Amanani 17

1 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:

And the LORD said to Moses,

2 Tshono kubantwana bakoIsrayeli, njalo uthathe induku kulowo lalowo wabo, ngokwendlu kayise, kuzo zonke iziphathamandla zabo, ngokwezindlu zaboyise, induku ezilitshumi lambili. Bhala ibizo laleyo laleyondoda endukwini yayo,

“Speak to the Israelites and take from them twelve staffs, one from the leader of each tribe. Write each man’s name on his staff,

3 ubhale ibizo likaAroni endukwini kaLevi. Ngoba induku eyodwa izakuba ngeyenhloko yendlu yaboyise.

and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.

4 Njalo uzazibeka ethenteni lenhlangano phambi kobufakazi, lapho engizahlangana lawe khona.

Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.

5 Kuzakuthi-ke induku yendoda engizayikhetha izahluma; njalo ngizathulisa kusuke kimi ukusola kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, abalisola ngakho.

The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you.”

6 UMozisi wasekhuluma ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli; zonke-ke iziphathamandla zabo zamnika izinduku, yabanye kuleso lalesosiphathamandla, njengezindlu zaboyise, induku ezilitshumi lambili; lenduku kaAroni yayiphakathi kwenduku zazo.

So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff—one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. And Aaron’s staff was among them.

7 UMozisi wasezibeka induku phambi kweNkosi ethenteni lobufakazi.

Then Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.

8 Kwasekusithi kusisa uMozisi wangena ethenteni lobufakazi, khangela-ke, induku kaAroni eyendlu kaLevi yayihlumile, yakhupha amahlumela, yakhahlela impoko, yathela ama-alimondi.

The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

9 UMozisi wasezikhuphela phandle zonke induku zivela phambi kweNkosi, kubo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli; basebekhangela, bathatha ngulowo lalowo induku yakhe.

Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD’s presence to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man took his own staff.

10 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi: Buyisela induku kaAroni phambi kobufakazi, igcinwe, ibe yisibonakaliso kwabahlamukayo, ukuze ususe ukusola kwabo kimi, ukuze bangafi.

The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”

11 UMozisi wasesenza; njengalokho iNkosi yamlaya, wenza njalo.

So Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

12 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebekhuluma kuMozisi besithi: Khangela, siyafa, siyabhubha, sonke siyabhubha!

Then the Israelites declared to Moses, “Look, we are perishing! We are lost; we are all lost!

13 Wonke osondela lokusondela ethabhanekeleni leNkosi uzakufa. Sizaphela ngokufa yini?

Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?”