Izipho Ezifanele Inkosi

YISIPHI isipho ongasinika umuntu obaluleke kakhulu? Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli ezinye izinongo zaziyigugu njengegolide—kangangokuba zazinganikwa inkosi njengesipho.a Yingakho ezinye zezipho ezimbili ababhula ngezinkanyezi abazinika “inkosi yamaJuda” zaziyizinongo ezinuka kamnandi.—Mathewu 2:1, 2, 11.

IBhayibheli liphinde lithi lapho indlovukazi yaseSheba ivakashela uSolomoni, “yanika inkosi amathalenta egolide ayikhulu namashumi amabili, namafutha ebhalsamu amaningi kakhulu, namatshe ayigugu; futhi ayengakaze abe khona amafutha ebhalsamu anjengalawo indlovukazi yaseSheba eyawanika iNkosi uSolomoni.”b (2 IziKronike 9:9) Amakhosi nawo ayeletha kuSolomoni amafutha ebhalsamu ukuze akhe ubuhlobo obuhle naye.—2 IziKronike 9:23, 24.

Kungani lezi zinongo neminye imikhiqizo eyenziwa ngazo zazibalulekile futhi zibiza kangaka ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli? Kungenxa yokuthi zazifeza indima ebalulekile ekwenzeni izinto eziningi, njengokwenza izinto zokuzimonyonga, imikhosi yenkolo, nokugcwatshwa kwabafileyo. (Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Ukusetshenziswa Kwezinongo Ngezikhathi ZeBhayibheli.”) Ngaphandle nje kokuthi zazifunwa kakhulu, lezi zinongo zazibiza ngoba kwakubiza ukuzithutha nokuzithengisa.

Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, ezinye izitshalo okwenziwa ngazo izinongo zazimila eSigodini SaseJordani. Nokho ezinye izinongo, kwadingeka zithengwe kwamanye amazwe. IBhayibheli likhuluma ngemikhiqizo ehlukahlukene yezinongo. Phakathi kwazo kungabalwa isafroni, inhlaba, ibhalsamu, isinamoni, inhlaka yempepho nemure. Ngaphandle kwalezi zinongo, kwakunezinye izinongo zokudla ezazijwayelekile njengekhumini, iminti nedile.

Zazivelaphi izinongo ezazingajwayelekile? Inhlaba, ikasiya nesinamoni kwakutholakala emazweni namuhla abizwa ngokuthi iChina, iNdiya neSri Lanka. Izinongo ezinjengemure nenhlaka yempepho zazitholakala ezihlahleni nasemahlathini ayekhula ezindaweni eziwugwadule kusukela eningizimu ye-Arabia kuya eSomaliya e-Africa. Inadi noma isipikenadi, yayiwumkhiqizo obizayo waseNdiya otholakala ezintabeni zaseHimalaya.

Ukuze zifike kwa-Israyeli, lezi zinongo kwakumelwe zidabule e-Arabia. Incwadi ethi-The Book of Spices, ichaza ukuthi lokhu kwaba nengxenye ekutheni i-Arabia ibe “indawo ehamba phambili ekuthuthweni kwezinto phakathi kweMpumalanga neNtshonalanga. Amadolobha asendulo, izinqaba kanye nezindawo okwakuma kuzo izinqola okwakutholakala eNegev eningizimu Israyeli kwakuwuphawu lwendlela yabahwebi bezinongo. I-World Heritage Centre ye-UNESCO ithi lezi zindawo zaziphinde zibe “yimbangela yenzuzo enkulu kwezohwebo . . . kusuka eningizimu ye-Arabia kuya eMedithera.”

Izinqola ezazithwala lezi zinongo ezinuka kamnandi ngokuvamile zazihamba amakhilomitha acishe abe ngu-1,800 zidabula e-Arabia. (Jobe 6:19) IBhayibheli likhuluma ngenqola yabathengisi bakwa-Ishmayeli eyayithwele izinongo ezifana ‘nelabhidanu nebhalsamu namagxolo anenhlaka,’ isuka eGileyadi iya eGibhithe. (Genesise 37:25) Amadodana kaJakobe athengisa umfowabo uJosefa njengesigqila kulaba bahwebi.