Amanani 20
1 Khona abantwana bakoIsrayeli, inhlangano yonke, bafika enkangala yeZini ngenyanga yokuqala; labantu bahlala eKadeshi. UMiriyamu wasefela lapho, wangcwatshwa khona.
In March/April [of the next year], the Israeli people traveled/walked to the Zin Desert and (camped/set up their tents) near Kadesh [town]. While they/we were there, [Moses’/my older sister] Miriam died and was buried there.
2 Njalo kwakungelamanzi enhlangano; ngakho bahlangana bamelana loMozisi bamelana loAroni.
There was no water for the people to drink there, so they came to Aaron and Moses/me.
3 Abantu baphikisana loMozisi bakhuluma besithi: Kungathi ngabe safa ekufeni kwabafowethu phambi kweNkosi!
They complained and said, “We wish that we had died in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Tent when our fellow Israelis died!
4 Liletheleni ibandla leNkosi enkangala le ukuze sifele lapha, thina lezifuyo zethu?
(Did you bring us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock?/You brought us, who are Yahweh’s people, into this desert to die along with our livestock!) [RHQ]
5 Lasenyuselani sisuka eGibhithe ukusiletha kulindawo embi? Kakusiyo indawo yenhlanyelo lemikhiwa lamavini lamapomegranati, futhi kakulamanzi okunatha.
Why did you bring us from Egypt to this miserable place [RHQ]? There is no grain, there are no figs, no grapes, and no pomegranates here. And there is no water for us to drink!”
6 UMozisi loAroni basebesuka phambi kwebandla, baya emnyango wethente lenhlangano, bathi mbo ngobuso babo phansi. Inkazimulo yeNkosi yasibonakala kubo.
Aaron and Moses/I turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Sacred Tent and prostrated themselves/ourselves on the ground. Then Yahweh appeared to them/us with his bright glory,
7 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:
and he said to Moses/me,
8 Thatha intonga, ubuthanise inhlangano, wena loAroni umnewenu, likhulume kulo idwala phambi kwamehlo abo, njalo lizanika amanzi alo; ngalokhu uzabakhuphela amanzi edwaleni, ukuze ulinathise ibandla lezifuyo zabo.
“You and Aaron must take Aaron’s walking stick with you and gather all the people together. While the people are watching, command that water will flow out of that [large] rock over there. Water for the people will flow from it; all they and all their livestock will have enough water to drink.”
9 UMozisi wasethatha intonga esuka phambi kweNkosi njengokumlaya kwayo.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh told him/me to do. He/I took Aaron’s walking stick from the place in the Sacred Tent where it was kept.
10 UMozisi loAroni basebebuthanisa ibandla phambi kwedwala; wasesithi kubo: Zwanini-ke, lina bahlamuki; sizalikhuphela yini amanzi edwaleni leli?
Then Aaron and he/I summoned all the people to gather at the rock. Then Moses/I shouted to them, “All you rebellious people, listen! Is it necessary for us to give you water from this rock?”
11 UMozisi wasephakamisa isandla sakhe, watshaya idwala kabili ngentonga yakhe; kwasekumpompoza amanzi amanengi, inhlangano yasinatha, lezifuyo zayo.
Then Moses/I raised his/my hand and [instead of speaking to the rock], he/I struck the rock two times with the walking stick. And water gushed/poured out. So all the people and their livestock drank all the water that they wanted.
12 INkosi yasisithi kuMozisi lakuAroni: Ngoba lingangikholwanga, ukungingcwelisa emehlweni abantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngakho kaliyikungenisa ibandla leli elizweni engibanike lona.
But Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me, “You did not believe that I could demonstrate my power to the Israeli people [and give them water without your striking the rock]. So you will not lead them into the land that I am giving to them!”
13 La ngamanzi eMeriba, lapho abantwana bakoIsrayeli abaphikisana khona leNkosi, yasingcweliswa kubo.
Later this place was called Meribah, [which means ‘arguing’], because there the Israeli people argued with Yahweh, and there he showed his power to them [by giving them water].
14 UMozisi wasethuma izithunywa enkosini yeEdoma zisuka eKadeshi wathi: Utsho njalo umfowenu uIsrayeli: Wena uyazazi zonke inkathazo ezisehleleyo,
[While the people were] at Kadesh [town], Moses/I sent messengers to the king of Edom to tell him this: “Your relatives, the Israeli people, are sending you this message. You know the many troubles/hardships that have happened to us.
15 lokuthi obaba behlela eGibhithe, sasesihlala eGibhithe insuku ezinengi; lamaGibhithe asiphatha kubi labobaba.
You know that our ancestors went down to Egypt. You know that they stayed there for many years. They suffered because the [rulers of] Egypt caused them to become their slaves [and to work very hard].
16 Sasesikhala eNkosini, yasisizwa ilizwi lethu, yathuma ingilosi, yasikhupha eGibhithe; khangela-ke siseKadeshi, umuzi osekucineni komngcele wakho.
“But when they called out to Yahweh, he heard them and sent an angel who brought them out of Egypt. Now we have set up our tents here at Kadesh, a town at the border of your land.
17 Ake usiyekele sidabule elizweni lakho. Kasiyikudabula ensimini loba esivinini, futhi kasiyikunatha amanzi omthombo. Sizahamba ngomgwaqo wenkosi, kasiyikuphambukela ngakwesokunene langakwesokhohlo, size sedlule umngcele wakho.
Please allow us to travel through your country. We will [be careful to] not walk through your fields and your vineyards. We will not even drink water from your wells. As we travel, we will stay on the king’s highway, [the main road that goes from the south to the north], and we will not leave that road until we have crossed the border [of your country in the north].”
18 Kodwa uEdoma wathi kuye: Kawuyikudabula kimi, hlezi ngiphume ngenkemba ngimelane lawe.
But the king of Edom refused. He replied, “Stay out of my country! If you try [to enter it], I will [send my army to] attack you!”
19 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesithi kuye: Sizahamba ngomgwaqo omkhulu. Uba-ke mina lezifuyo zami sinatha okwamanzi akho, sizawabhadalela; kuphela ngizadabula ngenyawo zami nje.
The Israeli messengers replied, “[If we travel through your country], we will stay on the main road. If we and any of our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We want only to travel through your country. We do not want anything else.”
20 Kodwa wathi: Kawuyikudabula. UEdoma wasephuma wamelana laye elabantu abanengi, langesandla esilamandla.
But the king replied, “No! Stay out of our country! We will not [allow you] to travel through our land!” Then he sent the strongest soldiers in his army to prevent the Israelis [from entering his country].
21 Ngalokhu uEdoma wala ukuvumela uIsrayeli ukudabula emngceleni wakhe. Ngakho uIsrayeli waphambuka wasuka kuye.
So, because [the king of] Edom refused to allow the Israelis to travel through his country, the Israelis turned [and traveled a different way].
22 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli, inhlangano yonke, basebesuka eKadeshi, bafika entabeni yeHori.
The Israeli people left Kadesh. They went to Hor Mountain,
23 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi lakuAroni entabeni yeHori, emngceleni welizwe leEdoma, isithi:
[which is at the border of Edom]. While they were there, Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,
24 UAroni uzabuthelwa ebantwini bakibo, ngoba kayikungena elizweni engilinike abantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba lahlamukela ilizwi lami emanzini eMeriba.
“It is time for Aaron to die [EUP]. He will not enter the land that I am giving to you Israelis, because the two of you disobeyed me [when I told you to speak to the rock to cause] the water [to flow] at Meribah.
25 Thatha uAroni loEleyazare indodana yakhe, ubenyusele entabeni yeHori,
Now you, Moses, take Aaron and his son Eleazar up on Hor Mountain.
26 umhlubule uAroni izembatho zakhe, uzifake kuEleyazare indodana yakhe; ngoba uAroni uzabuthelwa kwabakibo, afele lapho.
There you must remove Aaron’s robes [that he wears when he does the work of a priest], and put them on his son, Eleazar. Aaron will die up there.”
27 UMozisi wenza njengokulaya kweNkosi. Basebesenyukela entabeni yeHori phambi kwamehlo enhlangano yonke.
So Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded. The three of them/us climbed up Hor Mountain, while all the Israeli people watched.
28 UMozisi wasemhlubula uAroni izembatho zakhe, wazifaka kuEleyazare indodana yakhe. UAroni wasefela lapho engqongeni yentaba. UMozisi loEleyazare basebesehla entabeni.
At the top of the mountain, Moses/I took off the robes that Aaron wore [while he did the work of a priest] and put them on Eleazar. Then Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and Eleazar and Moses/I went back down.
29 Lapho inhlangano yonke ibona ukuthi uAroni usephelile, balilela uAroni insuku ezingamatshumi amathathu, indlu yonke kaIsrayeli.
When the Israeli people realized that Aaron had died, they all mourned for him for 30 days.
