Uphawu ‘LukaJukhali’

NGEKHULU lesi-7 B.C.E., umbusi wamaKhaledi uNebukhadinezari wanqoba iJerusalema, washisa umuzi futhi wabhidliza nezindonga zawo. Wathumba futhi waphuphuthekisa uZedekiya, inkosi yakwaJuda. Ngaphezu kwalokho, “zonke izicukuthwane zakwaJuda inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yazibulala.”—Jeremiya 39:1-8.

Esinye sezicukuthwane noma izikhulu zakwaJuda ezabulawa abaseBhabhiloni cishe kwakunguJukhali, indodana kaShelemiya. Kunokuthile okuvele muva nje ngendaba kaJukhali. Nokho, ngaphambi kokuba siyihlole, masiqale ngokubona ukuthi imiBhalo isitshelani ngoJukhali nangosuku lwakhe.

“Ngeke Bakunqobe”

UJehova wathuma umprofethi uJeremiya ukuba amemezele isigijimi sesahlulelo ngokumelene noJuda neJerusalema. UNkulunkulu watshela uJeremiya ukuthi amakhosi akwaJuda, izikhulu, abapristi nabantu ‘babeyokulwa’ naye. UJehova wathi: “Kodwa ngeke bakunqobe, ngoba ‘mina nginawe.’”—Jeremiya 1:17-19.

Ngesikhathi abaseBhabhiloni bevimbezele ikomkhulu lakwaJuda, iJerusalema, iNkosi uZedekiya yathumela izithunywa kabili kuJeremiya ukuyokuzwa ukuthi uNebukhadinezari wayezohoxa yini emzini nokucela lo mprofethi ukuba athandazele ukuba lokho kwenzeke. Esinye sezithunywa zale nkosi kwakunguJukhali, owaziwa nangokuthi uJehukali. Isigijimi uNkulunkulu asinika uJeremiya sathi abaseBhabhiloni, noma amaKhaledi, babezowubhubhisa umuzi. Noma iziphi izakhamuzi zaseJerusalema ezaziqhubeka zihleli kuwo zaziyobulawa indlala, isifo esiwumshayabhuqe nenkemba. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, lezo ezaziphuma ziye kumaKhaledi zaziyosinda. Yeka ukuthi la mazwi kaJeremiya azithukuthelisa kanjani izikhulu zakwaJuda!—Jeremiya 21:1-10; 37:3-10; 38:1-3.

UJukhali wayengesinye sezikhulu ezagqugquzela uZedekiya: “Sicela ukuba lo muntu [uJeremiya] abulawe, ngoba . . . [wenza] buthaka . . . izandla zamadoda empi.” UJukhali omubi wayemdibi munye futhi nalabo abaphonsa uJeremiya emthonjeni onodaka, lo mprofethi ophulwa kuwo kamuva. (Jeremiya 37:15; 38:4-6) UJeremiya wasinda lapho kubhujiswa iJerusalema, ngoba walalela uJehova, kodwa kusobala ukuthi uJukhali wafa lapho isimiso ayethembele kuso sibhujiswa.

Isiphetho Esithakazelisayo

Kungase kushiwo ukuthi isiphetho sendaba kaJukhali “silotshwe” muva nje ngo-2005 eJerusalema. Izazi zemivubukulo zazimba endaweni lapho zazicabanga ukuthi isigodlo seNkosi uDavide sasikhona. Zathola isakhiwo esikhulu samatshe ezikholelwa ukuthi sabhidlizwa ngesikhathi abaseBhabhiloni bebhubhisa iJerusalema osukwini lukaJeremiya.

Ukuthi yisona yini isigodlo sikaDavide noma cha akukaqinisekwa. Nokho, kunento eyodwa izazi zemivubukulo ezakwazi ukuthola ukuthi iyini—uphawu lobumba oluyisentimitha elilodwa oluboniswe ekhasini 14. Lwaluqinise incwadi manje esidlekile yaba izicucu. Lolu phawu lufundeka kanje: “OlukaYehukali indodana kaShelemiyahu indodana kaShovi.” Lo mbhalo cishe wagxivizwa ngophawu lwesitha sikaJeremiya uYehukali, noma uJukhali, indodana kaShelemiya.

Isazi sezemivubukulo u-Eilat Mazar, esafunda lolu phawu, sibhala ukuthi uJehukali nguyena kuphela “oyisikhulu sesibili sasebukhosini,” esilandela uGemariya, indodana kaShafani, ogama lakhe livela ophawini olwatholakala eMzini KaDavide.a

Ukuba nokholo eZwini likaNkulunkulu akuxhomekile ekutholakaleni kwanoma imiphi imivubukulo; kodwa ukugcwaliseka kwesiprofetho esiphefumulelwe yikhona okuyisisekelo esiqinile sokukholelwa eBhayibhelini. Amaqiniso angokomlando afakazela ukuthi uJeremiya wabikezela ngokunembile ngokuphathelene nokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Isiphetho esihlazisayo sezitha zikaJeremiya kufanele siqinise ukukholelwa kwethu ukuthi uma sithembekile njengoJeremiya, izitha zethu ‘ngeke zisinqobe ngoba uJehova unathi.’

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 15]

UJeremiya akazange avume ukuthambisa isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 14]

Gabi Laron/Institute of Archaeology/Hebrew University ©Eilat Mazar