UMJUDA lokutsiwa nguModekhayi udlala indzima lebalulekile kuloko lokwenteka encwadzini yeliBhayibheli ya-Esta. BekangumJuda lotfuntjiwe lobekasebenta esigodlweni sasePheresiya. Loku kwenteka ‘ngesikhatsi kubusa [iNkhosi] Ahashiveroshi.’ (Lamuhla lenkhosi yatiwa ngekutsi nguZeksesi I.) Modekhayi wamisa licebo lekubulala inkhosi. Kuze inkhosi itibongele, yahlela kutsi Modekhayi anikwe ludvumo embikwebantfu. Ngemuva kwekufa kwaHamani, lobekasitsa saModekhayi nesemaJuda, inkhosi yenta Modekhayi ndvunankhulu. Lesikhundla savumela Modekhayi kutsi akhiphe umtsetfo lowakhulula emaJuda lebekahlala eMbusweni wasePheresiya kutsi angacotfulwa.​—Esta 1:1; 2:5, 21-23; 8:1, 2; 9:16.

Ngasekucaleni kwelikhulu lesi-20, tati temlandvo betitsi incwadzi ya-Esta iyinganekwane futsi Modekhayi akazange sekabe khona. Kodvwa nga-1941, bavubukuli batfola loko lokungaba bufakazi lobusekela lokushiwo liBhayibheli ngaModekhayi. Batfolani?

Bacwaningi batfola sibhelekece sasePheresiya lesikhuluma ngendvodza lokutsiwa ngu-Marduka (SiSwati Modekhayi). Beyisesikhundleni lesiphakeme, mhlawumbe beyisebenta ngetimali eShushani. Arthur Ungnad, losati semlandvo watsi bekukwekucala kutsi kutfolakale lokubhaliwe lokukhuluma ngaModekhayi ngaphandle kweliBhayibheli.

Kusukela Ungnad abhala lombiko, tati tihumushe tinkhulungwane taletinye tibhelekece tasePheresiya. Letinye tato takhiwe ngelubumba loluncane futsi tatfolakala etindzaleni telidolobha lasePersepolis, tatfolakala labekugcinwa khona umcebo, dvutane nelubondza lwalelidolobha. Letinye tato tabhalwa ngesikhatsi kubusa Zeksesi I. Tibhalwe ngelulwimi lwema-Elam futsi tinemagama lamanyenti latfolakala encwadzini ya-Esta. a

Letinye tibhelekece tasePersepolis tiyakhuluma nga-Marduka, lobekangumabhalane wasesigodlweni saseShushani ngesikhatsi kubusa Zeksesi I. Lesinye sibhelekece sitsi Marduka bekangumhumushi. Loko kuyafana naloko liBhayibheli lelikushoko ngaModekhayi. Bekasesikhundleni, asebentela iNkhosi Ahashiveroshi (Zeksesi I) futsi akhuluma lokungenani tilwimi letimbili. Modekhayi bekavame kuhlala egedeni lasesigodlweni saseShushani. (Esta 2:19, 21; 3:3) Leligede belisakhiwo lesikhulu futsi bekusebentela khona tisebenti tenkhosi.

Kunekufana lokukhulu emkhatsini wa-Marduka lokukhulunywa ngaye kuletibhelekece naModekhayi lokukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini. Bebaphila ngesikhatsi lesifanako, endzaweni lefanako, basetikhundleni letiphakeme futsi basebentela endzaweni lefanako. Konkhe loku kuveta kutsi loko lokwatfolwa bavubukuli kusho Modekhayi lokukhulunywa ngaye encwadzini ya-Esta.