Ingabe Bewazi?

Izinkonzo zasethempelini likaJehova eJerusalema zazixhaswa kanjani ngokwezimali?

▪ Izinkonzo ezihlukahlukene zasethempelini zazixhaswa ngentela, ngokuyinhloko ngomnikelo wokweshumi. Nokho, zazikhona nezinye izinhlobo zezintela. Ngokwesibonelo, ngesikhathi kwakhiwa itabernakele, uJehova wayala uMose ukuba aqoqe ingxenye yeshekeli eliyisiliva kuwo wonke ama-Israyeli abhalisiwe ibe ‘umnikelo kuJehova.’—Eksodusi 30:12-16.

Kubonakala sengathi kwaba umkhuba ukuba umJuda ngamunye anikele inani elingaguquguquki njengentela yethempeli yaminyaka yonke. UJesu wayekhipha yona le ntela ngesikhathi eyala uPetru ukuba akhokhe ngohlamvu lwemali ayeluthathe emlonyeni wenhlanzi.—Mathewu 17:24-27.

Eminyakeni ethile edlule, eJerusalema kwatholakala izinhlamvu ezimbili zesiliva zohlobo olwalusetshenziselwa ukukhokha intela yasethempelini. Olunye uhlamvu, olwenziwa eThire ngo-22 C.E., lwatholakala emapayipini amanzi angekhulu lokuqala. Kolunye uhlangothi lolu hlamvu lwemali lunekhanda likaMelkart, noma uBhali, unkulunkulu omkhulu waseThire, kolunye kunokhozi oluhlezi engxenyeni engaphambili yomkhumbi. Uhlamvu lwesibili, olwatholakala emfucumfucwini eyakhishwa esisekelweni sethempeli, olwangonyaka wokuqala wokuvukela kwamaJuda iRoma ngo-66 kuya ku-67 C.E. Lunenkomishana kanye namahalananda akhulayo, kuhlanganise nombhalo oqoshiwe othi “Ingxenye Yeshekeli” nothi “IJerusalema Elingcwele.” Mayelana nalolu hlamvu olwatholakala, uProfesa Gabriel Barkay uthi “lunezimpawu ezibonisa ukuthi lwashiswa umlilo, cishe umlilo owabhubhisa iThempeli Lesibili ngo-70 C.E.”

Babunjani ubuhle bezakhiwo zikaNebukhadinezari, inkosi yaseBhabhiloni?

▪ Incwadi yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli ithi uNebukhadinezari wathi: “Akulona yini leli iBhabhiloni Elikhulu, mina ngokwami engilakhele indlu yobukhosi ngezikhwepha zamandla ami futhi engilakhele isithunzi sobukhulu bami obubabazekayo?” (Daniyeli 4:30) Ingabe lo muzi wasendulo wawumuhle ngempela?

Izazi-mlando zimethulela isigqoko uNebukhadinezari ngokwakha amathempeli, izigodlo, izindonga zomuzi kanye nezingadi ezinkulu ezibiyelwe. Ithempeli eliyinhloko elalisenkabeni yeBhabhiloni lalinenqaba eyayicishe ibe ngamamitha angaphezu kuka-70 ukuphakama. Incwadi ethi Babylon—City of Wonders, ithi: “Izakhiwo ezidume kunazo zonke [zikaNebukhadinezari] nguMzila Wodwendwe neSango i-Ishtar.” Umzila Wodwendwe, owawunqamula eSangweni i-Ishtar, wawuhlotshiswe ngemifanekiso yamabhubesi ahambayo. Uma ikhuluma ngesango, indawo ebabazekayo yokungena eBhabhiloni, incwadi efanayo ithi: “Lalimbozwe ngamatshe aluhlaza acwebezelayo lase lihlotshiswa ngemifanekiso engamakhulu yezinkunzi ezihambayo nezilo, kumelwe ukuba isivakashi sasendulo esasilibangise enhloko-dolobha sasidlula sibambe ongezansi.”

Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 leminyaka, abavubukuli bathola izinkulungwane zezinsalela zoMzila Wodwendwe nezeSango i-Ishtar babe sebehlanganisa eziningi zazo ePergamon Museum, eBerlin, eJalimane.

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Ubukhulu bemali obangempela

[Imithombo]

Top: Clara Emit, Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority bottom: Zev Radovan

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Isango I-ishtar elakhiwe kabusha