Ubukwazi Yini?
Kwahamba njani ngeNineve ngemva kwesikhathi sikaJona?
PHOSE ngo-670 B.C.E., * i-Asiriya yayisingu mbuso omkhulu kulayo yonke emhlabeni. Iwebhusayithi yeBritish Museum yathi i-Asiriya “yayisukela eKhuphro entshonalanga ize iyefika e-Iran empumalanga futhi ngesinye isikhathi yayigoqela iGibhithe.” Isigodlo sayo iNineve sasiyidolobho elikhulu kulawo wonke emhlabeni. Sasilezivande ezinengi ezinhle, izakhiwo zesikhosini ezinkulu lamalayibhrari amakhulu. Imidwebo lezinto ezazibazwe emidulini yeNineve zitshengisa ukuthi iNkosi u-Ashurbanipal yayizithi ‘iyinkosi yomhlaba’ njengamanye amakhosi ase-Asiriya. Ngesikhathi inkosi le ibusa, kwakukhanya angani akulamuntu owayenganqoba i-Asiriya leNineve.
Umbuso olamandla we-Asiriya wawumkhulu kulayo yonke imibuso ngalesosikhathi
Kodwa ngesikhathi i-Asiriya isilamandla amakhulu, umphrofethi kaJehova uZefaniya wathi: ‘[UJehova] uzachitha i-Asiriya, atshiye iNineve itshabalele ngokupheleleyo njalo yome njengenkangala.’ Umphrofethi kaJehova uNahume laye wathi: ‘Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Ibhuqiwe, iphangiwe, iphundliwe! Bonke abayibonayo bazayibalekela bathi, “INineve isichithekile.”’ (Zef. 2:13; Nah. 2:9, 10; 3:7) Kumele ukuthi abantu bathi besizwa iziphrofetho lezo bazibuza bathi: ‘Kambe kungenzakala khonokho? I-Asiriya elamandla kangaka izake inqotshwe?’ Kumele ukuthi kwakunzima ukukukholwa lokho.
INineve yacina isilunxiwa
Lanxa kunjalo, yanqotshwa! Umnyaka ka-600 B.C.E., wathi ungakafiki, yayisinqotshiwe ngabaseBhabhiloni lamaMede. Kwacina kungaselamuntu owayehlala eNineve njalo abantu bakhohlwa ngedolobho lelo. Ibhuku elabhalwa yi-The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York lathi idolobho leNineve lacina ligqibelekile futhi abantu basebesizwa ngeNineve eBhayibhilini kuphela. I-Biblical Archaeology Society ithi ekuqaleni kwabo-1800 “akulamuntu owayekwazi ukuthi isigodlo se-Asiriya sake saba khona sibili.” Kodwa ngo-1845, owezembali okuthiwa ngu-Austen Henry Layard waqalisa ukugebha amanxiwa edolobho leNineve. Lokho akutholayo kutshengisa ukuthi lalilidolobho elilodumo.
Ukugcwaliseka kweziphrofetho ezimayelana leNineve kwenza singathandabuzi ukuthi iziphrofetho zeBhayibhili ezikhuluma ngokutshabalaliswa kwemibuso elamandla ekhona lamuhla lazo zizagcwaliseka.—Dan. 2:44; Isam. 19:15, 19-21.
^ indima 3 U-B.C.E., umela ukuthi “Before the Common Era,” okutsho isikhathi uJesu engakabuyi emhlabeni.
