lmagazini okuthiwa yi-Biblical Archaeology Review ithi okwatholwa ngabahlola ngezembali yabantu besebenzisa izinto zakudala abazivumbululayo sebelesiqiniselo sokuthi abantu “abangaba ngu-50” okukhulunywa ngabo eMibhalweni yesiHebheru babekhona sibili. Phakathi kwabo kulamakhosi akoJuda lawako-Israyeli angu-14 kugoqela lawo ayesaziwa kakhulu, ngokwesibonelo uDavida loHezekhiya labanye ababengaziwa kangako njengoMenahemu loPhekha. Kuphinda kukhulunywe ngamakhosi aseGibhithe angu-5 kanye langu-19 awe-Asiriya, aweBhabhiloniya, awakwaMowabi, awePhesiya laweSiriya. Kodwa amakhosi ayisiwo wodwa okukhulunywa ngawo eBhayibhilini lasemabhukwini embali eyabe isekelwe ezintweni zasendulo ezatholakalayo. Kulabanye okukhulunywa ngabo, ngokwesibonelo abaphristi abakhulu, ababhali kanye lezinye iziphathamandla.

Imagazini le iphinda ithi “izifundiswa ezinengi ziyavumelana” ukuthi abantu laba babekhona sibili. IMibhalo yamaKhristu yesiGiriki layo iyakhuluma ngabanye abanengi abaphila kudala njalo kulezinto zasendulo ezatholakalayo ezisinika ubufakazi bokuthi abanye babo babekhona sibili. Abanye bakhona nguHerodi, uPhontiyu Philathu, uThiberi, uKhayifasi loSegiwu Phawuli.

Lamuhla akulazilwane eLizweni lako-Israyeli. Kodwa abalobi beBhayibhili babezijayele izinyamazana lezi ngoba ziqanjwa okwezikhathi ezingaba yi-150 eMibhalweni. Kwamanye amavesi ziyabe ziyisifaniso kodwa kuleminye iMibhalo ekhuluma ngezindaba ezayenzakalayo ezaziphathelane lezilwane. Ngokwesibonelo uSamsoni, uDavida loBhenaya kuthiwa babulala izilwane. (ABahluleli 14:5, 6; 1 USamuyeli 17:34, 35; 2 USamuyeli 23:20) Kanti njalo kulabanye abantu ababulawa yizilwane.—1 AmaKhosi 13:24; 2 AmaKhosi 17:25.

Endulo uhlobo lwesilwane okuthiwa yi-Panthera leo persica lwalutholakala e-Asia Minor, eGirisi, ePalestine, eSiriya, eMesophothamiya lasenyakatho ntshonalanga ye-India. Emazweni lapho isilwane lesi esasitholakala khona kwakulemifanekiso yaso eminengi ngenxa yokuthi sasisesatshwa futhi sihlonitshwa. EBhabhiloni yasendulo kwakulendlela eyayiphahlwe yimiduli eyayiceciswe ngemifanekiso yezilwane emihle kakhulu.

Kubikwa ukuthi ngekhulu lesi-12 C.E., ababesilwa izimpi babezingela izilwane ePalestine. Kukhanya izilwane zazingasekho elizweni leli kusanda kuphela umnyaka ka-1300. Kodwa kwakubikwa ukuthi zazisesekhona eMesophothamiya laseSiriya kwaze kwafika ikhulu lesi-19 kanye lokuthi ekuqaliseni kwekhulu lesi-20 zazilokhu zikhona e-Iran lase-Iraq.