IYerusalem Ngamaxesha Okubhalwa Kwebhayibhile—Zityhila Ntoni Izifundo Zokumbiwa Kwezinto Zakudala?
NGOKUKODWA ukususela ngowe-1967, kuye kwembiwa izinto zakudala ezibangel’ umdla eYerusalem. Inkoliso yezi ndawo zimbiweyo ngoku inokubonwa nguwonke wonke, ngoko makhe sityelele ezinye zazo size sibone indlela izifundo zokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala ezingqinelana ngayo nembali yeBhayibhile.
IYerusalem KaKumkani UDavide
Ummandla iBhayibhile ebhekisela kuwo ngokuthi yiNtaba yeZiyon, esasakhiwe kuwo isiXeko sikaDavide samandulo, ubonakala ungabalulekanga kangako kumbindi weYerusalem yale mihla. Ukumbiwa kwezinto kwisiXeko sikaDavide, okwakusalathiswa ngunjingalwazi ongasekhoyo uYigal Shiloh phakathi kowe-1978 nowe-1985, kwabangela ukuba kufunyanwe isakhiwo esikhulu samatye, okanye udonga oluxhasayo, kwicala elisempuma laloo nduli.
Unjingalwazi Shiloh wathi lumele ukuba lwasala kubuxhakaxhaka bezakhiwo zamaYebhusi (abemi ababehlala apho ngaphambi kokuba uDavide ayithimbe loo ndawo) awayakhele kuzo inqaba yawo. Wachaza ukuba esi sakhiwo samatye wasifumana phezu kweentsika sasisesenqaba entsha eyayakhiwe nguDavide kwindawo eyayikuyo inqaba yamaYebhusi. Kweyesi-2 kaSamuweli 5:9, sifunda oku: “UDavide wahlala emboniselweni, wayibiza ngokuthi ngumzi kaDavide. UDavide wakha ngeenxa zonke, wathabathela eMilo wesa phakathi.”
Ecaleni kwesi sakhiwo kulapho kungena khona umjelo wamanzi wesi sixeko samandulo, inxalenye yawo esusela kumhla kaDavide. Ezinye zezinto ezithethwa yiBhayibhile ngomjelo wamanzi waseYerusalem ziye zaphakamisa imibuzo ethile. Ngokomzekelo, uDavide waxelela amadoda akhe ukuba “nabani na oxabela amaYebhusi, makahambe ngalo mjelo wamanzi, aye kudibana” notshaba. (2 Samuweli 5:8) Ngumphathi-mkhosi kaDavide uYowabhi owenza oko. Lithetha ukuthini kanye kanye ibinzana elithi “umjelo wamanzi”?
Kwakhona kuye kwaphakama imibuzo ethile ngokuphathelele iTonela elidumileyo laseSilowa, elisenokuba lalimbiwe ziinjineli zikaKumkani uHezekiya ngenkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo nekuthethwa ngalo kweyesi-2 yooKumkani 20:20 neyesi-2 yeziKronike 32:30. Akwazi njani ukudibana la maqela mabini abembi bamatonela, awayesimba esuka kumacala ahlukeneyo? Kwakutheni ukuze akhethe ukuwenza gosogoso, nto leyo eyenza eli tonela libe lide kunelingqalileyo? Ayewufumana njani umoya owaneleyo wokuphefumla, ngokukodwa ekubeni ayesenokuba ayekhanyisa ngezibane ezisebenzisa ioli?
Iphephancwadi iBiblical Archaeology Review liye lanikela oko kusenokuba ziimpendulo kule mibuzo. UDan Gill, owayengumalathisi kwizinto eziphathelele umhlaba ebudeni bokumbiwa kwezi zinto, ucatshulwa esithi: “Ngaphantsi kwesiXeko sikaDavide kukho inkqubo yemvelo yekarst. Ikarst ligama elisetyenziswa kwizifundo zomhlaba elichaza ummandla ongamahla-ndinyuka obangelwa kukutshona komhlaba, imiqolomba nemijelo ebangelwa ngamanzi angaphantsi komhlaba njengoko esihla yaye engena kulwalwa olungaphantsi komhlaba. . . . Uhlolisiso lwethu lwezifundo zomhlaba ngokuphathelele imijelo yamanzi engaphantsi kwesiXeko sikaDavide lubonisa ukuba yayiyimijelo eyayibangelwa kukukhukuliseka komhlaba (njengekarst) kunye nezidibi ezazizenzekele zaza zandiswa ngobuchule ngabantu ukuze ziyile inkqubo yokungenisa amanzi.”
Oku kusenokuchaza indlela iTonela laseSilowa elembiwa ngayo. Usenokuba walandela indlela ejikajikayo yomjelo owawuzenzekele owawungaphantsi kwaloo nduli. Amaqela awayesebenza esuka kumacala ahlukeneyo asenokuba emba itonela elaliza kunceda okwexeshana ngokuguqula imiqolomba eyayikho apho. Emva koko kwembiwa umjelo othambekileyo ukuze amanzi ahambe ukusuka kumthombo waseGihon ukuya kwiChibi laseSilowa, mhlawumbi elalingaphakathi kweendonga zesixeko. Esi yayisisenzo sobunkunkqele kwezobunjineli ekubeni umahluko wokuphakama kulo mjelo kumacala omabini uziisentimitha ezingama-32 kuphela, phezu kwabo nje ubude bawo obuziimitha ezingama-533.
Kudala abaphengululi beqonda ukuba umthombo oyintloko wamanzi kwesi sixeko samandulo wawuseGihon. Wawungaphandle kweendonga zeso sixeko kodwa ukufutshane ngokwaneleyo ukuba kumbiwe umjelo kunye nesidibi esiziimitha ezili-11 ubunzulu, ukuze abemi bakwazi ukukha amanzi ngaphandle kokuphumela ngaphandle kwezo ndonga zikhuselekileyo. Esi sidibi sibizwa ngokuba yiWarren’s Shaft, sithiywe ngoCharles Warren, owafumana le nkqubo ngowe-1867. Kodwa lenziwa nini eli tonela nesi sidibi? Ngaba zazikho ngexesha likaDavide? Ngaba eli litonela lamanzi elasetyenziswa nguYowabhi? UDan Gill uyaphendula: “Ukuze sibone enoba iWarren’s Shaft yayisisidibi esazenzekelayo kusini na, siye sahlola icarbon-14 kwisuntswana loqweqwe olungaphezulu lomhlaba esilithabathe kwiindonga zawo ezirhabaxa. Asiyifumananga, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba olu qweqwe lwaluneminyaka engaphezu kwama-40 000 ubudala: Oku kunikela ubungqina obungenakuphikiswa bokuba esi sidibi asizange simbiwe ngabantu.”
Izinto Ezasala Ngomhla kaHezekiya
UKumkani uHezekiya wayephila ngexesha uhlanga lwama-Asiriya lwalutshayela yonke into ephambi kwalo. Ngonyaka wesithandathu wolawulo lwakhe, ama-Asiriya athimba iSamari, ikomkhulu lobukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi. Kwiminyaka esibhozo kamva (ngowama-732 B.C.E.) ama-Asiriya abuya kwakhona, esongela elakwaYuda neYerusalem. Eyesi-2 yeziKronike 32:1-8 ichaza icebo likaHezekiya lokuzikhusela. Ngaba bukho ubungqina obubonakalayo obususela kwelo xesha?
Ewe, ngowe-1969 uNjingalwazi Nahman Avigad wafumana izinto ezasala ngelo xesha. Xa kwakusembiwa kwafunyanwa icandelo elithile lodonga olukhulu, inxalenye yokuqala yalo yayiziimitha ezingama-40 ubude, iimitha ezisi-7 ububanzi, yaye, xa kuqikelelwa, luziimitha ezisi-8 ukuphakama. Inxalenye yolu donga yayisekelwe phezu kolwalwa ibe inxalenye isekelwe kwizindlu ezazisandul’ ukwakhiwa. Ngubani owakha olu donga ibe walwakha nini? Iphephancwadi lokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala linikela le ngxelo: “Zimbini iindinyana zeBhayibhile ezanceda uAvigad waqonda ixesha kunye nenjongo yokwakhiwa kolo donga.” Ezi ndinyana zifundeka ngolu hlobo: “Wazomeleza, walwakha lonke udonga olwaludiliziwe, wenyusa iinqaba ezinde phezu kwalo, wakha nolunye udonga ngaphandle.” (2 Kronike 32:5) “Nazidiliza izindlu, ukuze ninqabise udonga.” (Isaya 22:10) Namhlanje abakhenkethi banokuyibona inxalenye yolu donga lubizwa ngokuba yiBroad Wall kwiCandelo lamaYuda lesiXeko Esidala.
Izinto ezahlukahlukeneyo ezimbiweyo zikwabonisa ukuba iYerusalem ngelo xesha yayinkulu gqitha kunokuba bekucingelwa ngaphambili, mhlawumbi oko kwakubangelwa kukungena kweembacu ezazivela kubukumkani basentla emva kokoyiswa kwabo ngama-Asiriya. UNjingalwazi Shiloh waqikelela ukuba isixeko samaYebhusi sasigubungela umhlaba omalunga neehektare ezintandathu. Ngomhla kaSolomon sasigubungela umhlaba omalunga neehektare ezili-16. Ngexesha likaKumkani uHezekiya, kwiminyaka engama-300 kamva, ummandla onqatyisiweyo wesixeko wawukhule waya kutsho kwiihektare ezingama-60.
Amangcwaba Exesha LeTempile Yokuqala
Amangcwaba exesha leTempile Yokuqala, oko kukuthi, angaphambi kokuba amaBhabhiloni atshabalalise iYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E., nawo aye angumthombo wenkcazelo. Kwafunyanwa izinto ezimangalisayo xa kwembiwa iqela lemiqolomba ekwakungcwatywa kuyo kumathambeka eNtlambo yakwaHinom ngowe-1979 nowe-1980. Ummbi wezinto zakudala uGabriel Barkay uthi: “Kuyo yonke imbali yophando lokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala eYerusalem, le yenye yeendawo ezimbalwa gqitha zokugcina izinto zexesha leTempile Yokuqala eziye zafunyanwa zisaphelele izinto ezikuyo. Kwakukho izinto ezingaphezu kwewaka.” Uhlabela mgama esithi: “Owona mnqweno uphambili wommbi wezinto zakudala osebenza kwaSirayeli, ibe ngokukodwa eYerusalem, kukufumana into ebhaliweyo.” Kwafunyanwa imisongo emibini emincinane yesilivere, yayiqulethe ntoni?
UBarkay uyachaza: “Xa ndabona inxalenye eyoluliweyo yesilivere ndaza ndayifaka ngaphantsi kwesibonakhulu, ndafumanisa ukuba ngaphezulu kwakukho oonobumba abenziwe ngocoselelo, bekrolwe ngesixhobo esibukhali kwicwecwe elicekethekileyo neliethe-ethe lesilivere. . . . IGama likaThixo elibonakala ngokucacileyo kulo mbhalo liyilwe ngoonobumba abane besiHebhere ababhalwe ngohlobo lokubhala lwamandulo lwesiHebhere abangaba, yod-he-waw-he.” Kwimpapasho yamva, uBarkay wongezelela athi: “Into eyasimangalisayo kukuba omabini la macwecwe esilivere ayebhalwe amazwi entsikelelo aphantse afane naweNtsikelelo Yababingeleli eseBhayibhileni.” (Numeri 6:24-26) Esi yayisisihlandlo sokuqala ukuba kufunyanwe igama likaYehova kumbhalo ofunyenwe eYerusalem.
Abaphengululi balifumana njani ixesha eyabhalwa ngalo le misongo yesilivere? Ngokuyintloko basebenzisa izinto ezimbiweyo eyayifunyenwe nazo. Kwafunyanwa izitya neembiza zomdongwe ezingaphezu kwama-300 elinokufunyaniswa ixesha ezenziwa ngalo, ezalatha kwinkulungwane yesixhenxe neyesithandathu Ngaphambi kweXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. Indlela yokubhala, xa ithelekiswa neminye imibhalo elaziwayo ixesha lokubhalwa kwayo, yalatha kwixesha elifanayo. Le misongo iboniswe kwiMyuziyam yakwaSirayeli eYerusalem.
Ukutshatyalaliswa KweYerusalem Ngowama-607 B.C.E.
IBhayibhile ithetha ngokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-607 B.C.E. kweyesi-2 yooKumkani isahluko 25, eyesi-2 yeziKronike isahluko 36, nakuYeremiya isahluko 39, ezinikela ingxelo yokuba umkhosi kaNebhukadenetsare wasitshisa eso sixeko. Ngaba izinto ezimbiweyo zakutshanje ziye zayingqinela le ngxelo ingokwembali? Ngokutsho kukaNjingalwazi Yigal Shiloh, “ubungqina [bokutshatyalaliswa ngamaBhabhiloni] obuseBhayibhileni . . . buxhaswa bubungqina obucacileyo bokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala; ukutshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo kwezakhiwo ezahlukahlukeneyo, namadangatye atshisa iindawo ezahlukahlukeneyo ezenziwe ngamaplanga ezindlwini.” Wahlabela mgama esithi: “Imizila yoku kutshatyalaliswa iye yafumaneka kwinto nganye embiweyo eye yafunyanwa eYerusalem.”
Abakhenkethi banokuzibona izinto ezasala xa kwakutshatyalaliswa kwiminyaka engaphezu kwama-2500 eyadlulayo. INqaba yamaSirayeli, iGumbi Elitshileyo, neNdlu Yamatywina ngamagama aqhelekileyo eendawo ekumbiwa kuzo izinto zakudala ezilondoloziweyo nezinokubonwa nguwonke wonke. Abembi bezinto zakudala uJane M. Cahill noDavid Tarler benza olu shwankathelo kwincwadi ethi Ancient Jerusalem Revealed: “Ukutshatyalaliswa okukhulu kweYerusalem ngamaBhabhiloni kubonakala kungekuphela nje kumaleko omkhulu wezinto ezitshileyo eziseleyo nezimbiwe kwizakhiwo ezinjengeGumbi Elitshileyo neNdlu Yamatywina, kodwa kubonakala nakumaqhekeza amatye avela kwizakhiwo eziwileyo afunyenwe ezalise ithambeka elingasempuma. Inkcazelo yeBhayibhile engokutshatyalaliswa kwesi sixeko . . . ixhasa ubungqina bokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala.”
Ngaloo ndlela, inkcazelo yeBhayibhile engeYerusalem ukususela ngexesha likaDavide ukusa ekutshatyalalisweni kwayo ngowama-607 B.C.E. iye yaqinisekiswa ngeendlela ezininzi zizinto ezimbiwe ngabembi bezinto zakudala ebudeni beminyaka engama-25 edluleyo. Kodwa kuthekani ngeYerusalem yenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo?
IYerusalem Ngomhla KaYesu
Izinto ezimbiweyo, iBhayibhile, umbhali-mbali wenkulungwane yokuqala ongumYuda uJosephus, neminye imithombo zinceda abaphengululi babe nombono weYerusalem yomhla kaYesu, ngaphambi kokuba amaRoma ayitshabalalise ngowama-70 C.E. Umfuziselo wayo, oboniswe ngasemva kwihotele enkulu yaseYerusalem, uhlaziywa rhoqo ukuze uvisisane noko kutyhilwa zizinto ezisandul’ ukufunyanwa. Inkalo ebalaseleyo yeso sixeko yayiyiNtaba yeTempile, uHerode awayikhulisa ngokuphindwe kabini kuneyomhla kaSolomon. Yayiyeyona ndawo iphakamileyo inkulu kwezenziwe ngabantu ehlabathini mandulo, iziimitha ezinokuba ngama-480 ubude nezimalunga nama-280 ububanzi. Amanye amatye okwakha ayenobunzima obuziitoni ezingama-50, elinye lawo lalide lasondela kwiitoni ezingama-400 yaye ngokutsho komnye umphengululi “lalingekho elilingana nalo mandulo.”
Akumangalisi ngoko ukuba abanye abantu babe bothuka xa uYesu wayesithi: “Yichitheni le tempile, yaye mna ndiza kuyivusa ngeentsuku ezintathu.” Babecinga ukuba wayethetha isakhiwo esikhulu setempile, kanti wayethetha “ngetempile yomzimba wakhe.” Ngoko ke, bathi: “Le tempile yakhiwa ngeminyaka engamashumi amane anesithandathu, yaye wena woyivusa ngeentsuku ezintathu na?” (Yohane 2:19-21) Ngenxa yezinto ezembiwa kwindawo engqonge iNtaba yeTempile, ngoku abakhenkethi banokubona iinxalenye zeendonga nezinye izinto zobugcisa bokwakha zexesha likaYesu ibe banokude bahambe kwizinyuko ekunokwenzeka ukuba wahamba kuzo ukuya kumasango etempile angasemazantsi.
Kude kufuphi nodonga olungasentshona lweNtaba yeTempile, kwiCandelo lamaYuda lesiXeko Esidala, kukho iindawo ekumbiwa kuzo izinto zakudala zenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ezaziwa ngokuba yiNdlu Etshisiweyo kunye neCandelo likaHerode. Emva kokufunyanwa kweNdlu Etshisiweyo, ummbi wezinto zakudala uNahman Avigad wabhala: “Ngoku kwakusele kucace mhlophe ukuba esi sakhiwo sasitshiswe ngamaRoma ngowama-70 A.D., ebudeni bokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem. Okokuqala kwimbali yokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala kweso sixeko, kwabonakala ubungqina obucace gca bokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala bokuba eso sixeko satshiswa.”—Bona imifanekiso ekwiphepha 12.
Ezinye zezi zinto zifunyenweyo zicacisa ezinye zeziganeko zobomi bukaYesu. Izakhiwo zazikuMntla wesiXeko, apho izigwili zaseYerusalem zazihlala khona, kuquka nombingeleli omkhulu. Kwezo zindlu kwafunyanwa iqela lezitya zokuhlambela ezazisetyenziswa ukugcina isithethe. Omnye umphengululi uthi: “Eli qela lezitya zokuhlambela lingqina ukuba ngqongqo kokugcinwa kwemithetho yokuhlambulula ngokwesithethe kubantu boMntla wesiXeko ebudeni bexesha leTempile Yesibini. (Le mithetho ibhalwe kwiMishnah, enezahluko ezilishumi ezinikela iinkcukacha ngemikveh.)” Le nkcazelo isinceda siqonde amagqabaza kaYesu kubaFarisi nakubabhali ngokuphathelele ezi zithethe.—Mateyu 15:1-20; Marko 7:1-15.
Kwakhona kuye kwafunyanwa iingqayi ezenziwe ngamatye ezininzi ngendlela emangalisayo eYerusalem. UNahman Avigad uthi: “Ngoko, kutheni zivele ngesiquphe yaye zizininzi kangaka nje kwindlu yaseYerusalem? Impendulo ifumaneka kwihalakhah, imithetho yamaYuda yokuhlanjululwa okungokwesithethe. IMishnah isixelela ukuba iingqayi ezenziwe ngamatye ziphakathi kwezinto ezingenakuba yinqambi . . . Ilitye lalingangcoliswa ngokwesithethe.” Kuthiwa oku kusinika isizathu sokuba amanzi awaguqulwa nguYesu aba yiwayini agcinwe kwiingqayi zamatye kunezomdongwe.—Levitikus 11:33; Yohane 2:6.
Xa utyelela iMyuziyam yakwaSirayeli uya kubona iibhokisi ezimbini ezingaqhelekanga ekwakuqokelelelwa kuzo amathambo abantu abafayo. IBiblical Archaeology Review iyachaza: “Iibhokisi ekuqokelelwa kuzo amathambo abantu abafayo ngokuyintloko zazisenziwa malunga nekhulu leminyaka ngaphambi kokuba amaRoma atshabalalise iYerusalem ngowama-70 C.E. . . . Umfi wayefakwa kwingontsi ethile embiwe kudonga lomqolomba ekungcwatywa kuwo; emva kokuba inyama ibolile, kwakuqokelelwa amathambo aze afakwe kwibhokisi agcinwa kuyo—edla ngokuhonjiswa ngelitye lekalika.” Ezi zimbini kuboniswe ngazo zafunyanwa ngoNovemba 1990 kwingcwaba elithile elisemqolombeni. Ummbi wezinto zakudala uZvi Greenhut unikela le ngxelo: “Igama elithi . . . ‘Kayafa’ elibhalwe kwezi bhokisi zimbini ezisengcwabeni livela okokuqala apha kwizinto zakudala ezimbiweyo. Mhlawumbi ligama lentsapho yoMbingeleli Omkhulu uKayafa, okhankanywe . . . kwiTestamente Entsha . . . UYesu wathunyelwa kwibamba elingumRoma uPontiyo Pilato esuka kwindlu yakhe eseYerusalem.” Enye ibhokisi yamathambo abantu abafayo yayinamathambo endoda eyayineminyaka emalunga nama-60 ubudala. Abaphengululi bacingela ukuba la mathambo ngakaKayafa. Omnye umphengululi ubonisa ukuba la mathambo asusela kwixesha uYesu awayephila ngalo: “Ingqekembe eyafunyanwa kwenye yezi bhokisi zamathambo abantu abafayo yayibhalwe nguHerode Agripa (37-44 C.E.). Ezi bhokisi zamathambo abantu abafayo zimbini zikaKayafa zisenokuba zazikho ukususela ekuqaleni kwenkulungwane.”
UWilliam G. Dever, unjingalwazi wezifundo zokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala zeMpuma Ekufutshane kwiYunivesithi yaseArizona, wagqabaza wenjenje ngokuphathelele iYerusalem: “Asibaxi zinto xa sisithi siye safunda lukhulu kwimbali yokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala kule ndawo iyintloko kwiminyaka eli-15 edluleyo kunoko sikufunde kwiminyaka eli-150 idibene.” Uninzi lwemisebenzi yokumbiwa kwezinto zakudala eYerusalem ebudeni bamashumi eminyaka akutshanje ngokuqinisekileyo luye lwavelisa izinto ezibonisa ubunyaniso bembali yeBhayibhile.
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Reproduction of the City of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple – located on the grounds of the Holyland Hotel, Jerusalem
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ngasentla: Imbombo esemzantsi-ntshona yeNtaba yeTempile yaseYerusalem
Ekunene: Ukwehla ungene kwiWarren’s Shaft