Asiria—Ine Utsinye Simba Renyika Guru Rechipiri

Zviwanwa zvokuchera matongo zvamadzimbahwe amadzimambo eAsiria akare zvinogona kuwedzera kuchivimbo chako muururami hwenhau yeBhaibheri. Zviwanwa izvozvi zvinoratidzei pamusoro penhau yeBhaibheri, uye izvo zvinofanira kurevei kwauri?

VAASIRIA vakanga vari vanhu vane masimba masimba navanoda kurwa hondo. Ivo vakakudziridza umambo hukuru, hune utsinye uhwo hwakapararira huchibva munyika yokumusha kwavo kumugumo wokumusoro webani reMesopotamia. Ivo vanonongedzerwa kwavari kakawanda muBhaibheri, vachiva vavengi vaJudha naIsraeri.

Kuziva zvakawanda pamusoro paava vanhu vakare zvamazvirokwazvo kuchatibetsera kunzwisisa zvinhu izvo Bhaibheri rinotaura. Kunyange zvinyorwa zveAsiria imene zvinosimbisa uzvokwadi hwenhau yeBhaibheri nouporofita. Asi vaAsiria vakabvepi?

Ava vanhu vakasimba, vaizviratidzira vamene netsiye huru nendebvu, vakabva kuna Ashuri, muzukuru waNoa. Kutaura idi, shoko rimwe chetero rechiHebheru rinoreva zvose zviri zviviri “Ashuri” uye “Asiria.” Nimirodhi, uyo akakurumbira muBhaibheri so“mudzimba mukuru pamberi paJehovha,” akatanga maguta eNinevhe neKara. Aya maguta maviri, pamwe chete neAshuri neKhorsabhadhi, gare gare akava madzimbahwe eAsiria.—Genesi 10:8-12, 22.

Bhuku raNahumi rinotanga namashoko, anoti: “Chirevo pamusoro peNinevhe,” dzimbahwe reAsiria. Neiko? Nemhaka yokuti, seizvo muporofita Nahumi anorondedzera gare gare, Ninevhe rakanga riri “guta reropa . . . rizere nenhema nokupamba.” (Nahumi 1:1; 3:1) Ko iye akanga achikatutsira here? Kana!

VaAsiria vakanga vane mukurumbira usingaenzaniswi woutsinye. Mifananidzo yomumadzimbahwe avo vamene yaivaratidza vachipamba, kupisa, uye kuparadza munyika imwe pashure peimwe. Mambo wavo Ashurnasirpal anoganza kufukidza pira namakanda avavengi vake. Iye anoti: “Ndaipisa nomwoto nhapwa dzakawanda dzaibva pakati pavo . . . Pavamwe ndaicheka mhino dzavo, nzeve dzavo nemimwe yavo, ndaibvisa meso avazhinji. Ndakaita pira rimwe ravapenyu uye rimwe remisoro.”

Pesvedzero Yorudzidziso

Bva, ava vanhu vakanga vari vorudzidziso zvikuru. Kwakataurwa pamusoro pavaAsiria vakare, kuti: “Kurwa kwakanga kuri basa rorudzi rwacho, uye vaprista vakanga vari vakuchidziri venguva dzose vehondo. Ivo vaitsigirwa zvikurukuru nezvakapambwa zvorukundo . . . Rudzi urwu rwavapambi rwaiva rworudzidziso zvikuru kwazvo.”—Ancient Cities, W. B. Wright, peji 25.

VaAsiria vakagara nhaka rudzidziso rwavo kuBhabhironi. Rinodaro The Illustrated Bible Dictionary: “Mumativi mazhinjisa rudzidziso rweAsiria rwakanga rwakasiana zvishomanene nourwo rweBhabhironia, kwarwakanga rwatorwa.” Chitsikiso cheAsiria, zvino chinoratidzirwa muBritish Museum muLondon, chinoratidza mwari wavo worudzi Ashuri ane misoro mitatu. Rudaviro muvamwari vatatu rwakanga ruchizivikanwa navose mukunamata kwavo. Naizvozvo, nechinyorwa chavo choutsinye namasimba masimba, hakushamisi kuti muporofita weBhaibheri Nahumi akanyora kuti Mwari mumwe wechokwadi, Jehovha, “unotsiva, uzere nehasha” kuvaAsiria.—Nahumi 1:2.

Apo Ninevhe rakawa, ruparadziko rwaro rwakanga rwakakwana kwazvo zvokuti kwamazana amakore kunyange nzvimbo yaro yakakanganwiwa. Vatsoropodzi vakanyomba Bhaibheri, vachitaura kuti iri guta harina kutongovapo. Asi raivapo! Rakawanwazve, uye icho vacheri vamatongo vakawanamo chaifadza zvamazvirokwazvo!

Madzimbahwe Makuru Akawanwa

Muna 1843 mumiriri wehurumende yeFrance Paul-Émile Botta akachera paKhorsabhadhi, achikarira kuti ingava Ninevhe yakare. Panzvimbo pezvo, iye akawana dzimbahwe rakaisvonaka ra“Sargoni mambo weAsiria,” anodudzwa nezita muBhaibheri pana Isaya 20:1. Vatsoropodzi vakanga vataura kuti Bhaibheri rakanga risina kururama nemhaka yokuti ndiro rakanga riri chinyorwa chakare bedzi chinozivikanwa chinodudza uyu mambo. Asi Sargoni aivapo, nokuti vacheri vamatongo vakafukunura dzimbahwe rake rine kamuri 200, pamwe chete nepfuma inoshamisa yamanyoro nezvimwe zvinhu. Izvozvi zvinobatanidza zvinyorwa zvaSargoni izvo zvinosimbisa, mumurangariro weAsiria, zvinoitika zvinodudzwa muBhaibheri. Chibviro chapakati pezana ramakore rechi 19, Sargoni ave ari mumwe wavanozivikanwa zvikurusa vamadzimambo eAsiria, kunyange zvazvo udzame hwakawanda pamusoro pake huchiri husina kukwana.

Ipapo, muna 1847, Austin Henry Layard akawana dzimbahwe raSanheribhi paNinevhe, mamaira 12 (19 km) kumaodzanyemba kwakadziva kumadokera kweKhorsabhadhi. Uyu ndiye Sanheribhi mumwe cheteyo zvikuru uyo akashora namasimba masimba Jerusarema uye anodudzwa nezita ka 13 muBhaibheri. Layard akaongorora kamuri 71 dzeiri dzimbahwe. Rakanga rakanyerenyetedzwa zvakanyanyisa nezviono zvehondo, rukundo, uye minamato yorudzidziso.

Kunotova kunoshamisa zvikuru, vacheri vamatongo vakawana zvinyorwa zvaSanheribhi amene—mishumo yegore negore yezvinoitika, yakanyorwa pamahumburumbira omunyakwe, kana kuti maprism. Imwe inochengetwa paOriental Institute of the University of Chicago, nepo imwe, Taylor Prism, iri muBritish Museum.

Chii chakaratidza uku kuwana? Kuti icho Bhaibheri rinotaura pamusoro paava vanhu, uye pezvinoitika mavakabatanidzwa ndechechokwadi chaizvoizvo—kunyange kusvikira kukududzwa kwavatongi veAsiria!

Madzimambo eAsiria

Mazita aaya madzimambo akare anganzwika kuva echienzi kwauri, bva kwakanaka kuva akarovedzana naanenge manomwe awo, sezvo akasanobatana nezvinoitika zvinorondedzerwa muBhaibheri.

Shalmaneser III akatevera baba vake Ashurnasirpal pachigaro choumambo. Black Obelisk yake yakakurumbira, yakawanwa paNimrud (Calah) ndokuratidzirwa muBritish Museum, ine mufananidzo unoratidza Mambo Jehu waIsraeri achitaura zvakanaka zvake, zvichida kupfurikidza nomumiriri.—Enzanisa nemigariro inodudzwa pana 2 Madzimambo 10:31-33.

Gare gare zana ramakore rimwe chetero, pane imwe nguva munenge mugore ra 844 P.N.V., muporofita Jona akatumwa kundonyevera Ninevhe nezvoruparadziko runouya.a Guta racho rakapfidza ndizvo rakaponeswa. Kunyange zvazvo tisingazivi chaizvoizvo akanga ari mambo paNinevhe apo ikoku kwakaitika, kunofadza kucherechedza kuti iyi nhambo yakanga iri imwe yederero muukono hweAsiria.

Tiglath-pileser III (anonziwo Puri) ndiye mambo wokutanga weAsiria anodudzwa nezita muBhaibheri. Iye akapinda muumambo hwokumusoro hwaIsraeri mukati mokutonga kwaMenahemi (791-780 P.N.V.) Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti Menahemi akamubhadhara matarenda ane chiuru chimwe esirvha kuti aende.—2 Madzimambo 15:19, 20.

Muzvinyorwa zvake amene, zvakawanwa paCalah, Tiglath-pileser anosimbisa iri idi reBhaibheri, achiti: “Ndakagamuchira muripo kuna . . . Menahemi weSamaria.”

Samaria Inowa

Zvisinei, Samaria noumambo hwokumusoro hwamarudzi gumi hwaIsraeri vakanga vari munhamo kwete bedzi navaAsiria asi noMusiki wedenga napasi, Jehovha Mwari. Ivo vakanga vabva kunamatwo yake vachienda kukunamatwa kwokupandukira, kwoudhakwa kwaBhaari. (Hosea 2:13) Kunyange zvazvo vakagamuchira nyevero huru kupfurikidza navaporofita vaJehovha, ivo vakaramba kudzokera. Naizvozvo muporofita Hosea akafuridzirwa kunyora, kuti: “Kana riri Samaria, mambo waro waparadzwa sechipande pamusoro pemvura.” (Hosea 10:7; 2 Madzimambo 17:7, 12-18) Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti vaAsiria vakaita ikoku kuna Israeri—uye ndozvinoitawo zvinyorwa zvavaAsiria vamene, sezvatichaona.

Shalmaneser V, uyo akatsiva Tiglath-pileser, akavhozhokera umambo hwokumusoro hwamarudzi gumi hwaIsraeri ndokukomba dzimbahwe rahwo rakasanosimbiswa Samaria. Pashure pokukomberedza kwamakore matatu, Samaria yakawa (muna 740 P.N.V.), seizvo vaporofita vaJehovha vakanga vataura kuti kwaizoitika.—Mika 1:1, 6; 2 Madzimambo 17:5.

Sargoni II akatsiva Shalmaneser uye angave akapedzisa kukundwa kweSamaria, sezvo mavambo okutonga kwake achitaurwa kuva anowirirana negore rakawa guta racho. Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti pashure pokunge Samaria yawa, mambo weAsiria “akatapa vaIsraeri, akaenda navo Asiria.” (2 Madzimambo 17:6) Runyoro rweAsiria, rwakawanwa paKhorsabhadhi, runosimbisa ikoku. Parwuri Sargoni anoti: “Ndakakomberedza ndokukunda Samaria, kuendesa sezvakapambwa vagari varo 27 290.”

Bhaibheri rinotaurazve kuti pashure pokunge vaIsraeri vabudiswa, mambo weAsiria akaunza vanhu vakabva kudzimwe nharaunda “akavaisa mumaguta eSamaria panzvimbo yavana vaIsraeri; Samaria rikava ravo, vakagara mumaguta aro.”—2 Madzimambo 17:24.

Ko zvinyorwa zveAsiria zvinosimbisawo ikoku here? Hungu, zvinyorwa zvaSargoni amene, zvakanyorwa paNimrud Prism, zvinoti: “Ndakadzorera guta reSamaria . . . ndakapinza mariri vanhu vakabva kunyika dzakakurirwa namaoko angu amene.”—Illustrations of Old Testament History, R. D. Barnett, peji 52.

Jerusarema Rinoponeswa

Sanheribhi, mwanakomana waSargoni nomutsivi, anosanozivikanwa kuvadzidzi veBhaibheri. Muna 732 P.N.V. uyu mambo anofunga zvehondo akaunza hondo huru mukurwisana noumambo hwezasi hwaJudha.

Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti “Sanheribhi mambo weAsiria akandorwa namaguta ose aJudha akakombwa namasvingo, akaakunda.” Mambo weJerusarema Hezekia, atyisidzirwa neiyi tyisidziro, “akatuma shoko kuna mambo weAsiria paRakishi” ndokuzvipira kumubhadhara muripo mukuru.’—2 Madzimambo 18:13, 14.

Ko Sanheribhi anosimbisa kuti akanga ari paRakishi here? Zvamazvirokwazvo! Iye akaratidzira zviono zveiyi komberedzo pamapanero makuru mudzimbahwe rake guru iro vacheri vamatongo vakafunda paNinevhe. Aya mapanero ane udzame muBritish Museum anoratidza Rakishi ichidenhwa. Vagari vemo vanobuda mukutera. Nhapwa dzinotungamirirwa. Dzimwe dzinorovererwa pamatanda. Dzimwe dzinoremekedza Sanheribhi amene, munhu amene anodudzwa munhauro yeBhaibheri. Runyoro rwuri murunyoro rwekiyunifomu runoti: “Sanheribhi, mambo wenyika, mambo weAsiria, akagara pachigaro choumambo chenímedu ndokuongorora zvakapambwa (zvakatorwa) Rakishi.”

Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti Hezekia akabhadhara somuripo “matarenda ana mazana matatu esirvheri namatarenda ana makumi matatu endarama.” (2 Madzimambo 18:14, 15) Uyu muripo unosimbiswa muzvinyorwa zvaSanheribhi, kunyange zvazvo iye achiti akagamuchira “matarenda 800 esirvha.”

Pasinei zvapo nouyu muripo, nhume dzamambo weAsiria dzakamira kunze kwamasvingo eJerusarema, dzakanyomba Jehovha Mwari, uye dzakatyisidzira guta rake dzvene. Kupfurikidza naIsaya, uyo akanga ari mukati meJerusarema, Jehovha akati nezvaSanheribhi: “Haangapindi muguta rino, kana kuposhera museve imomo, kana kusvika pamberi paro nenhovo, kana kututira gomo revhu pariri. Zvanzi naJehovha: Nenzira yaakauya nayo, uchadzokazve nayo; haangapindi muguta rino.”—2 Madzimambo 18:17–19:8, 32, 33.

Ko Jehovha akamisa Sanheribhi, sezvakapikirwa here? Usiku ihwohwo humene vaAsiria 185 000 vakaurawa nengirozi yaMwari! Sanheribhi akaenda ndokudzokera kuNinevhe, gare gare akaurawa navaviri vavanakomana vake amene achikotamira mwari wake Nisroki.—2 Madzimambo 19:35-37.

Chokwadika, Sanheribhi anozvitutumadza haasati aizokarirwa kuganza nouku kurasikirwa namauto ake. Asi icho iye anotaura chinofadza. Zvinyorwa zvake, zvakanyorwa pazvose zviri zviviri Oriental Institute Prism neTaylor Prism, zvinoti: “Kana ari Hezekia, muJudha, haana kuzviisa pasi pejoko rangu, ndakakomba 46 amaguta ake akasimba, nhare dzine masvingo nemisha miduku isingaverengeki pedyo pawo, ndokuakurira . . . Iye amene ndakamuita musungwa muJerusarema, hugaro hwake hwoumambo, kufanana neshiri iri muchikwere.” Sanheribhi anotaura kuti “kuisvonaka kunotyisa kwoushe hwangu” kwakakurira Hezekia. Bva, iye haasati achitaura kuti akatapa Hezekia kana kuti kukurira Jerusarema, sezvaakanga ataura pamusoro pa“maguta akasimba” ne“misha miduku.” Zvokona nei? Sezvinoratidza Bhaibheri, mauto akanakisisa ayo Sanheribhi akanga atuma kundoita saizvozvo akanga aparadzwa!

Esarihadhoni, mwanakomana muduku nomutsivi waSanheribhi, anodudzwa katatu muBhaibheri rose—muna Madzimambo weChipiri, Ezra, uye Isaya. Bhaibheri rinotaura kuti vaAsiria vakatapa mambo waJudha Manase. Vacheri vamatongo vakawana ndaza yeAsiria iyo inobatanidza “Manase mambo waJudha” pakati paavo vakabhadhara muripo kuna Esarihadhoni.—2 Makoronike 33:11.

Ashurbanipal, mwanakomana waEsarihadhoni, anofungwa kuva “Osnapari mukuru naanokudzwa” anodudzwa pana Ezra 4:10. Iye akakudza umambo hweAsiria kusvikira paukuru hwahwo hukuru zvikurusa.

Mugumo Wesimba Renyika

Nemhaka youipi hweAsiria, ruparadziko rwayo rwakanga rwarairwa. Muporofita waJehovha Nahumi akanga anyora kuti dzimbahwe rayo Ninevhe raizozarirwa pa“masuo enzizi . . . imba yamambo [yaizo]nyauka.” Kwaizova nokupambwa kwesirivha nendarama, guta raizoitwa dongo, uye vanhu vaizoti: “Ninevhe raparadzwa, ndiani ucharichema?”—Nahumi 2:6-10; 3:7.

Ikoku kwakaitikawo here? Vakundi veNinevhe ngavapindure. Muna 632 P.N.V. vaBhabhironi navaMedhia vakaita matsive akakasharara padzimbahwe reAsiria. Zvinyorwa zveBhabhironi zvinoshuma, kuti: “Zvakapambwa zvikuru zveguta netembere vakaenda nazvo [ndokushandura] guta kuva murwi wamatongo.”

Makomo makuru maviri zvino anoratidza nzvimbo yeiri dzimbahwe raichimbozvikudza. Iwo chipupuriro chakanyarara cheidi rokuti hakuna rudzi—kunyange Asiria inodada neyamasimba masimba—runogona kudzivisa zadziko ine chokwadi yamauporofita aJehovha.

[Mashoko Omuzasi]

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(Kana uchida mashoko azere, ona bhuku racho)

ASSYRIAN EMPIRE

Nineveh

Babylon

Damascus

Samaria

Lachish

Jerusalem

ARABIA

EGYPT

Great Sea

[Kwazvakatorwa]

Based on a map copyrighted by Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est. and Survey of Israel

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Mambo Ashurbanipal anodurura chipiriso chewaini pashumba dzakaurawa. Ikoku kunokuyeuchidza nezvaNimirodhi here?

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Courtesy of the British Museum, London

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Mifananidzo yeAsiria inoratidzira denho negadziriro yekomberedzo paguta rakasimbiswa raJudha reRakishi

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Courtesy of the British Museum, London

Tell Rakishi. Uyu murindiri anokosha kumaodzanyemba kwakadziva kumadokera airinda nyika yaJudha kutozosvikira vaAsiria vakomberedza Rakishi ndokurikunda

[Kwazvakatorwa]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 27]

Mufananidzo waSargoni II (kuruboshwe) wakatarira mukuru mukuru weAsiria uyo angava Muchinda Sanheribhi

[Kwazvakatorwa]

Courtesy of the British Museum, London