AmaNani

11 Abantu basebeqalisa ukukhonona kakhulu phambi kukaJehova. UJehova wathi ekuzwa lokho ulaka lwakhe lwavutha njalo uJehova wathumela umlilo waqothula abanye babo ababesemaphethelweni ezihonqo. 2 Abantu baqala ukukhala kuMosi, uMosi wasencenga uJehova+ umlilo wacitsha. 3 Ngakho indawo leyo yabizwa ngokuthi yiThabhera* ngoba uJehova wabehlisela umlilo ovuthayo.+

4 Ixuku labantu abatshiyeneyo*+ elaliphakathi kwabo laqala ukuba ngamagovu lisithi lifuna ukudla okungcono+ futhi abako-Israyeli labo baphinda bakhala besithi: “Ngubani ozasinika inyama sidle?+ 5 Awu bakithi saze sakhanuka inhlanzi esasizidla mahala eGibhithe, lamakhukhamba, lamakhabe, lamalikhi, lama-onyeni kanye legalikhi.+ 6 Khathesi sesiphele amandla. Akula enye into esiyibonayo ngaphandle kwemana le.”+

7 Imana+ yayifana lentanga zekhoriyanda+ njalo ilombala onjengowenhlaka emhlophe. 8 Abantu babephuma bayeyibutha njalo babeyichola ematsheni okuchola kumbe bayigige engigeni zabo zamatshe. Ngemva kwalokho babeyixhwathisa ngezimbiza kumbe benze ngayo izinkwa eziyisigombolozi+ futhi yayinambitheka njengekhekhe eliletshukela lamafutha. 9 Kwakusithi kungaba lamazolo ezihonqweni ebusuku lemana layo ikhithike.+

10 UMosi wezwa abantu bekhala, emulini yinye ngayinye, ngamunye esemnyango wetende lakhe. Lokhu kwamthukuthelisa uJehova+ futhi uMosi laye kwamcaphula kakhulu. 11 UMosi wasesithi kuJehova: “Kungani uhlukuluza inceku yakho? Kungani ungazange ube lomusa kimi, uze ungethese umthwalo wabantu bonke laba?+ 12 Yimi umama wabantu bonke laba yini? Yimi engabazalayo yini ukuthi usungaze uthi, ‘Bathwale esifubeni sakho njengenceku ethwele usane olumunyayo,’ ubase elizweni engafunga ukulinika okhokho babo.+ 13 Ngizayithatha ngaphi inyama yokunika abantu bonke laba? Phela balokhu bekhala phambi kwami besithi, ‘Sinike inyama sidle.’ 14 Ngeke ngibathwale ngedwa abantu bonke laba; kuyangisinda lokhu.+ 15 Nxa le kuyiyo indlela ozangiphatha ngayo ngicela uhle ungibulale khathesi+ futhi nxa ngithole umusa kuwe, ungangenzi ngibone obunye ubunzima.”

16 UJehova waphendula uMosi wathi: “Ngiqoqela amadoda angu-70 phakathi kwabadala bako-Israyeli, amadoda okwaziyo ukuthi angabadala futhi angabakhokheli babantu.+ Hamba lawo etendeni lokuhlangana ufike ume lawo khonapho. 17 Ngizakwehla+ ngizokhuluma lawe khonapho+ njalo ngizathatha omunye umoya wami+ ophezu kwakho ngiwufake kuwo, futhi amadoda la azakuncedisa ukuthwala umthwalo wabantu laba ukuze ungawuthwali wedwa.+ 18 Kumele ukhulume labantu uthi kubo: ‘Zingcweliseni lamuhla ngoba kusasa+ lizayidla sibili inyama. Phela uJehova ulizwile likhala+ lisithi: “Ngubani ozasinika inyama sidle? Izinto zazingcono siseGibhithe.”+ UJehova uzalinika inyama sibili njalo lizayidla.+ 19 Alisoze liyidle okwelanga elilodwa kumbe okwamalanga amabili loba amahlanu kumbe alitshumi loba angu-20, 20 kodwa lizayidla okwenyanga yonke ize iphume ngamakhala futhi lizaze liyenyanye+ ngoba limfulathele uJehova yena ephakathi kwenu, lakhala phambi kwakhe lisithi: “Vele sasukelani eGibhithe?”’”+

21 UMosi wasesithi: “Kulamadoda angu-600 000+ angamasotsha ebantwini laba engiphakathi kwabo, kodwa wena ngokwakho uthe, ‘Ngizabanika inyama njalo bazayidla okwenyanga yonke.’ 22 Lanxa bekungahlatshwa yonke imihlambi yezimvu leyenkomo, ibingabenela yini? Kumbe nxa kungagolwa zonke inhlanzi zolwandle, zingabenela yini?”

23 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi: “Kambe isandla sikaJehova sifitshane yini?+ Khathesi uzazibonela ngawakho ukuthi engikutshoyo kuzakwenzakala yini loba hatshi.”

24 Ngakho uMosi wahamba wayatshela abantu lokho uJehova ayekutshilo njalo waqoqa amadoda angu-70 avela ebadaleni babantu bako-Israyeli futhi wathi ame agombolozele itende.+ 25 UJehova wasesehla eseyezini+ wakhuluma laye+ njalo wathatha omunye umoya+ wakhe owawukuMosi wawufaka komunye lomunye wabadala abangu-70. Umoya wathi usehlela kubo bahle baqalisa ukwenza njengabaphrofethi,*+ kodwa abazange baphinde bakwenze lokhu.

26 Kwakulamanye amadoda amabili ayelokhu esezihonqweni, amabizo awo kwakungu-Elidadi loMedadi. Umoya waqala ukwehlela phezu kwawo ngoba amabizo awo ayebhaliwe kulabo ababekhethiwe kodwa ayengazange aye etendeni. Ngakho aqala ukwenza njengabaphrofethi ezihonqweni. 27 Ijaha elithile laseligijima layabikela uMosi lathi: “U-Elidadi loMedadi sebesenza njengabaphrofethi ezihonqweni!” 28 UJoshuwa+ indodana kaNuni, owayeyinceku kaMosi kusukela eseselijaha wathi: “Nkosi yami Mosi bakhuze!”+ 29 Kodwa uMosi wathi kuye, “Ungabi lomhawu, engikufisayo yikuthi ngabe bonke abantu bakaJehova bangabaphrofethi lokuthi ngabe uJehova uyafaka umoya wakhe kubo.” 30 Ngemva kwesikhathi uMosi wabuyela ezihonqweni kanye labadala bako-Israyeli.

31 Ngemva kwalokho kwavunguza umoya ovela kuJehova, waqala ukuletha izagwaca ezivela elwandle waziwisela kuwo wonke amacele ezihonqo.+ Indawo ezagcwala kuyo emaceleni wonke yayilingana lommango ongahanjwa ngelanga elilodwa, njalo zagcwala phansi okungaba zingalo* ezimbili ukusuka phansi usiya phezulu. 32 Ngakho abantu baqeda ilanga lonke lobusuku bonke lelanga lonke elilandelayo bephithizela bebutha izagwaca. Kakho owabutha okungaphansi kwamahomeri* alitshumi njalo babelokhu bechaya izagwaca lezi kuyo yonke indawo ezihonqweni. 33 Kodwa kwathi inyama ilokhu isesemilonyeni yabo, bengakayihlafuni lokuyihlafuna ulaka lukaJehova lwavutha phezu kwabo njalo uJehova waqala ukubatshaya, kwafa abanengi.+

34 Ngakho babiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiKhibrothi-hathava*+ ngoba bangcwaba kuyo abantu ababetshengise ukuba ngamagovu.+ 35 Abantu bako-Israyeli basuka eKhibrothi-hathava baya eHazerothi futhi baqhubeka behlala eHazerothi.+