INgxenye 4—AmaMede NamaPheresiya—Umbuso Wezwe Omkhulu Wesine Emlandweni WeBhayibheli

AmaMede namaPheresiya ayehileleke ezenzakalweni eziningi okukhulunywa ngazo eBhayibhelini. Futhi kubhekiselwa kuwo eziprofethweni eziningi zeBhayibheli. Ungathanda yini ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalabantu basendulo futhi abathakazelisayo?

AMAMEDE namaPheresiya asendulo ayesesendleleni! Phambi kwawo kwakukhona uKoresi Omkhulu; kakade owayesephethe umbuso. Manje wabhekisa ukunakekela kwakhe eBabiloni elinamandla, umbuso wezwe omkhulu wangalolosuku.

Phakathi enhlokodolobha yeBabiloni, iNkosi uBelishasari, lowo iBhayibheli elithi ‘wayesalinambitha iwayini,’ wayenzele izimenywa eziphakeme eziyinkulungwane idili. Ngokuzitika, badumisa onkulunkulu babo bezithombe lapho bephuza ngezitsha ezingcwele ezazithathwe ethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema. (Daniyeli 5:1-4) Bazizwa belondekile ngaphakathi kwezindonga eziqinile zaseBabiloni.

Nokho, ngaphandle impi kaKoresi yayisiphambukise amanzi omfula iEwufrathe owawudabula phakathi eBabiloni. Lolothango lwemvelo lususiwe, amasosha akhe ahamba emseleni onamanzi—adlula izindonga zaseBabiloni futhi angena emzini ngamasango avuliwe ayebheke emfuleni. Ngaphambi kokuphuma kwelanga, uBelishasari wayesefile, iBabiloni lase liwile, futhi amaMede namaPheresiya ayesengumbuso wezwe omkhulu wesine womlando weBhayibheli! Kodwa ayengobani lamaMede namaPheresiya?

AmaMede ayevela endaweni enezintaba ezinamathafa ngasempumalanga Asiriya. Eminye imifanekiso eyatholakala eAsiriya iwaveza egqoke okubonakala kungamabhantshi ezikhumba zezimvu phezu kwezingubo kanye namabhuthi amade aboshwayo, okuwulungele umsebenzi wawo wokwalusa emathafeni aseziqongweni. AmaMede awashiyanga lutho oluyimibhalo egciniwe. Okuningi kwalokho esikwaziyo ngawo kufundwa eBhayibhelini, emibhalweni yaseAsiriya, nakuzazimlando zamaGreki eziqhamile. AmaPheresiya ekuqaleni ayephila ukuphila kokuzulazula endaweni esenyakatho yePersian Gulf. Njengoba umbuso wawo wawukhula, akhulisa uthando oluvelele lokunethezeka.

Ekuqaleni amaMede ayebusa, kodwa ngo-550 B.C.E., uKoresi Omkhulu wasePheresiya, wazuza ukunqoba okusheshayo phezu kwenkosi yamaMede uAstyages. UKoresi wahlanganisa imikhuba nemithetho yezinhlobo ezimbili zabantu, wahlanganisa umbuso wazo, futhi wandisa ukunqoba kwazo. Nakuba amaMede ayeyizikhonzi kumaPheresiya, umbuso ngempela wawumbaxambili. AmaMede ayesesikhundleni esiphakeme futhi ayehola izimpi zamaPheresiya. Abantu bezinye izizwe babekhuluma ngamaMede namaPheresiya, noma uma besebenzisa igama elilodwa, ‘kwakungamaMede.’

Ngaphambi kokuba amaMede namaPheresiya ahlasele iBabiloni, umprofethi uDaniyeli wayenikezwe umbono wenqama enezimpondo ezimbili lezo ezazimelele lesisizwe esiyizingxenye ezimbili. UDaniyeli wabhala: “Lezozimpondo ezimbili zazithaphile, kepha olunye lwaluthaphé kunolunye, oluthaphileyo lwavela muva.” Kwakungekho kungabaza ngalokho okwakumelelwe inqama, ingelosi yatshela uDaniyeli: “Inqama oyibonileyo inezimpondo ezimbili, zingamakhosi aseMediya nasePheresiya.”—Daniyeli 8:3, 20.

UDaniyeli wayekhona phakathi eBabiloni lapho liwa, futhi wabona ukufika kwamaMede namaPheresiya. UDariyu umMede, umbusi wokuqala womuzi osanda kunqotshwa, wabeka abavikeli abayi-120 bombuso, futhi wamisa abongameli abathathu phezu kwabo. UDaniyeli wayengomunye wabathathu. (Daniyeli 5:30–6:3) Ngokubheka isikhundla esiphakeme sokuphatha sikaDaniyeli kokubili ngaphambi nangemva kokuwa kweBabiloni, kungaba nzima ukucabanga ukuthi uKoresi akenziwanga waqaphela isiprofetho sesiHeberu, leso emakhulwini amabili eminyaka kusengaphambili, sasithe iBabiloni laliyonqotshwa umuntu ogama lakhe linguKoresi.—Isaya 45:1-3.

IJerusalema Liyabuyiselwa

Ukuwa kweBabiloni kwalungisela ukuvela komunye umuzi—iJerusalema. Lase liyincithakalo cishe iminyaka engama-70 kusukela ekubhujisweni kwalo ngabaseBabiloni ngo-607 B.C.E. Iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zazishilo ukuthi ngoKoresi, iJerusalema laliyokwakhiwa kabusha futhi isisekelo sethempeli lalo sasiyobekwa.—Isaya 44:28.

Ingabe lokhu kwenzeka? Yebo. Umpristi, isazi, nombhali uEzra ubika ukuthi uKoresi wamemezela ukuthi abakhulekeli bakaJehova ‘babengakhuphukela eJerusalema lakwaJuda, bakhe indlu kaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, yena onguNkulunkulu waseJerusalema.’ (Ezra 1:3) UEzra 2:64, 65 uphawula abantu abangaba izi-50 000 abahamba izinyanga ezine bephindela eJerusalema, bephethe amagugu ethempeli. Ngo-537 B.C.E. izwe laqala futhi ukuhlalwa—iminyaka engama-70 nje ngemva kokuba iJerusalema liwile.—Jeremiya 25:11, 12; 29:10.

Ubuvubukuli buye bafakazela ukuthi isimemezelo esinjalo sasivumelana nendlela kaKoresi. Esixwembeni sobumba esiyindilinga esatholakala ezincithakalweni zeBabiloni, uKoresi uthi: “Ngabuyisela (kulena) imizi engcwele . . . izindawo ezingcwele ebeziyizincithakalo isikhathi eside, izithombe (ezazivamise) ukuhlala khona lapho futhi ngazakhela izindawo ezingcwele ezihlala njalo. (Futhi) ngaqoqa zonke izakhamizi zayo (zakuqala) futhi ngabuyisela (kuzona) indawo yazo yokuhlala.”

Izitha zamaJuda ezingamaSamariya kamuva zabangela ukuba ukwakhiwa kabusha kwethempeli kumiswe ngokuvinjelwa umbuso. Abaprofethi bakaJehova uHagayi noZakariya bakhuthaza abantu, futhi umsebenzi wokwakha waphinde waqhutshwa. “UDariyu inkosi” wayaleza ukuba kucingwe umyalo wokuqala kaKoresi ogunyaza ukubuyiselwa kwethempeli. IBhayibheli lithi eAkimetha, endaweni yokuhlala yasehlobo kaKoresi, umqulu watholakala kanye nesikhumbuzo esilotshiwe esiqinisa ukuba ngokomthetho komsebenzi wethempeli. Lowomsebenzi waqedwa onyakeni wesithupha wenkosi engumPheresiya uDariyu I.—Ezra 4:4-7, 21; 6:1-15.

Ubufakazi Bobukhosi

Embonweni oshiwo ngasekuqaleni, uDaniyeli wayebone kusengaphambili amaMede namaPheresiya ‘inqama enezimpondo ezimbili iqhubukusha ngasentshonalanga, nangasenyakatho, nangaseningizimu; kwakungekho-silo [ezinye izizwe] ebesinokuma phambi kwayo, kwakungekho ongophula esandleni sayo, kepha yenza njengentando yayo, yazikhulisa.’ (Daniyeli 8:4) Okungenani ngesikhathi sikaDariyu, lombono wawusugcwalisekile. Ekufakazeleni izenzo zakhe eziphawulekayo, uDariyu oMkhulu wenza ukuba kuqoshwe umfanekiso wakhe omkhulu lowo osabonakala uphakeme phambi kwewa eBisitun, emgwaqweni omdala ophakathi kweBabiloni neAkimetha. Ngaphezu kokunqoba iBabiloni, “inqama” engamaMede namaPheresiya yayithathe izwe ezinhlangothini ezintathu eziyinhloko: enyakatho ukuya eAsiriya, entshonalanga ukudabula eAsia Minor, naseningizimu ukuya eGibithe.

Amakhilomitha angama-640 ngaseningizimu mpumalanga yendawo yokuhlala yasehlobo eAkimetha, amakhosi asePheresiya akha isigodlo esikhulu ePersepolis. Umfanekiso olapho ubonisa uDariyu esesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi, futhi embhalweni uyaziqhayisa: “NginguDariyu, inkosi enkulu, inkosi yamakhosi, inkosi yamazwe . . . eyakhe lesigodlo.” Izinsika eziphakemeyo ezimbalwa zakulelikomkhulu elihle kakhulu zisamile nanamuhla. Elinye ikomkhulu laliseSusa (eShushani), lalakhiwe phakathi nendawo phakathi kweBabiloni, iAkimetha, nePersepolis. Lapho uDariyu Omkhulu wakha esinye isigodlo esihle ngokuphawulekayo.

UDariyu walandelwa yindodana yakhe uXerxes, ngokusobala ‘owayenguAhashiveroshi’ wencwadi yeBhayibheli kaEsteri. Ithi uAhashiveroshi “wabusa kusukela eIndiya kuze kube-seKushe phezu kwezifunda eziyikhulu namashumi amabili nesikhombisa” njengoba ahlala ‘esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wakhe esasiseShushani endlini yenkosi.’ Kwakulapho lapho uAhashiveroshi enza uEsteri omuhle osemncane indlovukazi yakhe. (Esteri 1:1, 2; 2:17) Emnyuziyamu waseLouvre eParis, ungase ubone ingxenye engaphezulu yensika enesimo senkunzi eyayimi phezu kwensika ephakeme kulesigodlo, kanye futhi nemihlobiso yasodongeni emelele abasebenzisi bomnsalo abangamaPheresiya aqhoshayo kanye nezilwane ezinhle. Amabhodlela enziwe ngamatshe okuhlobisa, amatshe ayigugu, kanye nezinye izinto ezatholakala lapho zivumelana kahle nokushiwo yiBhayibheli mayelana nokunakekelwa okukhulu kobuhle okwanikezwa uEsteri, kanye nokunethezeka okwakuseShushani.—Esteri 1:7; 2:9, 12, 13.

Izindaba ezashiwo izitha ezingamaGreki zikaXerxes zazihilela izinkinga zomshado kanye nokubuswa okucatshangwayo kwenkosi yasePheresiya ngenye yezinceku zayo. Nakuba amaqiniso kungenzeka aye adidaniswa noma asontwa, lezindaba zibonakala zikhombisa amaphuzu athile ayisisekelo encwadi kaEsteri, ethi inkosi yasusa esikhundleni iNdlovukazi uVashiti onenkani futhi yabeka uEsteri esikhundleni sakhe, nokuthi umzala kaEsteri uMoridekayi wazuza isikhundla esiphakeme sokuphatha embusweni.—Esteri 1:12, 19; 2:17; 10:3.

Umusa Obonakaliswe Kubakhulekeli BakaJehova

Ngonyaka ka-468 B.C.E., uAritahishashita (uLongimanus) owalandela uXerxes wavumela umpristi uEzra, owayehlala eBabiloni ngemva kokukhululwa kokuqala kwamaJuda nguKoresi, ukuba aphindele eJerusalema futhi aqhubekisele phambili ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile kukaJehova lapho. Amadoda ayi-1 500 nemikhaya yawo—mhlawumbe abantu abayizi-6 000 sebebonke—bahamba noEzra, beletha umnikelo omningi wethempeli likaJehova.—Ezra 7:1, 6, 11-26.

Futhi kwakusesigodlweni eShushani lapho uAritahishashita ofanayo, onyakeni wakhe wama-20 (455 B.C.E), avumela isicelo sikaNehemiya sokuba athunyelwe emuva ukuyokwakha kabusha iJerusalema nezindonga zalo. Lokhu kwaphawula ukuqala ‘kwamasonto angamashumi ayisikhombisa’ eminyaka esiprofetho sikaDaniyeli, esakhomba phambili ekuveleni kukaJesu ‘njengoMesiya uMholi’ ngaso kanye isikhathi ngonyaka ka-29 C.E.a—Daniyeli 9:24, 25; Nehemiya 1:1; 2:1-9.

Eminye imibhalo ebhalwe kuyipapyrus ngolimi lwesiAramu yatholakala e-Elephantine, isiqhingi esiseMfuleni waseGibithe iNayile. Lemibhalo ibonisa ukunemba kokuchaza kwababhali beBhayibheli uEzra noNehemiya kokubili izimo kanye nokuxhumana phakathi nokubusa kwamaPheresiya. KuBiblical Archaeology, uProfesa G. Ernest Wright uyalandisa: “Manje . . . siyakwazi ukubona ukuthi isiAramu sikaEzra siyiso kanye leso sesikhathi saso, kulapho imibhalo kahulumeni ingeyohlobo oluvamile lolo esesiye sajwayela ukuluhlanganisa nokubusa kwamaPheresiya.” Omunye wemibhalo wawuphethe uhlelo lwamaPheresiya lwasebukhosini ngokuphathelene nomkhosi wePhasika owawugujwa ezweni lamaJuda eGibithe.

AmaMede NamaPheresiya Ahlulwa YiGreece

Embonweni, uDaniyeli wayebone amaMede namaPheresiya emelelwe njengenqama enezimpondo ezimbili. Ngokulandelayo, amakhulu amabili eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kwenzeke, wabona “impongo ngasentshonalanga” futhi ishesha kakhulu kangangokuthi “ingawuthinti umhlaba.” Impongo eshesha kakhulu “yayishaya inqama, yazaphula izimpondo zayo ezimbili; kwakungekho-mandla enqameni okuma phambi kwayo.” (Daniyeli 8:5-7) Ingabe umlando ubonisa ukuthi lokhu ngempela kwenzeka kumaMede namaPheresiya?

Yebo, ngonyaka ka-334 B.C.E, uAlexander Omkhulu waqhamuka eGreece eya entshonalanga. Ngejubane lonyazi njengalelo lempongo, wakhukhula eAsia, eqotha imbokodo nesisekelo kumaPheresiya. Ekugcineni, ngo-331 B.C.E., eGaugamela, wahlakaza impi yamaPheresiya yamadoda ayisigidi. Umholi wayo, uDariyu III wabaleka, kamuva wabulawa abake baba abangane bakhe. Umbuso wezwe wesine wawusuwisiwe, izimpondo zawo seziphukile, futhi umbuso ka-Alexander waba ngowesihlanu wemibuso yezwe emikhulu yomlando weBhayibheli. Kuyoxoxwa ngawo kumagazini wethu ka-April 15, 1988.

UMbuso Wezwe wamaMede namaPheresiya wawusuhlale iminyaka engaphezu nje kwamakhulu amabili—kusukela ngobusuku owagumbuqela ngabo iBabiloni ngo-539 B.C.E. kuze kube yilapho uwela kuAlexander. Lokhu kucishe kube ubude obufanayo besikhathi esesidlulile kusukela Ekuvukeleni KwamaFulentshi noma ukumiswa kweUnited States of America. Phakathi nalesosikhathi esifushane ngokulinganiswa, amaMede namaPheresiya engaqondile aba nokuningi kokukwenza ekuphumeleliseni izinjongo zikaJehova nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zakhe ezingehluleki.

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(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Umbuso WamaMede Nama-Pheresiya

INDIYA

IAkimetha

Susa (IShushani)

IPersepolis

IBabiloni

IJerusalema

IGIBITHE

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Izincithakalo zasePersepolis, inhlokodolobha yasePheresiya okwakwenzelwa kuyo imicimbi engo kwenkolo

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Manley Studios

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Ithuna LikaKoresi EIran