Ikusasa Lenkolo Uma Kubhekwa Isikhathi Sayo Esidlule

Ingxenye 3—1942-1513 B.C.E.—IGibithe—Inkundla Yempi Yonkulunkulu

“Ngaphezulu nangaphansi kwayo yonke into yaseGibithe kwakunenkolo.”—UWill Durant, umlobi nesazi-mlando sekhulu lama-20 leminyaka.

IZAKHAMUZI zakuqala zaseGibithe zaziyinzalo yendodana kaNowa uHamu, ngokunokwenzeka ngendodana kaHamu uMizrayimu, ubab’ omncane kaNimrode. (Genesise 10:6-8) Ngemva kokusanganiswa kwezilimi eBabele, abakhi bombhoshongo abangaphumelelanga bahlakazeka ukuze benze isiqalo esisha, behamba nenkolo yabo yaseBabiloni. Abanye balabobakhi abakhungathekile bahlala endaweni eyaziwa ngokuthi iGibithe.

KuThe Story of Civilization, uWill Durant ukhuluma ‘ngokuthathwa kwamasiko athile aseGibithe eSumeri naseBabiloni.’ Kanjalo, inkolo yaseBabiloni yashiya uphawu olujulile eGibithe, futhi inkolo yaba isici esiyinhloko ekuphileni kwaseGibithe. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Ukuphila okungokwesiko nokungokwenhlalo kwakugcwele imibono engokwenkolo kangangokuba akunakwenzeka ukuqonda isiko laseGibithe ngaphandle kokuqonda inkolo yaseGibithe, nokuqonda inkolo yaseGibithe akunakwenzeka ngaphandle kokuqonda isiko lakhona.”

Ukuguquguquka Nokuphikisana

Inkolo yaseGibithe yayinonkulunkulu abaningi, abaphawulwa ngonkulunkulu abangaphezu kwama-500, futhi ngokunokwenzeka abaningi ngokuphindwe kabili kunalokho. Isazi samasiko asendulo aseGibithe uE. A. Wallis Budge sithi: “Ngokuvamile kulo lonke elaseGibithe onkulunkulu bomuzi babehamba ngabathathu.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwaba khona uziquzintathu oyinhloko, umkhaya ongcwele owakhiwa uOsiris, ubaba; uIsis, umama; noHorus, umntwana.

Ukukhulekela onkulunkulu abaningi kwaphumela ekutheni onkulunkulu abaningi bathi ‘bawunkulunkulu okunguyena yena.’ Kodwa abapristi nezazi zenkolo ngokusobala abazange babone nkinga ekukholelweni kunkulunkulu oyedwa futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo bambheke njengokhona ngezimo eziningi. Umlobi uB. Mertz uphawula ukuthi lokhu “kumane nje kungesinye sezibonelo zalokho kuguquguquka okuhle okuphawuleka kakhulu enkolweni yaseGibithe.”

Ngokuvamile izilwane zazisetshenziselwa ukuba zimelele izimfanelo zonkulunkulu noma ngisho nonkulunkulu ngokwabo. Kodwa umlobi ongumFulentshi uFernand Hazan uthi lezilwane zazingaphezu nje kokuba izifanekiselo, njengoba zazicatshangelwa njengezifanele ukuhlonishwa “ngenxa yokuthi zaziyindawo lapho kukhona amandla emilingo amahle noma ayingozi.” Khona-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi isakhamuzi saseRoma kubikwa ukuthi sabulawa kungathethwangacala ngenxa yokubulala ikati nokuthi kuye kwatholakala izidumbu ezomisiwe zezinja, amakati, izingwenya, izinkozi, kanye nezinkunzi zezinkomo emathuneni aseGibithe.

Izinkonzo ezinemicikilisho, imigilingwane, nezenzo zemilingo kwakugxile kakhulu enkolweni yaseGibithe. Kwakungokufanayo futhi nangokusetshenziswa kwezithombe nezifanekiselo, njengesifanekiselo sokuphila, isiphambano. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, ithi, lezizinto zazinikezwa ukuvelela okukhulu kangangokuba “ukholo lomuntu (okungukuthi, ukukhulekela komuntu siqu) kwakungabalulekile kakhulu.” Yenezela ngokuthi phakathi kwezithombe, “leso sikaIsis enengane uHorus ethangeni lakhe, mhlawumbe esifana nesikaMadonna eneNgane, singesiphawuleka kakhulu.”

Abantu baseGibithe babekholelwa ekuphileni ngemva kokufa. Izidumbu zabo babezomisa futhi balondoloze izidumbu zamakhosi aseGibithe ezindaweni zokungcwaba ezikhangayo. Omunye umlobi ukubeka ngokuthi, emathuneni akudala kuye kwatholakala “izinto ezinhle ezidabukisayo kodwa ezibalulekile njengezitsha zobumba ezineziqholo, ubuhlalu, namabhodwe ake aphatha ukudla neziphuzo.”

Amagalelo Ayishumi Ayisa Ekubhujisweni

Ngo-1728 B.C.E., kwenzeka okuthile okwakuzoba nemiphumela ebuhlungu ngeGibithe nenkolo yalo. Cishe emakhulwini amabili eminyaka ngemva kokuba indoda okuthiwa uAbrahama ivakashele eGibithe, abantwana bayo bathuthela lapho ukuze babalekele imiphumela yendlala enkulu. (Genesise 12:10; 46:6, 7) Bahlala lapho iminyaka engama-215, baziwa ngokuthi amaIsrayeli. Lokhu kwalungisa inkundla yempi yonkulunkulu, onkulunkulu abaningi baseGibithe bengakolunye uhlangothi noNkulunkulu oyedwa wamaIsrayeli, uJehova, engakolunye uhlangothi. Lapho amaIsrayeli ecela imvume yokuphuma eGibithe ukuze ayomkhulekela, ngokushesha izinto zafinyelela umvuthwandaba.

Umbusi waseGibithe, ufaro,a okuyisiqu esasuselwa egameni laseGibithe elisho “indlu enkulu,” wasenqaba isicelo sabo. Khona-ke uJehova wabonakalisa injongo yakhe yokuba asebenzise amandla akhe ngendlela eyisimangaliso ngenxa yabantu bakhe. (Eksodusi 7:1-6; 9:13-16) Ngokuletha uchungechunge lwamagalelo ayishumi eGibithe, wabekela onkulunkulu balo inselele empini yokubambana ngezihluthu.—Eksodusi 12:12.

Igalelo lokuqala lashintsha uMfula iNayili, umfula oyinhloko eGibithe, waba yigazi, ubulala izinhlanzi zawo futhi uphoqelela abaseGibithe ukuba bambe ukuze bathole amanzi okuphuza. (Eksodusi 7:19-24) Yeka ukuhlazeka kukaHapi, unkulunkulu weNayili!

Ixoxo laliwuphawu lokukhiqiza, futhi incwadi ‘iThe Gods of the Egyptians isitshela ukuthi “unkulunkulu uXoxo kanye nonkulunkulukazi uXoxo kwakukholelwa ukuthi babefeze izindima ezibalulekile ekudalweni komhlaba.” Ngakho uhlupho lwamaxoxo, ngaphandle kokuhlaza labonkulunkulu bokukhiqiza njengoOsiris, uPtah, noSebek, lwathobisa ngisho nonkulunkulu bendalo baseGibithe.—Eksodusi 8:1-6.

Izanusi zaseGibithe azizange zikwazi ukulingisa igalelo lesithathu njengoba zazenzile ngawokuqala amabili. (Eksodusi 8:16-18)

UThoth, inkosi yemilingo, wayeselahlekelwe amandla akhe emilingo. Futhi uGeb, unkulunkulu womhlaba, akazange akwazi ukuvimbela “uthuli lomhlaba” ukuba luphenduke omiyane.

Kusukela ngegalelo lesine, kwadwebeka umugqa wokuhlukanisa phakathi kweGosheni, indawo yomphakathi wamaIsrayeli eGibithe Esezansi, kanye nalo lonke izwe. Lapho iGosheni yayingathintwa inhlupho yezibawu, ezinye izingxenye zeGibithe zonakaliswa. (Eksodusi 8:20-24) UButo, unkulunkulukazi ongumlondolozi, kanye nonkulunkulu uHorus babengasakwazi nhlobo ukulawula izenzakalo kuleyongxenye yezwe ababeyinakekela—iGibithe Esezansi.

UHathor wayengunkulunkulukazi onekhanda lenkomo. UNut, unkulunkulukazi wesibhakabhaka, naye wayevezwa njengenkomo. Yeka ukuthi kwabathobisa kanjani bobabili lapho isifo sibangela ukuba ‘yonke imfuyo yaseGibithe, ife’ egalelweni lesihlanu!—Eksodusi 9:6.

UThoth kuthiwa wayazi “lonke uhlobo lomlingo oludingekile ukuze kwelashwe ogulayo.” Futhi isigaba sama-70 senkondlo eyabhalelwa ukudumisa uAmonRa, sithi wayewudokotela “osusa ububi futhi aqede izifo.” Kodwa bobabili labaphilisi bemilingo bahluleka ukuvimbela “amathumba aqhamuka nezilonda kubantu nasezinkomeni,” ngisho ‘nasezanusini,’ egalelweni lesithupha.—Eksodusi 9:10, 11.

Onkulunkulu uShu, uReshpu, noTefnut babesiza ekulawuleni isimo sezulu. Kodwa njengoba kunjalo ngababikezeli bezulu banamuhla behluleka ukuvimbela ukushaya kombani nesichotho lokho egalelweni lesikhombisa okwaceka abantu, izilwane, nezitshalo futhi ‘kwashaya yonke imifino yasendle.’ (Eksodusi 9:25) Lokho isichotho esehluleka ukukubhubhisa kwadliwa isikhonyane segalelo lesishiyagalombili. (Eksodusi 10:12-15) Yeka ukunqotshwa ngoMin, unkulunkulu wesivuno, lowo owayebambe ukuduma kwezulu esandleni sakhe sokudla, okucatshangelwa ukuthi wayelawula ukuduma kwezulu nombani! Kokubili kwaphunyuka esandleni sakhe phakathi nalezinhlupho ezimbili.

Ngegalelo lesishiyagalolunye “kwabakhona isigayegaye esinzima ezweni lonke laseGibithe izinsuku ezintathu.” (Eksodusi 10:21, 22) URa, unkulunkulu welanga; uSekhmet, unkulunkulukazi owayegqoke indingilizi yelanga; noThoth, unkulunkulu wenyanga, ukukhanya kwabo kwacishwa ngokoqobo.

Yeka isililo esaba khona lapho amazibulo aseGibithe ebulawa ngokungazelele, kushiywa ‘kungekhondlu, lapho kungafangamuntu khona,’ kuhlanganise ‘nendlu enkulu’ kaFaro! (Eksodusi 12:29, 30) Njengoba uFaro ayecatshangelwa ukuthi uyinzalo kankulunkulu welanga uRa, ukufa okuzumayo kwezibulo lakhe kwakulingana nokufa kukankulunkulu. Yeka ukunqotshwa okushaqisayo ngoBes, umvikeli wendlu yasebukhosini, noButo, umvikeli wenkosi!

Ehlazisiwe futhi ethotshisiwe—hhayi kanye kodwa kayishumi—eshisekela ukuziphindiselela, uFaro namabutho akhe baphaphatheka balandela amaIsrayeli ayehamba. (Eksodusi 12:37, 41, 51; 14:8) Idumisa uFaro owayengaziwa kakhulu uNimaatRe, inkondlo yasendulo yake yaqhosha yathi: “Lwelani igama lakhe . . . Alikho ithuna lesihlubuki esimelana nobukhosi bakhe, futhi isidumbu saso silahlelwa emanzini.” Kodwa ngokuphathelene noFaro owayebe nokuhlangenwe nakho kokuncishiswa kwesikhathi kwaphezulu okuyisa ekubhujisweni, kwakuyisidumbu sakhe siqu esafakwa emanzini. “UFaro, owayewumfanekiso kankulunkulu uHorus lapha emhlabeni, indlalifa yobukhosi buka-Atum, indodana kankulunkulu welanga uRe [Ra],” njengoba enye incwadi imbiza kanjalo, wayefe oLwandle Olubomvu ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu wamaIsrayeli ayehlubuke ebukhosini bakhe.—Eksodusi 14:19-28; IHubo 136:15.

Ingabe Lokhu Kwenzeka Ngempela?

Ngokuphawulekayo, iThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, nakuba ithi indaba kaEksodusi ‘inezindaba eziyizinganekwane,’ nokho iyavuma ukuthi “izazi zanamuhla zithambekela ekukholelweni ukuthi ngale kwalezozinganekwane kuneqiniso elingenakuphikiswa.” Ikhuluma ngobunzima bokuthola iminyaka yohlanga lwamakhosi aseGibithe ngokohlu lwamakhosi, iBritannica futhi ithi: “Ukungabi nangqondo kwalezizinhlu njengemibhalo engokomlando kuwukuthi zihlanganisa kuphela amagama amakhosi ayebhekwa njengafanelwe udumo; amakhosi amaningi anesizotha nathile ayengathandwa awabalwa nhlobo—ayakhishwa embhalweni.”

Njengoba kunokunganembi okungaka komlando nokusontwa kwamaqiniso, ingabe kuyamangalisa ukuthi lokhu kunqotshwa okubhubhisayo kweGibithe nonkulunkulu balo bamanga kwamane nje “kwakhishwa”? Lokhu kuba sobala lapho sikhumbula ukuthi labo ababhala umlando bakwenza lokho beqondiswa abapristi, ngokusobala abasithakazelo sabo esiyinhloko sasiwukulondoloza isikhundla sabo nokuphakamisa udumo lonkulunkulu babo.

Uma kubhekwa lezozenzakalo zasendulo, ikusasa alibikezeli okuhle nganoma ubani osekela ozakwabo benkolo yaseGibithe banamuhla. Yilabo kuphela ababeqhuba inkolo yeqiniso—amaIsrayeli nabangane bawo baseGibithe—abasinda empini yonkulunkulu bangaba namyocu. Manje base begcinelwe izinto ezinkulu, lesi “Isizwe Esihlukanisiwe, Esingefani Nazo Zonke Ezinye.” Funda ngakho engxenyeni 4 yaloluchungechunge.

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Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

Ngesikhathi eseGibithe, ingabe kwakungamaIsrayeli kuphela ayeqhuba inkolo yeqiniso?

Cha, ngoba, “umuntu ongenasici nolungileyo, omesaba uNkulunkulu, obalekela ububi,” wayehlala eUzi elingumakhelwane, manje okuthiwa iArabhiya. Igama lakhe lalinguJobe. Wabhekana novivinyo olunzima lobuqotho, ngokunokwenzeka esikhathini esithile phakathi nokufa kukaJosefa ngo-1657B.C.E. nokumiswa kukaMose njengenceku ethembekile kaJehova.—Jobe 1:8.

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Ababusi baseGibithe babebhekwa njengemifanekiso yonkulunkulu

[Umthombo]

Courtesy of Superintendence of Museo Egizio

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Eminye imibhoshongo yayingamathuna kanokusho okungcwaba ababusi baseGibithe