NJENGOKO ethengisiwe njengekhoboka, uYosefu ujolise amehlo kummandla ongasempuma apho asuka khona, enqwenela ukuqhwesha agoduke. Ikhaya lakhe liseHebron ngaphaya kwezaa nduli azibonayo qelele phayaa. Njengoko kurhatyela, uyise umele ukuba ulungiselela ukuya kulala, engazi nowathwethwa ngoko kwenzekileyo kunyana wakhe amthanda kunene. Kodwa ngoku uYosefu akanandlela yokuba angafika kuye; wayezixelele ukuba akasoze aphinde ambone uyise. Abarhwebi ababemthengile babembek’ esweni njengoko iinkamela zabo zazigugutha imixawuka zijolise imibombo entshona. Kubo, le nkwenkwana yayiligugu ngokufanayo nje neziqholo kunye neoli ababeyithwele besiya kuyithengisa eYiputa.

UYosefu umele ukuba wayemalunga neminyaka eyi-17 ubudala. Khawumthelekelele nje encine amehlo ethe ntsho elundini phayaa, njengoko ilanga litshona phesheya koLwandle Olukhulu, esadidekile yiyo yonke le nto imehleleyo. Wayengayikholelwa into yokuba abantakwabo baphantse bambulala ngoku bamthengisa njengekhoboka. Umele ukuba wayethe gwantyi iinyembezi. Wayengazi ukuba ikamva lakhe limphathele ntoni.

Yintoni eyabangela ukuba uYosefu ehlelwe leli shwangusha? Ibe yintoni esinokuyifunda kukholo lweli tyendyana elaphathwa dlakadlaka laza lalahlwa yintsapho yalo?

UYosefu ukhulele kwintsapho enkulu, engamanyenanga nengonwabanga. Indlela iBhayibhile eyichaza ngayo intsapho kaYakobi ibonisa imiphumo engemihlanga yokutshata isithembu—nto leyo uThixo awayeyivumele ngelo xesha de kwafika uNyana wakhe owamisela ukuba kubuyelwe kumgaqo kaThixo wantlandlolo wokutshata nomntu omnye kuphela. (Mateyu 19:4-6) UYakobi wayenabantwana abanokuba yi-14 ababenoomama abane—abafazi bakhe ababini, uLeya noRakeli, kunye nezicakakazi zabo, uZilipa noBhiliha. UYakobi wamthanda zisuka nje umfazi wakhe omhle uRakeli. Wayengatsalelekanga kuLeya, udade boRakeli omdala, awenzelwa iyelenqe lokuba atshate naye. Kwakukho ingxwabangxwaba phakathi kwaba bafazi, ibe yaphumela nasebantwaneni baza bamonelana.—Genesis 29:16-35; 30:1, 8, 19, 20; 37:35.

Kwaqengqeleka iminyaka uRakeli engafumani bantwana, ngoko wathi akuzala uYosefu ekugqibeleni,  uYakobi wamphatha ngendlela ekhethekileyo lo nyana wasebudaleni bakhe. Ngokomzekelo, xa uYakobi nentsapho yakhe babekuhambo oluyingozi lokuya kuhlangana nomntwakwabo uEsawu owayequmb’ esisifu, uYakobi waqinisekisa ukuba uRakeli noYosefu osemncinane babekwa emva kweyona ndawo ikhuselekileyo. UYosefu umel’ ukuba akazange ayilibale loo mini. Cinga nje indlela amele ukuba wavakalelwa ngayo ngaloo ntsasa njengoko ethe nta amehlo esakubona uyise owalupheleyo ejingxela. Umele ukuba wamangaliswa gqitha esakuva isizathu: Uyise ebesukuzana ubusuku bonke nengelosi enamandla! Ngoba? Kuba uYakobi wayefuna uYehova uThixo amsikelele. UYakobi wavuzwa ngokuthi igama lakhe litshintshwe libe nguSirayeli. Uhlanga lonke lwaluza kubizwa ngegama lakhe! (Genesis 32:22-31) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uYosefu waqonda ukuba olo hlanga lwaluza kuphuma koonyana bakaSirayeli!

Kamva, uYosefu oselula wehlelwa yintlekele yokuqala xa kwasweleka umama wakhe amthandayo. Usweleke xa kanye ebezala umninawa wakhe uBhenjamin. Wayebuhlungu kakhulu uyise sesi sehlo. Khawube nombono kaYakobi esosula ngobunono iinyembezi emehlweni kaYosefu, emthuthuzela ngethemba elifanayo nelo lathuthuzela uyisemkhulu wakhe uAbraham. Umel’ ukuba wathuthuzeleka gqitha uYosefu akuva ukuba uYehova uza kumvusa unina ngenye imini! Oko kumel’ ukuba kwamenza uYosefu wamthanda ngakumbi ‘uThixo wabaphilileyo.’ (Luka 20:38; Hebhere 11:17-19) Emva kokusweleka komfazi wakhe uRakeli, uYakobi watsaleleka ngakumbi koonyana bakhe ababini.—Genesis 35:18-20; 37:3; 44:27-29.

Impatho elolo hlobo ibiya kubonakalisa abantwana abaninzi; kodwa uYosefu wayefunde iimpawu ezintle kubazali bakhe, ibe wayomelele elukholweni ekwazi okulungileyo nokuphosakeleyo. Xa wayeneminyaka eyi-17 ubudala, wayesalusa, enceda noobhuti bakhe xa ebona besenza izinto eziphum’ endleleni. Ngaba wayethula angabaxeli ukuze bamthande? Nokuba wayekhe avakalelwe ngaloo ndlela, kodwa wayesoloko esenza okulungileyo. Wayebaxela kuyise. (Genesis 37:2) Mhlawumbi isibindi sakhe saba negalelo ekumenzeni athandwe kakhulu nguYakobi. Ngokwenene ulumisela umzekelo omhle kakhulu ulutsha olungamaKristu namhlanje! Xa uvakalelwa kukuba usifihle isono esinzulu esenziwe ngomnye umntu—mhlawumbi umntakwenu okanye umhlobo wakho—kuya kuba bubulumko ukuxelisa uYosefu uze uxelele abo banokukwazi ukumnceda lowo wonileyo.—Levitikus 5:1.

Sinokufunda nakwintsapho akhulele kuyo uYosefu. Nangona amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje engasitshati isithembu, zininzi iintsapho zawo ezixubileyo, ezinomama notata wesibini. Sonke sinokufunda kwintsapho kaYakobi ukuba ukubonisa umkhethe kunokuluduba umanyano lwentsapho. Abazali abalumkileyo abanentsapho exubileyo benza konke okusemandleni abo ukunceda  abantwana babo bomtshato wesibini bathandane, yaye babenze baqonde ukuba ngamnye kubo uxabisekile ibe unegalelo ekonwabeni kwentsapho.—Roma 2:11.

Mhlawumbi ngenxa yokukumela kukaYosefu ngenkalipho oko kulungileyo, uYakobi wambabala. Wamenzela isambatho esikhethekileyo. (Genesis 37:3) Kudla ngokuthiwa esi yayisisambatho esinemigca okanye esinemibala emininzi, kodwa akukho bungqina bubambekayo boko. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba yayingumwunduzo omde okumgangatho ophezulu. Imele ukuba yayiluhlobo lwesambatho esasinxitywa ziindwalutho okanye iinkosana.

Ngokuqinisekileyo uYakobi wayenenjongo entle, ibe kumele ukuba kwamchukumisa ngokwenene uYosefu ukubona indlela uyise amthanda ngayo. Kodwa eso sambatho sasiza kumzisela iingxaki ezinkulu. Khumbula kaloku ukuba, lo mfana wayengumalusi. Oko kutheth’ ukuba wayesoloko ehamba endle nasezingqaqeni. Yiba nombono ke womalusi enxibe isambatho esixabiseke ngolo hlobo efathula ngaso engceni ende nasemaweni, okanye ezama ukuhlangula igusha ebambeke kwityholo elinameva. Ngaphezu koko, babeza kumjonga njani abantakwabo xa besoloko bebona eli zothe lesambatho esingumqondiso wokuba uyise umthanda ngaphezu kwabo?

IBhayibhile iyaphendula: “Bakubona abantakwabo ukuba uyise wayemthanda ngaphezu kwabo bonke abantakwabo, bamthiya, baza ababa sathetha ngoxolo naye.” * (Genesis 37:4) Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba abantakwabo Yosefu babe nomona, kodwa kwakungebobulumko ukufukama ezo mvakalelo. (IMizekeliso 14:30; 27:4) Ngaba wakhe waba nomona xa omnye ehoywa okanye ewongwa ngelungelo obulincwasile? Khumbula abantakwabo Yosefu. Umona wabo wabakhokelela ekubeni benze izinto abazisolayo ngazo. Umzekelo wabo umele ukhumbuze amaKristu ukuba kububulumko ‘ukuba nemihlali kunye nabo banemihlali.’—Roma 12:15.

Ngokuqinisekileyo uYosefu wayeqonda ukuba abantakwabo bamthiyile. Ngoko ngaba wayesifihla isambatho sakhe xa ekunye nabo? Umele ukuba wayekhe ayicinge loo nto. Kodwa ke, khumbula ukuba uYakobi wamnika esi sambatho njengophawu lokuba wayekholiswa nguye yaye emthanda. UYosefu wayefuna ukumkholisa uyise, ngoko wanyaniseka waza wasinxiba eso sambatho. Umzekelo wakhe uyasinceda nathi. Nangona uBawo wethu wasezulwini engenamkhethe, maxa wambi uye akhethe abathile kubakhonzi bakhe aze abababale. Ngaphezu koko, ubayalela ukuba bahluke kweli hlabathi lonakeleyo nelingcolileyo. Ngokufanayo nesa sambatho sikaYosefu, ukuziphatha kwamaKristu okwenyaniso  kuwenza ahluke kwabanye abantu. Oko kuye maxa wambi kwenze amonelwe aze athiywe ngabanye abantu. (1 Petros 4:4) Ngaba umKristu umele ayifihle into yokuba ungumkhonzi kaThixo? Akunjalo—njengokuba noYosefu engazange asifihle isambatho sakhe.—Luka 11:33.

Akubanga thuba lide uYosefu waba namaphupha amabini angaqhelekanga. Kwiphupha lokuqala, wabona yena nabantakwabo bebopha izithungu zengqolowa, ingulowo ebopha isithungu sakhe. Kodwa izithungu zabantakwabo ziye zarhangqa esakhe zaza zaqubuda kuso. Kwiphupha lesibini, ubone ilanga, inyanga, neenkwenkwezi eziyi-11 ziqubuda kuye. (Genesis 37:6, 7, 9) Yintoni afanele ayenze uYosefu ngaloo maphupha acacileyo nangaqhelekanga?

La maphupha ayevela kuYehova uThixo. Ayesisiprofeto, ibe uThixo wayefuna uYosefu awachaze. Lilonke, uYosefu wayemele enze oko kwenziwa ngabo bonke abaprofeti abadlulisela izidigimi nemigwebo kaThixo kubantu bakhe ababezishiyile iindlela zakhe.

Ngobuchule, uYosefu wathi kubantakwabo: “Ncedani, niliphulaphule eli phupha ndiliphuphileyo.” Abantakwabo baliqonda elo phupha, yaye abazange balithande tu. Bathi kuye: “Ngaba ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuba ngukumkani wethu?” Le ngxelo yongezelela ithi: “Ngoko bafumana isizathu esitsha sokumthiya ngenxa yamaphupha akhe nangenxa yamazwi akhe.” Xa uYosefu wachazela uyise nabantakwabo ngephupha lesibini, basabela ngendlela efanayo. “Uyise wamkhalimela wathi kuye: ‘Liphupha lini na eli uliphuphileyo? Ngaba ngokuqinisekileyo mna kwanonyoko nabantakwenu soza siqubude kuwe na emhlabeni?’” Kodwa ke, uYakobi wakucingisisa oko. Wayeyiqonda into yokuba kothi kanti nguYehova othetha esebenzisa le nkwenkwe.—Genesis 37:6, 8, 10, 11.

UYosefu wayengenguye umkhonzi wokuqala okanye wokugqibela kaYehova ukuyalelwa ukuba achaze iziprofeto ezazingathandwa nezabenza batshutshiswa. Oyena mkhulu kubo nguYesu, yaye wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ukuba banditshutshisile mna, baya kunitshutshisa nani.” (Yohane 15:20) Onke amaKristu, amadala namancinane, anokufunda lukhulu kukholo nenkalipho kaYosefu oselula.

Akubanga thuba lide emva koko, uYakobi wathuma uYosefu ukuba athabathe uhambo. Abakhuluwa bakhe babesalusa umhlambi kufutshane nakwaShekem, apho babezenzele iintshaba kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo. Ngoko uYakobi wayebaxhalabele oonyana bakhe, waza wathuma uYosefu ukuba aye kuhlola ukuba basaphila kakuhle na. Ngaba unokuyithelekelela indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo uYosefu? Wayesazi ukuba abantakwabo bamthiy’ egazini! Babeza kuvakalelwa njani xa efika kubo njengomlomo kayise? Sekunjalo, uYosefu wathobela waza wahamba.—Genesis 34:25-30; 37:12-14.

Yayiluhambo olude lweentsuku ezine ukuya kwezintlanu. Ilizwe lakwaShekem lalikumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-80 emantla kweHebron. Kodwa xa efika kwaShekem uYosefu, weva ukuba abantakwabo bagqithele eDotan, ekumgama weekhilomitha eziyi-22 ukusuka apho ukunyukela emantla. Xa uYosefu ekufuphi neDotan, abantakwabo bambona esiza mgama. Ngoko nangoko bavutha ngumsindo. Ingxelo ithi: “Bathi omnye komnye: ‘Khangela! Nankuya esiza laa mphuphi. Yizani ke ngoko simbulale size simphose komnye wale mihadi yamanzi; sithi uqwengwe lirhamncwa elikhohlakeleyo. Sibone ke ukuba aya kuphelela phi na loo maphupha akhe.’” Kodwa uRubhen wabacenga abantakwabo ukuba bamphose ephila equleni, ngethemba lokuba wayeza kubuya aze kumhlangula kamva.—Genesis 37:19-22.

Engacingelanga kwanto, uYosefu waya kubo, ngokungathandabuzekiyo elindele ukuba bamamkele ngoxolo. Endaweni yoko, basuka bamhlasela! Bamdlakazelisa bamkhulula eso sambatho sakhe sikhethekileyo, bamrhuqa baya kumphosa kwiqula elomileyo lamanzi. Waya kuthi bhaxa emazantsi equla! Uthe akubuyela ezingqondweni, wagxadazela ezama ukuma ngeenyawo, kodwa lalinzulu kakhulu ukuba angaziphumela. Wayebona nje isibhakabhaka kuphela njengoko wayesiva amazwi abantakwabo esiya efiphala ngokufiphala njengoko besimka. Wabakhwaza ecela uncedo, kodwa zange bamhoye. Basuka bahlala nje kumgama ongekude  batya, bengamhoyanga oku kokuqala. Xa uRubhen wayesathe tshalala okomzuzwana, baphinda bagqugula ngokuba bambulale uYosefu, kodwa uYuda wabacenga ukuba bamthengise kubarhwebi abagqithayo kunokuba bambulale. IDotan yayikufuphi nendlela yabarhwebi eya eYiputa, yaye ekufikeni kwabo apho kwathi gqi iqela lamaIshmayeli namaMidiyan. Bamthengisa kuwo, ngaphambi kokuba abuye uRubhen. Bamthengisa njengekhoboka ngeeshekele eziyi-20. *—Genesis 37:23-28; 42:21.

Sesi siganeko ke esithethe ngaso ekuqaleni. Njengoko babesiya emazantsi kunye noYosefu besingise eYiputa, wayebonakala elahlekelwe yinto yonke. Wayethinjiwe! Kwakuza kudlula iminyaka engazi nto ngokuqhubekayo kwintsapho yakowabo—engazi nto ngendlela awaxhalaba ngayo uRubhen xa ebuya uYosefu engasekho; engazi nto ngentlungu kaYakobi njengoko waxokiswayo kwathiwa uYosefu ufile; engazi nto ngotatomkhulu wakhe uIsake, awamgqibela esaphila; yaye engazi nto ngoko kwenzeka kumninawa wakhe amthandayo uBhenjamin, awayeza kumkhumbula kunene. Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene uYosefu wasala engenanto kwaphela?—Genesis 37:29-35.

UYosefu wayesenayo into abantakwabo ababengenakuze bamhluthe yona: ukholo. Wayemazi kakhulu uThixo wakhe, uYehova, yaye ayikho into eyayinokumohlutha olo lwazi—enoba kukulahlekelwa likhaya, okanye ubunzima awabufumanayo njengoko wayethinjelwa eYiputa, nkqu nehlazo lokuthengiswa njengekhoboka kwisigwili saseYiputa esinguPotifare. (Genesis 37:36) Ubunzima awabufumanayo uYosefu balomeleza ngakumbi ukholo lwakhe, bamenza wanamathela ngakumbi kuThixo wakhe. Kumanqaku alandelayo, siza kubona indlela olo kholo lukaYosefu olwamenza ngayo wasetyenziswa nguThixo wakhe, uYehova, waza wanceda nentsapho yakhe. Hayi indlela ekuya kuba bubulumko ngayo ukuxelisa ukholo lukaYosefu!