INumeri 14:1-39

Inhlangano yonke yaphakamisa izwi layo yakhala, abantu bakhala ngalobo busuku. Bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bakhononda ngoMose no-Aroni, bathi kubo: “Sengathi ngabe safela eGibhithe, kunokuba sizofela kuleli hlane. USimakade usiletheleni kuleli lizwe, ukuba sife ngenkemba na? Omkethu nabantwana bethu bayakuba yimpango, kungcono kithi ukuba siphindele eGibhithe.” Yilowo nalowo wathi kumfowabo: “Masiqoke umholi, sibuyele eGibhithe.” UMose no-Aroni bathi mbo ngobuso phansi, phambi kwebandla lonke lenhlangano yabantu bakwa-Israyeli. UJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni noKhalebhu, indodana kaJefune, ababephakathi kwalabo ababeyohlola izwe, baklebhula izingubo zabo, bathi kulo lonke ibandla labantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Izwe esadabula kulo silihlola, liyizwe elihle kakhulu. Uma uSimakade esithanda, uyakusingenisa kuleli lizwe, futhi uyakusinika lona; liyizwe elichichima ubisi noju. Kodwa ningamhlubuki uSimakade, ningabesabi abantu bakulelo lizwe. Bayofana nesinkwa nje kithi; umthunzi wabo usukile phezu kwabo, kodwa uSimakade unathi. Ningabesabi.” Yonke inhlangano yathi mabakhandwe ngamatshe. Inkazimulo kaSimakade yabonakala kubo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli ethendeni lokuhlangana. USimakade wayesekhuluma kuMose, wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini laba bantu bengedelela na? Kuyoze kube nini bengakholwa yimi nayizibonakaliso zonke engizenze phakathi kwabo na? Ngiyobashaya ngobhubhane, ngibaphuce ifa, ngikwenze isizwe esikhulu nesinamandla kunabo.” UMose wathi kuSimakade: “AbaseGibhithe bayokuzwa, ngokuba nguwe owabakhipha kubo laba bantu ngamandla akho. Bayotshela izakhamuzi zaleli lizwe. Sizwile ukuthi Wena Simakade uphakathi kwalaba bantu, ngokuba Wena Simakade bayakubona ubuso nobuso; ifu lakho lima phezu kwabo njengensika, nokuthi Wena uhamba phambi kwabo ngensika yefu emini, nangensika yomlilo ebusuku. Manje uma ubabulala bonke laba bantu, lezi zizwe ziyakuthi: ‘Sizwile umbiko othi: “Ngenxa yokuba uSimakade ubengenamandla okungenisa laba bantu ezweni afunga ngalo kubo, ngalokho-ke ubabhubhisile ehlane.” “Ngakho-ke ake ubonakalise amandla akho njengalokhu wakhuluma, wathi: ‘USimakade uyephuza ukuthukuthela, uvame umusa, uthethelela ububi neziphambeko, nokho akayeki angamjezisi onecala, uhambela ububi bawoyise kubantwana, kuze kube sesizukulwaneni sesithathu nesesine.’ Bathethelele laba bantu ububi babo ngokobukhulu bomusa wakho, njengalokho ubathethelele laba bantu kusukela eGibhithe kuze kube manje.” USimakade wathi: “Ngiyabathethelela njengesicelo sakho. Nokho ngifunga ngiyagomela, uma nje inkazimulo kaSimakade isawugcwalisa umhlaba wonke, bonke labo bantu ababone inkazimulo yami nezibonakaliso zami engazenza eGibhithe nasehlane nokho bangilinga lezi zikhathi ezilishumi, abaze balilalela izwi lami, akukho namunye kubo oyakulibona izwe engafunga kokhokho babo ngalo. Bonke labo abangedelela ehlane abayukulibona. Kepha inceku yami uKhalebhu, ngenxa yokuba enomoya owehlukile, futhi engilandele ngenhliziyo ephelele, ngiyomngenisa ezweni aye kulo, izizukulwane zakhe ziyakulidla. Manje, ngenxa yokuba ama-Amaleki namaKhanani akhile esigodini, jikani kusasa, nilibangise ehlane ngendlela eya oLwandle Lomhlanga.” USimakade wakhuluma kuMose no-Aroni, wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini le nhlangano eyonakele ikhononda ngami na? Ngikuzwile ukukhononda abantu bakwa-Israyeli abakhononda ngakho ngami. Yishoni kubo nithi: ‘Ngifunga ngiyagomela, kusho uSimakade, ngizokwenza kini njengalokhu enikushilo ezindlebeni zami. Izidumbu zenu ziyoba zigingqane kuleli hlane; bonke abantu ababalwayo kusukela kwabaneminyaka engama-20 kuya phezulu, abakhononde ngami, abayukungena ezweni engafunga ngalo ukuthi ngiyakunakhisa kulo, ngaphandle kukaKhalebhu, indodana kaJefune noJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni. Kodwa abantwana benu enithe bazoba yimpango, ngiyobangenisa kulo, balazi izwe enalilahla. Nina-ke, izidumbu zenu ziyakuphelela kuleli hlane. Abantwana benu bayakuba ngabelusi ehlane iminyaka engama-40, bayakuthwala icala lokuphinga kwenu, zize ziphele nya izidumbu zenu ehlane. Njengokwenani lezinsuku enahlola ngazo izwe, izinsuku ezingama-40, usuku luyokuba unyaka. Niyakuthwala ububi benu iminyaka engama-40, nize nazi ukuthi kuba njani lapho ngimelana nani.’ Mina Simakade ngikhulumile. Ngiyakukwenza ngempela lokhu kuyo yonke le nhlangano eyonakele ehlangane yamelana nami kuleli hlane, bonke bayofela khona.” Lawa madoda uMose ayewathumele ukuyohlola izwe, abuya ekhononda, enza nenhlangano yonke ikhononde ngaye, ngokuletha umbiko omubi ngezwe. Lawo madoda ayelethe umbiko omubi ngezwe, aqedwa ubhubhane phambi kukaSimakade. Kepha uJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni noKhalebhu, indodana kaJefune bona basinda kunalawo madoda ababehambe nawo ukuyohlola izwe. UMose wakhuluma lawa mazwi kubo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli; abantu balila kakhulu.