AmaNani 31:1-54
31 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi:
2 “Phindiselela+ abantu bako-Israyeli kwabakoMidiyani.+ Ngemva kwalokho uzakufa.”+
3 Ngakho uMosi wakhuluma labantu wathi: “Nikani amadoda aphakathi kwenu izikhali ayehlasela abakoMidiyani futhi aphindiselele uJehova koMidiyani.
4 Kumele lithathe abantu abangu-1 000 esizwaneni sinye ngasinye kuzo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli libathumele empini.”
5 Ngakho kwathathwa amadoda angu-1 000 esizwaneni ngasinye kuzinkulungwane zako-Israyeli.+ Kwakungamadoda angu-12 000 ayehlomele ukuyahlasela.
6 Ngemva kwalokho uMosi wakhipha amasotsha angu-1 000 esizwaneni ngasinye ukuthi ayehlasela. Ayehamba loFiniyasi+ umphristi webutho, indodana ka-Eliyazari njalo nguye owayekhangela izinto ezingcwele kanye lamacilongo empi.+
7 Bawasusela amanqe amaMidiyani njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo kuMosi futhi babulala bonke abesilisa.
8 Phakathi kwalabo ababulawayo, kwakulamakhosi akoMidiyani u-Evi, loRekhemu, loZuri, loHuri kanye loRebha, amakhosi akoMidiyani amahlanu. Babulala loBhalamu+ indodana kaBheyori ngenkemba.
9 Kodwa abako-Israyeli bathumba abesifazana bakoMidiyani labantwana. Babutha zonke izifuyo zabo lemihlambi yabo kanye layo yonke impahla yabo.
10 Batshisa wonke amadolobho ababehlala kuwo kanye lazo zonke izindawo ababemise kuzo amatende abo.
11 Kanti njalo bathatha konke ababekuthumbile, okugoqela abantu lezifuyo.
12 Ngemva kwalokho bathatha abantu abathunjiweyo kanye lempahla ababeyitholile baya lakho kuMosi lomphristi u-Eliyazari kanye labantu bako-Israyeli ezihonqweni, emagcekeni akoMowabi+ eduze komfula uJodani, eJerikho.
13 UMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi labo bonke abakhokheli bako-Israyeli basebephuma bayabahlangabeza ngaphandle kwezihonqo.
14 Kodwa uMosi wawazondela kakhulu amadoda akhethiweyo ayengabakhokheli bebutho, izinduna zabantu abayinkulungwane lezinduna zabantu abalikhulu ezazivela empini.
15 UMosi wathi kuwo: “Kungani litshiye bonke abesifazana bephila?
16 Phela yibo abalalela ilizwi likaBhalamu bahuga abako-Israyeli babenza bangathembeki+ kuJehova endabeni yasePheyori,+ okwabangela ukuthi abantu bakaJehova behlelwe luhlupho.+
17 Ngakho kumele libulale bonke abantwana abangabafana laye wonke owesifazana oseke walala lendoda.
18 Kodwa wonke nje amantombazana angakaze alale lendoda+ lingawatshiya ephila.
19 Kumele lihlale phandle kwezihonqo okwamalanga ayisikhombisa. Loba ngubani phakathi kwenu obulele umuntu laloba ngubani othinte isidumbu somuntu obuleweyo,+ kumele azihlambulule+ ngelanga lesithathu langelanga lesikhombisa. Kumele lizihlambulule lina kanye labantu elibathumbileyo.
20 Zonke izigqoko, lazo zonke izinto ezenziwe ngesikhumba, lakho konke okwenziwe ngoboya bembuzi lakho konke okwenziwe ngesigodo kumele likuhlambulule esonweni.”
21 U-Eliyazari umphristi wasekhuluma lamabutho ayevela empini wathi, “Nanku umthetho uJehova awutshele uMosi:
22 ‘Igolide, lesiliva, lekhopha, lensimbi, lethini kanye lomnuso,
23 konke nje okungeke kutshe nxa kungafakwa emlilweni kumele likudlulise emlilweni njalo kuzakuba ngokuhlanzekileyo. Loba kunjalo kumele liphinde likuhlambulule ngamanzi okuhlambulula.+ Kodwa okunye okungeke kudluliswe emlilweni kumele likuhlambulule ngamanzi.
24 Kumele liwatshe izigqoko zenu ngelanga lesikhombisa, libe ngabahlanzekileyo. Ngemva kwalokho selingangena ezihonqweni.’”+
25 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi:
26 “Bala impahla ethunjiweyo, okugoqela abantu abathunjiweyo kanye lezifuyo. U-Eliyazari umphristi labakhokheli bezizwana zako-Israyeli yibo abazakuncedisa ukwenza lokhu.
27 Yehlukanisa impahla ethunjiweyo ibe zingxenye ezimbili ukuze yabelwe amasotsha avela hlasela, labantu bonke bako-Israyeli.+
28 Kumele uthathe umthelo oya kuJehova kuwo wonke amasotsha ahambe empini, uthathe umuntu oyedwa phakathi kwabangu-500, lesifuyo esisodwa kwezingu-500 emihlambini yenkomo, lakubobabhemi, lasemihlambini yezimvu leyembuzi.
29 Kumele likuthathe engxenyeni yawo, ubusukunika u-Eliyazari umphristi kube ngumnikelo ophiwa uJehova.+
30 Engxenyeni ezanikwa abantu bako-Israyeli kumele uthathe umuntu oyedwa kwabangu-50, lesifuyo esisodwa kwezingu-50 emihlambini yenkomo, lakubobabhemi, lasemihlambini yezimvu leyembuzi lakuyo yonke imihlobo yezifuyo. Izinto lezi kumele uzinike amaLevi+ ayiwo enza imisebenzi ephathelane lethabanikeli likaJehova.”+
31 Ngakho uMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi benza khona kanye uJehova ayekutshele uMosi.
32 Yonke impahla ethunjiweyo, konke nje okwakuthunjwe ngamasotsha ayephume ayahlasela, kwakungumhlambi wezimvu lembuzi ezingu-675 000,
33 lomhlambi wenkomo ezingu-72 000,
34 kanye labobabhemi abangu-61 000.
35 Abesifazana ababengakaze balale lendoda+ bona babengu-32 000.
36 Ingxenye eyaba yisabelo salabo ababephume baya empini yaba zimbuzi lezimvu ezingu-337 500.
37 Imbuzi lezimvu zomthelo oya kuJehova zazingu-675.
38 Kwakulomhlambi wenkomo ezingu-36 000, kwasekuphuma ezingu-72 zaba ngumthelo kaJehova.
39 Obabhemi babengu-30 500 njalo kwaphuma abangu-61 baba ngumthelo kaJehova.
40 Kanti njalo kwakulabantu abangu-16 000 futhi kwaphuma abangu-32 baba ngumthelo kaJehova.
41 UMosi wasethatha umthelo lowo owawungumnikelo kaJehova wawunika u-Eliyazari umphristi,+ njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo kuMosi.
42 Engxenyeni yabantu bako-Israyeli leyo uMosi ayeseyehlukanise lengxenye yamadoda ayevela empini,
43 kwakulomhlambi wezimvu lowembuzi ezingu-337 500,
44 lomhlambi wenkomo ezingu-36 000,
45 labobabhemi abangu-30 500
46 kanye labantu abangu-16 000.
47 Engxenyeni eyisabelo sabantu bako-Israyeli, uMosi wathatha umuntu oyedwa kwabangu-50 wenza njalo lasemihlambini yezifuyo. Konke lokhu wakunika amaLevi+ ayesenza umsebenzi ethabanikeli likaJehova,+ njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo kuye.
48 Ngemva kwalokho amadoda akhethiweyo ayengabakhokheli bezinkulungwane zebutho,+ izinduna zabantu abayinkulungwane lezinduna zabantu abalikhulu aya kuMosi,
49 athi kuye: “Izinceku zakho sezibale wonke amadoda empi angaphansi kwazo njalo akula lelilodwa isotsha elingekho phakathi kwethu.+
50 Ngakho vumela ngamunye wethu alethe akutholileyo kube ngumnikelo kaJehova, izinto ezenziwe ngegolide, amaketane agqokwa enqagaleni, lamasongo, lendandatho ezilophawu, lamacici lezinye izinto eziligugu ukuze sihlawulelwe phambi kukaJehova.”
51 Ngakho uMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi balamukela igolide elivela kubo, yonke nje imiceciso eligugu.
52 Lonke igolide lomnikelo abaliletha kuJehova elalivela ezinduneni zabantu abayinkulungwane lezinduneni zabantu abalikhulu, lalingamashekheli* angu-16 750.
53 Indoda ngayinye eyayilisotsha yayilempahla eyayizithumbele yona.
54 UMosi lo-Eliyazari balamukela igolide elalivela ezinduneni zabantu abayinkulungwane lasezinduneni zabantu abalikhulu njalo balisa etendeni lokuhlangana ukuze libe yisikhumbuzo ebantwini bako-Israyeli phambi kukaJehova.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ishekheli yayilingana lamagremu angu-11,4. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
