INumeri 20:1-13

Ngenyanga yokuqala, yonke inhlangano yabantu bakwa-Israyeli yafika ehlane iSini. Abantu bahlala eKadeshi, uMiriyamu wafela khona, wangcwatshwa khona futhi. Kwakungekho manzi okuba inhlangano iphuze; ngakho-ke bahlangana ndawonye bamelana noMose no-Aroni. Abantu balwa noMose, bakhuluma bathi: “Sengathi ngabe safa ngesikhathi kufa abafowethu phambi kukaSimakade. Niyiletheleni kuleli hlane inhlangano kaSimakade ukuba sizofela kulo, thina nemfuyo yethu na? Nasikhuphulelani eGibhithe, ukuze nisilethe kule ndawo embi na? Akusiyo indawo yembewu, noma yamakhiwane, noma yemivini, noma yamahananadi, futhi akukho ngisho amanzi okuphuza.” UMose no-Aroni basuka phambi kwebandla baya ngasemnyango wethende lokuhlangana. Bawa ngobuso bathi mbo emhlabathini, base bebona kuvela inkazimulo kaSimakade. USimakade wathi kuMose: “Thatha intonga, uqoqe inhlangano, wena no-Aroni umfowenu, ukhulume edwaleni phambi kwamehlo abo ukuba liveze amanzi alo. Uyakubavezela amanzi edwaleni, uyinike inhlangano nezinkomo zayo okokuphuza.” UMose wathatha intonga phambi kukaSimakade, njengalokhu ayemyalile. UMose no-Aroni baliqoqa ibandla phambi kwedwala; wathi kubo: “Yizwani bahlubuki ndini; sizakunivezela yini amanzi kuleli dwala na?” UMose waphakamisa isandla sakhe, walishaya kabili idwala ngentonga yakhe, kwaphuma amanzi amaningi, yaphuza inhlangano nemfuyo yayo. USimakade wathi kuMose no-Aroni: “Njengalokhu ningakholwanga yimi, futhi ningangingcwelisanga phambi kwamehlo abantu bakwa-Israyeli, ngalokho aniyukulingenisa leli bandla ezweni engilinike lona.” Lawa ngamanzi eMeribha, ngokuba abantu bakwa-Israyeli balwa noSimakade, Yena wazibonakalisa engcwele phakathi kwabo.