Ama-Israyeli afika eSinayi
1-2Enyangeni yesithathu, ngelanga lenyanga ama-Israyeli asuka ngalo enarheni yeGibhide, ngemva kokusuka kwawo eRefidimu, afika erhalawumbeni leSinayi. Ahloma amatendawo eduze nentaba.
3UMosi wakhuphukela kuZimu. USomnini wambiza asentabeni wathi kuye: “Nakhu ozakutjho ekumbeni kaJakopo, ozakutjela abantu bakwa-Israyeli, 4‘Nibonile bonyana ngawenzani amaGibhide nokobana nganithwala njani ngamaphiko wekhozi nganitjhideza kimi. 5Iphasi loke ngelami kodwana nanilalela ilizwi lami, nilonde isivumelwano sami, nina nizakuba ngabakhethekileko bami phakathi kwezizwe zoke. 6Kimi nizaba mbuso wabaphristi, isizwe esicwengileko.’ Lawa mamezwi ozawatjela ama-Israyeli.”
7Yeke uMosi wafika, wabiza abaphathi babantu wababikela woke amezwi lawo uSomnini amyale ngawo. 8Boke abantu baphendula ngazwi linye bathi: “Koke uSomnini akukhulumileko sizakwenza.”
UMosi wabika amezwi wabantu kuSomnini. 9USomnini wathi kuMosi: “Qala, ngiza kini ngelifu elinzima ukuze abantu bezwe lokha nangikhuluma nawe nokobana bakholwe kuya kuyile.”
Lokha uMosi nabika amezwi wabantu kuSomnini, 10uSomnini godu wathi kuye: “Khamba uye ebantwini uqinisekise bona bayazihlambulula namhlanje nakusasa, bahlanze nezambatho zabo. 11Abalunge ngelanga lesithathu ngombana mina Somnini ngizakwehlela entabeni yeSinayi phambi kwabantu boke mhlokho. 12Wenzele abantu umkhawulo uthi kibo, ‘Nitjheje bonyana ningakhuphukeli entabeni namkha nithinte umkhawulwayo ngombana nanyana ngubani othinta intaba, akabulawe. 13Angathintwa ngesandla kodwana akhandwe ngamatje namkha ahlatjwe ngemisubi. Lokhu kwenzeni namkha kumumuntu namkha kusilwana. Lokha nakulila ipalapala abakhuphukele entabeni.’ ”
14Yeke uMosi wehla entabeni waya ebantwini, waqinisekisa kobana bayazihlambulula begodu bahlanza nezambatho zabo. 15Wathi ebantwini: “Lungani ngelanga lesithathu, kungabi nomuntu okitakitana nomfazi.”
16Ngokusa kwelanga lesithathu kwaba nemidumo nemibani, kwaqubuka ilifu elinzima entabeni. Kwaba netjhada elikhulu elizwakala njengelepalapala. Boke abantu egade basekampeni bathuthumela. 17UMosi wakhupha abantu ekampeni kobana bayokuhlangana noZimu; bajama ekuthomeni kwentaba. 18Intaba yeSinayi gade ithe kupe ngentuthu ngombana uSomnini wehlela phezu kwayo ngomlilo. Intuthu yakhona yakhuphukela phezulu kwanga yintuthu ye-ondo ekulu. Intaba yoke yahlengezela ngamandla. 19Itjhada lokusapalapala nalilokhu liya phezulu, uMosi wakhuluma, uZimu wamphendula ngelizwi elikhulu.
20Kwathi bona uSomnini ehlele esiqongolweni sentaba yeSinayi, wabizela uMosi kuye. Yeke uMosi wakhuphuka. 21USomnini wathi kuMosi: “Yewuka ufese uyelelise abantu bonyana bangafahli beze kuSomnini bona bazokubukela ngombana bazakubhubha ngobunengi. 22Nabaphristi abavane batjhidele kuSomnini abajamele kude, nakungasinjalo uSomnini uzabavuthela.”
23UMosi wathi kuSomnini: “Njengombana uSomnini ngokwakhe bekasiyalile wathi, ‘Yenza umkhawulo magegana nentaba ukuze ibe ngehlukaniselwe uSomnini’ abantu angeze benyukela entabeni iSinayi.”
24USomnini wathi kuye: “Yehla ukhuphuke no-Aroni, kodwana ungavumeli abaphristi nabantu bona bafahle umkhawulo beze kuSomnini, nakungasinjalo uSomnini uzabavuthela.”
25Yeke uMosi wehlela ebantwini wakhuluma nabo.
