Indlela IBhayibhile Ekuchaza Ngayo Ukuma Komhlaba—Ngaba Ichanile?

ILANGA lisandul’ ukutshona ePalestina. Unyaka ngowe-1799. Emva kosuku olwalugqats’ ubhobhoyi useluhambeni, uMkhosi waseFransi umise iintente zawo, yaye uNapoléon, umphathi-mkhosi omkhulu, uziphumlele kwintente yakhe. Ngokukhanya okuluzizi kwekhandlela, omnye wezicaka zakhe ngokuvakalayo ufunda iBhayibhile yesiFrentshi.

Kuyabonakala ukuba oku kwakusenzeka ngokufuthi ebudeni bokuhlasela komkhosi kaNapoléon ePalestina. Kamva kwimbali yeziganeko zobomi bakhe wakhumbula oku, “Xa silalise kumabhodlo ezo dolophu zamandulo, ngokuvakalayo izicaka zazifunda iZibhalo ngengokuhlwa nganye . . . Ukuvisisana kwazo nokunyanisa kwenkcazelo yazo kwakuhlab’ umxhelo: isangqinelana neli lizwe emva kweenkulungwane neenguqulelo ezininzi kangaka.”

Eneneni, abakhenkethi abaya kuMbindi Mpuma bakufumanisa kulula ukuvumelanisa iziganeko zeBhayibhile nemimandla ekhoyo namhlanje. Ngaphambi kokuba uMkhosi waseFransi woyise iYiputa, kwakungaziwa nto kangako ngabasemzini ngelo lizwe lamandulo. Zandula ke izazinzulu nabaphengululi, uNapoléon awaya nabo eYiputa, baqalisa ukutyhilela ihlabathi iinkcukacha zokongamo kweYiputa yangaphambili. Oku kuye kwenza kwalula ukuba nomfanekiso ngqondweni “wobukhoboka obunzima” amaSirayeli ayekhe aphantsi kwabo.—Eksodus 1:13, 14, NW.

Ngobusuku bokukhululwa kwawo eYiputa, amaSirayeli ahlanganisana eRameses aza ahamba aya “enyeleni yentlango.” (Eksodus 12:37; 13:20) Kanye ngeli xesha, uThixo wawayalela ukuba ‘ajike’ aze ‘amise ngaselwandle.’ Olu hambo lungaqhelekanga lwachazwa ‘njengokudideka ezweni,’ yaye ukumkani waseYiputa wawasukela nomkhosi wakhe neenqwelo zokulwa ezingama-600 ngenjongo yokuphinda athimbe amakhoboka akhe angaphambili.—Eksodus 14:1-9.

Imfuduko

Ngokutsho kukaJosephus, umbhali-mbali wenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, umkhosi wamaYiputa wakhaphelela amaSirayeli “kwindawo eyingxingwa” waza wawavalela “phakathi kwamawa avalekileyo nolwandle.” Eyona ndawo kanye amaSirayeli aluwela kuyo uLwandle Olubomvu ayaziwa ngokuqinisekileyo namhlanje. Noko ke, kulula ukuba nombono weso siganeko xa usencotsheni yentaba ujonge ezantsi kwicala elingasentla loLwandle Olubomvu. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba loo ntaba ibizwa ngokuba yiJebel ʽAtaqah, okuthetha ukuthi “iNtaba Yosindiso.” Phakathi kwale ntaba noLwandle Olubomvu kukho ithafana eliya lisiba mxinwa lide lifikelele kwindawo apho amazantsi entaba ade angene elwandle. Kwelinye icala loLwandle Olubomvu kukho inkqantosi enohlaza, enamaqula amaninzi, ebizwa ngokuthi ʽAyun Musaʼ, nto leyo ethetha ukuthi “amaqula kaMoses.” Intsele yolwandle ephakathi kwezi ndawo zimbini yehla ngokuthe ngcembe, ngoxa kwezinye indawo isuke ngesiquphe yehle ize ibe nzulu kangangeemitha ezili-9 ukuya kwezili-18.

Abafundi ngezakwalizwi beNgqobhoko abangathembekanga baye bazama ukuwugalela amanzi ummangaliso owenziwa nguThixo xa wahlukanisa amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu waza wenza amaSirayeli akwazi ukuhamba kumhlaba owomileyo. Basilatha eso siganeko njengesenzeka kumgxobhozo ongenzulwanga emantla oLwandle Olubomvu. Kodwa oko akungqinelani nengxelo yeBhayibhile, ethi ngokuphindaphindiweyo ichaze ukuba awela kuLwandle Olubomvu kwindawo apho kwakukho amanzi awaneleyo okuba uFaro nomkhosi wakhe wonke babengatshona, ewe, batshone zwabha.—Eksodus 14:26-31; INdumiso 136:13-15; Hebhere 11:29.

Intlango YaseSinayi

Iimeko ezingentle ezenzeka kuSingasiqithi weSinayi zibhalwe ngokucacileyo kwingxelo yeBhayibhile yokubhadula kwamaSirayeli. (Duteronomi 8:15) Kodwa, ngaba lonke olo hlanga lwalunokuhlanganisana emazantsi eNtaba yeSinayi ukuze lufumane iMithetho kaThixo luze kamva luthi tyishi ‘lumele kude’? (Eksodus 19:1, 2; 20:18) Ngaba kukho indawo enkulu ngokwaneleyo enokuvumela abantu ukuba benjenjalo beyinginginya eqikelelwa kwizigidi ezithathu?

Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile nomkhenkethi wenkulungwane ye-19, uArthur Stanley, watyelela ummandla weNtaba yeSinayi waza wachaza oko kwabonwa liqela lakhe emva kokuba benyuke iRas Safsafa esithi: “Indlela esavakalelwa ngayo, njengaye wonk’ ubani okhe wayibona waza wayichaza, yaba yekhawulezileyo. . . . Kwakukho ithafa elikhulu elimthubi elisisithabazi elinabela kumazantsi amawa . . . Ukucinga kanye ukuba ayikho kwaphela indawo elidibana ngayo ngale ndlela ithafa nentaba kulo mmandla, kububungqina obubaluleke ngokwenene kubunyaniso bombhali, obo bokuba le ndlela zidibana ngayo inokufunyanwa ngakwiSinayi yantlandlolo.”

ILizwe Ledinga

Ngonyaka wama-40 wokubhadula kwamaSirayeli entlango, uMoses wawachazela ngeemeko ezikumhlaba ekwakusele kukufuphi ukuba angene kuwo: “UYehova uThixo wakho ukungenisa elizweni elihle; ezweni lemilanjana yamanzi, lemithombo namanzi enzonzobila, aphuma ezihlanjeni nasezintabeni.”—Duteronomi 8:7.

Ukuchana kwesi sithembiso kwazaliseka kamsinya xa uhlanga lonke lwahlanganisana kunye—amadoda, abafazi, abantwana, nabaphambukeli—kwintlambo eyayinamanzi amaninzi yeShekem phakathi kweNtaba ye-Ebhali neNtaba yeGerizim. Ezantsi kweNtaba yeGerizim kwakumi izizwe ezintandathu. Ezinye izizwe ezintandathu zazihlanganisene kwelinye icala lentlambo ezantsi kweNtaba ye-Ebhali ukuze zive iintsikelelo zikaThixo olo hlanga olwaluza kuzinandipha ukuba lwaluthobela iMithetho kaYehova neziqalekiso ezaziya kuza ukuba lwalusilela ukugcina iMithetho kaThixo. (Yoshuwa 8:33-35) Kodwa ngaba kwakukho indawo eyaneleyo yokuba olu hlanga lwanele kule ntlambo imxinwa? Yaye beva njani bonke ngaphandle kwezixhobo zanamhlanje zokwandisa ilizwi?

Ngommangaliso uYehova uThixo wayenokuwakhulisa amazwi abaLevi. Noko ke, ummangaliso onjalo akubonakali ukuba wawuyimfuneko. Izandi zivakala ngokusemagqabini kule ntlambo. Umphengululi weBhayibhile wenkulungwane ye-19 uAlfred Edersheim wabhala oku, “Bonke abahambi, bavumelana ngeenkalo ezimbini: 1. Ukuba kwakungenakubakho bunzima ekuveni ngokucacileyo nantoni na eyayithethwa kuloo ntlambo xa ukwiEbhali neGerizim. 2. Ukuba ezi ntaba zimbini zazinendawo eyaneleyo yokuba wonke uSirayeli akwazi ukuma.”

Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile wenkulungwane ye-19, uWilliam Thomson, wachaza amava akhe kuloo ntlambo kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Land and the Book esithi: “Ndakhwazela ukuba ndive intlokoma, ndaza ndathelekelela indlela ekwakuvakala ngayo xa abaLevi babekhwaza besithi . . . ‘Uqalekisiwe umntu owenza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, into elisikizi kuYehova.’ Kwaza kwalandela udanduluko oluphindwe kalishumi, lwebandla elikhulu lisithi AMEN!, liphakama, linyakazela, kuvakala kwakhona intlokoma ukususela e-Ebhali ukuya kutsho eGerizim, nokususela eGerizim ukuya kutsho e-Ebhali.”—Thelekisa iDuteronomi 27:11-15.

INtlambo YaseYizereli

Kumntla weShekem kukho enye intlambo echumileyo, leyo inyuka ngaphantsi komphakamo wolwandle ize ivulekele kwisithabazi sethafa. Lo mmandla wonke ubizwa ngokuba yiNtlambo yaseYizereli, ethiywe ngegama lesixeko saseYizereli. Ngasentla kwale ntlambo kukho iinduli zaseGalili apho yayizinze khona iNazarete, idolophu uYesu awazalelwa kuyo. UGeorge Smith kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Historical Geography of the Holy Land, uthi: “INazarete ikwingingqi ephakathi kweenduli; kodwa xa unyukela ngasekupheleni kwale ngingqi, . . . onjani wona umbono! [INtlambo yaseYizereli] iphambi kwakho, kunye . . . namathafa ayo amadabi . . . Iyimaphu yembali yeTestamente Endala.”

Kweli thafa likule ntlambo, abembi bezinto zakudala bavumbulula amabhodlo ezixeko zezikumkani ezoyiswa nguSirayeli ngemihla kaYoshuwa, ezizezi, iTahanaki, iMegido, iYokeneham, yaye mhlawumbi neKedeshe. (Yoshuwa 12:7, 21, 22) Kwakulo mmandla, ngemihla yoMgwebi uBharaki noMgwebi uGidiyoni, ngokungummangaliso uYehova wasindisa abantu bakhe kwiintlanga ezilutshaba ezazinamandla kakhulu.—ABagwebi 5:1, 19-21; 6:33; 7:22.

Kwiinkulungwane kamva, uKumkani uYehu waphalisa enyuka intlambo yesixeko saseYizereli ukuze aye kuphumeza umgwebo kaYehova kuIzebhele nendlu ewexukileyo ka-Ahabhi. Xa wawunokuma emboniselweni eYizereli, ngekwakube lula ukubona ngasempuma imikhosi kaYehu isiza kumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-19. Ngenxa yoko, ngekwakubekho ixesha elaneleyo lokuba uKumkani uYoram athumele umthunywa wokuqala okhwele ihashe aze alandelise owesibini aze, ekugqibeleni, ukumkani uYoram wakwaSirayeli nowakwaYuda uAhaziya babophe iinqwelo zabo baze badibane noYehu ngaphambi kokuba afike kwisixeko saseYizereli. UYehu wambulala ngokukhawuleza uYoram. UAhaziya wasaba kodwa kamva wenzakaliswa, waza wafela eMegido. (2 Kumkani 9:16-27) Ngokuphathelele amathafa amadabi anjengeli lingasentla, uGeorge Smith ubhala esithi: “Kuyachukumisa ukuba akukho nalinye kumabali . . . apho kukho nayiphi na into ebinokungenzeki ngenxa yokuma komhlaba.”

Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uYesu ngokufuthi wayejonga ezantsi kwiNtlambo yaseYizereli aze acamngce ngoloyiso oluchulumancisayo oluye lwenzeka apho, esazi ukuba yena, uMesiya othenjisiweyo, ekugqibeleni wayeya kuzalisekisa indima kaYoshuwa Omkhulu, uBharaki Omkhulu, uGidiyon Omkhulu noYehu Omkhulu ekuthetheleleni ulongamo lukaYehova. Eneneni, iBhayibhile isebenzisa iMegido, esona sixeko sibalulekileyo kweli thafa lentlambo, njengomfuziselo wendawo eza kuba kuyo imfazwe kaThixo yeArmagedon (okuthetha ukuthi “iNtaba yaseMegido”). Leyo iya kuba yimfazwe yehlabathi lonke apho uYesu Kristu, njengoKumkani wookumkani, eya kuzitshabalalisa zonke iintshaba zikaThixo nezebandla lamaKristu, abantu bakaThixo bokwenyaniso.—ISityhilelo 16:16; 17:14.

IBhayibhile ichaza ukuba amaYuda aseNazarete awayenomsindo akhe azama ukubulala uYesu ‘amrholela elungqamekweni lwentaba, owakhelwe kuyo umzi wabo.’ (Luka 4:29) Okubangel’ umdla kukuba kumzantsi-ntshona wesixeko sezi mini saseNazarete kukho iliwa eliziimitha ezili-12 apho kunokuba esi siganeko senzeka khona. UYesu wasaba kwiintshaba zakhe, yaye iBhayibhile yongezelela ngelithi “wehla waya eKapernahum.” (Luka 4:30, 31) Eneneni, iKapernahum, kuLwandle lwaseGalili, ikwindawo engezantsi.

Ezi nezinye iinkcukacha ezininzi ziye zabangela abanye ngaphandle kukaNapoléon ukuba bavakalise ukumangaliswa ngokuchana kwendlela iBhayibhile ekuchaza ngayo ukuma komhlaba. Kwincwadi ethi The Land and the Book uThomson wabhala oku, “Zininzi kakhulu iimbekiselo [zeBhayibhile] kwindlela ezimi ngayo iindawo nemimandla ethile yaye zichane ngokupheleleyo.” Kwincwadi ethi Sinai and Palestine uStanley uthi, “Akunakungachukumiseki kukuvumelana okufanayo phakathi kwembali ebhaliweyo nokuma kokwemvelo komhlaba kwiTestamente Endala neNtsha.”

Ukuchana kweBhayibhile okumangalisayo ngokuphathelele imibandela engokuma komhlaba bubungqina nje obunye bokuba asiyoncwadi eyilwe ngabantu kuphela. Iinkupho ezintathu ezingaphambili zeMboniselo ziqulethe amanqaku anxulumene neBhayibhile. Sikukhuthaza ukuba uzifumanele uze unandiphe amanye amacandelo amathathu kolu ngcelele.

[Imaphu ekwiphepha 7]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

INTLAMBO YASEYIZERELI

IYizereli

INazarete

ITanake

IMegido

IYokeneham

IKedeshe

N

ULWANDLE LWASEGALILI

ULWANDLE OLUKHULU

iimayile

iikhilomitha

5

10

10

20

[Inkcazelo]

Based on a map copyrighted by Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est. and Survey of Israel.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 5]

USirayeli wafumana uMthetho eNtabeni yaseSinayi

[Inkcazelo]

Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.