INumeri 31

₁USimakade wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂“Phindiselela abantu bakwa-Israyeli kwabakwaMidiyani, ungakedluli emhlabeni.”

₃UMose wayesekhuluma nabantu, wathi: “Hlomisani amadoda phakathi kwenu ukuze ayohlasela abakwaMidiyani, aphindiselele uSimakade kwabakwaMidiyani. ₄Kuleso naleso sizwana sakwa-Israyeli kuphume inkulungwane, nibathumele empini.”

₅Ezinkulungwaneni zabakwa-Israyeli kwaqokwa inkulungwane kuleso naleso sizwana, amadoda ayehlomile; ayizi-12 000. ₆UMose wawathumela empini, inkulungwane ivela kuleso naleso sizwana kanye noFinehasi, indodana ka-Eleyazare, umphristi, ephethe ngesandla izitsha zendawo engcwele namacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi.

₇Balwa nabakwaMidiyani njengalokhu uSimakade ayemyalile uMose, babulala bonke abesilisa. ₈Babulala amakhosi amahlanu akwaMidiyani u-Evi, uRekhemi, uZuri, uHure, noRebha. UBhileyamu, indodana kaBheyori, naye bambulala ngenkemba. ₉Abakwa-Israyeli bathumba abesifazane bakwaMidiyani nezingane, bathatha yonke imfuyo yabo nawo wonke umcebo wabo, nempahla yabo, kwayimpango. ₁₀Yonke imizi yabo ezindaweni, lapho babehlala khona, nawo wonke amathende abo bakushisa ngomlilo. ₁₁Baphanga yonke impahla yabo, bathumba abantu nezilwane. ₁₂Abathunjwa nempahla ababeyidlile bakuletha kuMose no-Eleyazare, umphristi, nenhlangano yabakwa-Israyeli enkanjini emathafeni kwaMowabi angaseJordani, phesheya kweJerikho.

₁₃UMose no-Eleyazare, umphristi, nazo bonke abaholi benhlangano baphuma bayobahlangabeza ngaphandle kwenkambu. ₁₄UMose wazithukuthelela iziphathimandla zempi, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu, ezazibuya empini.

₁₅UMose wathi kuzo: “Ngabe nibasindisile bonke abesifazane na? ₁₆Bhekani, yibo ababeyenga abantu bakwa-Israyeli belulekwe nguBhileyamu, benza abakwa-Israyeli ukuba bangathembeki kuSimakade ngalokho abakwenza ePheyori, kwase kuhlasela ubhubhane phakathi kwenhlangano kaSimakade. ₁₇Ngalokho, babulaleni manje bonke abafana, nabo bonke abesifazane asebeyazi indoda. ₁₈Kodwa wonke amantombazane angakayazi indoda, zigcineleni wona ephila.

₁₉“Bonke phakathi kwenu ababulele umuntu, nabathinte isidumbu, mabahlale ngaphandle kwenkambu izinsuku eziyisikhombisa. Zihlambululeni nabathunjwa ngosuku lwesithathu nolwesikhombisa. ₂₀Hlambululani zonke izingubo zenu, nakho konke okwenziwe ngesikhumba, nangoboya bezimbuzi noma ngokhuni.”

₂₁Umphristi, u-Eleyazare, wathi emabuthweni ayekade eye empini: “Nasi isimiso somthetho uSimakade ayale ngaso uMose: ₂₂igolide, isiliva, ithusi, insimbi, ithini, nomthofu, ₂₃konke okungeke kushe emlilweni, niyokudabulisa kuwo kuhlambuluke. Noma kunjalo niyokuhlambulula futhi ngamanzi okuhlambulula. Konke okushayo emlilweni, niyokudabulisa emanzini, kuhlambuluke. ₂₄Niyohlanza izingubo zenu ngosuku lwesikhombisa, nihlambuluke, andukuba ningene enkanjini.”

₂₅USimakade wakhuluma kuMose, wathi: ₂₆“Wena no-Eleyazare, umphristi, nabaholi bezindlu zawoyise benhlangano, yibaleni yonke impango ephangiweyo, abantu nezilwane. ₂₇Yehlukanise kabili impango, phakathi kwamabutho abeye empini nenhlangano yonke. ₂₈Uyothathela uSimakade intela emabuthweni akade esempini, kube kunye ema-500; awabantu, awezinkomo, awezimbongolo nawezimvu, ₂₉niyokuthatha engxenyeni yawo, nikunike u-Eleyazare, umphristi, kube ngumnikelo kuSimakade. ₃₀Engxenyeni yabantu bakwa-Israyeli uyothatha kube kunye ema-50, awabantu, awezinkomo, izimbongolo, nawezimvu, yebo, awezilwane zonke, ukunike abaLevi abagcina inkonzo yethabanakeli likaSimakade.”

₃₁UMose no-Eleyazare, umphristi, benza njengalokhu uSimakade ayemyalile uMose.

₃₂Impango eyasala kweyayinikwe amabutho kwaba yizimvu eziyizi-675 000, ₃₃izinkomo eziyizi-72 000, ₃₄izimbongolo eziyizi-61 000, ₃₅izintombi eziyizi-32 000.

₃₆Ingxenye eyabelwa ababephume impi kwaba yizimvu eziyizi-337 500, ₃₇kuzo kwakhishwa intela kaSimakade eyayiyizimvu ezingama-675. ₃₈Izinkomo eziyizi-36 000, intela kaSimakade kungezingama-72, ₃₉izimbongolo eziyizi-30 500, intela kaSimakade kungezingama-61. ₄₀Abantu baba yizi-16 000, intela kaSimakade kungabantu abangama-32.

₄₁UMose wanika u-Eleyazare, umphristi, intela eyayingumnikelo kaSimakade, njengalokhu uSimakade ayemyalile uMose.

₄₂Engxenyeni yempango yabantu bakwa-Israyeli, uMose ayeyehlukanise kweyamabutho ayekade esempini, ₄₃eyatholwa yinhlangano kwaba yizimvu eziyizi-337 500, ₄₄izinkomo eziyizi-36 000, ₄₅izimbongolo eziyizi-30 500, ₄₆abantu beyizi-16 000. ₄₇Engxenyeni eyatholwa ngu-Israyeli uMose, wathatha okukodwa kubantu nasezilwaneni wakunika abaLevi ababenakekela ithabanakeli likaSimakade, njengalokhu uSimakade ayemyalile uMose.

₄₈Iziphathimandla ezazingabakhuzi bezinkulungwane zebandla, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu, zasondela kuMose, ₄₉zathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho zibale wonke amabutho asesandleni sethu, akukho nalinye elisalile. ₅₀Silethe umnikelo kaSimakade, yilowo nalowo kulokho akutholileyo: izinto zegolide, izigqizo, amasongo, izindandatho, amacici, nemigexo, ukuze senzele imiphefumulo yethu ukubuyisana phambi kukaSimakade.”

₅₁UMose no-Eleyazare, umphristi, bemukela igolide kubo, nawo wonke amagugu ezinto ezenziweyo. ₅₂Lonke igolide lomnikelo wokuphakanyiswa abanikela ngalo kuSimakade, elezinduna zezinkulungwane nelezinduna zamakhulu, laba ngamashekeli ayizi-16 750. ₅₃Amabutho wona ayezithathele impango, kwaba yilelo nalelo ngokwalo. ₅₄UMose no-Eleyazare, umphristi, bemukela igolide elalivela ezinduneni zezinkulungwane nakwezamakhulu, baliletha ethendeni lokuhlangana, laba yisikhumbuzo sabantu bakwa-Israyeli phambi kukaSimakade.