INgxenye 3—IBabiloni Elinamandla—Umbuso Wezwe Omkhulu Wesithathu

IBabiloni lasendulo lafinyelela umvuthwandaba walo ngaphansi kukaNebukadinesari, ladlulisela inkolo yalo ezweni, futhi labhujiswa ngobusuku obubodwa. Ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalomuzi kuyoqinisa ukuthembela kwakho ekunembeni kweBhayibheli nasekugcwalisekeni okungenaphutha kweziprofetho zalo ezimangalisayo.

IBABILONI elinamandla lahlala ngobukhosi phezu komfula iEwufrathe eningizimu yeMesopotamiya. ‘Laliwumhlobiso wemibuso,’ isikhungo sezenkolo, ezentengiselwano, nezempi. (Isaya 13:19) Lalinomcebo omkhulu, izakhiwo ezinhle, nezingadi ezaziwa ezweni kabanzi. Laliwumbuso wezwe wosuku lwalo!

Noma kunjalo umprofethi kaJehova uJeremiya waphefumlelwa ukuba alobe: “IBabele liyakuba-yizinqwaba, nendawo yokuhlala kwamakhanka, nencithakalo, nento encimfelwayo, kungabikho ohlala khona.”—Jeremiya 51:37.

Lomuzi omkhulu ube incithakalo ngokuphelele? Ubani owayengacabanga ngento enjalo? Nokho, iBabiloni elake laziqhayisa manje liyinqwaba nje elahliwe nedumazayo yezindunduma zencithakalo, amakhilomitha angama-80 eningizimu yeBaghdad, eningizimu-mpumalanga yeIraq. Yini eyaholela ekuweni kwalo?

IBabiloni, omunye wemizi emidala kakhulu yezwe, lamiswa umzukulu kaNowa uNimrode, iphisi elinamandla ngokumelene noJehova. (Genesise 10:8-10) Nokho, inkathi esithakazelisayo yafika ngemva kakhulu kwesikhathi sikaNimrode. Yafika ngemva kokuba kokubili iGibithe neAsiriya kube imibuso yezwe emikhulu.

IBabiloni Osukwini LukaNebukadinesari

Eminyakeni eyizi-2 600 edlule, emuva onyakeni ka-632 B.C.E., abaseBabiloni nabangane babo bachitha iAsiriya.a Ngakho iBabiloni lathatha isikhundla seAsiriya, liba umbuso wezwe omkhulu wesithathu emlandweni weBhayibheli.

UNebukadinesari, owathatha isihlalo sobukhosi saloMbuso Omusha waseBabiloni, wayengesiye kuphela nje umnqobi—wayengumakhi futhi womuzi. Izindonga eziqinile zaseBabiloni nezakhiwo ezikhangayo zingase, ngokwengxenye enkulu zibalelwe kuye. Izitini eziningi ziye zatholwa zinegama elithi “Nebukadinesari”—yena kanye uNebukadinesari ofanayo okukhulunywa ngaye kakhulu ezincwadini zeBhayibheli zikaJeremiya noDaniyeli, uNebukadinesari lowo iBhayibheli elimcaphuna njengoziqhayisayo: “Angithi yileliBabele elikhulu engilakhile?”—Daniyeli 4:30.

Izindonga ezinkulu ezimbili zazizungeze iBabiloni, nezingcezu zamatshe zazigcwalise indawo ephakathi kwazo. Zindawonye, zazenza uthango olungaphezu kwamamitha angama-24 ubukhulu. Ngaphandle kwezindonga kunomsele wamanzi osukela emamitheni angama-20 ukuya kwangama-80 ububanzi, unezitini ezimboze ingaphakathi, wawusetshenziswa yizikebhe zalo lonke uhlobo.

Umgwaqo omkhulu osuka enyakatho wawudlula eSangweni i-Ishtar elingamamitha ayi-12 ungenela emgudwini oyinhloko womuzi iProcession Way ebanzi. Isigodlo sikaNebukadinesari sasingakwesokudla, eduze neSango i-Ishtar. Indlu yaso enkulu yobukhosi yayilinganiselwa kumamitha ayi-17 ubude nangama-52 ububanzi. Isango nezindonga eziholela phezulu kuyona kwakuhlotshiswe ngezixwembe zamatshe ezinemibala ecwebezela ngokukhangayo eziyimifanekiso yamabhubesi, izinkunzi, nezilo. Elinye lamabhubesi lingase libonakale libukiswa emnyuziyamu waseLouvre eParis.

Inkolo YaseBabiloni

Igama lomuzi lesiHeberu, elithi iBabele, lisho “ukusangana,” kulapho amagama alo esiSumeri nesiAkkad esho “iSango likaNkulunkulu.” Zombili izincazelo zihlanganisa ndawonye iBabiloni nenkolo yalo. Ezinye izazi zikholelwa ukuthi unkulunkulu waseBabiloni uMarduk (onguMerodaki eBhayibhelini) kungenzeka kwakunguNimrode owenziwe unkulunkulu. Inkolo yaseBabiloni futhi yayinonkulunkulu abaningi abangoZiqu-zintathu. Omunye onjalo wayehlanganisa uSin (unkulunkulu wenyanga), uShamash (unkulunkulu welanga), noIshtar (unkulunkulukazi wothando nenzalo).

Ukufundwa kwezinkanyezi kwakudlangile lapho. AbaseBabiloni baqamba amaplanethi ayaziwa ngalesosikhathi ngonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi babo abayisihlanu abadumile. Incwadi yosuku lwanamuhla yomlando iyachaza: “Sibhekisela kulamaplanethi ngamagama awo esiRoma, kodwa amaRoma aye athatha amagama aseBabiloni futhi amane awahumushela kulawo afana nawo eRoma. Kanjalo inkanyezi kaIshtar, unkulunkulukazi wothando, yaba uVenus, naleyo kankulunkulu uMarduk yashintshelwa kuJupiter.”b Igama “iKaledi,” elalisetshenziswa abaseBabiloni, cishe linencazelo efanayo neyelisho “umfundi wezinkanyezi.”

IBhayibheli lithi iBabiloni ‘laliyizwe elinezithombe ezibaziweyo’ ‘nelemifanekiso engcolile.’ (Jeremiya 50:2, 38, NW) Nokho imiqondo yalo engokwenkolo yaba umthombo omkhulu wezinye izinkolo kulo lonke izwe. UProfesa Morris Jastrow uyabika kuThe Religion of Babylonia and Assyria: “Ezweni lasendulo, ngaphambi kokudlondlobala kobuKristu, iGibithe, iPheresiya, neGrisi kwezwa ithonya lenkolo yaseBabiloni.” Kamuva, imiqondo yalo eminingi yamanga yamukelwa futhi yafundiswa ngisho nasemasontweni eLobukholwa. Ngakho, iBhayibheli libiza umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga ngokuthi “iBabiloni Elikhulu.”—IsAmbulo 17:3-5.

IJerusalema Lithunjwa YiBabiloni

Umprofethi uIsaya waphila lapho iAsiriya, umbuso wezwe wesibili, ubusa izwe lasendulo. Nokho waphefumlelwa uNkulunkulu ukuba aprofethe ukuthi iJerusalema lalizobhujiswa, hhayi ngama-Asiriya anamandla angalesosikhathi, kodwa ngabaseBabiloni. (Isaya 39:6, 7) Ingabe lesiprofetho sabonakala siyiqiniso? Ake sibone.

Kwase kuyikhulu leminyaka ngemva kwesikhathi sikaIsaya lapho iBabiloni nabangane balo linqoba iAsiriya, futhi iBabiloni laba umbuso wezwe omusha. Khona, ngo-617 B.C.E., inkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari yathumba iNkosi uJehoyakini waseJerusalema futhi yamthumela kanye nabanye ‘abakhulu bezwe’ njengeziboshwa eBabiloni. UNebukadinesari wamisa uMathaniya ukuba abe inkosi yaseJerusalema futhi ‘waguqula igama lakhe laba nguSedekiya.’—2 AmaKhosi 24:11-17.

Imibhalo yaseBabiloni, eyatholwa ngabavubukuli, nayo iyasifakazela lesenzakalo. UMlando waseBabiloni, izibhebhe zobumba zasendulo okwakubhalwe kuzo izenzakalo ezinkulu, uthi inkosi yaseBabiloni “yahaqa umuzi wakwaJuda [iJerusalema], futhi . . . yawuthatha umuzi yathumba inkosi. Yabeka khona inkosi ezikhethele yona, yamukela izimali zentela ezishisiwe futhi yazithumela eBabiloni.”

Futhi, iBhayibheli libhekisela esabelweni sokudla esasinikezwa uJehoyakini lapho esekuthunjweni eBabiloni. (2 AmaKhosi 25:27-30) Abavubukuli baye bathola izincwadi zokuphatha eBabiloni ezibhekisela esabelweni sokudla esasinikezwa kokubili ‘kuJehoyakini, inkosi’ ‘nakumadodana enkosi yakwaJuda.’

Nakuba abantu baseJerusalema babesebuhlotsheni besivumelwano noJehova uNkulunkulu, babesalokhu benqaba ngenkani ukulandela izindlela zikaNkulunkulu noma ukuqaphela iziprofetho zakhe. UJehova wathi ‘benze-lukhuni intamo yabo ukuze bangezwa amazwi [akhe].’ NgoJeremiya waxwayisa ngokuthi “ngiyakunikela wonke uJuda esandleni senkosi yaseBabele, ibathumbele eBabele, ibabulale ngenkemba.”—Jeremiya 19:15; 20:4.

Ngakho lapho uSedekiya ehlubuka uNebukadinesari, abaseBabiloni babuya futhi bahaqa iJerusalema. Babhodloza izindonga zalo ngoTamuzi 9, 607 B.C.E. Bashisa ithempeli, badiliza izindonga zomuzi, futhi bathumba uSedekiya neningi labantu babayisa eBabiloni. Amazwi kaJehova ngempela abonakala eyiqiniso: “Izwe lonke leli liyakuba-yincithakalo nesimangaliso, nalezizizwe ziyakukhonza inkosi yaseBabele iminyaka engamashumi ayisikhombisa.”—Jeremiya 25:11.

Isithombe Sephupho LikaNebukadinesari

Kamuva, inkosi yaseBabiloni uNebukadinesari, inhloko yombuso wezwe wosuku lwakhe, yanikezwa ukwaziswa okuphawulekayo. UNkulunkulu wayinika iphupho lesithombe esikhulu. Iphupho lembula isimo somlando wezwe kusukela ngesikhathi sikaNebukadinesari kwehle njalo kudlule emibusweni yezwe ezolandela yamaMede namaPheresiya neGrisi, kudlulele eRoma, futhi kudlulele ngisho nangalé kwesikhathi sethu samanje kuye ekuthathelweni indawo okuhlala njalo kwabo bonke ohulumeni babantu uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Umprofethi kaNkulunkulu uDaniyeli watshela uNebukadinesari: “UNkulunkulu omkhulu uyazisile inkosi okuyakuba-khona emva kwalokhu; iphupho liqinisile, nencazo yalo iyiqiniso.”—Daniyeli 2:28-45.

UNebukadinesari naye kwakumelwe afunde ngokomuntu siqu, ngendlela enzima kakhulu, ukuthi uNkulunkulu angaba nengxenye ezindabeni zezwe ezinjalo—ukuthi “oPhezukonke ubusa imibuso yabantu, ayinike amthandayo.”—Daniyeli 4:25.

Ukushiywa KweBabiloni Kwabikezelwa

Nokho, unya olwedlulele lweBabiloni kubantu bakaJehova lwalungeke luyekwe lungajeziswa. NgoJeremiya, uNkulunkulu wathi: “Ngiyakuphindisela iBabele nabo bonke abakhileyo eKalideya konke okubi kwabo abakwenzile eSiyoni emehlweni enu.” Futhi ngoIsaya wayebikezele: “Ngiyakubavusela amaMede.”—Jeremiya 51:24; Isaya 13:17.

Emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngaphambili, uJehova wanikeza ngisho negama lomholi owayeyowisa iBabiloni futhi akhulule abantu baKhe—uKoresi, owaziwa futhi njengoKoresi oMkhulu. Isiprofetho ngoKoresi sathi kwakuyovulwa “iminyango phambi kwakhe, amasango angabe esavalwa.” (Isaya 44:26–45:1) Ingabe into enjalo yenzeka ngempela? Umlando uyaphendula.

IBabiloni Liyawa!

Njengoba iminyaka engama-70 eyabikezelwa yokuthunjwa kwamaJuda yayisizophela, amaMede namaPheresiya ayesesendleleni. Inkosi yaseBabiloni uNabonidase kakade yayisimbalekele uKoresi enkundleni yempi. Isazi-mlando esingumGreki uHerodotus sithi abaseBabiloni babekulungele ukumelana nokuvinjezelwa isikhathi eside. Futhi ngokusobala babenethemba elikhulu ezindongeni eziqinile zeBabiloni.

Njengoba umlando weBhayibheli ulandisa, ngobusuku bukaOctober 5/6 bangonyaka ka-539 B.C.E., uBelishasari wayelungiselele idili elikhulu ngaphakathi eBabiloni, ephuza futhi edla nezimenywa eziphakeme eziyinkulungwane. (Daniyeli 5:1-4) UHerodotus ufakazela ukuthi kwakukhona idili eBabiloni ngalobobusuku. Uthi abantu bomuzi “babesina ngalesosikhathi futhi bezijabulisa.” Nokho, ngaphandle uKoresi wayesephambukise amanzi e-Ewufrathe, owawudabula ngaphakathi komuzi. Njengoba izinga lamanzi lehla, impi yakhe yahamba ngomsele onamanzi, yadlula izindonga eziphakeme, futhi yangena ngalokho uHerodotus akubiza ngokuthi “amasango amancane ayeholela ezansi emfuleni,” amasango eshiywe evulekile ngabaseBabiloni.

Iminyaka eminingi kusengaphambili, umprofethi uJeremiya wayebhale umbhalo oyincazelo yokuwa kweBabiloni: “Amaqhawe aseBabele ayekile ukulwa, . . . Isigijimi siyagijima, sihlangane nesinye, umbiki uhlangana nombiki ukutshela inkosi yaseBabele ukuthi umuzi wayo unqotshiwe nxazonke. Amazibuko avinjiwe, umhlanga ushisiwe ngomlilo.”—Jeremiya 51:30-32.

UMlando kaNabonidase, manje oseMnyuziyamu waseBrithani, ufakazela lencazelo. Uthi “impi kaKoresi yangena eBabiloni ngaphandle kokulwa.”

Isiprofetho SikaJehova Siyagcwaliseka

Ngobusuku obubodwa iBabiloni lase liwile. Umbuso wezwe wesithathu womlando weBhayibheli wawusufike ekupheleni okusheshayo. UKoresi wayengaziqhayisa embhalweni wamaPheresiya, owaziwa ngokuthi umBhalo kaKoresi: “NginguKoresi, inkosi yezwe, inkosi enkulu, inkosi engokomthetho, inkosi yaseBabiloni, inkosi yaseSumeri.” Ngokushesha emva kwalokho, uKoresi wakhipha isimemezelo sakhe esidumile, futhi abathunjwa abangamaJuda abangaba yizi-50 000 babuyela ukuyokwakha kabusha iJerusalema nethempeli likaJehova, bafika emuva lapho ekupheleni nje kweminyaka engama-70 yokuthunjwa eyayibikezelwe.—Ezra 1:1-11.

Amakhulu eminyaka kamuva, umphostoli kaJesu uPetru weza ukuzofundisa umphakathi wamaJuda owawandile lapha, futhi kwakuseBabiloni lapho uPetru abhala okungenani eyodwa yezincwadi zakhe eziphefumlelwe zeBhayibheli. (1 Petru 5:13) Nokho, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi lesiprofetho sagcwaliseka: “IBabele, umhlobiso wemibuso, isivunulo sokuzikhukhumeza kwamaKaledi, liyakuba-njengokuchitha kukaNkulunkulu iSodoma neGomora. Alisoze labuye lakhiwe.”—Isaya 13:19, 20.

Namuhla, iBabiloni elinamandla aliselutho ngaphandle kwezinqwaba zamatshe ezinothuli, izincithakalo ezweni elingenamsebenzi—ubufakazi obuthulile nobembula ukunemba okungehluleki kweZwi likaJehova elingokwesiprofetho.—Jeremiya 51:36, 37.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 31]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

EXTENT OF BABYLONIAN EMPIRE

GREAT SEA

Euphrates River

Babylon

MEDIA

Jerusalem

[Umthombo]

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

[Izithombe ekhasini 31]

Ukwakhiwa kabusha kweSango i-Ishtar laseBabiloni (ngakwesokudla)

[Imithombo]

Museum of Western Asiatic Antiquity, East Berlin, GDR

Izincithakalo zeBabiloni namuhla (ngezansi)