1 UmKhanani, inkosi yase-Aradi, owayakhe eningizimu, wezwa ukuthi u-Israyeli uyeza ngendlela yase-Atarimi; walwa no-Israyeli, wathumba abanye kubo.
2 U-Israyeli wenza isithembiso kuJehova, wathi: “Uma unikela nokunikela laba bantu esandleni sami, ngiyakuchitha impela imizi yabo.”
3 UJehova walilalela izwi lika-Israyeli, wanikela amaKhanani; bawaqothula kanye nemizi yawo; igama laleyo ndawo lathiwa iHorma.*
4 Basuka entabeni yaseHori ngendlela yoLwandle Olubomvu ukuba bazungeze izwe lakwa-Edomi; inhliziyo yabantu yaphela amandla ngenxa yendlela.
5 Abantu bakhuluma kabi ngoNkulunkulu nangoMose, bathi: “Nisikhuphuleleni eGibithe ukuba sifele ehlane na? Ngokuba akukho sinkwa, akukho manzi; umphefumulo wethu uyanengwa yilesi sinkwa esilulana.”
6 UJehova wathuma izinyoka ezinesihlungu phakathi kwabantu, zabaluma abantu; abantu abaningi bakwa-Israyeli bafa.
7 Abantu bafika kuMose, bathi: “Sonile, ngokuba sikhulume kabi ngoJehova nangawe; khuleka kuJehova ukuba asuse izinyoka kithi.” UMose wabakhulekela abantu.
8 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Zenzele inyoka enesihlungu, uyibeke ensikeni; kuyakuthi yilowo nalowo olunywayo, lapho eyibheka, uyakusinda.”
9 UMose wenza inyoka yethusi, wayibeka ensikeni; kwathi lapho inyoka imlumile umuntu, uma ebeyibheka inyoka yethusi, wasinda.
10 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba, bamisa e-Oboti.
11 Basuka e-Oboti, bamisa e-Iye Abarimi ehlane elingaphandle kwelakwaMowabi ngasempumalanga.
12 Basuka lapho, bamisa esiGodini saseZeredi.
13 Basuka lapho, bamisa ngaphesheya kwe-Arinoni elisehlane, elivela emkhawulweni wama-Amori, ngokuba i-Arinoni lingumkhawulo welakwaMowabi, phakathi kwelakwaMowabi nama-Amori.
14 Ngalokho kuthiwa eNcwadini yeziMpi zikaJehova:“IVahebi laseSufa,nezigodi zase-Arinoni,
15 nomthambeka wezigodiothambeka ngasezweni le-Ari,oncike emkhawulweni wakwaMowabi.”
16 Basuka lapho, baya eBeri; lokhu kungumthombo asho ngawo uJehova kuMose, wathi: “Butha abantu, ngibaphe amanzi.”
17 U-Israyeli wayesehlabelela lesi sihlabelelo sokuthi:“Mpompoza, mthombo,nihlabelele kuwo,
18 umthombo ezawumba izikhulu,abawugubha abakhulu babantungentonga yobukhosi nangezindondolo zabo.”Basuka ehlane, baya eMathana.
19 Basuka eMathana, baya eNahaliyeli; basuka eNahaliyeli, baya eBamoti;
20 basuka eBamoti, baya esigodini esisezweni lakwaMowabi nasesiqongweni sasePisiga, elibheke ngenzansi ngasehlane.
21 U-Israyeli wathuma izithunywa kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, wathi:
22 “Ake sidabule izwe lakho; asiyikuchezukela emasimini noma ezivinini, singaphuzi amanzi emithombo; siyakuhamba ngomgwaqo wenkosi, size sidlule umkhawulo wakho.”
23 USihoni wayengamvumeli u-Israyeli ukudabula izwe lakhe, kepha uSihoni wabutha bonke abantu bakhe, waphuma eyomhlasela u-Israyeli ehlane, wafika eJahasi, walwa no-Israyeli.
24 U-Israyeli wamnqoba ngosiko lwenkemba, wadla izwe lakhe, kusukela e-Arinoni kuze kufike eJaboki nakubo abantwana bakwa-Amoni, ngokuba umkhawulo wabantwana bakwa-Amoni wawunamandla.
25 U-Israyeli wathatha yonke le mizi; u-Israyeli wahlala emizini yonke yama-Amori eHeshiboni nasemizini yonke yalo.
26 Ngokuba iHeshiboni lalingumuzi kaSihoni inkosi yama-Amori owayelwile nenkosi endala yakwaMowabi, wathatha lonke izwe lakhe esandleni sakhe kwaze kwafika e-Arinoni.
27 Ngalokho abakhulu ngezaga basho bathi:“Wozani eHeshiboni; makwakhiwe,umuzi kaSihoni umiswe;
28 ngokuba umlilo uphumile eHeshiboni;ilangabi livelile emzini kaSihoni;liqedile i-Ari lakwaMowabi nabakhe emadulini ase-Arinoni.
29 Maye kuwena Mowabi!Niphelile, nina bantu bakaKemoshi;unikele amadodana akhe abe ngababaleki,namadodakazi akhe athunjwe kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori.
30 “Sibacibishele;iHeshiboni liphelile kuze kube seDiboni;sichithile kuze kube seNofa elingaseMedeba.”
31 Kanjalo u-Israyeli wahlala ezweni lama-Amori.
32 UMose wathuma ukuhlola iJazeri, bathatha imizi yalo, baxosha ama-Amori ayelapho.
33 Baphenduka, bakhuphuka ngendlela yaseBashani; u-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani waphuma, wabasukela, yena nabo bonke abantu bakhe, ukuyokulwa ngase-Edireyi.
34 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Ningamesabi, ngokuba ngimnikele esandleni sakho kanye nabantu bakhe bonke nezwe lakhe; uyakwenza kuye njengalokho wenza kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori owahlala eHeshiboni.”
35 Base bemnqoba-ke, namadodana akhe, nabo bonke abantu bakhe, waze wangasalelwa muntu; badla izwe lakubo.