Onkulunkulukazi Benzalo Nempi

PHAKATHI nomkhankaso wokuvubukula e-Ebla, eSyria, kwatholwa insalela eyayibonisa u-Ishtar, unkulunkulukazi wenzalo nempi waseBabiloni. Umvubukuli uPaolo Matthiae uyichaza ngokuthi ‘okusathunga okuqoshwe kukho isenzakalo esithile esingokwenkolo esibonisa umpristikazi ozembozile ephambi komfanekiso kankulunkulu ongavamile . . . ikhanda lawo libethelwe ensikeni ende enesiqu esincane.’

Lokhu okutholiwe kubalulekile, ngoba lomfanekiso ungowesikhathi esihlehlela emuva ekuqaleni kwekhulu le-18 B.C.E. NgokukaMatthiae, lokhu kunikeza “ubufakazi obuwujuqu” bokuthi ukukhulekelwa kuka-Ishtar kwathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-2 000.

Ukukhulekelwa kuka-Ishtar kwaqala eBabiloni futhi emakhulwini eminyaka alandela kwasakazekela kuwo wonke uMbuso wamaRoma. UJehova wayala ama-Israyeli ukuba asuse yonke iminonjana yenkolo yamanga eZweni Lesithembiso, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi ahluleka ukwenza kanjalo, ukukhulekelwa kuka-Ashitaroti (ongowamaKhanani ofana no-Ishtar) kwaba ugibe kuwo.—Duteronomi 7:2, 5; AbAhluleli 10:6.

Nakuba u-Ishtar no-Ashitaroti owayefana naye bengasekho, izici ababezimelela—ukuziphatha okubi nobudlova—zidlangile. Singase sibuze ngokufanelekile ukuthi umphakathi wanamuhla uhluke kakhulu kangako ngempela yini kuleyo miphakathi yasendulo eyayiphucuzekile eyayikhulekela labonkulunkulukazi benzalo nempi.

[Isithombe ekhasini 20]

Abantwana nabo babe-nziwa imihlatshelo kuTanit

[Umthombo]

Ralph Crane/Bardo Museum