Idabi LaseYeriko—Ngaba Liyintsomi okanye Liyinyaniso?
KANGANGAMASHUMI eminyaka, abembi bezinto zakudala baye bazama ukubangela ukuba ingxelo yeBhayibhile engoYoshuwa nedabi laseYeriko ithandatyuzwe. Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, uYoshuwa nomkhosi wakwaSirayeli bamatsha bejikeleza iYeriko kangangeentsuku ezisixhenxe, de uThixo wabangela ukuba iindonga eziluqilima zeso sixeko ziwe bhuma. Oku kwabangela ukuba amaSirayeli angene aze ‘awutshise umzi ngomlilo neento zonke ezikuwo.’—Yoshuwa 6:1-24.
Kodwa abembi bezinto zakudala abaninzi, bephenjelelwa yincwadi eyayixatyiswe gqitha kaKathleen Kenyon kwiminyaka yee-1950, babeyisekile lelokuba ayizange ibekho kwaukubakho iYeriko ebudeni bokuhlasela kwamaSirayeli. Ewe, babesithi eso sixeko sasitshatyalaliswe kwithuba elingaphezu kwenkulungwane ngaphambilana! Ngaloo ndlela, ingxelo yeBhayibhile engoYoshuwa namaSirayeli ayizange yamkelwe kwaphela. Noko ke, kutshanje uGqr. Bryant G. Wood, ummbi wezinto zakudala nokwiYunivesithi yaseToronto, eKhanada, uye wabuqwalasela kwakhona ubungqina obuvela eYeriko. Ngokutsho kweThe New York Times, uye wagqiba kwelokuba uGqr. Kenyon “ubekhangela uhlobo olungelulo lwezinto ezenziwe ngodongwe, yaye ekhangela kwiindawo ezingezizo,” nakwelokuba enyanisweni ubungqina “buvumelana ngokubalaseleyo” neBhayibhile.
UGqr. Wood ukhankanya umaleko oyimitha ubukhulu wemfumba yothuthu oluneengceba zezinto ezenziwe ngodongwe, izitena ezaphuke ngoxa kusiwa iindonga, nemithi, zonke zimnyama ngokungathi zirhawulwe ngumlilo owatshisa sonke isixeko. Ezi ngceba zezinto ezenziwe ngodongwe ziphawulwe ukuba zenziwa (ngeendlela ezazikho ekuvunywayo ukuba zazingafani) ngowe-1410 Ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, usenokongeza okanye uthabathe iminyaka engama-40—awukude kuyaphi kowe-1473 B.C.E., umnyaka wedabi laseYeriko elichazwa eBhayibhileni.
Abembi baye bafumanisa ukuba izindlu zeYeriko yamandulo zazinentabalala yokutya okuziinkozo okugciniweyo. Oku kubangela umdla, ekubeni iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba iYeriko yawa ngokukhawuleza nje emva kokuba kuvuniwe yaye kungazange kubekho lungqingo luthabatha ithuba elide nelalinokubangela indlala. (Yoshuwa 3:14-16) Ezi zizizathu ezivakalayo zokuba izindlu zaseYeriko zibe zazinokuba nentabalala yokutya okuziinkozo xa esi sixeko sathi satshatyalaliswa.
Izazinzulu ziyakrikriza xa kufuneka zikuvumile ukuchana kweBhayibhile. Ngaloo ndlela, iTimes icaphula amazwi omnye umphengululi odumileyo xa esithi ngezi zinto zafunyanwa ngokaWood: “Alithandabuzeki elokuba kukho ubunyaniso obuthile kwinkcazelo eninzi efumaneka eBhayibhileni.” Kanti, njengoko iingxelo ezingakumbi nangakumbi ezingokweZibhalo zixhaswa zizinto ezifunyanwa zizazinzulu nabembi bezinto zakudala banamhla, kubantu abangenamkhethe licacile elokuba iBhayibhile asiyongqokelela yenkcazelo yobuxoki exutywe nobunyaniso obuthile. Kunjengokuba iBhayibhile isithi: “UThixo yena makabe nenyaniso, bonke abantu ke babe ngamaxoki.”—Roma 3:4.
Ngoxa iindlela ezichazwa ngayo izinto ezimbiwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala eYeriko ibangela umdla, amaKristu okwenyaniso ‘ahamba ngokholo, awahambi ngakubona.’ (2 Korinte 5:7) Ukholo lwawo aluxhomekekanga kwizinto ezimbiweyo. Bukho okanye bungekho ubungqina bezinto ezimbiweyo, ngokuphindaphindiweyo iBhayibhile ingqineka ingumthombo wenkcazelo onokuthenjwa mayela nezinto ezenzekayo, ezenzeka ngoku neziseza kwenzeka.—INdumiso 119:105; 2 Petros 1:19-21.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]
Amabhodlo aseYeriko, apho uYehova wawazuzisa uloyiso amaSirayeli
[Inkcazelo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.