Inqaku elikwiBiblical Archaeology Review libonisa ukuba izinto eziye zavunjululwa ngabembi bezinto zakudala zingqina ukuba abantu “abamalunga ne-50” ekuthethwe ngabo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere babekho ngokwenene. Phakathi kwabo ngookumkani abayi-14 bakwaYuda nakwaSirayeli, abaquka uDavide noHezekiya abadumileyo, noMenahem noPeka abangadumanga kangako. Olu ludwe lukwaquka ooFaro abayi-5 nookumkani abayi-19 baseAsiriya, eBhabhiloni, kwaMowabhi, ePersi naseSiriya. Noko ke, asingookumkani ekuthethwe ngabo eBhayibhileni bodwa abangqinwa zizinto ezembiweyo zakudala. Zikwangqina nabo bakwizikhundla ezingaphantsi, njengababingeleli abakhulu, umbhali, kunye namanye amagosa.

Eli nqaku longezelela lathi, “kukho ubungqina obubambekayo babaphengululi” bokuba babekho ngokwenene bonke abo bantu. Kakade ke, iZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike zithetha kakhulu ngabantu bakudala, yaye kukho nobungqina bezinto zakudala bokuba babekho ngokwenene—abantu abanjengoHerode, uPontiyo Pilato, uTibheriyo, uKayafa noSergiyo Pawulos.

Nangona zingekho iingonyama kwiLizwe Elingcwele namhlanje, ukukhankanywa kwazo kangangezihlandlo eziyi-150 eZibhalweni kubonisa ukuba ababhali beBhayibhile babeqhelene nazo. Ubukhulu becala babebhala ngokufuziselayo; kodwa maxa wambi babebhala ngeengonyama zokoqobo. Ngokomzekelo, babhala ngokubulawa kweengonyama nguSamson, uDavide noBhenaya. (ABagwebi 14:5, 6; 1 Samuweli 17:34, 35; 2 Samuweli 23:20) Babhala nangabanye abantu ababulawa ziingonyama.—1 Kumkani 13:24; 2 Kumkani 17:25.

Mandulo ingonyama yaseAsiya yayifumaneka eAsia Minor, eGrisi, ePalestina, eSiriya, eMesopotamiya nakumntla-ntshona weIndiya. Kwakuqhelekile ukuzotywa kwesi silwanyana esasisoyikwa nesasihlonelwa kumazwe aseMpuma. Kukho imifanekiso emenyezelayo yeengonyama kwiindonga ezisekungeneni kwilizwe laseBhabhiloni.

Kukho iingxelo zokuba abantu babezingela iingonyama ePalestina ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane ye-12 C.E. Kubonakala ukuba zaphela iingonyama kwelo lizwe emva nje kweminyaka yee-1300. Kodwa ke, kubikwa ukuba zazisekho eMesopotamiya naseSiriya ngenkulungwane ye-19, naseIran naseIraq ngasekuqaleni kwenkulungwane ye-20.