IBhayibheli—INcwadi Yesiprofetho Esinembile, Ingxenye 1

“Ngizokwenza Isizwe Esikhulu Ngawe”

Kulolu chungechunge lwezihloko ezingu-8, i-“Phaphama!” izokhuluma ngesici esibalulekile seBhayibheli—iziprofetho zalo, noma izibikezelo. Lezi zihloko zizokusiza ukuba uphendule le mibuzo: Ingabe iziprofetho zeBhayibheli zimane nje ziwumphumela wokuhlakanipha kwabantu? Ingabe ziphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu ngempela? Sikumema ukuba uhlole ubufakazi.

UKUNGABAZA nokugxeka—lezi zimo zengqondo zivamile enkathini yethu futhi zibonisa umbono abantu abanawo ngeBhayibheli. Ngokudabukisayo, abaningi abakaze bazinike isikhathi sokulihlolisisa ngobuqotho. Basekela imibono yabo kakhulu kulokho abakuzwa ngabantu. Sithemba ukuthi uzizwa ngendlela ehlukile. Uma kunjalo, sicela uhlanganyele nathi ekuhloleni okwenzeka esikhathini esidlule okuzokwembula amaqiniso afakazela ubuqotho beBhayibheli.

Sizoqala ngokuhlola indoda namanje esahlonishwa amaKristu, amaJuda namaSulumane. YayingumHebheru futhi yaphila kusukela ngo-2018 kuya ku-1843 B.C.E.a Igama layo kwakungu-Abrahama.b

Iziprofetho ezithile zokuqala ezilotshwe eBhayibhelini zazigxile ku-Abrahama—ezinye zazo zisaqhubeka nanamuhla. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Isibusiso ‘Sazo Zonke Izizwe.’”) Ngokwencwadi yeBhayibheli uGenesise, lezi zibikezelo zihlanganisa lokhu: (1) Inzalo ka-Abrahama yayizoba yisizwe esinamandla. (2) Phakathi nenkathi yokuba isizwe esinamandla, yayizoba yizigqila ezweni elingaziwa. (3) Yayizokhululwa futhi ithathe izwe laseKhanani. Ake sihlole lezi zibikezelo ngokucophelela.

Iziprofetho Ezintathu Eziphawulekayo

Isiprofetho 1: “Ngizokwenza isizwe esikhulu ngawe [Abrahama].”—Genesise 12:2.

Ukugcwaliseka: Inzalo ka-Abrahama ngo-Isaka noJakobe (obizwa nangokuthi u-Israyeli) yaba yisizwe sakwa-Israyeli wasendulo—esinamakhosi aso.

Okwembulwa umlando:

● IBhayibheli lichaza imininingwane ephathelene nenzalo ka-Abrahama, kuhlanganise nenzalo ka-Isaka, uJakobe namadodana akhe angu-12. Uhlu lozalo luhlanganisa namakhosi amaningi abusa u-Israyeli noma uJuda. Kulawo makhosi, angu-17 ayavela kwezinye izincwadi zomlando, okufakazela umlando weBhayibheli wendlela inzalo ka-Abrahama eyaba ngayo isizwe ngo-Isaka noJakobe.c

Isiprofetho 2: “Inzalo yakho [Abrahama] iyoba umfokazi ezweni elingelona elayo, futhi kuyomelwe ibakhonze . . . Kodwa esizukulwaneni sesine iyobuyela lapha.”—Genesise 15:13, 16.

Ukugcwaliseka: Ngenxa yendlala eKhanani, izizukulwane ezine zenzalo ka-Abrahama zahlala eGibhithe, okokuqala njengabafokazi kodwa kamuva njengezigqila ezazenza umsebenzi wokwakha izitini ngobumba nangotshani. Uma sicabanga ngohlu olulodwa lozalo—umzukulu ka-Abrahama uLevi, owathuthela eGibhithe noyise osekhulile—lezi zizukulwane ezine zimi kanje: (1) uLevi, (2) indodana yakhe uKohati, (3) umzukulu u-Amramu, (4) nomzukulwana wakhe uMose. (Eksodusi 6:16, 18, 20) Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uMose wahola ama-Israyeli wawakhipha eGibhithe.—Bheka uhlu lwesikhathi ngezansi nebhokisi elithi “Ukugcinwa Kwesikhathi Okunembile.”

Okwembulwa umlando:

● NgokukaJames K. Hoffmeier, uprofesa weTestamente Elidala NeMivubukulo Yaseduze NeNyakatho, kokubili imibhalo yaseGibhithe nobufakazi bemivubukulo kubonisa ukuthi amaSemite (njengamaHebheru asendulo) avunyelwa ukuba angene eGibhithe nemihlambi yawo phakathi nezikhathi zendlala. Kodwa ingabe ama-Israyeli aba yizigqila, abelwa umsebenzi wokwenza izitini?

● Nakuba imibhalo egciniwe yaseGibhithe ingakhulumi ngokuqondile ngama-Israyeli, imidwebo esemathuneni eGibhithe nemiqulu kuyakufakazela ukuthi amaGibhithe ayesebenzisa abantu bakwamanye amazwe ekwakheni izitini ngodaka nangotshani. Ngokuvumelana neBhayibheli, lemibhalo egciniwe yaseGibhithe ibonisa nokuthi abaqondisi bomsebenzi abacindezelayo babewubhala phansi umkhiqizo wokwakha izitini. (Eksodusi 5:14, 19) UHoffmeir uthi, “Imithombo yaseGibhithe iyakuqinisekisa ukuthi abafokazi babegqilazwa . . . phakathi nenkathi yokugqilazwa kwama-Israyeli. Isiphetho siwukuthi, kuyiqiniso ukuthi amaHebheru asendulo angena eGibhithe . . . phakathi nenkathi yendlala futhi agcina eseyizigqila.”

Isiprofetho 3: ‘Wena nenzalo yakho ngiyoninika lonke izwe laseKhanani.’—Genesise 17:8.

Ukugcwaliseka: Nakuba uMose akhipha isizwe sakwa-Israyeli esasisafufusa eGibhithe, uJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni, wahola bonke abantu wabangenisa eKhanani ngo-1473 B.C.E.

Okwembulwa umlando:

● Nakuba abavubukuli bengavumelani ngezinsuku, uK. A. Kitchen, onguprofesa wezomlando waseGibhithe wabhala ukuthi, “kufanele sikhulume ngokungena nangokuzinza kwama-Israyeli eKhanani.”

● IBhayibheli lithi uJoshuwa ‘walishisa iHazori [idolobha laseKhanani].’ (Joshuwa 11:10, 11) Emanxiweni aleli dolobha, abavubukuli bamba bathola amathempeli amathathu aseKhanani ayecekelwe phansi ngokuphelele. Bathola ubufakazi bokuthi lo muzi washiswa ngawo-1400 B.C.E. La maqiniso ayavumelana neBhayibheli.

● Omunye umuzi waseKhanani othakazelisayo iGibheyoni, eqhele ngamakhilomitha angu-9,6 ukusuka eJerusalema. Abavubukuli bawuthola lo muzi ngemva kokuthola izibambo zamagabha ezingaba ngu-30 ezibhalwe igama lalo muzi. Ngokungafani nabantu baseHazori, abantu baseGibheyoni yasendulo benza ukuthula noJoshuwa. Yena, wabanika umsebenzi ‘wokukha amanzi.’ (Joshuwa 9:3-7, 23) Kungani abanika lo msebenzi? Incazelo etholakala kweyesi-2 Samuweli 2:13 nakuJeremiya 41:12 ibonisa ukuthi iGibheyoni yayibusiswe ngokuba namanzi amaningi. Ngakho, ngokuvumelana nomlando weBhayibheli, incwadi ethi Archaeological Study Bible, New International Version ithi: “Empeleni into ephawuleka kakhulu ngeGibheyoni ukuthi yayinamanzi amaningi: umthombo owodwa oyinhloko neminye emincane eyisikhombisa.”

● Cishe ukuba khona kwabo bonke abantu okukhulunywa ngabo eBhayibhelini kufakazelwa nayizincwadi nje zomlando. Njengoba kushiwo ngaphambili, lolu hlu, luhlanganisa amagama amakhosi angu-17 ayinzalo ka-Abrahama futhi abusa u-Israyeli noma uJuda. Phakathi kwawo kuno-Ahabi, u-Ahazi, uDavide, uHezekiya, uManase no-Uziya. Kuyacaca ukuthi ukuba khona kohlu lwamakhosi kukufakazela ngokunamandla ukuthi isizwe esibizwa ngokuthi u-Israyeli sangena futhi sahlala ezweni laseKhanani.

● Ngo-1896, eThebes, eGibhithe, abacwaningi bathola itshe eliqoshwe umlando wokunqoba kukaMerneptah. Lo mbhalo ukhuluma ngokunqoba iKhanani kukaFaro Merneptah ngo-1210 B.C.E. Lo mbhalo uyisikhombo sokuqala esingelona iBhayibheli esikhuluma ngo-Israyeli, usekela ubufakazi bokuba khona kwalesi sizwe.

Usizo Lwemininingwane Enembile

Njengoba sibonile, iBhayibheli ligcwele imininingwane eqondile ephathelene nabantu, izindawo nezenzakalo. Le mininingwane isisiza ukuba sihlole iBhayibheli siliqhathanisa neminye imithombo, ngaleyo ndlela isisize siqiniseke ngokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli. Ngokuphathelene no-Abrahama nenzalo yakhe, amaqiniso asibonisa ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu zagcwaliseka—inzalo ka-Abrahama yaba yisizwe ngempela, yagqilazwa eGibhithe, futhi kamuva yahlala eKhanani. Konke lokhu kusikhumbuza amazwi omlobi weBhayibheli uPetru, owavuma ngokuzithoba: “Isiprofetho asikaze silethwe ngentando yomuntu, kodwa abantu bakhuluma okuvela kuNkulunkulu ngoba babeqhutshwa umoya ongcwele.”—2 Petru 1:21.

Emakhulwini eminyaka alandela ukungena kwama-Israyeli eKhanani, umlando walesi sizwe washintsha ngendlela eyisimanga, futhi umphumela waba mubi kakhulu. Nale miphumela yayibikezelwe abalobi beBhayibheli, njengoba sizobona kumagazini olandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 17]

ISIBUSISO “SAZO ZONKE IZIZWE”

UNkulunkulu wathembisa ukuthi abantu bazo “zonke izizwe” bayozibusisa ngenzalo ka-Abrahama. (Genesise 22:18) Isizathu esiyinhloko esenza ukuba uNkulunkulu enze inzalo ka-Abrahama isizwe sasiwukuba kuvele uMesiya, owayezonikela ukuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabo bonke abantu.d Ngakho-ke, isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu ku-Abrahama siyakuthinta nawe! UJohane 3:16 uthi: “UNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangangokuba waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, ukuze wonke umuntu obonisa ukholo kuyo angabhubhi kodwa abe nokuphila okuphakade.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 17]

UKUGCINWA KWESIKHATHI OKUNEMBILE

Isibonelo sokubaluleka kokugcinwa kwesikhathi okunembile eBhayibhelini kubonakala kweyoku-1 AmaKhosi 6:1, ebhekisela esikhathini iNkosi uSolomoni eyaqala ngaso umsebenzi wokwakha ithempeli eJerusalema. Siyafunda: “Kwathi ngonyaka wamakhulu amane namashumi ayisishiyagalombili [iminyaka engu-479 egcwele] ngemva kokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bephumile ezweni laseGibhithe, ngonyaka wesine [wokubusa kukaSolomoni], ngenyanga kaZivi, okungukuthi, inyanga yesibili, ngemva kokuba uSolomoni ebe yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, wayakha indlu kaJehova.”

Ukulandelana kwezenzakalo ngokohlelo lwezikhathi zeBhayibheli kuthi unyaka wesine wokubusa kukaSolomoni kwakungu-1034 B.C.E. Uma sibala sihlehlela emuva ngeminyaka engu-479 kusukela ngalowo nyaka, sifinyelela onyakeni ka-1513 B.C.E. njengonyaka ama-Israyeli aqala ngawo ukufuduka.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 18]

U-ABRAHAMA—UMUNTU ONGOKOMLANDO

● Izibhebhe zobumba zasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane yesibili B.C.E. zinohlu lwemizi enamagama afana nawezihlobo zika-Abrahama. Le mizi ihlanganisa iPhelege, iSerugi, iNahori, iThera neHarana.—Genesise 11:17-32.

● KuGenesise 11:31, sifunda ukuthi u-Abrahama nomndeni wakhe bathuthela “e-Uri lamaKhaledi.” Kwatholakala izinsalela zalo muzi eningizimu-nyakatho ye-Iraq. IBhayibheli liphinde lithi uyise ka-Abrahama, uThera, wafela emzini waseHarana, cishe manje osundawana-thize eTurkey, nokuthi umka-Abrahama, uSara, wafela eHebroni, elinye lamadolobha amadala kakhulu okusahlala kuwo abantu nanamuhla eMpumalanga Ephakathi.—Genesise 11:32; 23:2.

[Ishadi emakhasini 16, 17]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ISIKHATHI SOKUVELA KWENZALO KA-ABRAHAMA NOKUFUDUKA KWAMA-ISRAYELI

(B.C.E.)

1843 U-Abrahama uyafa

ULevi

1711 UJakobe uyafa UKohati

1657 UJosefa uyafa U-Amramu

1593 UMose uyazalwa UMose

Inkathi YabaHluleli

1107 UDavide uyazalwa

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Leli tshe lesikhumbuzo sokunqoba, eliqoshwe umbhalo othi “INdlu kaDavide,” lingomunye wemibhalo eminingi engelona iBhayibheli ebhekisela emakhosini abusa kwa-Israyeli noma kwaJuda angawozalo luka-Abrahama

[Umthombo]

© Israel Museum, Jerusalem/The Bridgeman Art Library International