INgxenye 2—IAsiriya Enonya—Umbuso Wezwe Wesibili Omkhulu

Imivubukulo yezigodlo zamakhosi aseAsiriya lasendulo inganezela ekuqinisekeni kwakho ngokushaya emhloleni okungokomlando kweBhayibheli. Leyomivubukulo ibonisani ngomlando weBhayibheli, futhi kumelwe isho ukuthini kuwe?

ABANTU baseAsiriya babenobudlova futhi bethanda impi. Baba umbuso omkhulu, ononya owanwebeka usuka endaweni yabo esohlangothini olungasenyakatho lwethafa laseMesopotamiya. Kubhekiselwa kubo izikhathi eziningi eBhayibhelini njengabayizitha zabakwaJuda nabakwaIsrayeli.

Ukwazi okwengeziwe ngalabantu basendulo ngokuqinisekile kuyosisiza ukuba siqonde izinto ezishiwo yiBhayibheli. Ngisho nemibhalo egciniwe yomlando wayo siqu iAsiriya iqinisekisa ukuba yiqiniso komlando weBhayibheli nesiprofetho salo. Kodwa badabukaphi abaseAsiriya?

Labantu abanamandla, ababezenza babe namashiya amakhulu nezitshebe ezinkulu emifanekisweni yabo, badabuka kuAshuri, umzukulu kaNowa. Eqinisweni, igama elifanayo lesiHeberu lisho kokubili ukuthi “Ashuri” nokuthi “(owase) Asiriya.” UNimrode, ophawulwa eBhayibhelini ‘njengephisi elinamandla ebusweni bukaJehova,’ wakha umuzi waseNineve nowaseKhala. Lemizi emibili, kanye neAshuri neKhorsabad, kamuva yaba yizinhloko-dolobha zaseAsiriya.—Genesise 10:8-12, 22.

Incwadi kaNahume iqalisa ngalamazwi: “Isiprofetho ngeNineve,” inhloko-dolobha yaseAsiriya. Kungani? Ngoba, njengoba umprofethi uNahume kamuva echaza, iNineve ‘yayingumuzi wegazi . . . ugcwele amanga nempango.’ (Nahume 1:1; 3:1) Ingabe wayenza ihaba? Lutho neze!

Abantu baseAsiriya babenedumela elingenakulinganiswa lokuba nonya. Imihlobiso yasezigodlweni zabo siqu ezinkulu yayibaveza bephanga, beshisa, futhi bebhubhisa amazwe ngokulandelana. Inkosi yabo uAshurnasirpal iqhosha ngokumboza insika ngezikhumba zezitha zayo. Ithi: “Kubathunjwa abaningi abanye ngabashisa ngomlilo . . . Abanye ngabanquma amakhala, izindlebe neminwe yabo, abaningi ngabakhipha amehlo. Ngenza insika eyodwa yaba eyabaphilayo futhi enye yaba eyamakhanda.”

Ithonya Lenkolo

Nokho, labantu babeyithanda kakhulu inkolo. Ngokuphathelene nabaseAsiriya basendulo kuye kwathiwa: “Ukulwa kwakuwumsebenzi wesizwe, futhi abapristi babengabashoshozeli abaqhubekayo bempi. Babesekelwa kakhulu yilokho ababekuphangile ekunqobeni . . . Loluhlanga lwabaphangi lwaluyithanda kabi inkolo.”—Ancient Cities, W. B. Wright, ikhasi 25.

Abantu baseAsiriya bathola inkolo yabo eBabiloni. IThe Illustrated Bible Dictionary ithi: “Ezimweni eziningi inkolo yaseAsiriya yayihluka kancane kuleyo yaseBabiloni, lapho yasuselwa khona.” Uphawu oluyisiqinisekiso lwaseAsiriya, manje olubekwe eMyuziyamu eBrithani, eLondon, lubonisa unkulunkulu wabo wesizwe uAshuri onamakhanda amathathu. Ukukholelwa konkulunkulu abangoziqu-zintathu kwakuvamile ekukhulekeleni kwabo. Ngakho-ke, kanye nerekhodi labo lonya nobudlova, akumangalisi ukuthi umprofethi weBhayibheli uNahume wabhala ukuthi uNkulunkulu oyedwa weqiniso, uJehova, “uyaphindisela, ugcwele ukufutheka” kwabaseAsiriya.—Nahume 1:2.

Lapho iNineve liwa, ukubhujiswa kwalo kwakuphelele kangangokuthi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngisho nenxiwa lalo lakhohlakala. Abanye abagxeki balihleka usulu iBhayibheli, bethi lomuzi awukaze ube khona. Kodwa waba khona! Waphinde watholwa, futhi lokho abavubukuli abakuthola lapho kwakuthakazelisa ngempela!

Ukutholwa Kwezigodlo Ezinkulu

Ngo-1843 inxusa likahulumeni waseFrance uPaul-Émile Botta wemba eKhorsabad, ethemba ukuthi kwakuyoba iNineve lasendulo. Kunalokho, wathola isigodlo esihle ‘sikaSarigoni inkosi yaseAsiriya,’ oshiwo ngegama eBhayibhelini kuIsaya 20:1. Abagxeki babethe iBhayibheli lalinamanga ngoba laliwukuphela kwencwadi yasendulo eyaziwayo ekhuluma ngalenkosi. Kodwa uSarigoni waba khona, ngoba abavubukuli bavubukula isigodlo sakhe esinamakamelo angama-200, kanye namagugu amangalisayo emibhalo eqoshiwe nezinye izinto. Lezi zihlanganisa imibhalo kaSarigoni yaminyaka yonke ngokombono waseAsiriya, eqinisekisa izenzakalo ezichazwe eBhayibhelini. Kusukela phakathi nekhulu le-19 leminyaka, uSarigoni ungomunye wamakhosi aseAsiriya aziwa kangcono kakhulu, nakuba imininingwane eminingi ephathelene naye ingakapheleli.

Khona-ke, ngo-1847, uAustin Henry Layard wathola isigodlo sikaSaneheribi eNineve, eqhele cishe ngamakhilomitha ayi-19 ukusuka eningizimu-ntshonalanga neKhorsabad. Lona nguye kanye uSaneheribi owamelana ngobudlova neJerusalema futhi ushiwo ngegama izikhathi eziyi-13 eBhayibhelini. ULayard wahlola amakamelo angama-71 alesigodlo. Sasihlotshiswe kakhulu ngemifanekiso yezimpi, yokunqoba, neyemikhosi yenkolo.

Okumangalisa ngisho nangokwengeziwe ukuthi, abavukubuli bathola imibhalo yakhe siqu uSaneheribi—eyimibiko yaminyaka yonke yezenzakalo, iqoshwe ezingcwecweni zobumba eziyindilinga, noma ezingonxa-ntathu. Owodwa ugcinwe Ezindlini Zasempumalanga zaseYunivesithi yaseChicago, lapho omunye, iTaylor Prism, usemNyuziyamu yaseBrithani.

Lemivubukulo ibonisani? Ukuthi lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngalabantu nangezenzakalo ababehileleke kuzo kuyiqiniso ngokuthe ngqo—ngisho nasekubizeni ababusi baseAsiriya ngamagama!

Amakhosi AseAsiriya

Amagama alamakhosi asendulo angase ezwakale engajwayelekile kuwe, nokho kuhle ukujwayelana okungenani nayisikhombisa awo, njengoba ehlobene eduze nezenzakalo ezilandiswe eBhayibhelini.

UShalimaneseri III walandela uyise uAshurnasirpal esihlalweni sobukhosi. ITshe lakhe elide Elimnyama elidumile, elatholakala eNimrud (eKhala) futhi eliboniswe emNyuziyamu yaseBrithani, linomfanekiso obonisa iNkosi uJehu wakwaIsrayeli ekhokha intela kuye, mhlawumbe ngenxusa.—Qhathanisa nezimo okukhulunywa ngazo kweyesi-2 Amakhosi 10:31-33.

Kamuva ngalo lelokhulu leminyaka, esikhathini esithile cishe ngonyaka ka-844 B.C.E., umprofethi uJona wathunyelwa ukuba axwayise iNineve ngembubhiso eyayisondela.a Lowomuzi waphenduka futhi wasindiswa. Nakuba singazi ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi ngubani owayeyinkosi eNineve lapho lokhu kwenzeka, kuyathakazelisa ukuphawula ukuthi lenkathi yayingenye yenkathi yokuncipha kokuthanda impi kwabaseAsiriya.

UThigilati-Phileseri III (obizwa nangokuthi uPhuli) uyinkosi yokuqala yaseAsiriya eshiwo ngegama eBhayibhelini. Wangena embusweni wakwaIsrayeli ongasenyakatho phakathi nokubusa kukaMenahemu (791-780 B.C.E.). IBhayibheli lithi uMenahemu wakhokha amatalenta ayinkulungwane esiliva kuye ukuba ahoxe.—2 AmaKhosi 15:19, 20.

Emibhalweni yakhe siqu yaminyaka yonke, eyatholakala eKhala, uThigilati-Phileseri uqinisekisa leliqiniso elingokweBhayibheli, ethi: “Ngamukela intela . . . kuMenahemu waseSamariya.”

ISamariya Liyawa

Nokho, iSamariya nombuso wakwaIsrayeli wezizwe eziyishumi ongasenyakatho wawungaxabene nje kuphela neAsiriya kodwa futhi noMdali wezulu nomhlaba, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Babeye baphambuka ekumkhulekeleni baphendukela ekukhulekeleni uBali okuyisiphithiphithi, kobudakwa. (Hoseya 2:13) Nakuba bathola izixwayiso eziningi ngabaprofethi bakaJehova, benqaba ukuphenduka. Ngakho umprofethi uHoseya waphefumlelwa ukuba alobe: “Inyamalele inkosi yaseSamariya njengebazelo ebusweni bamanzi.” (Hoseya 10:7; 2 AmaKhosi 17:7, 12-18) IBhayibheli lithi abaseAsiriya bakwenza lokhu kuIsrayeli—futhi isho njalo nemibhalo egciniwe yabo siqu abaseAsiriya, njengoba sizobona.

UShalimaneseri V, owalandela uThigilati-Phileseri, wahlasela umbuso kaIsrayeli wezizwe eziyishumi ongasenyakatho futhi wavimbezela ikomkhulu elivikeleke kahle iSamariya. Ngemva kokuvimbezela kweminyaka emithathu, iSamariya lawa (ngo-740 B.C.E.), njengoba abaprofethi bakaJehova babethé kuyokwenzeka.—Mika 1:1, 6; 2 AmaKhosi 17:5.

USarigoni II walandela uShalimaneseri futhi kungenzeka waqedela ukunqotshwa kweSamariya, njengoba ukuqala kokubusa kwakhe kuthiwa kuqondana nonyaka lowomuzi owawa ngawo. IBhayibheli lithi ngemva kokuwa kweSamariya, inkosi yaseAsiriya “yathumbela uIsrayeli eAsiriya.” (2 AmaKhosi 17:6) Umbhalo oqoshiwe waseAsiriya, owatholakala eKhorsabad, uyakuqinisekisa lokhu. Kuwo uSarigoni uthi: “Ngalivimbezela futhi ngalinqoba iSamariya, ngaqhuba abakhé kulo abayizi-27 290 njengempango.”

IBhayibheli liyaqhubeka lithi ngemva kokukhishwa kwabakwaIsrayeli, inkosi yaseAsiriya yaletha abantu abavela kwezinye izindawo “yabahlalisa emizini yaseSamariya esikhundleni sabantwana bakwaIsrayeli; badla iSamariya, bahlala emizini yalo.”—2 AmaKhosi 17:24.

Ingabe imibhalo yomlando ogciniwe waseAsiriya iyakuqinisekisa nalokhu? Yebo, imibhalo yaminyaka yonke yakhe siqu uSarigoni, eqoshwe kuyiNimrud Prism, ithi: “Ngawuvuselela umuzi waseSamariya . . . ngaletha kuwo abantu abavela emazweni anqotshwe yizandla zami siqu.”—Illustrations of Old Testament History, R. D. Barnett, ikhasi 52.

IJerusalema Liyasindiswa

USaneheribi, indodana kaSarigoni nowamlandela waziwa kahle ngabafundi beBhayibheli. Ngo-732 B.C.E. lenkosi eyayinengqondo yempi yaletha umshini wempi onamandla ngokumelene nombuso wakwaJuda ongaseningizimu.

IBhayibheli lithi “uSaneheribi inkosi yaseAsiriya wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithatha.” Inkosi yaseJerusalema uHezekiya, ethuswe yilokhu kusongela, “wathumela enkosini yaseAsiriya eLakishi” futhi wathembisa ukuyithenga ngentela enkulu ukuba ihoxe.—2 AmaKhosi 18:13, 14.

Ingabe uSaneheribi uyakuqinisekisa ukuthi wayeseLakishi? Ngokuqinisekile! Wabukisa ngezenzakalo zalokhu kuvimbezela ematsheni amakhulu esigodlweni sakhe esikhulu abavukubuli ababesihlola eNineve. Izinhlobo zalamatshe anemininingwane aseMyuziyamu waseBrithani zibonisa iLakishi ihlaselwa. Abakhé kulo baphuma bezinikela. Abathunjwa bayaqhutshwa. Abanye babebethelwa ezigxotsheni. Abanye bakhuleka kuSaneheribi ngokwakhe, yena kanye lomuntu okukhulunywa ngaye emlandweni weBhayibheli. Umbhalo oqoshiwe wendlela yecuneiform ecije nganhlanye uthi: “USaneheribi, inkosi yomhlaba wonke, inkosi yaseAsiriya, wahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi inímedu futhi wabukeza impango (ethathwe) eLakishi eyidlulisa.”

IBhayibheli lithi uHezekiya wakhokha “amatalenta angamakhulu amathathu esiliva namatalenta angamashumi amathathu egolide” njengentela. (2 AmaKhosi 18:14, 15) Lenkokhelo iqinisekiswe emibhalweni kaSaneheribi yaminyaka yonke, nakuba ethi wamukela “amatalenta angama-800 esiliva.”

Naphezu kwalenkokhelo, izithunywa zenkosi yaseAsiriya zema ngaphandle kwezindonga zaseJerusalema, ziklolodela uJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi zisongela umuzi wakhe ongcwele. NgoIsaya, owayephakathi eJerusalema, uJehova wathi ngoSaneheribi: “Ayiyikungena kulomuzi, ayiyikucibishela-mcibisholo khona; ayiyikubhekisa kuwo isihlangu, akayiyikunqwabela iduli ngakuwo. Indlela eyafika ngayo, iyakubuya ngayo; ayiyikungena kulomuzi.”—2 AmaKhosi 18:17–19:8, 32, 33.

Ingabe uJehova wammisa uSaneheribi, njengoba kwathenjiswa? Ngabo lobobusuku abaseAsiriya abayizi-185 000 babulawa yingelosi kaNkulunkulu! USaneheribi wahoxa futhi wabuyela eNineve, kamuva ebulawa ngamadodana akhe siqu amabili lapho eguqa kunkulunkulu wakhe uNisiroki.—2 AmaKhosi 19:35-37.

Yebo, kwakungeke kulindelwe uSaneheribi oqhoshayo ukuba aqhoshe ngalokhu kulahlekelwa amabutho akhe. Kodwa akushoyo kuyathakazelisa. Imibhalo yakhe yaminyaka yonke, elotshwe kokubili kumaPrism Asezindlini Zasempumalanga nakuyiTaylor Prism, ithi: “Maqondana noHezekiya, umJuda, akazithobanga ejokeni lami, ngavimbezela engama-46 yemizi yakhe enamandla, izinqaba ezibiyelwe nemizana engenakubalwa eyakhelene nayo, futhi nga(yi)nqoba . . . Yena ngokwakhe ngamenza isiboshwa eJerusalema, indawo yakhe yasebukhosini, njengenyoni ekhejini.” USaneheribi uthi “ubuhle obuthusayo bobukhosi bami” bamehlula uHezekiya. Nokho, akasho ukuthi wamthumba uHezekiya noma wanqoba iJerusalema, njengoba ayekhulume “ngemizi enamandla” “nangemizana.” Kungani engakusho lokho? Njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa, amabutho ekhethelo uSaneheribi ayewathumele ukwenza kanjalo ayebhujisiwe!

UEsari-Hadoni, indodana encane kaSaneheribi nowamlandela, uphawulwe izikhathi ezintathu eBhayibhelini—kumaKhosi Esibili, kuEzra, nakuIsaya. IBhayibheli lilandisa ukuthi abaseAsiriya bathumba inkosi yakwaJuda uManase. Abavubukuli baye bathola uhlu lwaseAsiriya oluhlanganisa “uManase inkosi yakwaJuda” phakathi kwalabo abakhokhela uEsari-Hadoni intela.—2 IziKronike 33:11.

UAshurbanipal, indodana kaEsari-Hadoni, kucatshangelwa ukuthi “nguOsinaphari omkhulu nodumileyo” ophawulwe kuEzra 4:10. Wawunweba umbuso waseAsiriya kwaba sezingeni lawo elikhulu kakhulu.

Ukuphela Kombuso Wezwe

Ngenxa yobubi beAsiriya, ukubhujiswa kwalo kwakuye kwanqunywa. Umprofethi kaJehova uNahume wayelobile ukuthi ikomkhulu lalo iNineve laliyokwephulwa ‘emasangweni emifula . . . indlu yamakhosi [yayiyoncibilika].” Kwakuyoba khona ukuphangwa kwesiliva negolide, umuzi wawuyokwenziwa incithakalo, futhi abantu babeyothi: “INineve lichithekile, ngubani oyakulililela na?”—Nahume 2:6-10; 3:7.

Ingabe nalokhu kwenzeka? Mabaphendule abanqobi beNineve. Ngo-632 B.C.E. abaseBabiloni namaMede baletha impindiselo ebuhlungu enhloko-dolobha yaseAsiriya. Umlando waseBabiloni uyabika: “Bathatha impango yomuzi neyethempeli futhi [baphendula] umuzi waba indunduma yemfucumfucu.”

Izindunduma ezimbili ezinkulu manje ziphawula indawo yalenhloko-dolobha eyake yaziphakamisa. Ziwubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda beqiniso lokuthi akukho sizwe—ngisho neAsiriya eqhoshayo nenobudlova—esingavimbela ukugcwaliseka okuqinisekile kweziprofetho zikaJehova.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibalazwe ekhasini 24]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UMBUSO WASEASIRIYA

INineve

IBabiloni

IDamaseku

ISamariya

ILakishi

IJerusalema

IARABIYA

IGIBITHE

ULwandle oluKhulu

[Umthombo]

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

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INkosi uAshurbanipal uthela iwayini lomnikelo ezingonyameni ezibulewe. Ingabe lokhu kukukhumbuza ngoNimrode?

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of the British Museum, London

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

Umfanekiso waseAsiriya ofanekisa ukuhlaselwa komuzi waseJudiya obiyelwe iLakishi ngomshini wempi wokuvimbezela

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of the British Museum, London

Indunduma iLakishi. Lelikamu lamabutho elibalulekile eliseningizimu-mpumalanga lalilinda izwe elisentabeni laseJudiya kwaze kwaba yilapho abaseAsiriya bevimbezela iLakishi futhi belinqoba

[Umthombo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.

[Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Umfanekiso kaSarigoni II (nga- kwesobunxele) ebhekene nesikhulu saseAsiriya okungenzeka kube uSaneheribi iNdlalifa Yobukhosi

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of the British Museum, London