AmaNani 16:1-50
16 Ngemva kwalokho uKhora+ indodana ka-Izihari,+ indodana kaKhohathi,+ indodana kaLevi+ wabambana loDathani lo-Abhiramu amadodana ka-Eliyabi+ kanye lo-Oni indodana kaPhelethi, abosendo lukaRubheni.+
2 Bavukela uMosi belamadoda ako-Israyeli angu-250, amadoda akhethiweyo ebandleni futhi angabakhokheli babantu, amadoda adumileyo.
3 Ngakho babuthanela uMosi lo-Aroni bajamelana labo+ bathi: “Sesidiniwe ngani! Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bangcwele,+ bonke nje, njalo uJehova uphakathi kwabo.+ Manje kungani lina liziphakamisa phezu kwebandla likaJehova?”
4 UMosi wathi ekuzwa lokho waguqa wakhothamisa ikhanda.
5 Wasesithi kuKhora labasekeli bakhe: “Ekuseni uJehova uzakwenza kucace ukuthi ngubani ongowakhe+ lokuthi ngubani ongcwele futhi okumele asondele kuye.+ Loba ngubani azamkhetha+ nguye ozasondela kuye.
6 Nanku okufanele likwenze: Wena Khora labo bonke abasekeli bakho+ kumele lithathe inkezwana zokuthwala amalahle,+
7 lifake umlilo kuzo kanye lempepha phambi kukaJehova kusasa njalo lowo uJehova azamkhetha+ nguye ongcwele. Seledlulise amalawulo lina madodana kaLevi!”+
8 UMosi wasesithi kuKhora: “Ngicela lilalele lina madodana kaLevi.
9 Likubona kuyinto encane yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ulikhethe phakathi kwebandla lako-Israyeli+ njalo walivumela ukuthi lisondele kuye lenze umsebenzi ethabanikeli likaJehova futhi lime phambi kwabantu ukuze libenzele inkonzo,+
10 lokuthi ulisondeze eduze kwakhe lina kanye labo bonke abafowenu, amadodana kaLevi? Kambe selingaze lifune lokuhluthuna ubuphristi?+
11 Ngenxa yalesisizatho wena labo bonke abasekeli bakho ababuthene ndawonye, limelane loJehova. U-Aroni yena uyini kambe ukuthi selingaze likhonone ngaye?”+
12 Ngemva kwesikhathi uMosi wathi kubizwe uDathani lo-Abhiramu+ amadodana ka-Eliyabi. Kodwa bona bathi: “Asibuyi!
13 Kuyinto encane yini ukuthi wasikhipha elizweni eligeleza uchago loluju ukuze uzosibulala lapha enkangala?+ Kambe sufuna lokuzenza umbusi* phezu kwethu?
14 Sikhuluma nje awukasingenisi elizweni eligeleza uchago loluju+ futhi awusinikanga ilifa lamasimu kanye lamasimu amagilebisi. Uzawakopola amehlo amadoda lawo yini? Asibuyi vele!”
15 UMosi wazonda kakhulu wasesithi kuJehova: “Ungawamukeli umnikelo wabo wamabele. Angizange ngithathe ngitsho loyedwa ubabhemi wabo futhi kakho loyedwa kubo engimenzele okubi.”+
16 UMosi wasesithi kuKhora: “Wena labo bonke abasekeli bakho buyani phambi kukaJehova kusasa, wena labo kanye lo-Aroni.
17 Ngamunye kumele athathe ukhezwana lwakhe lokuthwala amalahle njalo afake impepha kulo futhi kumele abuye lalo phambi kukaJehova, kube zinkezwana zokuthwala amalahle ezingu-250. Lawe lo-Aroni kufanele liphathe inkezwana zenu zokuthwala amalahle.”
18 Ngakho ngamunye wabo wathatha ukhezwana lwakhe lokuthwala amalahle, wafaka umlilo lempepha kulo njalo bama emnyango wetende lokuhlangana beloMosi lo-Aroni.
19 UKhora wathi esebuthanise abasekeli bakhe+ emnyango wetende lokuhlangana ukuthi bamelane labo, inkazimulo kaJehova yasibonakala kubo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli.+
20 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi lo-Aroni:
21 “Zehlukaniseni liphume eqenjini labantu laba ukuze ngibatshabalalise ngokuphazima kwelihlo.”+
22 Bathi bekuzwa lokho baguqa bathi mbo phansi bathi: “Awu Nkulunkulu, wena onika bonke abantu ukuphila,+ kambe usungaze uthukuthelele ibandla lonke lako-Israyeli ngenxa yesono somuntu oyedwa nje?”+
23 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi:
24 “Tshela abantu bako-Israyeli uthi, ‘Sukani eduze kwamatende kaKhora loDathani lo-Abhiramu!’”+
25 UMosi wasesuka waya kuDathani lo-Abhiramu njalo abadala+ bako-Israyeli bahamba laye.
26 Watshela abantu bako-Israyeli wathi: “Ngicela lisuke ematendeni amadoda la angalunganga futhi lingathinti lutho lwawo ukuze lingatshabalaliswa ngenxa yesono sawo.”
27 Ngakho masinya nje bahle basuka eduze kwamatende kaKhora loDathani lo-Abhiramu kuwo wonke amacele awo njalo uDathani lo-Abhiramu baphuma bama eminyango yamatende abo kanye lamakhosikazi abo, lamadodana abo labantwababo abancane.
28 Ngemva kwalokho uMosi wathi: “Nanku okuzakwenza likwazi ukuthi uJehova nguye ongithume ukuthi ngenze izinto zonke lezi, ayisikho ukuthi ngenza okusekhanda lami:*
29 Nxa abantu laba bangafa ngendlela abantu bonke abafa ngayo futhi nxa bangajeziswa ngendlela efanana leyabantu bonke, kutsho ukuthi uJehova uyabe engangithumanga.+
30 Kodwa nxa uJehova angenza into eyisimanga kubo, umhlaba uvuleke* ubaginye bangene engcwabeni bephila kanye lakho konke abalakho, lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi amadoda la amdelele sibili uJehova.”
31 Wathi eqeda nje ukukhuluma wonke amazwi la, umhlaba wavuleka ngaphansi kwabo.+
32 Umhlaba wavuleka* wabaginya kanye lezimuli zabo labo bonke ababengabakaKhora+ layo yonke impahla yabo.
33 Ngakho bona labo bonke abangababo bangena engcwabeni bephila futhi umhlaba wabagubuzela kwahle kwaba yikutshabalala kwabo phakathi kwebandla lako-Israyeli.+
34 Bonke abantu bako-Israyeli ababeseduze kwabo bathi bebezwa behlaba umkhosi babaleka ngoba besithi: “Sesaba ukuthi umhlaba ungasiginya lathi!”
35 Kwasekusehla umlilo ovela kuJehova+ watshisa walobisa amadoda angu-250 ayenikela impepha.+
36 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi:
37 “Tshela u-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni umphristi ukuthi akhiphe inkezwana zokuthwala amalahle+ emlilweni ngoba zingcwele. Mtshele lokuthi athathe amalahle ayewalahlela khatshana.
38 Inkezwana zokuthwala amalahle zamadoda afe ngenxa yokona kwawo kumele zikhandwe zibe ngamazenge alula azanamathiselwa e-alithareni+ ngoba amadoda lawo azilethe phambi kukaJehova zaba ngcwele. Kumele zibe luphawu ebantwini bako-Israyeli.”+
39 Ngakho u-Eliyazari umphristi wathatha inkezwana lezo zekhopha ezazibuye lamadoda ayesetshiswe ngumlilo wazikhanda ukuze azinamathisele e-alithareni,
40 njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo kuMosi. Lokhu kwakuzakhumbuza abantu bako-Israyeli ukuthi kakho umuntu ongavunyelwayo,* ongasuye wabosendo luka-Aroni okumele anikele impepha kuJehova+ lokuthi kakho umuntu okumele enze njengoKhora labasekeli bakhe.+
41 Ngelanga elilandelayo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli baqalisa ukukhonona ngoMosi lo-Aroni+ besithi: “Lina lobabili libulele abantu bakaJehova.”
42 Abantu bonke bathi sebebuthene ukuze bamelane loMosi lo-Aroni, basebetshibilika bakhangela etendeni lokuhlangana, babona iyezi ligubuzele itende futhi inkazimulo kaJehova yaqala ukubonakala.+
43 UMosi lo-Aroni basuka baya phambi kwetende lokuhlangana,+
44 uJehova wasesithi kuMosi:
45 “Sukani phakathi kwabantu laba ukuze ngibatshabalalise ngokuphazima kwelihlo.”+ Bathi bekuzwa lokho baguqa bathi mbo phansi.+
46 UMosi wasesithi ku-Aroni: “Thatha ukhezwana lokuthwala amalahle, wokhe amalahle e-alithareni+ uwafake kulo ufake lempepha. Ugijime masinya uye ebantwini bako-Israyeli ubahlawulele+ ngoba uJehova usethukuthele kakhulu. Uhlupho seluqalisile!”
47 U-Aroni wahle waluthatha njengokutsho kukaMosi wagijima waya phakathi kwebandla lako-Israyeli, uhlupho lwaseluvele seluqalisile ebantwini. Ngakho wafaka impepha phakathi kokhezwana lokuthwala amalahle, waqalisa ukuhlawulela abantu.
48 Waqhubeka emi phakathi laphakathi kwabafileyo labaphilayo futhi ekucineni uhlupho lwaphela.
49 Uhlupho lolo lwabulala abantu abangu-14 700 kungabalwa labo abafa ngenxa kaKhora.
50 U-Aroni wathi esebuyela kuMosi emnyango wetende lokuhlangana uhlupho lwaseluphelile.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “inkosi.”
^ Kumbe, “okuvela kimi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “uvule umlomo wawo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “wavula umlomo wawo.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “ongaziwayo.”
