IUgarit—Isixeko Samandulo Esasibalasele Ngonqulo LukaBhahali
NGONYAKA we-1928, ikhuba lomlimi waseSiriya lemba ingcwaba elalinezinto zamandulo ezenziwe ngodongwe. Wayengakuqondi ukubaluleka kwezo zinto. Omnye umembi wezinto zakudala ongumFrentshi, uClaude Schaeffer, wathi akuva ngesi siganeko wathabatha iqela lakhe, baya kuloo ndawo ngonyaka olandelayo.
Kungabanga thuba lide eli qela lavumbulula umkrolo owalinika umkhondo ngezinto elalizivumbulula apho. Kwathi kanti loo ndawo yiUgarit, “esinye sezona zixeko zamandulo zibalulekileyo eMpuma.” Omnye umbhali onguBarry Hoberman wada wathi: “Azikho izinto ezavunjululwayo, nkqu nokuvunjululwa kwemiSongo yoLwandle Olufileyo, ezakha zasenza sayiqonda ngakumbi ngolu hlobo iBhayibhile.”—The Atlantic Monthly.
Isiphambuka Ababedibana Kuso Abarhwebi
Isixeko saseUgarit, esasikwinduli ebizwa ngokuba yiRas Shamra, kuNxweme lweMeditera ngoku olungumntla Siriya, sasidume ngokuba nabantu nemveliso yamazwe ngamazwe ngaphezu kwama-3 000 eminyaka eyadlulayo. Esi sixeko sasigubungela ummandla oziikhilomitha ezingama-60 ukusuka kwiNtaba iCasius esemantla ukusa kwiTell Sukas esemazantsi, neekhilomitha ezingama-30 ukuya kwezingama-50 ukusuka kwiMeditera esentshona ukusa kwiNtlambo iOrontes esempuma.
Imfuyo yayiqhama eUgarit ngenxa yemozulu entle yaloo ndawo. Kulo mmandla kwakuveliswa ukutya okuziinkozo, ioli yomnquma, iwayini, namaplanga—mveliso leyo eyayinqongophele eMesopotamiya naseYiputa. Ngaphezu koko, ngenxa yokuba esi sixeko sasikwisiphambuka seendlela zorhwebo, oko kwasenza saba phakathi kwamazibuko okuqala amakhulu ezizwe ngezizwe. EUgarit kwakufika abarhwebi abavela eAegean, eAnatolia, eBhabhiloni, eYiputa, nakweminye imimandla yakuMbindi Mpuma beze kurhweba ngesinyithi, imveliso yezolimo nenye imveliso yaloo mazwe.
Nangona yayimi kakuhle ngokwezoqoqosho, iUgarit yayingebobukhosi buzimeleyo. Esi sixeko sasiyinxalenye esemantla yoBukhosi baseYiputa saza ekuhambeni kwexesha saba yinxalenye yoBukhosi bamaHiti ngenkulungwane ye-14 B.C.E. IUgarit yayinyanzelekile ukuba ihlawule irhafu ize ithumele amajoni kubukhosi eyayiphantsi kwabo. Xa kwafika “Abantu Baselwandle”a baza bahlasela iAnatolia (umbindi Turkey) nomntla Siriya, amaHiti athatha amajoni neenqanawa zaseUgarit. Ngenxa yoko, yona iUgarit ayizange ibe namikhosi yakuyikhusela yaza yatshatyalaliswa ngokupheleleyo malunga nowe-1200 B.C.E.
Ukuvunjululwa Kwezinto Zamandulo
Emva kokutshatyaliswa kweUgarit kwasala kukho induli enkulu eyayimalunga neemitha ezingama-20 ukuphakama yaye igubungela ummandla oziihektare ezingama-25. Kuye kwembiwa inxalenye esisinye kwisithandathu kuphela salo mmandla. Phakathi kwezinto eziye zavunjululwa, ibe ngamabhodlo ebhotwe elikhulu elineentendelezo namagumbi amalunga nekhulu nelinobukhulu obuziiskwemitha ezili-10 000. Eli bhotwe lalinamanzi aqukuqelayo, izindlu zangasese, nenkqubo yogutyulo. Ifanitshala yayihonjiswe ngegolide, ilitye eliqaqambileyo eliluhlaza, neempondo zendlovu. Kwafunyanwa neenxalenye ezithile zodonga nazo ezazihonjiswe ngeempondo zendlovu. Kweli bhotwe kwakukho nesitiya esibiyelweyo kwakunye nechibi.
Esi sixeko kunye nommandla osijikelezileyo wawuzaliswe ziitempile zikaBhahali noDagan.b Ezi tempile, ekunokwenzeka ukuba zaziphakame kangangeemitha ezingama-20, zazinegunjana elisembindini elalinomfanekiso wesithixo. Kwakukho izinyuko eziya kumgangatho ophezulu awayehlala kuwo ukumkani xa kuqhutywa imibhiyozo eyahlukahlukeneyo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ngokuhlwa okanye xa kukho isaqhwithi, kwakukhanyiswa izibane eluphahleni lwezi tempile ngelokubonisa iinqanawa indlela eya kwizibuko. Kwingcwele yothixo wesaqhwithi uBaal-Hadad kwafunyanwa iiankile ezili-17 ezenziwe ngelitye, ngokungathandabuzekiyo ezanikelwa ngoomatiloshe njengombingelelo wokubulela ukukhuselwa kwabo elwandle.
Ukufunyanwa Kwemikrolo Ebalulekileyo
Kuye kwavunjululwa amawakawaka amacwecwe odongwe eUgarit. Kufunyenwe imibhalo yezoqoqosho, eyasemthethweni, eyezozakuzo neyezolawulo ngeelwimi ezisibhozo, ibhalwe kwimikrolo emihlanu. Iqela likaSchaeffer lifumene imikrolo ebhalwe ngolwimi olungaziwayo nanamhlanje—lwaza lwabizwa ngokuba sisiUgarit—lwimi olo olunoonobumba abatsobhileyo abangama-30, abangabanye babona nobumba bakudala bakha bafunyanwa.
Ukongezelela kwimicimbi yemihla ngemihla, la maxwebhu esiUgarit anemibhalo echaza ngeengcamango noqheliselo lonqulo lwaloo maxesha. Kubonakala ukuba unqulo lwaseUgarit lwalufana kakhulu nolo lwamaKanan awayeselumelwaneni. URoland de Vaux uthi le mibhalo “isinika inkcazelo echanileyo ngempucuko yaseKanan ngaphambi nje kokuba yoyiswe ngamaSirayeli.”
Unqulo Kwisixeko SikaBhahali
Bangaphezu kwama-200 oothixo noothixokazi abakhankanywe kwimibhalo yeRas Shamra. Esona sithixo sikhulu yayinguEl, owayebizwa ngokuba nguyise woothixo nabantu. UBaal-Hadad owayenguthixo wesaqhwithi “wayelawula amafu” yaye “wayeyinkosi yomhlaba.” UEl uchazwa njengexhego elineendevu ezimhlophe nelisisilumko elithe qelele ebantwini. Yena uBhahali usisigantsontso sesithixo esinamabhongo esifuna ukulawula oothixo nabantu.
Kusenokwenzeka ukuba le mibhalo ivunjululweyo yayicengcelezwa ebudeni bemibhiyozo yonqulo, njengaxa kubhiyozelwa unyaka omtsha okanye isivuno. Noko ke, eyona ntsingiselo yayo ayicacanga. Omnye umbongo othetha ngokulwela ulawulo, uthi uBhahali woyisa uthixo wolwandle uYamm, ongoyena nyana uthandwayo nguEl. Kunokwenzeka ukuba olu loyiso lwabaqinisekisa oomatiloshe baseUgarit ukuba uBhahali wayeya kubakhusela elwandle. Kungquzulwano olwaluphakathi kwakhe noMot, uBhahali woyiswa waza wehlela kwelabafileyo. Kwalandela imbalela, kwaza kwema yonk’ into. Umfazi nodade boBhahali uAnat—uthixokazi wothando nemfazwe—wambulala uMot waza wabuyisela uBhahali ebomini. UBhahali wabulala oonyana bomfazi kaEl, uAthirat (uAsherah), waza wahlala etroneni kwakhona. Kodwa uMot wabuya emva kweminyaka esixhenxe.
Bambi bathi lo mbongo ufanekisela umjikelo wamaxesha onyaka ekuthi ebudeni bawo iimvula ezinik’ ubomi zoyiswe yingqatsini yelanga lasehlotyeni zize ziphinde zibuye okwindla. Abanye bathi umjikelo weminyaka esixhenxe ubhekisela kuloyiko lwendlala nembalela. Kuzo zombini ezi ngcamango, ukoyisa kukaBhahali kwakugqalwa njengokuzuzisa uluntu. UMphengululi uPeter Craigie uthi: “Injongo yonqulo lukaBhahali yayikukulondoloza ulongamo lwakhe; abanquli bakhe babekholelwa ukuba isivuno neenkomo ezazibalulekile ekuphileni kwabantu, zaziya kuqhama kuphela logama nje ehlala ongamile.”
Ukukhuselwa Kwiinkolelo Zobuhedeni
Le mibhalo yavunjululwayo ikubonisa ngokucacileyo ukonakala konqulo lwaseUgarit. IThe Illustrated Bible Dictionary ithi: “Le mibhalo ibonisa umonakalo obangelwe kukunqulwa kwezi zithixo; ukukhuthaza kwako imfazwe, ubunongogo obungcwele, uthando lwenkanuko nemiphumo yoko eyonakalisayo ekuhlaleni.” Lo ka-de Vaux uthi: “Xa ufunda le mibongo, unokusiqonda isizathu sokuba abanquli bakaYahweh nabaprofeti baluthiye kangaka olu nqulo.” UMthetho uThixo awawunika uhlanga lukaSirayeli wawulukhusela kolo nqulo lobuxoki.
Ukuvumisa nokwenza imilingo kwakuxhaphakile eUgarit. Babengavumisi nje kuphela ngeenkwenkwezi kodwa babevumisa nangeemveku eziyimilwelwe kwanangezibilini zezilwanyana ezixheliweyo. Umbhali-mbali uJacqueline Gachet uthi: “Kwakukholelwa ukuba uthixo ekwakusenziwa kuye umbingelelo wesilwanyana wayesiba yinxalenye yaso njengoko umoya waloo thixo wawumanyana nomoya weso silwanyana. Ngoko ke, ukuvumisa ngamalungu aso kwakumnxibelelanisa umntu nomoya woothixo baze bamchazele ngeziganeko zekamva okanye inyathelo amele alithabathe ngokuphathelele imeko ajamelene nayo.” (Le pays d’Ougarit autour de 1200 av.J.C.) Ngokwahlukileyo koko, amaSirayeli ayalelwa ukuba aluphephe uqheliselo olunjalo.—Duteronomi 18:9-14.
UMthetho kaMoses wawukwalela ngokupheleleyo ukuba neentlobano zesini nesilwanyana. (Levitikus 18:23) Lwalugqalwa njani olu qheliselo eUgarit? Imibhalo eyavunjululwayo ichaza ukuba uBhahali wayesiba neentlobano zesini kunye nethokazi lenkomo. Umembi wezinto zakudala uCyrus Gordon uthi: “Nokuba abanye bangakuphikisa oku ngokuthi uBhahali wayefanekiselwa yinkunzi yenkomo xa esiba nezi ntlobano zesini, kodwa ke babesiba nazo ngokoqobo bona ababingeleli bakhe ababelandela iingcamango zakhe.”
AmaSirayeli anikwa umyalelo othi: “Nize ningenzi ntlanga enyameni yenu ngenxa yomphefumlo oswelekileyo.” (Levitikus 19:28) Kodwa ekufeni kukaBhahali, uEl “wazisika ngemela emzimbeni; wazicenta ngencakuba ezidleleni nasesilevini.” Kubonakala ukuba ukuzicenta kwakusisithethe sabanquli bakaBhahali.—1 Kumkani 18:28.
Omnye umbongo wesiUgarit unikela ingcamango yokuba ukupheka itakane ngobisi lukanina kwakuyinxalenye yesithethe senzala sonqulo lwaseKanan. Kodwa ke, eMthethweni kaMoses amaSirayeli anikwa umyalelo othi: “Uze ungalipheki itakane ngobisi lukanina.”—Eksodus 23:19.
Ukuthelekiswa Kwale Mibhalo NeBhayibhile
Ekuqaleni imibhalo yesiUgarit yayiguqulelwa kusetyenziswa ulwimi lwesiHebhere olusetyenzisiweyo eBhayibhileni. UPeter Craigie uthi: “Kukho amagama amaninzi asetyenzisiweyo kwizibhalo zesiHebhere engacacanga intsingiselo yawo, okanye engaziwayo; abaguquleli bangaphambi kwenkulungwane yama-20 babeyiqikelela intsingiselo yawo. Kodwa xa la magama ebonakala kwizibhalo zesiUgarit, aqondeka bhetele.”
Ngokomzekelo, igama lesiHebhere elisetyenziswe kuIsaya 3:18 lidla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi ‘izangqawe.’ NgesiUgarit elo gama libhekisela kwilanga nakuthixokazi welanga. Ngoko ke, kusenokwenzeka ukuba amabhinqa aseYerusalem akhankanywe kwisiprofeto sikaIsaya ayezihombise ngezacholo ezifanekisela ilanga “nezihombo ezimilise okwenyanga” ngaloo ndlela ezukisa oothixo baseKanan.
Kwinguqulelo yamaMasorete, “imilebe evuthayo kunye nentliziyo embi” ekhankanywe kwiMizekeliso 26:23, ifaniswa nesitya sodongwe esityhidwe “ngesilivere.” NgesiUgarit eli binzana liguqulelwa ngokuthi “njengeceba lengqayi elalekwe ngento ebengezelayo.” INguqulelo Yehlabathi Elitsha iwuguqulela ngokuchanileyo lo mzekeliso isithi: “Injengokubengezela kwesilivere eyalekwe phezu kweceba lengqayi imilebe evuthayo kunye nentliziyo embi.”
Ngaba IBhayibhile Isekelwe Kule Mibhalo?
Ekuhlolisiseni kwabo imibhalo yeRas Shamra, abanye abaphengululi baye bagqiba kwelokuba iindinyana ezithile zeBhayibhile zithathwe kwiincwadi zemibongo zesiUgarit. UAndré Caquot, olilungu leZiko lamaFrentshi, uthi “unqulo lwamaSirayeli luphenjelelwe zizithethe zamaKanan.”
Ngokuphathelele INdumiso 29, uMitchell Dahood olilungu lePontifical Biblical Institute eRoma uthi: “Le ndumiso yabanquli bakaYahweh ithathwe kwingoma yakudala yamaKanan eyayiculelwa uthixo wesaqhwithi uBhahali . . . Phantse gama ngalinye elikule ndumiso lithathwe kwimibhalo yamandulo yamaKanan.” Ngaba le mbono ichanile? Eneneni akunjalo!
Abaphengululi abaninzi abangagabadeliyo bayaqonda ukuba ukufana okukhoyo phakathi kwale mibhalo kuye kwabaxwa. UGarry Brantley ongumfundi wezakwalizwi uthi: “Akukho nesibhalo esinye sesiUgarit esifana ngokupheleleyo neso seNdumiso 29. Ingcamango yokuba INdumiso 29 (okanye nasiphi na esinye isibhalo esiseBhayibhileni) sisekelwe kwiingcamango zobuhedeni ayinasihlahla.”
Ngaba isibakala sokuba kukho ukufana okuthile kwizigaba zentetho, kwizafobe, nakwisakhono sokubhala sibubungqina bokuba le mibhalo isekelwe kumthombo omnye? Akunjalo, kuba ke ukufana okunjalo bekulindelekile kakade. IThe Encyclopedia of Religion ithi: “Ukufana okukhoyo kule mibhalo kungokwesithethe: kuba nangona abemi baseUgarit namaSirayeli babehlala kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo yaye bephila ngamaxesha ahlukeneyo, umgangatho wempucuko wona wawufana, kukwanjalo nangamagama awayesetyenziswa kwimibongo nakunqulo.” Ngoko ke, uGarry Brantley ugqiba ngelithi: “Kuphosakele ukuthi imibhalo yeBhayibhile ithathwe kwiinkolelo zobuhedeni ngenxa nje yokuba kukho ukufana okuthile kwesigama.”
Okokugqibela, ukuba kuye kwaphawulwa ukufana okuthile phakathi kwemibhalo yeRas Shamra kunye neBhayibhile, kusemagameni nje kuphela, akunanto yakwenza nemfundiso yokomoya. Omnye umembi wezinto zakudala uCyrus Gordon uthi: “Imilinganiselo yokuziphatha eseBhayibhileni ayikho kwimibhalo yesiUgarit.” Eneneni, umahluko okhoyo mkhulu lee kunezo ndawana zimbalwa zifanayo.
Kubonakala ukuba izifundo zesiUgarit ziza kuqhubeka zinceda abafundi abaninzi beBhayibhile ukuba baqonde ngakumbi ngenkcubeko, imbali nonqulo lwababhali beBhayibhile nolohlanga lwamaHebhere ngokubanzi. Ukuyihlolisisa ngakumbi imibhalo yeRas Shamra kunokusikhanyisela ngakumbi ngesiHebhere samandulo. Noko ke, ngaphezu kwako konke, izinto ezivunjululweyo eUgarit ziwuphuhlisa kakuhle umahluko okhoyo pakathi konqulo olonakeleyo lukaBhahali nonqulo olunyulu lukaYehova.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Ngokuqhelekileyo “Abantu Baselwandle” babengoomatiloshe ababevela kwiziqithi nakunxweme lweMeditera. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amaFilisti ayephakathi kwabo.—Amosi 9:7.
b Nangona kukho izimvo ezahlukahlukeneyo, bambi bayichaza itempile kaDagan njengetempile kaEl. URoland de Vaux, umphengululi ongumFrentshi nonjingalwazi kwiJerusalem School of Biblical Studies, uthi uDagan—onguDagon kuBagwebi 16:23 nakweyoku-1 kaSamuweli 5:1-5—ligama likaEl. IThe Encyclopedia of Religion ithi kusenokwenzeka ukuba “uDagan wayenxulumene ngandlel’ ithile [noEl].” Kwimibhalo yeRas Shamra, uBhahali ubizwa ngokuba ngunyana kaDagan, kodwa akwaziwa ukuba ‘wayengunyana’ ngayiphi ingqiqo.
[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 25]
Izinto ezivunjululweyo eUgarit zisenze saziqonda ngakumbi iZibhalo
[Imaphu/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 24, 25]
(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)
UBukhosi bamaHiti ngenkulungwane ye-14 B.C.E.
ULWANDLE LWEMEDITERA
UmEfrate
INTABA ICASIUS (IJEBEL EL-AGRA)
IUgarit (IRas Shamra)
ITell Sukas
IOrontes
ISIRIYA
IYIPUTA
[Inkcazelo]
Statuette of Baal and rhyton in the shape of an animal’s head: Musée du Louvre, Paris; painting of the royal palace: © D. Héron-Hugé pour “Le Monde de la Bible”
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 25]
Amasalela esango lebhotwe
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
Umbongo wentsomi yaseUgarit unokusikhanyisela ngomyalelo okwiEksodus 23:19
[Inkcazelo]
Musée du Louvre, Paris
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 27]
Ilitye likaBhahali
Icwecwe legolide elibonisa abantu abazingelayo
Isiciko sebhokisi yezithambiso esenziwe ngophondo lwendlovu esimela uthixokazi wenzala
[Inkcazelo]
All pictures: Musée du Louvre, Paris