U-Eksodusi 17

₁Ibandla lonke labantwana bakwa-Israyeli lasuka ehlane laseSini, bahamba ngamabanga njengesiyalo sikaJehova, bamisa eRefidimi; kwakungekho manzi okuba abantu baphuze. ₂Ngalokho abantu baphikisana noMose, bathi: “Siphe amanzi, siphuze.”

UMose wathi kubo: “Yini ukuba niphikisane nami na? Nimlingelani uJehova na?”

₃Abantu bomela khona amanzi; abantu bakhonona ngoMose, bathi: “Usikhuphuleleni eGibithe ukuba usibulale, thina nabantwana bethu nezinkomo zethu ngokoma, na?”

₄UMose wayesekhala kuJehova, ethi: “Ngizakwenzani kulaba bantu na? Sekukancane ukuba bangikhande ngamatshe.”

₅UJehova wathi kuMose: “Dlulela phambi kwabantu, uthathe amalunga akwa-Israyeli; nenduku yakho owashaya ngayo umfula, yiphathe ngesandla sakho, uhambe. ₆Bheka, ngiyakuma phambi kwakho edwaleni laseHorebe; uzakushaya itshe, kuphume amanzi kulo, abantu baphuze.” Wenze njalo uMose emehlweni amalunga akwa-Israyeli. ₇Waqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngokuthi iMasa* neMeriba* ngenxa yokuphikisana kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nangokuba bemlinga uJehova, bethi: “Ukhona yini uJehova phakathi kwethu noma qha?”

₈Kwase kufika u-Amaleki, walwa no-Israyeli eRefidimi. ₉UMose wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sikhethele amadoda, uphume ulwe no-Amaleki; kusasa ngizakuma esiqongweni sentaba, induku kaNkulunkulu isesandleni sami.”

₁₀UJoshuwa wenze njalo, njengalokho uMose eshilo kuye, walwa no-Amaleki; oMose, no-Aroni, noHure bakhuphukela esiqongweni sentaba. ₁₁Kwathi uMose esephakamisile isandla sakhe, u-Israyeli wahlula, kepha nxa esehlisa, u-Amaleki wahlula. ₁₂Kodwa izandla zikaMose zaba nzima; bathatha itshe, walibeka phambi kwakhe, wahlala kulo; o-Aroni noHure basekela izandla zakhe, omunye engalapha, omunye engalapha; zase zihlala ziqinile izandla zakhe laze lashona ilanga. ₁₃UJoshuwa wamchitha u-Amaleki nabantu bakhe ngosiko lwenkemba.

₁₄UJehova wathi kuMose: “Kulobe lokhu kube yisikhumbuzo encwadini, ukubeke ezindlebeni zikaJoshuwa ukuthi ngizakuqothula ukukhunjulwa kuka-Amaleki phansi kwezulu.”

₁₅UMose walakha i-altare, waliqamba igama lokuthi iJehova-Nisi. ₁₆Wathi: “Isandla singasesihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova sokuthi uJehova uyakulwa no-Amaleki izizukulwane ngezizukulwane.”