Ngaba Inzululwazi Ngezinto Zakudala Iyangqinelana NeBhayibhile?

INZULULWAZI ngezinto zakudala iluncedo kubafundi beBhayibhile, kuba iqinisekisa ulwazi abalufumene eBhayibhileni ngokuphathelele iziganeko zobomi, iimeko, izithethe nolwimi lwamandulo. Kwakhona inikela inkcazelo eluncedo ngokuphathelele ukuzaliseka kweziprofeto zeBhayibhile, njengezo zichaza ngokutshatyalaliswa kweBhabhiloni yamandulo, iNineve neTire. (Yeremiya 51:37; Hezekile 26:4, 12; Zefaniya 2:13-15) Noko ke, inzululwazi isikelwe umda. Izinto zakudala ezifunyenweyo zimele zihlolisiswe ngokucokisekileyo ukuze kuqondwe iinkcukacha ngazo, yaye maxa wambi abantu benza iimpazamo ekuchazeni ezo nkcukacha.

Ukholo lwamaKristu aluxhomekekanga kwizinto zakudala ezivunjululweyo njengeengqayi ezaphukileyo, izitena ezidala, neendonga ezidilikileyo, kodwa luxhomekeke kwinyaniso yokomoya efumaneka eBhayibhileni. (2 Korinte 5:7; Hebhere 11:1) Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuvisisana kwenkcazelo yeBhayibhile, nokunyaniseka kwayo, kububungqina bokuba “sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo.” (2 Timoti 3:16) Noko ke, makhe sihlolisise izinto ezibangel’ umdla ezingqinelanayo nengxelo yeBhayibhile, eziye zafunyaniswa yinzululwazi ngezinto zakudala.

Abembi bezinto zakudala bafumana amabhodlo atshileyo eYerusalem ngowe-1970. UNahman Avigad owayeyinkokeli yelo qela labembi wabhala wathi: “Kwakucacile kuthi sonke ukuba esi sakhiwo sasitshatyalaliswe ngomlilo, zaza iindonga nophahla zawohloka.” Kwelinye igumbi kwakukho amathambo [1] engalo, iminwe ibambelele ezitepsini.

Emgangathweni kwakuthe saa iingqekembe [2], eyona indala kuzo yayiyeyonyaka wesine wemvukelo yamaYuda nxamnye neRoma—owama-69 C.E. Kwawa izinto emgangathweni ngaphambi kokuwohloka kweso sakhiwo. UAvigad uthi: “Ekuboneni kwethu oku, sakhumbula amazwi kaJosephus owathi amajoni aseRoma aphanga izindlu emva kokoyiswa kweso sixeko.” Ababhali-mbali bathi oku kuphangwa kweYerusalem ngamaRoma kwenzeka ngowama-70 C.E.

Abaphengululi bathi la mathambo ngawebhinqa elikwiminyaka yama-20 ubudala. IBiblical Archaeology Review ithi: “Eli bhinqa liselula elalisekhitshini kuloo Ndlu ngethuba lokutshiswa kwayo ngamaRoma, lawa laza lazama ukukhasela ngasezitepsini ezazingasemnyango, suke laphelelwa ngamandla lafa. Loo mlilo wawunamandla . . . kangangokuba alizange likwazi nokubaleka laza lagqumeleleka ngethuba lokuwohloka kweso sakhiwo.”

Oku kusikhumbuza amazwi kaYesu ngokuphathelele iYerusalem, awawathetha malunga  nama-40 eminyaka ngaphambi kokuzaliseka kwawo: “Iintshaba zakho . . . ziya kukuntlala emhlabeni wena nabantwana bakho abangaphakathi kuwe, kwaye aziyi kushiya litye phezu kwelitye kuwe.”—Luka 19:43, 44.

Enye yezinto ezembiweyo engqinelana nengxelo yeBhayibhile ngamagama abantu akhankanywe eZibhalweni. Ezinye zezi zembiwa zitshitshisa inkcaso yabagxeki yokuba ababhali beBhayibhile bawakh’ entloko amanye amagama abantu, nelokuba balubaxile udumo lwabantu abathile.

Imikrolo Yamagama AseBhayibhileni

Ngaxa lithile, abaphengululi abadumileyo baphikisa ngelithi uKumkani uSargon II waseSiriya, okhankanywe eBhayibhileni kuIsaya 20:1, akazange abekho. Kodwa ngowe-1843, kufuphi neKhorsabad, eIraq, ngakuMlambo iTigris, kwafunyanwa ibhotwe likaSargon [3]. Lalimalunga neehektare ezilishumi. Emva koko lo Sargon II owayekade engaziwa, uye wagqalwa njengomnye wabona kumkani badumileyo baseAsiriya. Kwenye yeengxelo zakhe [4], uthi wahlasela isixeko samaSirayeli esiyiSamariya. IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba iSamariya yahlaselwa ngama-Asiriya ngowama-740 B.C.E. Kwakhona kwingxelo yakhe uSargon ukhankanya ukuba wahlasela iAshdode, ngxelo leyo engqinelana noIsaya 20:1.

Ngoxa kwakusembiwa amabhodlo esixeko seBhabhiloni yamandulo kwingingqi yaseIraq, kwavunjululwa amatye akroliweyo amalunga nama-300 kufuphi neSango i-Ishtar. Eminye yale mikrolo yayinoludwe lwabantu ababedumile ngexesha lokulawula kukaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare waseBhabhiloni, ekukho phakathi kwawo “uYaukin, ukumkani welizwe laseYahud.” Lo nguKumkani uYehoyakin welizwe lakwaYuda, owathinjelwa eBhabhiloni ngethuba lokoyisa kukaNebhukadenetsare iYerusalem okokuqala ngowama-617 B.C.E. (2 Kumkani 24:11-15) Le mikrolo ikwakhankanya noonyana abahlanu bakaYehoyakin.—1 Kronike 3:17, 18.

Ngowama-2005, xa babevumbulula kwindawo ababeqikelela ukuba lalikuyo ibhotwe likaKumkani uDavide, abembi bezinto zakudala bafumana isakhiwo esikhulu samatye abakholelwa ukuba satshatyalaliswa ngethuba amaBhabhiloni ehlasela iYerusalem ngaphezu kwama-2 600 eminyaka eyadlulayo, ngexesha lomprofeti kaThixo uYeremiya. Akuqinisekwanga enoba esi sakhiwo sasilibhotwe likaDavide kusini na. Noko ke, umembi wezinto zakudala uEilat Mazar wakwazi ukufanisa enye into ebangel’ umdla kwezo zavunjululwayo—umkrolo wetywina okwiqhekeza lodongwe [5] elinobude besentimitha enye elibhalwe amazwi athi: “YekaYehukali unyana kaShelemiya unyana kaShovi.” Kubonkala ukuba lo mkrolo wagximfizwa ngetywina likaYehukali (okanye uYukali), igosa elingumYuda elikhankanywe eBhayibhileni njengelachasa uYeremiya.—Yeremiya 37:3; 38:1-6.

UMazar uthi uYehukali “ngumphathiswa wesibini wasebukhosini,” owangena ezihlangwini zikaGemariya, unyana kaShafan, ogama lakhe likumkrolo wetywina owafunyanwa kwiSixeko sikaDavide. IBhayibhile imchaza uYehukali (uYukali), unyana kaShelemiya (uShelemiyahu), njengenkosana yakwaYuda. Kwakungaziwa nto ngaye ngaphambi kokufunyaniswa kwalo mkrolo wetywina, ngaphandle kwengxelo yakhe eseZibhalweni.

Ngaba Ayekwazi Ukufunda Nokubhala?

IBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba amaSirayeli amandulo ayekwazi ukufunda. (Numeri 5:23; Yoshuwa 24:26; Isaya 10:19) Kodwa abagxeki babekuphikisa  oko, besithi imbali yeBhayibhile yadluliselwa ubukhulu becala ngomlomo. Ngowama-2005 bangqineka bengachananga xa abembi bezinto zakudala bavumbulula eTel Zayit, ephakathi kweYerusalem neMeditera, unobumba ekucingelwa ukuba ngowona mdala koonobumba besiHebhere [6] bakha bafunyanwa, ukrolwe kwilitye lekalika.

Abanye abaphengululi bathi izinto ezivunjululweyo zibonisa ukuba kwangenkulungwane yeshumi Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, abantu bamandulo babesele belufumene “uqeqesho lokukrola, qeqesho olo olukumgangatho ophakamileyo, nolwayikhulisa ngokukhawuleza inkcubeko yamaSirayeli eYerusalem.” Ngoko, ngokwahlukileyo koko kuthethwa ngabagxeki, kubonakala ukuba kwangenkulungwane yeshumi Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo, amaSirayeli ayefundile yaye ekwazi ukubhala imbali yawo.

Ingxelo YaseAsiriya Inikela Ubungqina Obungakumbi

Ubukhosi obunamandla baseAsiriya bukhankanywe kaliqela eBhayibhileni, yaye izinto ezininzi eziye zembiwa apho zibubungqina bokuba iZibhalo zichanile. Ngokomzekelo, xa kwembiwa kummandla waseNineve, eyayilikomkhulu laseAsiriya, kwafunyanwa ilitye elixonxiweyo [7] kwibhotwe likaKumkani uSenaribhe, linemizobo yamajoni amaSiriya esisa amaYuda oyisiweyo ekuthinjweni emva kokutshatyalaliswa kweLakishe ngowama-732 B.C.E. Unokuyifunda le ngxelo yeBhayibhile kweyesi-2 yooKumkani 18:13-15.

Ingxelo yembali kaSenaribhe [8], eyafunyanwa eNineve, ichaza iimfazwe awazilwa ePalestina ebudeni bokulawula kukakumkani wamaYuda uHezekiya ongumYuda, okhankanywe ngegama kwezo ngxelo. Iingxelo ezikroliweyo zabanye abalawuli zikhankanya ookumkani bamaYuda uAhazi noManase, nookumkani bamaSirayeli uOmri, uYehu, uYehowashe, uMenahem noHosheya.

Kwiingxelo zakhe uSenaribhe uqhayisa ngokoyisa kwakhe emfazweni, kodwa akathethi nto ngokoyisa kwakhe iYerusalem. Oku kungqinelana nengxelo yeBhayibhile yokuba lo kumkani akazange ayoyise iYerusalem kodwa woyiswa ngoncedo lukaThixo. Emva koko, ephoxekile uSenaribhe waphindela eNineve, apho iBhayibhile ithi wabulawa ngoonyana bakhe. (Isaya 37:33-38) Kubangel’ umdla ukuba, iingxelo ezimbini ezikroliweyo zaseAsiriya ziyakukhankanya oku kubulawa kwakhe.

Ngenxa yobungendawo babantu baseNineve, abaprofeti bakaYehova uNahum noZefaniya bachaza kwangaphambili ngokutshatyalaliswa kweso sixeko. (Nahum 1:1; 2:8–3:19; Zefaniya 2:13-15) Iziprofeto zabo zazaliseka xa umkhosi kaNabopolassar, ukumkani waseBhabhiloni, wamanyana nokaCyaxares ongumMedi, waza woyisa iNineve ngowama-632 B.C.E. Ukwembiwa kwamabhodlo  ayo kuvumbulule ubungqina obubonisa ukuchana kwale ngxelo yeBhayibhile.

Ekwembiweni kwesixeko samandulo iNuzi, esikwimpuma yoMlambo iTigris nomzantsi-mpuma weNineve phakathi kowe-1925 nowe-1931, kwavunjululwa izinto ezininzi zamandulo, kuquka amatye akroliweyo amalunga nama-20 000. Akrolwe ngolwimi lwaseBhabhiloni, yaye anentaphane yeenkcukacha, kuquka izithethe ezifana nezo zoosolusapho ezichazwe kwiGenesis. Ngokomzekelo, abonisa ukuba oothixo bentsapho, abadla ngokuba yimifanekiso emincinane eyenziwe ngodongwe, babesisiqinisekiso sokuba umnini wazo unelungelo lokufumana ilifa. Esi sithethe senza sicace isizathu sokuba uRakeli umfazi kaYakobi athabathe oothixo bentsapho, okanye “imilonde-khaya” kayise uLabhan, ekufudukeni kwabo. Siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba uLabhan ayikhangele loo milonde-khaya.—Genesis 31:14-16, 19, 25-35.

Isiprofeto SikaIsaya Nomqulu KaKoreshi

Umkrolo okumqulu wodongwe wamandulo oboniswe apha ungqinelana nenye ingxelo yeBhayibhile. Olu xwebhu olubizwa ngokuba nguMqulu kaKoreshi [9], lwafunyanwa kummandla eyayikuwo iSippar yamandulo kumlambo umEfrate, malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-32 ukusuka eBaghdad. Luthetha ngokoyiswa kweBhabhiloni nguKoreshi Omkhulu, umlawuli woBukhosi basePersi. Okumangalisayo kukuba, malunga nama-200 eminyaka ngaphambili, uYehova, esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uIsaya, wathi ngomlawuli wamaMedi namaPersi owayeza kubizwa ngokuba nguKoreshi: “‘Ngumalusi wam, yaye konke oko ndiyoliswa kuko uya kukuphumeza ngokupheleleyo’; athi ngeYerusalem, ‘Iya kubuya yakhiwe.’”—Isaya 13:1, 17-19; 44:26-45:3.

Okuphawulekayo kukuba, lo mqulu ukhankanya inkqubo kaKoreshi—eyahluke ngokupheleleyo kweyabanye abalawuli aboyisayo—yokukhulula amabanjwa abethinjwe ngumlawuli wangaphambili. Ingxelo yeBhayibhile kunye neyembali inikela ubungqina bokuba uKoreshi wawakhulula amaYuda, aza ayakha kwakhona iYerusalem.—2 Kronike 36:23; Ezra 1:1-4.

Nangona kuyinzululwazi entsha, ukuphandwa kwenkcazelo yeBhayibhile ngokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala kuye kwavelisa inkcazelo eninzi ebalulekileyo. Yaye njengoko sibonile, izinto ezininzi ezifunyenweyo zingqina ukuba iBhayibhile iyinyani yaye ichanile, kwanakwiinkcukacha ezibonakala zingenamsebenzi.

INKCAZELO ENGAKUMBI

Ngaba iBhayibhile ingakunceda wonwabe uze ube nenjongo ebomini? I-DVD yeeyure ezimbini ethi, The Bible—A Book of Fact and Prophecy, iyathetha ngalo mbandela ubalulekileyo yaye inodliwano-ndlebe oluchukumis’ intliziyo.—Ifumaneka ngeelwimi ezingama-32.

IBhayibhile—Ngaba Ililizwi LikaThixo Okanye Momntu?

Ngaba ufuna ubungqina obungakumbi bokuba iBhayibhile ayiyontsomi yaye ayiziphikisi? Ngaba imimangaliso echazwe eBhayibhileni iyinyaniso? Khawuhlolisise inkcazelo ekule ncwadi enamaphepha ali-192.—Ishicilelwe ngeelwimi ezingama-56.[Inkcazelo]

Alexander the Great: Roma, Musei Capitolini

Yintoni Ngokwenene Efundiswa YiIBhayibhile?

Izahluko ezili-19 zale ncwadi zigubungela zonke iimfundiso ezibalulekileyo eziseBhayibhileni yaye zichaza injongo kaThixo ngomhlaba nangoluntu.—Ngoku ifumaneka ngeelwimi ezili-162.

Incwadi Yam Yamabali EBhayibhile

Le ncwadi eyenzelwe abantwana, inemifanekiso emihle yaye ithetha ngabantu neziganeko ezili-116—zonke ngokokulandelelana kwazo.—Ifumaneka ngeelwimi ezili-194.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Coins: Generously Donated by Company for Reconstruction & Development of Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem Old City

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

Society for Exploration of Land of Israel and its Antiquities

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 16]

3: Musée du Louvre, Paris; 4: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum; 5: Gabi Laron/Institute of Archaeology/Hebrew University © Eilat Mazar

[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]

6: AP Photo/Keith Srakocic; 7, 8: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum