Ni iki bavumbuye i Yezereli?

MU GIHE cy’ibinyejana byinshi, agace k’ahahoze umudugudu wa kera wa Yezereli kari karabaye ikidaturwa. Igihe kimwe hari hazwi cyane mu mateka ya Bibiliya. None ubu, ubwo hambuwe ikuzo ryaho hahoranye kandi hakaba hatwikiriwe n’ibitaka byagiye byirundanya, hahindutse ikirundo cy’ibisigazwa by’amatongo. Mu myaka ya vuba aha, abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo batangiye gusuzuma ibisigazwa by’i Yezereli. Ni iki ayo matongo ahishura ku bihereranye n’inkuru za Bibiliya?

Yezereli muri Bibiliya

Kubera ko Yezereli yari iherereye mu gace k’u burasirazuba bw’Ikibaya cya Yezereli, hari hamwe mu turere turumbuka two mu gihugu cya kera cya Isirayeli. Wambukiranyije icyo kibaya ugana mu majyaruguru, uhasanga umusozi wa More aho Abamidiyani bari bakambitse mu gihe biteguraga gutera Umucamanza Gideyoni n’ingabo ze. Ahagana i burasirazuba ho gato hari iriba rya Harodi munsi y’Umusozi wa Gilibowa. Aho ngaho ni ho Yehova yagabanyirije ingabo za Gideyoni zabarirwaga mu bihumbi hagasigara abagabo 300 basa, kugira ngo agaragaze ubushobozi bwe bwo gukiza ubwoko bwe atiriwe akoresha ingabo nyinshi zikomeye cyane (Abacamanza 7:1-25; Zekariya 4:6). Hafi y’Umusozi wa Gilibowa ni ho Sawuli umwami wa mbere wa Isirayeli yanesherejwe n’Abafilisitiya mu rugamba rw’injyanamuntu, urugamba rwahitanye Yonatani hamwe n’abandi bahungu babiri ba Sawuli, ndetse na Sawuli ubwe akiyahura.—1 Samweli 31:1-5.

Inkuru za Bibiliya zivuga ibyerekeye umudugudu wa kera wa Yezereli, zirimo ibintu bihabanye cyane mu buryo budasanzwe. Zivuga ibihereranye n’ukuntu abategetsi b’Abisirayeli bakoresheje nabi ububasha bwabo hamwe n’ukuntu bazanye ubuhakanyi, nanone ariko zikavuga ibirebana n’ukuntu abagaragu ba Yehova babaye abizerwa n’abanyamwete. I Yezereli ni ho Umwami Ahabu—wategekaga ubwami bwo mu majyaruguru bwari bugizwe n’imiryango icumi y’Abisirayeli ahagana ku iherezo ry’ikinyejana cya cumi M.I.C.—yubatse urugo rwe rw’i bwami, n’ubwo umurwa mukuru w’ubutegetsi wari Samariya (1 Abami 21:1). Aho i Yezereli ni ho umuhanuzi wa Yehova Eliya yashyiriweho iterabwoba ryo kwicwa arishyizweho n’umugore wa Ahabu w’umunyamahangakazi witwaga Yezebeli. Yari yarakajwe n’uko Eliya yari yarishe abahanuzi ba Baali nta gutinya, nyuma igikorwa cyo gusuzuma Eliya yari yakoreye ku Musozi Karumeli kugira ngo hagaragazwe Imana y’ukuri.—1 Abami 18:36–19:2.

Hanyuma, i Yezereli habereye igikorwa cy’ubugizi bwa nabi. Umugabo witwa Naboti w’i Yezereli yarishwe. Umwami Ahabu yari yarararikiye cyane uruzabibu rwa Naboti. Mu gihe umwami yasabaga ko yahabwa uwo murima, Naboti yamushubije abigiranye ubudahemuka ati “biragatsindwa n’Uwiteka kuguha gakondo ya ba sogokuruza banjye.” Icyo gisubizo gishingiye ku mahame cyababaje Ahabu mu buryo bukomeye. Mu gihe Umwamikazi Yezebeli yari amaze kubona ukuntu umwami yijimye mu maso, yakoze gahunda y’uko habaho urubanza rudakurikije amategeko n’ubutabera, ashinja Naboti ko yatutse Imana. Inzirakarengane Naboti yahamijwe icyaha maze yicishwa amabuye, nuko umwami azungura uruzabibu rwe.—1 Abami 21:1-16.

Kubera icyo gikorwa kibi cyane, Eliya yahanuye agira ati “imbwa zizarira Yezebeli ku nkike z’i Yezerēli.” Uwo muhanuzi yakomeje avuga ko “uwa Ahabu wese uzagwa mu mudugudu azaribwa n’imbwa ... Nta wigeze gusa na Ahabu wiguriye gukora ibyangwa n’Uwiteka, yohejwe n’umugore we Yezebeli.” Icyakora, kubera ko Ahabu yicishije bugufi igihe Eliya yatangazaga  urubanza rwa Yehova, Yehova yavuze ko icyo gihano kitari kuzaza Ahabu akiriho (1 Abami 21:23-29). Inkuru yo muri Bibiliya ikomeza ivuga ko mu minsi y’uwasimbuye Eliya, ari we Elisa, Yehu yasizwe amavuta kugira ngo abe umwami wa Isirayeli. Mu gihe Yehu yagendeshaga ifarashi ye mu mudugudu wa Yezereli, yategetse ko bajugunya Yezebeli hanze bamucishije mu idirishya ry’ingoro ye, maze amafarashi amunyukanyukisha ibinono. Nyuma y’aho, baje gusanga imbwa zirya ibintu byaboze zari zarasigaje igihanga cye, ibirenge bye hamwe n’ibiganza gusa (2 Abami 9:30-37). Ikintu cya nyuma cyavuzwe muri Bibiliya gifitanye isano mu buryo butaziguye na Yezereli, ni icyabaye nyuma y’iyicwa ry’abahungu 70 ba Ahabu. Yehu yarunze ibihanga byabo mo ibirundo bibiri binini mu marembo y’umudugudu wa Yezereli, hanyuma y’ibyo yica abandi bantu bari bakuru hamwe n’abatambyi bari baragize uruhare mu ngoma ya Ahabu yarangwaga n’ubuhakanyi.—2 Abami 10:6-11.

Ni iki abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo babonye?

Mu mwaka wa 1990, hatangiye umushinga wari uhuriweho n’ibigo bibiri wo gutaburura agace k’ahahoze Yezereli. Abari bari muri uwo mushinga ni Ishami rya Kaminuza y’i Tel Aviv Rishinzwe Ibyataburuwe mu Matongo (ryari rihagarariwe na David Ussishkin) hamwe n’ishuri ryitwa British School of Archaeology riri i Yerusalemu (ryari rihagarariwe na John Woodhead). Mu gihe cy’ibihembwe birindwi, (buri gihembwe kikaba cyaramaraga ibyumweru bitandatu) guhera mu myaka ya 1990-1996, abakozi bitangiye umurimo babarirwa hagati ya 80 na 100 bakoraga muri ako gace.

Uburyo muri iki gihe bakoresha biga ibihereranye n’ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo, ni ubwo gusuzuma ibihamya byabonetse ahantu runaka ubwabyo byonyine, badahereye ku bitekerezo cyangwa inyigisho abantu bari basanzwe bafite ku birebana n’aho hantu. Ku bw’ibyo rero, abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo biga ibihugu bivugwa muri Bibiliya, babona ko inkuru zo mu Byanditswe atari zo kamara kuri iyo ngingo. Ibindi bintu byose bashobora kuvanaho amakuru hamwe n’ibihamya bigaragara, bigomba kwitabwaho kandi bigasuzumanwa ubwitonzi. Ariko kandi, nk’uko John Woodhead abivuga, nta bindi bihamya bya kera byanditswe bihereranye na Yezereli, uretse ibice bike byo muri Bibiliya. Bityo rero, inkuru za Bibiliya hamwe n’urukurikirane rw’ibihe, bigomba gusuzumwa mu bushakashatsi ubwo ari bwo bwose. Ni iki imihati y’abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo yahishuye?

Mu gihe bari barimo bataburura inkike hamwe n’ibikoresho bikozwe mu ibumba, bigitangira byahise bigaragara neza ko ayo matongo ari ayo mu gihe bita Âge du fer, gihera mbere y’umwaka wa 1000 M.I.C, ibyo bikaba bigaragaza neza neza ko byabayeho mu gihe cy’umudugudu wa Yezereli uvugwa muri Bibiliya. Ariko kandi, uko imirimo yo gutaburura yagendaga ikomeza, hari ibintu byinshi bitangaje bagiye babona. Icya mbere ni ubunini bw’uwo mudugudu hamwe n’inkike nini zari ziwugose. Abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo bari biteze kuzabona inkike zimeze nk’izo muri Samariya ya kera, umurwa mukuru w’ubwami bwa Isirayeli. Ariko kandi, mu gihe imirimo yo gucukura yakomezaga, byaragaragaye neza ko Yezereli yari ngari cyane kurushaho. Yapimaga metero zigera kuri 300 z’uburebure na metero 150 z’ubugari wongeyeho n’uburebure bw’inkuta zaho, akarere kose kagoswe n’inkike karutaga incuro zirenga eshatu undi mudugudu uwo ari wo wose wa vumbuwe muri Isirayeli muri icyo gihe. Wari ukikijwe n’umugende utarimo amazi, bigatuma haboneka uruhavu rwa metero 11 uturutse ku nkike. Dukurikije uko Umwarimu wo muri kaminuza witwa Ussishkin abivuga, nta wundi mugende wigeze umera nka wo mbere y’aho mu bihe bya Bibiliya. Yagize ati “nta kindi kintu nk’icyo dusanga muri Isirayeli kugeza mu gihe cy’Intambara z’Abanyamisaraba.”

Ikindi kintu kitari cyitezwe babonye, ni uko nta mazu menshi yari ari mu mudugudu rwagati. Igitaka cyinshi cy’inombe cyazanywe muri uwo mudugudu mu gihe wubakwaga, cyari cyarakoreshejwe mu gutinda ahantu runaka imbere mu gace kagoswe n’inkike kugira ngo hatumburuke—bakaba barashakaga kuhagira platifomu nini ndende. Igitabo kivuga ibihereranye n’imirimo yo gutaburura amatongo y’i Tel Jezreel cyitwa Second Preliminary Report kivuga ko iyo platifomu igaragara cyane, yashoboraga kuba ari igihamya kigaragaza ko i Yezereli hakorerwaga ibirenze kuba hari urugo rw’umwami gusa. Cyagize kiti “twifuza kuvuga ko bishoboka ko i Yezereli hari ikigo gikomeye cy’abasirikare bo mu ngabo z’umwami wa Isirayeli bo mu gihe cy’abami b’Abaomuri [Omuri n’abamukomokaho] ... aho ingabo z’umwami zagenderaga ku magare n’izagenderaga ku mafarashi zabaga akaba ari na ho zitorezaga. Woodhead ahereye ku bunini bw’iyo platifomu ndende hamwe n’ubw’urugo ubwarwo, avuga akekeranya ko aho hashobora kuba hari ikibuga ingabo zajyaga zikoraniraho ziri mu myiyereko, kugira ngo zigaragaze ububasha bwazo bwa gisirikare, zikaba zari zifite amagare menshi kurusha izindi zose mu Burasirazuba bwo Hagati muri icyo gihe.

Ibisigazwa byataburuwe ahahoze irembo ry’uwo mudugudu ni ikindi kintu gishishikaza abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo mu buryo bwihariye. Bigaragaza irembo ryari rigizwe nibura n’utwumba tune. Icyakora, kubera ko amabuye menshi y’aho ngaho yagiye asahurwa mu gihe cy’ibinyejana byinshi, ibyo bavumbuye ntibituma bagera ku mwanzuro uhamye. Woodhead atekereza ko ibyo bisigazwa byerekeza ku irembo ryari rigizwe n’utwumba dutandatu, rifite ibipimo bingana n’iby’amarembo basanze i Megido, i Hasori n’i Gezeri. *

Ibyagezweho n’ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo, mu buryo butangaje bigaragaza ukuntu uwo mudugudu wari uri ahantu heza cyane, haba mu rwego rwa gisirikare no mu rwego rw’imiterere y’akarere, wabayeho igihe gito. Woodhead atsindagiriza ko kubera ko umudugudu wa Yezereli wari munini kandi ugoswe n’inkike, usanga warabayeho mu gihe gito gusa—ugakoreshwa mu gihe cy’imyaka mike gusa ibarirwa muri za mirongo. Ibyo binyuranye cyane n’indi midugudu myinshi y’ingenzi muri Isirayeli ivugwa muri Bibiliya, urugero nka Megido, Hasori, hamwe n’umurwa mukuru Samariya, yagiye yongera kubakwa incuro nyinshi, ikagurwa, kandi igaturwa mu bihe binyuranye. Kuki uwo mudugudu mwiza cyane waguye ukareka kongera gukoreshwa mu buryo bwihuse cyane? Woodhead atekereza ko Ahabu n’ingoma ye bari baratumye ubukungu hafi ya bwose bugwa bitewe n’uko basesaguraga umutungo w’igihugu. Ibyo byagaragariraga mu kuntu Yezereli yari nini kandi ikomeye birengeje urugero. Ubutegetsi bushya bwari buyobowe na Yehu, bushobora kuba bwarifuzaga kwitandukanya n’ikintu cyose cyabwibutsa Ahabu, maze bigatuma buva muri uwo mudugudu.

Ibihamya byose byataburuwe kugeza ubu, byemeza ko aho umudugudu wa Yezereli wari wubatswe hari ihuriro rikomeye muri Isirayeli mu gihe cyitwa Âge du fer. Ubunini bwayo hamwe n’inkike zayo bihuza n’ukuntu Bibiliya isobanura ko rwari urugo rw’umwami rukomeye rwa Ahabu na Yezebeli. Ibimenyetso bigaragaza ko nta baturage benshi bari bawurimo icyo gihe, bihuza n’inkuru za Bibiliya zivuga iby’uwo mudugudu: ku ngoma ya Ahabu wateye imbere mu buryo bwihuse urakomera, hanyuma, biturutse ku itegeko rya Yehova, uko bigaragara wacishijwe bugufi ukozwa isoni igihe Yehu ‘yatsembaga abari basigaye mu b’inzu ya Ahabu bose bari i Yezerēli, abakuru be bose n’incuti ze z’amagara n’abatambyi be ntiyasigaza n’umwe.’—2 Abami 10:11.

Ikurikiranyabihe rya Yezereli

John Woodhead yagize ati “mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo, biragoye cyane kubona urufatiro rw’ukuri umuntu yaheraho abara amatariki.” Bityo,  mu gihe abo bahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo bagenzura ibyo bagezeho mu myaka irindwi bamaze bataburura, babigereranya n’ibyavumbuwe mu tundi duce turimo amatongo. Ibyo byatumye bongera kugira ibyo basuzuma kandi bituma habaho n’impaka. Kubera iki? Ni ukubera ko uhereye igihe umuhanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo wo muri Isirayeli witwa Yigael Yadin yatabururaga itongo rya Megido mu myaka ya za 60 no mu ntangiriro z’imyaka ya za 70, byafatwaga nk’aho byemejwe n’abantu benshi bazobereye mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo ko yari yaravumbuye inkike hamwe n’amarembo y’imidugudu byo mu gihe cy’Umwami Salomo. None ubu, inkike, ibikoresho bikozwe mu ibumba hamwe n’amarembo basanze i Yezereli birimo biratuma bamwe batangira gushidikanya kuri iyo myanzuro.

Urugero, ibikoresho bikozwe mu ibumba basanze i Yezereli bimeze kimwe n’ibyo basanze mu matongo y’i Megido Yadin yavuze ko ari ibyo ku ngoma ya Salomo. Inyubako y’amarembo hamwe n’ibipimo by’ayo matongo yombi birasa niba atari bimwe. Woodhead agira ati “ibihamya byose bigaragaza ko amatongo y’i Yezereli ari ayo mu gihe cya Salomo cyangwa se bikamanura amatariki y’ibintu byavumbuwe muri ayo matongo yandi [Megido na Hasori] bikagaragaza ko ari ibyo mu gihe cya Ahabu.” Kubera ko Bibiliya ivuga yeruye ko Yezereli yabayeho mu gihe cya Ahabu, abona ko kwemera ko ibintu byo muri ayo matongo bigaragaza ibintu byabayeho mu gihe cy’ubutegetsi bwa Ahabu byaba bihuje n’ubwenge kurushaho. David Ussishkin yemeranya na we agira ati “Bibiliya ivuga ko Salomo yubatse Megido—ntivuga ko yubatse ayo marembo ameze kimwe neza neza.”

Mbese, amateka ya Yezereli ashobora kumenyekana?

Mbese, ibyo bintu bavumbuye mu matongo hamwe n’impaka zakurikiyeho bituma dushidikanya ku nkuru ya Bibiliya ihereranye na Yezereli cyangwa Salomo? Mu by’ukuri, isano itaziguye impaka zishingiye ku bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo zifitanye n’inkuru ya Bibiliya, ni nto cyane. Ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo busuzuma amateka bushingiye ku rufatiro runyuranye n’urw’abanditsi b’inkuru za Bibiliya. Bufite ibibazo binyuranye n’ibyabo kandi butsindagiriza ibintu binyuranye n’ibyabo. Umwigishwa wa Bibiliya n’umuhanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo umuntu ashobora kubagereranya n’abagenzi bari mu mihanda ijya gusa n’aho iteganye. Umugenzi umwe atwaye imodoka mu muhanda naho undi akaba agenda n’amaguru mu kayira kagenewe abanyamaguru. Ibyo barangaje imbere hamwe n’ibibahangayikishije si bimwe. Ariko kandi, ibitekerezo byabo biruzuzanya aho kuvuguruzanya. Kugereranya ibitekerezo by’abo bagenzi uko ari babiri, bishobora kuyobora ku bumenyi bwimbitse bushimishije.

Bibiliya ikubiyemo inkuru zanditswe z’ibintu byabayeho kera hamwe n’abantu ba kera; ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo bugerageza gushaka amakuru ku bihereranye n’ibyo bintu n’abo bantu binyuriye mu gusuzuma akanunu kabyo ako ari ko kose gashobora kuboneka kakiri mu bintu biba byarasigaye mu gitaka. Ariko kandi, bene ibyo bintu biba byarasigaye ubusanzwe usanga bituzuye rwose kandi bishobora gusobanurwa mu buryo bunyuranye. Ku bihereranye n’ibyo, mu gitabo cye cyitwa Archaeology of the Land of the Bible—10,000−586 B.C.E., uwitwa Amihai Mazar yagize ati “umurimo w’ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo ... ahanini ni umurimo w’ubugeni kandi ni n’umurimo wo gukomatanyiriza hamwe imyitozo n’ubuhanga bw’umwuga. Nta buryo butagoragozwa bushobora gutuma umuntu azagira icyo ageraho kidakuka, kandi ni ngombwa ko abayobora imirimo mu matongo baba ari abantu bashyira mu gaciro kandi bafite ibitekerezo bibangukirwa no kwiyumvisha ibintu bishya. Kamere y’umuhanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo, ubuhanga bwe hamwe no kuba ari umuntu ugira amakenga na byo ni iby’ingenzi cyane nk’uko bimeze ku myitozo yabonye hamwe n’umutungo afite.”

Ubucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo bwatanze igihamya cy’uko i Yezereli habaye ihuriro rikomeye ry’ubwami n’ibikorwa bya gisirikare, mu buryo butangaje iryo huriro rikaba ryarabayeho mu gihe gito, mu mateka gihurirana n’ingoma ya Ahabu—bikaba bihuje neza neza n’uko Bibiliya ibivuga. Hari ibindi bibazo bishishikaje byazamuwe abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo bashobora kuba bazasuzuma mu myaka iri imbere. Icyakora, amapaji yo mu Ijambo ry’Imana, ari ryo Bibiliya, akomeje kuvuga ibintu mu buryo bweruye, akaduha amateka yuzuye mu buryo abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyo mu matongo badashobora na rimwe kugeraho.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 26]

Ibikorwa byo gutaburura amatongo y’i Yezereli

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 28]

Ikigirwamana cy’Abanyakanaani basanze i Yezereli