UNumeri 14:1-25

Inhlangano yonke yayisiphakamisa izwi layo, yakhala. Abantu bakhala izinyembezi ngalobo busuku. Bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bakhonona ngoMose nango-Aroni; yonke inhlangano yathi kubo: “Sengathi nga safa ezweni laseGibithe, noma sengathi nga safa kuleli hlane. UJehova usilethelani kuleli zwe, siwe ngenkemba na? Omkethu nabancane bethu bayakuba yimpango; bekungengcono yini kithi ukubuyela eGibithe na?” Bathi omunye komunye: “Masibeke induna, sibuyele eGibithe.” Khona oMose no-Aroni bawa ngobuso babo phambi kwebandla lonke lenhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli. UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni noKalebi indodana kaJefune ababephakathi kwabahlola izwe baklebhula izingubo zabo, bakhuluma kuyo yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, bathi: “Izwe esalidabula ukulihlola liyizwe elihle kakhulu. Uma uJehova esithanda, uyakusingenisa kulelo zwe, asinike lona, izwe elivame ubisi nezinyosi. Kodwa ningahlubuki kuJehova, futhi ningesabi abantu balelo zwe; ngokuba bayisinkwa kithi; umthunzi wabo usukile phezu kwabo, kodwa uJehova unathi; ningabesabi.” Kepha inhlangano yonke yathi mabakhandwe ngamatshe. Inkazimulo kaJehova yabonakala etendeni lokuhlangana kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli. UJehova wayesekhuluma kuMose, wathi: “Koze kube nini laba bantu bengidelela na? Koze kube nini bengakholwa yimi ngezibonakaliso zonke engizenzile phakathi kwabo na? Ngiyakubashaya ngesifo, ngibaphuce ifa, ngikwenze isizwe esikhulu nesinamandla kunabo.” UMose wathi kuJehova: “Khona abaseGibithe bayakukuzwa, ngokuba wakhuphula laba bantu ngamandla akho phakathi kwabo, babatshele abakhe kuleli zwe; bezwile ukuthi wena Jehova uphakathi kwalaba bantu, babonane nawe Jehova ubuso nobuso; ifu lakho limi phezu kwabo, wena uhamba phambi kwabo usensikeni yefu emini nasensikeni yomlilo ebusuku. Manje-ke uma ubulala laba bantu njengomuntu munye, izizwe ezizwe udumo lwakho ziyakukhuluma zithi: ‘Ngokuba uJehova ebengenamandla okungenisa abantu bakhe ezweni alifungela kubo, ngalokho ubabulele ehlane.’ “Kalokhu ake abe makhulu amandla eNkosi njengokusho kwakho ukuthi: ‘UJehova uyephuza ukuthukuthela, uvame umusa, uthethelela ububi neziphambeko, angayekeli nokho onecala, kepha ahambele ububi bawoyise kubantwana, kuze kube sezizukulwaneni sesithathu nesesine.’ Ake uthethelele ububi balaba bantu ngokobukhulu bomusa wakho, njengalokho uyekele laba bantu kusukela eGibithe kuze kube manje.” UJehova wathi: “Yebo, ngiyathethelela njengezwi lakho; kepha impela, kuphila kwami nenkazimulo kaJehova eyakugcwalisa wonke umhlaba, lokhu bonke labo bantu ababone inkazimulo yami nezibonakaliso zami engazenza eGibithe nasehlane bengilingile kayishumi, abalalela izwi lami, abayikubona ngempela izwe engalifungela oyise, futhi aliyikubonwa muntu walabo abangidelela; kepha inceku yami uKalebi, lokhu wayenomunye umoya, wangilandela ngokupheleleyo, yena ngiyakumngenisa ezweni aya kulo; inzalo yakhe iyakulidla. Ama-Amaleki namaKhanani akhile esigodini; jikani kusasa, ningene ehlane ngasendleleni eya eLwandle Olubomvu.”