Ingabe Imivubukulo Iyalisekela IBhayibheli?

KUBAFUNDI beBhayibheli imivubukulo ibalulekile, ngenxa yokuthi okutholakala ngayo kwenezela olwazini lwabo ngokuphila, izimo, amasiko nezilimi zezikhathi zeBhayibheli. Imivubukulo iphinde inikeze ukwaziswa okuwusizo ngokuqondene nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli, njengalezo ezazibikezela ukubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni lasendulo, iNineve neThire. (Jeremiya 51:37; Hezekeli 26:4, 12; Zefaniya 2:13-15) Nokho isayensi inokulinganiselwa kwayo. Imivubukulo kufanele ichazwe, kanti abantu bangase benze amaphutha noma bashintshe lezo zincazelo.

Ukholo lobuKristu aluncikile ezindengezini eziphukile, ezitinini eziwohlokayo, noma ezindongeni eziwayo, kodwa kuwo wonke amaqiniso avumelanayo angokomoya atholakala eBhayibhelini. (2 Korinte 5:7; Hebheru 11:1) Ngokuqinisekile, ukuvumelana kweBhayibheli, ubuqotho balo, ukugcwaliseka kweziprofetho, nezinye izici eziningi, kunikeza ubufakazi obanelisayo bokuthi “yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Nakuba kunjalo, ake ucabange ngemivubukulo eminingana ethakazelisayo evumelana nokulandisa kweBhayibheli.

Iqembu labavubukuli elalimba eJerusalema ngo-1970 lathola izakhiwo ezishile. UNahman Avigad, umholi waleli qembu wabhala: “Kwakucacile kunoma ubani oneso eliqeqeshekile. Isakhiwo sasibhujiswe umlilo, futhi izindonga nophahla kwakudilikile.” Kwelinye igumbi kwakunamathambo [1] engalo, iminwe ivulekile, izama ukubambelela esitebhisini.

Kwakugcwele izinhlamvu zemali [2] phansi ezazinombhalo wonyaka wesine wokuvukela kwamaJuda iRoma—ngo-69 C.E. Izinto zazisakazeke yonke indawo ngaphambi kokudilika kwesakhiwo. U-Avigad wathi: “Uma sibona lokhu, sakhumbula incazelo kaJosephus ngamasosha aseRoma ayephanga imizi ngemva kokuba idolobha linqotshiwe.” Izazi-mlando zithi ukunqotshwa kweJerusalema yiRoma kwenzeka ngo-70 C.E.

Abahlaziyi bathola ukuthi amathambo ayengowesifazane owayeseminyakeni yawo-20 ubudala. I-Biblical Archaeology Review ithi: “Njengoba ayevaleleke emlilweni lapho amaRoma ehlasela, owesifazane osemusha owayesekhishini leNdlu Eyasha walala ngesisu phansi futhi ezama ukufinyelela esitebhisini esiseduze nomnyango ngesikhathi efa. Umlilo wawusakazeke yonke indawo ngokushesha . . . kangangokuba akakwazanga ukuphunyula futhi wagqitshwa imfucumfucu eyayiwa.”

Lesi simo sisikhumbuza isiprofetho sikaJesu ngokuqondene neJerusalema esashiwo eminyakeni engu-40 ngaphambili: “Izitha zakho . . . zizokuphahlaza phansi wena nabantwana bakho abaphakathi kwakho, ngeke zishiye tshe phezu kwetshe kuwe.”—Luka 19:43, 44.

Imivubukulo evumelana nezitatimende zeBhayibheli ihlanganisa amagama abantu okukhulunywa ngabo emiBhalweni. Eminye yayo yavala imilomo yabagxeki ababethi abalobi beBhayibheli bazisungulela abantu abathile noma babadumisa ngokweqile.

Imibhalo Eqoshiwe Yamagama EBhayibheli

Ngesinye isikhathi, izazi ezidumile zazicabanga ukuthi inkosi yase-Asiriya uSarigoni II, igama elivelayo eBhayibhelini encwadini ka-Isaya 20:1, ayikaze ibe khona. Kodwa ngo-1843, eduze nendawo namuhla eseyaziwa ngeKhorsabad, e-Iraq, engasemngeneleni woMfula iTigris, kwatholakala isigodlo sikaSarigoni [3]. Le ndawo ingamahektare ayishumi ububanzi. Nakuba ayekhule engaziwa, uSarigoni II manje uphakathi kwamakhosi aziwa kakhulu ase-Asiriya. Komunye wemilando [4] yakhe, uthi wanqoba idolobha lama-Israyeli iSamariya. Ngokomlando weBhayibheli, iSamariya lanqotshwa i-Asiriya ngo-740 B.C.E. USarigoni uphinda alandise ngokunqotshwa kwe-Ashidodi, nakho okuvumelana no-Isaya 20:1.

Njengoba babesavubukula amanxiwa eBhabhiloni lasendulo, ezweni namuhla elibizwa ngokuthi i-Iraq, abavubukuli bathola izibhebhe ezingu-300 ze-cuneiform eduze ne-Ishtar Gate. Njengoba ilandisa ngenkathi yokubusa kwenkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari, le mibhalo eqoshiwe ihlanganisa nohlu lwamagama, phakathi kwawo okukhona “nelikaYaukin inkosi yezwe lakwaYahud.” Lokhu kubhekisela eNkosini uJehoyakini wezwe lakwaJuda, owathunyelwa eBhabhiloni ngesikhathi sokunqotshwa kweJerusalema kokuqala uNebukhadinezari ngo-617 B.C.E. (2 AmaKhosi 24:11-15) Amadodana amahlanu kaJehoyakini ayabalwa kulezi zibhebhe.—1 IziKronike 3:17, 18.

Ngo-2005, lapho kumbiwa endaweni ababenethemba lokuthola kuyo isigodlo seNkosi uDavide, abavubukulu bathola isakhiwo setshe esikhulu abakholelwa ukuthi sabhujiswa lapho abaseBhabhiloni bechitha iJerusalema eminyakeni engaphezu nje kwengu-2 600 edlule, phakathi nenkathi yomprofethi kaNkulunkulu uJeremiya. Ukuthi lesi sakhiwo siyizinsalela zesigodlo sikaDavide ngempela, akunakuqinisekiswa. Kodwa, umvubukuli u-Eilat Mazar waphawula into ethile ethakazelisa ngokukhethekile—kwakunesigxivizo sobumba [5] esiyisentimitha elilodwa ububanzi esifundeka kanje: “EsikaYehuchal indodana kaShelemiyahu indodana kaShovi.” Ngokusobala lesi sigxivizo sasenziwe ngophawu lukaYehuchal (obizwa nangokuthi uJehukali noma uJukali), isikhulu esingumJuda eBhayibhelini okuthiwa samelana noJeremiya.—Jeremiya 37:3; 38:1-6.

UMazar uthi uJehukali ungukuphela “kukandunankulu wesibili wasebukhosini,” ngemva kukaGemariya, indodana kaShafani, igama lakhe elivela esigxivizweni esatholakala eMzini KaDavide. IBhayibheli lichaza uJehukali, indodana kaShelemiya (uShelemiyahu), njengenkosana yakwaJuda. Ngaphambi kokutholakala kwalesi sigxivizo, yimiBhalo kuphela eyayikhuluma ngaye.

Ingabe Babekwazi Ukufunda Nokubhala?

IBhayibheli liveza ukuthi ama-Israyeli asendulo ayengabantu abafundile. (Numeri 5:23; Joshuwa 24:26; Isaya 10:19) Kodwa abagxeki babephika, bethi umlando weBhayibheli wawudluliselwa ngokuyinhloko ngomlomo, okuyindlela engenakwethenjelwa. Ngo-2005 lo mbono wahlangana nembibizane lapho abavubukuli ababesebenza eTel Zayit, maphakathi kweJerusalema neMedithera, bethola izinhlamvu zolimi zakudala, mhlawumbe izinhlamvu zesiHebheru [6] ezindala kunazo zonke ezake zatholakala, ezaziqoshwe etsheni legwadle.

Njengoba zazihlehlela emuva ekhulwini leshumi B.C.E., ezinye izazi zithi lezi zinhlamvu zibonisa ukuthi “kwakunendlela yokuqeqeshelwa ukubhala,” “kunesiko eliyinkimbinkimbi,” futhi “eJerusalema kwakunesishaya-mthetho sama-Israyeli esithuthuka ngokushesha.” Ngakho ngokuphambene nalokho okushiwo abagxeki, kuyabonakala ukuthi okungenani emuva ekhulwini leshumi B.C.E., ama-Israyeli ayefundile futhi ekwazi ukubhala umlando wawo.

Umlando Wase-Asiriya Unikeza Ubufakazi Obengeziwe

I-Asiriya, eyake yaba umbuso onamandla, kukhulunywa ngayo kaningi emlandweni weBhayibheli futhi imivubukulo eminingi eyatholakala lapho ifakazela ukunemba kwemiBhalo. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho kuvubukulwa endaweni eyayiyiNineve, inhloko-dolobha yase-Asiriya, kwatholakala itshe eliqoshiwe [7] esigodlweni seNkosi uSaneheribi, elinomfanekiso wamasosha ase-Asiriya ehola abathunjwa abangamaJuda ebayisa ekudingisweni ngemva kokuwa kweLakishi ngo-732 B.C.E. Ungafunda ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kweyesi-2 AmaKhosi 18:13-15.

Imilando kaSaneheribi [8], eyatholakala eNineve, ichaza umkhankaso wakhe wezempi phakathi nokubusa kwenkosi yaseJudiya uHezekiya, le milando embiza ngegama. Imibhalo ye-cuneiform yabanye ababusi abahlukahlukene ikhuluma ngamakhosi akwaJuda u-Ahazi noManase, kanye namakhosi akwa-Israyeli u-Omri, uJehu, uJehowashi, uMenahemu noHosheya.

Ekulandiseni kwakhe uSaneheribi uqhosha ngokuphumelela kwakhe kwezempi kodwa, ngokuphawulekayo, akasho lutho ngokunqoba kwakhe iJerusalema. Ukungasho lutho kwakhe kufakazela umlando weBhayibheli, othi le nkosi ayizange ilihlasele iJerusalema kodwa yanqotshwa ngesandla sikaNkulunkulu. Ngemva kwalokho uSaneheribi owayehlazekile wabuyela eNineve, lapho abulawa khona amadodana akhe, ngokusho kweBhayibheli. (Isaya 37:33-38) Ngokuthakazelisayo, kunemibhalo emibili yase-Asiriya efakazela ukubulawa kwakhe.

Ngenxa yobubi babantu baseNineve, abaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu uNahume noZefaniya babikezela ukubhujiswa ngokuphelele kwalo muzi. (Nahume 1:1; 2:8–3:19; Zefaniya 2:13-15) Iziprofetho zabo zagcwaliseka lapho amabutho ahlangene kaNabopolassar, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, noCyaxares umMede ehlasela futhi enqoba iNineve ngonyaka ka-632 B.C.E. Ukutholakala nokuvubukulwa kwala manxiwa kwaphinde kwafakazela ukulandisa kweBhayibheli.

ENuzi, umuzi wasendulo ongasempumalanga yoMfula iTigris ngaseningizimu-mpumalanga yeNineve, owavubukulwa phakathi kuka-1925 no-1931, kwatholakala izinto eziningi zobuciko, kuhlanganise nezibhebhe zobumba ezingaba ngu-20 000. Lezi zibhebhe ezalotshwa ngolimi lwaseBhabhiloni, ziqukethe imininingwane eminingi, ehlanganisa nezimiso ezingokomthetho ezifuze ezangenkathi yezinzalamizi ezichazwe kuGenesise. Ngokwesibonelo, le mibhalo ibonisa ukuthi onkulunkulu bemindeni, ngokuvamile okwakuyizithixo ezincane zobumba, babewuhlobo oluthile lwetayitela, elivumela umnikazi ukuba athole ifa. Lo mkhuba ungase usisize ukuba siqonde ukuthi kungani umkaJakobe uRaheli athatha onkulunkulu bomndeni, noma “amatherafi” kayise uLabani lapho umkhaya kaJakobe uthutha. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani uLabani azama ukubuyisa lawo matherafi.—Genesise 31:14-16, 19, 25-35.

Isiprofetho Sika-Isaya NoMbhalo KaKoresi

Umbhalo we-cuneiform okulo mbhalo wasendulo oboniswe lapha ufakazela okunye ukulandisa kweBhayibheli. Lo mbhalo owaziwa ngokuthi uMbhalo KaKoresi [9] watholakala endaweni yaseSippar lasendulo eMfuleni i-Ewufrathe, amakhilomitha angaba ngu-32 kusuka eBaghdad. Ukhuluma ngokunqotshwa kweBhabhiloni ezandleni zikaKoresi Omkhulu, umsunguli woMbuso WamaPheresiya. Ngokumangalisayo, eminyakeni engaba ngu-200 ngaphambi kwalokho, uJehova, esebenzisa umprofethi u-Isaya, washo lokhu ngombusi wamaMede namaPheresiya okwakuyothiwa uKoresi: “‘Ungumalusi wami, futhi uyokufeza konke engikujabulelayo’; ngisho nangokusho kwami ngeJerusalema ukuthi, ‘Lizokwakhiwa kabusha.’”—Isaya 13:1, 17-19; 44:26–45:3.

Ngokuphawulekayo, lo mbhalo ukhuluma ngenkambiso kaKoresi—eyayiphambene kakhulu neyabanye abanqobi basendulo—yokubuyisela ekhaya izithunjwa ezazibanjwe umbuso wangaphambili. Umlando weBhayibheli novamile ufakazela ukuthi uKoresi wawakhulula amaJuda, abuye avuselela iJerusalema.—2 IziKronike 36:23; Ezra 1:1-4.

Nakuba iwumkhakha wesayensi osemusha, imivubukulo yeBhayibheli isiwumkhakha omkhulu wezokucwaninga owembule ukwaziswa okubalulekile. Futhi njengoba sesibonile, izinto eziningi ezitholakele zifakazela ubuqiniso nokunemba kweBhayibheli, ngezinye izikhathi ngisho nasekunembeni kwemininingwane emincane.

UKWAZISWA OKWENGEZIWE

Ingabe iBhayibheli lingakusiza ukuba uphile ukuphila okujabulisayo futhi okunenjongo? I-DVD yamahora amabili, enesihloko esithi The Bible—A Book of Fact and Prophecy, ixoxa ngalesi sihloko esibalulekile futhi yethula izingxoxo ezishukumisayo.—Itholakala ngezilimi ezingu-32.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]

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

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]

Society for Exploration of Land of Israel and its Antiquities

[Imithombo Yezithombe ekhasini 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

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

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Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum