UNumeri 31

₁UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂“Baphindisele abantwana bakwa-Israyeli kwabakwaMidiyani, andukuba ubuthelwe kubantu bakini.”

₃UMose wayesekhuluma kubantu, wathi: “Hlomiselani impi amadoda phakathi kwenu ukuba ahlasele abakwaMidiyani, aphindisele uJehova kwabakwaMidiyani; ₄kuleso naleso sizwe njalo anoyithuma empini inkulungwane ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli.” ₅Kwase kunikelwa ezinkulungwaneni zakwa-Israyeli inkulungwane kuleso naleso sizwe, izinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili, zihlonyiselwe impi. ₆UMose wabathuma empini, kwaba yinkulungwane kuleso naleso sizwe, bona noFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi, baye naye empini ephethe impahla yendlu engcwele namacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi esandleni sakhe.

₇Balwa noMidiyani, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose, babulala abesilisa bonke. ₈Babulala amakhosi akwaMidiyani kanye nabanye ababulawayo: o-Evi, noRekemi, noSuri, noHure, noReba, amakhosi ayisihlanu akwaMidiyani; noBileyamu indodana kaBeyori bambulala ngemkemba. ₉Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathumba abesifazane bakwaMidiyani nabancane babo; nazo zonke izinkomo zabo, nazo zonke izimvu zabo, nayo yonke impahla yabo bakuthatha kwaba yimpango yabo. ₁₀Yonke imizi yabo yasezindaweni, lapho bebehlala khona, nawo onke amakamu* abo bakushisa ngomlilo. ₁₁Bathatha yonke impango nayo yonke impahla edliweyo, abantu nezilwane. ₁₂Baletha abathunjwa, nempango, nempahla edliweyo kuMose naku-Eleyazare umpristi, nakuyo inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ekamu* emathafeni akwaMowabi angaseJordani ngaseJeriko.

₁₃OMose, no-Eleyazare umpristi, nazo zonke izikhulu zenhlangano baphuma ukubahlangabeza ngaphandle kwekamu.* ₁₄UMose wazithukuthelela iziphathimandla zebandla, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu ezazibuya empini.

₁₅UMose wathi kuzo: “Nisindisile bonke abesifazane na? ₁₆Bhekani, laba benza ukuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngesiluleko sikaBileyamu baphambeke kuJehova ngendaba yasePeyori, kwaba khona isifo phakathi kwenhlangano kaJehova. ₁₇Ngalokho bulalani manje bonke abesilisa phakathi kwabantwana, nibulale nabo bonke abesifazane abayazi indoda ngokulala nayo. ₁₈Kepha onke amantombazana angazanga ndoda ngokulala nayo, nizisindisele wona.

₁₉“Misani ngaphandle kwekamu* izinsuku eziyisikhombisa; yilowo nalowo obulele umuntu, nalowo othintile obuleweyo, makaziphothule ngosuku lwesithathu nangosuku lwesikhombisa, nina nabathunjwa benu. ₂₀Nazo zonke izingubo, nakho konke okwenziwe ngesikhumba, nayo yonke imisebenzi yoboya bezimbuzi, nazo zonke izinto ezenziwe ngomuthi, niyakuziphothula mayelana nakho.”

₂₁Umpristi u-Eleyazare wathi kumadoda empi ayeyile ekulweni: “Lokhu kuyisimiso somthetho uJehova ayale ngaso uMose: ₂₂kuphela igolide, nesiliva, nethusi, nensimbi, nethini,* nomthofu, ₂₃konke okungahlala emlilweni, niyakukudabulisa emlilweni, kuhlambuluke; kodwa kuyakuhlanjululwa ngamanzi okuphothula, kepha konke okungenakuhlala emlilweni niyakukudabulisa emanzini. ₂₄Niyakuhlanza izingubo zenu ngosuku lwesikhombisa, nihlambuluke, andukuba ningene ekamu.”*

₂₅UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂₆“Balani impango yonke ethathiweyo, abantu nezilwane, wena no-Eleyazare umpristi, nezinhloko zezindlu zawoyise benhlangano, ₂₇wena wahlukanisele impango kabili phakathi kwamadoda empi aya ekulweni nenhlangano yonke, ₂₈uthelisele uJehova amadoda empi aya ekulweni, kube kunye emakhulwini ayisihlanu, awabantu, nawezinkomo, nawezimbongolo, nawezimvu, ₂₉nikuthathe enxenyeni yabo, nikunike u-Eleyazare umpristi, kube ngumnikelo wokuphakanyiswa kaJehova. ₃₀Enxenyeni yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli wothabatha kube kunye emashumini ayisihlanu, awabantu, nawezinkomo, nawezimbongolo, nawezimvu, yebo, awezilwane zonke, ukunike amaLevi agcina inkonzo yetabernakele* likaJehova.” ₃₁OMose no-Eleyazare umpristi benza njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.

₃₂Impango-ke eyayisele kwethathiwe ngamadoda empi yayiyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu, ₃₃nezinkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nambili, ₃₄nezimbongolo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha nanye, ₃₅nabantu, abesifazane abangazangandoda ngokulala nayo, abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nambili, bebonke.

₃₆Nenxenye eyayiyisabelo sabaphuma impi umumo wayo wawuyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu namashumi amathathu nesikhombisa namakhulu ayisihlanu, ₃₇nentela kaJehova yezimvu yayingamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu. ₃₈Izinkomo zaziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nesithupha, intela kaJehova kuzo ingamashumi ayisikhombisa nambili. ₃₉Izimbongolo zaziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu namakhulu ayisihlanu, intela kaJehova kuzo ingamashumi ayisithupha nanye. ₄₀Abantu babe yizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha, intela kaJehova kubo ingamashumi amathathu nambili.

₄₁UMose wamnika u-Eleyazare umpristi intela eyayingumnikelo wokuphakanyiswa kaJehova, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.

₄₂Enxenyeni yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli uMose ayahlukanisa neyamadoda ayelwile ₄₃inxenye yenhlangano yayiyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu namashumi amathathu nesikhombisa namakhulu ayisihlanu, ₄₄nezinkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nesithupha, ₄₅nezimbongolo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu namakhulu ayisihlanu, ₄₆nabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha ₄₇yebo, kule nxenye yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli uMose wathatha kube kunye emashumini ayisihlanu, awabantu nawezilwane, wakunika amaLevi agcina inkonzo yetabernakele* likaJehova, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.

₄₈Iziphathimandla ezaziphezu kwezinkulungwane zebandla, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu, zasondela kuMose, zathi kuMose: ₄₉“Izinceku zakho zibale onke amadoda empi asesandleni sethu, akwasala neyodwa yethu. ₅₀Silethile umnikelo kaJehova, kwaba yilowo nalowo lokho akutholileyo, izinto zegolide, nezigqizo, namasongo, nezindandatho, namacici, nemigexo ukuyenzela imiphefumulo yethu ukubuyisana phambi kukaJehova.”

₅₁OMose no-Eleyazare bamukela igolide kubo, namagugu asetshenziweyo. ₅₂Lonke igolide lomnikelo wokuphakanyiswa abanikela ngalo kuJehova, elezinduna zezinkulungwane nelezinduna zamakhulu, lalingamashekeli* ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha namakhulu ayisikhombisa namashumi ayisihlanu. ₅₃Ngokuba amadoda empi ayezithathele impango, kwaba yileyo naleyo ngokwayo. ₅₄OMose no-Eleyazare umpristi bamukela igolide kuzo izinduna zezinkulungwane nakwezamakhulu, baliletha etendeni lokuhlangana, laba yisikhumbuzo sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli phambi kukaJehova.