ABANTU abanengi bayakwazi ukuthi kudala abantu beGibhithe babejayele ukubhalela emaphepheni enziwe ngemihlanga. AmaGrikhi lamaRoma lawo ayebhalela kuwo. * Kodwa balutshwana abakwaziyo ukuthi imihlanga yayisetshenziswa lasekwenzeni izikepe.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-2 500 eyadlulayo, umphrofethi u-Isaya wabhala wathi abantu ababehlala “emifuleni yaseKhushi” bathumela “izithunywa zihamba olwandle ngezikepe zemihlanga phezu kwamanzi.” Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umphrofethi uJeremiya wathi lapho iBhabhiloni isihlaselwa ngamaMede lamaPhesiya, ayezatshisa izikepe zemihlanga zabaseBhabhiloni ukuze bangabaleki.—Isaya. 18:1, 2; Jer. 51:32, NWT.

IBhayibhili liphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu yikho abafundi balo kabamangali nxa abezembali bethola izinto ezitshengisa ukuthi imihlanga yayisetshenziswa sibili ukwenza izikepe ngezikhathi zeBhayibhili. (2 Tim. 3:16) Batholeni abezembali? Bathole ubufakazi obuqinileyo obutshengisa ukuthi abantu baseGibhithe babesenza izikepe ngemihlanga.

Emathuneni amaGibhithe kulemidwebo lezinto ezibaziweyo emidulini ezitshengisa indlela abantu ababebutha ngayo imihlanga besebesenza izikepe ngayo. Amadoda ayesika imihlanga ayibophe ibe zinyanda, abesebophanisa inyanda lezo. Imihlanga ilemiqolo, yikho ingathiwa mfi, inyanda yakhona iyaqina. Elinye ibhuku elikhuluma ngembali yeGibhithe lithi izikepe ezazisenziwa ngemihlanga zazingaba ngamamitha angu-17 ubude futhi zazingaba lemphini yokugwedla engu-10 kumbe engu-12 icele ngalinye.

Minengi imihlanga eyayitholakala duzane loMfula uNayili. Kanti njalo kwakulula ukwenza izikepe ngemihlanga. Langesikhathi abantu sebesebenzisa izigodo ukwenza izikepe ezinkulu, abagoli benhlanzi labazingeli babelokhu besenza izikepe ezincane besebenzisa imihlanga.

Abantu basebenzisa izikepe ezazenziwe ngemihlanga okwesikhathi eside. Omunye umlobi ongumGrikhi okuthiwa nguPlutarch owaphila ngesikhathi samaKhristu akuqala uthi abanye abantu babelokhu bezisebenzisa izikepe ezazenziwe ngemihlanga ngesikhathi sakhe.