Yatshatyalaliswa Nini IYerusalem Yamandulo?—Inxalanye Yesibini

Oko Kuboniswa Ngamacwecwe Odongwe

Eli linqaku lesibini kumanqaku alandelelanayo eMboniselo agwadla imibuzo yabaphengululi ephathelele umhla eyatshatyalaliswa ngawo iYerusalem yamandulo. Ezi nxalenye zimbini ziyiphendula ngokucokisekileyo nangokweZibhalo imibuzo ebisoloko iphazamisa abafundi.

Inxalenye Yokuqala Ibigubungela Ezi Ngongoma Zilandelayo:

▪ Abaphengululi behlabathi bathi iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-587 B.C.E.a

▪ Ubalo maxesha lweBhayibhile lubonisa ukuba intshabalalo yenzeka ngowama-607 B.C.E.

▪ Abaphengululi bembali izigqibo zabo bazisekela kwimibhalo yezazi ngembali namacwecwe odongwe amandulo noMqulu kaPtolemy.

▪ Eminye imibhalo yezazi ngembali ineempazamo yaye ayisoloko ivisisana neengxelo ezikumacwecwe odongwe.b

IBHAYIBHILE ithi amaYuda ayeza kuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni “ukuba lizaliseke ilizwi likaYehova ngomlomo kaYeremiya.” Akhululwa nini? ‘Kunyaka wokuqala [wolawulo] lukaKoreshi ukumkani wasePersi.’ (2 Kronike 36:21, 22 iBhayibhile yesiXhosa) Imbali yeBhayibhile neyehlabathi iyavumelana nokuba ukuthinjelwa eBhabhiloni kwaphela xa uKoreshi woyisa iBhabhiloni waza wakhulula amaYuda, awabuyela eYerusalem ngowama-537 B.C.E. Ekubeni iBhayibhile ichaza ngokuphandle ukuba athinjwa iminyaka engama-70, imele ukuba aqalisa ukuthinjwa ngowama-607 B.C.E.

Noko ke, inkoliso yabaphengululi ithi iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-587 B.C.E. Eli xesha lalatha nje kwiminyaka engama-50 yokuthinjwa. Kwakutheni ukuze bafikelele kweso sigqibo? Ubalo lwabo balusekela kumaxwebhu amandulo abhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo aneenkcukacha ngoNebhukadenetsare II nabo bamlandelayo ekulawuleni.¹ Uninzi lwala maxwebhu ayebhalwe ngamadoda awayephila ebudeni okanye xa yayisele iza kutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem. Kodwa luchane kangakanani ubalo olwalatha kulo mhla wama-587 B.C.E.? Yintoni eyona nto eboniswa ngala maxwebhu?

Ukuze kuphendulwe lo mibuzo, hlola iindidi ezintathu zamaxwebhu adla ngokusetyenziswa ngabaphengululi: (1) Imiqulu yaseBhabhiloni, (2) amacwecwe ezoshishino (3) namacwecwe ezazi ngeenkwekwezi.

● Imiqulu yaseBhabhiloni.

Iyintoni? Imiqulu yaseBhabhiloni ludederhu lwamacwecwe aqulethe iingxelo ezibalulekileyo zembali yaseBhabhiloni.²

Ziye zathini iingcali? UR. H. Sack ohlonelwayo kumaxwebhu abhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo, uthi le miqulu inengxelo engaphelelanga ngokuphathelele iziganeko ezibalulekileyo.c Wabhala ukuba abaphengululi bamele baphande “kweminye imithombo . . . Ngenjongo yokufumanisa oko kuye kwenzeka.”

Abonisa ntoni la maxwebhu? Kukho izikhewu kwimbali ebhalwe kule miqulu yaseBhabhiloni.³ (Funda ibhokisi engezantsi.) Kusengqiqweni ukubuza ukuba, linokuthenjwa njani elo xesha ekubeni iingxelo zabo zingaphelelanga?

● Amacwecwe ezoshishino.

Azintoni? Inkoliso yala macwecwe ezo shishino ziirisiti ezisemthethweni ezazisetyenziswa eBhabhiloni. La macwecwe ayenomhla, inyanga nonyaka alawula ngawo ukumkani. Ngokomzekelo, elinye icwecwe lithi kwathengiselwana “ngoNisan, umhla wama-27, ngonyaka we-11 wolawulo lukaNebhukadrenetsare [okwabizwa ngokuba nguNebhukadenetsare II], ukumkani waseBhabhiloni.”⁴

Xa ukumkani efile okanye ebhukuqiwe yaye ukumkani omtsha engena etroneni, iinyanga ezisaseleyo zalo kumkani ebelawula zazigqalwa njengonyaka aqala ngawo ukulawula ukumkani omtsha.d⁵ Ngamanye amazwi, iintambo zolawulo zazidluliselwe komnye ukumkani kwangaloo nyaka ngokwekhalenda yaseBhabhiloni. Ngokuvisisana noko, amacwecwe achaza umlawuli omtsha kusengqiqweni ukuba achaze umhla kwiinyanga ezilandela inyanga yokugqibela yokumkani wangaphambili.

Ziye zathini iingcali? UR. H. Sack uye waphicotha intaphane yamacwecwe ezoshishino asusela kwixesha lolawulo lweBhabhiloni. Ngowe-1972, uSack wabhala ukuba amaxwebhu amatsha eMyuziyam yaseBritani awayenawo nawayengekapapashwa “ayangqubana” nezigqibo ekwakufikelelwe kuzo ngaphambili ngokuphathelele ukutshintsha kolawulo lusuka kuNebhukadenetsare II lusiya kunyana wakhe uAmel-Marduk (okwabizwa ngokuba nguEvil-merodach).⁶ Njani? Lo kaSack wayesazi ukuba la macwecwe ayebonisa ukuba uNebhukadenetsare II wayesalawula kwinyanga yesithandathu kunyaka wakhe wokugqibela wokulawula (ulawule iminyaka engama-43). Kodwa la macwecwe matsha awayenenkcazelo entsha yonyaka aqalisa ngawo ukulawula ukumkani, uAmel-Marduk, abhekisela kwinyanga yesine neyesihlanu ekucingelwa ukuba yayikwangunyaka ofanayo.⁷ Kuyacaca ukuba kwabakho ukungangqamani kwezinto.

Abonisa ntoni la maxwebhu? Kuninzi ukungangqamani kwezinto ekungeneni nasekuphumeni kwekumkani. Ngokomzekelo, amaxwebhu abonisa ukuba uNebhukadenetsare II wayesalawula kwinyanga yeshumi—kwiinyanga ezintandathu emva kokuba ilandela lakhe ekwakufanele ukuba lalisele liqalisile ukulawula.⁸ Kwenzeka into efanayo nakwimeko kaAmel-Marduk noNeriglissar owangena ezihlangwini zakhe.⁹

Kutheni kukho ukungangqamani okucace kangaka kwezi ziganeko? Njengokuba bekusele kukhankanyiwe ngaphambili, imiqulu yembali yaseBhabhiloni ibonisa izikhewu kwingxelo yokulawula kookumkani.¹⁰ Ngaba bakho bethu abanye ookumkani abalawulayo phakathi kwaba kumkani bakhankanyiweyo? Ukuba kunjalo, bekuya kongezwa iminyaka engakumbi kwixesha eligubungela ulawulo lweBhabhiloni. Ngoko ke, imiqulu yaseBhabhiloni namacwecwe ezoshishino awananto ibambekayo exhasa ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem ngowama-587 B.C.E.e

● Amacwecwe ezazi ngeenkwekwezi.

Azintoni? Amacwecwe abhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo achaza ukuma kwelanga, inyanga izijikelezi-langa neenkwenkwezi, nenkcazelo enembali yonyaka wokulawula kokumkani othile. Ngokomzekelo, incwadi yeziganeko ibonisa umnyama owenzeka kwinyanga yokuqala yonyaka wokuqala wolawulo lukaKumkani Mukin-zeri.¹¹

Zithini iingcali? Iingcali ziyavuma ukuba amaBhabhiloni ayenenkqubo entsonkothileyo yokuqikelela ixesha enokwenzeka ngalo iminyama.¹²

Kodwa ngaba amaBhabhiloni ayekwazi ukulazi ixesha eyenzeke ngalo iminyama kwixa elidluleyo? UNjingalwazi uJohn Steele uthi: “Kunokwenzeka, ukuba olunye lolu qikelelo lwenziwa ngokubuyela umva xa kwakuqulunqwa.” (Akekeliswe sithi.)¹³ UNjingalwazi uDavid Brown, okholelwa ukuba esi sicangca sezazi ngeenkwenkwezi siquka uqikelelo olwenziwa nje ngaphambi kweziganeko ezibhaliweyo, uyavuma ukuba olunye kolu qikelelo “lwabalwa mva ngababhali ngenkulungwane yesine nakwiinkulungwane ezalandelayo.”¹⁴ Ukuba olu qikelelo lwenziwa mva lunokuthenjwa ngaphandle kokuba luxhaswa bobunye ubungqina?

Nokuba umnyama wenzeke ngomhla othile, ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba inkcazelo engokwembali ebhalwe kwelo cwecwe ngalo mhla ichanile? Kusenokungabi njalo. Umphengululi uR. J. van der Spek uthi: “Abaqulunqi bezi ngxelo yayizizazi ngeenkwenkwezi, kungekhona izazi ngembali.” Uthi inxalenye yembali ekula macwecwe “imele ilunyukelwe kuba ayibhalwanga zizazi ngembali.”¹⁵

Abonisa ntoni la maxwebhu? Cinga ngomzekelo weVAT 4956. Isivakalisi sokuqala kweli cwecwe sithi: “Unyaka wama-37 kaNebhukadenetsare, ukumkani waseBhabhiloni.”¹⁶ Izivakalisi ezilandelayo zineenkcukacha ezichaza indlela eyayimi ngayo inyanga izijikelezi-langa xa uzithelekisa neenkwenkwezi ezahlukeneyo neminyele. Kukwaqukwe nomnyama omnye. Abaphengululi bathi ezi zinto zenzeka ngowama-568/567 B.C.E., nto leyo ethetha ukuba yayingunyaka we-18 wokulawula kukaNebhukadenetsare II, xa wayetshabalalisa iYerusalem ngowama-587 B.C.E. Kodwa ngaba ezi mbekiselo zingenakuphikiswa zibhekisela kunyaka wama-568/567 B.C.E. kuphela?

Eli cwecwe likhankanya umnyama ekwakusithiwa wenzeka ngomhla we-15 kwinyanga yesithathu yaseBhabhiloni, enguSimanu. Yinyaniso engenakuphikwa into yokuba umnyama wenzeka ngomhla kaJulayi 4 (ngokwekhalenda kaJulian) wale nyanga ngowama-568 B.C.E. Noko ke, wawukho umnyama kwiminyaka engama-20 ngaphambili, ngomhla kaJulayi 15, ngowama-588 B.C.E.¹⁷

Ukuba owama-588 B.C.E. yayingunyaka wama-37 wolawulo lukaNebhukadenetsare II, ibiya kuba ngowama-607 B.C.E.—loo nyaka ungqamana nobalo maxesha lweBhayibhile lokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem. (Funda ubalo maxesha oluboniswe ngezantsi.) Kodwa ngaba iVAT 4956 inengcombolo engakumbi yonyaka wama-607 B.C.E.?

Ukongezelela kumnyama esiwukhankanye ngaphambili, kukho izihlandlo ezili-13 zokubonakala kwenyanga kweli cwecwe nezihlandlo ezili-15 zokubonakala kwezijikelezi-langa. Ezi zihlandlo zichaza ukuma kwenyanga okanye izijikelezi-langa xa zithelekiswa neenkwenkwezi okanye iminyele. ¹⁸ Kwakhona izihlandlo ezisibhozo kumathuba aphakathi kokuphuma nokutshona kwelanga nenyanga.^18a

Ekubeni indawo emi kuyo inyanga inokuthenjwa, abaphengululi baye bazihlalutya ngokucokisekileyo ezi zihlandlo zili-13 kwiVAT 4956. Ziye zayihlalutya zisebenzisa inkqubo yekhompyutha ekwaziyo ukubonisa indawo ezimi kuzo inyanga nelanga ngosuku oluthile kwixa eladlulayo.¹⁹ Yintoni abaye bayifumanisa? Nangona ezi zihlandlo zingangqamani zonke nonyaka wama-568/567 B.C.E., zonke ezi zihlandlo zili-13 ziyangqamana nobalo lweminyaka engama-20 ngaphambili, unyaka wama-588/587 B.C.E.

Ezinye zezi ndawo apho ukondelwa khona kwenyanga kungqamana nowama-588 B.C.E. ngakumbi kunowama-568 B.C.E. kubonakala kumacwecwe aye aphinda aveliswa kula maphepha. Kwisivakalisi sesi-3 selo cwecwe, sifunda ukuba inyanga yayikwindawo ethile “ngobusuku bukaNisanu 9.” eBhabhiloni. Noko ke, abaphengululi bokuqala ukubhala ngesi siganeko ngowama-568 B.C.E. (Ngokwezazi ngeenkwenkwezi ngu-567) bayavuma ukuba ngowama-568 B.C.E. (,inyanga yayikuloo ndawo “ngomhla we-8 ngoNisanu kungekhona ngomhla we-9.” Ukuze kuxhaswe amacwecwe owama-568 B.C.E., bacingela ukuba ngempazamo umbhali wabhala “u-9” endaweni “ka-8.”²⁰ Kodwa ukuma kwenyanga kwisivakalisi sesi-3 kungqamana kakuhle noNisanu 9 wowama-588 B.C.E.²¹

Kuyacaca, ukuba ingcombolo yezazi ngeenkwenkwezi ekwiVAT 4956 ingqamana nonyaka wama-588 B.C.E. njengonyaka wama-37 wolawulo lukaNebhukadenetsare II. Ngenxa yoko, le ngcombolo ixhasa umhla wowama-607 B.C.E. njengonyaka wokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem—kanye njengokuba iBhayibhile ibonisa.

Kutheni Umele Uyithembe IBhayibhile?

Njengangoku, uninzi lwezazi ngembali zehlabathi zikholelwa ukuba iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-587 B.C.E. Noko ke, ababhali beBhayibhile uYeremiya noDaniyeli batsho phandle ukuba amaYuda athinjwa iminyaka engama-70, kungekhona engama-50. (Yeremiya 25:1, 2, 11; 29:10; Daniyeli 9:2) Ezo vesi zibonisa ukuba iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-607 B.C.E. Njengokuba obu bungqina bungasentla bubonisa, eso sigqibo siyaxhaswa yimithombo yehlabathi.

Iingcali zehlabathi ziye zakuthandabuza ukuchana kweBhayibhile. Sekunjalo, xa kudandalaziswa ubungqina obungakumbi, ingxelo yeBhayibhile iye yagqwesa izihlandlo ezininzi.f Abo bayixhasayo iBhayibhile banesizathu esibambekayo sokuyithemba. Isigqibo sabo basisekela ekuchaneni kweBhayibhile ngokwembali, inzululwazi nesiprofeto. Obo bungqina bubenza bakholelwe ukuba iBhayibhile liLizwi likaThixo eliphefumlelweyo. (2 Timoti 3:16) Kutheni ungaziphandeli? Nawe usenokufikelela kwisigqibo esifanayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Isicangca esikwiphepha 23]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

IMIQULU YASEBHABHILONI—IMBALI ENEZIKHEWU

Imiqulu yaseBhabhiloni igubungela iminyaka engama-35 kwengama-88 yolawulo lweBhabhiloni.

UNYAKA ONOMQULU ONGENANGXELO

UNYAKA ONOMQULU ONENGXELO

BM 21901

BM 21946

BM 35382

IXESHA LASEBHABHILONI

AMAPERSI

UNabopolassar

UNebuchadnezzar II

UAmel-Marduk

UNabonidus

UNeriglissar

ULabashi-Marduk

BM 25127

BM 22047

BM 25124

[Inkcazelo]

BM 21901 and BM 35382: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum; BM 21946: Copyright British Museum; BM 22047, 25124, 25127: © The Trustees of the British Museum

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

ICWECWE IBM 32238 ELINEENKCUKACHA ZEZAZI NGEENKWENKWEZI

Eli cwecwe lineengxelo zomnyama, kodwa alizange libhalwe kwade kwasemva komnyama wokugqibela, owenzeka emva kweminyaka engama-400 emva kowukuqala. Ekubeni umbhali engazange azibone zonke ezo ziganeko, wayefanele abale ukuze azi ixesha eyenzeka ngalo eyangaphambili. Ngaphandle kokuba kukho ubungqina obungakumbi obuxhasa ukuchana kwezigqibo zakhe, olo balo akunakuthenjelwa kulo.

[Inkcazelo]

© The Trustees of the British Museum

[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 26, 27]

ITHINI KANYE KANYE IVAT 4956?

Kutheni lo mbandela utshisa ibunzi? Isivakalisi sesithathu kweli cwecwe sithi ‘ngobusuku bomhla wesithoba’ kwinyanga yokuqala (Nisanu/Nisan), “inyanga yema kumgama wekubhite enye ngaphambi kuka ß Virginis.” Noko ke, uNeugebauer noWeidner babhala ngowe-1915 malunga nonyaka wama-568 B.C.E. (nto leyo eyayiza kwalatha kowama-587 B.C.E. njengonyaka wokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem) “inyanga yema kumgama wekubhithe enye ngaphambi kwenkwenkwezi ngoNisan 8 kungekhona ngoNisan 9. (Akekeliswe sithi) Noko ke, inyanga yayimi kwindawo efanelekileyo ngowama-588 B.C.E. ngoNisan 9, nto leyo eyalatha kumhla wama-607 B.C.E.

Ngaba ifanele ibe ngumhla wesithoba okanye wesibhozo?

(1) Njengokuba kubonisiwe kumfanekiso ohamba neli nqaku, uphawu lwesiakhadiya olumela inani elisisithoba libonakala ngokucacileyo.

(2) Xa uNeugebauer noWeidner babeguqulela batshintsha “u-9” waba “ngu-8.”

(3) Ngumbhalo osemazantsi kuphela obonisa ukuba kwakubhalwe u-9 ekuqaleni.

(4) Kwanakwinguqulelo yabo yesiJamani, babhala “u-8”

(5) Ngowe-1988, uSachs noHunger baphinda bayipapasha baza babhala u-9 kanye ngokwendlela eyayibhalwe ngayo ekuqaleni.

(6) Sekunjalo, balugcina olu tshintsho kwinguqulelo yabo yesiNgesi, besithi bekufanele ukuba kubhalwe “u-9” “endaweni ka-8.”

[Inkcazelo]

bpk/Vorderasiatisches Museum, SMB/Olaf M. Teßmer

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 28]

Amanqaku “Yatshatyalaliswa Nini IYerusalem Yamandulo?—Inxalenye Yesibini”

1. Oonobumba abatsobhileyo luhlobo oluthile lokubhala. Yaveliswa ngumbhali ngokucinezela imifanekiso eyahlukeneyo kumacwecwe odongwe athambileyo, esebenzisa inyatyhoba.

2. Assyrian and Babylonian Chronicles, nguA. K. Grayson, yapapashwa ngowe-1975, neyaphinda yapapashwa ngowama-2000, iphepha 8.

3. Ixesha lamaBhabhiloni laqalisa ngenkulungwane yesixhenxe Ngaphambi Kwexesha Eliqhelekileyo, xa ookumkani bomlibo wamaKhaledi balawula eBhabhiloni. Umlawuli wokuqala yayinguNabopolassar, uyise kaNebhukadenetsare II. Eli xesha laphela xa ukumkani wokugqibela, uNabonidus, wabhukuqwa nguKumkani wamaPersi ngowama-539 B.C.E.

4. Amaxwebhu aseBhabhiloni Ezoshishino Nolawulo, nguEllen Whitley Moore, apapashwe ngowe-1935, iphepha 33.

5. Archimedes, Umqulu 4, New Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, “Observations and Predictions of Eclipse Times Early Astronomers,” nguJohn M. Steele, epapashwe ngowama-2000, iphepha 36.

6. Amel-Marduk 562-560 B.C.—A Study Based on Cuneiform, Old Testament, Greek, Latin and Rabbinical Sources. With Plates, nguRonald H. Sack, eyapapashwa ngowe-1972, iphepha 3.

7. Amacwecwe BM 80920 neBM 58872 zinomhla kaEvil-merodach inyanga yesine neyesihlanu yonyaka wokuqalisa kwakhe ukulawula. Zapapashwa nguSack kwiAmel-Marduk 562-560 B.C.—A Study Based on Cuneiform, Old Testament, Greek, Latin and Rabbinical Sources. noPlates, kwiphepha 3, 90, 106.

8. Icwecwe elikwiMyuziyam yaseBritani (BM 55806) libhalwe inyanga yeshumi, ngonyaka wama-43.

9. Amacwecwe iBM 75106 neBM 61325 abhalwe inyanga yesixhenxe neyeshumi yonyaka othatyathwa njengonyaka owandulela unyaka wokugqibela wolawulo lukakumkani Evil-merodach. Noko ke, icwecwe iBM 75489 libhalwe inyanga yesibini yokuqalisa kukaNeriglissar ukulawula, owangena ezihlangwini zakhe.—Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum, Umqulu VIII, (Tablets From Sippar 3) nguErle Leichty, J. J. Finkelstein, noC.B.F. Walker, ipapashwe ngowe-1988, iphepha 25, 35.

Catalogue of the Babylonian Tablets in the British Museum, Umqulu VII, (Tablets From Sippar 2) nguErle Leichty noA. K. Grayson, epapashwe ngowe-1987, iphepha 36.

Neriglissar—King of Babylon, by Ronald H. Sack, ipapashwe ngowe-1994, iphepha 232. Inyanga ekweli cwecwe nguAjaru (inyanga yesibini).

10. Cinga ngomzekelo kaNeriglissar. Umbhalo wasebukhosini uthi “wayengunyana kaBêl-shum-ishkun,” “ukumkani waseBhabhiloni.” (akekeliswe sithi.) Omnye umbhalo umbiza ngokuba nguBêl-shum-ishkun “inkosana elumkileyo.” Igama lantlandlolo eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “inkosana,” rubû, sisibizo esikwathetha “ukumkani, umlawuli.” Ekubeni kukho ukungangqamani kwiminyaka yolawulo kangangexesha elithile phakathi kukaEvil-merodach noNeriglissar owangena ezihlangwini zakhe, ngaba likho ixesha lokulawula kukaBêl-shum-ishkun waseBhabhiloni phakathi kwabo? UNjingalwazi R. P. Dougherty, uyavuma ukuba “ubungqina bokuba uNeriglissar ngumntwan’ egazi abunakubethwa ngoyaba.”—Nabonidus and Belshazzar—A Study of the Closing Events of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, nguRaymond P. Dougherty, yapapashwa ngowe-1929, iphepha 61.

11. IAstronomical Diaries and Related Texts From Babylonia, Umqulu V, ihlelwe nguHermann Hunger ipapashwe ngowama-2001, iphepha 2-3.

12. IJournal of Cuneiform Studies, Umqulu 2, No. 4, 1948, “A Classification of the Babylonian Astronomical Tablets of the Seleucid Period,” nguA. Sachs, iphepha 282-283.

13. IAstronomical Diaries and Related Texts From Babylonia, Umqulu V, iphepha 391.

14. IMesopotamian Planetary Astronomy-Astrology, nguDavid Brown, ipapashwe ngowama-2000, iphepha 164, 201-202.

15. IBibliotheca Orientalis, L N° 1/2, Januari-Maart, 1993, “The Astronomical Diaries as a Source for Achaemenid and Seleucid History,” nguR. J. van der Spek, iphepha 94, 102.

16. IAstronomical Diaries and Related Texts From Babylonia, Umqulu I, nguAbraham J. Sachs, wagqityezelwa waza wahlelwa nguHermann Hunger, ipapashwe ngowe-1988, iphepha 47.

17. IBabylonian Eclipse Observations From 750 BC to 1 BC, nguPeter J. Huber noSalvo De Meis, ipapashwe ngowama-2004, iphepha 186. Ngokutsho kweVAT 4956, lo mnyama wenzeka ngomhla we-15 wenyanga yesithathu yaseBhabhiloni, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba inyanga kaSimanu yaqalisa ngaphambi kwexesha ngeentsuku ezili-15. Ukuba lo mnyama wenzeka ngoJulayi 15, 588 B.C.E. ngokwekhalenda yethu ngalo ndlela inyanga yokuqala kaSimanu ibiya kuba nguJuni 30/Julayi 1, 588 B.C.E. Ngenxa yoko, inyanga yokuqala yaseBhabhiloni (uNisanu) ibiya kuwuqala unyaka kusasele iinyanga ezimbini ngaphambi kwexesha, ngomhla kaMeyi 2/3. Ngoxa ngokuqhelekileyo unyaka owenzeka ngawo lo mnyama ubufanele uqale ngoAprili 3/4, iVAT 4956 ithi kwisivakalisi sesithandathu kongezwa enye inyanga emva kwenyanga yeshumi elinesibini (yokugqibela) (uAddaru) yonyaka owandulelayo. (Eli cwecwe lifundeka kanje: “inyanga yesibhozo XII₂.”) Loo nto yabangela ukuba unyaka omtsha ungaqalisi kwade kwangoMeyi 2/3. Ngaloo ndlela, umhla walo mnyama ngowama-588 B.C.E. ungqamana kakuhle nengcombolo ekweli cwecwe.

18. Ngokutsho kwe Berichte über die Verhandlungen der Königl. Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig (Reports Regarding the Discussions of the Royal Saxonian Society of Sciences at Leipzig); Umqulu 67; May 1, 1915; kwinqaku elithi “Ein astronomischer Beobachtungstext aus dem 37. Jahre Nebukadnezars II” (An Astronomical Observer’s Text of the 37th Year Nebuchadnezzar II), nguPaul V. Neugebauer and Ernst F. Weidner, iphepha 67-76, kukho ukubonwa kwenyanga kangangezihlandlo ezili-13 ezahlukeneyo imi kwindawo apho ichazwa ngokunxibelelene nenkwenkwezi okanye umnyele. Bakwaquke nezihlandlo ezili-15 zokubonakala kwezijikelezi langa. (iphepha 72-76) Nangona uphawu olubhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo olumela inyanga lucacile, iimpawu namagama ezijikelezi langa neendawo ezimi kuzo azicacacanga. (Mesopotamian Planetary Astronomy—Astrology, nguDavid Brown, ipapashwe ngowama-2000, iphepha 53-57) Ngenxa yoku, inkqubo yezijikelezi langa inoqikelelo oluninzi neendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokuyichaza. Ekubeni kulula ukulandelela inyanga, iindawo ezikuzo ezinye iziqu ezikhankanywe kwiVAT 4956 nezinxibelelene nenyanga zinokwaziwa, nendawo ezimi kuyo inokuchazwa ngokuchanileyo.

18a. La mathuba aphakathi (“lunar threes”) yindlela yokubala ixesha, ngokomzekelo ukususela ekutshoneni kwelanga ukusa ekuphumeni kwenyanga ngosuku lokuqala enyangeni nezinye izihlandlo ezibini ngasekupheleni kwenyanga. (“The Earliest Datable Observation of the Aurora Borealis,” nguF. R. Stephenson noDavid M. Willis, in Under One Sky—Astronomy and Mathematics in the Ancient Near East, ihlelwe nguJohn M. Steele noAnnette Imhausen, ipapashwa ngowama-2002, iphepha 420-428) Ukuze izazi ngeenkwenkwezi zamandulo zikwazi ukulibala eli xesha kwakufuneka zibe nohlobo oluthile lwewotshi. Loo ndlela yokubala yayingathembekanga. (Archimedes, Umqulu 4, New Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, “Observations and Predictions of Eclipse Times by Early Astronomers,” nguJohn M. Steele, ipapashwe ngowama-2000, iphepha 65-66) Kwelinye icala, ukubala indawo ekuyo inyanga xa uyithelekisa nenye indalo esesibhakabhakeni zabalwa ngendlela echane gqitha.

19. Ezi nkcukacha zaqulunqwa kusetyenziswa inkqubo yekhompyutha ebizwa ngokuba yiTheSky6™. Ukongezelela kolu hlalutyo laphinda laxhaswa ngokusetyenziswa kwenkqubo yekhompyutha ebanzi ebizwa ngokuba yiCartes du Ciel/Sky Charts (CDC) kunye nenkqubo yekhompyutha yomkhosi wamanzi waseMerika. Ngenxa yoku, inkqubo yezijikelezi langa inoqikelelo oluninzi neendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo zokuyichaza, ezi ndawo azizange zisetyenziswe kolu hlolisiso ukuze kuchazwe unyaka eyayenzelwe wona le ngcombolo yezazi ngeenkwenkwezi.

20. IBerichte über die Verhandlungen der Königl. Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig (Reports Regarding the Discussions of the Royal Saxonian Society of Sciences at Leipzig); Umqulu 67; May 1, 1915; “Ein astronomischer Beobachtungstext aus dem 37. Jahre Nebukadnezars II, (-567/66)” (An Astronomical Observer’s Text of the 37th Year Nebuchadnezzar II), NguPaul V. Neugebauer noErnst F. Weidner, iphepha 41.

21. IVAT 4956 kwisivakalisi sesithathu ithi: “Inyanga yema kumgama wekubhite enye ngaphambi kuka ß Virginis.” Uhlalutyo oluchazwe ekuqaleni luqukumbela ngokuthi ngoNisanu 9, inyanga yayimi kumgama oyi-2°04’ (degrees) ngaphambili kwakhona imi kumgama ongu 0°(degrees) ezantsi kwenkwenkwezi engu-ß Virginis. Lugqalwa njengolungqamana kakuhle.

[Isicangca esikwiphepha 25]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

NGUWUPHI UNYAKA WOKUTSHATYALALISWA KWEYERUSALEM EYALATHA KUWO IVAT 4956 NGOWAMA—587 B.C.E. OKANYE NGOWAMA-607 B.C.E.?

◼ La macwecwe achaza iziganeko ngoko kwenzeka esibhakabhakeni ezenzeka ngonyaka wama-37 wolawulo lukaKumkani uNebhukadenetsare II.

◼ UNebhukadenetsare II wayitshabalalisa iYerusalem ngonyaka we-18 wolawulo lwakhe.—Yeremiya 32:1.

Ukuba unyaka wama-37 wolawulo lukaNebhukadenetsare II yayingowama-568 B.C.E., iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-587 B.C.E.

610 B.C.E.

600

590

580

570

560

Ukuba unyaka wakhe wama-37 yayingunyaka wama-588 B.C.E., iYerusalem yatshatyalaliswa ngowama-607 B.C.E., mhla lowo oboniswa lubalo maxesha lweBhayibhile.

◼ IVAT 4956 ngokungathandabuzekiyo yalatha kowama-607 B.C.E.

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum