Isihloko esanyatheliswa kuyi-Biblical Archaeology Review sathi, ngenxa yemivubukulo eye yatholwa, manje siyaqiniseka ukuthi “okungenani abantu abangu-50” okukhulunywa ngabo emiBhalweni yesiHebheru baphila ngempela. Phakathi kwalabo bantu, singabala amakhosi angu-14 akwaJuda nawakwa-Israyeli, kuhlanganise nalawo ayevelele njengoDavide noHezekiya, kanye nalawo ayengaziwa kangako njengoMenahemu, noPheka. Kuphinde kubalwe oFaro abahlanu namakhosi angu-19 ase-Asiriya, aseBhabhiloni, akwaMowabi, asePheresiya nawase-Siriya. Nokho, amakhosi akuwona wodwa avela eBhayibhelini nasemivubukulweni. Uhlu luphinde luveze abantu abangewona amakhosi, njengabapristi abaphakeme, umbhali, kanye nezinye izikhulu.

Lesi sihloko sithi “izazi eziningi ziyavumelana” ngokuthi laba bantu baphila ngempela. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi imiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki ikhuluma nangabanye abantu abaningi bakudala futhi bukhona ubufakazi bemivubukulo obusekela ukuthi abaningi kubo baphila ngempela—njengoHerode, uPontiyu Pilatu, uTiberiyu, uKayefase, noSergiyu Pawulu.

Nakuba zingekho namuhla izingonyama emazweni okwakuhlala kuwo ama-Israyeli, amavesi angaba ngu-150 akhuluma ngezingonyama, abonisa ukuthi zazijwayelekile kubabhali beBhayibheli. Ukulandisa okuningi okuhilela izingonyama kungokomfanekiso; kodwa okunye kungokoqobo. Ngokwesibonelo uSamsoni, uDavide, noBhenaya, babulala izingonyama. (AbaHluleli 14:5, 6; 1 Samuweli 17:34, 35; 2 Samuweli 23:20) Abanye babulawa izingonyama.—1 AmaKhosi 13:24; 2 AmaKhosi 17:25.

Ezikhathini zasendulo, izingonyama zase-Asia (Panthera leo persica) zazitholakala kusukela e-Asia Minor naseGrisi kuya ePalestina, eSiriya, eMesophothamiya, nasenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeNdiya. Lezi zilwane ezazisatshwa futhi zihlonishwa, zazivame ukubonakala emidwebweni esodongeni yasendulo. UMzila Wodwendwe waseBhabhiloni wawuhlotshiswe ngezitini ezicwebezelayo ezinemifanekiso yezingonyama.

Kungenzeka ukuthi amabutho ayezingela izingonyama ePalestina ngasekupheleni kwawo-1200 C.E. Kubonakala sengathi ngemva kwawo-1300 izingonyama zazingasekho kuleyo ndawo. Nokho, eMesophathamiya naseSiriya zaqhubeka zikhona kwaze kwaba ngawo-1800 kanti e-Iran nase-Iraq zaqhubeka zikhona kwaze kwaba sengxenyeni yokuqala yawo-1900.