< U-Eksodusi 14 >
1 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose,
2 Tshela abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuthi baphenduke, bamise inkamba phambi kwePi-Hahirothi, phakathi kweMigidoli lolwandle, phambi kweBhali-Zefoni, maqondana layo limise inkamba elwandle.
“Waambie Waisraeli wageuke nyuma na wapige kambi karibu na Pi-Hahirothi, kati ya Migdoli na bahari. Watapiga kambi kando ya bahari, mkabala na Baal-Sefoni.
3 Njalo uFaro uzakuthi ngabantwana bakoIsrayeli: Badidekile elizweni, inkangala ibavalele.
Farao atafikiri kwamba, ‘Hao Waisraeli wanatangatanga katika nchi kwa kuchanganyikiwa, nalo jangwa limewafungia.’
4 Njalo ngizayenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro, ukuthi axotshane labo, ngibe sengidunyiswa kuFaro lebuthweni lakhe lonke, ukuze amaGibhithe azi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi. Basebesenza njalo.
Nami nitaufanya moyo wa Farao mgumu, naye atawafuatilia. Lakini nitajipatia utukufu kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe kupitia Farao na jeshi lake lote, nao Wamisri watajua kuwa mimi ndimi Bwana.” Kwa hiyo Waisraeli wakafanya hivyo.
5 Kwathi sekubikiwe enkosini yeGibhithe ukuthi abantu babalekile, inhliziyo kaFaro lenhliziyo yenceku zakhe yaguquka mayelana labantu, basebesithi: Kuyini lokho esikwenzileyo, ukuthi siyekele uIsrayeli ahambe angasisebenzeli?
Mfalme wa Misri alipoambiwa kuwa Waisraeli wamekimbia, Farao na maafisa wake wakabadili nia zao kuhusu Waisraeli, wakasema, “Tumefanya nini? Tumewaachia Waisraeli waende zao na tumeukosa utumishi wao!”
6 Wasebophela inqola yakhe, wathatha abantu bakhe laye.
Kwa hiyo akaandaliwa gari lake la vita, naye akaenda pamoja na jeshi lake.
7 Wasethatha inqola ezingamakhulu ayisithupha ezikhethiweyo lazo zonke inqola zeGibhithe lenduna eziphezu kwazo zonke.
Akachukua magari bora mia sita, pamoja na magari mengine yote ya Misri, pamoja na maafisa wa magari hayo yote.
8 INkosi yasiyenza lukhuni inhliziyo kaFaro inkosi yeGibhithe, wasexotshana labantwana bakoIsrayeli, kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphuma ngesandla esiphakemeyo.
Bwana akaufanya mgumu moyo wa Farao, mfalme wa Misri, kwa hiyo akawafuatia Waisraeli, waliokuwa wakiondoka Misri kwa ujasiri.
9 Kodwa amaGibhithe asexotshana labo, amabhiza wonke, izinqola zikaFaro, labagadi bakhe bamabhiza, lebutho lakhe, abafica bemise inkamba elwandle, eceleni kwePi-Hahirothi phambi kweBhali-Zefoni.
Nao Wamisri, yaani farasi wote wa Farao na magari ya vita, wapanda farasi na vikosi vya askari, wakawafuatia Waisraeli, wakawakuta karibu na Pi-Hahirothi, mkabala na Baal-Sefoni walipokuwa wamepiga kambi kando ya bahari.
10 Kwathi uFaro esesondele, abantwana bakoIsrayeli baphakamisa amehlo abo, khangela-ke, amaGibhithe ehamba ebalandela, basebesesaba kakhulu. Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebekhala eNkosini;
Farao alipokaribia, Waisraeli wakainua macho yao, wakawaona Wamisri wakija nyuma yao. Wakashikwa na hofu, wakamlilia Bwana.
11 bathi kuMozisi: Kungoba kwakungekho mangcwaba yini eGibhithe ukuthi usithethe ukuze sifele enkangala? Kuyini lokhu okwenze kithi, ukusikhupha eGibhithe?
Wakamwambia Mose, “Je, ni kwamba hayakuwako makaburi huko Misri hata umetuleta tufe huku jangwani? Umetufanyia nini kututoa Misri?
12 Kayisilo leli ilizwi esalikhuluma kuwe eGibhithe sisithi: Siyekele ukuthi sisebenzele amaGibhithe? Ngoba bekuzakuba ngcono kithi ukuthi sisebenzele amaGibhithe kulokuthi sifele enkangala.
Hatukukuambia tulipokuwa huko Misri, tuache tuwatumikie Wamisri? Ingekuwa vyema zaidi kwetu kuwatumikia Wamisri kuliko kufa jangwani!”
13 UMozisi wasesithi ebantwini: Lingesabi; manini liqine, libone usindiso lweNkosi ezalenzela lona lamuhla; ngoba amaGibhithe eliwabonayo lamuhla, kalisayikuwabona futhi kuze kube laphakade.
Mose akawajibu Waisraeli, “Msiogope. Simameni imara, nanyi mtauona wokovu Bwana atakaowapatia leo. Hao Wamisri mnaowaona leo kamwe hamtawaona tena.
14 INkosi izalilwela, lina-ke lizathula.
Bwana atawapigania ninyi, nanyi mnatakiwa kutulia tu.”
15 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Ukhalelani kimi? Tshela abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuthi baqhubekele phambili.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Kwa nini wewe unanililia? Waambie Waisraeli waendelee mbele.
16 Wena-ke, phakamisa intonga yakho, welulele isandla sakho phezu kolwandle uludabule, ukuze abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahambe phakathi kolwandle emhlabathini owomileyo.
Inua fimbo yako na unyooshe mkono wako juu ya bahari ili kuyagawa maji, hivyo kwamba Waisraeli wapate kupita mahali pakavu baharini.
17 Mina-ke, khangela, ngizayenza lukhuni inhliziyo yamaGibhithe ukuze angene ngemva kwabo. Njalo ngizadunyiswa ngoFaro langebutho lakhe lonke, ngezinqola zakhe, langabagadi bamabhiza bakhe.
Nitaifanya mioyo ya Wamisri kuwa migumu kusudi waingie baharini wakiwafuatia. Nami nitajipatia utukufu kupitia Farao pamoja na jeshi lake lote, kupitia magari yake ya vita na wapanda farasi wake.
18 Njalo amaGibhithe azakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi sengidunyiswe ngoFaro, ngezinqola zakhe langabagadi bamabhiza bakhe.
Nao Wamisri watajua kwamba Mimi ndimi Bwana nitakapojipatia utukufu kupitia Farao, magari yake ya vita na wapanda farasi wake.”
19 Njalo ingilosi kaNkulunkulu eyayihamba phambi kwebutho lakoIsrayeli yasuka yayahamba ngemva kwabo; lensika yeyezi yasuka phambi kwabo, yema ngemva kwabo,
Ndipo malaika wa Mungu, aliyekuwa akisafiri mbele ya jeshi la Israeli, akaondoka akakaa nyuma yao. Pia ile nguzo ya wingu ikaondoka hapo mbele yao na kusimama nyuma,
20 yasisiza phakathi kwebutho lamaGibhithe lebutho lakoIsrayeli. Njalo yayiliyezi lobumnyama, kodwa yakhanyisa ubusuku, okokuthi elinye kalisondelanga kwelinye ubusuku bonke.
ikakaa kati ya majeshi ya Misri na Israeli. Usiku kucha wingu likaleta giza upande mmoja na nuru kwa upande mwingine, kwa hiyo hakuna aliyemkaribia mwenzake usiku kucha.
21 UMozisi waseselulela isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle; iNkosi yalwenza ulwandle lwahamba ngomoya olamandla wempumalanga ubusuku bonke, yenza ulwandle lwaba ngumhlabathi owomileyo; amanzi asesehlukaniswa.
Ndipo Mose akanyoosha mkono wake juu ya bahari, naye Bwana akayasukuma maji ya bahari nyuma kwa upepo mkali wa mashariki usiku ule wote na kupafanya nchi kavu. Maji yakagawanyika,
22 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebengena olwandle emhlabathini owomileyo; njalo amanzi aba ngumduli kubo ngakwesokunene sabo langakwesokhohlo sabo.
nao Waisraeli wakapita baharini mahali pakavu, maji yakiwa ukuta upande wao wa kuume na upande wao wa kushoto.
23 AmaGibhithe asexotshana labo, angena ngemva kwabo, wonke amabhiza kaFaro, inqola zakhe labagadi bamabhiza bakhe, phakathi kolwandle.
Wamisri wakawafuatia ndani ya bahari, pamoja na farasi wote wa Farao, magari ya vita na wapanda farasi.
24 Kwasekusithi ngomlindo wokusa, iNkosi yakhangela phansi ebuthweni lamaGibhithe isensikeni yomlilo leyeyezi, yalidunga ibutho lamaGibhithe;
Karibia mapambazuko, Bwana akaliangalia jeshi la Wamisri kutoka ile nguzo ya moto na ya wingu, akalifadhaisha.
25 yakhupha amavili ezinqola zawo ukuze zihambe nzima, aze athi amaGibhithe: Asibalekele ubuso bukaIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi iyabalwela imelene lamaGibhithe.
Mungu akayaondoa magurudumu ya magari yao, kwa hivyo wakayaendesha kwa shida. Nao Wamisri wakasema, “Tuachane na Waisraeli! Bwana anawapigania dhidi ya Misri.”
26 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Yelulela isandla sakho phezu kolwandle ukuze amanzi abuyele phezu kwamaGibhithe, phezu kwenqola zawo laphezu kwabagadi bawo bamabhiza.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nyoosha mkono wako juu ya bahari ili maji yarudiane yawafunike Wamisri, magari yao ya vita na wapanda farasi wao.”
27 UMozisi waseselulela isandla sakhe phezu kolwandle; ulwandle lwaselubuyela endaweni yalo eyejwayelekileyo emadabukakusa; amaGibhithe asebalekela kulo; iNkosi yasiwathintithela amaGibhithe phakathi kolwandle.
Mose akanyoosha mkono wake juu ya bahari, wakati wa mapambazuko bahari ikarudiana na kuwa kama kawaida. Wamisri wakajaribu kuyakimbia maji, lakini Bwana akawasukumia ndani ya bahari.
28 Amanzi asebuyela, asibekela izinqola labagadi bamabhiza, lebutho lonke likaFaro elalingene olwandle ngemva kwabo; kakusalanga loyedwa kubo.
Maji yakarudiana na kuyafunika magari ya vita na wapanda farasi pamoja na jeshi lote la Farao lililokuwa limewafuata Waisraeli ndani ya bahari. Hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyenusurika.
29 Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahamba phezu komhlabathi owomileyo phakathi kolwandle; njalo amanzi aba ngumduli kubo ngakwesokunene sabo langakwesokhohlo sabo.
Lakini Waisraeli wakapita baharini mahali pakavu, ukiwepo ukuta wa maji upande wao wa kuume na upande wao wa kushoto.
30 Ngokunjalo iNkosi yamsindisa uIsrayeli ngalolosuku esandleni samaGibhithe; njalo uIsrayeli wabona amaGibhithe efile ekhunjini lolwandle.
Siku ile Bwana akawaokoa Waisraeli kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri, nao Waisraeli wakawaona Wamisri wamelala ufuoni mwa bahari wakiwa wamekufa.
31 UIsrayeli wasebona amandla amakhulu iNkosi eyawenzayo kumaGibhithe. Abantu basebeyesaba iNkosi, bakholwa eNkosini, lakuMozisi inceku yayo.
Basi Waisraeli walipoona uwezo mkubwa Bwana aliodhihirisha dhidi ya Wamisri, watu wakamwogopa Bwana na wakaweka tumaini lao kwake na kwa Mose mtumishi wake.