1 UThixo wathi kuMosi, 2 “Phindisela kumaMidiyani usenzela abako-Israyeli. Ngemva kwalokho, uzalandela okhokho bakho.”

3 Ngakho uMosi wathi ebantwini, “Hlomisani amanye amadoda aye empini ayekulwa lamaMidiyani kanye lokuphindisela kukaThixo kuwo. 4 Thumelani amadoda ayinkulungwane avela esizwaneni ngasinye sako-Israyeli ukuyahlasela.” 5 Ngakho amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili ahlomela ukuyahlasela, kuyinkulungwane yamadoda avela esizwaneni ngasinye, ebuthwe ngosendo lunye ngalunye kwabako-Israyeli. 6 UMosi wabathumela ukuyahlasela, kuyinkulungwane evela esizwaneni ngasinye, kanye loFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi, owathatha izitsha endlini engcwele kanye lamacilongo okubikelana.

7 Balwa lamaMidiyani, njengokulaywa kukaMosi nguThixo, babulala amadoda wonke. 8 Phakathi kwababulawayo kwakulamakhosi amahlanu amaMidiyani abalisa u-Evi, uRekhemu, uZuri, uHuri kanye loRebha. Babulala loBhalamu indodana kaBheyori ngenkemba. 9 Abako-Israyeli bathumba abesifazane bamaMidiyani labantwana, basebethumba lemihlambi yenkomo zamaMidiyani, leyezimvu kanye lokubutha impahla njengempango. 10 Batshisa wonke amadolobho lapha okwakuhlala khona amaMidiyani, kanye lezihonqo zawo zonke. 11 Bathatha konke ababekubuthile lababekuthumbile, kuhlanganisa abantu lezifuyo, 12 njalo basebeletha abathunjwa, okuthunjiweyo lokubuthiweyo kuMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi kanye lebandleni lonke lako-Israyeli ezihonqweni zabo zasemagcekeni aseMowabi, ngaseJodani ngaphetsheya ukuvelela eJerikho.

13 UMosi, u-Eliyazari umphristi kanye labo bonke abakhokheli babantu baphuma ukuyabahlangabeza ngaphandle kwezihonqo. 14 UMosi wathukuthelela abalawuli bamabutho, ababelawula amaxuku ezinkulungwane lababelawula amaxuku angamakhulu, ababevela ekuhlaseleni.

15 UMosi wababuza wathi, “Selivumele abesifazane ukuthi baphile na? 16 Yibo ababelandela ukucebisa kukaBhalamu njalo bahugela abako-Israyeli ekungathembekini kuThixo kulokhu okwenzakala ePheyori, kwaze kwathi abantu bakaThixo behlelwa yisifo. 17 Khona khathesi bulalani abafana bonke. Njalo libulale wonke owesifazane oseke walala lendoda, 18 kodwa lizigcinele loba yiphi intombazana engakaze ilale lendoda.

19 Lina lonke elibulele loba ngubani loba lina elike lathinta loba ngubani obuleweyo lizahlala ngaphandle kwezihonqo okwensuku eziyisikhombisa. Ngosuku lwesithathu langosuku lwesikhombisa lizihlambulule lina kanye labathunjwa benu. 20 Lihlambulule zonke izembatho kanye lakho konke okwenziwe ngesikhumba, uboya bembuzi loba okwezigodo.”

21 Ngakho u-Eliyazari umphristi wathi kwabebutho ababeye empini, “Nanku okufaneleyo ngokomthetho owaphiwa uMosi nguThixo: 22 Igolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, izenge lomnuso, 23 kanye lakho konke okunye okungatshi kutshabalale emlilweni kumele kudlule emlilweni, ngalokho kuzabe sekuhlambulukile. Kodwa kumele njalo kube sekuhlanjululiwe ngamanzi okuhlambulula. Kanti njalo kuthi lakuphi okungeke kwamelana lomlilo kumele kudluliswe kulawomanzi. 24 Ngosuku lwesikhombisa gezisani izigqoko zenu ukuze lihlambuluke. Ngemva kwalokho selingangena ezihonqweni.”

25 UThixo wathi kuMosi, 26 “Wena kanye lo-Eliyazari umphristi kanye labazinhloko zezimuli zabantu lizabala abantu bonke lezinyamazana, konke okwathunjwayo. 27 Yabelani amabutho ayesempini kanye labantu bonke impango ngokulinganayo. 28 Emabuthweni alwayo empini, thathani okukodwa emakhulwini amahlanu kube yisabelo sikaThixo, kumbe ngabantu, inkomo, obabhemi, izimvu loba imbuzi. 29 Thathani lesisabelo engxenyeni yesabo liyiphe u-Eliyazari umphristi ibe yingxenye kaThixo. 30 Kungxenye yabako-Israyeli, khethani okukodwa ematshumini amahlanu, phakathi kwabantu, inkomo, obabhemi, izimvu, imbuzi loba ezinye izifuyo. Zipheni abaLevi, bona abalomlandu wokunakekela ithabanikeli likaThixo.” 31 Ngakho uMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi benza njengokulaywa kukaMosi nguThixo.

32 Impango eyayisele kulokho okwathathwa ngamabutho kwakuyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisithupha lamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu (675,000), 33 inkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa lambili (72,000), 34 obabhemi abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi ayisithupha lanye (61,000) 35 kanye labesifazane abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu lambili (32,000) ababengakaze balale lamadoda.

41 UMosi wanika u-Eliyazari umphristi isabelo sikaThixo, njengokulaywa kukaMosi nguThixo.

42 Ingxenye yesabelo sabako-Israyeli uMosi wayeseyehlukanise leyamabutho, 43 ingxenye eyayingeyabantu yaba yizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu lamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa, lamakhulu amahlanu (337,500), 44 inkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu lasithupha (36,000), 45 obabhemi abazinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu lamakhulu amahlanu (30, 500) 46 kanye labantu abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lasithupha (16,000). 47 Engxenyeni yesabelo sabako-Israyeli, uMosi waqambula okukodwa ematshumini amahlanu abantu lasezifuyweni, njengokulaywa kwakhe nguThixo, njalo wakuqhubela abaLevi, bona ababelomlandu wokunakekela ithabanikeli likaThixo.

48 Ngakho izikhulu ezaziphethe izigaba zebutho, abalawuli bamaxuku azinkulungwane kanye labalawuli bamaxuku angamakhulu baya kuMosi 49 bafika bathi kuye, “Izinceku zakho seziwabalile amabutho eziwalawulayo, akukho lelilodwa ibutho elingekho. 50 Ngakho sesilethe njengomnikelo kuThixo izinto zegolide esizitholileyo munye ngamunye, izigqizo, amasongo, izindandatho, amacici kanye lezigqizo zentanyeni, ukuzenzela indlela yokubuyisana phambi kukaThixo.”

51 UMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi bemukela igolide elalivela kubo, konke lokho kungokubaziweyo. 52 Lonke igolide elalethwa ngabalawuli emunye elawula amaxuku azinkulungwane labalawuli emunye elawula ikhulu lelo uMosi lo-Eliyazari abalethula njengesipho kuThixo lalilesisindo samashekeli azinkulungwane ezilitshumi lesithupha, lamakhulu ayisikhombisa alamatshumi amahlanu (16,750). 53 Ibutho ngalinye lazithumbela okwalo lalo. 54 UMosi lo-Eliyazari umphristi bemukela igolide elalivela kubalawuli emunye elawula amaxuku azinkulungwane lakubalawuli emunye elawula amaxuku angamakhulu, balisa ethenteni lokuhlangana ukuze kube yisikhumbuzo kwabako-Israyeli phambi kukaThixo.

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