To The Word – Day 18

₁UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂“Yisho kwabakwa-Israyeli ukuba babuyele emuva, bamise ngaphambi kwePhi Hahiroti, ngaphakathi kweMigidoli nolwandle, phambi kweBali Sefoni; anomisa ngaselwandle, nibhekane nalo. ₃UFaro uyakuthi ngabantwana bakwa-Israyeli: ‘Badidekile ezweni, ihlane libavalele.’ ₄Ngiyakuyenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro, abalandele; ngiyakudunyiswa ngoFaro nangebandla lakhe lonke; abaseGibithe bayakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” Benze njalo-ke.

₅Inkosi yaseGibithe yabikelwa ukuthi abantu sebebalekile; inhliziyo kaFaro neyezinceku zakhe yabaguqukela abantu, bathi: “Yini lokhu esikwenzileyo, sabavumela abakwa-Israyeli ukuba bahambe, bangasikhonzi, na?” ₆Wabophela inqola yakhe, wahamba nabantu bakhe. ₇Wathatha izinqola ezingamakhulu ayisithupha ezikhethiweyo, nezinqola zonke zaseGibithe, nezinduna zazo zonke. ₈UJehova wayenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro inkosi yaseGibithe; waxosha abakwa-Israyeli; ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli baphuma ngesandla esiphakamileyo. ₉AbaseGibithe babaxosha, amahhashi onke, nezinqola zikaFaro, nabamahhashi bakhe, nempi yakhe, babafica bemise ngaselwandle ngasePhi Hahiroti ngaphambi kweBali Sefoni.

₁₀UFaro esesondela, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli baphakamisa amehlo abo; bheka, abaseGibithe babebalandela; base besaba kakhulu; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhala kuJehova. ₁₁Bathi kuMose: “Kungokuba kwakungekho mathuna eGibithe usikhiphile ukuba sifele ehlane na? Usenzeleni lokhu, wasikhipha eGibithe, na? ₁₂Leli alisilo izwi esalikhuluma kuwe eGibithe, sithi: ‘Siyeke, sikhonze abaseGibithe,’ na? Ngokuba bekuyakuba ngcono kithi ukubakhonza abaseGibithe kunokuba sifele ehlane.”

₁₃UMose wathi kubantu: “Ningesabi; qinani, nibone ukusindisa kukaJehova azakunenzela khona namuhla, ngokuba abaseGibithe enibabonile namuhla anisayikubuye nibabone naphakade.” ₁₄UJehova uzakunilwela, nothula nina.

₁₅UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Ukhalelani kimi na? Yisho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba bahambe. ₁₆Phakamisa wena induku yakho, welule isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ulwahlukanise; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bazakuhamba phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomileyo. ₁₇Bheka, mina ngiyakuzenza lukhuni izinhliziyo zabaseGibithe, babalandele; ngizakudunyiswa ngoFaro nangempi yakhe yonke, ngezinqola zakhe nangabamahhashi bakhe. ₁₈AbaseGibithe bazakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova, nxa ngidunyisiwe ngoFaro, ngezinqola zakhe nangabamahhashi bakhe.”

₁₉Ingelosi kaNkulunkulu eyayihambile phambi kwempi ka-Israyeli yasuka yahamba emva kwabo, nensika yefu yasuka phambi kwabo, yema emva kwabo. ₂₀Yafika phakathi kwempi yaseGibithe nempi yakwa-Israyeli; kwakukhona ifu nobumnyama, noma ikhanya ebusuku, ukuze izimpi zingakwazi ukusondelana ubusuku bonke.

₂₁UMose wayeselula isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle; uJehova wamukisa amanzi ngomoya onamandla wasempumalanga ubusuku bonke, waphendula ulwandle lwaba ngumhlabathi owomileyo, amanzi ahlukana. ₂₂Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bangena phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomileyo; amanzi aba lugange kubo ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo.

₂₃AbaseGibithe babaxosha, bangena emva kwabo ngaphakathi kolwandle, namahhashi onke kaFaro, nezinqola zakhe, nabamahhashi bakhe. ₂₄Kwathi ngomlindo wokusa uJehova walunguza impi yabaseGibithe, esensikeni yomlilo neyefu, wayidunga impi yabaseGibithe. ₂₅Wawisa amasondo ezinqola ukuba bahambise kalukhuni, baze bathi abaseGibithe: “Masibaleke ebusweni buka-Israyeli, ngokuba uJehova uyabalwela emelene nabaseGibithe.”

₂₆Wayesethi uJehova kuMose: “Yelula isandla sakho phezu kolwandle ukuba amanzi abuyele phezu kwabaseGibithe, phezu kwezinqola zabo nabamahhashi babo.” ₂₇UMose wayeselula isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle, ulwandle lwabuyela endaweni yalo ngokufika kokusa; abaseGibithe balubalekela; uJehova wabathuntuthela abaseGibithe phakathi kolwandle. ₂₈Amanzi abuyela, asibekela izinqola, nabamahhashi, nayo yonke impi kaFaro eyangena elwandle emva kwazo; akwasala noyedwa kubo.

₂₉Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kolwandle; amanzi aba lugange kubo ngakwesokunene nangakwesokhohlo. ₃₀Kanjalo uJehova wasindisa u-Israyeli esandleni sabaseGibithe; u-Israyeli wababona abaseGibithe befile ogwini lolwandle. ₃₁U-Israyeli wabona umsebenzi omkhulu uJehova awenzile phezu kwabaseGibithe; abantu base bemesaba uJehova, bakholwa nguJehova nenceku yakhe uMose.

₁Base behlabelela uMose nabantwana bakwa-Israyeli leli gama, bekhuluma bethi:

₁₉Ngokuba amahhashi kaFaro angena elwandle kanye nezinqola zakhe nabamahhashi bakhe, uJehova wabuyisela amanzi olwandle phezu kwabo; kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba emhlabathini owomileyo ngaphakathi kolwandle. ₂₀UMiriyamu umprofethikazi, udadewabo ka-Aroni, waphatha isigubhu ngesandla sakhe; bonke abesifazane baphuma emva kwakhe bephethe izigubhu, besina. ₂₁UMiriyamu wabaphendula ngokuthi:

₂₂UMose wayesebahola abakwa-Israyeli besuka eLwandle Olubomvu, baya ehlane laseShuri; bahamba ehlane izinsuku ezintathu bengafumani manzi. ₂₃Sebefika eMara babengenakuphuza amanzi aseMara, lokhu ayebaba; ngalokho igama lalo lathiwa iMara.* ₂₄Abantu bakhonona ngoMose, bathi: “Siyakuphuzani na?”

₂₅Wayesekhala kuJehova; uJehova wambonisa umuthi; wawuphonsa emanzini, amanzi aba mtoti. Wabamisela khona isimiso nomthetho; wabavivinya lapho, ₂₆wathi: “Uma ulalela nokulalela izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ukwenze okulungile emehlweni akhe, ulalele imiyalo yakhe, ugcine izimiso zakhe zonke, angiyikubeka phezu kwakho nasinye salezo zifo engizibeke phezu kwabaseGibithe, ngokuba nginguJehova okuphilisayo.”

₂₇Bafika e-Elimi, lapho kwakukhona imithombo eyishumi nambili yamanzi namasundu angamashumi ayisikhombisa; bamisa khona ngasemanzini.

₁Basuka e-Elimi; ibandla lonke labantwana bakwa-Israyeli lafika ehlane laseSini eliphakathi kwe-Elimi neSinayi ngosuku lweshumi nanhlanu lwenyanga yesibili emva kokuphuma ezweni laseGibithe. ₂Lonke ibandla labantwana bakwa-Israyeli lakhonona ngoMose nango-Aroni ehlane. ₃Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathi kubo: “Sengathi nga safa ngesandla sikaJehova ezweni laseGibithe, lapho sasihlezi ngasemakhanzini enyama, sidla isinkwa sisutha, ngokuba nisiphumisele kuleli hlane ukuyobulala lonke leli bandla ngendlala.”

₄UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Bheka, ngizakuninisela isinkwa esivela ezulwini; abantu bayakuphuma, babuthe isabelo sosuku imihla ngemihla, ukuze ngibavivinye ukuthi bazakuhamba yini emthethweni wami noma qha. ₅Kuzakuthi ngosuku lwesithupha bakulungise abakungenisileyo; kuzakuba ngokuphindwe kabili kwalokhu abakubutha imihla ngemihla.”

₆OMose no-Aroni bathi kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Ngakusihlwa niyakwazi ukuthi uJehova unikhiphile ezweni laseGibithe. ₇Kusasa niyakubona inkazimulo kaJehova, lokhu ezwile izinkonono zenu ngoJehova; thina siyini ukuba nikhonone ngathi na?” ₈UMose wathi: “Lokhu kuzakwenzeka, lapho uJehova eyakuninika inyama kusihlwa ukuba nidle, nasekuseni isinkwa ukuze nisuthe; ngokuba uJehova uyezwa izinkonono zenu enikhonona ngaye ngazo; thina siyini? Izinkonono zenu azingathi, zingoJehova.”

₉UMose wathi ku-Aroni: “Yisho kuyo yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuthi: ‘Sondelani phambi kukaJehova, ngokuba uzwile izinkonono zenu.’ ”

₁₀Kwathi u-Aroni esakhuluma kuyo yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, babheka ngasehlane; bheka, inkazimulo kaJehova yabonakala efwini.

₁₁UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₁₂“Ngizwile izinkonono zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; khuluma kubo, uthi: ‘Ngakusihlwa niyakudla inyama, kusasa nisuthe isinkwa, nize nazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’ ”

₁₃Kwathi kusihlwa kwenyuka izigwaca, zasibekela ikamu;* ngakusasa kwakulele amazolo ekamu nxazonke. ₁₄Esenyukile amazolo akade elele khona, bheka, nakho okuthile okuncane okunjengenkwethu, kuncane njengongqoqwane emhlabathini. ₁₅Bakubona abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, bathi omunye komunye: “Yini le?” ngokuba babengazi ukuthi kuyini. UMose wathi kubo: “Kuyisinkwa uJehova aninike sona ukuba nisidle. ₁₆Lokhu kuyikho uJehova ayalile ngakho ukuthi: ‘Kubutheni, kube yilowo nalowo njengokudla kwakhe; anothatha iyomere* ngomuntu ngokwenani labantu benu, yilowo nalowo abathathele abasetendeni lakhe.’ ”

₁₇Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benze njalo: abanye babutha okuningi abanye okuyingcosana. ₁₈Lapho sebelinganisa ngeyomere,* yena owayebuthe okuningi akabanga nokuseleyo, nowayebuthe okuyingcosana akaswelanga. Yilowo nalowo wabutha njengokudla kwakhe.

₁₉UMose wayesethi kubo: “Makungashiywa lutho kukho ngumuntu kuze kuse.”

₂₀Kodwa abamlalelanga uMose; abanye kubo bashiya okunye kwaze kwasa, kwazala izimpethu, kwanuka, uMose waze wabathukuthelela.

₂₁Bakubutha ekuseni njalo imihla ngemihla, kwaba yilowo nalowo muntu njengokudla kwakhe; kepha nxa ilanga selibalele, kwancibilika. ₂₂Kwathi ngosuku lwesithupha babutha isinkwa esiphindwe kabili, amayomere* amabili kumuntu munye; zonke izinduna zomhlangano zafika, zamtshela uMose. ₂₃Wathi kuzo: “Lokhu kuyikho uJehova akukhulumileyo: kusasa kulusuku lokuphumula, isabatha elingcwele likaJehova; yosani lokho eniyakukosa, nipheke lokho eniyakukupheka, nizibekele konke okuseleyo, kulondolozwe kuze kuse.”

₂₄Bakubeka kwaze kwasa, njengalokho eyalile uMose; akunukanga, akwaba nampethu. ₂₅Wayesethi uMose: “Yidlani lokhu namuhla, ngokuba namuhla kuyisabatha likaJehova; namuhla aniyikukuthola endle. ₂₆Anokubutha izinsuku eziyisithupha, kepha ngosuku lwesikhombisa kuyisabatha; akuyikubakho ngalo.”

₂₇Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa kwaphuma abanye abantu ukuba bakubuthe, kepha kabakutholanga. ₂₈UJehova wathi kuMose: “Niyakwala kuze kube nini ukugcina imiyalo yami nemithetho yami na? ₂₉Bhekani, njengalokho uJehova eniphile isabatha, ngalokho uyaninika ngosuku lwesithupha isinkwa sezinsuku ezimbili; hlalani, kube yilowo nalowo endaweni yakhe, kungaphumi muntu endaweni yakhe ngosuku lwesikhombisa.” ₃₀Base bephumula-ke abantu ngosuku lwesikhombisa.

₃₁Indlu yakwa-Israyeli yaqamba igama lakho ngokuthi imana;* kwakunjengembewu yekoriyanderi,* kumhlophe; kwezwakala emlonyeni kungathi ngamaqebelengwane anezinyosi. ₃₂UMose wathi: “Lokhu kuyikho uJehova ayalile ngakho ukuthi: ‘Makulondolozwe ezizukulwaneni iyomere* eligcweleyo lalokhu ukuba babone isinkwa enganipha sona ehlane ngisanikhipha ezweni laseGibithe.’ ”

₃₃UMose wathi ku-Aroni: “Thatha isitsha, ufake iyomere* eligcweleyo lemana, ukubeke phambi kukaJehova, kulondolozelwe izizukulwane zenu.”

₃₄Njengalokho uJehova emyala uMose, kanjalo u-Aroni wakubeka phambi kobuFakazi, kulondolozwe. ₃₅Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli badla imana iminyaka engamashumi amane, baze bafika ezweni elakhiweyo; badla imana, baze bafika emikhawulweni yezwe laseKhanani.

₃₆Iyomere* lingokweshumi kwe-efa.*

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.”

₁UJetiro umpristi wakwaMidiyani, umukhwe kaMose, wezwa konke uNkulunkulu abenzele khona oMose no-Israyeli abantu bakhe, ukuthi uJehova wayemkhiphile u-Israyeli eGibithe.

₂UJetiro umukhwe kaMose wathatha uSipora umkaMose, yena esekade embuyisile, ₃namadodana akhe omabili, igama lenye linguGereshomu, ngokuba wayethe: “Ngangingumfokazi kwelinye izwe,” ₄igama lenye lalingu-Eliyezeri, ngokuba wathi: “UNkulunkulu kababa ubelusizo lwami, wangophula enkembeni kaFaro.”

₅UJetiro umukhwe kaMose wafika namadodana akhe nomkakhe kuMose ehlane, lapho wayemise khona ngasentabeni kaNkulunkulu. ₆Wathi kuMose: “Mina mukhwe wakho uJetiro ngize kuwe, kanye nomkakho, namadodana akhe omabili enaye.”

₇UMose waphuma ukumhlangabeza umukhwe wakhe, wamkhothamela, wamanga; babuzana impilo, bangena etendeni. ₈UMose wayesemlandisa umukhwe wakhe konke uJehova abekwenzile kuFaro nakubo abaseGibithe ngenxa ka-Israyeli, konke ukushikashikeka okwabehlela endleleni, nokuthi uJehova wabophula.

₉UJetiro wathokoza ngakho konke okuhle uJehova akwenzile ku-Israyeli, ebophulile esandleni sabaseGibithe. ₁₀Wathi uJetiro: “Makabongwe uJehova onophulile esandleni sabaseGibithe nasesandleni sikaFaro, ebophulile abantu phansi kwesandla sabaseGibithe. ₁₁Kalokhu ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova mkhulu kunabo bonke onkulunkulu, yebo, kulokhu ababebagabisela ngakho.” ₁₂UJetiro umukhwe kaMose wamthathela uNkulunkulu umnikelo wokushiswa nemihlatshelo; weza u-Aroni kanye nawo onke amalunga akwa-Israyeli ukuyokudla nomukhwe kaMose phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

₁₃Kwathi ngangomuso uMose wayehlala ukwahlulela abantu; abantu babemi ngakuMose kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwahlwa. ₁₄Umukhwe kaMose esebona konke abenzela khona abantu, wathi: “Kuyini lokhu obenzela khona bantu na? Uhlalelani wedwa, abantu bonke bemi ngakuwe kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe na?”

₁₅UMose wathi kumukhwe wakhe: “Kungokuba abantu beza kimi ukuyombuza uNkulunkulu. ₁₆Uma benendaba, beza kimi; ngiyahlulela phakathi komuntu nomakhelwane wakhe, ngibazise izimiso zikaNkulunkulu nemithetho yakhe.”

₁₇Umukhwe kaMose wathi kuye: “Lokhu okwenzayo akukuhle. ₁₈Uyakudinwa nokudinwa, wena nalaba bantu abanawe, ngokuba lokhu kuyakusinda; awunakukwenza uwedwa. ₁₉Kalokhu lalela izwi lami, ngikululeke, uNkulunkulu abe nawe; ngithi: ‘Yiba ngumkhulumeli wabantu phambi kukaNkulunkulu, ulethe izindaba kuNkulunkulu, ₂₀ubafundise izimiso nemithetho, ubatshengise indlela abayakuhamba ngayo, nomsebenzi abayakuwenza. ₂₁Futhi-ke wozifunela phakathi kwabantu bonke amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile, uwabeke phezu kwabo, abe yizinduna zezinkulungwane, nezinduna zamakhulu, nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, nezinduna zamashumi. ₂₂Akube yizona ezahlulela abantu ngezikhathi zonke, kulethwe kuwe zonke izindaba ezinkulu; kepha zonke izindaba ezincane zahlulelwe yizo uqobo, kuze kube lula kuwe, zithwalisane nawe. ₂₃Uma wenza lokhu, noNkulunkulu ekuyala kanje, uzakuba namandla okuma, nabo bonke laba bantu bayakubuyela ezindaweni zabo benokuthula.’ ”

₂₄UMose walalela izwi lomukhwe wakhe, wakwenza konke akushilo. ₂₅UMose wakhetha amadoda anamandla phakathi kuka-Israyeli wonke, wawabeka aba yizinhloko phezu kwabantu, izinduna zezinkulungwane, nezinduma zamakhulu, nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, nezinduna zamashumi. ₂₆Zahlulela abantu ngezikhathi zonke; izindaba ezilukhuni zazidlulisela kuMose, kepha zonke izindaba ezincane zahlulelwa yizo uqobo.

₂₇UMose wamvalelisa umukhwe wakhe; wasuka wabuyela ezweni lakubo.