I-Eksodusi 14:1-31

USimakade wathi kuMose: “Khuluma nabantu bakwa-Israyeli ukuze babuyele emuva, bayokanisa phambi kwePhi Hahirothi, phakathi kweMigidoli nolwandle, phambi kweBhali Zefoni; bakanise ngasolwandle babhekane nalo. UFaro uyakuthi ngabantu bakwa-Israyeli: ‘Bayazulazula bedidekile ezweni, ihlane libavalele.’ “Ngiyakuyenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro, uyakubalandela, ukuze ngithole udumo ngoFaro nangempi yakhe yonke; abaseGibhithe bayakukwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade.” Benza kanjalo. Yabikelwa inkosi yaseGibhithe ukuthi abantu babalekile. UFaro nezinceku zakhe baguqula umqondo mayelana nabantu, bathi: “Yini le esiyenzileyo ukuba sikhulule abakwa-Israyeli bangabe besasisebenzela na?” Wabophela inqola yakhe yempi, wahamba nabantu bakhe; wathatha izinqola ezikhethiweyo ezingama-600, nazo zonke ezinye izinqola zempi zaseGibhithe, nezinduna zempi. USimakade wayenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe, wabalandela abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngokuba babephume ngesandla esiphakeme. AbaseGibhithe babalandela ngamahhashi, nezinqola zempi zikaFaro, nempi yakhe, babafica bekanise ngasolwandle ePhi Hahirothi, phambi kweBhali Zefoni. Kwathi lapho uFaro esesondela, abantu bakwa-Israyeli baphakamisa amehlo abo bababona abaseGibhithe bebalandela, besaba kakhulu abantu bakwa-Israyeli, base bekhala kuSimakade. Bathi kuMose: “Yingoba abengekho yini amangcwaba eGibhithe ukuba usikhiphele kuleli hlane sizofela khona na? Yini le osenze yona ngokusikhipha eGibhithe na? Asishongo yini kuwe siseseGibhithe sathi: ‘Siyeke ukuze sisebenzele abaseGibhithe’ na? Ngokuba bekungcono ukusebenzela abaseGibhithe kunokuba sizofela ehlane.” Kepha uMose wathi kubantu: “Ningesabi, qinani, nibone ukukhululwa uSimakade azonenzela khona namuhla; ngokuba laba baseGibhithe enibabona namuhla anisayukuphinde nibabone naphakade. USimakade uzonilwela, nina thulani du.” USimakade wathi kuMose: “Ukhalelani kimi na? Khuluma kubantu bakwa-Israyeli ukuba bahambe. Wena phakamisa induku yakho, welulele isandla sakho phezu kolwandle ulwehlukanise, yikhona abantu bakwa-Israyeli bezodabula ulwandle behamba emhlabathini owomileyo. Mina ngiyakuyenza lukhuni inhliziyo yabaseGibhithe ukuze banilandele, ngiyofumana udumo ngoFaro nangayo yonke impi yakhe, izinqola zakhe zempi, nabagibele amahhashi. AbaseGibhithe bayakukwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade lapho sengizitholele udumo ngoFaro, nezinqola zakhe zempi, nangabagibele amahhashi.” Ingelosi kaNkulunkulu eyayihamba phambi kwempi yabakwa-Israyeli yasuka yaya ngemuva kwabo; nensika yefu eyayihamba phambi kwabo yasuka yaba ngemuva kwabo. Yaba phakathi kwempi yabaseGibhithe nempi yabakwa-Israyeli. Kwakukhona ifu nobumnyama, ifu lakhanyisa ebusuku kodwa akekho owasondela komunye ubusuku bonke. UMose welulela isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle, uSimakade walududula ulwandle ubusuku bonke ngomoya wasempumalanga onamandla, ulwandle waluphendula lwaba wumhlabathi owomileyo, amanzi ehlukana. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli badabula olwandle behamba emhlabathini owomileyo, amanzi enza udonga kwesokunene nakwesokhohlo sabo. AbaseGibhithe ababebaxosha bangena olwandle, amahhashi wonke kaFaro, nezinqola zakhe zempi, nabagibele amahhashi. Entathakusa uSimakade esensikeni yomlilo nasefini, wabheka phansi emshungwini wempi yabaseGibhithe, wayenza yadideka impi. Izinqola zabo zempi zabhajwa, amasondo ahamba kanzima, ngakho-ke abaseGibhithe bathi: “Masibalekeni phambi kwabakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba uSimakade uyabalwela, umelene nabaseGibhithe.” USimakade wathi kuMose: “Yelulela isandla sakho phezu kolwandle, ukuze amanzi abuyele phezu kwabaseGibhithe, naphezu kwezinqola zabo zempi, naphezu kwabagibele amahhashi.” UMose welulela isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle, ulwandle lwabuyela esimweni salo entathakusa. AbaseGibhithe babaleka, kodwa uSimakade wabaphonsa phakathi kolwandle abaseGibhithe. Amanzi abuyela amboza izinqola zempi, nabagibele amahhashi, nayo yonke impi kaFaro eyayibalandela; baminza olwandle, akwaze kwasala namunye. Kepha abakwa-Israyeli bahamba emhlabathini owomileyo bedabula ulwandle, amanzi aba wudonga kwesokunene nakwesokhohlo sabo. Ngalolo lusuku uSimakade wabasindisa abakwa-Israyeli esandleni sabaseGibhithe; abakwa-Israyeli babona izidumbu zabaseGibhithe ogwini lolwandle. U-Israyeli wawabona amandla amakhulu abonakaliswa nguSimakade phezu kwabaseGibhithe, abantu bakholwa nguSimakade nayinceku yakhe uMose.