Yintoni Efunyenweyo EYizereli?

KANGANGENKULUNGWANE indawo esasimi kuyo isixeko saseYizereli ibiyinkangala. Ngaxa lithile sasidumile kwimbali yeBhayibhile. Ngoku, sihluthwe uzuko esasinalo ngaphambili yaye sigqunywe ngumhlaba, siye saba sisiganga, okanye induli. Kwiminyaka yakutshanje abembi bezinto zakudala baye baqalisa ukuhlola amabhodlo aseYizereli. Atyhila ntoni la mabhodlo ngeengxelo zeBhayibhile?

IYizereli EseBhayibhileni

Imi kwinxalenye engakwimpuma yeNtlambo yaseYizereli, iYizereli yayikomnye wemimandla eyayichumile kwilizwe lamandulo lakwaSirayeli. Ngaphesheya kwentlambo ngasemntla kukho induli yaseMore apho amaMidiyan ayehlome iintente khona ngoxa ayelungiselela ukuhlasela uMgwebi uGidiyon nemikhosi yakhe. Cebu kuhle ngasempuma kukho iqula likaHarode, emazantsi eNtaba yeGilbhowa. Kulapho uYehova wanciphisa khona umkhosi kaGidiyon ongamawaka waba ngamadoda angama-300 kuphela ukuze abonise ukuba uyakwazi ukubahlangula abantu bakhe engasebenzisi mkhosi omkhulu. (ABagwebi 7:1-25; Zekariya 4:6) KwiNtaba yeGilbhowa ekufuphi, uSawule, ukumkani wokuqala wakwaSirayeli, woyiswa ngamaFilisti kwidabi eloyikekayo, apho kwabulawa uYonatan kunye nabanye oonyana bakaSawule ababini waza noSawule wazibulalela apho.—1 Samuweli 31:1-5.

Iingxelo zeBhayibhile ezingesixeko saseYizereli samandulo zithetha ngezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo. Zithetha ngokusetyenziswa kakubi kwegunya nangokuwexuka kwabalawuli bakwaSirayeli ziphinde zithethe ngokuthembeka nenzondelelo yabakhonzi bakaYehova. KuseYizereli apho uKumkani uAhabhi—umlawuli wobukumkani basemntla bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli ngasekupheleni kwesiqingatha senkulungwane yeshumi ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo—wakha khona ibhotwe lakhe, nangona elona komkhulu laliseSamariya. (1 Kumkani 21:1) KuseYizereli apho uEliya umprofeti kaYehova wasongelwa ngokubulawa ngumfazi ka-Ahabhi owayengowasemzini uIzebhele. Wayecatshukiswa kukuba uEliya ngokungenaloyiko wabulala abaprofeti bakaBhahali, emva kokuba enze uvavanyo lokuba nguwuphi oyena Thixo uyinyaniso kwiNtaba iKarmele.—1 Kumkani 18:36–19:2.

Kwandula ke kwenziwa isenzo solwaphulo-mthetho eYizereli. Kwabulawa uNabhoti umYizereli. UKumkani uAhabhi wabawela isidiliya sikaNabhoti. Xa ukumkani wafuna lo mhlaba ngenkani, uNabhoti ngokunyaniseka waphendula wathi: “Makube lee kum, ngenxa kaYehova, ukuba ndikunike ilifa lookhokho bam.” UAhabhi akazange ayithande le mpendulo ebonisa ukunamathela kwakhe kwimigaqo. Akubona ukuba ukumkani uqumbile, uKumkanikazi uIzebhele wayila inkundla yokuchotshelwa kwetyala ngokungekho mthethweni, etyhola uNabhoti ngokunyelisa. UNabhoti owayemsulwa wafunyaniswa enetyala yaye waxulutywa ngamatye wafa, waza ukumkani wasithabatha isidiliya sakhe.—1 Kumkani 21:1-16.

Ngenxa yesi senzo singendawo, uEliya waprofeta wathi: “Kwaezi zinja ziya kumdla zimgqibe uIzebhele kwisiqwenga somhlaba waseYizereli.” Lo mprofeti wahlabela mgama wathi: “Nabani na ofayo esixekweni ongoka-Ahabhi izinja ziya kumdla zimgqibe . . . Akukho bani uye waba njengoAhabhi, owazithengisela ukwenza okubi emehlweni kaYehova, owathundezwa nguIzebhele umfazi wakhe.” Noko ke, ngenxa yokuba uAhabhi wazithoba xa uEliya evakalisa umgwebo kaYehova, uYehova wathi esi sohlwayo asiyi kwenzeka ngexesha lika-Ahabhi lokudla ubomi. (1 Kumkani 21:23-29) Ingxelo yeBhayibhile ihlabela mgama ibalisa ukuba ngemihla kaElisha owangena ezihlangwini zikaEliya, uYehu wathanjiswa ukuba abe ngukumkani wakwaSirayeli. Ekungeneni kwakhe eYizereli, uYehu wayalela ukuba uIzebhele alahlwe ngefestile yebhotwe lakhe, yaye wanyathelwa ngamahashe. Kamva kwafunyaniswa ukuba izinja ezidla izinto ezifileyo zishiye ukakayi neenyawo neentende zezandla zakhe kuphela. (2 Kumkani 9:30-37) Isiganeko sokugqibela seBhayibhile esinxulumene neYizereli sisemva kwesokubulawa koonyana baka-Ahabhi abangama-70. UYehu wabeka iintloko zabo zaba yimfumba kwisango lesixeko saseYizereli, emva koko wabulala amanye amadoda ayeziinkokeli nababingeleli ababebandakanyekile kulawulo luka-Ahabhi lobuwexuki.—2 Kumkani 10:6-11.

Yintoni Efunyenwe Ngabembi Bezinto Zakudala?

Ngowe-1990 kwaqaliswa iphulo elidityanelweyo lokumba kwinxuwa laseYizereli. Ababa nenxaxheba kulo yayiyi-Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv University (eyayimelwe nguDavid Ussishkin) neBritish School of Archaeology in Jerusalem (eyayimelwe nguJohn Woodhead). Kangangezihlandlo ezisixhenxe (sihlandlo ngasinye sithabatha iiveki ezintandathu) phakathi konyaka we-1990-96, kwasebenza abasebenzi bokuzithandela abaphakathi kwama-80 ne-100 kwelo nxuwa.

Indlela yakutshanje esetyenziswa ngabembi bezinto zakudala kukuhlola ubungqina bokufaneleka kwelo nxuwa, ngaphandle kokusebenzisa izimvo neengcamango esele zamkelwe. Ngoko ke, kubembi bezinto zakudala abahlolisisa amazwe ekuthethwa ngawo eBhayibhileni, iingxelo zeZibhalo azilogunya lokugqibela kulo mbandela. Kumele kuqwalaselwe kuze kuhlolisiswe ngenyameko yonke eminye imithombo nobungqina obubonakalayo. Noko ke, njengoko uJohn Woodhead ebalisa, abukho obunye ubungqina bamandulo obubhaliweyo obuthetha ngeYizereli ngaphandle kobo bufumaneka kwizahluko ezimbalwa zeBhayibhile. Ngoko xa kusenziwa olo phando kumele kuqukwe iingxelo kunye nobalo-maxesha lweBhayibhile. Yintoni eye yatyhilwa yimigudu yabembi bezinto zakudala?

Kwathi kwakufunyanwa iinqaba nezinto ezenziwe ngodongwe, kwacaca zisuka nje ukuba loo mabhodlo ayekho ngexesha elifane libizwe ngokuba yi-Iron Age, nto leyo ebonisa ngokuthe ngqo ukuba ayekho ngexesha leYizereli ekuthethwa ngayo eBhayibhileni. Kodwa njengoko umsebenzi wokumba wawuqhubeka, kwabakho izinto eziliqela ezimangalisayo. Eyokuqala yaba bubungakanani belo nxuwa nobukhulu beenqaba ezazilapho. Abembi bezinto zakudala babelindele ukubona inxuwa elineenqaba ezilingana nezo zesixeko seSamariya yamandulo, ikomkhulu lesixeko sobukumkani bakwaSirayeli. Noko ke, njengoko babeqhubeka nokumba, kwacaca ukuba iYizereli yayinkulu kakhulu. Belinganisa iimitha ezingama-300 ngeemitha ezili-150 ngobude beendonga zaso, ubukhulu baloo mmandla uwonke neenqaba zawo babungaphezulu ngokuphindaphindwe kathathu kunaso nasiphi na esinye isixeko esafunyanwa kwaSirayeli ukususela ngelo xesha. Sasijikelezwe ngumjelo owomileyo, owenza ithambeka eliziimitha ezili-11 ukusuka kwiinqaba. Ngokutsho kukaNjingalwazi Ussishkin, lo mjelo wawuyeyona nto yayibalasele kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile. Wathi: “Akukho nto yimbi ifana nale esiyifumanayo kwaSirayeli de kube lixesha leeMfazwe Zomnqamlezo.”

Enye into eyaba ngumnqa kukungabikho kwezakhiwo ezikhulu embindini wesixeko. Kwaziswa umhlaba omninzi obomvu bumdaka ebudeni bokwakhiwa kwesixeko waza wasetyenziswa ekwenzeni indawo ephakamileyo—uhlobo oluthile lweqonga eliphakamileyo—ngaphakathi. ISecond Preliminary Report ethetha ngokumba kwaseTel Jezreel ithi eli qonga laziwayo lalinokuba bubungqina bokuba iYizereli yayingeyondawo nje yokuhlala abantu basebukhosini kuphela. Yathi: “Thina sithi kusenokwenzeka ukuba iYizereli yayisisazulu senkampu yamajoni ebhotwe lakwaSirayeli ngexesha lookumkani abangoo-Omri [uOmri namalandela akhe] . . . apho kwakugcinwa khona iinqwelo zasebukhosini yaye kugcinwa kuze kuqeqeshwe namahashe okulwa.” Ngokujonga ubungakanani beli qonga liphakamileyo, nobodonga olubiyeleyo, lo kaWoodhead uthi eli kusenokwenzeka ukuba libala ekwakuboniswa kulo owona mkhosi mkhulu uhamba ngeenqwelo kuMbindi Mpuma ngelo xesha.

Amabhodlo awembiwayo esango lesixeko ayeyona nto ibangela umdla kubembi bezinto zakudala. Ibonisa isango elinamagumbi amane ubuncinane. Noko ke, ukutyhubela iinkulungwane amatye amaninzi aye aphangwa, ngenxa yoko akuqinisekwanga ncam ngoko kufumanekileyo. Lo kaWoodhead ucinga ukuba le nxalenye iseleyo ibonisa isango elinamagumbi amathandathu elilingana nalawo afumaneka eMegido, eHatsore naseGezere.a

Oko kwafunyanwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala kubonisa ukuba esi sixeko sabakho ixesha elifutshane ngendlela engummangaliso xa kucingwa ukuba sasakhiwe kwindawo efanelekileyo ngokubhekisele kwezomkhosi nasekumeni kwelizwe. UWoodhead ugxininisa kwelokuba njengesixeko esikhulu nesinqatyisiweyo, iYizereli yabakho nje okwethutyana—yasetyenziswa kangangamashumi ambalwa eminyaka. Oku kwahluke ngokupheleleyo kwamanye amanxuwa ezixeko ezininzi zakwaSirayeli ezibalaseleyo eBhayibhileni, njengeMegido, iHatsore, nesixeko esilikomkhulu sakwaSamariya, ezazimana zisakhiwa ngokutsha, zisandiswa kuze kuhlalwe kuzo izihlandlo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Kwakutheni ke ukuze esi sixeko sasakhiwe kwindawo efanelekileyo siphelelwe ngokukhawuleza kangaka? UWoodhead ucinga ukuba uAhabhi nomnombo wobukhosi bakhe babangela ukuwohloka kwezoqoqosho ngenxa yenkcitho ababenayo kubuncwane beso sizwe. Oku kungqinwa sisibakala sokuba iYizereli yayinkulu yaye yomelele. Mhlawumbi urhulumente omtsha owayephantsi kukaYehu akazange afune ukuzibandakanya noko kwenziwa nguAhabhi yaye ngenxa yoko wasishiya eso sixeko.

Bonke ubungqina obufunyenweyo ukuza kuthi ga ngoku bubonisa ukuba isixeko saseYizereli sasisisazulu sakwaSirayeli ebudeni bexesha leIron Age. Ubukhulu nokunqabiseka kwaso kuyavumelana nenkcaza eseBhayibhileni yokuba sasilibhotwe elibalaseleyo apho uAhabhi noIzebhele babehlala khona. Imiqondiso ebonisa ukuba babengekho baninzi ababehlala kuso ebudeni beli xesha iyavumelana nengxelo yeBhayibhile ethetha ngesi sixeko: Saye sabalasela ngokukhawuleza ebudeni bolawulo luka-Ahabhi yaye emva koko, ngokomyalelo kaYehova, kuyabonakala ukuba sahlaziswa xa uYehu “wahamba waya kubaxabela bonke ababesele kwindlu ka-Ahabhi eYizereli nawo onke amadoda akhe abalaseleyo nabo bonke abo wayebaqhelile nababingeleli bakhe, de akashiya namnye wakhe usindayo.”—2 Kumkani 10:11.

Ubalo-maxesha Oluphathelele IYizereli

“Kunzima ukuba abembi bezinto zakudala bafumane owona mhla banokuqiniseka ngawo,” uvuma ngelitshoyo uJohn Woodhead. Ngoko njengoko abembi bezinto zakudala behlola iziphumo zezinto ezembiwe kule minyaka esixhenxe, bazithelekisa nezinto ezifunyenwe kwamanye amanxuwa ekumbiwa izinto zakudala kuwo. Oku kuye kwabangela ukuba ziphinde zihlolisiswe kwakhona yaye kubekho nempikiswano. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba ukususela ngexesha lokuba uYigael Yadin wakwaSirayeli embe eMegido ngeminyaka yee-1960 ukusa ekuqaleni kweminyaka yee-1970, kwafunyaniswa ukuba abembi bezinto zakudala abaninzi baye bangqina ukuba wafumana iinqaba namasango esixeko awayekho ukususela ngexesha likaKumkani uSolomon. Ngoku, iinqaba, izinto ezenziwe ngodongwe namasango afunyenwe eYizereli abangela ukuba abanye basithandabuze esi sigqibo.

Ngokomzekelo, izinto ezenziwe ngodongwe ezifunyenwe eYizereli ziyafana neengcamba zamatye zaseMegido ezo uYadin athi zazikho ebudeni bolawulo lukaSolomon. Indlela enziwe ngayo amasango ezi zixeko nobukhulu bamanxuwa azo iyelelene, ukuba phofu ayifani twatse. UWoodhead uthi: “Bonke ubungqina bubonisa ukuba iYizereli yayikho ebudeni bexesha lokulawula kukaSolomon okanye ke bubonisa ukuba ezi zinto zifunyenwe kwamanye amanxuwa [iMegido neHatsore] zezexesha lamva lokulawula kuka-Ahabhi.” Ekubeni iBhayibhile inxulumanisa ngokucacileyo iYizereli nexesha lokulawula kuka-Ahabhi, ubona kusengqiqweni ngakumbi ukwamkela ukuba ezi ngcamba zamatye zazikho ngexesha lokulawula kuka-Ahabhi. UDavid Ussishkin uyavuma ukuba: “IBhayibhile ithi uSolomon wakha iMegido—ayitsho ukuba wakha loo masango kanye.”

Ngaba Inokwaziwa Imbali YeYizereli?

Ngaba oko kuye kwafunyanwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala neempikiswano ezikhoyo zibangela amathandabuzo ngengxelo yeBhayibhile ethetha ngeYizereli okanye ngoSolomon? Eneneni, ukuphikisana kwabembi bezinto zakudala akunanto yakwenza kangako nengxelo yeBhayibhile. Abembi bezinto zakudala bahlola imbali ngendlela eyahlukileyo kwimbali eseBhayibhileni. Babuza imibuzo eyahlukileyo yaye babalaselisa izinto ezahlukileyo. Ubani unokufanisa umfundi weBhayibhile nomntu owemba izinto zakudala nabantu abahamba besinge cala-nye besebenzisa iindlela ezahlukeneyo. Omnye uhamba ngesithuthi esitratweni, omnye uhamba ngeenyawo kwindlela yabahamba ngeenyawo. Bamilisele ingqondo kwizinto ezingafaniyo nezinto abazixhalabeleyo azifani. Ukanti, ngokufuthi iimbono zabo ziyavisisana kunokuba zichasane. Ukuthelekisa izimvo zaba bahambi babini kunokwenza ubani aqonde izinto ezibangel’ umdla.

IBhayibhile iqulethe ingxelo ebhaliweyo ngeziganeko nabantu bamandulo; abembi bezinto zakudala bazama ukufumanisa inkcazelo ngezi ziganeko naba bantu ngokuhlolisisa nantoni na abanokuyifumana emhlabeni. Noko ke, ezi zinto bazifumanayo ngokufuthi aziphelelanga yaye zinokuchazwa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukenyo. Ngokuphathelele oku, kwincwadi yakhe ethi Archaeology of the Land of the Bible—10,000−586 B.C.E., uAmihai Mazar ugqabaza enjenje: “Umsebenzi wokumba izinto zakudala . . . ubukhulu becala ububugcisa uphinde ube yintlanganisela yoqeqesho nobuchule bokwenza izinto. Akukho ndlela yokuwenza enokuqinisekisa ukuba ubani uza kuphumelela, yaye kufuneka abalathisi balo msebenzi babe bhetyebhetye baze basebenzise iingqondo zabo. Uhlobo lomntu anguye, iziphiwo nengqondo yommbi wezinto zakudala zibaluleke ngokufanayo noqeqesho nobuncwane anabo.”

Abembi bezinto zakudala baye babungqina ubukho besazulu esikhulu somkhosi eYizereli, isazulu esibekho kangangethuba elifutshane ngokungummangaliso ebudeni bexesha elingqamana nexesha lokulawula kuka-Ahabhi—kanye njengoko iBhayibhile ibonisa. Kuye kwabuzwa eminye imibuzo ebangel’ umdla leyo abembi bezinto zakudala kuza kubathabatha iminyaka ukuyifunda. Ukanti, iLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile, liqhubeka licacisa, lisinika imbali ezeleyo ngendlela abangenakukwazi ukwenza ngayo abembi bezinto zakudala.

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Izinto ezimbiwe ngabembi bezinto zakudala eYizereli

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Isithixo saseKanan esifunyenwe eYizereli