U-Eksodusi 24
1 Ngakho uThixo wasesithi kuMosi, “Woza kuThixo, wena lo-Aroni, uNadabi lo-Abhihu, kanye labadala bako-Israyeli abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa. Lizakhonza libucwala,
The Lord told Moses, “Come up to the Lord—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders. You are to worship at a distance.
2 kodwa uMosi yedwa zwi uzasondela kuThixo; abanye kabafanelanga ukusondela eduze. Kanti-ke abantu kabafanelanga ukuza laye.”
Only Moses may approach the Lord—the others must not come near. The people may not go up the mountain with him.”
3 Kwathi uMosi esebuyele ebantwini wabatshela wonke amazwi kanye lemilayo kaThixo, abantu bakwamukela, bavungama ngalizwi linye bathi, “Konke okutshiwo nguThixo sizakwenza.”
Moses went and told the people all the Lord's instructions and regulations. They all responded together: “We will do everything the Lord says!”
4 UMosi waseloba konke uThixo ayekutshilo. Ngosuku olulandelayo uMosi wavuka kusesele wakha i-alithari ewatheni lwentaba wamisa khona izinsika zamatshe alitshumi lambili emele izizwe ezilitshumi lambili zako-Israyeli.
Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the following morning and built an altar at the bottom of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 Wasethuma amajaha ako-Israyeli ahamba ayanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa njalo benza imihlatshelo ngenkunzi ezincane njengomnikelo wobudlelwano kuThixo.
Then he sent out some young Israelite men who went and offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord.
6 UMosi wasethatha ingxenye yegazi walithela emiganwini eyayizingubhe, elinye wachela ngalo phezu kwe-alithari.
Moses put half of the blood into bowls, and sprinkled the other half on the altar.
7 Ngakho wathatha iNcwadi yeSivumelwano wayifundela abantu. Bona bavuma besithi, “Sizakwenza konke okutshiwo nguThixo; sizamlalela.”
Then he picked up the Book of the Agreement and read it to the people. They replied, “We will do everything the Lord says. We will obey.”
8 Ngemva kwalokho uMosi wathatha igazi wachela ngalo abantu esithi kubo, “Leli ligazi lesivumelwano sikaThixo asenze lani ngokuqondene lawo wonke lamazwi.”
So Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Look, this is the blood of the agreement that the Lord has made with you following these terms.”
9 UMosi lo-Aroni, uNadabi lo-Abhihu kanye labadala bako-Israyeli abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa bakhwela
Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's elders climbed up the mountain,
10 bayabona uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Ngaphansi kwezinyawo zakhe kwakungani ngumgwaqo owenziwe ngesafaya, kukhanya njengokukhanya komkhathi uqobo.
and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a tiled pavement made of lapis lazuli, as clear blue as the sky itself.
11 Kodwa uNkulunkulu kazange abanine ngesandla sakhe laba bakhokheli bako-Israyeli; sebembonile uNkulunkulu badla banatha.
But God did not harm the leaders of Israel—they saw him, and they ate and drank a sacred meal.
12 UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Khwela uze kimi entabeni njalo uhlale lapha, ngizakunika izibhebhedu zamatshe, engilobe kuzo imithetho lemilayo eyiziqondiso zabo.”
Then the Lord told Moses, “Come up the mountain to me, and stay here, so I can give you the stone tablets, with the instructions and commands I have written for them to learn.”
13 Ngakho uMosi wasuka loJoshuwa umsizi wakhe, uMosi wasekhwela entabeni kaNkulunkulu.
So Moses left with Joshua his attendant and climbed up the mountain of God.
14 Wathi ebadaleni, “Silindelani khonapha size siphenduke. U-Aroni loHuri bazasala lani, kuzakuthi abaxabanayo babonane labo.”
He told the elders, “Stay here and wait for us to return. Aaron and Hur are with you. If anyone has a problem, they can talk with them.”
15 Kwathi uMosi esekhwele intaba, yasibekelwa liyezi,
As Moses climbed up on the mountain, the cloud covered it
16 inkazimulo kaThixo yagcwala entabeni yaseSinayi. Iyezi lembesa intaba okwensuku eziyisithupha kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa uThixo wabiza uMosi eseyezini.
The Lord's glory came down on Mount Sinai, covering it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud.
17 Ebantwini bako-Israyeli inkazimulo kaThixo yabonakala injengomlilo otshisa uqothule phezu kwentaba.
To the Israelites the Lord's glory looked like a burning fire on the top of the mountain.
18 Ngakho uMosi wangena eyezini ekhwela intaba. Wahlala khonale entabeni okwensuku ezingamatshumi amane lobusuku obungamatshumi amane.
Moses went into the cloud as he climbed up on the mountain, and he stayed on the mountain for forty days and nights.
