Ukubhaka Ngezikhathi ZeBhayibheli
EKHAYA lamaHeberu ukubhakwa kwe-zinkwa namaqebelengwane kwakuwumsebenzi oyinhloko wabesifazane, nakuba izigqila zazibhaka emikhayeni enabantu abaningi. Ekhulumela uJehova, uSamuweli watshela ama-Israyeli, ayecele inkosi engumuntu: “Iyakuthatha amadodakazi enu abe ngabathaki, nabapheki, nabaphekizinkwa.” (1 Samuweli 8:13) Nokho, amadoda ayengase awengamele lo msebenzi noma nawo ngokwawo abhake, njengoba kuboniswa izenzo zikaLoti lapho evakashelwe izingelosi ezimbili eSodoma. “Wenza isinkwa esingenamvubelo, zadla” idili elalilungiselelwe.—Genesise 19:1-3.
Ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli isinkwa ngokuvamile sasibhakelwa kohhavini. Nokho, ngezinye izikhathi kwakubhakwa ngokubasa umlilo phezu kwamatshe ayebekwe ndawonye. Lapho eseshisa kahle, umlotha wawupheshethelwa eceleni bese kubekwa inhlama phezu kwamatshe. Ngemva kwesikhashana, iqebelengwane laliphendulwa bese lishiywa phezu kwalamatshe lize livuthwe kahle. (Hoseya 7:8) Abantu abasendleleni babengase babhake isinkwa esimahhadla emgodini ongajulile ogcwele izimbokodo ezincane ezishisayo, obekubaselwe umlilo phezu kwazo. Ngemva kokuba umlotha usususiwe, inhlama yayibekwa kula matshe ashisayo, mhlawumbe ilokhu iphendulwa kaningana ngesikhathi isinkwa sivuthwa.—1 AmaKhosi 19:6.
Ngokusobala umphekizinkwa wasebukhosini wayeyindoda ebaluleke ngandlela-thile eGibithe lasendulo. Umdwebo wasodongeni osethuneni likaRamses III eValley of the Kings eThebes ubonisa ibhikawozi lasebukhosini baseGibithe lisebenza ngokugcwele, ubonisa ukuxovwa kwenhlama ngezinyawo, ukwenziwa kwamaqebelengwane ezinkwa, nokulungiswa kukahhavini. Njengoba kulandiswa kuGenesise, omunye umphekizinkwa wasebukhosini baseGibithe waba nedumela elibi ngoba wona enkosini futhi wafakwa etilongweni. Elapho waphupha iphupho azibona kulo ethwele amaqoma amathathu ezinkwa ekhanda lakhe, kunezinyoni ezazidla eqomeni elingaphezulu. Ngosuku lwesithathu lo mphekizinkwa wakhishwa, ‘waphanyekwa,’ ngaleyondlela kugcwaliseka incazelo kaJosefa.—Genesise 40:1-3, 16-22.
Iminikelo yokusanhlamvu eyayenziwa ama-Israyeli ngokuvamile ‘yayingokuthile okuphekwe eziko, okuphekwe ngomqengele noma okuphekwe ngokhamba.’ (Levitikusi 2:4-7) Umqengele kwakuyipuleti lobumba eliwugqinsi elinesifaca (ufana nesitsha sensimbi sesimanje sokubhaka i-waffle), nakuba nemiqengele yensimbi yayisetshenziswa.—Hezekeli 4:3.
Ababhaki abangochwepheshe babeqhuba ibhizinisi emadolobheni. Ngesikhathi uJeremiya eboshiwe eGcekeni Letilongo eJerusalema phakathi nesikhathi sendlala ngaphambi kokuchithwa kwalowomuzi ngo-607 B.C.E., wayenikezwa nsuku zonke iqebelengwane lesinkwa “livela esiTaladini sabaPhekizinkwa,” kwaze kwaphela izinkwa. (Jeremiya 37:21) Ngakho, ababhaki ababebhakela ukudayisa ngokusobala babethengisela emgwaqweni othile eJerusalema. Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, lapho izingange zeJerusalema zivuselelwa ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaNehemiya, “noMbhoshongo wamaZiko” walungiswa futhi. (Nehemiya 3: 11; 12:38) Akuqinisekwa ukuthi lombhoshongo waqanjwa kanjani leligama, kodwa kungenzeka ukuthi waqanjwa leligama lawo elingavamile ngenxa yokuthi ohhavini bababhaki ababhakela ukudayisa babelapho.