Numbers 21

Ukuchithwa Kwe-Aradi

1Kwathi inkosi yase-Aradi engumKhenani eyayihlala eNegebi isizwa ukuthi abako-Israyeli babesiza behamba ngomgwaqo beqonde e-Atharimi, yabahlasela abako-Israyeli yaze yathumba abanye babo. 2Ngakho u-Israyeli wenza lesisifungo kuThixo wathi: “Nxa unganikela lababantu ezandleni zethu, sizachithiza amadolobho abo nya.” 3UThixo walalela ukuncenga kwabako-Israyeli wasenikela amaKhenani kubo. Abako-Israyeli bawaqothula amaKhenani bachithiza kanye lamadolobho awo; ngakho indawo leyo yabizwa ngokuthi yiHoma.

Inyoka Yethusi

4Bahamba besuka entabeni yaseHori ngendlela eqonda oLwandle oluBomvu, ukuze baceze ilizwe lase-Edomi. Kodwa besendleleni abantu basebenengekile sebephelelwe yikubekezela; 5bakhuluma kubi besola uNkulunkulu kanye loMosi, bathi, “Lasikhuphelani na eGibhithe ukuze sizefela enkangala? Akulasinkwa! Akulamanzi! Futhi lalokhu ukudla kwenu okubi siyakuzonda.”

6Ngakho uThixo wasebathumela izinyoka ezazilobuhlungu obesabekayo kakhulu, zabaluma abantu bako-Israyeli abanengi bafa. 7Abantu baya kuMosi bathi, “Sonile ngokukhuluma kwethu kubi ngoThixo langokukhuluma kwethu ngawe. Akukhuleke ukuthi uThixo asuse izinyoka lezi phakathi kwethu.” Ngakho wabakhulekela abantu.

8 UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Yenza inyoka yethusi uyiphanyeke esigodweni; loba ngubani olunyiweyo angakhangela kuyo uzaphila.” 9Ngakho uMosi wenza inyoka yethusi wayiphanyeka esigodweni. Kwakusithi lowo olunywe yinyoka angakhangela inyoka yethusi aphile.

Uhambo Lokuya EMowabi

10Abako-Israyeli basuka baqhubeka baze bayamisa izihonqo zabo e-Obhothi. 11Basuka njalo e-Obhothi bayamisa izihonqo zabo e-Iye-Abharimi, enkangala eyayimalungana leMowabi ngokuya ngempumalanga. 12Besuka lapho baqhubeka ngohambo baze bayamisa izihonqo zabo esigodini saseZeredi. 13Basuka lapho bayamisa izihonqo zabo eduze le-Arinoni esenkangala eqhelela elizweni lama-Amori. I-Arinoni isemngceleni welaseMowabi, phakathi laphakathi kweMowabi kanye lama-Amori. 14Kungakho uGwalo lweziMpi zikaThixo lusithi:

“Lokho akwenza oLwandle oLubomvu
lakwenza emifuleni yeWahebhi eseSufa
lemifuleni yase-Arinoni 15lamawa ezindonga
ehlela endaweni yase-Ari
lasekela umngcele weMowabi.”
16Besuka lapho baqhubeka baze bayafika eBheri, emthonjeni lapho uThixo athi kuMosi, “Buthanisa abantu ngibanike amanzi.”

17Ngakho abako-Israyeli bahlabela ingoma le ethi:

“Mpompoza, wemthombo!
Hlabelelani ngawo,
18ngomthombo owenjiwa ngamakhosana,
owenjiwa yizikhulu zabantu,
izikhulu ezilentonga zobukhosi kanye lezinduku.”
Basuka-ke enkangala bayafika eMathana, 19besuka eMathana baya eNahaliyeli, besuka eNahaliyeli, baya eBhamothi, 20kwathi besuka eBhamothi baqonda esigodini eMowabi, lapho isiqongo sentaba yasePhisiga esikhangele elizweni elilugwadule.

Ukwehlulwa KukaSihoni Lo-Ogi

21U-Israyeli wathumela izithunywa kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori wathi:

22“Sivumele sidabule elizweni lakho. Kasiyikuphambukela loba lakuliphi icele ukuze singene loba kuwaphi amasimu akho kumbe isivini, loba ukunatha amanzi emthonjeni loba yiwuphi. Sizazihambela nje ngomgwaqo omkhulu weNkosi size sedlule elizweni lakho.”

23Kodwa uSihoni kavumanga ukuthi u-Israyeli adabule elizweni lakhe. USihoni waqoqa ibutho lakhe waphuma waqonda enkangala ukuyahlasela u-Israyeli. Wathi esefikile eJahazi walwa lo-Israyeli. 24Kodwa u-Israyeli wamnqoba ngenkemba, wambhubhisa njalo wamthathela ilizwe lakhe kusukela e-Arinoni kusiya eJabhoki, kusiyafika elizweni lama-Amoni kuphela, ngoba umngcele walo wawuvikelwe ngemithangala. 25U-Israyeli wathatha wonke amadolobho ama-Amori wahlala kuwo, kwakugoqela iHeshibhoni kanye leziqinti ezaziyigombolozele. 26IHeshibhoni kwakulidolobho likaSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, owayelwe lenkosi yamaMowabi eyayikade ibusa khona wayinqoba wayithathela ilizwe layo lonke kuze kuyefika e-Arinoni.

27Yingakho izimbongi zisithi:

“Wozani eHeshibhoni; kayivuselelwe yakhiwe njalo;
akuthi idolobho likaSihoni livuselelwe.

28Umlilo wavutha eHeshibhoni
ilangabi lavela edolobheni likaSihoni.
Laqothula i-Ari laseMowabi,
abantu basemiqolweni yase-Arinoni.
29Maye kuwe, Mowabi!
Selibhujisiwe lina, Oh bantu baseKhemoshi!
Usedele amadodana akhe njengeziphepheli
lamadodakazi njengabathunjiweyo
bethunjwa nguSihoni inkosi yama-Amori.

30Kodwa thina sibehlule;
iHeshibhoni siyitshabalalisile kuze kuyefika eDibhoni.
Sibachithile kwaze kwaba seNofa,
eqhelela eMedebha.”
31Ngakho u-Israyeli wahlala elizweni lama-Amori.

32Ngemva kokuba uMosi esethumele inhloli eJazeri, abako-Israyeli bathumba iziqinti eziseduze njalo baxotsha ama-Amori ayehlala khona. 33Basebephenduka bahamba ngomgwaqo oya eBhashani. U-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani kanye lebutho lakhe lonke baphuma ukuyahlangana labako-Israyeli ukubahlasela e-Edreyi.

34 UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Ungamesabi, ngoba sengimnikele kuwe lamabutho akhe wonke kanye lelizwe lakhe. Menze konke owakwenza kuSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, owayebusa eHeshibhoni.”

35Ngakho bambulala ndawonye lamadodana akhe kanye lebutho lakhe lonke, kakho loyedwa owaphephayo. Basebethatha ilizwe lakhe.