18 ukuba nibuye namuhla ekumlandeleni uJehova na? Kuzakuthi uma nihlubuka namuhla uJehova, athukuthelele yonke inhlangano ka-Israyeli kusasa.
19 Kepha uma izwe lefa lenu lingcolile, welani, niye ezweni lefa likaJehova, lapho lihlala khona itabernakele* likaJehova, nibe nefa phakathi kwethu; kepha ningahlubuki uJehova, ningahlubuki futhi kithi ngokuzakhela i-altare ngaphandle kwe-altare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.
20 U-Akani indodana kaZera akenzanga yini isiphambeko kukho okuqalekisiweyo, yonke inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli yehlelwa yintukuthelo na? Futhi akafanga yedwa lowo muntu ebubini bakhe.’ ”
21 Abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase baphendula, bakhuluma kuzo izinhloko zemindeni yakwa-Israyeli, bathi:
22 “UNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, yebo, uNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uyakwazi, no-Israyeli futhi uyakukwazi ukuthi uma kwakungokuhlubuka noma kungokuphambuka kuJehova, ungasisindisi namuhla
23 ngokuthi sizakhele i-altare, sabuya ekumlandeleni uJehova; futhi uma kwakungukuba sinikele phezu kwalo ngeminikelo yokushiswa nangeminikelo yempuphu, nokuba sinikele ngemihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula phezu kwalo, uJehova uqobo makakubize.
24 “Qha, impela senzile lokho ngokunakekela nangesizathu, sathi: Ngesikhathi esizayo abantwana benu bangakhuluma kubantwana bethu ngokuthi: ‘Ninamsebenzi muni noJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?