Ukubheka Imibala Nezindwangu Kwangezikhathi ZeBhayibheli

EBHAYIBHELINI kukhulunywa kaningi ngezitayela, imibala nezindwangu zezingubo ezazigqokwa abantu ababephila emakhulwini eminyaka adlule.

Yiqiniso, iBhayibheli aliyona incwadi yezimfashini nezitayela. Nokho, imininingwane enjalo etholakala ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli ingasiza umfundi akubone ngeso lengqondo akufundayo.

Ngokwesibonelo, sifunda ngezingubo u-Adamu no-Eva ababezama ukuzenza ukuze bafihle ubunqunu babo—izibhinco ezenziwe ngamaqabunga omkhiwane athungelwe ndawonye. Nokho, lezi zingubo kamuva zathathelwa isikhundla yilezo abazinikwa uNkulunkulu—“izembatho ezinde zesikhumba” ezaziyohlala isikhathi esijana.—Genesise 3:7, 21.

Ku-Eksodusi izahluko 28 no-39 sithola nokulandisa okunemininingwane mayelana nezingubo ezazigqokwa umpristi ophakeme wakwa-Israyeli. Lezi zihlanganisa ingubo yangaphansi yelineni, ingubo emhlophe, ibhande elelukiwe, ijazi eliluhlaza elingenamkhono ne-efodi efekethisiwe nesiqephu sesifuba kanye nomshuqulo nongcwecwe wawo ocwebezelayo wegolide. Ukufunda nje ngendlela lezi zindwangu eziningi eziyigugu ezazihlanganiswa ngayo kwenza sikubone ngeso lengqondo ukuthi kumelwe ukuba zazibukeka kahle kanjani.—Eksodusi 39:1-5, 22-29.

Ingubo yomprofethi u-Eliya yayinezinto eziningi kangangokuthi abantu babesheshe bambone ngezinto ayezigqoka: “Umuntu onengubo yoboya, obhince ibhande lesikhumba okhalweni lwakhe.” Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi uJohane uMbhapathizi wayengu-Elisha, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokufana kwezingubo zabo zokugqoka.—2 AmaKhosi 1:8; Mathewu 3:4; Johane 1:21.

Izindwangu Nemibala IBhayibheli libhekisela kaningi ezinhlotsheni zezindwangu ezazisetshenziselwa ukwenza izingubo zokugqoka nemibala, izinto zokudaya, ukuphotha, ukweluka nokuthunga.a Izindwangu eziyinhloko okukhulunywa ngazo uboya bezilwane ezifuywayo nelineni elenziwe ngesitshalo sefilakisi. U-Abela wayebizwa ngokuthi “umalusi wezimvu.” (Genesise 4:2) IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi u-Abela wayezifuyela uvolo wazo yini izimvu. Likhuluma okokuqala ngezambatho zelineni elicolekile lapho likhuluma ngesambatho uFaro asigqokisa uJosefa ngekhulu le-18 B.C.E. (Genesise 41:42) IBhayibheli alisho ngokuqondile ukuthi amaJuda ayeyisebenzisa indwangu kakotini, kodwa yona yayisetshenziswa emazweni aseMpumalanga Ephakathi kusukela kudala.

Ifilakisi novolo kwakukhipha indwangu enhle eyayiphothwa ngenjongo yokwenza imicu eqine ngokungafani. Leyo micu yayibe isiphothwa ibe izindwangu. Imicu nezindwangu eziphothiwe kwakudaywa ngezinhlobo eziningi zemibala. Indwangu yayibe isisikwa ukuze yenele ozoyigqoka. Izingubo zazivame ukuhlotshiswa ngendwangu efekethisiwe, eyelukwe ngemicu enemibala ehlukahlukene, okwakwenza ingubo ikhange futhi ibe eyezinga eliphezulu.—AbaHluleli 5:30.

Imibala eluhlaza, ensomi nebomvu kukhulunywa ngayo kaningana eBhayibhelini njengemibala yokudaya izindwangu. Ama-Israyeli ayalwa ukuba afake “intambo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka phezu komphetho . . . onensephe” wezingubo zawo njengesikhumbuzo sobuhlobo bawo obukhethekile noNkulunkulu wawo, uJehova. (Numeri 15:38-40) Igama lesiHebheru elithi tekheʹleth, elisho umbala oluhlaza, nelithi argaman, elivame ukuhunyushwa ngokuthi “okunsomi,” lisho imibala ehlotshaniswa nezingubo zabapristi nezinye izinto zokuhlobisa zetabernakele nethempeli.

Izindwangu Zetabernakele Nezethempeli Itabernakele elalisehlane—kamuva ithempeli eliseJerusalema—laliyisikhungo sama-Israyeli sokukhulekela. Ngakho-ke, kuyaqondakala ukuthi kwafakwa imininingwane eminingi eBhayibhelini ephathelene nokulungiselela izindwangu zetabernakele nethempeli likaSolomoni. Naphezu kwezindwangu nemibala, sithola imininingwane ephathelene nokweluka, ukudaya, ukuthunga nokufekethiswa kwezindwangu zetende namakhethini.

Ziqondiswa uNkulunkulu, izingcweti ezinguBhazaleli no-Oholiyabe, namanye amadoda nabesifazane, zafeza lesi sabelo esikhethekile ngokwethembeka, zenza itende lokuhlangana elikufanelekelayo ukukhulekela uJehova. (Eksodusi 35:30-35) Esahlukweni 26 sencwadi ka-Eksodusi, izinto zokwakha nazo zonke izingxenye zetabernakele zichazwe ngemininingwane eningiliziwe. Ngokwesibonelo, izindwangu zetende ezinkulu nezimibalabala zazenziwe “ngelineni elicolekileyo elisontiwe nentambo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka noboya obudaywe baba nsomi ngokubomvu nendwangu ebomvu ngokunsomi.” Cishe eziningi zalezi zindwangu kwaphunywa nazo eGibhithe ngesikhathi sofuduko. Lalinakwa ngokukhethekile ikhethini elibanzi elimibalabala elifekethiswe ngezithombe zamakherubi futhi lihlukanisa “iNgcwele neNgcwelengcwele” engxenyeni engaphakathi yetabernakele. (Eksodusi 26:1, 31-33) Imininingwane efanayo yaphindwa kulabo ababesebenza ngezindwangu zethempeli eJerusalema beqondiswa iNkosi uSolomoni.—2 IziKronike 2:1, 7.

Lapho sifunda imininingwane eseBhayibhelini, singabona ukuthi amaHebheru ayezikhandla futhi engongoti ekusebenziseni izinto ayenazo ngaleso sikhathi. Asiboni nje umphakathi owawugqoka izingubo ezimpunga ezingenamihlobiso ezimbi, kodwa sibona abantu ababejabulela izimfashini ezimibalabala ezazigqokwa ezenzakalweni ezihlukahlukene, kuye ngezikhathi zonyaka nangalokho umkhaya owawukwazi ukukuthola.

IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi ama-Israyeli anikezwa izwe elihle, ‘izwe eligeleza ubisi noju’ ukuba kube yikhaya lawo. (Eksodusi 3:8; Duteronomi 26:9, 15) Njengoba ayephishekela ukukhulekela kukaJehova kweqiniso, ajabulela isibusiso sakhe. Ukuphila kwakumnandi, abantu babejabule futhi benelisekile. Ngokwesibonelo, iBhayibheli liyasitshela: “UJuda no-Israyeli bahlala ngokulondeka, wonke umuntu ngaphansi komvini wakhe nangaphansi komkhiwane wakhe, kusukela kwaDani kuya eBheri-sheba, zonke izinsuku [zeNkosi uSolomoni].”—1 AmaKhosi 4:25.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe emakhasini 26, 27]

Uvolo Nelineni

Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli, ngokuyinhloko izimvu zazifuyelwa ubisi novolo wazo. Ezimvwini ezimbalwa umfuyi wayethola uvolo owanele wezingubo zomndeni wakhe. Uma enezimvu eziningi, wayengadayisela umenzi wezindwangu wendawo uvolo osele. Eminye imizi namadolobha yayinabenzi bezindwangu bakhona. Kusukela ezikhathini zakudala, ukugundwa kwezimvu kwakwenziwa njalo ngonyaka.—Genesise 31:19; 38:13; 1 Samuweli 25:4, 11.

Ilineni, indwangu ethandwayo yezimpahla, yayenziwa ngemicu yesitshalo sefilakisi. (Eksodusi 9:31) Lesi sitshalo sasivunwa lapho sesikhule ngokwanele. Isiqu saso sasibekwa elangeni ukuze some bese sicwiliswa emanzini ukuthambisa izingxenye zaso eziwukhuni. Lapho sesomile sasigqulwa bese kuhlungwa ukotini, wawube usuphothwa ulungele ukwelukwa. Abantu basebukhosini nezikhulu babezithanda izingubo ezenziwe ngelineni elicolekile.

[Isithombe]

Isitshalo esomile sefilakisi ngaphambi kokuba sifakwe emanzini

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 27]

Ukuphotha

Umucu owodwa—njengowefilakisi, uvolo noma uboya bembuzi—ulula kakhulu futhi mfushane kakhulu ukuba ungasetshenziswa. Ngakho kuthathwa imicu eminingana ihlanganiswe ndawonye noma iphothwe ukuze kuphume intambo eqinile nende ngokwanele. Lapho likhuluma ‘ngomfazi onekhono,’ iBhayibheli lithi: “Welulelé izandla zakhe othini lokubamba imicu, izandla zakhe zibamba uthi lokuphotha.” (IzAga 31:10, 19) Lokhu kuchaza inqubo yokuphotha kusetshenziswa izinti ezimbili kuphela, okuwuthi lokubamba imicu nolokuphotha.

Ngesinye isandla, owesifazane ubamba uthi lokubamba imicu oluthandelwe ngemicu elengayo. Ngesinye uhosha imicu ethile ayisonte ibe intambo abese eyihhaka enkintshweni yothi lokuphotha. Olunye uhlangothi lothi lokuphotha lunesondo elinesisindo, elibizwa ngokuthi i-whorl, leli sondo ligcina uthi lokuphotha luzungeza. Ulengisa uthi lokuphotha abese elokhu eluphendula, njengoba enza kanjalo imicu iyaphothana ibe intambo eqinile. Le ntambo esiphothiwe izithandela othini lokuphotha, iqhubeka izithandela kuze kube yilapho wonke uvolo osothini lokubamba umucu uba yintambo ende esilungele ukudaywa noma ukwelukwa.

[Ibhokisi/Izithombe emakhasini 28, 29]

Ukudaya

Ngemva kokuphothwa nokuwashwa, uvolo kanye nemicu yefilakisi—noma ingubo eyelukiwe—kudaywa ngezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zemibala. Ukucwiliswa kaningi kudayi kwenza ukuba umbala ubambele empahleni. Ngenxa yokuthi uyabiza, udayi osele uyakhanywa ukuze uphinde usetshenziswe ngemva kokuba indwangu isikhishiwe emphongolweni. Intambo edayiwe noma ingubo ibe isinekwa ukuze yome.

Abantu basendulo babengenayo imibala esiyenziwe, ngakho bazisungulela odayi abahlala njalo bezinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zemibala ngezilwane noma ngezitshalo. Ngokwesibonelo, udayi ophuzi wawenziwa ngamaqabunga e-alimondi nangamakhasi ehalananda, kanti udayi omnyama wawenziwa ngamagxolo esihlahla sehalananda. Udayi obomvu wawukhishwa ezimpandeni zesihlahla se-madder noma ezinambuzaneni ezihlala esihlahleni se-kermes. Umbala oluhlaza wawutholakala ezimbalini ze-indigo. Ingxube yemibala evela eminenkeni yohlobo lwe-murex ehlala olwandle ingakhipha imibala esuka konsomi wasebukhosini kuya koluhlaza nobomvu klebhu.

Mingaki iminenke eyayidingeka ukuze kudaywe ingubo? Umnenke owodwa ukhipha udayi omncane kabi kangangokuthi olunye ucwaningo luthi kudingeka engaba ngu-10 000 ukuze kudaywe ingubo eyodwa noma isiphuku sibe nombala onsomi wasebukhosini. Phakathi nokubusa kweNkosi uNabonidasi waseBhabhiloni, uvolo odaywe ngokunsomi kuthiwa wawubiza ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-40 kunovolo odaywe ngeminye imibala. Ngenxa yokuthi iThire lasendulo lalaziwa ngokukhiqiza udayi obizayo, umbala onsomi wagcina sewaziwa ngokuthi okunsomi kwaseThire.

[Izithombe]

Igobolondo lomnenke wasolwandle

Umphongolo kadayi onsomi wangekhulu lesibili noma lesithathu leminyaka  B.C.E. owatholakala eTel Dor, kwa-Israel

[Umthombo]

The Tel Dor Project

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Ukweluka

Kusetshenziswa uhlaka lokweluka indwangu oluthi alufane nolokweluka icansi ukweluka imicu ibe ingubo ekahle noma enye into. Imicu imiswa ibheke ezansi eminye ivundliswe ukuze yelukwe. Ibe seyelukwa iphanjaniswa isuswa ngaphansi iye ngaphezulu, nengaphezulu iyiswe ngaphansi.

Uhlaka lokweluka olwalusetshenziswa ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli lwaluvundliswa, lulaliswe phansi, noma lumiswe lubheke phezulu. Kwezinye izinhlaka ezazimiswa zibheke phezulu, imicu elengayo yayifakwa izinto ezithile ezinesisindo ngasekugcineni. Lezi zinto zakudala ziye zatholakala ezindaweni eziningi zakwa-Israyeli.

Ukweluka kwakuvame ukuba umsebenzi wasekhaya kodwa kwezinye izindawo bonke abantu basendaweni babewenza behlangene lo msebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, kweyo-1 IziKronike 4:21, kukhulunywa ‘ngendlu yabasebenza ngendwangu ecolekile,’ okusobala ukuthi kwakuyinhlangano yezisebenzi ezisebenza ukweluka.

[Isithombe emakhasini 26, 27]

‘Intambo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka noboya obudaywe baba nsomi.’—Eksodusi 26:1