UNUMERI 27

₁UTselofirhadi gade alilunga lekoro kaManase. Gade ayindodana kaRheferi umsa kaGiliyadi omsa kaMakiri umsa kaManase omsa kaJosefa. Amabizo wamadodakazakhe bekunguMarhila, uNoya, uRhogila, uMilika noTiritsa. Amadodakazi lawo atjhidela ₂afese ajama phambi kwakaMosi, u-Elazara umphristi, abaphathi kanye nomkhambathi woke emnyango wetende lokuhlanganela athi: ₃“Ubaba wahlongakalela erhalawumbeni. Nokho-ke yena gade angekho hlangana nejima lakaKhorarhi elajamelana noSomnini. Wase wazihlongakalela ngesono sakhe, anganandodana. ₄Alo, ukungabi kwakhe namadodana ngilo ibanga elenza bona ibizo lakhe lingasabalwa emndeninakhe na? Nje-ke siphani isabelo senarha hlangana nabafowabo kababa.”

₅UMosi waletha indaba yamadodakazi lawo phambi kwakaSomnini. ₆USomnini wathi kuMosi: ₇“Amadodakazi kaTselofirhadi akhuluma iqiniso. Kufuze uwanikele isabelo selifa hlangana nabafowabo kayisawo bese wenza bona ilifa lakayisawo lidlulele kiwo. ₈Begodu khuluma nama-Israyeli uthi, ‘Lokha indoda nayihlongakala inganandodana, nizakudlulisela ilifa layo endodakazinayo. ₉Nangabe ayinandodakazi, nikelani ilifa layo kubafowayo. ₁₀Nayinganabafowayo, nikelani ilifa layo kubafowaboyise. ₁₁Nangabe ayinabo abafowaboyise, nikelani ilifelo kosihlobo sayo seengazi esitjhidelene khulu nayo kube sisabelo sakhe. Lokho kuzakuba simiso somthetho kuma-Israyeli njengombana uSomnini ayale uMosi.’ ”

₁₂USomnini wakhuluma noMosi wathi: “Khuphuka intaba ye-Abhiramu le bese ubona inarha engiyinikele ama-Israyeli. ₁₃Kuzakuthi nasele uyibonile, nawe uzakulandela aboyihlomkhulu njengomfowenu u-Aroni. ₁₄Lokhu kungenca yokobana nafulathela umyalwami erhalawumbeni leTsini ngesikhathi umkhambathi ungisola begodu akhange nikhombise ukungihlonipha emehlweni wama-Israyeli.”

₁₅UMosi waphendula uSomnini wathi: ₁₆“USomnini uZimu wemiphefumulo yenyama yoke, akakhombe umuntu ozakuba ngaphezu komkhambathi lo, ₁₇kube mumuntu ozawurhola epini, akhambe phambi kwawo njengomelusi ukuze umkhambathi kaSomnini ungabi njengezimvu ezingenamelusi.”

₁₈USomnini wathi kuMosi: “Thatha uJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni okuyindoda enommoya, umbeke izandla ₁₉bese umtjhideza phambi kwaka-Elazara umphristi naphambi komkhambathi woke, umgunyaze phambi kwabo boke. ₂₀Mnikele amanye wamagunya onawo ukuze ama-Israyeli amlalele. ₂₁Yena uzakujama e-aldarini phambi kwaka-Elazara umphristi ozakumbuzela isiphetho se-urimi kuSomnini. Isiphethweso ngiso esizakuqunta bona baphume ipi namkha bangaphumi. Iye, isiphethweso simayelana noJotjhuwa nama-Israyeli woke anaye, okutjho umkhambathi woke.”

₂₂Mbala uMosi wenza njengombana uSomnini amyalile: Wathatha uJotjhuwa wamjamisa phambi kwaka-Elazara umphristi nomkhambathi woke, ₂₃wabeka izandla phezu kwakhe wamgunyaza njengombana uSomnini bekamyalile.