UMJUDA ogama lakhe nguMoridekayi udlala indima ebalulekile ezenzakalweni ezisencwadini yeBhayibheli ka-Esteri. Wayeyisithunjwa esingumJuda, esebenza esigodlweni sasePheresiya. Kwakusekuqaleni kwekhulu lesihlanu B.C.E., ‘ezinsukwini [zeNkosi] u-Ahashiveroshi.’ (Namuhla leyo nkosi kucatshangwa ukuthi uXerxes I.) UMoridekayi wabhuntshisa icebo lokubulala inkosi. Ibonisa ukwazisa, inkosi yahlela ukuba uMoridekayi adunyiswe obala. Kamuva, ngemva kokufa kukaHamani owayeyisitha sikaMoridekayi namanye amaJuda, inkosi yakhuphulela uMoridekayi esikhundleni sokuba undunankulu. Leso sikhundla savumela uMoridekayi ukuba akhiphe umthetho owasindisa amaJuda ayehlala eMbusweni WasePheresiya ukuba angaqothulwa.​—Est. 1:1; 2:5, 21-23; 8:1, 2; 9:16.

Ezinye izazimlando zazithe incwadi ka-Esteri iyinganekwane zathi futhi uMoridekayi akakaze abe khona. Kodwa ngo-1941 ososayensi bathola ubufakazi obusekela okushiwo iBhayibheli ngendaba kaMoridekayi. Batholani?

Bathola umbhalo wasePheresiya lasendulo okhuluma ngomuntu okuthiwa u-Marduka (ngesiZulu uMoridekayi). Wayenza umsebenzi wokuba umphathi, cishe engumgcini wamabhuku ezimali, eShushani. U-Arthur Ungnad, oyisazi somlando waseMpumalanga, wabika ukuthi lo mbhalo kwakuyiwona “kuphela owawukhuluma ngoMoridekayi ngaphandle kweBhayibheli” ngaleso sikhathi.

Ngemva kombiko ka-Ungnad, ososayensi baye bahumusha eminye imibhalo eminingi yakudala yasePheresiya. Phakathi kwaleyo mibhalo kukhona neqoshwe ematsheni ayizicaba asePersepolis, atholakala emanxiweni ayeneNdawo Yokugcina Ingcebo, eduze kwezindonga zedolobha. La matshe ayizicaba awangesikhathi kubusa uXerxes I. Abhalwe ngolimi lwesi-Elamu futhi anamagama amaningi atholakala encwadini ka-Esteri. *

Amatshe ayisicaba amaningana asePersepolis ayakhuluma ngo-Marduka, owayengunobhala wasebukhosini esigodlweni saseShushani ngesikhathi kubusa uXerxes I. Elinye itshe eliyisicaba libiza u-Marduka ngokuthi umhumushi. Lokho kuvumelana nendlela iBhayibheli elimchaza ngayo uMoridekayi. Wayeyisikhulu esasisebenza esigodlweni seNkosi u-Ahashiveroshi (uXerxes I) futhi ekhuluma okungenani izilimi ezimbili. UMoridekayi wayevame ukuhlala esangweni lenkosi esigodlweni saseShushani. (Est. 2:19, 21; 3:3) Leli sango lalinesakhiwo esikhulu okwakusebenzela kuso izikhulu zasesigodlweni.

Kunezinto ezifanayo phakathi kuka-Marduka okukhulunywa ngaye ematsheni ayizicaba noMoridekayi okukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini. Baphila ngesikhathi esifanayo, endaweni efanayo, basebenza njengezikhulu endaweni efanayo. Zonke lezi zinto sezihlangene zibonisa ukuthi kungenzeka ukuthi u-Marduka noMoridekayi umuntu oyedwa.