Ọnụọgụgụ 17
1 Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị gwara Mosis okwu sị ya,
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 “Gwa ụmụ Izrel okwu, sitekwa nʼaka ha nata mkpanaka iri na abụọ otu mkpanaka nʼisi onyendu nke ebo ọbụla. Dekwasị aha onyendu ọbụla nʼahụ mkpanaka nke ya.
“Tell the Israeli people to bring to you twelve walking sticks. They should bring one from each of the leaders of the twelve tribes. You should carve each leader’s name on his stick.
3 Ma nʼelu mkpanaka Livayị dekwasị aha Erọn. A ga-enwe otu mkpanaka maka onyendu ebo ọbụla.
There must be one stick for the leader of each tribe, so you must carve Aaron’s name on the stick for the tribe of Levi.
4 Tinye mkpanaka ndị a niile nʼime ụlọ nzute, nʼihu Ihe Ama ahụ, ebe m na-ezute gị.
Put those sticks inside the Sacred Tent, in front of the sacred chest that has in it the tablets on which the Ten Commandments are written. That is the place where I always talk with you.
5 Mkpanaka nke onye ahụ m họpụtara ga-ama ifuru ndụ. M ga-ewezugakwa ntamu niile nke ndị Izrel site nʼebe m nọ, bụ nke ha na-atamu megide unu.”
Buds will sprout on the stick of the man whom I have chosen [to be the priest]. [When the people see that], they will stop their constantly complaining about you [because they will realize that you are the one whom I have chosen].”
6 Ya mere, Mosis gwara ndị Izrel okwu ndị a. Ndị ndu ha nyere ya mkpanaka iri na abụọ, otu mkpanaka nʼisi otu onyeisi maka onyeisi ebo ha nʼotu nʼotu. Mkpanaka Erọn dịkwa nʼetiti nke ha.
So Moses/I told the people what Yahweh had said. Then each of the twelve Israeli leaders, including Aaron, brought his walking stick to Moses/me.
7 Mosis chịịrị ha niile dozie ha nʼihu Onyenwe anyị nʼime ime ụlọ nzute Ihe Ama ahụ.
Moses/I placed the sticks inside the Sacred Tent in front of the sacred chest.
8 Nʼechi ya, Mosis banyere nʼụlọ nzute Ihe Ama ahụ chọpụta na ọ bụghị naanị na mkpanaka Erọn, onye nọchitere anya ebo Livayị, amaala ifuru, kama na ọ waala okoko ma mịakwa mkpụrụ osisi chara acha a na-akpọ alụmọnd.
The following morning, when he/I went into the tent, he/I saw that Aaron’s stick, which represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted, it had produced leaves and blossoms, and it had also produced almonds that were ripe!
9 Mgbe ahụ, Mosis sitere nʼihu Onyenwe anyị wepụta mkpanaka ndị ahụ niile gosi ha ndị Izrel niile. Ha hụrụ ha, ma nwoke ọbụla weghachiri mkpara osisi nke ya.
Moses/I brought all the sticks out of the Sacred Tent and showed them to the people. Each of the twelve leaders took back his own stick.
10 Onyenwe anyị gwara Mosis sị, “Tinye mkpanaka Erọn nʼihu Ihe Ama ahụ, ka ọ dịgide nʼebe ahụ dịka ihe ama nye ndị nnupu isi. Nke a ga-eme ka ntamu ndị a megide m kwụsị, ka ha ghara ịnwụ.”
Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Put Aaron’s stick in front of the sacred chest, and let it stay there permanently. That will be a warning to people who want to rebel [against me]. Then no more people will die [because of complaining against me].”
11 Ya mere, Mosis mezuru ihe niile dịka Onyenwe anyị nyere ya nʼiwu.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh had commanded.
12 Ma ndị Izrel zara Mosis sị ya, “Ndị nwụrụ anwụ ka anyị bụ! Ofufu ka anyị furu. Nʼezie anyị bụ ndị furu efu.
Then the Israeli people said to Moses/me, “We are going to die! All of us are surely going to die!
13 Onye ọbụla bịaruru nso ebe obibi Onyenwe anyị ga-anwụ. Anyị niile ga-anwụ?”
Everyone who comes close to Yahweh’s Sacred Tent dies. Are the rest of us going to die, also?” [RHQ]
