I-Ugarit—Idolobha Lasendulo Elalibuswa Inkolo KaBhali

NGONYAKA KA-1928, igeja lomlimi waseSiriya lashaya itshe elalemboze ithuna okwakukhona kulo izitsha zebumba zasendulo. Lo mlimi wayengazi ukuthi kwakubaluleke kangakanani lokhu ayekutholile. Lapho lizwa ngalokhu lo mlimi athuka ezithela phezu kwakho, iqembu labavubukuli abangamaFulentshi elaliholwa uClaude Schaeffer lanikela kuleyo ndawo ngonyaka olandelayo.

Kungakapholi maseko, leli qembu lavubukula umbhalo oqoshiwe owalenza lawazi amanxiwa elaliwavubukula. Kwakuyi-Ugarit, “elinye lamadolobha asendulo abalulekile aseMpumalanga Eseduze.” Umbhali uBarry Hoberman waze wathi: “Ngisho nemiQulu YasoLwandle Olufile ayisisizi siqonde iBhayibheli ukwedlula le mivubukulo.”—The Atlantic Monthly.

Enhlangana-ndlela

Ngenkulungwane yesibili B.C.E., i-Ugarit, njengoba yayisegqumeni elaziwa ngokuthi iRas Shamra oGwini LweMedithera olusenyakatho yeSiriya yanamuhla, yayiyidolobha elichumayo elinezinhlanga zabantu ezihlukahlukene. Indawo yayo yayithatha amakhilomitha angaba ngu-60 ukusuka eNtabeni iCasius enyakatho kuya eTell Sukas eningizimu namakhilomitha aphakathi kuka-30 no-50 ukusuka eMedithera entshonalanga kuya e-Orontes Valley empumalanga.

Imfuyo yayichuma esimweni sezulu sase-Ugarit esiyisivivi. Le ndawo yayikhiqiza okusanhlamvu, amafutha omnqumo, iwayini nezingodo zokwakha nokubaza—umkhiqizo owawuyivelakancane eMesophothamiya naseGibhithe. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuba kwaleli dolobha sendaweni okuhlangana kuyo imizila yohwebo ebalulekile kwalenza laba esinye sezikhumulo zokuqala ezinkulu zamazwe onke. E-Ugarit, abathengisi abavela e-Aegean, e-Anatolia, eBhabhiloni, eGibhithe nakwezinye izingxenye zeMpumalanga Ephakathi babethenga futhi bethengisa okusansimbi, imikhiqizo yasemasimini neminye imikhiqizo eminingi yendawo.

Naphezu kokuceba kwayo, i-Ugarit yayilokhu ingumbuso okhonzile. Leli dolobha laliyikamu elisenyakatho lamabutho oMbuso WaseGibhithe kwaze kwaba yilapho lithathwa uMbuso WamaHethi ngekhulu le-14 B.C.E. I-Ugarit yayiphoqelekile ukuba ikhokhe intela futhi inikeze umbusi wayo amabutho. Lapho “Abantu Basolwandle”a beqala ukuhlasela i-Anatolia (maphakathi neTurkey) nenyakatho Siriya, amaHethi abutha amabutho ase-Ugarit kanye nemikhumbi yakhona yempi. Ngenxa yalokho, i-Ugarit yona yasala ingavikelekile yabhujiswa ngokuphelele ngo-1200 B.C.E.

Ukuvusa Okwamandulo

Ngemva kokubhujiswa kwe-Ugarit kwasala igquma elikhulu elithi alibe amamitha angu-20 ukuphakama elithatha amahektare angaphezu kuka-25. Yingxenye eyodwa kuphela kweziyisithupha esavubukuliwe. Emanxiweni, abavubukuli bathole izinsalela zesithabathaba sesigodlo esinamagumbi namagceke acela ekhulwini futhi esithatha indawo engaba amamitha-skwele angu-10 000. Lesi sigodlo sasinemigudu yamanzi, izindlu zangasese nemigudu yokukhuculula indle. Impahla yasendlini yayihlotshiswe ngegolide, itshe eliluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka (i-lapis lazuli) nangophondo lwendlovu. Kuye kwatholakala izingqwembe zophondo lwendlovu eziqoshwe ngobunyoninco. Ingadi ebiyelwe ngodonga nechibi elimbelwe phansi kwakwenezela ebuhleni balesi sigodlo.

Kuleli dolobha nasethafeni elilizungezile kwakugcwele amathempeli kaBhali noDagan.b Le mibhoshongo yamathempeli, engamamitha mhlawumbe angu-20 ukuphakama, yayinephaseji elincane eliholela egumbini elingaphakathi okwakukhona kulo umfanekiso kankulunkulu. Kwakukhona izitebhisi ezikhuphukela ethaleni lapho inkosi yayihlala khona yengamele imicimbi ehlukahlukene. Kungenzeka ukuthi eziqongweni zamathempeli kwakokhelwa amalangabi okuqondisa imikhumbi ukuze ifike ngokuphepha ethekwini ebusuku noma lapho kuneziphepho. Akungabazeki ukuthi amatilosi ayekholelwa ukuthi ukubuya kwawo ngokuphepha kwakungenxa kankulunkulu wesiphepho uBaal-Hadad ayenza iminikelo yokubonga ngamahange angu-17 enziwe ngamatshe atholakale endlini yakhe engcwele.

Imibhalo Eqoshiwe Eyigugu

Kuwo wonke amanxiwa ase-Ugarit kutholakale intilibathwa yezibhebhe zebumba. Kutholakale imibhalo yezilimi ezingu-8 ephathelene nezomnotho, ezomthetho, ezobunxusa nezokuphatha, ebhalwe ngezindlela ezinhlanu zokubhala. Iqembu likaSchaeffer lathola imibhalo okungakaziwa kuze kube manje ukuthi ngeyalulimi luni—olwaqanjwa ngokuthi isi-Ugarit—olusebenzisa izimpawu zonobumba ezingu-30, ezaba ngabanye bonobumba abadala kunabo bonke abake batholakala.

Ngaphandle kokukhuluma ngezindaba ezivamile zansuku zonke, okuqukethwe yile mibhalo yesi-Ugarit kwasiza ekuqondeni kangcono imibono nemikhuba yenkolo yangaleso sikhathi. Kubonakala ukuthi inkolo yase-Ugarit yayifana kakhulu neyamaKhanani ayengomakhelwane. NgokukaRonald de Vaux, le mibhalo “iyibonisa ngokunembile impucuko yaseKhanani ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kwalo ama-Israyeli.”

Inkolo Edolobheni LikaBhali

Imibhalo yaseRas Shamra ikhuluma ngonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi abangaphezu kuka-200. Unkulunkulu ophakeme kwakungu-El, obizwa ngokuthi uyise wonkulunkulu nabantu. Futhi unkulunkulu wesiphepho uBaal-Hadad ‘wayengumgibeli wamafu’ futhi ‘eyinkosi yomhlaba.’ U-El uvezwa eyixhegu elihlakaniphile, elinentshebe emhlophe elingasondelene nesintu. Kanti uBhali yena ungunkulunkulu onamandla futhi ohahela isikhundla ofuna ukubusa onkulunkulu nesintu.

Cishe le mibhalo etholakele kwakungamazwi ayeshiwo emikhosini yenkolo, njengoncibijane, noma ngesikhathi sokuvuna. Nokho, ayicacile incazelo yayo eqondile. Kwenye inkondlo ephathelene nokubangisana ngokubusa, uBhali unqoba indodana ka-El eyintandokazi, unkulunkulu wolwandle uYamm. Kungenzeka ukuthi lokhu kunqoba kwakwenza amatilosi ase-Ugarit aqiniseke ngokuthi uBhali uzowavikela olwandle. Empini yakhe noMot, uBhali uyanqotshwa ehlele ezweni langaphansi komhlaba. Ngemva kwalokho kuba khona isomiso, imisebenzi yabantu ime. UmkaBhali, futhi ongudadewabo, u-Anat—unkulunkulukazi wothando nempi—ubulala uMot avuse uBhali. UBhali ubulala amadodana omka-El, u-Athirat (Ashera) abuyele esihlalweni sobukhosi. Kodwa uMot uyabuya futhi ngemva kweminyaka engu-7.

Abanye bachaza le nkondlo ngokuthi umfanekiso womjikelezo waminyaka yonke wezinkathi zonyaka lapho izimvula ezinika ukuphila zinqotshwa khona ukushisa kwasehlobo okugagadayo ziphinde zibuye entwasahlobo. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi lo mjikelezo weminyaka engu-7 uhlobene nokwesatshwa kwendlala nesomiso. Noma ngabe ikuphi, ukuvelela kukaBhali kwakubhekwa njengokubalulekile ukuze imisebenzi yabantu iphumelele. Isazi uPeter Craigie sithi: “Umgomo wenkolo kaBhali wawuwukuqinisekisa ubukhulu bakhe; abakhulekeli bakhe babekholelwa ukuthi isilimo nezinkomo, okuyizinto ezibalulekile ekuphileni komuntu, kwakungaqhubeka kukhona kuphela uma ehlala emkhulu.”

Isivikelo Ebuqabeni

Okubonakala ngokucacile kule mibhalo evubukuliwe ukonakala kwenkolo yase-Ugarit. I-Illustrated Bible Dictionary ithi: “Le mibhalo ibonisa imiphumela eyonakalisayo yokukhulekela labo nkulunkulu; njengoba kwakugcizelela impi, ubufebe obungcwele, uthando lwenkanuko okwakuwohloza umphakathi.” UDe Vaux uphawula athi: “Lapho umuntu efunda lezi zinkondlo, uyaqonda ukuthi kungani abakhulekeli bakaYahweh beqiniso kanye nabaprofethi abakhulu babekwenyanya lokhu kukhulekela.” UMthetho uNkulunkulu awunika isizwe sakwa-Israyeli sasendulo wawuyisivikelo enkolweni yamanga enjalo.

Ukubhula, ukufunda izinkanyezi nokwenza umlingo kwakwenziwa yonke indawo e-Ugarit. Izimpawu namabika kwakungafunwa nje kuphela ezintweni ezisesibhakabhakeni kodwa futhi nasemibungwini ekhubazekile nasezibilinini zezilwane ezihlatshiwe. “Kwakunenkolelo yokuthi lowo nkulunkulu esinikelwa kuye isilwane esihlatshiwe wayeba yinto yinye naso nokuthi umoya kankulunkulu wawuhlangana nomoya wesilwane,” kusho isazi mlando uJacqueline Gachet. “Ngenxa yalokho, ngokufunda izimpawu ezibonakala kulezi zitho, babekwazi ukuqonda intando yomoya wonkulunkulu bona ababekwazi ukunikeza impendulo evumayo noma ephikayo lapho kubuzwa ngezenzakalo zesikhathi esizayo noma maqondana nalokho okufanele kwenziwe esimweni esithile.” (Le pays d’Ougarit autour de 1200 av.J.C.) Ngokuphambene nalokho, ama-Israyeli kwakumelwe ayigweme imikhuba enjalo.—Duteronomi 18:9-14.

UMthetho KaMose wawukwenqabela ngokucacile ukulala nesilwane. (Levitikusi 18:23) Wawubhekwa kanjani lo mkhuba e-Ugarit? Kule mibhalo etholakele, uBhali ulala nesithokazi. Umvubukuli uCyrus Gordon waphawula wathi: “Uma kungaphikiswa ngokuthi uBhali uba isimo senkunzi ukuze enze lesi senzo, akunjalo ngabapristi bakhe ababezenza izenzo zasezinganekwaneni zokuphila kwakhe.”

Ama-Israyeli ayalwa ngokuthi: “Akumelwe nisike inyama yenu ngenxa yomphefumulo oshonile.” (Levitikusi 19:28) Nokho, lapho u-El ezwa ngokufa kukaBhali, “wasika isikhumba sakhe ngommese, wazigcaba ngensingo; wazisika ezihlathini nasesilevini.” Kubonakala ukuthi kwakungumkhuba wabakhulekeli bakaBhali ukuzisika okuyingxenye yemicikilisho.—1 AmaKhosi 18:28.

Enye inkondlo yesi-Ugarit izwakala ibonisa ukuthi ukupheka izinyane lembuzi ngobisi kwakuyingxenye yomcikilisho wokuqinisekisa inzalo owawuvamile enkolweni yaseKhanani. Nokho, eMthethweni KaMose ama-Israyeli ayeyalwa ngokuthi: “Ungalibilisi izinyane obisini lukanina.”—Eksodusi 23:19.

Ukuqhathanisa Nemibhalo YeBhayibheli

Ekuqaleni imibhalo yesi-Ugarit yahunyushwa ngokuyinhloko ngosizo lwesiHebheru seBhayibheli. UPeter Craigie uthi: “Maningi amagama asetshenziswe embhalweni wesiHebheru okungacacile ukuthi asho ukuthini, futhi ngesinye isikhathi, angaziwa; abahumushi bangaphambi kwekhulu lama-20 babesebenzisa izindlela ezihlukahlukene zokuqagela ukuthi kungenzeka asho ukuthini. Kodwa lapho lawo magama evela embhalweni wesi-Ugarit, ayaqondakala.”

Ngokwesibonelo, igama lesiHebheru elisetshenziswe ku-Isaya 3:18 ngokuvamile lihunyushwa ngokuthi ‘amabhande asekhanda.’ Igama lesi-Ugarit elifana nalo eliwumsuka lisho kokubili ilanga nonkulunkulukazi welanga. Ngakho, kungenzeka ukuthi abesifazane baseJerusalema okukhulunywa ngabo esiprofethweni sika-Isaya babehloba ngemifanekiso emincane yelanga ‘nangemihlobiso emisé okwenyanga’ behlonipha onkulunkulu baseKhanani.

KuzAga 26:23 embhalweni wamaMasorete, “izindebe ezishisayo kanye nenhliziyo embi” kufaniswa nesitsha sebumba esigcwele “amanyela esiliva.” Igama lesi-Ugarit eliwumsuka likwenza kufaneleke ukuhumusha lesi sifaniso ngokuthi “zinjengokucwebezela odengezini.” INguqulo Yezwe Elisha isihumusha ngokufanele lesi saga ithi: “Izindebe ezishisayo kanye nenhliziyo embi zinjengesiliva elicwebezelayo elinanyekwe odengezini.”

Ingabe Iyisisekelo SeBhayibheli?

Ukuhlola imibhalo yaseRas Shamra kubangele ukuba ezinye izazi zithi ezinye izindima zeBhayibheli zithathelwe ezincwadini zezinkondlo zesi-Ugarit. U-André Caquot, oyilungu le-French Institute, ukhuluma ‘ngesiko laseKhanani eliyisisekelo senkolo yama-Israyeli.’

Ngokuqondene neHubo 29, uMitchell Dahood we-Pontifical Biblical Institute eRome uthi: “Leli ihubo abakhulekeli bakaYahweh abalithatha ehutsheni elidala amaKhanani ayelihubela unkulunkulu wesiphepho uBhali . . . Cishe wonke amagama akuleli hubo manje angatholakala emibhalweni yaseKhanani.” Ingabe kufanele kuphethwe kanjalo? Lutho neze!

Izazi ezingeqisi ziyaqaphela ukuthi kwenziwa ihaba kulezo zinto ezifanayo. Ezinye ziye zazigxeka lezo zazi ezithi umsuka wayo yonke into use-Ugarit. “Awukho umbhalo owodwa wesi-Ugarit ovumelana ngokuphelele neHubo 29,” kusho isazi senkolo uGarry Brantley. “Ukusikisela ukuthi iHubo 29 (nanoma omunye umbhalo weBhayibheli) lithathelwe enganekwaneni yamaqaba akusekelwe ebufakazini.”

Ingabe ukuthi kukhona ukufana kwezifenqo, izinkondlo nezici zendlela yokubhala kuwubufakazi bokuthi iBhayibheli lithathelwe ezincwadini zesi-Ugarit? Ngokuphambene nalokho, ukufana okunjalo kufanele kulindeleke. I-Encyclopedia of Religion ithi: “Ukufana kwesimo nalokho okukhulunywa ngakho kudalwa yisiko: naphezu kokungafani okukhulu kwendawo nenkathi phakathi kwe-Ugarit nezwe lakwa-Israyeli, lezi zindawo zaziyingxenye yesiko elilodwa elikhulu elalinamagama afanayo ezinkondlo nawenkolo.” Ngakho uGarry Brantley uphetha ngokuthi: “Kuwukuchaza ngokungafanele ukuphikelela ngokuthi izinkolelo zamaqaba ziyisisekelo sombhalo weBhayibheli ngenxa nje yokufana kwezici ezithile zolimi.”

Ekugcineni, kufanele kuphawulwe ukuthi uma kukhona ukufana phakathi kwemibhalo yaseRas Shamra neBhayibheli, kusendleleni yokubhala kuphela, akukho ezintweni ezingokomoya. “Ukuphakama kwezimiso zokuziphatha eziseBhayibhelini akutholakali e-Ugarit,” kuphawula umvubukuli uCyrus Gordon. Ngempela, okungafani kuningi kakhulu kunokufanayo.

Cishe ukucwaningwa kwe-Ugarit kuzoqhubeka kusiza abafundi beBhayibheli ukuba baqonde isizinda sababhali beBhayibheli nesesizwe sonke samaHebheru ngokwesiko, ngokomlando nangokwenkolo. Ukuhlolwa okwengeziwe kwemibhalo yaseRas Shamra kungase futhi kusize ekuqondweni kangcono kwesiHebheru sasendulo. Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho konke, imivubukulo etholakale e-Ugarit iwuveza ngokucacile umehluko phakathi kokukhulekela uBhali okonakalisayo nokukhulekela uJehova okumsulwa.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 25]

Imivubukulo etholakale e-Ugarit ikuthuthukisile ukuqonda kwethu imiBhalo

[Ibalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UMbuso WamaHethi ngekhulu le-14 B.C.E.

ULWANDLE IMEDITHERA

INT. ICASIUS (IJEBEL EL-AGRA)

I-Ugarit (IRas Shamra)

ITell Sukas

I-Orontes

ISIRIYA

IGIBHITHE

[Imithombo]

Statuette of Baal and rhyton in the shape of an animal’s head: Musée du Louvre, Paris; painting of the royal palace: © D. Héron-Hugé pour “Le Monde de la Bible”

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Okusele kwesango lesigodlo

[Isithombe ekhasini 26]

Inkondlo yesi-Ugarit eyinganekwane ingasiza ekuqondeni u-Eksodusi 23:19

[Umthombo]

Musée du Louvre, Paris

[Izithombe ekhasini 27]

Itshe likaBhali

Isitsha segolide esinomfanekiso wokuzingela

Isivalo sophondo lwendlovu sebhokisi lezimonyo esibonisa unkulunkulukazi wenzalo

[Umthombo]

All pictures: Musée du Louvre, Paris