Xa kwakulawula uBukhosi baseRoma, amakhoboka amaninzi yayingabantu abathinjwe emfazweni okanye abaxhwiliweyo. La makhoboka ayethengiswa, yaye ayengaphindi azibone iintsapho zawo kwakhona.

Amakhoboka amaninzi ayeqotywa ngomsebenzi onzima emigodini, kodwa umsebenzi wawungaqobi kangako kulawo ayesebenza efama nawayecoca ikhaya. Ikhoboka lalifakwa ngenkani intsimbi yomqala ekwakubhalwa kuyo ixabiso lemali aza kuyifumana umntu othe walibuyisela xa liqhweshile. Amakhoboka aye azama kaninzi ukuqhwesha ayede abhalwe ebunzi ngentsimbi eshushu unobumba ongu-F omela ukuthi fugitivus (imbacu).

Incwadi yeBhayibhile kaFilemon ithetha ngokubuyisela kukaPawulos ikhoboka uOnesimo owayeqhweshile kwinkosi yakhe uFilemon. Nangona uFilemon wayenelungelo lokumohlwaya ngokuqatha uOnesimo, uPawulos wamcela ukuba ‘amamkele ngobubele,’ ngenxa yothando nobuhlobo obabukho phakathi kwabo.—Filemon 10, 11, 15-18.

IFenike, eyayikwindawo ngoku ebizwa ngokuba yiLebhanon, yayidume ngedayi emfusa eyayisenziwa kwisixeko sayo esiyiTire. UKumkani uSolomon wakwaSirayeli wasebenzisa igcisa laseTire elahombisa itempile yakhe ‘ngoboya obumfusa.’ (2 Kronike 2:13, 14)

Idayi emfusa yaseTire yayiyeyona ixabisekileyo ngelo xesha, ibe oko kwakubangelwa kukuba kwakungumgudu ukuyenza. Okokuqala, abalobi babeqokelela oonokrwece * abaninzi. Kwakufuneka abayi-12 000 ukuze kwenziwe idayi yesambatho esinye nje kuphela. Emva koko, kwakuye kususwe amaqokobhe kwaba nokrwece kuze kukhutshwe incindi yokwenza idayi. Abenzi bedayi babeyixuba netyuwa le ncindi, baze loo mxube bawubeke elangeni kangangeentsuku ezintathu. Emva koko babewufaka kwifatyi, bagalele amanzi olwandle, bayivale baze bayiyeke iintsuku ezimbalwa.

IFenike yaqhubeka kangangamakhulu eminyaka isenza idayi emfusa yaseTire yaye irhweba ngayo namanye amazwe. Kuye kwafunyanwa iinxalenye zezinto ezinombala wale dayi kufutshane noLwandle lweMeditera nakwisixeko esisentshona iCádiz, eSpeyin.