokutya okuziinkozo okuseleyo. Ngelo xesha, yena nenkosikazi yakhe uAsenati baba noonyana ababini. Sekunjalo, wayesoloko ekhumbula intsapho yakhe eyayihlala kude lee kunalapho eYiputa, ingakumbi umninawa wakhe uBhenjamin kunye noyise awayemthanda kunene, uYakobi. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba wayezibuza ukuba bonwabile na, ibe basakhuselekile. Mhlawumbi ezibuza nokuba abantakwabo basakhohlakele na, nokuba umsantsa owavuleka phakathi kwabo ungaze uvaleke kusini na.

Ukuba nikhe naphehluzeliswa ngumona, ukutyan’ izithende, nokucaphukelana entsatsheni yakho, kusenokwenzeka ukuba ininzi into ofana ngayo noYosefu. Ngoko, singafunda ntoni kukholo lukaYosefu xa waphinda wayamkela ngezandl’ ezishushu intsapho yakhe?

UYosefu wayehlala esisiquququ, ibe loo nto yenza iminyaka yabaleka. Izinto zenzeka kanye njengokuba uYehova watshoyo kwiphupha likaFaro, kuba unyaka wesixhenxe wentlutha walandelwa yiminyaka eyahluke mpela. Amasimi ayebharhile! Kungekudala emva koko, amazwe akufutshane neYiputa athwaxwa linxele likaKhetsekile. Nakuba kunjalo, iBhayibhile ithi: “Ezweni lonke laseYiputa kwakukho isonka.” (Genesis 41:54) Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukutyhilelwa kukaYosefu nguYehova nobuchule bakhe bokulungelelanisa izinto kwalinceda kakhulu eli lizwe.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amaYiputa ayiqonda indlela amdinga ngayo uYosefu, ebuhlonela nobuchule  bakhe bokulungelelanisa izinto. Sekunjalo, uYosefu akazange afune ukuzukiswa, kunoko wasa uzuko kulowo ulufaneleyo, uYehova uThixo wakhe. Xa sisebenzisa ubuchule okanye italente esinayo ekukhonzeni uThixo, unokusinceda siyisebenzise ngendlela esingazange sakwazi ukuyisebenzisa ngayo ngaphambili.

Njengokuba ixesha lihamba, amaYiputa eva ukuba indlala iya iqatsela. Xa esiya kucela amalizo kuFaro, wayesuke athi: “Yiyani kuYosefu. Nantoni na ayitshoyo kuni, nize niyenze.” Ngoko uYosefu wavula oovimba awayegcine kubo ukutya ukuze abantu bakwazi ukuthenga.—Genesis 41:55, 56.

Kodwa kwakungelula kangako kubantu abakumazwe akufuphi. Kwintsapho yakuloYosefu eyayihlala eKanan, ekumakhulu-khulu eekhilomitha ukusuka eYiputa, ikati yayilel’ eziko. UYakobi owayesele eyinkonde, weva ukuba ukutya kuyafumaneka eYiputa, waza waxelela oonyana bakhe ukuba baye kuthenga ukutya apho.—Genesis 42:1, 2.

UYakobi wathuma oonyana bakhe abalishumi, kodwa wathi makangahambi yena uBhenjamin oliphelo lakhe. Kaloku wayeyikhumbula ngathi bekungezolo imini awathuma ngayo uYosefu kubakhuluwa bakhe, ibe wamgqibela ngaloo mini unyana wakhe. Oonyana bakhe abadala bamzisela isambatho sikaYosefu, awampha sona kuba emthanda kakhulu, sikrazukile ibe sinkone ligazi. Benza le nkonde yakholelwa ukuba uYosefu uqwengwe ngamarhancwa.—Genesis 37:31-35.

Emva kohambo olude, oonyana bakaYakobi bafika eYiputa. Xa bebuza ukuba kuthengiswa phi ukutya, bathunyelwa kwigosa eliphezulu laseburhulumenteni uTsafenati-paneha. (Genesis 41:45) Ngaba bamazi xa bembona ukuba nguYosefu? Nakanye. Babebona nje usomaqhuzu ongumlawuli eYiputa, ababedinga uncedo lwakhe. Ukuze babonise imbeko, benza into elindelekileyo: “Baqubuda kuye ngobuso emhlabeni.”—Genesis 42:5, 6.

Ngaba wabazi yena uYosefu? Wabaqaphela zisuka abantakwabo! Ngokungakumbi, xa babequbuda kuye, ingcinga zakhe zabuyela kwezaa mini wayeseyinkwenkwana. Eli bali lisixelela ukuba “ngoko nangoko uYosefu wawakhumbula amaphupha” awawaboniswa nguYehova xa wayeseyinkwenkwana, awayechaza ukuba abantakwabo babeza kuqubuda kuye, kanye njengokuba besenza ngoku! (Genesis 37:2, 5-9; 42:7, 9) Wayeza kuthini uYosefu? Ngaba wayeza kubathakazelela? Okanye afune ukuziphindezela?

UYosefu wayesazi ukuba akamele enze nantoni na eqale yafika engqondweni. Kwakucacile ukuba uYehova wayenesandla kwindlela ezazisenzeka ngayo izinto. Kaloku oku kwakubandakanya injongo yakhe. Wayethembise ukuba oonyana bakaYakobi babeya kuba luhlanga olukhulu. (Genesis 35:11, 12) Ukuba abantakwabo babeseziingonyama, ukuziveza kwakhe kwakunokuba kukunqika ilitye elineembovane ekuhambeni kwexesha! Ngaphandle koko, ukuba wayenokuziveza kwangoko kubantakwabo, wayenokuduba uxolo emv’ ekhaya, mhlawumbi ebeka ubomi bukayise nobukaBhenjamin esichengeni. Khona, babesaphila? UYosefu  waqonda ukuba kungcono angabachazeli ukuba nguye ukuze abone kakuhle ukuba abantakwabo bangabantu abanjani ngoku. Leyo yindlela awayeza kukwazi ngayo ukuba uYehova ufuna athathe waphi amanyathelo.

Kunqabile ukuba wena ungazibona ukwingxaki enjalo. Sekunjalo, iingxwabangxwaba nokuqhekeka kweentsapho kuxhaphakile namhlanje. Xa sizibhaqa sineengxaki ezinjalo, siye siqhutywe kukungafezeki, senze eqale yafika engqondweni. Kububulumko ukulinganisa umzekelo kaYosefu, sikhangele indlela uThixo afuna siwusingathe ngayo umbandela onjalo. (IMizekeliso 14:12) Khumbula ukuba, nangona kubalulekile ukudala uxolo nabantu abakwintsapho yakho, kubaluleke nangakumbi ukudala uxolo phakathi kwakho noYehova kunye noNyana wakhe.—Mateyu 10:37.

UYosefu waqalisa ukubavavanya abantakwabo ukuze abone oko kusezintliziyweni zabo. Waqala ngokuthetha nabo ndlongo-ndlongo, etolikelwa ke phofu, ebatyhola ngokuba ziintlola. Ngelinge lokuzithethelela, bamxelela ngentsapho yabo, bethetha neyona nto uYosefu wayencwase ukuyiva, ukuba umninawa wakhe usaphila. Intliziyo kaYosefu yayixhuma-xhuma, kodwa wayifihla loo nto. Kwakungathi uyaphupha xa wayesiva ukuba umninawa wakhe usaphila. Ngoku uYosefu wayesazi kakuhle oko amele akwenze. Wabaxelela ukuba mabeze naloo mntakwabo bamshiyileyo, esithi: “Ngako oko niza kuvavanywa.” Ekuhambeni kwexesha wavuma ukuba baye kulanda lo mntakwabo, ukuba nje babeza kuvuma ukushiya omnye wabo eseluvalelweni.—Genesis 42:9-20.

Njengokuba abakhuluwa bakhe babethetha, babengazi ukuba uYosefu uva ilizwi ngalinye kumazwi abo okuzisola ngesenzo abasenza kwiminyaka eyi-20 eyadlulayo. Bathi: “Alithandabuzeki elokuba sinetyala ngenxa yomntakwethu, kuba sakubona ukubandezeleka komphefumlo wakhe xa wayesicela ukuba sibe nemfesane kuye, kodwa asizange siphulaphule. Kungenxa yoko le nto kusifikeleyo oku kubandezeleka.” Ekubeni uYosefu wayebeva ukuba bathini, kwafuneka athi gu bucala ukuze bangamboni elila. (Genesis 42:21-24) Noko ke, wayesazi ukuba ukuguquka ngokwenene akuphelelanga nje ekuziveni ukhathazekile ngenxa yemiphumo yesenzo esibi osenzileyo. Ngoko waqhubeka nokubavavanya.

Wabavumela ukuba bagoduke, kodwa wavalela uSimeyon. Waphinda wafihla nemali kwiibhegi zabo zokutya. Abakhuluwa bakaYosefu bafika ekhaya, baza bacenga uyise ukuba abavumele bahambe noBhenjamin xa bebuyela eYiputa. Bakufika eYiputa, bachazela isicaka sikaYosefu ngemali abayifumene kwiibhegi zabo, nokuba bakulungele ukuyibuyisa ngokuphindwe kabini. Yayintle loo nto, kodwa ke kwakusafuneka okungakumbi ukuze uYosefu abone ubuntu babo bokwenene. Wabenzela isidlo, ibe kuso wayengasakwazi nokulufihla uvuyo awayenalo lokubona uBhenjamin. Emva koko wabandulula, neebhegi zabo zithe mfi kukutya. Kodwa kwesi sihlandlo, wafaka indebe yesilivere kwibhegi kaBhenjamin.—Genesis 42:26–44:2.

Ngoku yaba lithuba elihle lokuba uYosefu abavavanye. Wathi mabasukelwe, babanjwe ebatyhola ngokuba indebe yakhe. Emva kokuba ifunyenwe kwibhegi kaBhenjamin, bonke babuyiselwa kuYosefu. Ngoku amasi ayebekwe elangeni kuba uYosefu wayeza kububona kakuhle ubuntu bala madoda. UYuda wabathethela, ebongoza uYosefu ukuba abe nenceba kubo, kangangokuba wade wathi bonke banokuba ngamakhoboka eYiputa. UYosefu wathi makushiyeke uBhenjamin yedwa eYiputa ukuze abe likhoboka, baze bonke abanye babuyele ekhaya.—Genesis 44:2-17.

UYuda akazange akwazi ukuzibamba, waphendula ngamazwi achukumisayo. Wathi: “Nguye yedwa oseleyo kunina, yaye uyise uyamthanda.” Kumele ukuba loo mazwi ayithambisa intliziyo kaYosefu. Kaloku wayelizibulo kuRakeli, umfazi owayethandwa gqitha nguYakobi, nowafa ebeleka uBhenjamin. Njengoyise, kumele ukuba uYosefu wayesawakhumbula amaxesha amnandi awawachitha noRakeli. Mhlawumbi yiloo nto eyenza uYosefu wamthanda kakhulu uBhenjamin.—Genesis 35:18-20; 44:20.

UYuda waqhubeka emcenga uYosefu ukuba angamenzi ikhoboka uBhenjamin. Wade wambongoza ukuba athathe yena njengekhoboka kunoBhenjamin. Waqwela ngala mazwi ashiya uYosefu  engakwazi ukuzibamba: “Ndingathini na ukunyuka ndiye kubawo, ngaphandle kwale nkwenkwe, kuba hleze ndiyibone intlekele eya kumehlela ubawo?” (Genesis 44:18-34) Yayizicacele into yokuba le ndoda yayiguquke ngokwenene. Zange abonise nje ukuba uguqukile, kodwa wabonisa ukuba unovelwano ibe akazicingeli.

Yonke le nto yamsinda uYosefu. Yabonakala indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo. Emva kokuyalela abalindi bakhe ukuba baphume, watsho ngesikrakra isikhalo, esade saya kuvakala kwibhotwe likaFaro. Ekugqibeleni wazichaza ukuba ungubani esithi: “NdinguYosefu umntakwenu.” Wabanga abantwakwabo waza wabaxolela ngezinto zonke abazenzayo kuye. (Genesis 45:1-15) Wabonisa uphawu oluhle lukaYehova, ukuxolela ngesisa. (INdumiso 86:5) Ngaba nathi siyaxolela?

Emva kokuba uFaro eve konke okwenzeke endlwini kaYosefu, wathi kuye makafudusele uyise owayesele ekhulile nentsapho yakhe yonke eYiputa. Zange ibe lixesha elide, uYosefu wadibana kwakhona noyise wakhe amthanda gqitha. UYakobi walila wathi: “Ngesi sihlandlo ndikulungele ukufa, ekubeni ngoku ndibubonile ubuso bakho, ukuba usaphila.”—Genesis 45:16-28; 46:29, 30.

Phofu ke, uYakobi waphila eminye iminyaka eyi-17 eYiputa. Waphila de kwafika ixesha lokuba achaze iintsikelelo ezaziya kufikela oonyana bakhe abayi-12. UYosefu unyana wakhe we-11 wamnika izahlulo ezibini ezazidla ngokufunyanwa lizibulo. Izizwe ezibini zakwaSirayeli zaziza kuvela kuye. Kuthekani ngoYuda, unyana wesine kaYakobi owabalaselayo ekuboniseni inguquko? Wafumana inyhweba enkulu: Wayeza kuba ngukhokho kaMesiya!—Genesis, isahluko 48, 49.

Xa uYakobi wafa eneminyaka eyi-147, batyhwatyhwa abantakwabo Yosefu becinga ukuba wayenokufuna ukubuyis’ izitya kubo. Kodwa uYosefu wabaqinisekisa ukuba uyabathanda. Wayeqonda ukuba, ekubeni uYehova waba negalelo ekufudukeleni kwentsapho yakhe eYiputa, akuyomfuneko ukuba abantakwabo bazisole ngoko bakwenzayo. Wabuza lo mbuzo ungenakulibaleka: “Ndisesikhundleni sikaThixo yini na?” (Genesis 15:13; 45:7, 8; 50:15-21) UYosefu wayesazi ukuba uYehova nguMgwebi ongenakuze enze mpazamo. Wayengubani ke yena uYosefu ukuba angohlwaya abo sele bexolelwe nguYehova?—Hebhere 10:30.

Akukhe kube nzima ngawe ukuxolela abanye? Kunokuba nzima, ingakumbi xa umntu ekunyole esweni ngabom. Kodwa ukuba ubaxolela ngokusuka entliziyweni abo baguquke ngokwenene, kuya kuphola amanxeba amaninzi, kuquka nawakho. Ukuba wenjenjalo, uya kube uxelisa ukholo lukaYosefu noYise onenceba, uYehova.