Numbers 13

Ukuhlolwa kwelizwe laseKhenani

1UJehova wathi kuMosi, 2“Thuma amadoda athile ukuba ayehlola ilizwe laseKhenani, engilinika abako-Israyeli. Kusendo ngalunye lwesizwe thuma umkhokheli oyedwa.”

3Ngakho ngokulaya kukaJehova uMosi wabakhupha labo eNkangala yePharani. Bonke babengabakhokheli bako-Israyeli.

4Nanka amabizo abo: esizwaneni sikaRubheni, kwakunguShamuwa indodana kaZakhuri;

5esizwaneni sikaSimeyoni, kwakunguShafathi indodana kaHori;

6esizwaneni sikaJuda, kwakunguKhalebi indodana kaJefune;

7esizwaneni sika-Isakhari, kwakungu-Igali indodana kaJosefa;

8esizwaneni sika-Efrayimi, kwakunguHosheya indodana kaNuni;

9esizwaneni sikaBhenjamini, kwakunguPhalithi indodana kaRafu;

10esizwaneni sikaZebhuluni, kwakunguGadiyeli indodana kaSodi;

11esizwaneni sikaManase (owesizwe sikaJosefa), kwakunguGadi indodana kaSusi;

12esizwaneni sikaDani, kwakungu-Amiyeli indodana kaGemali;

13esizwaneni sika-Asheri, kwakunguSethuri indodana kaMikhayeli;

14esizwaneni sikaNafthali, kwakunguNabhi indodana kaVofisi;

15esizwaneni sikaGadi, kwakunguGewuweli indodana kaMakhi.

16La ngamabizo alawomadoda athunywa nguMosi ukuyahlola ilizwe. (UMosi wetha uHosheya indodana kaNuni ibizo elithi Joshuwa.)

17Ekubathumeni kwakhe ukuyahlola ilizwe laseKhenani, uMosi wathi kubo, “Hambani liye eNegebi likhuphukele elizweni lezintaba.

18Likhangele ukuthi ilizwe lakhona linjani njalo lokuthi abantu bakhona balamandla kumbe babuthakathaka, balutshwana kumbe banengi.

19Ilizwe abahlala kulo linjani? Lihle na loba libi? Amadolobho abahlala kuwo anjani? Agonjolozelwe ngemiduli loba asegcekeni nje?

20Umhlabathi wakhona unjani? Uvundile na loba ulugwadule? Langabe lilezihlahla loba hayi? Yenzani ubungcono benu libuye lezinye zezithelo zakulelolizwe.” (Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvuthwa kwezithelo zakuqala zevini.)

21Ngakho bahamba ukuyahlola ilizwe besukela eNkangala yaseZini kuze kuyefika eRehobi, ngokuya eLebho Hamathi. 22Bahambake badabula eNegebi baze bayafika eHebhroni, lapho okwakuhlala khona u-Ahimani, loSheshayi kanye loThalimayi, izizukulwane zika-Anakhi. (IHebhroni yakhiwa iminyaka eyisikhombisa kungakakhiwa idolobho laseZowani eGibhithe.) 23Bathi befika esiHotsheni sase-Eshikhole baquma ugatsha olwalulesixha sezithelo zevini. Ababili babo basithwala besigaxe egodweni ndawonye lamaphomegranethi kanye lomkhiwa.

24Lindawo yabizwa ngokuthi yisiHotsha sase-Eshikhole ngenxa yesixha sezithelo zevini esaqunywa khona. 25Ngemva kwezinsuku ezingamatshumi amane zokuhlola ilizwe izinhloli zabuyela emuva.

Umbiko mayelana lokuhlolwa kwelizwe

26Babuyela kuMosi lo-Aroni lakuso sonke isizwe sako-Israyeli eKhadeshi, eNkangala yasePharani. Babikela uMosi lo-Aroni kanye labo bonke abako-Israyeli njalo batshengisa lezithelo zakulelolizwe. 27Balandisela uMosi bathi: “Sihambile elizweni lelo obukade usithume kulo, ngempela ligeleza uchago loluju! Nanzi izithelo zalo. 28Kodwa abantu abahlala khona balamandla kanti lamadolobho akhona makhulu njalo avikelwe. Size sabona lezizukulwane zika-Anakhi khonale. 29Ama-Amaleki ahlala eNegebi; amaHithi, lamaJebusi lama-Amori bahlala elizweni lezintaba, amaKhenani wona ahlala eduzane lolwandle esekele umfula uJodani.”

30Emva kwalokho uKhalebi wathulisa abantu phambi kukaMosi wasesithi, “Kufanele ukuthi sihambe siyethatha ilizwe leli libe ngelethu, ngoba singakwenza sibili.”

31Kodwa amadoda lawo ayehambe laye athi, “Singeke sibahlasele abantu labo; balamandla kulathi.” 32Basebetshela abantu bako-Israyeli umbiko omubi ngelizwe ababelihlolile. Bathi, “Ilizwe esilihlolileyo liyabagabhela labantu abahlala kulo. Bonke abantu esibabone khonale yiziqhwaga. 33Sibone khona amaNefilimi (isizukulwane sika-Anakhi sivela kumaNefilimi.) Emehlweni ethu besingangentothoviyane phambi kwabo, lasemehlweni abo besinjalo.”