Ingabe Bewazi?

Ingabe iJerusalema lake lazungezwa ngezigxobo ezicijile, njengoba uJesu ayebikezele?

UJesu washo lokhu lapho eprofetha ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema: “Uzofikelwa izinsuku lapho izitha zakho zizokwakha uthango nxazonke zakho ngezigxobo ezicijile zikuzungeze futhi zikucindezele nhlangothi zonke.” (Luka 19:43) Amazwi kaJesu agcwaliseka ngo-70 C.E. lapho amaRoma eyalwa uTitus ukuba akhe udonga avimbezele umuzi. Zintathu izinto uTitus ayezihlosile—ukuvimba amaJuda ukuba angabaleki, ukuwenza acele umaluju nokulambisa izakhamuzi kuze kube yilapho zizithoba kuye.

UFlavius Josephus, isazi-mlando sekhulu lokuqala, uthi ngemva nje ngokuba kwenziwe isinqumo sokuba kwakhiwe udonga, amaqembu ahlukahlukene ebutho laseRoma aqhudelana ukuze abone ukuthi yiliphi elaliyoqeda kuqala ukwakha udonga. Kwagawulwa izihlahla endaweni engaba amakhilomitha angu-16 ezungeze lo muzi, futhi udonga, olungamakhilomitha angu-7 uma uluzungeza, lwaqedwa ngezinsuku ezintathu nje kuphela. UJosephus uthi lokho “kwawaqeda nya amathemba okuthi amaJuda ayosinda.” Lo muzi wahlaselwa yindlala, kwaqubuka nezimpi phakathi kwawo futhi ngemva kwezinyanga ezinhlanu, amaRoma awuthatha.

Ingabe iNkosi uHezekiya yawakha ngempela umhubhe oya eJerusalema?

UHezekiya wayeyinkosi yakwaJuda eyabusa ekupheleni kwekhulu lesi-8 B.C.E, isikhathi lapho yayibambene ngezihluthu nombuso onamandla wama-Asiriya. IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi wenza lukhulu ukuze avikele iJerusalema futhi alondoloze nemithombo yamanzi. Phakathi kwezinto azenza, wakha umhubhe noma umsele ongamamitha angu-533 ubude ukuze ulethe amanzi emzini.—2 AmaKhosi 20:20; 2 IziKronike 32:1-7, 30.

Lo mhubhe uze watholakala ngekhulu le-19. Wabe usubizwa ngokuthi uMhubhe KaHezekiya noma uMhubhe WaseSilowama. Ngaphakathi kwatholakala umbhalo owawuchaza ingxenye yokugcina yokugujwa kwawo. Ubukhulu nokuma kwezinhlamvu zalo mbhalo kwenza izazi eziningi zikholelwe ukuthi owangosuku lukaHezekiya. Nokho, eminyakeni eyishumi edlule, ezinye izazi zasikisela ukuthi lo mhubhe wakhiwa eminyakeni engaba ngu-500 kamuva. Ngo-2003, iqembu lososayensi bakwa-Israyeli lanyathelisa imiphumela yocwaningo lwalo olwaluhloselwe ukuthola usuku oluqondile lwalo mhubhe. Bafinyelela kusiphi isiphetho?

UDkt. Amos Frumkin waseHebrew University of Jerusalem uthi: “Ukuhlolwa kwe-carbon-14 esakwenza ngezinto eziphilayo kusimende woMhubhe WaseSilowama, kanye nokwe-uranium-thorium yamaqhwa alengayo akulo mhubhe, kufakazela ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi wakhiwa ngenkathi kaHezekiya.” Isihloko esavela ephephabhukwini lesayensi i-Nature siyanezela: “Ubufakazi obuthathu obuhlukahlukene—isikhathi se-radiometric, ukufundwa kwemibhalo yasendulo nomlando ogciniwe—bonke bukhomba cishe ku-700 BC, okwenza uMhubhe WaseSilowama kube yisona sakhiwo sasendulo esaziwa kangcono ukuthi esanini emlandweni weBhayibheli.”