1 U-Israyeli wahlala eShithimi; abantu baqala ukuphinga namadodakazi akwaMowabi,
2 ngokuba babiza abantu ukuba beze emihlatshelweni yawonkulunkulu babo; abantu badla, bakhothamela onkulunkulu babo.
3 U-Israyeli wazihlanganisa noBali Peyori. Intukuthelo kaJehova yayisimvuthela u-Israyeli.
4 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Thabatha zonke izinhloko zabantu, uziphanyekele uJehova elangeni, ukuze intukuthelo evuthayo kaJehova ibuye ku-Israyeli.”
5 UMose wathi kubo abahluleli bakwa-Israyeli: “Bulalani, kube yilowo nalowo abantu bakhe abazihlanganisile noBali Peyori.”
6 Bheka, umuntu wabantwana bakwa-Israyeli wafika eletha kubafowabo owesifazane wakwaMidiyani emehlweni kaMose nasemehlweni enhlangano yonke yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, besakhala ngasemnyango wetende lokuhlangana.
7 Esekubona uFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi wavuka ephakathi kwenhlangano, wathatha umkhonto ngesandla sakhe,
8 wamlandela umuntu wakwa-Israyeli, wangena etendeni, wabagwaza bobabili, indoda yakwa-Israyeli nowesifazane esiswini sakhe. Sanqamuka-ke kanjalo isifo kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
9 Abafayo ngaleso sifo babe yizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nane.
10 UJehova wayesekhuluma kuMose, wathi:
11 “UFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi ukhalimile intukuthelo yami kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba wayehawuka ngomhawu wami phakathi kwabo, ukuze ngingaqothuli abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngomhawu wami.
12 Ngalokho yisho ukuthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyamnika isivumelwano sami sokuthula;
13 siyakuba kuye nakuyo inzalo yakhe emva kwakhe isivumelwano sobupristi obuphakade, ngokuba wayenomhawu ngoNkulunkulu wakhe, wabenzela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukubuyisana.’ ”
14 Igama lendoda yakwa-Israyeli eyabulawa, eyabulawa kanye nowesifazane wakwaMidiyani, lalinguZimri indodana kaSalu, isikhulu sendlu kayise phakathi kwabakwaSimeyoni.
15 Igama lowesifazane wakwaMidiyani owabulawa lalinguKozibi indodakazi kaSuri owayeyinhloko yabantu bendlu kayise kwaMidiyani.
16 UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi:
17 “Khathaza abakwaMidiyani, ubashaye,
18 ngokuba bayanikhathaza nina ngamacebo abanikhohlise ngawo endabeni kaPeyori nangendaba kaKozibi indodakazi yesikhulu sakwaMidiyani, udadewabo, owabulawa ngosuku lwesifo ngendaba kaPeyori.”