Iingceba zengqayi yodongwe eneminyaka eyi-3 000 ikho ezembiwa ngo-2012, kutshanje zitsale umdla wabaphandi. Zazikhetheke ngantoni? Yayingezo ngceba kodwa yinto ebhalwe kuzo.

Xa abembi bezinto zakudala bakwaziyo ukuzidibanisa ezo ngceba, bakwazi ukufunda umbhalo wamandulo wamaKanan. Zazibhalwe, “Eshba’al Ben [unyana ka] Beda’.” Abembi bezinto zakudala bayaqala ukufumana eli gama kwimibhalo yamandulo.

Kanti ke, ukhona uEshbhali ethetha ngaye iBhayibhile—waye ngomnye woonyana bakaKumkani uSawule. (1 Kron. 8:33; 9:39) UProfesa Yosef Garfinkel, obekho xa bekusembiwa ezi ngceba, uthi: “Kubangel’ umdla ukubona ukuba uEshbhali uyavela eBhayibhileni, kanti ngoku nakwimbali yabembi bezinto zakudala. Gama elo elalikho kuphela ebudeni bokulawula kukaKumkani uDavide.” Abanye bacinga ukuba lalikhethekile elo gama ngelo xesha. Kwakhona, ingxelo eseBhayibhileni ixhaswa bubungqina babembi bezinto zakudala.

Kwenye indawo eBhayibhileni, uEshbhali ubizwa ngokuba nguIshe-bhosheti, u-“bhosheti” ufakwe kwindawo ka-“bhali.” (2 Sam. 2:10) Kutheni? Abaphandi bacacisa besithi: “Kwincwadi yesibini kaSamuweli babesonqena ukusebenzisa uEshbhali, kuba elo gama lalibakhumbuza ngoBhahali, isithixo sesaqhwithi samaKanan, kodwa liye lagcinwa kwincwadi yeziKronike.”