SEKUDLULE phantse iminyaka emibini okokoko iBhabhiloni yathinjwa ngamaMedi namaPersi. Yaye khangela okwenzekayo ngoku! Ewe, amaSirayeli ayemka eBhabhiloni. Akhululeke njani? Ngubani owakhululeyo?

NguKoreshi, ukumkani wasePersi owakhululeyo. Kwakudala ngaphambi kokuzalwa kukaKoreshi, uYehova wathi umprofeti wakhe uIsaya makabhale athi ngaye: ‘Uya kwenza konke endithanda ukwenze. Uya kuvulelwa amasango ukuba uthimbe isixeko.’ Yaye okunene uKoreshi wayithimba iBhabhiloni. AmaMedi namaPersi angena ebusuku esixekweni ngamasango awayeshiywe evuliwe.

Kodwa kwakhona umprofeti kaYehova uIsaya wathi uKoreshi wayeya kukhupha umyalelo wokuba iYerusalem netempile yayo zakhiwe kwakhona. Wawukhupha na lo myalelo uKoreshi? Ewe. UKoreshi uthi kumaSirayeli: ‘Hambani ngoku niye eYerusalem nize nakhe itempile kaYehova, uThixo wenu.’ Yaye ke la maSirayeli asendleleni yokuya kwenza loo nto.

Kodwa asingawo onke amaSirayeli aseBhabhiloni anokuhamba uhambo olude ukubuyela eYerusalem. Luhambo olude gqitha olumalunga nama-800 eekhilomitha yaye abaninzi sebaluphele abanye bayagula, ngoko abanakukwazi ukuhamba umgama omde ngolo hlobo. Yaye kukho ezinye izizathu zokuba abanye abantu bangahambi. Kodwa uKoreshi uthi kwabo bangahambiyo: ‘Nikelani isilivere negolide nezinye izipho kubantu abagodukayo ukuya kwakha iYerusalem netempile yayo.’

Ngoko, kunikelwa izipho ezininzi kula maSirayeli asendleleni yawo esinge eYerusalem. Kwakhona, uKoreshi uwanika izitya neendebe ezathatyathwa nguKumkani uNebhukadenetsare etempileni kaYehova xa wayetshabalalisa iYerusalem. Abantu banezinto ezininzi abagoduka nazo.

Emva kweenyanga ezimalunga nezine zohambo, amaSirayeli afika eYerusalem kanye ngexesha. Sele kuyiminyaka engama-70 ukususela ekutshatyalalisweni kwesixeko, yaye ilizwe lashiywa lingenabantu. Kodwa nangona amaSirayeli ngoku ebuyele elizweni lawo ajamelana namaxesha anzima, njengokuba siza kufunda ngokulandelayo.