Iintlola Ezili-12

KHANGELA ezi ziqhamo zithwelwe ngala madoda. Khangela ubukhulu besaa sihlahla seediliya. Kufuneka amadoda amabini ukuze asithwale ngesibonda. Yaye khangela amakhiwane neerharnati. Zazivela phi ezi ziqhamo zihle kangaka? Kwilizwe lakwaKanan. Khumbula ukuba, kwaKanan kulapho kwakha kwahlala uAbraham, uIsake noYakobi. Kodwa ngenxa yendlala apho, uYakobi wafudukela eYiputa nentsapho yakhe. Ngoku, malunga nama-216 eminyaka kamva, uMoses ukhokela amaSirayeli ukubuyela kwaKanan. Bafike entlango endaweni ekuthiwa kuseKadeshe.

Kuhlala abantu ababi ezweni lakwaKanan. Ngoko uMoses uthumela iintlola ezili-12, aze athi kuzo: ‘Khangelani ukuba baninzi kangakanani na abantu abahlala apho, nokuba bomelele kangakanani na, nikhangele ukuba umhlaba mhle na ekulimeni, nize neziqhamo zelo lizwe.’

Ekubuyeleni kweentlola eKadeshe, zithi kuMoses: ‘Okunene lilizwe elihle.’ Yaye ukungqina oko, zibonisa uMoses iziqhamo zalo. Kodwa iintlola ezili-10 zithi: ‘Abantu abahlala kulo bakhulu yaye banamandla. Sobulawa ukuba sizama ukulithabatha elo lizwe.’

AmaSirayeli ayoyika ekuveni oku. Athi: ‘Ngekulungile ukuba besifele eYiputa okanye apha entlango. Sobulawa edabini, yaye abafazi bethu nabantwana baya kuthinjwa. Masizinyulele inkokeli entsha endaweni kaMoses, size sibuyele eYiputa!’

Kodwa iintlola ezimbini zithembele kuYehova, yaye zizama ukubazolisa abantu. Amagama azo nguYoshuwa noKalebhi. Zithi: ‘Musani ukoyika. UYehova unathi. Koba lula ukulithabatha ilizwe.’ Kodwa abantu abaphulaphuli. Bafuna ukumbulala uYoshuwa noKalebhi.

Oku kumenza abe nomsindo uYehova, aze athi kuMoses: ‘Akukho namnye kubantu abaneminyaka engama-20 ubudala nangaphezulu oya kungena elizweni lakwaKanan. Bayibonile imimangaliso endayenza eYiputa nalapha entlango, kodwa sekunjalo abandithembi. Ngoko baya kubhadula entlango iminyaka engama-40 de kufe owokugqibela umntu. NguYoshuwa noKalebhi kuphela abaya kungena elizweni lakwaKanan.’