Ingabe Intonga Yepomegranati Ivela Endlini KaJehova?

ABAVUBUKULI e-Israel baye bavubukula izintonga eziningi, ezaziyizinduku ezaziphathwa abantu ababusayo. (Genesise 49:10; Esteri 8:4; Hezekeli 19:14) Ezinye izintonga ezatholakala eLachish zazinekhanda elimise okwepomegranati. Abantu bakaNkulunkulu babesazi kahle lesithelo.—Duteronomi 8:8; IsiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo 4:13.

Lepomegranati ye-ivory eqhakazayo, engakwesobunxele, isanda kutholwa. Ingamamilimitha angu-43 ukuphakama, futhi imbobo engaphansi kuyo isikisela ukuthi yayiyingxenye yentonga. Phawula izinhlamvu ezilotshwe ngendlela yesiHeberu sokuqala zekhulu lesishiyagalombili B.C.E.

Ingxenye ye-ivory yahleshulwa ezikhathini zasendulo, ngakho izinhlamvu ezimbalwa azikho noma kubonakala ingxenye yazo nje kuphela. Nokho, isazi semibhalo yasendulo sizama ukuzihlanganisa njengoba kudwetshiwe ngezansi. (Kusekelwe kuyi-Biblical Archaeologist) Izikhala ezingalingani phakathi kwezinhlamvu ziye zaholela ezindleleni ezimbili eziyinhloko zokufunda. Isazi esingumFulentshi, u-André Lemaire wafunda ngalendlela, “EyaseThempe[lini leNko]si [uYahweh], elingcwele kubapristi.” UNahman Avigad yena wathi, “Umnikelo ongcwele wabapristi b(as)eNdlini kaYahweh.”

Lezazi kanye nezinye zaphetha ngokuthi lentonga ekuqaleni yayinezinhlamvu ezine zesiHeberu ezinegama likaNkulunkulu—uJehova. Ngakho kungenzeka yayikhuluma ‘ngendlu kaJehova,’ amazwi avamile eBhayibhelini.—Eksodusi 23:19; 1 AmaKhosi 8:10, 11.

Abaningi basenomuzwa wokuthi ikhanda lalentonga kungenzeka lalingelabapristi ethempelini elakhiwa uSolomoni noma lanikelwa kulelothempeli. Ngokuthakazelisayo, umfanekiso wepomegranati ngokuvamile wawubonakala ethempelini likaNkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 28:31-35; 1 AmaKhosi 7:15-20.

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 32]

Israel Museum, Jerusalem