1 UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi:
2 “Baphindisele abantwana bakwa-Israyeli kwabakwaMidiyani, andukuba ubuthelwe kubantu bakini.”
3 UMose wayesekhuluma kubantu, wathi: “Hlomiselani impi amadoda phakathi kwenu ukuba ahlasele abakwaMidiyani, aphindisele uJehova kwabakwaMidiyani;
4 kuleso naleso sizwe njalo anoyithuma empini inkulungwane ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli.”
5 Kwase kunikelwa ezinkulungwaneni zakwa-Israyeli inkulungwane kuleso naleso sizwe, izinkulungwane eziyishumi nambili, zihlonyiselwe impi.
6 UMose wabathuma empini, kwaba yinkulungwane kuleso naleso sizwe, bona noFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi, baye naye empini ephethe impahla yendlu engcwele namacilongo okuhlaba umkhosi esandleni sakhe.
7 Balwa noMidiyani, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose, babulala abesilisa bonke.
8 Babulala amakhosi akwaMidiyani kanye nabanye ababulawayo: o-Evi, noRekemi, noSuri, noHure, noReba, amakhosi ayisihlanu akwaMidiyani; noBileyamu indodana kaBeyori bambulala ngemkemba.
9 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathumba abesifazane bakwaMidiyani nabancane babo; nazo zonke izinkomo zabo, nazo zonke izimvu zabo, nayo yonke impahla yabo bakuthatha kwaba yimpango yabo.
10 Yonke imizi yabo yasezindaweni, lapho bebehlala khona, nawo onke amakamu* abo bakushisa ngomlilo.
11 Bathatha yonke impango nayo yonke impahla edliweyo, abantu nezilwane.
12 Baletha abathunjwa, nempango, nempahla edliweyo kuMose naku-Eleyazare umpristi, nakuyo inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ekamu* emathafeni akwaMowabi angaseJordani ngaseJeriko.
13 OMose, no-Eleyazare umpristi, nazo zonke izikhulu zenhlangano baphuma ukubahlangabeza ngaphandle kwekamu.*
14 UMose wazithukuthelela iziphathimandla zebandla, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu ezazibuya empini.
15 UMose wathi kuzo: “Nisindisile bonke abesifazane na?
16 Bhekani, laba benza ukuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngesiluleko sikaBileyamu baphambeke kuJehova ngendaba yasePeyori, kwaba khona isifo phakathi kwenhlangano kaJehova.
17 Ngalokho bulalani manje bonke abesilisa phakathi kwabantwana, nibulale nabo bonke abesifazane abayazi indoda ngokulala nayo.
18 Kepha onke amantombazana angazanga ndoda ngokulala nayo, nizisindisele wona.
19 “Misani ngaphandle kwekamu* izinsuku eziyisikhombisa; yilowo nalowo obulele umuntu, nalowo othintile obuleweyo, makaziphothule ngosuku lwesithathu nangosuku lwesikhombisa, nina nabathunjwa benu.
20 Nazo zonke izingubo, nakho konke okwenziwe ngesikhumba, nayo yonke imisebenzi yoboya bezimbuzi, nazo zonke izinto ezenziwe ngomuthi, niyakuziphothula mayelana nakho.”
21 Umpristi u-Eleyazare wathi kumadoda empi ayeyile ekulweni: “Lokhu kuyisimiso somthetho uJehova ayale ngaso uMose:
22 kuphela igolide, nesiliva, nethusi, nensimbi, nethini,* nomthofu,
23 konke okungahlala emlilweni, niyakukudabulisa emlilweni, kuhlambuluke; kodwa kuyakuhlanjululwa ngamanzi okuphothula, kepha konke okungenakuhlala emlilweni niyakukudabulisa emanzini.
24 Niyakuhlanza izingubo zenu ngosuku lwesikhombisa, nihlambuluke, andukuba ningene ekamu.”*
25 UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi:
26 “Balani impango yonke ethathiweyo, abantu nezilwane, wena no-Eleyazare umpristi, nezinhloko zezindlu zawoyise benhlangano,
27 wena wahlukanisele impango kabili phakathi kwamadoda empi aya ekulweni nenhlangano yonke,
28 uthelisele uJehova amadoda empi aya ekulweni, kube kunye emakhulwini ayisihlanu, awabantu, nawezinkomo, nawezimbongolo, nawezimvu,
29 nikuthathe enxenyeni yabo, nikunike u-Eleyazare umpristi, kube ngumnikelo wokuphakanyiswa kaJehova.
30 Enxenyeni yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli wothabatha kube kunye emashumini ayisihlanu, awabantu, nawezinkomo, nawezimbongolo, nawezimvu, yebo, awezilwane zonke, ukunike amaLevi agcina inkonzo yetabernakele* likaJehova.”
31 OMose no-Eleyazare umpristi benza njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.
32 Impango-ke eyayisele kwethathiwe ngamadoda empi yayiyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu,
33 nezinkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa nambili,
34 nezimbongolo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisithupha nanye,
35 nabantu, abesifazane abangazangandoda ngokulala nayo, abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nambili, bebonke.
36 Nenxenye eyayiyisabelo sabaphuma impi umumo wayo wawuyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu namashumi amathathu nesikhombisa namakhulu ayisihlanu,
37 nentela kaJehova yezimvu yayingamakhulu ayisithupha namashumi ayisikhombisa nanhlanu.
38 Izinkomo zaziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nesithupha, intela kaJehova kuzo ingamashumi ayisikhombisa nambili.
39 Izimbongolo zaziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu namakhulu ayisihlanu, intela kaJehova kuzo ingamashumi ayisithupha nanye.
40 Abantu babe yizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha, intela kaJehova kubo ingamashumi amathathu nambili.
41 UMose wamnika u-Eleyazare umpristi intela eyayingumnikelo wokuphakanyiswa kaJehova, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.
42 Enxenyeni yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli uMose ayahlukanisa neyamadoda ayelwile
43 inxenye yenhlangano yayiyizimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu namashumi amathathu nesikhombisa namakhulu ayisihlanu,
44 nezinkomo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu nesithupha,
45 nezimbongolo eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amathathu namakhulu ayisihlanu,
46 nabantu abayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha
47 yebo, kule nxenye yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli uMose wathatha kube kunye emashumini ayisihlanu, awabantu nawezilwane, wakunika amaLevi agcina inkonzo yetabernakele* likaJehova, njengalokho uJehova emyalile uMose.
48 Iziphathimandla ezaziphezu kwezinkulungwane zebandla, izinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamakhulu, zasondela kuMose, zathi kuMose:
49 “Izinceku zakho zibale onke amadoda empi asesandleni sethu, akwasala neyodwa yethu.
50 Silethile umnikelo kaJehova, kwaba yilowo nalowo lokho akutholileyo, izinto zegolide, nezigqizo, namasongo, nezindandatho, namacici, nemigexo ukuyenzela imiphefumulo yethu ukubuyisana phambi kukaJehova.”
51 OMose no-Eleyazare bamukela igolide kubo, namagugu asetshenziweyo.
52 Lonke igolide lomnikelo wokuphakanyiswa abanikela ngalo kuJehova, elezinduna zezinkulungwane nelezinduna zamakhulu, lalingamashekeli* ayizinkulungwane eziyishumi nesithupha namakhulu ayisikhombisa namashumi ayisihlanu.
53 Ngokuba amadoda empi ayezithathele impango, kwaba yileyo naleyo ngokwayo.
54 OMose no-Eleyazare umpristi bamukela igolide kuzo izinduna zezinkulungwane nakwezamakhulu, baliletha etendeni lokuhlangana, laba yisikhumbuzo sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli phambi kukaJehova.