USolomon wayakha endulini itempile yokuqala, ibe wakha iindonga eziyijikelezileyo ngasempuma nasentshona ukuze zibambe umhlaba ungakhukuliseki ngakweso sakhiwo singcwele. Kuba uHerode wayefuna itempile yakhe ibe nobukhazi-khazi ngaphezu kwekaSolomon, waqalisa ukuyihlaziya waza wayandisa.

Iingcali zokwakha zikaHerode zawandisela ngasemntla umhlaba othe tyaba. Ngasemzantsi, zakha iqonga eliphakame kakhulu. Ukuze zikwazi ukwenza lo msebenzi, kwafuneka zakhe isiseko seendonga zamatye abanzi. Ezi ndonga zaziphakeme ngeyona ndlela.

UHerode wazama ukuba angawakhubekisi amaYuda okanye aphazamise inkonzo nemibingelelo eyayisenziwa etempileni. Umbhali mbali ongumYuda uJosephus uthi uHerode wafundisa ababingeleli abangamaYuda ukuqingqa amatye nokuchwela, ukuze ibe ngabantu abavumelekileyo kuphela abangena kwiindawo ezingcwele.

UHerode wafa engawugqibanga lo msebenzi. Ngonyaka ka-30 emva kokuzalwa kukaYesu, lo msebenzi wawusele uqhubeke iminyaka eyi-46. (Yohane 2:20) Waye wagqityezelwa sisizukulwana sikaHerode uAgrippa II ngeminyaka yoo-50.

Kusenokwenzeka ukuba indlela ababecinga ngayo abanye abantu eMalta yayiphenjelelwa lunqulo lwamaGrike. Khawucinge ngoko kwenzeka xa inqanawa awayeyikhwele uPawulos yaphuka eMalta njengokuba sisiva kwincwadi yeZenzo. Xa uPawulos wayebasa ukuze abantu awayekhwele nabo bafudumale, watsityelwa yinyoka esandleni. Bakubona oko abantu beso siqithi bathi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo lo mntu ngumbulali, yaye nangona esindile elwandle, okusesikweni kwempindezelo akumvumeli ukuba aqhubeke ephila.”—IZenzo 28:4.

NgesiGrike igama elithi “Ubulungisa” elisetyenziswe apha “ngu-dike.” Eli gama lithetha uhlobo oluthile lobulungisa. Kwiintsomi zamaGrike uDike ligama lesithixokazi sobulungisa. Umsebenzi wakhe yayikukuxelela uZeyus ngabantu abonileyo baza ababhaqwa, ukuze abohlwaye. Omnye umbhali wathi, kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu baseMalta babecinga ukuba: “Nakuba uPawulos wasinda kwingozi yaselwandle, wayebekw’ esweni nguDike . . . ibe le nyoka yayithunyelwa nguye.” Yathi isakungamenzakalisi, baqonda ukuba akonanga.