U-Eksodusi 33:1-23

UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: “Hamba wenyuke lapha, wena nabantu obakhuphulile ezweni laseGibithe, uye ezweni engalifungela ku-Abrahama, naku-Isaka, nakuJakobe, ngathi: ‘Ngiyakulinika inzalo yakho.’ Ngiyakuthuma ingelosi phambi kwakho, ngiwaxoshe amaKhanani, nama-Amori, namaHeti, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi, uye ezweni elichichima ubisi nezinyosi. Angiyikukhuphuka ngiphakathi kwenu, lokhu ningabantu abantamo ilukhuni, funa nginiqede endleleni.” Abantu beyizwa le ndaba embi badabuka, akwabakho muntu owafaka izivunulo zakhe. UJehova wayesethi kuMose: “Yisho kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Ningabantu abantamo ilukhuni; uma ngikhuphuka ngiphakathi kwenu nangokuphazima kweso nje, ngizakuniqeda. Ngalokho khumulani manje izivunulo zenu, ukuze ngazi ukuthi ngiyakwenzani kini.’ ” Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bazihlubula izivunulo zabo, kusukela entabeni yaseHorebe. UMose wayevama ukulithatha itende, walimisa ngaphandle kwekamu,* libe kude nekamu, walibiza ngokuthi itende lokuhlangana. Kwathi bonke abamfunayo uJehova baphuma, baya etendeni lokuhlangana elalingaphandle kwekamu. Kwathi uMose ephuma eya etendeni, bonke abantu basukuma bema, kwaba yilowo nalowo ngasemnyango wetende lakhe, bambuka uMose waze wangena etendeni. Kwathi uMose engena etendeni, insika yefu yehla, yema ngasemnyango wetende; uJehova wakhuluma noMose. Bonke abantu bayibona insika yefu imi ngasemnyango wetende; bonke abantu basukuma, bakhuleka, kwaba yilowo nalowo ngasemnyango wetende lakhe. UJehova wakhuluma kuMose ubuso nobuso, njengalokhu umuntu ekhuluma nomhlobo wakhe. Wabuyela ekamu,* kepha inceku yakhe uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, insizwa, ayiphumanga etendeni. UMose wathi kuJehova: “Bheka, uthi kimi: ‘Khuphula laba bantu,’ kepha awungazisanga yena oyakumthuma nami. Nokho ushilo ukuthi: ‘Ngiyakwazi ngegama, ufumene umusa emehlweni ami.’ Ngalokho uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, ake ungibonise izindlela zakho ukuba ngikwazi, ukuze ngifumane umusa emehlweni akho, ubhekisise ukuthi lesi sizwe singabantu bakho.” Wayesethi: “Ngiyakuhamba mina uqobo, ngikuphumuze, na?” Wathi kuye: “Uma ungahambi wena uqobo, ungasikhuphuli lapha. Ngokuba kuyakwaziwa ngani ukuthi ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, mina nabantu bakho, na? Akungalokhu yini ukuthi uhamba nathi, ukuze sahlukaniswe, mina nabantu bakho, nabanye abantu abasebusweni bomhlaba na?” UJehova wathi kuMose: “Ngiyakwenza nalokho okushiloyo, ngokuba ufumene umusa emehlweni ami; ngiyakwazi ngegama.” Wayesethi: “Ake ngibone inkazimulo yakho.” Wathi: “Ngiyakudlulisa phambi kwakho ubuhle bami, ngilimemezele igama likaJehova phambi kwakho, ngibe nomusa kuyena engithanda ukuba nomusa kuye, ngibe nesihe kuyena engithanda ukuba nesihe kuye.” Wathi: “Awunakubona ubuso bami, ngokuba akukho muntu ongangibona, aphile.” UJehova wathi: “Bheka, nansi indawo kimi; uyakuma edwaleni. Kuyakuthi isadlula inkazimulo yami, ngiyakukufaka ofantwini lwedwala, ngikumboze ngesandla sami, ngize ngidlule. Besengisusa isandla sami, ubone umhlane wami, kepha ubuso bami abuyikubonwa.”