‘Iingcaphulo Zokuqala Zemibhalo YeBhayibhile’
KWIMINYAKA engama-25 eyadlulayo, abembi bezinto zakudala bakwaSirayeli bafumana into ebangel’ umdla. Bafumana imisongo emibini emincinane yesilivere enemibhalo yeBhayibhile, kumqolomba wokungcwaba okumathambeka eNtlambo yakwaHinom eYerusalem. Le misongo yayenziwe ngaphambi kokuba amaBhabhiloni atshabalalise iYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. Kule mibhalo kucatshulwe ezinye zeentsikelelo ezikwiNumeri 6:24-26. Kuyo yomibini le misongo, igama likaThixo, uYehova livela izihlandlo ezininzi. Le mibhalo ichazwa “njengeyokuqala kwimibhalo yamandulo eyaziwayo enezicatshulwa zeBhayibhile yesiHebhere.”
Noko ke, abanye abaphengululi babelithandabuza ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo le misongo besithi yabhalwa kwinkulungwane yesibini ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Esinye sezizathu esabangela ukuba bathandabuze kukuba ngenxa yobuncinane bemifanekiso yokuqala yale misongo, kunzima ukuyihlolisisa kakuhle ukuze ufumane zonke iinkcukacha. Ukuze licombulule le ngxaki, iqela labaphengululi liye lenza olunye uphando. Liye lasebenzisa oomatshini bezi mini bokufota nobugcisa bekhompyutha obenza imifanekiso yale misongo icace gca. Imiphumo yolu hlolisiso lutsha isandul’ ukupapashwa. Eli qela labaphengululi lifikelele kwesiphi isigqibo?
Okokuqala, aba baphengululi bagxininisa elokuba inkcazelo yabembi bezinto zakudala ixhasa ukuba le misongo yabhalwa ngaphambi kokuba amaYuda athinjelwe eBhabhiloni. Xa kuhlolisiswa ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo le mibhalo—ngokusuka kuhlobo loonobumba abasetyenzisiweyo, isimbo sokubhala, ukuma koonobumba, nendlela abalandelelana ngayo—kufunyaniswa ukuba yabhalwa ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesixhenxe ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Okokugqibela, xa kuhlolisiswa umgaqo wokubhala, indlela apelwe ngayo amagama, aba baphengululi bagqiba ngelithi: “Umgaqo wokubhala osetyenziswe kule misongo uxhasa ubungqina babembi bezinto zakudala ngokuphathelele ixesha lokubhalwa kwale misongo.”
Iphephandaba iBulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research lishwankathela ngolu hlobo ngokuphathelele uphando lwemisongo yesilivere, ekwabizwa ngokuba yimibhalo yeKetef Hinnom: “Siyavumelana nesigqibo abafikelela kuso abaphengululi abaninzi sokuba imibhalo ekule misongo, yeyokuqala kwimibhalo yamandulo eyaziwayo enezicatshulwa zeBhayibhile.”
[Inkcazelo Ngemifanekiso ekwiphepha 32]
Cave: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.; inscriptions: Photograph © Israel Museum, Jerusalem; courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority