Exodus 16

Imana lezigwaca

1Uzulu wonke wako-Israyeli wasuka e-Elimi wafika enkangala yeSini ephakathi kwe-Elimi leSinayi, ngelanga letshumi lanhlanu enyangeni yesibili besuke eGibhithe.

2Enkangala uzulu wakhonona kuMosi lo-Aroni.

3Abako-Israyeli bathi kubo, “Ngabe sazifela ngesandla sikaJehova eGibhithe, lapho esasihlala sigombolozele izimbiza zenyama lakho konke ukudla esasikufumana, kodwa lina selisilethe lapha enkangala ukuze ixuku lonke leli liyathe ngendlala.”

4UJehova wasesithi kuMosi, “Ngizalehlisela isinkwa sivela ezulwini. Abantu kumele baphume nsuku zonke bayebutha okwanela lelolanga. Ngale indlela ngizabalinga ukuze ngibone ukuthi bayayilandela yini imilayo yami.

5Ngelanga lesithupha kumele balungise lokho abayabe bekulethile, okumele kube ngokuphindwe kabili kulokho abakubutha kwezinye izinsuku.”

6Yikho-ke uMosi lo-Aroni bathi kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, “Kusihlwa lizakwazi ukuthi nguJehova olikhuphe kweleGibhithe, 7njalo ekuseni lizabona inkazimulo kaJehova ngoba ukuzwile ukukhonona kwenu. Singobani thina ukuba lisisole?” 8UMosi wathi, “Lizakwazi ukuthi kade kunguJehova nxa eselipha inyama yokudla kusihlwa lesinkwa sonke elisifunayo ekuseni ngenxa yokuthi usekuzwile ukukhonona kwenu kuye. Singobani? Kalikhononi kithi kodwa kuJehova.”

9Yikho uMosi watshela u-Aroni wathi, “Khuluma lozulu wonke wako-Israyeli uthi, ‘Wozani kuJehova ngoba usekuzwile ukukhonona kwenu.’ ”

10Ngesikhathi u-Aroni ekhuluma lozulu wonke wako-Israyeli, bakhangela enkangala basebebona inkazimulo kaJehova ibonakala eyezini. 11UJehova wathi kuMosi: 12“Sengizwile ukukhonona kwabakwa-Israyeli. Batshele ukuthi, ‘Kusihlwa lizakudla inyama njalo ekuseni lizasuthiswa ngesinkwa. Yikho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’ ”

13Ngalokhokuhlwa kweza izigwaca zagcwala indawo yonke ababehlala kuyo, njalo ekuseni kwaba lamazolo ngaphandle kwezihonqo.

14Kwathi amazolo esenyamalele kwabonakala izicecedwana zikangqoqwane phezu kwenkangala.

15Kwathi abako-Israyeli bekubona lokhu bakhulumisana besithi, “Kuyini lokhu?” Ngoba babengakwazi ukuthi kwakuyini. UMosi wathi kubo, “Yisinkwa elisiphiwe nguJehova ukuthi lidle. 16Lokhu yikho okulaywe nguJehova ukuthi: ‘Umuntu emunye uzathatha okwaneleyo akuswelayo. Thathela umuntu ngamunye osethenteni lakho isilinganiso se-omeri.”

17Abako-Israyeli benza njengokulaywa kwabo. Abanye babutha okunengi abanye okulutshwana.

18Bathi sebekulinganisa nge-omeri babona ukuthi lowo owayebuthe okunengi wayengelakho kakhulu, kukanti lalowo owayebuthe okulutshwana wayengalakho okulutshwana kakhulu. Umuntu emunye wabutha isilinganiso ayesiswela. 19Ngakho-ke uMosi wathi kubo, “Akumelanga kube khona ozagcina okunye kwalokho kuze kube sekuseni.”

20Lanxa kunjalo abanye kabazange bamlalele uMosi: bagcina eyinye ingxenye kwaze kwaba sekuseni. Kodwa kwakugcwele impethu njalo kwasekulephunga elibi. Yikho-ke uMosi wabacaphukela.

21Nsuku zonke ekuseni umuntu emunye wabutha inani ayeliswela, njalo ilanga lathi selibhebha ngokutshisa kwancibilika.

22Ngelanga lesithupha babutha isilinganiso esiphindwe kabili ama-omeri amabili umuntu emunye, njalo abakhokheli babantu beza ukuzobika kuMosi. 23Wathi kubo, “Lokhu yikho okwalaywa nguJehova: ‘Kusasa lilanga lokuphumula iSabatha elingcwele kuJehova. Ngakho bhakani konke elifuna ukukubhaka libilise konke elifuna ukukubilisa. Gcinani konke okuseleyo kuze kube sekuseni.’ ”

24Ngakho bakugcina kwaze kwaba sekuseni njengokulaya kukaMosi njalo kakuzange kube lephunga kumbe impethu.

25UMosi wathi, “Kudleni namhla, ngoba namhla liSabatha likaJehova, kalisoze lithole lutho phandle namhla. 26Okwezizinsuku eziyisithupha lizakubutha, kodwa ngelanga lesikhombisa eleSabatha akusoze kube lalutho.”

27Lanxa kunjalo abanye abantu ngelanga lesikhombisa bahamba ukuba bayobutha kodwa bafica kungelalutho.

28UJehova wasesithi kuMosi, “Kuzaze kube nini lisala ukulandela imithetho lemilayo yami na? 29Kufakeni ezingqondweni zenu ukuthi uJehova ulinikile iSabatha, yikho ngelanga lesithupha ulinika isinkwa esenela izinsuku ezimbili. Wonke umuntu kumele ahlale lapho ayabe ekhona ngelanga lesikhombisa. Akulamuntu okumele aphume phandle.” 30Yikho-ke abantu baphumula ngelanga lesikhombisa.

31Abantu bako-Israyeli babiza isinkwa leso bathi yimana. Sasimhlophe njengentanga zekhoriyanda, sihlabusa njengamakhekhe enziwe ngoluju.

32UMosi wathi, “Lokhu yikho okutshiwo nguJehova ukuthi: Thathani isilinganiso semana ligcinele izizukulwana zakusasa ukuze zibone isinkwa engalinika sona ukuba lisidle enkangala ekulikhupheni kwami eGibhithe.’ ”

33Yikho-ke uMosi wathi ku-Aroni, “Thatha inkonxa ufake phakathi imana eyisilinganiso seomeri. Ibeke phambi kukaJehova ukuze igcinelwe izizukulwane ezizayo.” 34Njengoba uJehova walaya uMosi, u-Aroni wabeka imana phambi kweBhokisi lobufakazi ukuze igcinakale. 35Abako-Israyeli badla imana okweminyaka engamatshumi amane baze bafika endaweni eyayihlala abantu, badla imana baze bafika emngceleni weKhenani. ( 36I-omere iyisilinganiso sokulitshumi sehefa.)