Impi YaseJeriko—Inganekwane Noma Iqiniso?
SEKUNGAMASHUMI eminyaka abavubukuli bezama ukubangela ukungabaza ngendaba yeBhayibheli kaJoshuwa nempi yaseJeriko. NgokweBhayibheli, uJoshuwa nempi kaIsrayeli bazungeza iJeriko izinsuku eziyisikhombisa, kwaze kwaba yilapho uNkulunkulu ewisa khona izindonga zomuzi ezesabekayo. Lokhu kwavumela amaIsrayeli ukuba angene futhi ‘awushise umuzi ngomlilo, nakho konke okukuwo.’—Joshuwa 6:1-24.
Kodwa abavubukuli abaningi, bethonywe umsebenzi ohlonishwa kakhulu kaKathleen Kenyon ngawo-1950, bakholelwa ukuthi iJeriko lalingekho ngisho nokuba khona phakathi nesikhathi sokuhlasela kukaIsrayeli. Phela, babekholelwa ukuthi lomuzi wabhujiswa eminyakeni engaphezu kweyikhulu ngaphambili! Ngakho, lendaba engokweBhayibheli kaJoshuwa namaIsrayeli yachithwa ngokuphelele. Nokho, muva nje, uDkt. Bryant G. Wood, umvubukuli waseYunivesithi yaseToronto, eCanada, uye wahlolisisa kabusha ubufakazi baseJeriko. NgokweNew York Times, uphethe ngokuthi uDkt. Kenyon “wayecinga uhlobo lwezitsha ezibunjiwe okungelona, futhi ezindaweni okungezona,” nokuthi empeleni ubufakazi “buvumelana ngokuphawulekayo” neBhayibheli.
UDkt. Wood ubhekisela ongwengwezini lomlotha olunogqinsi oluyimitha olugcwele izingcezu zezitsha ezibunjiwe, nezezitini zodonga olwadilika, namapulangwe, zonke zenziwe mnyama kungathi ngomlilo oshise umuzi wonke. Izingcezu zalezitsha ezibunjiwe kuye kwalinganiselwa ukuthi (ngezindlela ezikhona okuvunywayo ukuthi azinembile) ezango-1410 ngaphambi kweSikhathi sethu Esivamile, unganezela noma ususe iminyaka engu-40—okungekude neze no-1473 B.C.E., isikhathi sempi yaseJeriko esitholakala eBhayibhelini.
Abavubukuli bathole ukuthi izindlu eJeriko lasendulo zazinezinqwabanqwaba zamabele abekiwe. Lokhu kuyathakazelisa, njengoba iBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi iJeriko lawa ngokushesha ngemva kwesivuno sasentwasahlobo futhi lingahlaselwe yindlala ethatha isikhathi eside. (Joshuwa 3:14-16) Kokubili kuyizizathu ezinhle zokuthi kungani izindlu zaseJeriko zazigcwele amabele lapho umuzi ubhujiswa.
Ososayensi bancamela ukungakuvumi ukunemba kweBhayibheli. Ngakho, iTimes icaphuna esinye isazi esidumile sisho ngokuvumelana nokwatholwa uWood: “Akukho kungabaza ngokuthi ukwaziswa okuningi kakhulu okutholakala eBhayibhelini kunezinto ezingaba iqiniso kukho.” Nokho, njengoba izindaba eziningi ngokwengeziwe ezingokomBhalo zisekelwa okutholwe ososayensi nabavubukuli kwanamuhla, kuyacaca kulabo abangakhethi hlangothi ukuthi iBhayibheli alilona neze iqoqo lamanga elihamba lithi gqwá gqwá ngezinhlayiya zeqiniso. Njengoba iBhayibheli ngokwalo lisho: “UNkulunkulu uqinisile, wonke umuntu ungumqambimanga.”—Roma 3:4.
Nakuba izincazelo zamanje zalokho okuvubukulwe eJeriko zithakazelisa, amaKristu eqiniso ‘ahamba ngokukholwa, awahambi ngokubona.’ (2 Korinte 5:7) Ukholo lwawo aluxhomekanga kulokho okuvubukuliwe. Linabo ubufakazi bemivubukulo noma lingenabo, ngokuphindaphindiwe iBhayibheli liba umthombo wokwaziswa onokwethenjelwa ngokuphathelene nesikhathi esidlule, isikhathi samanje, kanye nesikhathi esizayo.—IHubo 119:105; 2 Petru 1:19-21.
[Isithombe ekhasini 7]
Amanxiwa aseJeriko, lapho uJehova anika khona amaIsrayeli ukunqoba
[Umthombo]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.