UAbrahama—Umprofethi Nomngane KaNkulunkulu

AMABUTHO ahlangene amakhosi amane aseMpumalanga awela uMfula iEwufrathe. Amasha Endleleni Enkulu yeNkosi eqonde empumalanga yoMfula iJordani. Endleleni eya lapho anqoba amaRefa, amaZuzi, amaEmi, namaHori. Khona-ke, abahlaseli bayaphenduka futhi banqoba zonke izakhamuzi zaseNingizimu (eNegeb).

Iyini injongo yalomkhankaso wezempi? Phakathi kwezifunda ezihlaselwe ezingaPhesheya KweJordani neNingizimu kunomvuzo. Uyisigodi esinxanelwayo esibizwa ngokuthi iThafa laseJordani. (Genesise 13:10) Lapha, izakhamuzi zamadolobha amahlanu, iSodoma, iGomora, iAdima, iSeboyimi, neBela, ziphila ukuphila kokungakhathali kokunethezeka ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo. (Hezekeli 16:49, 50) Zake zaba ngaphansi komholi walamabutho ahlangene onelungelo elingenakuphikwa, uKedorlawomere, inkosi yaseElamu. Kodwa ziye zamhlubuka. Manje, ngaphandle kokusekelwa kwangaphandle, zibhekana nokulandisa. UKedorlawomere nabangane bakhe bezempi banqoba empini ebangelwa yilokhu kuhlubuka futhi baqala ukumasha kwabo okude bephindela ekhaya bengeve benempahla eningi abayiphangile.

Phakathi kwabathunjwa kunendoda elungile, uLoti. Ungumshana ka-Abrahama, ohlala ematendeni ezintabeni eziseduze zaseHebroni. Lapho uAbrahama ezwa ngezindaba ezibuhlungu, ngokushesha ubutha abantu bakhe abangama-318. Ngesibindi, ngosizo lomakhelwane abathile, baxosha lawomakhosi amane futhi bazuma amabutho awo ebusuku. Abahlaseli bayabaleka. ULoti nomkhaya wakhe bayafunyanwa, kanye nabanye abathunjwa nezimpahla.

Yisiphi isizathu esinaso sokuwukholelwa lomlando osesahlukweni se-14 sikaGenesise? Ingabe lendaba yaqanjwa ukuze kwenziwe lokhokho wezizwe eziningi kuhlanganise namaJuda, abe iqhawe lesizwe? Kuthiwani ngezinye izenzakalo ekuphileni kuka-Abrahama?

Lokho Okuye Kwashiwo Abefundisi

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 leminyaka, isazi semfundiso yenkolo esingumLuthela uPeter von Bohlen sathi uAbrahama wayeyinganekwane nokuthi ukulandisa ngokuhlasela kukaKedorlawomere kwakungenaso isisekelo esingokomlando. Omunye, uProfesa Julius Wellhausen, uthi: “Asilutholi ulwazi olungokomlando lwezinzalamizi.” Wasikisela: “[UAbrahama] ngokunokwenzeka kakhulu angabhekwa njengesidalwa sobuciko obungekho.”

Izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zaseNgilandi zalandela ukuhola kwabangane bazo baseJalimane. “Izinganekwane eziningi zezinzalamizi encwadini kaGenesise zingezangaphambi komlando, aziselona iqiniso ngokomlando njengezinganekwane . . . zeNkosi uArthur,” kubhala umfundisi uStopford Brooke encwadini yakhe ethi Old Testament and Modern Life. “Kusukela . . . kuGenesise . . . sithola umbono ongeyiwo futhi ophambene ngokuphila nobunjalo banoma iyiphi yezinzalamizi,” kubhala uJohn Colenso, umbhishobhi waseSheshi wasezweni elalikade libuswa iBrithani, iNatali. “Akunakwenzeka,” enezela, “ukuba kubekwe ithemba eliqinisekile kunoma iliphi lalamarekhodi.”

Ukugxeka okunjalo kusakazeka njengesilonda esibhibhayo. (2 Thimothewu 2:17) Namuhla, izigidi zamakholwa azisakuthathi ngokungathi sína ukuphila kwezinzalamizi. Nokho, okudabukisa izazi zemfundiso yenkolo zeLobukholwa ukuthi, abangakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu manje bathi ukugxekwa kweBhayibheli sekuye kweqiswa kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, iBol’shaia Sovetskaia Entsiklopediia (iEncyclopedia Enkulu YaseSoviet) ithi: “Eminyakeni yamuva, uchungechunge lwezimpikiswano zokugxeka okungokweBhayibheli lwabuye lwahlolwa ngombono wokucwaninga okusha, ikakhulukazi ngesisekelo sokuthile okubizwa ngokuthi ukuvubukula okungokweBhayibheli. Amanye amasiko angokweBhayibheli ayebhekwa njengayinganekwane . . . abonakala egxile emlandweni.” Cabangela indlela ukuvubukula okuye kwanikeza ngayo ukukhanya emlandweni ngoAbrahama.

IUri LamaKaledi

NgokweBhayibheli, uAbrahama wakhulela “eUri lamaKaledi.” (Genesise 11:27-31; 15:7) Emakhulwini eminyaka, indawo okwakukuyo iUri yayingaziwa. Abagxeki babekholelwa ukuthi uma kuwukuthi yayikhona, yayiyindawo engabalulekile, ephansi. Khona-ke, okwabashaqisa ukuthi, kwatholakala ukuthi imfucumfucu ephakathi kweBabiloni noSebe lwasePeresiya ngokuqinisekile eyaseUri. Izinkulungwane zezibhebhe zobumba ezivubukulwe kuleyondawo zembula ukuthi iUri laliyisikhungo somhlaba sezentengiselwano, esinabantu abaningi bezizwe zonke. Esikhathini sika-Abrahama, kulowomuzi kwakukhona ngisho nezikole lapho abafana babefundiswa khona ukubhala nokwenza izibalo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuvubukula eUri kwembula ukuthi ochwepheshe bakhona bokwakha babesebenzisa insika, ingungu, nophahla olusandilinga. Izingcweti zaseUri zemisebenzi yezandla zazenza izinto zokuhloba ezinhle, amahabhu aklanywe ngokuyinkimbinkimbi, imimese eyakhiwe ngegolide elimsulwa. Emakhaya amaningana, abavubukuli bavubukula amapayipi okukhuculula indle, enziwe ngobumba olushisiwe, ayeyithululela emigodini emikhulu engaba ngamamitha ayi-12 ukujula.

Lokhu okutholiwe kwanikeza izazi eziningi umbono omusha ngoAbrahama. “Sasijwayele ukucabanga ukuthi uAbrahama wayeyisichaka esihlala ematendeni, manje sithola ukuthi ngokunokwenzeka wayehlala endlini eyakhiwe ngezitini zohlobo oluphambili edolobheni,” kubhala uSir Leonard Woolley encwadini yakhe ethi Digging Up the Past. “UAbrahama,” kusho umvubukuli uAlan Millard encwadini yakhe ethi Treasures From Bible Times, “washiya idolobha elinobucwazicwazi, nakho konke ukulondeka nokunethezeka kwalo, ukuze abe omunye wemihambima ebukelwa phansi.”

Ukuhlasela KukaKedorlawomere

Kuthiwani ngokunqoba kuka-Abrahama uKedorlawomere, inkosi yase-Elamu? Ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-19 leminyaka, kwakungaziwa lutho ngezakhamuzi zase-Elamu. Abagxeki beBhayibheli bawenqaba umqondo wokuthi iElamu yake yaba nethonya phezu kweBabiloni, kungasaphathwa iPalestina. Manje, izakhamuzi zase-Elamu sezibhekwa ngendlela ehlukile. Ukuvubukula kwembula ukuthi zaziyisizwe esinamandla esibhubhisayo. IFunk & Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia ithi: “Izakhamuzi zase-Elamu zabhubhisa umuzi waseUri cishe ngo-1950 B.C. . . . Emva kwalokho zaba nethonya eliphawulekayo kubabusi baseBabiloni.”

Ngaphezu kwalokho, amagama amakhosi ase-Elamu aye atholakala emibhalweni eqoshiwe evubukuliwe. Amanye awo aqala ngesiqalo esithi “Kudur,” esifana nesithi “Chedor.” Unkulunkulukazi obalulekile wase-Elamu kwakunguLagamar, okufana negama elithi “laomer.” Kanjalo, uKedorlawomere manje wemukelwa ezinye izincwadi zezwe njengombusi ongokomlando, ogama lakhe ngokunokwenzeka lisho “Inceku kaLagamar.” Elinye iqoqo lemibhalo eqoshiwe yaseBabiloni linamagama afana nawamakhosi amathathu ahlaselayo—athi Tudhula (Tidali), Eri-aku (Ariyoki), nelithi Kudur-lahmil (Kedorlawomere). (Genesise 14:1) Encwadini ethi Hidden Things of God’s Revelation, uDkt. A. Custance uyenezela: “Ngaphandle kwalamagama kwakunemininingwane okwakubonakala sengathi ibhekisela ezenzakalweni ezenzeka eBabiloni lapho izakhamuzi zase-Elamu zimisa umbuso wazo phezu kwalelozwe. . . . Lezozibhebhe zazifakazela umBhalo kakhulu kangangokuthi abaGxeki beBhayibheli bazigxumela futhi benza konke ababengakwenza ukuze bakugcine kuyimfihlo ngamabomu ukubaluleka kwazo.”

Kuthiwani ngokuhlasela kwamakhosi amane? Ingabe bukhona ubufakazi bemivubukulo bangaPhesheya KweJordani nabaseNingizimu bokusekela lokhu? Bukhona. Encwadini yakhe ethi Archaeology of the Land of Israel, uProfesa Yohanan Aharoni ubhekisela ekunyamalaleni kwempucuko yenkathi yangaphambi kwamaIsrayeli eyaba nezinto “ezingasuki” ngaPhesheya KweJordani naseNingizimu, “ngawo-2000 B.C.E.” Abanye abavubukuli bathi lokhu kwenzeka cishe ngo-1900 B.C.E. “Izinto ezenziwe ngobumba kokubili zaseNingizimu nezangaPhesheya KweJordani zangalenkathi ziyefana futhi zombili zibonisa ukuwohloka kwempucuko okusheshayo nokuyinhlekelele,” kusho uDkt. Harold Stigers kweyakhe ethi Commentary on Genesis. Ngisho nabagxeki beBhayibheli, njengoJohn Van Seters, bayabuvuma ubufakazi balokhu. “Inkinga eyodwa engakaxazululwa ukuthi bashonaphi labantu, uma kukhona lapho baya khona, ekupheleni kwaleyonkathi,” esho encwadini yakhe ethi Abraham in History and Tradition.

UGenesise isahluko 14 unikeza okuthile okungaba ikhambi lalenkinga. Ngokokubalwa kwezikhathi kweBhayibheli, uAbrahama wafika eKhanani ngo-1943 B.C.E. Ukuhlasela okubhubhisayo kukaKedorlawomere kumelwe ukuba kwenzeka ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho. Kamuva, kulo kanye lelokhulu leminyaka, uNkulunkulu waletha imbubhiso yomlilo phezu kwemizi eziphethe kabi yaseSodoma naseGomora. Lokhu kwayishintsha phakade indawo eyake yavunda yeThafa laseJordani. (Genesise 13:10-13; 19:24, 25) Yayingaselona igugu labahlaseli bakwamanye amazwe.

Kunezinye izibonelo eziningi zendlela ukuvubukula okuhlangana ngayo nemiBhalo ekunikezeni izenzakalo zokuphila kuka-Abrahama ukukhanya. Kodwa ukuvubukula kuyahluleka kokunye. Ubufakazi okubunikezayo ngokuvamile abuqondile futhi buchazwa abantu abangaphelele.

Ubufakazi Obunokwethenjelwa Kunabo Bonke

Ubufakazi obuqine kunabo bonke bokuthi uAbrahama wayekhona ngempela wubufakazi boMdali womuntu, uJehova uNkulunkulu. KuyiHubo 105:9-15 uNkulunkulu wakhuluma ngendlela ebonisa ukubavumela oAbrahama, uIsaka, noJakobe ‘njengabaprofethi’ bakhe. Eminyakeni engaphezu kwenkulungwane ngemva kokufa kuka-Abrahama, uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhuluma ngoAbrahama okungenani ngomlomo wabaprofethi abathathu, embiza ngisho nokumbiza ngokuthi ‘umngane’ wakhe. (Isaya 41:8; 51:2; Jeremiya 33:26; Hezekeli 33:24) Ngokufanayo, uJesu Kristu waphakamisa uAbrahama njengesibonelo. Phakathi nokuphila kwayo ingakabi umuntu isezulwini, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yayizibonele ngawayo ukusebenzelana kukaYise nalenzalamizi. Ngakho-ke, yayingathi kumaJuda:

“Uma beningabantwana baka-Abrahama, beniyakwenza imisebenzi ka-Abrahama. Kodwa kalokhu nifuna ukungibulala mina-muntu onitshelé iqiniso, engilizwé kuNkulunkulu; uAbrahama kakwenzanga lokho. UAbrahama uyihlo wathokozela ukubona usuku lwami, walubona, wajabula. Base bethi kuye abaJuda: Awukabi-naminyaka engamashumi ayisihlanu, kanti uAbrahama usuké wambona na? UJesu wathi kubo: Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile, ngithi kini: Engakabikho uAbrahama, ngangikhona mina.”—Johane 18:39, 40, 56-58.

Ngobufakazi nesikhuthazo saBantu ababili abakhulu kakhulu endaweni yonke, sinezizathu ezingcono kakhulu zokwamukela noma yini eshiwo yiBhayibheli ngoAbrahama. (Johane 17:5, 17) Nakuba iBhayibheli liveza uAbrahama njengesibonelo, alimphakamisi ngokweqile njengoyiqhawe lesizwe. Lokhu kungabonwa ngokuhlola ukulandisa okuphathelene nokunqoba kwakhe amakhosi amane ahlangene. Lapho uAbrahama ebuya empini, wabingelelwa uMelkisedeki, iNkosi yaseSalema, owathi: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu oPhezukonke oniké izitha zakho esandleni sakho.” KwakunguJehova amdumisa ngalokho kukhulula.—Genesise 14:18-20.

Nokho, ukunqoba okukhulu kakhulu kuseduze! Ngokushesha, yena loNkulunkulu okhazimulayo uzonqoba ‘amakhosi ezwe lonke’ empini yembulunga yonke ebizwa ngokuthi iArmagedoni. (IsAmbulo 16:14, 16) Khona-ke, isithembiso sikaNkulunkulu kuAbrahama, umprofethi nomngane wakhe, sizogcwaliseka ngokuphelele: “Ngenzalo yakho ziyakubusiswa izizwe zonke zomhlaba.” Izigidi zijabulela ukuzinambitha kusengaphambili izibusiso ezinjalo. Nawe ungaba phakathi kwazo, njengoba kuzobonisa izihloko ezivela emakhasini 18-28 kulomagazini.—Genesise 22:18.

[Amabalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 7]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

ULwandle Olukhulu

ININGIZIMU (INEGEB)

IDamaseku

IHarana

UMfula iEwufrathe

UMfula iTigris

IUri

IELAMU

Usebe Lolwandle LwasePheresiya

[Ibalazwe]

IDamaseku

KwaDani

AMAREFA

AMAZUZI

IShekemi

IBethele

IsiGodi SaseJordani

ULwandle Lukasawoti

IHebroni

ININGIZIMU (INEGEB)

Indlela Ephakeme YeNkosi

AMAEMI

IGomora

ISodoma

AMAHORI

[Izithombe]

UAbrahama walalela, ephuma eUri, umuzi owawuchume kakhulu

Amasampula emisebenzi yobungcweti yaseUri:

1. Ummese wegolide nomgodla wawo

2. ‘Isifanekiselo sesizwe’ saseUri

3. Inhloko yenkunzi yegolide esebhoekisini lehabhu elilolonga umsindo

4. Izinto zokuhloba

5. Isigqoko esihlotshiswe ngamatshe ayigugu

[Umthombo]

Photos: Courtesy of the British Museum