INumeri 17

₁USimakade wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂“Khuluma kubantu bakwa-Israyeli, uthathe kubo izintonga, ibe yinye kuleyo naleyo ndlu yokhokho babo, kubo bonke abaholi ngokwezindlu zokhokho; kube yizintonga ezili-12. Uyoloba igama lomniniyo entongeni yakhe. ₃Entongeni kaLevi uyoloba igama lika-Aroni, ngokuba kuyoba nenhloko eyodwa kuleyo naleyo ndlu yokhokho. ₄Uyozibeka ethendeni lokuhlangana ngaphambi kobufakazi, lapho ngihlangana nawe khona. ₅Kuyothi lowo muntu engiyokumkhetha, intonga yakhe ihlume, ukuze ngiqede ukukhononda abakwa-Israyeli abanakho ngani.”

₆UMose wakhuluma kubantu bakwa-Israyeli, kwathi bonke abaholi bamnika izintonga zabo. Intonga ngayinye kulowo nalowo mholi njengokwezindlu zokhokho; izintonga ezili-12. Intonga ka-Aroni yayiphakathi kwezintonga zabo. ₇UMose wazibeka izintonga phambi kukaSimakade ethendeni lokuhlangana.

₈Ngakusasa uMose waya ethendeni lobufakazi; bheka, intonga ka-Aroni yendlu kaLevi yayihlumile, yaveza imiqumbe, yaqhakaza izimbali, yathela ama-alimondi avuthiweyo. ₉UMose wazikhipha izintonga phambi kukaSimakade wazikhiphela kubo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, babona, kwaba yilowo nalowo wathatha intonga yakhe.

₁₀USimakade wathi kuMose: “Buyisela intonga ka-Aroni ngaphambi kobufakazi, igcinwe ibe wuphawu kubahlubuki ukuba uqede ukukhononda kwabo ngami, ukuze bangafi.”

₁₁UMose wenza njengalokhu uSimakade ayemyalile. Wenza kanjalo-ke.

₁₂Abakwa-Israyeli bathi kuMose: “Uyabona-ke, siyabhubha, siyashabalala, siyaphela sonke ngothi lwethu. ₁₃Bonke abasondela ethabanakelini likaSimakade bayakufa; siyakufa siphele sonke na?”