Ivurandi lalisemnyango okwakungenwa ngawo endaweni engcwele yethempeli. Nxa iNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha YeMibhalo Engcwele yahunyutshwa kungakabi ngu-2023, ivesi le yayisithi “umphotshongo owawuphambi kwethempeli wawuyizingalo ezingu-20 ubude, ulingana lobubanzi bendlu. Ukuphakama wawuyi-120.” (2 Imilan. 3:4) Amanye amaBhayibhili lawo athi ivurandi leli “lalizingalo ezingu-120,” okutsho ukuthi lalingamamitha angu-53.

Kodwa iNguqulo Yomhlaba Omutsha yesiNgisi edindwe ngo-2023 ithi ivurandi lethempeli likaSolomoni “lalizingalo ezingu-20 ukuphakama,” kumbe lingaba ngamamitha angu-9. a Kuyini okwenze inamba le yatshintshwa?

Ukuphakama kwevurandi leli akukhulunywa ngakho ku-1 AmaKhosi 6:3. Evesini le uJeremiya uyasitshela ububanzi bevurandi leli, aphinde asitshele lokuthi lalinganani nxa lilinganiswa usuka phambi kwendlu. Kodwa kasitsheli ngokuphakama kwalo. Esahlukweni esilandelayo usitshela ezinye izinto ezazimangalisa ezazisethempelini ezigoqela inkalakatha yetanka yamanzi lenqola ezilitshumi, kanye lensika zekhopha ezimbili ezaziphambi kwevurandi. (1 Amakho. 7:​15-37) Nxa kuyikuthi ivurandi leli lalingamamitha edlula 50 ubude usiya phezulu futhi liphakeme ukwedlula zonke izakhiwo zethempeli, yindaba uJeremiya engazange akhulume ngokuphakama kwalo? Langemva kweminyaka eminengi, abalobi abangamaJuda babhala ukuthi ivurandi leli lalingalide ukwedlula zonke izakhiwo zethempeli likaSolomoni.

Izifundiswa ziyathandabuza ukuthi imiduli yethempeli yayingavuma ukuthi kumiswe ivurandi elizingalo ezingu-120 ukuphakama. Kudala izakhiwo zamatshe lezitina ezazizinde kakhulu njengamagedi ethempeli leGibhithe, zazibanzi kakhulu phansi besezisiba zincane phezulu. Kodwa ithempeli likaSolomoni lalinganjalo. Izifundiswa zithi imiduli le yayingedluli izingalo ezingu-6 kumbe amamitha angu-2,7 ububanzi. UTheodor Busink obona ngembali yezakhiwo wathi: “Kwakungeke kwenze ukuthi ivurandi libe zingalo ezingu-120 [ukuphakama] nxa ukhangele ububanzi bomduli [womnyango wethempeli].”

Kungenzakala ukuthi u-2 ImiLando 3:4 waphambaniseka ngesikhathi ekotshwa. Lanxa eminye imibhalo yakudala isithi ivurandi leli lalizingalo ezingu-“120” ukuphakama evesini le, eminye imibhalo yakudala ethenjwayo njengeCodex Alexandrinus leCodex Ambrosianus ithi “lalizingalo ezingu-20.” Kuyini okwakungenza umbhali aphambanise abesebhala ukuthi ivurandi lalizingalo ezingu-120 ukuphakama kumbe ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili? NgesiHebheru u-120 ubhalwa ngokuthi ikhulu lamatshumi amabili besekusithi ingalo ezingu-20 zibhalwa ngokuthi ingalo ezingamatshumi amabili. Ibala lesiHebheru elithi “ikhulu” lelithi “ingalo” ayahambelana. Yikho kungenzakala ukuthi umbhali wathi efuna ukubhala ibala elithi “ingalo” yena wabhala elithi “ikhulu.” Yikho eminye imibhalo isithi ivurandi laliyi-120 ukuphakama kumbe lalilikhulu lamatshumi amabili ukuphakama.

Lanxa sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuthi sizwisise konke okuphathelane lethempeli likaSolomoni lokuthi sibhale okuqondileyo ngalo, esikuqakathekisa kakhulu yikuthi ithempeli lelo lalimela ithempeli likaJehova elikhulu. Siyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngoba unxusa zonke izinceku zakhe ukuthi zimkhonze ethempelini leli!—Heb. 9:​11-14; Isam. 3:12; 7:​9-17.