ULionel Casson oyingcweti yemikhumbi yasendulo, uchaza lokho abakhi bemikhumbi bangezikhathi zaseRoma lasendulo ababekwenza ngemva kokuvala izindawo ezivuzayo emikhunjini yabo. Kwakuyinto evamile ukuba “bagcobe izikhala ezivuzayo noma umkhumbi wonke ngaphandle nangaphakathi ngebitume noma ngamafutha.” Eminyakeni eminingi ngaphambi kwezikhathi zamaRoma, abantu base-Akkad nabaseBhabhiloni yasendulo nabo babesebenzisa ibitume ukuze bavimbele amanzi ukuba angangeni emikhunjini yabo.

ImiBhalo yesiHebheru iyakhuluma ngalokhu kuGenesise 6:14. Igama lesiHebheru lapha elihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘itiyela’ kuyacaca ukuthi lisho ibitume, uwoyela ozivelela ngokwemvelo.

Ibitume lemvelo litholakala liwuketshezi noma liqinile. Abakhi bemikhumbi basendulo babesebenzisa eliwuketshezi. Babeligcoba emikhunjini yabo. Lapho seligcotshiwe, ibitume eliwuketshezi liyoma futhi liqine livimbe amanzi angangeni.

Ibitume laliliningi emazweni angezikhathi zeBhayibheli. EThafeni Eliphansi laseSidimi endaweni yoLwandle Olufile kwakukhona “imigodi ngemigodi yebitume.”—Genesise 14:10.

Sekuyisikhathi eside izinhlanzi ziwukudla okubalulekile. Ngaphambi kokuba baqale ukuhamba noJesu, abanye kubaphostoli bakhe babengabadobi oLwandle LwaseGalile. (Mathewu 4:18-22) Okungenani ingxenye yezinhlanzi ezazibanjwa zazithunyelwa “ezimbonini” eziseduze nalapho.

Inqubo yokulondoloza inhlanzi okungenzeka yayisetshenziswa eGalile lasendulo isasetshenziswa nakwezinye izindawo. Izinhlanzi zikhishwa ingaphakathi bese ziyagezwa. Incwadi ethi Studies in Ancient Technology ichaza indlela lokhu okwakwenziwa ngayo: “Usawoti omahhadla wawuhlikihlwa esikhunjeni nasemlonyeni wezinhlanzi. Inhlanzi enosawoti yayembozwa ngesiqeshana esenziwe ngotshani obomile. Ngemva kokuhlala izinsuku ezintathu kuya kwezinhlanu, izinhlanzi ezibekwe zanqwabelana zaziguqulwa ziphinde zihlale izinsuku ezintathu kuya kwezinhlanu. Phakathi nalokhu komiswa, kuphuma uketshezi emzimbeni wezinhlanzi futhi kungene usawoti. Ngemva kwalokho komiswa, ziyoma futhi ziqine.”

Akwaziwa ukuthi izinhlanzi zingahlala isikhathi eside kangakanani uma zigcinwe ngale ndlela. Nokho, iqiniso lokuthi abantu baseGibhithe babethumela izinhlanzi ezonyisiwe kwabaseSiriya kubonisa ukuthi lezi zindlela zazisebenza kahle.