Ko He Puleʼaga Neʼe Pulinoa Neʼe Ina Fakalainoaʼi Te ʼu Hahaʼi Fakafeagai Ki Te Tohi-Tapu
“ ʼĀfea atu, ko te hisitolia ʼo te puleʼaga asilia neʼe kau ʼi te ʼu fakamatala neʼe fakapōʼuli ʼaupito ʼi te ʼu tohi fakamatala ʼo te malamanei.” “Ko te meʼa pe neʼe ʼiloʼi ʼo ʼuhiga mo te kolo ʼāfea ko Ninive neʼe kau ʼi te ʼu fakamatala ʼe mafola pea mo te ʼu lea faka polofeta ʼe talanoa kiai ʼi te Tohi-Tapu, pea mo te ʼu fakamatala fakakoga pea faka temi ʼo te hisitolia asilia ʼa Diodorus Siculus (..) pea mo ʼihi.”— Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, ʼU tohi 1 pea mo te 3, 1862.
KO TE tagata fai hisitolia ko Diodorus Siculus neʼe maʼuli ʼi te taʼu e 2 000 kua hili atu. Neʼe ina ʼui ko Ninive neʼe ko he kolo e tapa fā: ko te tapa fā ʼaia neʼe ina fakatahiʼi te malaʼe faigaoʼi e 480 ʼi tona loa. Ko tona takai ko kilometa e 96! ʼE foaki e te Tohi-Tapu he paki ʼe tatau, ʼo ina fakamatalatala ʼaia ko Ninive ko he kolo lahi “ ʼe ʼaho tolu tona haʼeleʼi”. — Sonasi 3:3.
Ko te ʼu hahaʼi fakafeagai ʼo te Tohi-Tapu ʼo te 19 sēkulō neʼe nātou fakafisi te tui ko he kolo, neʼe mole ʼiloʼi e te mālama ʼāfea neʼe feala ke lahi feiā. Neʼe nātou toe ʼui foki kapau la ko Ninive neʼe moʼoni, ʼe lagi neʼe ko he koga ia ʼo he sivilisasio ʼāfea neʼe muʼa ia ʼi Papiloni.
Ko te manatu ʼaia ʼe fakafeagai ia kia Senesi kapite 10, ʼaē ʼe ina ʼui ko te mokopuna lahi ʼo Noe, ia Nimrod, neʼe ina fakatuʼu te ʼuluaki puleʼaga faka politike ʼi te koga meʼa ʼo Papele, peʼe ko Papiloni. ʼE toe ʼui fēnei e te Tohi-Tapu: “ ʼI tuʼa atu ʼo te fenua ʼaia, neʼe fakalaka ki Asilia pea neʼe ina laga ia Ninive, pea mo Réhoboth-Ir, pea mo Calah pea mo Résen ʼi te vaha ʼo Ninive pea mo Calah: ko te kolo lahi.” (Senesi 10:8-12). Tou fakatokagaʼi, ko te Tohi-Tapu ʼe ina fakamatalatala te ʼu kolo foʼou e fā ʼo Asilia ohage ko he “kolo lahi” e tahi.
ʼI te taʼu 1843, ko te tagata falani kumi koloā ʼāfea, ko Paul-Émile Botta, neʼe ina maʼu te ʼu toega ʼo te fale hau neʼe ʼiloga ia neʼe ko te koga ʼo te kolo Asilia. ʼI te fakaʼilo ʼo te ʼu logo ʼaia ki te hahaʼi, neʼe fakatupu ʼaki te toe hoha lahi. ʼE fēnei te fakamahino e Alan Millard ʼi tana tohi (Treasures From Bible Times): “Ko te fia mahino ʼaē ʼo te hahaʼi neʼe ʼāsili age ia ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe ʼiloʼi papau ai ko te fale hau neʼe ʼa Sargon, te hau ʼo Asilia ʼaē ʼe fakahā ia Isaia 20:1, ʼaē neʼe fakaapelua tona ʼuhiga moʼoni koteʼuhi neʼe mole ʼiloa ia.”
ʼI te temi ʼaia, ko te tahi tagata kumi koloā ʼo te temi ʼāfea, ko Austen Henry Layard, neʼe ina kamata maʼu te ʼu toega ʼi te koga meʼa neʼe fakahigoaʼi ko Nimrud ia kilometa e 42 ʼi te potu toga ʼo Khorsabad. Ko te ʼu toega neʼe ʼiloga ia neʼe ko Calah — ʼe kau ʼi te ʼu kolo ʼaē e fā ʼe tuʼu ia Senesi 10:11. Pea, ʼi te 1849, ko Layard neʼe ina vakili te ʼu toega ʼo te toe fale lahi ʼi te koga meʼa ʼo Kuyunjik, ʼi te vaha ʼo Calah pea mo Khorsabad. Neʼe ʼiloga ia ko te ʼu toega ʼaia neʼe ko he koga ia ʼo Ninive. ʼI te vaha ʼo Khorsabad pea mo Calah ʼe ʼi ai te ʼu toega ʼa ʼihi fale pea mo te sia neʼe fakahigoaʼi ko Karamles. Neʼe fēnei te fakatokagaʼi e Layard: “Kapau ʼe tou toʼo te ʼu sia lalahi e fā ʼo Nimrúd [Calah], pea mo Koyunjik [Ninive], Khorsabad pea mo Karamles, ko te pokoʼi meʼa ʼo he tapa fā, ʼe maʼu anai ko tana ʼu tapa fā ʼaia ʼe ʼalu tonu mo te ʼu malaʼe fai gaoʼi e 480 peʼe ko te ʼu miles e 60 ʼo te tagata fai seokalafia, ʼaē neʼe ʼaho tolu te fagona ʼa te polofeta [ko Sonasi].”
Pea ʼe ʼiloga ia ko Sonasi neʼe ina fakapipiki te ʼu fale fuli ʼaia ki te “kolo lahi”, ʼo ina fakahigoaʼi nātou ʼaki te higoa ʼo te ʼuluaki kolo ʼe talanoa kiai ia Senesi 10:12, ʼaē ko Ninive. ʼE toe fai feiā pe ʼi te temi nei. Ohage la, ʼe ʼi ai te kehekehe ʼo te kolo ʼuluaki ko Lonitoni pea mo te tuʼaʼi kolo, ʼaē ʼe fakatahi ʼo tau fakahigoaʼi ko te “Lonitoni Lahi”.
Ko te hau fia ʼaliki ʼo Asilia
Ko te fale hau ʼi Ninive neʼe ko ʼona koga fale e 70 tupu, teitei ko te kilometa e 3 ʼo te ʼu kaupā. ʼI te ʼu kaupā ʼaia, neʼe ko te ʼu toega paki togi neʼe tutu ʼe ina fakamanatu te ʼu mālo faka kautau pea mo ʼihi ʼu gāue lalahi feiā. ʼE lahi ʼi te ʼu meʼa ʼaia neʼe kovi tona maumauʼi. Kae, ʼi te fakaʼosiʼosi ʼo tana nofo ʼi ai, neʼe maʼu e Layard te koga fale e tahi neʼe kei maʼu katoa. ʼI te ʼu kaupā neʼe ʼi ai te fakahāhā ʼo te ʼohofi ʼo te kolo tali tau, ʼaki ʼona ʼu hahaʼi neʼe lavā ʼe nātou haʼele ʼi muʼa ʼo te hau ʼaē neʼe toa, ʼe heka ʼi te hekaʼaga hau ʼi te tuʼaʼi kolo. ʼI ʼoluga age ʼi te hau, ʼe ʼi ai te ʼu mataʼi tohi ʼe fakaliliu fēnei e te kau popoto ʼo te ʼu tohi faka asilia: “Ko Sennachérib, hau ʼo te malamanei, hau ʼo Asilia, neʼe heka ki te nimedu-hekaʼaga hau pea neʼe ina fakaʼauʼau te koloā (neʼe toʼo) mai Lachis (Lakisu).”
ʼI te temi nei, ko te meʼa fakahāhā ʼaia pea mo te ʼu mataʼi tohi ʼaia kua feala tona vakaʼi ʼi te tukuʼaga koloā ʼo te temi ʼāfea ʼo Pilitania. ʼE ʼalu tahi mo te fakamatala ʼa te Tohi-Tapu ia 2 Hau 18:13, 14: “ ʼI te hogofulu-ma-fā taʼu ʼo te hau ko Esekiasi, ko Sennachérib, te hau ʼo Asilia, neʼe hake ko te fakafeagai ki te ʼu kolo tali tau fuli ʼo Suta pea neʼe ina puke te ʼu kolo ʼaia. Koia ko Esekiasi te hau ʼo Suta neʼe ina fekauʼi ke ʼui ki te hau ʼo Asilia, ʼi Lachis: ‘Neʼe ʼau agahala. Maliu ia te ʼau. Ko te meʼa ʼaē ʼe ke fakamaʼua mai anai, ʼe ʼau fua anai.’ Koia ko te hau ʼo Asilia neʼe ina fakamaʼua kia Esekiasi te hau ʼo Suta ia taleta siliva e tolugeau pea mo taleta aulo e tolugofulu.”
Ko ʼihi mataʼi tohi neʼe maʼu ʼi te ʼu toega ʼo Ninive ʼe ina foaki ʼihi ʼu fakamatalatala ʼo ʼuhiga mo te ʼohofi e Sennachérib ia Suta pea mo te maʼua fakapōpula neʼe totogi e Esekiasi. Neʼe tohi fēnei e Layard: “Lagi ʼi te ʼu to lelei ʼo te ʼu fakamoʼoni faka hisitolia ʼi te fakamatala, ko te koloā aulo ʼe foaki e Esekiasi, ko taleta e tolugofulu, ʼe felogoi ʼi te ʼu fakamatala ʼaia e lua neʼe tahi fai ʼi tona faʼahi.” Ko te tagata ko Sir Henry Rawlinson, neʼe tokoni ki te lau ʼo te ʼu tohi faka asilia, neʼe ina ʼui ko te ʼu mataʼi tohi ʼaia “ ʼe fakalaka ia ʼi te ʼu fakafihi ʼo te ʼuhiga faka hisitolia [ʼo Sennachérib]”. Pea tahi, ʼe fehuʼi fēnei e Layard ʼi tana tohi (Nineveh and Babylon): “Ko ai ʼaē neʼe feala ke tui ʼe mahalo peʼe ko he meʼa ʼe feala, ʼi muʼa ʼo te hoko ʼo te ʼu maʼu ʼaenī, ʼi te lalo tuʼuga kele pea mo ʼotaʼota ʼe ina fakaʼiloga ʼaki te nofoʼaga ʼo Ninive, ʼe maʼu anai te hisitolia ʼo te ʼu tau ʼa Esekiasi mo Sennachérib, ʼi te temi ʼaē neʼe tuʼu ai ia Sennachérib tonu, pea mo fakamoʼoni ʼi te ʼu kiʼi fakamatalatala ʼo te fakamatala faka tohi-tapu?”
ʼIo, ko ʼihi potu ʼo te fakamatala ʼa Sennachérib ʼe mole felogoi mo te Tohi-Tapu. Ohage la, ʼe fakatokagaʼi e te tagata kumi koloā ʼāfea ko Alan Millard: “Ko te meʼa makehe ʼaupito ʼe haʼu mai te fakaʼosi [ʼo te fakamatala ʼa Sennachérib]. Ko Esekiasi neʼe ina fekauʼi tana tagata faifekau, ke ʼalu mo te maʼua fakapōpula fuli, kia Sennachérib ‘ki muli age, ʼi Ninive’. Ko te kautau asilia neʼe mole liliu mālo ohage ko tana fai māhani.” ʼE fakahā e te Tohi-Tapu ko te maʼua fakapōpula neʼe totogi ʼi muʼa ʼo te liliu ʼo te hau ʼo Asilia ki Ninive (2 Hau 18:15-17). Koteā te tupuʼaga ʼo te kehekehe ʼaia? Pea he koʼe koa neʼe mole fealagia kia Sennachérib hana viki te ʼohofi ʼo te kolo ʼaliki ʼo Suta, ia Selusalemi, ohage ko tana viki tana ʼohofi te kolo tali tau ʼo Suta ʼaē ko Lachis? Ko te ʼu tagata faitohi faka tohi-tapu ʼe nātou foaki mai te tali. Ia nātou ʼaia, neʼe ʼi ai he tahi neʼe sio mata, neʼe ina tohi fēnei: “Ko te ʼaselo ʼa Sehova neʼe hu ki tuʼa pea neʼe ina matehi te toko teau valugofulu-ma-nima afe ʼi te nofoʼaga ʼo te kau Asilia. ʼI te ʼaʼala ake ʼa te hahaʼi ʼi te uhu, koʼeni ko te ʼu meʼa fakaʼaliki fuli, ko te kau mate! Koia, ko Sennachérib, te hau ʼo Asilia, neʼe mavae ʼo toe liliu, pea neʼe nofo ʼi Ninive.” — Isaia 37:36, 37; 2 Hau 19:35; 2 Fakamatala 32:21.
ʼI tana tohi (Treasures From Bible Times), ʼe fēnei te fakaʼosi ʼa Millard: “ ʼE mole he tupuʼaga lelei moʼo fakatuʼatuʼania te fakamatala ʼaia (...). ʼE mahino ia, ko Sennachérib neʼe mole ina fakamatala he toe malaʼia ke lau e tona ʼu hōloga, koteʼuhi heʼe fakamele ʼaki ai leva ia ia.” Ko Sennachérib neʼe faiga ia ke ina fakatupu te manatu ʼaē ko tana ʼohofi ia Suta neʼe maui mālie pea ko Esekiasi neʼe hoko atu pe tana fakalogo, ʼo ina momoli te maʼua fakapōpula ki Ninive.
Kua fakamoʼoni te ʼu haʼuʼaga ʼo Asilia
Ko te ʼu tukuʼaga tohi ʼe tuku ai te ʼu mape maka ʼe lauʼi hogofulu afe neʼe toe maʼu ʼi Ninive. Ko te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaia neʼe maʼu ʼe nātou fakamoʼoni ko te Puleʼaga Asilia ʼe haʼu mai te potu toga ʼo Papiloni, ohage ko tana fakahā ia Senesi 10:11. ʼI tanatou fakaʼaogaʼi te logo ʼaia, ko te hahaʼi kumi koloā ʼo te temi ʼāfea neʼe nātou kamata tuku leva ʼanatou ʼu faiga ki te potu mamaʼo ʼo te potu toga. Ko te tohi Encyclopédie biblique (fakapilitānia), ʼe ina fakamahino fēnei: “Ko te kau Asilia ʼi te ʼu meʼa fuli ʼaē neʼe nātou tuku ʼe fakahā ʼaki ai tonatou haʼuʼaga faka papiloni. Ko tanatou lea pea mo tanatou faʼahiga faitohi, ko tanatou ʼu tohi, ko tanatou lotu pea mo tonatou poto fakatagata ʼe haʼu fuli mai tonatou ʼu vāhaʼa fenua ʼo te potu toga, kae ʼaki te ʼu kiʼi fetogi.”
Ko te ʼu maʼu ohage ko ʼaē ʼi ʼoluga neʼe nātou fakamālohiʼi te ʼu hahaʼi fakafeagai ʼo te Tohi-Tapu ke nātou fakamalū tanatou ʼu fakakaukau. ʼIo, ko he kumikumi fakalelei ʼo te Tohi-Tapu ʼe ina fakahā neʼe tohi e te ʼu hahaʼi faitohi tokaga pea mo agatonu. ʼI tana ʼosi kumi te Tohi-Tapu, neʼe ʼui fēnei e te tuʼi fakamāu ʼāfea ʼo te Fakamāuʼaga Lahi ʼo te ʼAtu Fenua ʼo Amelika, ko Salmon Chase: “Neʼe ko he ako loaloaga, maʼuhiga pea mo loloto: pea ʼi taku fakaʼaogaʼi te ʼu fakatuʼutuʼu fakamoʼoni ki te ʼu meʼa faka lotu ohage pe ko taku fai māhani ki te ʼu meʼa fakamālama, neʼe ʼau kaku ki te tonu ʼaē ko te Tohi-Tapu ʼe ko he tohi ʼalukehe ia, ʼe haʼu mai te ʼAtua.” — The Book of Books: An Introduction.
ʼIo, ko te Tohi-Tapu ʼe laka ʼi tona ʼuhiga. Ko te hisitolia ʼe tonu. Ko te Folafola ʼa te ʼAtua, ko he meʼa ʼofa ki te lelei ʼo te malamanei (2 Timoteo 3:16). Ko he fakamoʼoni ʼo te faʼahi ʼaia ʼe feala pe ke vakaʼi ʼaki he sivi ʼo te seokalafia. Ko te meʼa ʼaia ʼe vakaʼi anai ʼi te numelo ka hoa mai.
[Paki ʼo te ʼu pasina 6, 7]
ʼI ʼoluga: Ko te ʼu fakahāhā lelei ʼo te kaupā neʼe togi.
ʼI lalo: ko te paki togi ʼo te kaupā Asilia ʼe ina fakahā te puleʼi ʼa Lachis.
[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki]
(Courtesy of the British Museum)
(From The Bible in the British Museum, published by British Museum Press)
[Haʼuʼaga ʼo te paki pasina 4]
Courtesy of the Trustees of The British Museum