Ingabe Siyidinga Ngempela Imibhalo Yokuqala?

EMINYAKENI engaba ngu-3 500 edlule, indoda esikhulile eMpumalanga ePhakathi yaqoqa umlando wezwe kwaze kwaba sesikhathini sayo. Lowomsebenzi, owaphumela ekwenzeni izincwadi ezinde eziyisihlanu, kumelwe ukuba waba umshikashika omkhulu. Lendoda yayineminyaka engaphezu kuka-80 lapho iqala indaba yayo. Yona nesizwe sakubo babengenalo ikhaya elizinzile kodwa babezulazula izindawo ngezindawo eHlane LaseSinayi. Nokho, ekugcineni lokho okwalotshwa yilendoda ekhulile kwaba yingxenye yomkhiqizo obhaliwe obaluleke kakhulu izwe elake lawazi.

Leyondoda kwakunguMose, owanikwa uNkulunkulu ilungelo lokuhola isizwe sakudala sakwaIsrayeli siphume ebugqilini ezweni laseGibithe. Izincwadi eziyisihlanu azibhala namuhla zaziwa ngokuthi iPentateuch, ingxenye yokuqala yeBhayibheli Elingcwele. UMose wayeqondiswa umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku. Ngakho, ngisho nanamuhla singayifunda imibhalo yakhe futhi sizuze kakhulu ngokomuntu siqu. Kodwa ngezinye izikhathi abantu bayabuza: ‘Ingabe ngempela singathembela emazwini kaMose nabanye abalobi beBhayibheli? Ingabe sinayo imibhalo yabo yesandla yokuqala? Uma kungenjalo, yashonaphi? Futhi singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi lokho okuseBhayibhelini ngempela kuyilokho abalobi balo abakuloba ekuqaleni?’

Izinto Ezazisetshenziswa

Kunezizathu eziningi zokuba siqiniseke ngokuthi ngokuyisisekelo iBhayibheli alizange lishintshe kusukela lalotshwa ekuqaleni. Yiqiniso, asinayo imibhalo yesandla yokuqala yabalobi beBhayibheli. Kodwa empeleni akumelwe silindele ukuba naleyomibhalo yesandla. Kungani? Ngenxa yezinto eyayibhalwe kuzo, isiko elithile lamaJuda lasendulo, nomlando wezikhathi kusukela ekulotshweni kwayo.

Okokuqala, ake ucabangele izinto ezazisetshenziswa. Zisekhona ezinye zezinto ezalotshwa lapho iBhayibheli lisahlanganiswa. Kodwa eziningi zalezi zazilotshwe etsheni noma obumbeni, okungahlala isikhathi eside. Nokho, kuyabonakala ukuthi ekuqaleni iBhayibheli lalilotshwe kokuthile okonakala kalula. Ngokwesibonelo, eminye imibhalo yomlobi weBhayibheli uJeremiya yashiswa iNkosi uJehoyakimi. (Jeremiya 36:21-31) Izibhebhe zamatshe noma zobumba zazingeke zibhujiswe kalula ngaleyondlela.

Ngakho, iyiphi into yokubhalela eyasetshenziswa abalobi beBhayibheli? Nokho, “uMose wafundiswa ukuhlakanipha konke kwabaseGibithe,” futhi into okubhalelwa kuyo eyayivame kakhulu eGibithe kwakuyipapyrus. (IzEnzo 7:22) Ngakho-ke, ngokunokwenzeka uMose wabhalela kulento eyonakalayo. Enye into yokubhalela ngokuvamile eMpumalanga Ephakathi kwakuyisikhumba sesilwane—isikhumba esishukiwe noma esenziwe iphepha elingacolisekile. Mhlawumbe uJeremiya wabhalela esikhunjeni. Isikhumba noma ipapyrus kwakuyosha lapho iNkosi uJehoyakimi iphonsa umqulu kaJeremiya emlilweni.

Yiqiniso, esimweni sezulu saseGibithe esishisayo, nesomile, imibhalo eminingi yesandla yepapyrus iye yahlala izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Kodwa lokho akuvamile. Ngokuvamile, kokubili ipapyrus nesikhumba konakala kalula. Isazi uOscar Paret sithi: “Zombili lezinto zokubhalela zinokuqina okufanayo okonakaliswa umswakama, isikhutha, kanye nemihlwa enhlobonhlobo. Sazi kokuhlangenwe nakho kwansuku zonke ukuthi iphepha, futhi ngisho nesikhumba esiqinile, konakala kalula kangakanani uma kungaphandle noma kusegunjini elinomswakama.”

KwaIsrayeli wasendulo, lapho eziningi zezincwadi zeBhayibheli zazikhiqizwa khona, isimo sezulu sasingesihle ekulondolozeni imibhalo yesandla. Ngakho, iningi lemibhalo yesandla yokuqala yeBhayibheli ngokunokwenzeka labola kudala kakhulu. Ngisho noma yayingabolanga, kunesiko lamaJuda lasendulo elenza kungabazeke ukuthi yayiyohlala kuze kube usuku lwethu. Yiliphi lelosiko?

Ukugqitshwa Kwemibhalo Yesandla

Ngo-1896 isazi esasifunisisa ngokujulile kuyigenizah eCairo sathola imibhalo yesandla yakudala engu-90 000 eyashintsha ngokuphelele ukuhlolwa komlando waseMpumalanga Ephakathi. Iyini igenizah? Futhi ihlangene ngani nemibhalo yesandla yokuqala yeBhayibheli?

Igenizah iyigumbi lapho amaJuda ezikhathi zakuqala ayebeka khona imibhalo yesandla esigugile ngenxa yokusetshenziswa. Isazi uPaul E. Kahle siyabhala: “AmaJuda ayevame ukufaka zonke izinhlobo zemibhalo elotshiwe nenyathelisiwe kulawomagumbi akhiwe eduze kwamasinagoge awo noma ngaphakathi kuwo; yayingahloselwe ukuba ilondolozwe njengasezindlini zokugcina imilando, kodwa kwakumelwe ihlale lapho ingaphazamisekile isikhathi esithile. AmaJuda ayesaba ukuthi leyomibhalo eyayingase ibe negama likaNkulunkulu ingangcoliswa ngokusetshenziswa kabi. Ngakho ulotshwe kanjalo—futhi ezikhathini zamuva unyathelisiwe—umbhalo ngezikhathi ezithile wawuyiswa enhlabathini ebusisiwe futhi ugqitshwe; ngakho wonakala. Kwenzeka nje ngenhlanhla ukuba iGeniza yaseCairo ilitshalwe futhi ngaleyondlela okuphakathi kuyo kwasinda enhlekeleleni yamanye amaGeniza.”—The Cairo Geniza, ikhasi 4.

Kuthiwani uma umbhalo wesandla wokuqala weBhayibheli wawuhlale kwaze kwaba isikhathi lapho kuvela lelisiko? Ngokungangabazeki, lombhalo wesandla wawuyoguga ngenxa yokusetshenziswa futhi wawuyogqitshwa.

Intuthuko Engokomlando

Ekucabangeleni lokho okungenzeka ukuthi kwenzeka emibhalweni yesandla yokuqala yeBhayibheli, isici sokugcina okumelwe sikhunjulwe siwumlando oneziphithiphithi wamazwe aseBhayibhelini. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka kulezozincwadi ezalotshwa indoda esikhulile uMose. Siyatshelwa: “Kwathi lapho uMose eseqedile ukuloba amazwi alomthetho encwadini aze aphela, uMose wawayala amaLevi ayethwala umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova, wathi: Thathani lencwadi yomthetho, niyibeke ngaseceleni komphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”—Duteronomi 31:24-26.

Umphongolo wesivumelwano wawuyibhokisi elingcwele elalifanekisela ukuba khona kukaNkulunkulu phakathi kwamaIsrayeli. Wathwalwa uyiswa eZweni Lesithembiso (kanye nemibhalo yesandla kaMose), lapho wagcinwa khona ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene. Esikhathini esithile, waqhwagwa amaFilisti. Kamuva, inkosi yakwaIsrayeli uDavide yawuletha eJerusalema uMphongolo, futhi ekugcineni wabekwa ethempelini elalakhiwe lapho yiNkosi uSolomoni. Kodwa iNkosi uAhazi yakha ialtare lamaqaba ethempelini futhi ekugcineni yalivala. INkosi uManase yaligcwalisa ngokukhulekela kobuqaba.

Phakathi nalesosikhathi, kwenzekani emphongolweni wesivumelwano nasemibhalweni kaMose? Asazi, kodwa okungenani eminye yayo yalahleka. Ngesikhathi seNkosi uJosiya, izisebenzi zasethempelini zathola ngokungalindelekile “incwadi yomthetho,” mhlawumbe umbhalo woqobo owalotshwa uMose. (2 AmaKhosi 22:8) Okuningi kwalokho eyayikuqukethe kwakungaziwa inkosi ngaphambili, futhi ukufundwa kwawo kwabangela ukuvuselelwa okukhulu okungokomoya.—2 AmaKhosi 22:11–23:3.

Ngemva kokufa kukaJosiya, abantu bakwaJuda baphinda futhi bangathembeka futhi ekugcineni badingiselwa eBabiloni. Ithempeli labhujiswa, futhi zonke izinto eziyigugu ezazikulo zathathwa zayiswa eBabiloni. Awukho umbhalo ogciniwe wokuthi kwenzekani ngalesosikhathi kulowoMphongolo noma embhalweni oyigugu owatholwa ngesikhathi sikaJosiya. Nokho, eminyakeni eminingi kamuva lapho amaJuda amaningi ayebuyele ezweni lawo ekhuthazwa ukuba akhe kabusha iJerusalema futhi abuyisele ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile, umpristi uEzra kanye nabanye bawafundela obala “incwadi yomthetho kaMose.” (Nehemiya 8:1-8) Ngakho, kwakunamakhophi emibhalo yokuqala. Ingabe ayevelephi?

Ukukopisha IZwi LikaNkulunkulu

UMose wabikezela isikhathi lapho uIsrayeli ayeyobuswa khona inkosi futhi wabhala phansi lomyalo okhethekile: “Nxa ehlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sombuso wakhe, uyakuzilobela impinda yalomthetho encwadini ngokuthatha kuleyo ekubapristi bamaLevi.” (Duteronomi 17:18) Ngakho, kwakuzokwenziwa amakhophi athile emiBhalo.

Ekugcineni ukukopishwa kwemiBhalo kwaba umsebenzi ofundelwayo kwaIsrayeli. Empeleni, iHubo 45:1 lithi: “Ulimi lwami lulusiba loloba [“lokopisha,” NW] ngokushesha.” Abakopishi abanjalo njengoShafani noSadoki babizwa ngamagama. Kodwa umkopishi owaziwa kakhulu wezikhathi zasendulo kwakunguEzra, naye futhi owaba nengxenye ekulobeni imibhalo yokuqala yeBhayibheli. (Ezra 7:6; Nehemiya 13:13; Jeremiya 36:10) Ngisho nalapho izingxenyana zamuva zeBhayibheli zazisalotshwa, lezozincwadi ezase ziqediwe kakade zazikopishwa futhi zisakazwe.

Lapho uJesu Kristu esemhlabeni, amakhophi emiBhalo YesiHeberu (uGenesise kuya kuMalaki) ayekhona hhayi nje kuphela eJerusalema kodwa futhi ngokusobala nasemasinagogeni aseGalile. (Luka 4:16, 17) Phela, eBereya ekude eMakedoniya, amaJuda amahle ayekwazi ‘ukuhlolisisa imibhalo imihla ngemihla’! (IzEnzo 17:11) Namuhla kusekhona amakhophi emibhalo yesandla acishe abe ngu-1 700 ezincwadi zeBhayibheli ezalotshwa ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaJesu, kanye nacishe abe ngu-4 600 alezo ezahlanganiswa abafundi bakhe (uMathewu kuya kusAmbulo).

Ingabe lamakhophi ayenembile? Yebo, impela kunjalo. Abakopishi abangochwepheshe bemiBhalo yesiHeberu (ababizwa ngokuthi amaSopherim) babekukhathalela kakhulu ukugwema noma yimaphi amaphutha. Lapho behlola umsebenzi wabo, babebala amagama ngisho nanezinhlamvu zamagama ngazinye zombhalo wesandla ababewukopisha. Ngakho-ke, uJesu, umphostoli uPawulu, nabanye ababevame ukucaphuna abalobi beBhayibheli bakudala babengangabazi ngokunemba kwamakhophi ababewasebenzisa.—Luka 4:16-21; IzEnzo 17:1-3.

Yiqiniso, abakopishi abangamaJuda kanye nabakopishi bamuva abangamaKristu babengebona abangenaphutha. Amaphutha angena, kodwa amakhophi amaningi asekhona asisiza ukuba sithole lamaphutha. Kanjani? Nokho, abakopishi abahlukahlukene benza amaphutha ahlukahlukene. Ngakho, ngokuqhathanisa umsebenzi wababhali abahlukene, singawabona amaphutha abo amaningi.

Isizathu Sokuba Siqiniseke

Ngo-1947 kwatholwa ngokungalindelekile imiqulu yakudala embalwa emigedeni eduze noLwandle Olufile. Lemiqulu yabonisa kahle indlela okwakunembe ngayo ukukopishwa kwemiBhalo. Phakathi kwalemiqulu kwakunekhophi yencwadi yeBhayibheli kaIsaya eyayicishe ibe ndala ngeminyaka eyinkulungwane kunanoma yimuphi omunye umbhalo wesandla owawukhona ngaphambili. Nokho, ukuqhathanisa kwabonisa ukuthi okuwukuphela komehluko phakathi kombhalo wesandla wasoLwandle Olufile kanye namakhophi amuva wawusezintweni ezinjengokuhlelwa kwamagama nohlelo lolimi. Lokho okushiwo umbhalo kwakungashintshile ngemva kweminyaka eyinkulungwane yokukopishwa! Ngakho-ke ngokuphathelene nemiBhalo yesiHeberu, isazi uWilliam Henry Green sasingathi: “Kungase kushiwo kahle ukuthi ayikho enye incwadi yakudala eye yakopishwa ngokunemba okungaka.” Kuye kwashiwo izinkulumo ezifanayo ngokunemba kokukopishwa kwemiBhalo YamaKristu YesiGreki.

Yiqiniso, kungaba okujabulisayo ukuthola umbhalo woqobo owalotshwa uMose noma uIsaya. Kodwa empeleni asiyidingi imibhalo yokuqala. Okubalulekile akuwona umbhalo kodwa yilokho okuphakathi. Futhi ngokuyisimangaliso, naphezu kokudlula kwamakhulu amaningi eminyaka aneziyaluyalu nokukopishwa kaningi nangokuphindaphindiwe, singaqiniseka ukuthi iBhayibheli lisenokwaziswa okwakutholakala kuleyomibhalo yesandla yokuqala yasendulo. Ngakho, lenkulumo engokomBhalo iye yaba iqiniso: “Yonke inyama injengotshani, nobukhosi bayo bonke bunjengembali yotshani; utshani buyabuna, nembali iyavuthuluka, kepha izwi leNkosi limi kuze kube-phakade.”—1 Petru 1:24, 25.