Inxalenye 1—Iyiputa Yamandulo LiGunya Lokuqala Kumagunya Amakhulu Ehlabathi

IYIPUTA—ilizwe lamandulo looFaro nelinomlambo uMnayile—yayilelinye lawona mazwe ehlabathi aphambili kwimpucuko. Izinto zalo ezenziwe ngobuchule bezandla zihombisa iimyuziyam ezinkulu. Imbali yalo ichaziwe kwiincwadi zesikhokelo ezisetyenziswa esikolweni. Izakhiwo zalo ezikhulu zakudala zibangela ukuba abo batyelela khona babambe ongezantsi. Ngaphezu koko, iziganeko ezininzi ekuthethwe ngazo eBhayibhileni zenzeka kweli lizwe okanye labandakanyeka kuzo. IYiputa nabantu bayo bakhankanywe ngaphezu kwezihlandlo ezingama-700 eBhayibhileni.

Kanti, yintoni kanye kanye oyaziyo ngeYiputa yamandulo? Ukufunda okungakumbi ngayo kuya kukunceda ukuba uqonde izinto ezininzi ezikhankanywe eBhayibhileni.

EYiputa, abembi bezinto zakudala baye bafumana okuninzi okungqinelana nengxelo yeBhayibhile. Ngokomzekelo, phawula ingxelo engoYosefu. Amagama, izibizo, isikhundla sikaYosefu njengomphathi wendlu, isikhundla awasinikwayo njengomlawuli wesibini kwelo lizwe nanjengomlawuli wokutya, iindlela zokungcwaba zamaYiputa kwanomkhwa waboji-zonka wokuthwala iingobozi zezonka entloko—zonke ezi zinto kuye kwafunyaniswa ukuba zihambisana namasiko aseYiputa elo xesha.—Genesis, izahluko 39–47; Ge 50:1-3.

Elo Lizwe Nabantu Balo

IYiputa ixhomekeke kumlambo uMnayile. Intlambo etyebileyo yaloo mlambo, emalunga neekhilomitha ezili-19 ububanzi ukusuka eAswân ukuya eCairo, inabela kwicala langasentla njengomcwe oluhlaza onqumla intlango ebharhileyo yaseAfrika. Mandulo, izikhukula zalo zaminyaka le zazisizisa intlenga etyebisa umhlaba eyayibangela ukuba iYiputa ibe lilizwe elirhweba ngokutya nendawo eligwiba ngexesha lendlala. (Genesis 12:10) Iingcongolo zokwenza amaphepha, ezazifumaneka emacaleni omlambo, kwakusenziwa ngazo amaphepha amandulo.

Intili ebanzi, apho amanzi oMnayile ahamba khona ngaphambi kokuba aye kungena kulwandle oluluhlaza lweMeditera, ibizwa ngokuba yiYiputa Esezantsi. Kuyabonakala ukuba, apha, kwakukho ‘ilizwe laseGoshen,’ apho amaSirayeli ayehlala khona ebudeni bethuba lawo elide lokuphambukela eYiputa.—Genesis 47:27.

Unqulo LwamaYiputa

AmaYiputa amandulo ayekholelwa ekubeni uFaro wayenguthixo wawo. Oku kungqineka ngakumbi xa siqwalasela umbuzo wendelelo kaFaro kuMoses othi: “Ngubani na uYehova, ukuba ndiphulaphule izwi lakhe?” (Eksodus 5:2) AmaYiputa ayekwanabanye oothixo abaninzi. Amagama amalunga nama-740 aba thixo afunyanwa kuludwe olwafunyanwa kwingcwaba likaThutmose III. AmaYiputa ayenqula izithathu zoothixo, okanye oobathathu emnye ibe omnye wabona babethandwa kwaba yiyingubathathu emnye oquka uOsiris, uIsis noHorus.

Inkoliso yoothixo ababalulekileyo baseYiputa yayisenziwa ibe nemizimba yabantu zize iintloko zibe zezezilwanyana. AmaYiputa enza uHorus wanentloko kakhetshe waza uThoth wanentloko yeng’ang’ane okanye yenkawu. likati, iimpungutye, iingwenya, iimfene neentaka ezahlukahlukeneyo zazigqalwa ziingcwele ngenxa yokunxulumana kwazo noothixo abathile. Inkunzi yenkomo eyayibizwa ngokuba yiApis, yayijongwa njengemela uthixo uOsiris, yagcinwa etempileni yaseMofi, yaza ekufeni kwayo yenzelwa umngcwabo omkhulu nonobugocigoci yade yaqholwa nokuqholwa. Amabhungane aseYiputa adumileyo, awayenxitywa njengamaso okuhombisa nawayenjengamakhubalo okuzikhusela, ayemela inkuba-bulongo—eyayicingelwa iyimbonakalo yothixo ongumdali.

Phezu kwako nje ukuhlala ithuba elide eYiputa nokunxibelelana ngokusondeleyo nabantu belo lizwe, amaSirayeli ayenoThixo omnye kuphela, uYehova, ibe ayemele akhonze yena yedwa. Ayelunyukiswe ngelokuba angenzi nawuphi na umfanekiso wonqulo—enoba ngokaThixo okanye intaka, isilwanyana, intlanzi okanye nayiphi na enye into. Ukunqula kwawo ithole legolide kanye nje emva kokufuduka kwawo eYiputa kusenokuba kwakubangelwa yimpembelelo yaseYiputa.—Eksodus 32:1-28; Duteronomi 4:15-20.

Ukukholelwa Ekungafini Komphefumlo

AmaYiputa ayekholelwa ngokuqinileyo ekungafini komphefumlo. Ngaloo ndlela, abalawuli baseYiputa balungiselela amangcwaba amakhulu nanobugocigoci, awayezaliswe zizinto eziyimfuneko ebomini nobuncwane, benethemba lokuzigcina bonwabile ngonaphakade kubomi basemva kokufa. Amangcwaba akudala abalawuli baseYiputa (iipyramids) anguwona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wolu qheliselo.

Izinto zokuhombisa zegolide, isinxibo, impahla yendlu, umdiliya omfaxangiweyo, ukutya, izinto ezenziwe ngodongwe, iibhokisi ezenziwe ngophondo lwendlovu kwanamatyana asicaba okucola into eqatywa emehlweni kukonke oko kwakubekwa ngononophelo olugqithiseleyo kumangcwaba amaYiputa. Kwakukholelwa kwinto yokuba ezi zinto zazinokusetyenziswa kubomi bangaphaya kwengcwaba. Kumaxesha angaphambili, amakhoboka ayebulawa aze angcwatywe kunye neenkosi zawo, ukuze azikhonze emva kokufa. Ingqokelela yoomabophe eyaziwa ngokuba “Yincwadi Yabafi” ibifunyanwa phakathi kumawaka emikhumbi yabafi yaseYiputa. Kwakuthenjwa ukuba aba mabophe babeya kunceda umntu ofileyo ukuba oyise amanzithinzithi ethuba lasemva kokufa.

Hayi indlela olwalwahluke ngayo uluvo lwamaSirayeli! Ayesazi, njengokuba iBhayibhile yayiza kutsho kamva, ukuba, “ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho.” Ibe xa umntu esifa, “ngaloo mini ayatshitsha amabhongo akhe.”a Ithemba labo ngekamva laliseluvukweni.—INtshumayeli 9:5, 10; INdumiso 146:4; Yobhi 14:13-15.

Ngoobani Ababephila Ngaliphi Ixesha?

Iingcaphephe eziphanda ngelizwe laseYiputa ziyayiqonda “imilibo” engama-31 yookumkani baseYiputa ibe zithetha ngoBukumkani Bantlandlolo (Imilibo eqalela kwisi-3-6), uBukumkani Obuphakathi (Imilibo eqalela kwi-11, 12) noBukumkani Obutsha (Imilibo eqalela kwi-18-20). Kodwa le ndlela yokubala ayichananga kwaphela. Ibandakanya imibhalo ethandabuzekayo nengaphelelanga ibe isekwanokuquka ookumkani abaliqela ababelawula imimandla eyahlukahlukeneyo ngexesha elinye, kunokulandelwa kwalowo ulawulayo ngomnye.b

Ekuqaleni kukaMoses ukubhala iincwadi zokuqala zeBhayibhile, walandela oko kucacayo ukuba kwakulisiko lamaYiputa lokubhekisa kukumkani wawo ngokuthi ‘nguFaro,’ ngaphandle kokusebenzisa igama lakhe. Ngaloo ndlela, asilazi igama looFaro ababebazi ooAbraham noYosefu okanye ukuba nguwuphi na owayelawula ngexesha lokufuduka kwamaSirayeli eYiputa. Phofu ke, isibizo esithi “Faro” kamva saqalisa ukudityaniswa negama lokumkani owayelawula, nto leyo eyenza ukuba abantu bakwazi ukunxulumanisa iziganeko zeBhayibhile noluhlu lookumkani baseYiputa. Naba abanye booFaro ababangela umdla okhethekileyo kumfundi weBhayibhile.

UAkhenaton (woMlibo obizwa ngokuba ngowe-18) wayengumnquli onenzondelelo kathixo welanga uAton. Ngowe-1887 ingqokelela yamacwecwe odongwe amalunga nama-377 yafunyanwa eTel el-Amarna, malunga nama-320 eekhilomitha ngakumazantsi eCairo. La macwecwe abangela umdla ayeziincwadi zozakuzelwano ezazibhalelwe uAkhenaton noyise uAmenhotep III. Okwakuqukiwe apho yayiziincwadi ezazivela kubalawuli baseYerusalem, eMegido, eHatsore, kwaShekem, eLakishe, eHebron, eGaza nakwamanye amazwe anezixeko ePalestina. Ezi ncwadi, ekusenokwenzeka ukuba zabhalwa kanye nje phambi kokuba uSirayeli angene eKanana, zithetha ngeemfazwe zengcwangu namayelenqe. Kwakhona zibonisa ukuba mzi ngamnye wawunokumkani wawo, njengoko incwadi yeBhayibhile uYoshuwa ibonisa.

UTutankhamen, ngumkhwenyana kaAkhenaton, odume ngokuba ngu-“King Tut” owayenezinto zegolide ezintle kunene ezazihombise ingcwaba lakhe ezathi zavunjululwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala nezithe zaboniswa kwiimyuziyam ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ezi zinto zokuhombisa zingumzekelo obonakalayo wokutyeba kooFaro. Yayibubutyebi obunjengobo awathi uMoses ngaphambilana wabunikela umva xa wathi “akavuma ukubizwa ngokuthi ungunyana wentombi kaFaro; enyula kanye ukuba aphathwe kakubi, ndawonye nabantu bakaThixo, kunokuba axhamle izono okomzuzwana.”—Hebhere 11:24, 25.

UMerneptah ‘wayengowoMlibo we-19.’ Kwindawo yesikhumbuzo soloyiso ekwitempile eseTebhetse, lo Faro wanikela ingxelo yokuba “uSirayeli utshabalele nembewu yakhe ayikho.” Le yekuphela kwento ethe yathethwa ngokuthe ngqo ngoSirayeli njengohlanga esafumaneke kwiingxelo zamandulo zaseYiputa. Ngoxa ngokucacileyo oku yayikukuqhayisa okungenamsebenzi, la mazwi abonisa ukuba iKanana yayisele yoyisiwe ngamaSirayeli. Ngaloo ndlela, olo loyiso lowe-1473 B.C.E. lumele ukuba lwenzeka phakathi kwexesha awathi uAkhenaton wafumana iincwadi ezivela eTel el-Amarna nemihla kaMerneptah.

UShishak (uSheshonk I, “uMlibo wama-22”) nguFaro wokuqala okhankanywe ngegama eBhayibhileni. Enomkhosi onamandla weenqwelo zokulwa nabakhweli bamahashe, wahlasela uYuda, wasongela iYerusalem, waza “wabuthabatha ubuncwane bendlu kaYehova, nobuncwane bendlu yokumkani; wabuthabatha bonke.” (2 Kronike 12:9) Esi siganeko singqinelwa ngumfanekiso okroliweyo okudonga olusemazantsi etempile kaAmon eKarnak (iTebhetse yamandulo). Ubonisa amabanjwa ali-156 akhonkxiweyo, banjwa ngalinye limela isixeko okanye iidolophana ezathinjwayo, kuquka iMegido, iShunen neGibheyon. Phakathi kweendawo ezazithinjiwe, uShishak ukwabala ‘neNtsimi kaAbram’—mazwi lawo angawokuqala ukuthetha ngoAbraham kwiingxelo zaseYiputa.

Kuvela Amanye Amagunya Ehlabathi

Ekugqibeleni, iYiputa yathatyathelw’ indawo yiAsiriya njengegunya lehlabathi elilawulayo. Kodwa yahlala iligunya elinamandla kwezobupolitika. UHoseya, ukumkani wokugqibela kubukumkani basentla bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli, wenza iyelenqe noKumkani uSo waseYiputa ngelinge elingazange liphumelele lokususa idyokhwe yobukhoboka yaseAsiriya. (2 Kumkani 17:3, 4) Iminyaka kamva, ebudeni bolawulo lukaKumkani uHezekiya wakwaYuda, uKumkani uTaharka wakwaKushi (osenokuba wayengumlawuli ongumKushi waseYiputa, uFaro uTaharqa) waya eKanana waza wakuphazamisa okwexeshana ukuhlasela koKumkani waseAsiriya uSaneribhe. (2 Kumkani 19:8-10) Iingxelo zeziganeko zaminyaka le zikaSaneribhe, ezazifumaneka eAsiriya kusenokuba zibhekisela koku xa zisithi. “Ndababamba bephila mna . . . abaqhubi beenqwelo zokulwa bokumkani wakwaKushi.”—Ilitye likaSaneribhe elikwiziko lezinto zaseMpumalanga, kwiYunivesithi yaseChicago.

Umprofeti kaYehova uIsaya wayekuxele kwangaphambili ukuba iYiputa yayiya kuvingcelwa “ngesandla senkosi elukhuni” nokuba ukumkani “onengcwangu” wayeza kulawula amaYiputa. (Isaya 19:4) Ubunyaniso besi siprofeto bungqinwa luxwebhu lwaseAsiriya apho unyana kaSaneribhe uEsar-hadon aqhayisa khona ngokoyisa kwakhe iYiputa, esithi: “Ukumkani wayo, uTaharka, ndimkhuphe amanxeba izihlandlo ezihlanu ngotolo ndaza ndalawula ilizwe lakhe liphela.”

UFaroneko waya ngasentla malunga nowama-629 B.C.E. ukuya kuvalela imikhosi yegunya lehlabathi lesithathu elizayo, iBhabhiloni. IBhayibhile ithi uYosiya waseYerusalem wathi ngokungebulumko wazama ukuvalela imikhosi yamaYiputa eMegido waza woyiswa wabulawa.c (2 Kronike 35:20-24) Malunga neminyaka emine kamva, ngowama-625 B.C.E., uFaroneko woyiswa ngamaBhabhiloni eKarkemishe. IBhayibhile neengxelo zaseBhabhiloni zibhekisela kwesi siganeko, esathi senza ukuba iBhabhiloni ilawule impuma Asiya.

Ngowama-525 B.C.E. iYiputa yalawulwa ligunya lehlabathi lesine, amaMedi namaPersi. Phantse iinkulungwane ezimbini kamva, ngowama-332 B.C.E., uAlesandire Omkhulu wathi walawula waza wenza ukuba iYiputa ibe phantsi kwegunya lehlabathi lesihlanu, iGrisi. UAlesandire waseka isixeko sakwa-Alesandire kummandla wentili yomlambo waseYiputa uMnayile, apho, malunga nowama-280 B.C.E., ukuguqulelwa kokuqala kweyiBhayibhile ukusuka kwisiHebhere ukuya kwisiGrike kwathi kwaqaliswa khona. Le nguqulelo, eyathi yaziwa ngokuba yiSeptuagint, yayiyiBhayibhile eyayisetyenziswa ngabalandeli bakaYesu kwilizwe elalithetha isiGrike.

Ngethuba leRoma, igunya lehlabathi lesithandathu, uYesu weziswa eYiputa engumntwana omncinane ukumsindisa kuHerode owayenomona. (Mateyu 2:13-15) AmaYiputa ayekho eYerusalem ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. ukuza kuva ukushunyayelwa okumangalisayo kweendaba ezilungileyo zamaKristu. NoApolo ongumKristu owayezaliswe ngumoya nowayephila kwinkulungwane yokuqala wayesuka khona.—IZenzo 2:10; 18:24.

Ewe, iYiputa namaYiputa aye abalasela kwimbali yeBhayibhile, ibe izinto ezininzi ezifunyenwe ngabembi bezinto zakudala zingqina oko iZibhalo zikutshoyo ngeli lizwe lamandulo. Eneneni, iYiputa yayibalasele gqitha kangangokuba kwezinye izahluko zeziprofeto, ifanekisela ihlabathi liphela eliphantsi kolawulo lukaSathana (Hezekile 31:2; ISityhilelo 11:8) Kodwa iYiputa yamandulo, phezu kwako nje ukuba namandla kwayo njengegunya lehlabathi, ayizange ibe nako ukuvalela ukuzaliseka kweenjongo zikaYehova. Ibe oku kwaba njalo nakwiAsiriya, eligunya lehlabathi lesibini elikwimbali yeBhayibhile, njengoko siza kubona kwinkupho elandelayo yephephancwadi IMboniselo.

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(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

ULwandle IMeditera

IKarkemishe

UmEfrati

IMegido

IYerusalem

Kwa-Alesandire

IGOSHEN

IMofi

UMnayile

IYIPUTA ESEZANTSI

ITebhetse

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Isekelwe kwimaphu eshicilelwa ngelungelo lePictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est. and Survey of Israel

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Uthixo wamaYiputa enomzimba womntu nentloko kakhetshe

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Courtesy of the British Museum, London

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Inxalenye ‘yeNcwadi Yabafi’ eyafunyanwa kumkhumbi wesidumbu wamaYiputa

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Courtesy of the Superintendence of the Museo Egizio, Turin

Umkhumbi wamaYiputa nesigqubuthelo sesidumbu esiqholiweyo

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Courtesy of the Superintendence of the Museo Egizio, Turin

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UKumkani uTutankhamen umi ecaleni kothixo ohleli phantsi uAmon

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Courtesy of the Superintendence of the Museo Egizio, Turin