“Ipimi” Lifakazela Ukuba Yiqiniso Komlando WeBhayibheli

IGAMA elithi “ipimi” livela kanye kuphela eBhayibhelini. Ngesikhathi seNkosi uSawule, amathuluzi ensimbi abantu bakwa-Israyeli ayelolwa abakhandi bensimbi abangamaFilisti. IBhayibheli lithi: “Ukulola amageja namagejazembe namathuluzi amazinyo-mathathu nezimbazo nokuqinisa ukhandi kwakubiza ipimi.”—1 Samuweli 13:21.

Laliyini ipimi? Impendulo yalowo mbuzo yahlala ingaziwa kwaze kwaba ngo-1907 C.E., ngesikhathi kuvubukulwa umuzi wasendulo waseGezeri, lapho kwatholakala khona okokuqala itshe elaliyisilinganiso sepimi. Abahumushi beBhayibheli bakuqala bakuthola kunzima ukuhumusha igama elithi “ipimi.” Ngokwesibonelo, i-King James Version, iyihumushe kanje eyoku-1 Samuweli 13:21: “Babenemilalazi yokulola amagejazembe, amageja, izimfoloko, nezimbazo neyokulola izinkandi.”

Izazi namuhla ziyazi ukuthi ipimi laliyisilinganiso sesisindo esingamagremu angaba ngu-7,82 noma licishe lilingane nezingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zeshekeli, okuyisilinganiso esiyisisekelo sesisindo kumaHebheru. Lapho amaFilisti elolela ama-Israyeli amathuluzi awo, ayewakhokhisa ipimi lesiliva. Isimiso sokukala ngeshekeli sayekwa lapho kuwa umbuso wakwaJuda kanye nenhloko-dolobha yawo iJerusalema, ngo-607 B.C.E. Pho, isilinganiso sepimi sikufakazela kanjani ukuba yiqiniso kwalo mbhalo wesiHebheru?

Ezinye izazi zigomela ngokuthi izindinyana zemiBhalo YesiHebheru, kuhlanganise nencwadi kaSamuweli Wokuqala zabhalwa ngesikhathi samaGreki namaRoma, mhlawumbe nje naphakathi kwekhulu lesibili nelokuqala B.C.E. Ngakho-ke, kuthiwa “‘ayikho ngokomlando,’ ayinanzuzo noma inenzuzo kancane ekuvezeni ukuphila kwakwa-Israyeli ‘waseBhayibhelini’ noma ‘wasendulo,’ kokubili okumane kwaqanjwa ezincwadini zanamuhla zobuJuda nezobuKristu.”

Nokho, ekhuluma ngesilinganiso sepimi esikweyoku-1 Samuweli 13:21, uWilliam G. Dever, uprofesa wesayensi yemvelaphi nenhlalo yabantu nemivubukulo yaseMpumalanga Eseduze, uthi: “Akunakwenzeka ukuthi ‘saqanjwa’ abalobi ababephila ngenkathi yamaGreki namaRoma, ngoba ngaleso sikhathi lezi zilinganiso zase zinyamalele noma sezilitshelwe. Empeleni, le ndinyana yeBhayibheli . . . ayizange iqondakale kwaze kwaba sekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20 A.D., lapho kwatholakala khona imivubukulo yokuqala eyayinegama elibhalwe ngesiHebheru elithi pîm.” Lo profesa uyaqhubeka: “Uma zonke izindaba eziseBhayibhelini ‘ziyizindaba eziqanjiwe’ zangenkathi yamaGreki namaRoma, kwenzeka kanjani ukuba le ndaba ibe seBhayibhelini lesiHebheru? Yiqiniso, omunye angase aphikise athi indaba ye-pîm imane ‘iwumniningwane’ [eBhayibhelini]. Lokho kuyiqiniso; kodwa futhi kwaziwa kahle ukuthi ‘umlando wakhiwa imininingwane.’”

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Ipimi lalicishe lilingane nezingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu zeshekeli