Numbers 3

AbaLevi

1Lezi yizizukulwane zika-Aroni lezikaMosi ngesikhathi sokukhuluma kukaJehova kuMosi entabeni yaseSinayi. 2Amabizo amadodana ka-Aroni kwakunguNadabi izibulo lo-Abhihu, u-Eliyazari kanye lo-Ithamari. 3La ngamabizo amadodana ka-Aroni, agcotshwayo abekwa ukuba ngabaphristi. 4Kodwa, uNadabi lo-Abhihu, bathi di bafa phambi kukaJehova ngenxa yokunikela ngomlilo ongemukelekiyo kuJehova enkangala yaseSinayi. Babengelamadodana; kungakho u-Eliyazari lo-Ithamari babangabaphristi ngesikhathi uyise u-Aroni esaphila.

5UJehova wathi kuMosi, 6“Letha abesizwe sikaLevi ubethule ku-Aroni umphristi ukuze bancedise. 7Bazamsebenzela yena kanye lesizwana sonke eThenteni lokuHlanganela beqhuba umsebenzi wethabanikeli.

8Bazalondoloza yonke impahla yeThente lokuHlanganela, benzele abako-Israyeli imisebenzi nxa besenza inkonzo ethabanikeleni. 9Yethula abaLevi ku-Aroni lakumadodana akhe; bangabako-Israyeli okumele bethulwe ngokugcweleyo kuye.

10Khetha u-Aroni lamadodana akhe ukuthi babe ngabaphristi; loba ngubani omunye ozasondela endaweni engcwele kumele abulawe.”

11UJehova waphinda wathi kuMosi,

12“AbaLevi sengibakhetha phakathi kwabako-Israyeli esikhundleni samazibulo angabafana esizweni sonke sako-Israyeli. AbaLevi ngabami,

13njengoba wonke amazibulo engawami. Ekubulaleni kwami wonke amazibulo aseGibhithe, ngazehlukanisela wonke amazibulo ako-Israyeli, awabantu loba awezinyamazana. Kawabe ngawami. Mina nginguJehova.”

14UJehova wathi kuMosi eNkangala yaseSinayi, 15“Bala abaLevi ngezindlu zabo langosendo lwabo. Bala bonke abesilisa kusukela kwabalenyanga eyodwa bezelwe kusiya phezulu.” 16Ngakho uMosi wababala, njengokulaywa kwakhe yilizwi likaJehova.

17La ngamabizo amadodana kaLevi: uGeshoni, uKhohathi kanye loMerari.

18La ngamabizo abosendo lukaGeshoni: uLibhini loShimeyi.

19Abosendo lukaKhohathi: u-Amramu, Izari, Hebhroni kanye lo-Uziyeli.

20Abosendo lukaMerari: uMahili loMushi. Laba kwakungabosendo lwabaLevi, kusiya ngezindlu zabo.

21KuGeshoni kwavela usendo lwama-Libhini lolwamaShimeyi; laba yibo abosendo lwamaGeshoni. 22Inani lamadoda wonke kusukela kwabalenyanga eyodwa bezelwe kusiya phezulu ababalwayo babezi 7,500.

23Abosendo lwamaGeshoni babezahlala ezihonqweni zabo entshonalanga, ngemuva kwethabanikeli.

24Umkhokheli wabezindlu zabako-Geshoni kwakungu-Eliyasafi indodana kaLayeli.

25Umsebenzi wamadodana kaGeshoni eThenteni lokuHlanganela wawuyikulondoloza ithabanikeli, lethente, lesembeso salo, ikhetheni lesango leThente lokuHlanganela,

26amakhetheni eguma, ikhetheni lesango leguma elihonqolozele ithabanikeli kanye lealithare, lamagoda – lakho konke okuphathelane lalowo msebenzi.

27Abosendo lukaKhohathi kwakungama-Amramu, ama-Izari, amaHebhroni kanye lama-Uziyeli. Laba yibo abosendo lwamaKhohathi.

28Inani lamadoda wonke kusukela kwabalenyanga eyodwa bezelwe kusiya phezulu babezi 3,600. AmaKhohathi yibo ababelomlandu wokugcina indawo engcwele.

29Abosendo lwamaKhohathi bahlala ezihonqweni zabo eningizimu yethabanikeli.

30Umkhokheli wabezindlu zabosendo lwamaKhohathi kwakungu-Elizafani indodana ka-Uziyeli. 31Babelomlandu wokugcina ibhokisi lesivumelwano, itafula, uluthi lwezibane, amaalithare, izimpahla zendawo engcwele ezazisetshenziswa emsebenzini wokukhonza. 32UEliyazari indodana ka-Aroni, umphristi, wayengumkhokheli omkhulu wabaLevi. Wabekwa phezu kwalabo ababelomlandu wokugcina indawo engcwele.

33Abosendo lukaMerari kwakungama-Mahili lamaMushi; laba babengabosendo lwamaMerari. 34Inani lamadoda asukela kwabalenyanga eyodwa bezelwe kusiya phezulu ababalwayo babezi 6,200.

35Umkhokheli wezindlu zosendo lwama-Merari kwakunguZuriyeli indodana ka-Abhihayili; babezahlala ezihonqweni zabo enyakatho yethabanikeli. 36Abosendo lwamaMerari babelomlandu wokugcina amathala ethabanikeli, imithando, izinsika, izisekelo, izitsha zalo zonke lakho konke okuphathelane lemisebenzi yakho, 37kanye lezinsika lezisekelo zazo ezihonqolozele iguma, izikhonkwane zethente kanye lamagoda.

38UMosi kanye lo-Aroni lamadodana akhe babezahlala ezihonqweni zabo empumalanga yethabanikeli, phambi kweThente lokuHlanganela. Babelomlandu wokugcinela abako-Israyeli indawo engcwele. Loba ngubani omunye owayezasondela endaweni engcwele kwakumele abulawe.

39Inani labaLevi bonke ababalwayo njengokulaywa kukaMosi lo-Aroni nguJehova kulandelwa usendo lwabo, kusukela kwabesilisa ababelenyanga eyodwa yokuzalwa kusiya phezulu, babezi 22,000.

40UJehova wathi kuMosi, “Bala wonke amazibulo awesilisa ako-Israyeli kusukela kwabalenyanga eyodwa bezelwe kusiya phezulu wenze uluhlu lwamabizo abo.

41Esikhundleni samabizo ako-Israyeli nginika abaLevi, njalo lezifuyo zabaLevi esikhundleni samazibulo ezifuyo zabako-Israyeli. Mina nginguJehova.”

42Ngalokho-ke u-Mosi wabala wonke amazibulo abako-Israyeli, njengokulaywa kwakhe nguJehova. 43Inani lawo wonke amazibulo esilisa kusukela kwalenyanga eyodwa yokuzalwa kusiya phezulu, ebhalwe ngoluhlu lwamabizo, ayezi 22,273.

44UJehova wabuya wathi kuMosi,

45“Esikhundleni samazibulo ako-Israyeli thatha abaLevi, lezifuyo zabaLevi esikhundleni sezifuyo zabo. AbaLevi kumele babe ngabami. Mina nginguJehova. 46Ukuhlenga amazibulo abako-Israyeli angama 273 abangaphezu kwenani labaLevi, 47thatha amashekeli amahlanu ngamunye wabo, kusiya ngeshekeli lendawo engcwele, elilesisindo samagera angamatshumi amabili. 48Imali le yokuhlenga abako-Israyeli abangaphezu kwenani iqhubele u-Aroni lamadodana akhe.”

49Lakanye uMosi wayibutha imali yokuhlenga labo ababelinani eledlula kwabahlengwa ngabaLevi. 50Wamukela kuvela kumazibulo abako-Israyeli isiliva esingamashekeli ayi 1,365, ngesilinganiso seshekeli lendawo engcwele. 51UMosi waqhubela u-Aroni lamadodana akhe imali yokuhlenga, njengokulaywa kwakhe nguJehova.