INGABE BEWAZI?

Kungani uJosefa aphuca ngaphambi kokuya kuFaro?

Ngokulandisa kukaGenesise, uFaro wayala ukuba uJosefa, isiboshwa esingumHebheru, alethwe kuye ngokushesha ukuze azochaza amaphupho akhe ayemhlupha. Kwase kuphele iminyaka eminingi uJosefa eboshiwe. Nakuba uFaro ayala ukuba alandwe ngokushesha, uJosefa waqala ngokuphuca. (Genesise 39:​20-23; 41:​1, 14) Lo mniningwane obonakala ungabalulekile ovezwa umbhali, ubonisa ukuthi uJosefa wayejwayelene namasiko aseGibhithe.

Ukungashefi intshebe kwakuyinto evamile ezizweni eziningi zasendulo, kuhlanganise nesizwe samaHebheru. Ngokuphambene nalokho, i-McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature ithi “amaGibhithe asendulo ayewukuphela kwesizwe saseMpumalanga esenqaba ukuba netshebe.”

Ingabe kwakuyintshebe kuphela ephucwayo? Umagazini i-Biblical Archaeology Review uthi amanye amasiko aseGibhithe ayedinga ukuba umuntu azilungise ngaphambi kokuya kuFaro njengalapho ezilungisela ukuya ethempelini. Esimweni esinjalo, uJosefa kwakufanele aphuce zonke izinwele ezisekhanda nezisemzimbeni wakhe.

Ukulandisa kwencwadi yezEnzo kuthi ubaba kaThimothewu wayengumGreki. Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi wayedabuka eGrisi?

Akunjalo. EmiBhalweni yakhe ephefumulelwe ngezinye izikhathi umphostoli uPawulu wayesebenzisa igama elithi amaGreki lapho ebhekisela kubo bonke abantu abangewona amaJuda. (Roma 1:16; 10:12)Akungabazeki ukuthi lokho kwabangelwa ukusetshenziswa kakhulu kolimi namasiko esiGreki ezindaweni uPawulu ayeshumayela kuzo.

Umuntu onjani owayebhekwa njengomGreki endulo? U-Isocrates, isikhulumi sasobala sase-Athene sangekhulu lesine B.C.E. sakhuluma ngokuqiniseka ngendlela isiko lamaGreki elalisakazeke ngayo emhlabeni. Sathi, “Labo ababizwa ngokuthi amaGreki yilabo abathole imfundo yethu, hhayi abantu bomdabu baseGrisi.” Ngakho kungenzeka ukuthi nakuba singaqiniseki, ubaba kaThimothewu owayengeyena umJuda nabanye uPawulu abhekisela kubo njengamaGreki, babengamaGreki ngesiko hhayi ngokuzalwa.​—IzEnzo 16:1.