Exo 17 | NdeIBE | STEP | Uzulu wonke wako-Israyeli wasuka enkangala yeSini, wahamba njengokulaya kukaJehova. Bake bahlala okwesikhathi esifitshane eRefidimi kodwa kwakungelamanzi okuthi abantu banathe.

Exodus 17

Amanzi ampompoza edwaleni

1 Uzulu wonke wako-Israyeli wasuka enkangala yeSini, wahamba njengokulaya kukaJehova. Bake bahlala okwesikhathi esifitshane eRefidimi kodwa kwakungelamanzi okuthi abantu banathe. 2 Ngakho baxabana loMosi basebesithi, “Sinike amanzi okunatha.” UMosi waphendula wathi “Kungani lixabana lami? Kungani lilinga uJehova?”

3 Kodwa abantu basebomele amanzi kuleyondawo, ngakho bakhonona kuMosi. Bathi kuye, “Wasikhupha eGibhithe ukwenzela ukuthi thina labantwabethu kanye lezifuyo sibulawe yikoma na?” 4 Ngakho uMosi wakhala kuJehova, wathi, “Kambe ngithini ngalababantu? Sebezimisele ukuthi bangikhande ngamatshe.”

5 UJehova waphendula uMosi wathi “Khokhela abantu. Thatha abanye abadala bako-Israyeli ubusuthatha njalo intonga leyana owake watshaya ngayo amanzi emfuleni uNayili lihambe. 6 Ngizakuma lapho phambi kwenu eduzane ledwala eHorebi. Utshaye idwala; kuzaphuma amanzi kulo ukuba abantu banathe.” Ngakho uMosi wenza lokho abadala bako-Israyeli bekhangele. 7 Wabiza indawo leyo ngegama elithi Masa leMeribha ngenxa yokuthi abantu bako-Israyeli baphikisa njalo balinga uJehova besithi “Kambe uJehova ulathi yini kumbe hatshi?”

Ama-Amaleki ayanqotshwa

8 Ama-Amaleki eza ukuzohlasela abako-Israyeli eRefidimi. 9 UMosi wathi kuJoshuwa, “Khetha amanye amadoda phakathi kwethu uphume liyekulwa lama Amaleki. Kusasa ngizakuma phezu koqaqa ngiphethe intonga kaNkulunkulu ezandleni zami.”

10 Ngakho uJoshuwa walwa lama-Amaleki njengokulaya kukaMosi, njalo uMosi, u-Aroni loHuri bakhwela phezu koqaqa. 11 Lapho uMosi wayephakamise izandla zakhe abako-Israyeli babenqoba, kodwa wayesithi angehlisa izandla zakhe ama-Amaleki yiwo ayenqoba. 12 Kwathi izandla zikaMosi sezidiniwe bathatha ilitshe balifaka ngaphansi kwakhe wasehlala phezu kwalo. U-Aroni loHuri baphakamisa izandla zakhe – omunye ekuleli icele omunye kwelinye – ukuze izandla zakhe zale ziphakeme lize litshone ilanga.

13 Ngakho uJoshuwa wehlula ibutho lama-Amaleki ngenkemba.

14 UJehova wasesithi kuMosi, “Bhala lokhu egwalweni njengento okumele ikhunjulwe njalo ubone ukuthi uJoshuwa uyakuzwa lokhu ngenxa yokuthi ngizatshabalalisa umkhumbulo wonke omayelana lama-Amaleki ngaphansi kwezulu.” 15 UMosi wakha i-alithare walibiza ngokuthi UJehova uLuphawu Lwami. 16 Wathi kubo, “Ngoba izandla zaphakanyiselwa esihlalweni sikaJehova. UJehova uzakulwa impi lezizukulwane zama-Amaleki.”