UMkhukula Kumabali Ehlabathi

UMKHUKULA womhla kaNowa wawuyintlekele etshabalalisayo uluntu olungenakuze luyilibale. Ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-2 400 kamva, uYesu Kristu wathetha ngawo njengento eyenzeka ngokwenene embalini. (Mateyu 24:37-39) Esi siganeko sihlasimlis’ umzimba sashiya umbono ongacimekiyo kuhlanga loluntu kangangokuba kulo lonke ihlabathi kukho amabali angaso.

Kwincwadi ethi Myths of Creation, uPhilip Freund uqikelela ukuba kukho amabali angoMkhukula angaphezu kwama-500 abaliswa zizizwe nabantu abangaphezu kwama-250. Njengoko bekunokulindelwa, ekudluleni kweenkulungwane ezininzi, la mabali aye anongwa kakhulu ngokufakelwa kweziganeko nabantu ekucingelwa ukuba babebandakanyekile. Noko ke, kuwo onke kunokufunyanwa izinto ezithile ezisisiseko ezifanayo.

Izinto Eziphawulekayo Ezifanayo

Njengoko abantu bafudukayo eMesopotami emva koMkhukula, bathwalela iingxelo zaloo ntlekele kuyo yonke imimandla yomhlaba. Ngaloo ndlela, abemi baseAsiya, abeziqithi zakuMzantsi wePasifiki, abaseMntla Merika, abakuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika banamabali esi siganeko sichukumisayo. Amabali amaninzi oMkhukula abakho kudala ngaphambi kokuba aba bantu bafumane iBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, la mabali aneengongoma ezithile ezisisiseko ezifana nengxelo yeBhayibhile engoNogumbe.

Wambi amabali akhankanya izigebenga ezinogonyamelo ezaziphila emhlabeni ngaphambi koMkhukula. Ngokufanayo, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba ngaphambi koNogumbe izithunywa zezulu ezingathobeliyo zazambathisa imizimba yenyama, zahlalisana namabhinqa zaza zavelisa uhlanga lwezigebenga ezazibizwa ngokuba ziingxilimbela.—Genesis 6:1-4; 2 Petros 2:4, 5.

Amabali angoMkhukula ngokufuthi abonisa ukuba indoda ethile yalunyukiswa ngonogumbe ozayo owawuvela kuThixo. Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, uYehova uThixo walumkisa uNowa ukuba Yena wayeza kutshabalalisa abangendawo nabanogonyamelo. UThixo wamxelela oku uNowa: “Isiphelo senyama yonke sifikile phambi kwam; ngokuba ihlabathi lizele lugonyamelo oluphuma kubo; yabona ke, ndiya kubonakalisa, bona ndawonye nehlabathi.”—Genesis 6:13.

Ngokuqhelekileyo amabali angoMkhukula abonisa ukuba wazisa intshabalalo yehlabathi. Ngokufanayo, iBhayibhile ithi: “Aba namandla amanzi kunene kakhulu ehlabathini, zagutyungelwa zonke iintaba eziphakamileyo kakhulu, eziphantsi kwamazulu onke. Iinto zonke ezikuphefumla komoya wokuphila kusemathatheni azo, kwiinto zonke ezisemhlabeni owomileyo, zafa.”—Genesis 7:19, 22.

Inkoliso yamabali angoMkhukula ithi indoda ethile yasinda kuNogumbe ndawonye nomntu omnye okanye abanye abangakumbi. Amabali amaninzi athetha ngayo njengeyasabela emkhombeni eyayiwakhile, yaye athi umkhombe wazimisa phezu kwentaba. Ngokufanayo, iZibhalo zithi uNowa wakha umkhombe. Zikwathi: “Kwasala uNowa yedwa, nababenaye emkhombeni.” (Genesis 6:5-8; 7:23) Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, emva koNogumbe “umkhombe wazimisa . . . phezu kweentaba zaseArarati,” apho uNowa nentsapho yakhe behlela khona. (Genesis 8:4, 15-18) La mabali akwabonisa ukuba abo basindayo kuMkhukula baqalisa ukuwuzalisa kwakhona umhlaba ngabemi, njengoko iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba intsapho kaNowa yenjenjalo.—Genesis 9:1; 10:1.

Amabali Amandulo AngoMkhukula

Sinezi ngongoma zandulelayo engqondweni, makhe siqwalasele amabali athile angoMkhukula. Masiqale ngelamaSumeri, abantu bamandulo ababehlala eMesopotami. Ingxelo yawo engoNogumbe yafunyanwa kwicwecwe lomdongwe elavunjululwa kumabhodlo aseNippur. Eli cwecwe lithi oothixo bamaSumeri uAnu noEnlil bagqiba kwelokuba balutshabalalise uluntu ngomkhukula omkhulu. Elunyikisiwe nguthixo onguEnki, uZiusudra nentsapho yakhe basindiswa kukungena kumkhombe omkhulu.

UMbongo waseBhabhiloni ongoGilgamesh uqulethe iinkcukacha ezininzi. Ngokutsho kwawo, uGilgamesh watyelela ukhokho wakhe u-Utnapishtim, owayejizekwe ngobomi obungunaphakade emva kokusinda kuMkhukula. Kwincoko eyavelayo, u-Utnapishtim wachaza ukuba waxelelwa ukuba akhe inqanawa aze afake kuyo iinkomo, amarhamncwa asendle nentsapho yakhe. Wakha inqanawa enkulu enamacala amathandathu aziimitha ezingama-60 lilinye, nenemigangatho emithandathu. Uxelela uGilgamesh ukuba uqhwithela lwaqhubeka imihla emithandathu nobusuku obuthandathu, aze ke athi: “Xa umhla wesixhenxe wafikayo, isaqhwithi, uNogumbe, isithonga sedabi saphela, esabhuqa okomkhosi wamajoni. Ulwandle lwazola, inkanyamba yaphela, uNogumbe wanqumama. Ndakhangela phezu kolwandle yaye kwakungekho lizwi livakalayo. Yaye bonke abantu babeguquke baludongwe.”

Emva kokuzinza kwenqanawa phezu kweNtaba yeNisir, u-Utnapishtim wakhupha ihobe elabuyela emkhombeni xa lalingazange lifumane indawo yokuhlala. Walandelisa ngenkonjane nayo yabuya. Waza wakhupha ihlungulu, yaye xa lalingazange libuye, waqonda ukuba amanzi ayewuthile. Wandula u-Utnapishtim wakhupha izilwanyana waza wenza idini.

Eli bali lidala kakhulu ngandlel’ ithile liyafana nengxelo yeBhayibhile engoMkhukula. Noko ke, alinazo iinkcukacha ezicacileyo yaye alikho lula njengengxelo yeBhayibhile, ibe alibuchazi ubukhulu obububo bomkhombe okanye ixesha elichaziweyo eZibhalweni. Ngokomzekelo, uMbongo ongoGilgamesh wathi uqhwithela lwathabatha imihla emithandathu nobusuku obuthandathu, ngoxa iBhayibhile isithi “wabakho umvumbi wemvula ehlabathini iimini ezimashumi mane nobusuku obumashumi mane”—isantyalantyala semvula esathi ekugqibeleni sawugubungela wonke umhlaba ngamanzi.—Genesis 7:12.

Ngoxa iBhayibhile ikhankanya abantu abasibhozo abasindayo kuMkhukula, kwibali lamaGrike kuphela yayinguDeucalion nowakwakhe, uPyrrha, abasindayo. (2 Petros 2:5) Ngokweli bali, ngaphambi koMkhukula umhlaba wawumiwe ngabantu abanogonyamelo ababebizwa ngokuba ngabantu bobhedu. Uthixo uZeyus wagqiba kwelokuba abatshabalalise ngomkhukula omkhulu ibe waxelela uDeucalion ukuba akhe umkhombe omkhulu aze angene kuwo. Xa amanzi omkhukula awuthayo, loo mkhombe wahlala phezu kweNtaba iParnassus. UDeucalion noPyrrha behla entabeni baza baqalisa ukuvelisa uluntu kwakhona.

Amabali AkwiMpuma Ekude

EIndiya kukho ibali elingoMkhukula ekuthiwa kulo nguManu kuphela umntu owasindayo. Uzakhela ubuhlobo nentlanzi encinane ethi ikhule ibe nkulu ize imlumkise ngomkhukula otshabalalisayo. UManu wakha umkhombe, le ntlanzi ewutsalayo ude uye kuhlala phezu kweentaba zeHimalaya. Xa amanzi omkhukula ewutha, uManu uyehla entabeni ekunye noIda, isimntwiso sedini lakhe, aqalise ngokutsha uhlanga lwabantu.

Ngokwebali lamaTshayina elingomkhukula, uthixo weendudumo unika abantwana ababini, uNuwa noFuxi, ihlumelo. Ubayalela ukuba balityale baze bazimele kwiselwa eliza kukhula kulo. Ngokukhawuleza ihlumelo lihluma libe ngumthi ovelisa iselwa elikhulu. Xa uthixo weendudumo ebangela izantyalantyala zemvula, aba bantwana bangena kweli selwa. Nangona umkhukula obangelwe koku ubarhaxa bonke abemi bomhlaba, uNuwa noFuxi bayasinda baze bazalise umhlaba ngabemi kwakhona.

Kumazwe AseMerika

AmaIndiya aseMntla Merika anamabali awahlukahlukeneyo aqulethe umongo ofanayo womkhukula otshabalalisa bonke abantu ngaphandle kwabambalwa. Ngokomzekelo, ama-Arikara, abantu baseCaddo, bathi umhlaba wakhe wemiwa luhlanga lwabantu abomeleleyo ababede bahlekise ngoothixo. Uthixo uNesaru wazitshabalalisa ezo zigebenga ngomkhukula kodwa wakhusela abantu bakhe, izilwanyana nombona owawusemqolombeni. Abantu baseHavasupai bathi uthixo uHokomata wabangela unogumbe owatshabalalisa uluntu. Noko ke, indoda egama linguTochopa yakhusela intombi yayo uPukeheh ngokuyivingcela ngaphakathi kwisigodo somthi esiholoholo phakathi.

AmaIndiya akuMbindi nakuMzantsi Merika anamabali angomkhukula ngokusisiseko afanayo. AmaMaya akuMbindi Merika ayekholelwa ukuba inyoka enkulu eza nemvula yatshabalalisa ihlabathi ngezikhukula zamanzi. EMexico ingxelo yamaChimalpopoca isixelela ukuba umkhukula wagubungela iintaba. Uthixo uTezcatlipoca walumkisa indoda enguNata, eyenza isigodo saholoholo apho yona nomkayo, uNena, bancathama khona de amanzi awutha.

EPeru amaChincha anebali elingomkhukula weentsuku ezintlanu owatshabalalisa bonke abantu ngaphandle kwalowo isilwanyana esithile saseMerika esinjengenkamela (illama) esasikwazi ukuthetha samkhokelela kwindawo ekhuselekileyo entabeni. Ama-Aymara asePeru naseBolivia athi uthixo uViracocha waphuma kwiChibi iTiticaca waza wadala ihlabathi namadoda azizigantsontso. Ngenxa yokucatshukiswa lolu hlanga lokuqala, uViracocha walutshabalalisa ngomkhukula.

AmaIndiya angamaTupinamba aseBrazil athetha ngexesha laxa umkhukula omkhulu warhaxa bonke ookhokho bawo ngaphandle kwabo basinda kumaphenyane okanye ngokukhwela kwimithi ephakamileyo. AmaCashinaua aseBrazil, amaMacushi aseGuyana, amaCaribs aseMbindi Merika, amaOna namaYahgan aseTierra del Fuego kuMzantsi Merika aphakathi kwezizwe ezininzi ezinamabali angomkhukula.

UMzantsi WePasifiki NeAsiya

Kuwo wonke uMzantsi wePasifiki, amabali angomkhukula ekwasinda kuwo abantu abambalwa aqhelekile. Ngokomzekelo, eSamoa kukho ibali elingomkhukula kumaxesha amandulo owatshabalalisa wonke umntu ngaphandle koPili nowakwakhe. Bazikhusela ngokungena eliweni, yaye emva komkhukula baphinda bazalisa umhlaba ngabantu. KwiziQithi zeHawaii, uthixo uKane wacatshukiswa ngabantu waza wathumela umkhukula ukuze ubatshabalalise. Kuphela nguNuʹu owasindayo ekwiphenyane elikhulu elathi ekugqibeleni laya kuthi zinzi entabeni.

EMindanao kwiiPhilippines, ama-Ata athi umhlaba wakha wagutyungelwa ngamanzi awatshabalalisa abantu bonke ngaphandle kwamadoda amabini nebhinqa. AmaIban aseSarawak, eBorneo, athi ngabantu abambalwa kuphela abasindayo kunogumbe ngokusuka basabele kwezona nduli ziphakamileyo. Kwibali lamaIgorot akwiiPhilippines, kuphela ngumntu nomsakwabo abasindayo ngokusuka banyukele kwiNtaba yePokis.

AmaSoyot aseSiberia, eRashiya, athi isele elikhulu elalixhase umhlaba, lashukuma laza labangela isikhukula emhlabeni. Indoda esele ikhulile nentsapho yayo yasinda ngokukhwela kwisihlenga (raft) eyayisenzile. Xa amanzi awuthayo, eso sihlenga sahlala phezu kwentaba ephakamileyo. KwanamaUgrian akwintshona yeSiberia neHungary athi abo basinda kumkhukula basebenzisa izihlenga ezakhukuliselwa kwimimandla eyahlukahlukeneyo yomhlaba.

Imvelaphi Efanayo

Sisiphi isigqibo esinokufikelela kuso ngokusuka kula mabali maninzi angoMkhukula? Nangona esahluka kakhulu ngeenkcukacha, aneembalasane ezithile ezifanayo. Ezi mbalasane zibonisa imvelaphi yentlekele enkulu engenakulibaleka. Phezu kwako nje ukwahlukahlukana kwamabali ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, umongo wawo osisiseko ufana nomsonto owabophelela kunye kwisiganeko esinye esikhulu—uNogumbe wehlabathi lonke ekubaliswa ngaye kwingxelo elula nengangxengwanga yeBhayibhile.

Ekubeni amabali angoMkhukula ngokuqhelekileyo efumaneka phakathi kwabantu ababengenayo iBhayibhile kude kube kwiinkulungwane zakutshanje, bekuya kuba yimpazamo ukuvumelana nento yokuba ayephenjelelwa yingxelo yeZibhalo. Ngapha koko, iThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukubakho jikelele kweengxelo ezingomkhukula ngokuqhelekileyo kuthatyathwa njengobungqina bokutshatyalaliswa koluntu ngokubanzi ngomkhukula . . . Ngapha koko, zimbi zeengxelo zamandulo zazibhalwe ngabantu ababechasene kakhulu nezithethe zamaHebhere nezamaKristu.” (UMqulu 2, iphepha 319) Ngoko ngentembelo sinokugqiba ngelokuba amabali angoMkhukula aqinisekisa ubunyaniso bengxelo yeBhayibhile.

Njengoko siphila kwihlabathi elizele lugonyamelo nokuziphatha okubi, senza kakuhle ukufunda ingxelo yeBhayibhile engoMkhukula, njengoko ibhalwe kwiGenesis isahluko sesithandathu ukusa kwesesibhozo. Ukuba sicamngca ngesizathu sokubakho kwaloo Nogumbe wehlabathi liphela—ukuqheliselwa kobungendawo emehlweni kaThixo—siya kubona kuso isilumkiso esibalulekileyo.

Kungekudala le nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto nengendawo iza kufumana umgwebo kaThixo obuhlungu. Noko ke, okuvuyisayo kukuba kuya kubakho abasindi. Unokuba phakathi kwabo ukuba uthobela amazwi ompostile uPetros athi: “Ihlabathi [lexesha likaNowa] lantywiliselwa ngamanzi, latshabalala. Ke lona izulu langoku, nawo umhlaba lo, kwangelo lizwi ezo zinto ziqwetyelwe, zigcinelwe, umlilo, kuse kwimini yomgwebo nentshabalalo yabantu abangahloneli Thixo. . . . Ezo zinto zonke ngoku zichithakala nje, nimele ukuba ngabanjani na ngeehambo ezingcwele nokuhlonela uThixo; nikulindela, [nihlale nikukhumbula, NW], ukufika kwayo imini kaThixo.”—2 Petros 3:6-12.

Ngaba uya kuhlala ukukhumbula ukufika kwemini kaYehova? Ukuba wenjenjalo uze wenze ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kukaThixo, uya kunandipha iintsikelelo ezininzi. Ngaloo ndlela abo bamkholisayo uYehova uThixo banokuba nokholo kwihlabathi elitsha uPetros abhekisela kulo xa esongezelela esithi: “Thina ke ngokwedinga [likaThixo] silinde elitsha izulu, nomtsha umhlaba, apho kumi ubulungisa.”—2 Petros 3:13.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Amabali aseBhabhiloni angomkhukula ayedluliselwa kwesinye isizukulwana ukusuka kwesinye

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

Ngaba uthobela isilumkiso sikaPetros ngokuhlala uyikhumbula imini kaYehova?