Numeri 31:1-54
31 UJehova wabe esethi kuMose:
2 “Phindiselela + ama-Israyeli kwabakwaMidiyani. + Ngemva kwalokho uyokufa.” *+
3 Ngakho uMose wakhuluma nabantu, wathi: “Hlomisani amadoda phakathi kwenu ukuze aye empini* ayokulwa noMidiyani akhiphe nempindiselo kaJehova kuMidiyani.
4 Kufanele nithumele empini abantu abangu-1 000 besizwe ngasinye kuzo zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli.”
5 Ngakho ezinkulungwaneni zakwa-Israyeli, + kwathathwa* abangu-1 000 esizweni ngasinye, abantu abangu-12 000 abalungele impi.*
6 Ngemva kwalokho uMose wabathumela empini, abangu-1 000 besizwe ngasinye, behamba noFinehasi + indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi, owayephethe izinto ezingcwele namacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi. +
7 Balwa noMidiyani, njengoba nje uJehova ayemyalile uMose, babulala bonke abesilisa.
8 Ngaphandle kwalaba ababulawa, babulala namakhosi akwaMidiyani, u-Evi, uRekemi, uZuri, uHure noRebha, amakhosi amahlanu akwaMidiyani. Babulala noBhalami + indodana kaBheyori ngenkemba.
9 Kodwa ama-Israyeli athumba abesifazane nezingane bakwaMidiyani. Aphanga nazo zonke izilwane zabo ezifuywayo, yonke imfuyo yabo nayo yonke impahla yabo.
10 Ashisa ngomlilo wonke amadolobha abo ababehlala kuwo nazo zonke izindawo ababemise kuzo amatende.*
11 Athatha yonke impango nayo yonke impahla edliwe, abantu nezilwane.
12 Abe eseletha izithunjwa, impahla edliwe nempango kuMose naku-Eleyazare umpristi nasenhlanganweni yama-Israyeli, ekamu elisemathafeni awugwadule akwaMowabi, + ngaseJordani eJeriko.
13 UMose no-Eleyazare umpristi nazo zonke izikhulu zenhlangano baphuma bawahlangabeza ngaphandle kwekamu.
14 Kodwa uMose wawathukuthelela amadoda amisiwe ayehola amabutho alwayo, izinduna zamadoda ayizinkulungwane nezinduna zamadoda angamakhulu, ayevela empini.
15 UMose wathi kuwo: “Ingabe nibasindise bonke abesifazane?
16 Phela yibona okwathi ngezwi likaBhalami, babangela ukuba ama-Israyeli angathembeki + kuJehova ngokuphathelene nendaba yasePheyori, + kangangokuba inhlangano kaJehova yehlelwa isishayo. +
17 Manje kufanele nibulale zonke izingane zesilisa, nibulale nabo bonke abesifazane abaye balala nomuntu wesilisa.
18 Kodwa ningawasindisa wonke amantombazane angakaze alale nomuntu wesilisa. +
19 Kufanele nimise amatende ngaphandle kwekamu izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Wonke umuntu obulele umuntu nawo wonke umuntu oye wathinta umuntu obulewe, + kufanele azihlanze + ngosuku lwesithathu nangosuku lwesikhombisa, nina nezithunjwa zenu.
20 Zonke izingubo, zonke izinto zesikhumba, konke okwenziwe ngoboya bembuzi nazo zonke izinto zokhuni kufanele nikuhlanze esonweni.”
21 U-Eleyazare umpristi wabe esethi ebuthweni elaliye empini: “Yilona umthetho uJehova ayala ngawo uMose,
22 ‘Kuphela yigolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, ithini nomthofu,
23 konke okungashi uma kufakwa emlilweni, okufanele nikushise emlilweni, kuyobe sekuhlanzeka. Nokho, kufanele kuhlanzwe nangamanzi okuhlanza. + Konke okushayo uma kufakwa emlilweni, kufanele nikudlulise emanzini.
24 Kufanele niwashe izingubo zenu ngosuku lwesikhombisa nihlanzeke, ngemva kwalokho ningangena ekamu.’” +
25 UJehova wathi kuMose:
26 “Bala impahla edliwe, ubale izithunjwa kokubili ezabantu nezezilwane; lokhu kwenze no-Eleyazare umpristi nezinhloko zoyise benhlangano.
27 Impahla edliwe yihlukanise kabili uyihlukanisele labo abalwe empini nayo yonke inhlangano. +
28 Kufanele uthathe emasosheni aye empini umphefumulo* owodwa kwengu-500, kubantu, emhlanjini wezinkomo, ezimbongolweni nasemhlanjini wezimvu nezimbuzi, kube intela kuJehova.
29 Kufanele niyithathe engxenyeni yabo uyinike u-Eleyazare umpristi njengomnikelo kaJehova. +
30 Engxenyeni enikwe ama-Israyeli, kufanele uthathe okukodwa kokungu-50, kubantu, emhlanjini wezinkomo, ezimbongolweni, emhlanjini wezimvu nezimbuzi, nakuzo zonke izinhlobo zezilwane ezifuywayo, ukunike amaLevi + enza imisebenzi ephathelene netabernakele likaJehova.” +
31 Ngakho uMose no-Eleyazare umpristi benza njengoba nje uJehova ayemyalile uMose.
32 Impahla edliwe, yonke impango abantu ababeye empini ababeyithathile, yaba umhlambi wezimvu nezimbuzi ongu-675 000,
33 umhlambi wezinkomo ongu-72 000,
34 nezimbongolo ezingu-61 000.
35 Abesifazane ababengakaze balale nowesilisa + babengu-32 000.
36 Ingxenye eyayiyisabelo salabo abaya empini yayingumhlambi wezimvu nezimbuzi ongu-337 500.
37 Intela kaJehova evela emhlanjini wezimvu nezimbuzi yaba ngu-675.
38 Emhlanjini wezinkomo kwakukhona ezingu-36 000, kuzo intela kaJehova yaba ezingu-72.
39 Izimbongolo zazingu-30 500, kuzo intela kaJehova yaba ezingu-61.
40 Kwakunabantu abangu-16 000, kubo intela kaJehova yayingabantu abangu-32.
41 Ngakho uMose wayinika u-Eleyazare umpristi le ntela yaba umnikelo kaJehova, + njengoba nje uJehova ayemyalile uMose.
42 Engxenyeni eyayingeyama-Israyeli, uMose ayeyihlukanise kuleyo engeyamadoda ayelwe empini,
43 leyo ngxenye yomhlambi wezimvu nezimbuzi yaba ngu-337 500,
44 umhlambi wezinkomo wawungu-36 000,
45 izimbongolo zazingu-30 500,
46 abantu babengu-16 000.
47 Engxenyeni engeyama-Israyeli uMose wathatha okukodwa kokungu-50, kubantu nasezilwaneni, wakunika amaLevi, + ayenza imisebenzi ephathelene netabernakele likaJehova, + njengoba nje uJehova ayemyalile uMose.
48 Amadoda amisiwe ayehola amadoda empi ayizinkulungwane, + izinduna zamadoda ayizinkulungwane nezinduna zamadoda angamakhulu, aya kuMose,
49 athi kuMose: “Izinceku zakho zibale amadoda empi esiwaphathisiwe, akukho neyodwa okubikwe ukuthi ayikho phakathi kwethu. +
50 Ngakho sivumele ukuba ngamunye wethu alethe lokho akutholile ukuze kube umnikelo kaJehova, izinto zegolide, okokuhloba kwasemaqakaleni, amabhengela, izindandatho ezinophawu, amacici, nezinye izinto zokuhloba, ukuze sizenzele* isihlawulelo phambi kukaJehova.”
51 Ngakho uMose no-Eleyazare umpristi bamukela igolide kuwo, zonke izinto zokuhloba.
52 Lonke igolide lomnikelo abalinikela kuJehova laba amashekeli* angu-16 750, livela ezinduneni zamadoda ayizinkulungwane nasezinduneni zamadoda angamakhulu.
53 Indoda yempi ngayinye yayizithathele impango.
54 UMose no-Eleyazare umpristi balamukela igolide ezinduneni zamadoda ayizinkulungwane nezamadoda angamakhulu baliletha etendeni lokuhlangana njengesikhumbuzo kubantu bakwa-Israyeli phambi kukaJehova.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “uyobuthelwa kubantu bakini.” Lena inkulumo esankondlo emayelana nokufa.
^ Noma, “ukuze abe ibutho.”
^ Noma, “kwabuthwa.”
^ Noma, “abalungele ukuba ibutho.”
^ Noma, “amakamu abiyelwe.”
^ Bheka uHlu Lwezincazelo Zamagama.
^ Noma, “senzele imiphefumulo yethu.”
^ Ishekeli lalilingana no-11,4 g. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
