Amanani 8
1 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:
Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 Tshono kuAroni uthi kuye: Nxa ulumathisa izibane, izibane eziyisikhombisa zizakhanyisa ngaphambili phambi koluthi lwesibane.
“Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
3 UAroni wasesenza njalo; ngaphambili phambi koluthi lwesibane walumathisa izibane zalo, njengokulaya kweNkosi kuMozisi.
So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
4 Lalo umsebenzi woluthi lwesibane wawungowegolide elikhandiweyo, kuze kube sesidindini salo kuze kuye emalubeni alo lwalukhandiwe; njengesifanekiso iNkosi eyamtshengisa sona uMozisi, walwenza njalo uluthi lwesibane.
The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
5 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
6 Khupha amaLevi phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, uwahlambulule;
“You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
7 wenze ngokunjalo kuwo ukuwahlambulula; ufafaze phezu kwawo amanzi okuhlambulula, njalo adlulise impuco emzimbeni wawo wonke, awatshe izigqoko zawo, azihlambulule.
Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
8 Athathe ijongosi ithole lenkomo, lomnikelo walo wokudla, impuphu ecolekileyo ixubene lamafutha, uthathe lelinye ijongosi ithole lenkomo, libe ngumnikelo wesono.
Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
9 Njalo uzasondeza amaLevi phambi kwethente lenhlangano, ubuthanise inhlangano yonke yabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
10 Usondeze amaLevi phambi kweNkosi, njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli bazabeka izandla zabo phezu kwamaLevi,
Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
11 loAroni azunguze amaLevi, abe ngumnikelo wokuzunguzwa phambi kweNkosi, evela ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli, ukuze abe ngasebenza umsebenzi weNkosi.
Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
12 AmaLevi azabeka-ke izandla zawo enhlokweni yamajongosi; unikele elinye libe ngumnikelo wesono, lelinye libe ngumnikelo wokutshiswa eNkosini, ukuwenzela amaLevi inhlawulo yokuthula.
“After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
13 Njalo uzawamisa amaLevi phambi kukaAroni laphambi kwamadodana akhe, uwazunguze abe ngumnikelo wokuzunguzwa eNkosini.
The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
14 Ngakho uzakwehlukanisa amaLevi uwakhuphe phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuthi amaLevi abe ngawami.
This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
15 Lemva kwalokho amaLevi azangena ukukhonza ethenteni lenhlangano. Njalo uzawahlambulula, uwazunguze abe ngumnikelo wokuzunguzwa.
“After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
16 Ngoba wona aphiwe lokuphiwa mina ephuma phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli. Esikhundleni salokho okuvula sonke isizalo, izibulo laye wonke wabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngizithathele wona.
They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
17 Ngoba lonke izibulo phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli ngelami, phakathi kwabantu laphakathi kwezifuyo. Ngosuku engatshaya ngalo lonke izibulo elizweni leGibhithe ngazingcwelisela wona;
All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
18 sengithethe amaLevi esikhundleni sawo wonke amazibulo phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
19 Ngiwanikile amaLevi njengabaphiweyo kuAroni lakumadodana akhe, ephuma phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukukhonza inkonzo yabantwana bakoIsrayeli ethenteni lenhlangano, lokwenzela abantwana bakoIsrayeli inhlawulo yokuthula, ukuze kungabi lenhlupheko phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, nxa abantwana bakoIsrayeli besondela endlini engcwele.
I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
20 UMozisi loAroni lenhlangano yonke yabantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenza kumaLevi njengakho konke iNkosi eyakulaya uMozisi mayelana lamaLevi; benza njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli kuwo.
Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
21 LamaLevi azihlambulula, ahlamba izembatho zawo; uAroni wasewazunguza aba ngumnikelo wokuzunguzwa phambi kweNkosi; loAroni wawenzela inhlawulo yokuthula ukuwahlambulula.
The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
22 Lemva kwalokho amaLevi angena ukwenza inkonzo yawo ethenteni lenhlangano phambi kukaAroni laphambi kwamadodana akhe. Njengalokhu iNkosi yamlaya uMozisi ngamaLevi, benza njalo kuwo.
After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
23 INkosi yasikhuluma kuMozisi isithi:
Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
24 Yilokhu okuqondene lamaLevi: Kusukela koleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu langaphezulu azangena ukukhonza inkonzo, enkonzweni yethente lenhlangano.
“The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
25 Njalo kusukela koleminyaka engamatshumi amahlanu azaphuma enkonzweni yenkonzo, angabe esasebenza;
But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
26 kodwa azasiza abazalwane bawo ethenteni lenhlangano ukugcina umlindo, kodwa angasebenzi umsebenzi. Uzakwenza njalo kumaLevi kumfanelo zawo.
They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”
