ʻEpelā—Toe Maʻu Hake ha Kolo Motuʻa Ne Pulia

ʻI he faʻahitaʻu māfana ʻo e 1962, ko Paolo Matthiae, ko ha talavou keli fakatotolo ʻĪtali, naʻá ne saveaʻi ʻa e ngaahi tokalelei ʻo e tokelau-hihifo ʻo Sīliá fakataha mo e ongoʻi taʻepau. Naʻe fai e fakakaukau ko e konga ki loto ʻo Sīliá naʻe ʻikai lahi hano ngaahi feituʻu faiʻanga keli fakatotolo. Ka neongo ia, mei he keli naʻe kamata ʻi he taʻu ʻe ua ki mui ai ʻi Moʻunga Mātikí, ʻi he kilomita nai ʻe 60 ki he fakatonga ʻo ʻAlepó, naʻe maʻu hake ai ʻa e meʻa naʻe fakakaukau ʻa e tokolahi ko e ‘keli fakatotolo mahuʻinga taha ia kuo ʻiloʻi ʻi he senituli hono 20.’

KO E ngaahi tā tongitongi motuʻá naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi ai ne ʻi ai ha kolo naʻe ui ko ʻEpelā. Kae kehe, naʻe ʻikai ʻiloʻi ia ʻe ha taha pe ko fē he ngaahi tafunga pe moʻunga lahi ʻoku tuʻu takatakai ʻi he Hahake Lotolotó naʻe maʻu hake ai ʻa e koló. Naʻe fakamatala ʻa e tohi ʻe taha ki hono ikunaʻi ʻe Tuʻi Sākoni ʻo ʻĀkatá ʻa “Malī, Iamuti mo ʻEpelā.” ʻI ha tā tongitongi ia ʻe taha, naʻe lave ai ʻa e tuʻi Sumēlia ko Kuteá ki he ngaahi papa mahuʻinga naʻá ne maʻu mei he “ngaahi moʻunga ʻo ʻIpilaá [ʻEpelā].” Ko e hingoa ʻEpelaá naʻe toe hā ia ʻi Kanaka, ʻIsipite, ʻi ha lisi ʻo e ngaahi kolo motuʻa naʻe ikunaʻi ʻe Felo Tatimose III. ʻOku lava ke ke mahinoʻi ʻa e ʻuhinga kuo feinga ai ʻa e kau keli fakatotoló ke nau ʻiloʻi ʻa ʻEpelaá.

Kae kehe, ko e toe ngaahi keli lahi naʻe faí naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi ʻene ʻaongá. ʻI he 1968, naʻe ʻiloʻi ai ha konga ʻo ha maka fakamanatu ʻo ʻĪpiti-Limi, ko ha tuʻi ia ʻo ʻEpelā. Naʻe hā ai ha tā tongitongi ʻo ha fuakava ʻi he lea faka-ʻĀkatá ʻo fakahaaʻi ai kuo fakatapui ia ki he ʻotua fefine ko ʻIsitaá, ʻa ia naʻá ne “tuʻu-ki-muʻa ʻi ʻEpelā.” Ko e moʻoni, naʻe kamata ke fakaeʻa ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ne maʻu he keli fakatotoló ha “lea foʻou, hisitōlia foʻou pea mo ha anga fakafonua foʻou.”

Ko e fakapapauʻiʻanga ko ia ko Moʻunga Mātiki naʻe felāveʻi mo ʻEpelā he kuonga muʻá naʻe maʻu ia ʻi he 1974/75 ʻi hono ʻiloʻi ʻa e ngaahi maka tohi mata-tōtao ne toutou hā ai ʻa e hingoa motuʻa ko iá. Naʻe toe fakahaaʻi foki ʻe he keli ko iá naʻe tuʻu ʻo ʻikai toe siʻi hifo he tuʻo uá ʻa e koló ʻi he feituʻu ko ení. Hili ha ʻuluaki vahaʻa taimi ʻo ʻene pulé ne fakaʻauha ia. Pea naʻe toe langa ʻa ʻEpelā, ʻo toe fakaʻauha pē pea naʻe pulia ai ʻi ha ngaahi senituli lahi.

Kolo ʻe Taha kae Hisitōlia Lahi

Ko e ngaahi kolo motuʻa tahá naʻe langa ia ʻi he ngaahi manafa touʻone, hangē ko e vahaʻa ʻo e ongo vaitafe Taikilisí mo e ʻIufaletesí, ʻa ia naʻe malava ke fai ai ʻa e ngoue lahi ʻaupito. Ko e ʻuluaki ngaahi kolo ʻoku lave ki ai ʻi he Tohi Tapú naʻe tuʻu ia ʻi Mesopotēmia. (Senesi 10:10) ʻOku hā ngali ʻoku ʻuhinga ʻa e hingoa ʻEpelaá ko e “Maka Hinehina,” ʻo ʻuhinga ia ki he tuʻuʻanga makalahe ʻa ia naʻe tuʻu ai ʻa e koló. ʻOku hā mahino naʻe fili ʻa e feituʻú ni koeʻuhí naʻe fakapapauʻi ʻi he tuʻuʻanga makalahé naʻe ʻi ai ha maʻuʻanga vai fakanatula, ʻa ia ne mahuʻinga ʻi ha konga fonua ʻoku mamaʻo mei he ngaahi vaitafe lalahí.

Ko e siʻisiʻi ko ia ʻa e ʻuhá ʻi he feituʻu ʻEpelaá naʻe lava ai ke lahi hono ngoueʻi pē ʻo e sīlioló, kālepí mo e ʻōlivé. Naʻe toe feʻungamālie foki ʻa e feituʻú ki hono tauhi ai ʻa e fanga manú, tautefito ki he fanga sipí. Ko e tuʻuʻanga lelei fakakomēsiale ʻo ʻEpelaá—ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e Tokalelei ʻo Mesopotēmia pea mo e Matāfonua Metiteleniané—naʻe hoko ai ia ko ha feituʻu feʻungamālie ki he fefakatauʻaki ʻo e papá, ngaahi maka koloá mo e ngaahi mētalé. Naʻe puleʻi ʻe he koló ha vahefonua naʻe nofoʻi ʻe he kakai nai ʻe toko 200,000, pea ko e vahe hongofulu ʻe taha ʻo kinautolu naʻa nau nofo ʻi he kolomuʻá.

Ko e toetoenga ʻo ha fuʻu palasi lahi ʻoku fakamoʻoni ai ki he fisifisimuʻa ʻo e tuʻunga sivilaise ko eni ʻo ʻEpelaá. Ko e hūʻanga ki he palasí naʻe maʻu ia fakafou ʻi ha matapā naʻe mita nai ʻe 12 ki he 15 hono māʻolungá. Naʻe fakalahi ʻa e palasí ʻi he faai mai ʻa e taimí ke fakalato ai ʻa e ngaahi fiemaʻu fakautuutu ke toe mālohi ange ʻene founga pulé. Naʻe ngāue ʻa e kau maʻu mafaí ʻi he malumalu ʻo ha puleʻanga puleʻi tokolahi—ko e tuʻí mo e kuiní ʻa ia naʻe tokoni ki ai ʻa e “kau houʻeiki” mo e “kau mātuʻa.”

Kuo maʻu ʻo laka hake ʻi he ngaahi maka lafalafa mo e ngaahi kongokonga maka ʻumea ʻe 17,000. Ki muʻá, naʻe ʻi ai nai ʻa e ngaahi maka lafalafa kakato laka hake he 4,000 naʻe tuku fakalelei ʻi he ngaahi funga laupapa. Ko e ngaahi maʻuʻanga fakamatala ko ení ʻoku ʻomi ai ʻa e fakamoʻoni ki he tuʻunga lahi ʻo e fefakatauʻaki ʻa ʻEpelaá. Ko e fakatātaá, naʻe fengāueʻaki fakapisinisi ʻa e koló mo ʻIsipite, ʻo hangē ko ia naʻe fakahaaʻi ʻe he ongo fakaʻilonga fakatuʻi ʻa ha ongo felo. Naʻe hiki tefito ʻa e ngaahi lauʻi maka lafalafá ʻi he tohi mata-tōtao faka-Sumēliá. Ka naʻe hiki ʻa e niʻihi ʻi he faka-ʻEpelaá, ko ha lea faka-Siu motuʻa ʻaupito ʻa ia ʻoku lava ke fakaʻuhingaʻi, ka ne taʻeʻoua ʻa e ngaahi maʻuʻanga fakamatala ko ení. Naʻe ʻohovale ʻa e kau mataotao ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ʻo e Hahaké ʻi hono ʻiloʻi ha lea faka-Siu motuʻa pehē. Te ke mālieʻia ʻi hono ʻiloʻi ko e niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi maka lafalafá ʻoku ʻi ai ha ngaahi lisi ʻo e ongo lea faka-Sumēliá mo e faka-ʻEpelaá. Ko e tohi Ebla—Alle origini della civiltà urbana (ʻEpelā—ʻI he Tupuʻanga ʻo e Sivilaise Fakakoló) ʻoku ui ai e ngaahi maká ni ko e “ngaahi tikisinale motuʻa taha kuo mau ʻiloʻí.”

ʻOku hā mahino naʻe mālohi fakakautau ʻa ʻEpelā, he ko e ngaahi tā tongitongi naʻe keli haké ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ha kau tangata tau ʻEpelā ʻoku nau tāmateʻi honau ngaahi filí pe fakaʻaliʻali mai ʻa e ngaahi foʻi ʻulu kuo tuʻusi. Ka neongo ia, naʻe ngata ʻa e lāngilangi ia ʻo ʻEpelaá ʻi he taimi naʻe hau ai ʻa ʻAsīlia mo Pāpiloné. ʻOku ʻikai faingofua hono fakatotoloʻi papau ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ko ia naʻe hokó, ka ʻoku hā ngali ko e fuofua Sākoni I (ʻikai ko e Sākoni ko ia naʻe lave ki ai ʻi he Aisea 20:1) pea hoko atu ai mo hono mokopuna ko ia ko Nalami-Siní naʻá na ʻohofi ʻa ʻEpelā. ʻOku fakahaaʻi mei he keli fakatotoló ʻa e fakamoʻoni ko e ngaahi fepakí naʻe ʻi he tuʻunga fakamālohi pea ko e ʻohofí naʻe anga-fītaʻa.

Ka neongo ia, hangē ko ia naʻe lave ki ai ʻi muʻá hili ha taimi naʻe toe langa leva ʻa e koló pea aʻu ʻo toe maʻu ʻa hono tuʻunga mahuʻinga ʻi he vahefonuá. Ko e kolo foʻoú naʻe langa ia ʻo fakatatau ki ha palani tonu mātē, ʻo hā lahi ange ai hono tuʻunga fisifisimuʻá. ʻI he tafaʻaki fakatonga ʻo e koló naʻe fakatapui ai ha feituʻu toputapu ki he ʻotua fefine ko ʻIsitaá, ʻa ia naʻe toe vakai ki ai ʻa e kau Pāpiloné ko e ʻotua ʻo e fakafanaú. Kuó ke ʻosi fanongo nai ʻo fekauʻaki mo e Matapā ʻIsitā ongoongoá, ʻa ia naʻe maʻu hake ʻi he ngaahi toetoenga ʻo Pāpiloné. Ko ha fale naʻe tautefito ʻene molumalú ʻi ʻEpelā ʻoku ngalingali naʻe ngāueʻaki ia ke tauhi ai ʻa e fanga laione ʻa ia naʻe pehē ʻoku nau toputapu ki he ʻotua fefine ko ʻIsitaá. ʻOku ʻomi ai heni kitautolu ki he lotu faka-ʻEpelaá.

Lotu ʻi ʻEpelā

Hangē pē ko e ngaahi feituʻu kehe ʻi he Hahake ʻo e kuonga muʻá, naʻe maʻu ʻe ʻEpelā ha ngaahi ʻotua tokolahi. Ko e niʻihi ʻo kinautolu ko Pēali, Hetati (ko ha hingoa naʻe hā ko ha konga ʻo e ngaahi hingoa ʻo e ngaahi tuʻi Sīlia pau), pea mo Tākoni. (1 Tuʻi 11:23; 15:18; 2 Tuʻi 17:16) Naʻe manavaheeʻi kotoa kinautolu ʻe he kau ʻEpelaá. Naʻe aʻu ʻo nau fakalāngilangiʻi ʻa e ngaahi ʻotua ʻo e kakai kehé. ʻOku fakahaaʻi ʻe he ngaahi keli fakatotoló tautefito ki he mileniume hono ua K.M., naʻe toe fai foki ai ʻa e lotu ki he ngaahi kui ko e ngaahi tuʻi ʻa ia ne vakai kia kinautolu ko e ngaahi ʻotua.

Naʻe ʻikai ke falala fakaʻaufuli ʻa e kau ʻEpelaá ki honau ngaahi ʻotuá. Ko e kolo foʻou ko ʻEpelaá naʻe toe ʻi ai foki hono fuʻu ʻā lō ua, ʻa ia naʻe lava ke maongo ia ki ha faʻahinga fili pē. Ko e ʻā ki tuʻá naʻe meimei kilomita ʻe tolu hono fua takaí. ʻOku kei lava pē ke fai ʻa e sio lelei ki ai.

Kae kehe, naʻe iku foki ʻo ngata ʻa ʻEpelā ko ia ne toe langá. Mahalo ko e kau Hetí ʻi he 1600 K.M. nai naʻa nau fai hono ʻohofi fakaʻosi ʻa e kolo ko ia naʻe hoko ki muʻa ko ha fuʻu puleʻanga hau. Fakatatau ki ha maau he kuohilí, ko ʻEpelaá naʻe “haveki ʻo hangē ha vaasi maká.” Naʻe vave ʻene kamata ke puli atu mei he hisitōliá. Ko ha maʻuʻanga fakamatala naʻe hiki ʻe he kau tau kaluseti naʻa nau laka ʻi Selusalema ʻi he 1098, ʻoku fakamatala ai ki he feituʻu ʻa ia naʻe tuʻu ai ki muʻa ʻa ʻEpelaá, ʻo lave ki ai ko ha nofoʻanga ngāue mavahe ʻi he fonuá, naʻe ui ko Mātiki. Kuo meimei puli ʻaupito atu ʻa ʻEpelā, ʻo toki maʻu hake pē hili ia ha ngaahi senituli lahi.

[Puha ʻi he peesi 14]

ʻEPELĀ MO E TOHI TAPÚ

Ko ha kupu naʻe pulusi ʻi he 1976 ʻi he makasini ko e Biblical Archeologist naʻe langaʻi hake ai ʻa e fieʻilo ʻa e kau mataotao Tohi Tapú. Ko e tokotaha naʻá ne fakaʻuhingaʻi ʻa e maka lafalafa ʻEpelaá naʻá ne langaʻi ʻa e fakamahamahalo ʻo pehē, ʻi he kotoa ʻo e ngaahi meʻa naʻe hiki aí, ʻoku hā ʻi he ngaahi maka lafalafá ʻa e hingoa ʻo e kakai mo e ngaahi feituʻu naʻe lave ki ai ʻi he Tohi Tapú ʻi ha ngaahi senituli ki mui. Mahalo ko e fakakaukau atu ko ia ʻo laka ange ʻi he meʻa naʻe hiki ʻi he makasiní, naʻe kamata ai ʻa e niʻihi ke nau tohi ʻo pehē naʻe tokonaki mai ʻe ʻEpelā ʻa e fakamoʻoni keli fakatotolo ki he alafalalaʻanga ʻo e fakamatala ʻi he tohi Senesí.a Ko e Sēsuti ko ia ko Mitchell Dahood naʻá ne taukaveʻi ko e “ngaahi maka lafalafa ʻumea [mei ʻEpelaá] ʻoku fakamahinoʻi ai ʻa e ngaahi meʻa ʻoku faingataʻa ke mahinoʻi ʻi he Tohi Tapú.” Ko e fakatātaá, naʻá ne tui naʻe lava ke nau ʻiloʻi ai ʻa e “palopalema fekauʻaki mo e fuoloa ʻo hono ngāueʻaki ʻa e huafa ʻo e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsilelí.”

ʻI he taimi ní, ko e ngaahi konga tohi ko ení ʻoku sivisiviʻi ia fakataha mo e tuʻunga papau ange. Fekauʻaki mo e foʻi moʻoni ko ia ko e lea faka-Hepeluú mo e faka-ʻEpelaá fakatouʻosi ko e ongo lea faka-Siu iá, ʻoku malava ke pehē ko e ngaahi hingoa ʻe niʻihi ʻo e ngaahi koló pe faʻahinga tāutahá ʻoku meimei tatau pē nai ia mo ia ʻoku hā ʻi he Tohi Tapú. Ka neongo ia, ʻoku ʻikai ke fakamoʻoniʻi heni ʻoku nau lave ki he ngaahi feituʻu pe kakai tatau. Pe ko e hā pē ʻa e lahi ʻe aʻu ki ai ʻa e ngaahi fakatotolo ʻi ʻEpelaá ʻe tākiekina ai ʻa e ngaahi fakatotolo Fakatohitapu ʻa ia ʻe toki fakahaaʻi ʻi he kahaʻú. ʻI he felāveʻi mo e huafa fakaʻotuá, ko e tokotaha tohi ʻo e kupu Biblical Archeologist kuó ne fakaʻikaiʻi naʻá ne leaʻaki ʻo pehē naʻe hā ʻa e “Yahweh” ʻi he ngaahi konga tohi ʻEpelaá. Ki he niʻihi ia, ko e foʻi fakaʻilonga mata-tōtao naʻe fakaʻuhingaʻi ko e ja ʻoku fakahaaʻi ai ko e taha pē ia ʻo e ngaahi ʻotua tokolahi ʻi he ngaahi ʻotua ʻo ʻEpelaá, lolotonga ia ko ha tokolahi ʻo e kau mataotao kehé ʻoku nau fakamatalaʻi ia ko ha fakaʻilonga fakaekalama pē. Ko e hā pē ʻa e tuʻungá, ʻoku ʻikai ke ʻuhinga ia ki he ʻOtua moʻoni pē ʻe tahá, ʻa Sihova.—Teutalonome 4:35; Aisea 45:5.

[Fakamatala ʻi lalo]

[Mape/Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 12]

(Ki ha fakamatala kakato ki he konga tohí, sio ki he tohí)

TAHI LAHI

KĒNANI

SĪLIA

ʻAlepo

ʻEpelā (Moʻunga Mātiki)

Vaitafe ʻIufaletesi

[Maʻuʻanga Fakamatala]

Tokotaha keli fakatotolo: Missione Archeologica Italiana a Ebla - Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 12, 13]

Ko ha kahoa koula mei he 1750 K.M. nai

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 13]

Toetoenga ʻo e fuʻu palasi lahí

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 13]

Ko e ngaahi maka lafalafa ʻumea eni ʻa ha tokotaha tā tongitongi naʻe tuku ʻi he loki tauhiʻanga lēkōtí

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 13]

Maka tohi mata-tōtao

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 13]

Pōvai fakatuʻi mei ʻIsipite, 1750-1700 K.M.

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 13]

Tokotaha tau ʻEpelā mo e ngaahi foʻi ʻulu ʻo e filí

[Fakatātā ʻi he peesi 14]

Ko ha maka tā tongitongi naʻe fakatapui ki he ʻotua fefine ko ʻIsitaá

[Maʻuʻanga]

Missione Archeologica Italiana a Ebla - Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’

[Maʻuʻanga ʻo e Tā ʻi he peesi 13]

Ko e ngaahi ʻīmisí kotoa (tuku kehe ʻa e toetoenga palasí): Missione Archeologica Italiana a Ebla - Università degli Studi di Roma ‘La Sapienza’