22 – Isithixo esenziwe ngegolide

₁AmaSirayeli akubona ukuba uMosis akabuyi entabeni, asuka amgungela uAron, athi: “Senzele *uthixo oza kusikhokela. Okokwakhe yena laa Mosis wasikhupha eJiputa, asiyazi into emhleleyo.”

₂UAron wayalela ukuba bathathe amacici ebafazini, koonyana, nasezintombini zabo, beze nawo kuye. ₃Bawakhulula ke amacici lawo, beza nawo kuAron. ₄Wawathatha ke, wawanyibilikisa, waza igolide leyo enziwe ngayo wayibumba ngezixhobo zokubumba, wenza inkunzana yenkomo ngayo. AmaSirayeli ke athi: “Sirayeli, nanku uThixo wakho owakukhupha eJiputa!”

₅Akuyibona le nto uAron wakha iqonga lamadini apho phambi kwaloo nkunzana yenkomo, waza wenza isaziso esithi: “Ngomso kobhiyozelwa uNdikhoyo.” ₆Kwangentseni ngomhla olandelayo benza amadini atshiswayo kwanatyiwayo. Ke kaloku abo bantu batya, basela, bahakaza, bada barheletya.

₇*UNdikhoyo wayalela uMosis wathi: “Khawuleza uhle! Aba bantu bakho wabakhupha eJiputa babhatyazile; ₈sebekhawuleze bawushiya umyalelo endabanika wona. Ngoku bazibumbele inkunzana yenkomo, bayinqula; futhi banikela amadini kuyo. Bathi: ‘MaSirayeli, lo nguThixo wethu owasikhupha eJiputa.’ ” ₉UNdikhoyo waqhuba wathi: “Ngoku ndiyabaqonda aba bantu inkani yabo – nqwa neyesele! ₁₀Ngoko ke wena ndiyeke, kuba ndiza kubacim' igama, wena ndikwenze ube sisizwe esikhulu.”

₁₁Kambe ke uMosis watarhuzisa kuNdikhoyo uThixo wakhe, wathi: “Awu, *Mhlekazi, ungathini kaloku ukusuka ulwe kanjalo nabantu bakho owabahlangula wabakhulula ngobungaka bona ubungangamsha kwelaseJiputa? ₁₂Xa kunjalo amaJiputa angatsho ngakhona athi: ‘UThixo wamaSirayeli wawakhupha eJiputa eneenjongo zokuwatshabalalisela ezintabeni, awatshayele angabikho ehlabathini.’ Awu, ndiyakubongoza, Mhlekazi, lala ngenxeba, uxole, ungabi sabahlisela le ntlekele abantu bakho. ₁₃Khawukhumbule izicaka zakho, uAbraham, uIsake, noSirayeli. Kaloku wazifunga kwawena siqu, usithi: ‘Inzala yenu ndiya kuyandisa, ibe ninzi njengeenkwenkwezi ezisesibhaka-bhakeni. Eli lizwe ndinithembise ngalo liya kuba lilifa lezizukulwana zenu ngonaphakade.’ ” ₁₄Ngenene ke *uNdikhoyo wabuya nganeno kuloo ntlekele wayethe uza kubahlisela yona abantu bakhe.

₁₅UMosis ke wehla apho entabeni, ewaphethe loo macwecwe mabini amatye abhalwe ubungqina bomnqophiso macal' omabini. ₁₆La macwecwe ke ayengumsebenzi kaThixo ncakasana, nombhalo lowo wawukrolwe nguye ngenkqu.

₁₇Akuyiva ingxolo yabantu bekhwaza, uYoshuwa wabhekisa kuMosis wathi: “Ndiva intsholo esikhululweni ngathi lifile.”

₁₈UMosis waphendula wathi: “Kum le ntsholo ingathi asiyiyo eyoloyiso, okanye ukoyiswa; ivakala ngathi yeyeziyolo nje.”

₁₉Uthe ke uMosis akuba kufuphi, ebone loo nkunzi yenkomo, ngokunjalo nabantu beduda bexhentsa, suka wasisifu ngumsindo. Apho kanye phantsi kwentaba wasuka wawalahla phantsi loo macwecwe wayewaphethe, aphuka. ₂₀Wayithatha loo nkunzi babeyibumbile, wayiphosa emlilweni, waza wayicola yangumgubo, wawugalela emanzini aselwa ngamaSirayeli. ₂₁UMosis wabuza kuAron wathi: “Aba bantu bakwenze ntoni na ukuze ubafake kwesinje sona isono?”

₂₂UAron waphendula wathi: “Ungakhathazeki, mntakwethu; kaloku nawe uyabazi aba bantu ukuba baqinel' enyaleni ngesono. ₂₃Basuka bathi kum: ‘Senzele uThixo oza kusikhokela, kuba asiyazi into emhleleyo laa Mosis osikhuphe eJiputa.’ ₂₄Ndithe ke kubo: ‘Ndinikeni izinto zegolide eninazo,’ baza ke benjenjalo. Ndasuka ke ndaziphosa emlilweni, kwee gqi le nkunzi.”

₂₅UMosis ke waqonda ukuba uAron uvule zabhuqa, baza abantu benza unothanda, bazenza intlekisa nasezintshabeni. ₂₆Ngoko ke wasuka wema esangweni, wathi: “Bonke *abangakuNdikhoyo mabaphume ngapha!” Ke kaloku kwaphuma yonke indlu kaLevi, ₂₇waza wathi kubo: “Utsho uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli ukuthi: ‘Umntu ngamnye kuni makathathe ikrele, aqale kweli sango, aye kuphuma kweliya lingaphaya, ebinza elalis' ugodo, kumtakwabo, isihlobo, ngokunjalo nommelwane wakhe.’ ” ₂₈AbaLevi abo ke benza ngokwaloo myalelo, baza ke babulala amawaka amathathu amadoda ngaloo mini.

₂₉UMosis ke wathi kubaLevi: “Niyabona ke, namhlanje, ngokubulala abantakwenu noonyana benu, niye naba ngababingeleli bokubusa uNdikhoyo. Ngoko ke uNdikhoyo unithamsanqele.”

₃₀Ngengomso ke uMosis wathi ebantwini: “Nenze isono esilumezayo. Naxa kunjalo ndiza kuphinda ndiye entabeni kuNdikhoyo, ukuze ndenze isingxengxezo ngenxa yesono senu.”

₃₁UMosis waya kuNdikhoyo, wafika wathi: “Aba bantu benze isono esilumezayo. Basuke bazibumbela isithixo ngegolide, basinqula. ₃₂Ngoku ke ndiyakubongoza, baxolele; ukuba akunakuba njalo wosewulicima igama lam encwadini yakho oyibhalileyo.”

₃₃UNdikhoyo wathi kuMosis: “Abantu abamagama ndiwacimayo encwadini yam, ngabo bandonileyo bodwa. ₃₄Ngoko ke hamba, ukhokele aba bantu, ubase kulaa ndawo ndandithethe ngayo kuwe. Ke sona isithunywa sam siya kukukhokela. Kambe ke lakufika ixesha ndiya kubohlwaya aba bantu ngenxa yesi sono.”

₃₅Ke kaloku uNdikhoyo wawabetha ngobhubhani wesifo amaSirayeli ngenxa yokuba amnyanzelayo uAron ukuba awenzele inkunzi yenkomo yegolide.

₁*UNdikhoyo wathi kuMosis: “Hamba apha, wena nabo bonke abantu owabakhokelayo waphuma nabo eJiputa, usingise kwilizwe endabathembisa lona ngesifungo uAbraham, uIsake, noYakobi, ndisithi: ‘Loba lelezizukulwana zenu.’ ₂Ndiya kuthumela isithunywa sinikhaphe, siwagxothe amaKanana, ama-Amori, amaHiti, amaPerezi, amaHivi, namaJebhusi. ₃Hambani niye kwelo lizwe lendyebo nentlutha. Kambe ke mna andizukuhamba nani, hleze ndisuke ndinitshabalalise ningekafiki, kuba niluhlanga oluneenkani.”

₄Athe ke amaSirayeli akuziva ezi ndaba zibuhlungu, asuka azila, azikhulula iintsimbi awayehomba ngazo. ₅Kaloku uNdikhoyo wayethe kuMosis: “Xelela amaSirayeli: ‘Niluhlanga oluneenkani, ngoko ke andizukuhamba nani, kuba xa bendinokuhamba nani nomzuzwana lo, bendiya kusuka ndinitshabalalise. Zikhululeni iintsimbi zesihombiso; ndisaza kuyibona into endiza kunenza yona.’ ” ₆Ngoko ke amaSirayeli azikhulula iintsimbi nezinye izihombiso zawo ukunduluka kwawo kwintaba iHorebhe.

₇Ke kaloku kolu hambo lwawo amaSirayeli ayesithi apho emise khona, uMosis agxumeke iintente, emise enye intente mganyana nje nendawo leyo bahlala kuyo. Le ke yayiyintente yokuhlangana; nabani na owayefuna ukuva *kuNdikhoyo wayesiya kuyo. ₈Wayesithi uMosis xa esiya ententeni yokuhlangana amaSirayeli wona eme emnyango ezintenteni zawo, ambukele ade aye kungena. ₉Wayesithi nje ukuba angene uMosis, umqulu welifu uhle ufike uhlale emnyango ententeni apho, aze ke yena uNdikhoyo athethe noMosis. ₁₀AmaSirayeli ayesithi akuwubona umqulu welifu usemnyango apho ententeni yokuhlangana, asuke ee guqaqa anqule. ₁₁Ke yena uNdikhoyo wayeye athethe noMosis ubuso ngobuso, njengaye nabani na othetha nomhlobo wakhe. UMosis ke wayesithi akugqiba agoduke, kodwa yena uYoshuwa umfana olihlakani lakhe, unyana kaNune, wayesala apho ententeni yokuhlangana.

₁₂UMosis wathetha *noNdikhoyo, wathi: “Kaloku undiyalele ukuba ndikhokele aba bantu, ndibase kwelo lizwe, kodwa akutshongo ukuba kolu hambo ndokhatshwa ngubani na. Ewe, utshilo nokuthi: ‘Ndikwazi ngokupheleleyo; kwaye futhi ndikholisekile nguwe.’ ₁₃Ngoko ke, xa kunjalo, ndazise intando yakho, ukuze ndikwazi, ndihlale ndikholisekile kuwe. Kwakhona khumbula ukuba olu hlanga ngabantu bakho ncakasana.”

₁₄UNdikhoyo waphendula wathi: “Hayi kaloku, ndiza kuhamba nani ngenkqu, ndinithi jize ngokuphumla.”

₁₅Ke yena uMosis waleka ngelithi: “Ukuba akuhambi nathi, sukuba sasindulula simke apha. ₁₆Xa ungahambi nathi kuya kwaziwa njani ukuba ukholisekile ndim naba bantu? Kanti ke xa ukho phakathi kwethu, siya kutsho sahluke kulo lonke uluntu.”

₁₇UNdikhoyo wathi: “Ndiza kwenza kanye ngokwesicelo sakho, kuba kaloku ndikholisekile nguwe, futhi ke ndikwazi kakuhle.”

₁₈UMosis waphinda wenza isicelo, wathi kuNdikhoyo: “Ke ngoku khawundivelele ngobuqaqawuli bakho.”

₁₉UNdikhoyo wathi: “Ndiza kukubonisa isidima sam njengoko sinjalo, futhi ndilikhankanye igama lam ezindlebeni zakho, mna Ndikhoyo. Kaloku ndiya kuba nenceba kwabo ndinenceba kubo, ndibe novelwano kwabo ndinovelwano kubo. ₂₀Andizukukubonisa ubuso bam; kaloku akukho mntu unokububona aphinde aphile. ₂₁Kambe ke nantsi indawo ecaleni kwam apho ungema khona phezu kweliwa. ₂₂Ndiya kuthi ke xa ndidlula khona ngobuqaqawuli bam, ndikufihle emfanteni yeliwa, ndize ndikugqume ngesandla ndide ndidlule. ₂₃Ndakuba ndidlule ke, ndiya kusisusa isandla, ukuze ube nokundibona ndifulathele, hayi ebusweni.”

₁*UNdikhoyo wayalela uMosis wathi: “Qingqa amanye amacwecwe amatye amabini afana nalawa okuqala, ukuze mna ndiwabhale kuwo amazwi awayebhalwe kulawa wawaphulayo. ₂Ngomso kusasa uze unyuke intaba iSinayi, apho uya kundibona nam khona. ₃Makungabikho mntu uhamba nawe okanye usondelayo nakuliphi na icala lentaba; nditsho kwaiigusha neenkomo mazingasondeli entabeni.” ₄UMosis ke wawaqingqa amacwecwe amabini amatye, waza ngengomso kusasa wenyuka nawo entabeni iSinayi ngokokutsho kukaNdikhoyo, ewaphethe ngezandla.

₅Ke kaloku uNdikhoyo wehla ngelifu, waza wema noMosis apho entabeni, walikhankanya igama lakhe – uNdikhoyo. ₆Waza ke wadlula phambi kwakhe, wandula wathi: “UNdikhoyo nguThixo onemfesane nesisa, oza kade umsindo, ophuphuma izibele nokunyaniseka. ₇Ukunyaniseka kwakhe akujiki nakwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana; abakhohlakeleyo nabanxaxhayo nabonayo uyabaxolela. Kambe ke abanetyala ubohlwaya ade ohlwaye nesizukulwana sabo, aye kufikelela kwesesithathu nakwesesine ngenxa yeziphoso zooyise.”

₈UMosis wasuka wee guqaqa wakhahlela; ₉wambongoza wathi: “Ukuba ngenene ukholisekile ndim, Mhlekazi, sikhaphe. Nakuba siluhlanga oluneenkani nje, buxolele ubugwenxa nesono sethu, samkele sibe lilifa lakho.”

₁₀UNdikhoyo wathi kuMosis: “Ngoku ke ndenza umnqophiso nani. Ndiya kwenza imimangaliso engazange yenziwe ehlabathini liphela, ngokunjalo nakwizizwe zalo. Kaloku mna Ndikhoyo ndiza kwenza into erhwaqelisayo phakathi kwenu. ₁₁Yithobeleni imithetho endininika yona namhlanje. Xa ningenayo ndiya kuwagxotha ama-Amori, amaKanana, amaHiti, amaPerezi, amaHivi, namaJebhusi. ₁₂Ningakhe nilinge nenze izivumelwano naba bantu ningena emhlabeni wabo, kuba ngokwenjenjalo ningazifaka esigwini. ₁₃Ndaweni yaloo nto wadilizeni amaqonga abo amadini, niyifohloze imifanekiso yabo; ke sona *isithixo sabo uAshera ze nisityoboze.

₁₄“Ningaze ninqule thixo wumbi, kuba mna Ndikhoyo ndinguSobukhwele; ndinguThixo onekhwele. ₁₅Sanukwenza zivumelwano nabantu belo lizwe; kuba hleze bathi, xa benqula besenzela izithixo zabo amadini amanyumnyezi, banimeme nani, nilukuhleke, nitye loo madini azo. ₁₆Nani ningasuka nibathathele oonyana benu abafazi kwezo ntombi zabo, zithi ke ngaloo ndlela zibahende banqule izithixo.

₁₇“Ningaze niziqingqele izithixo.

₁₈“Ningaze niyeke ukwenza itheko lesonka sentlama engenagwele. Yenzani njengoko ndaniyalelayo, nitye isonka esinganyuswanga iintsuku zibe sixhenxe kwinyanga ka-Abhibhi. Kaloku leyo yinyanga enaphuma ngayo eJiputa.

₁₉“Unyana wamazibulo ngokunjalo neduna lemfuyo lamazibulo lelam.

₂₀“Ke lona iduna lamazibulo ledonki nolihlawulela ngedini letakane. Kungenjalo ke niya kulaphula ilungu lentamo. Wonke unyana wamazibulo makahlawulelwe.

“Akukho mntu makeze kum engaphathanga mnikelo.

₂₁“Iintsuku ezintandathu evekini zezokwenza wonke umsebenzi wenu. Kodwa ke ngosuku lwesixhenxe ze niphumle; nditsho nkqu nangamaxesha okulima nokuvuna.

₂₂“Xa nivuna ingqolowa yenzani itheko lolibo; kanti ke ningalityesheli netheko lesivuno ngexesha lokuvuna iziqhamo.

₂₃“Onke amadoda makeze kunqula mna Ndikhoyo Thixo kaSirayeli kathathu ngonyaka. ₂₄Ndiya kuzigxotha izizwe phambi kwenu, itsho inabe imida yenu, kungabikho namntu uya kuzama ukulihlutha elo lizwe kuni xa nisiya kundinqula mna Ndikhoyo Thixo wenu ngazo zozithathu ezi zihlandlo enyakeni.

₂₅“Xa nindenzela idini ze ningasisebenzisi isonka sentlama enegwele. Ngexesha letheko *lePasika inyama yedini ize ingabekwa mbeko.

₂₆“Minyaka le zisani ulibo lwesivuno endlwini kaNdikhoyo.

“Ningaze nilipheke ngobisi lukanina itakane lebhokhwe.”

₂₇UNdikhoyo wayalela uMosis wathi: “Wabhale la mazwi. Kaloku umnqophiso wam nani uxhomekeke kuwo.” ₂₈Ke kaloku uMosis wahlala apho iintsuku ezingamashumi amane engatyi engaseli. Amazwi omnqophiso wawabhala apho emacwecweni, oko kukuthi imithetho elishumi.

₂₉Ukubuya kwakhe entabeni uMosis ephethe loo mithetho ilishumi, ubuso bakhe babukhazimla, kuba ethethe *noNdikhoyo; kambe ke yena wayengayiqondi loo nto. ₃₀UAron namaSirayeli onke babubona ukuba ubuso bakhe buyakhazimla, batsho boyika ukusondela kuye. ₃₁Kodwa uMosis wababiza, waza uAron nazo zonke iinkokheli zamaSirayeli beza kuye, waza wathetha nabo. ₃₂Kamva ke onke amaSirayeli aqokelelana kuMosis, waza ke wawaxelela yonke imiyalelo ayinikwe nguNdikhoyo entabeni iSinayi. ₃₃Wathi ke akugqiba ukuthetha nabo uMosis, wabufaka isigqubuthelo ubuso bakhe. ₃₄Wayesithi xa eza kuthetha noNdikhoyo asisuse isigqubuthelo. Ekubuyeni kwakhe ke wayewaxelela konke akuyalelwe nguNdikhoyo amaSirayeli. ₃₅Wona ke ayebubona ukuba ubuso bakhe buyakhazimla. Kambe ke wayeye afake isigqubuthelo, ade aphinde kwakhona aye kuthetha noNdikhoyo.