‘Izwe Eligeleza Ubisi Noju’
NGESIKHATHI uJehova uNkulunkulu ekhulula ama-Israyeli eGibhithe, wawathembisa ukuwayisa “ezweni eligeleza ubisi noju.”—Eksodusi 3:8.
Lapho esefikile eZweni Lesithembiso, afuya izinkomo, izimvu nezimbuzi, ngakho ubisi lwalungangamanzi okuphala izikhumba. Nokho, kuthiwani ngoju? Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi leli gama lisho usulubha omnandi wezithelo zamasundu, zamakhiwane noma zamagilebhisi. Izikhathi eziningi lapho iBhayibheli likhuluma ngokuqondile ngoju lwezinyosi lisuke lisho uju lwasendle, hhayi uju lwezinyosi ezazigcinwa ndawana-thile ukuze zakhe uju. (AbaHluleli 14:8, 9; 1 Samuweli 14:27; Mathewu 3:1, 4) Ingabe ngempela leli zwe ‘laligeleza’ uju nobisi?
Okutholakale muva nje lapho kuvubukulwa kwa-Israyeli wanamuhla kusinika isithombe esicacile. Nakhu okwashiwo yisitatimende esakhishwa yiHebrew University: “UProfesa (Amihai) Mazar uthi indawo yezinyosi etholwe abavubukuli muva nje indala kakhulu uma iqhathaniswa nezindawo ezake zavubukulwa eMpumalanga yasendulo. Kuhlawumbiselwa ukuthi le ndawo eyangekhulu leshumi kuya kwelesi-9 B.C.E.”
Abavubukuli bathola izidleke zezinyosi ezingaphezu kuka-30 ezazakhiwe zaba yizinhlu ezintathu, futhi balinganisela ukuthi yonke leyo ndawo yayingaba nezidleke ezingaba yikhulu. Lapho kuhlolwa lezi zidleke, kwatholakala izingxenyana zemizimba yezinyosi namaqhezwana ezinsalela zoju. Izazi zilinganisela ukuthi “cishe kwakutholakala isigamu samathani oju unyaka ngamunye kulezo zidleke zezinyosi.”
Endulo, uju lwalungagcini nje ngokuba ukudla okwehla esiphundu. Lwalusetshenziswa nangabantu abasebenza ngensimbi nesikhumba. Lwalusetshenziswa nasezingqwembeni zokubhala. Lezo zingqwembe zazifakwa amapulangwe ezinhlangothini bese indawo okubhalelwa kuyo ikhuhlwa ngengcina yezinyosi eyayiphinde incibilikiswe ukuze kuphindwe kubhalwe kulezo zingqwembe. Ngemva kokuthola lokhu, yisiphi isiphetho abavubukuli abafika kuso?
Isitatimende siqhubeka sithi “nakuba iBhayibheli lingasitsheli lutho ngokufuywa kwezinyosi kwa-Israyeli ngaleso sikhathi, ukutholakala kwezidleke zezinyosi eTel Rehov kubonisa ukuthi ukufuywa kwezinyosi ngenjongo yokuthola uju kwakuwumsebenzi owawudlondlobele ngisho nangenkathi yeThempeli Lokuqala [LikaSolomoni]. Ngakho-ke, kungenzeka ukuthi igama elithi ‘uju’ elivela eBhayibhelini lisho lona kanye uju lwezinyosi.”
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]
Institute of Archaeology/Hebrew University © Tel Rehov Excavations