Ngaba UAbraham Wayenazo Ngenene Iinkamela?

IBHAYIBHILE ithi ezinye zezilwanyana uAbraham awazinikwa nguFaro yayiziinkamela. (Gen. 12:16) Xa umkhonzi ka-Abraham wahamba uhambo olude esiya eMesopotamiya, “wathabatha iinkamela ezilishumi kwiinkamela zenkosi yakhe.” Ngoko iBhayibhile iyibeka icace into yokuba uAbraham wayeneenkamela malunga nasekuqaleni kwewaka lesibini leminyaka ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo.—Gen. 24:10.

Abanye abantu abavumelani nale nto. INew International Version Archaeological Study Bible ithi: “Abaphengululi bathi le nkcazelo ngeenkamela ayichananga ngokwembali kuba uninzi lukholelwa ukuba zazingezozilwanyana zasekhaya kwiindawo ezininzi de kwamalunga  nowe-1200 B.C., iminyaka emininzi emva kwexesha awayephila ngalo uAbraham.” Nanini na iBhayibhile ibhekisela ekusetyenzisweni kweenkamela mandulo, loo ngxelo inokugqalwa njengengachananga kuba iinkamela zazingekasetyenziswa ngale ndlela kumaxesha okubhalwa kwezo ngxelo.

Kodwa ke, abanye abaphengululi bathi nangona ukwenziwa kweenkamela izilwanyana zasekhaya kwaxhaphaka malunga nasekupheleni kwewaka lesibini leminyaka, oku akuthethi kuthi zazingasetyenziswa ngaphambili. Incwadi ethi Civilizations of the Ancient Near East ithi: “Uphando lwamvanje lubonisa ukuba iinkamela zaqalisa ukwenziwa izilwanyana zasekhaya kumzantsi-mpuma welama-Arabhu malunga newaka lesithathu leminyaka [B.C.E.]. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekuqaleni, zazifuyelwa ubisi, uboya, isikhumba nenyama, kodwa kungekudala kusenokwenzeka ukuba abantu bafumanisa ukuba banokuzisebenzisela ukuthwala imithwalo.” Isibakala sokuba iinkamela zazizizilwanyana zasekhaya ngaphambi kwexesha lika-Abraham singqinwa ngamathambo kunye nezinye izinto zakudala ezimbiweyo.

Kukho nobungqina obubhaliweyo. Kwale mbekiselo inye ithi: “EMesopotamiya kukho uludwe olubhalwe ngoonobumba abatsobhileyo olukhankanya esi sidalwa [inkamela] kunye namatywina aliqela anemifanekiso yaso, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba esi silwanyana sisenokuba sifike eMesopotamiya malunga nasekuqaleni kwewaka lesibini leminyaka,” oko kukuthi, ngexesha awayephila ngalo uAbraham.

Abanye abaphengululi bakholelwa ukuba abarhwebi ababethengisa iziqhumiso bakuMzantsi welama-Arabhu babesebenzisa iinkamela ukuthutha impahla yabo ukuya emntla ukutyhubela entlango, besiya kwiindawo ezifana neYiputa neAsiriya, zaza ngenxa yoko iinkamela zasetyenziswa nakuloo mazwe. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba olu rhwebo lwaluqhelekile ukususela kwiminyaka yowama-2000 B.C.E. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba iGenesis 37:25-28 ithetha ngabarhwebi abangamaIshmayeli ababesebenzisa iinkamela ukuthutha iziqhumiso bezisa eYiputa malunga neminyaka elikhulu emva kwexesha awayephila ngalo uAbraham.

Mhlawumbi iinkamela zazingasetyenziswa kwiindawo ezininzi zeMpuma Ekufutshane ekuqaleni kwewaka lesibini leminyaka yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kodwa ubungqina bubonisa ukuba zazikho iindawo ezazisetyenziswa kuzo. Ngoko ke, iThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia iqukumbela ngelithi: “Akusekho mfuneko yakujonga iingxelo ezikhankanya iinkamela ngexesha loosolusapho njengezingachananga, ekubeni kukho ubungqina obaneleyo bezinto zakudala ezimbiweyo obubonisa ukuba iinkamela zenziwa izilwanyana zasekhaya ngaphambi kwexesha loosolusapho.”