Numbers 17

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

UThixo wathi kuMosi,

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and take rods from them, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods. Write each man’s name on his rod.

“Tshela abako-Israyeli ukuthi bakuphe intonga ezilitshumi lambili, kuphume ibenye kumkhokheli munye ngamunye wesizwana sabokhokho bakhe. Bhala ibizo lendoda ngayinye entongeni yayo.

3 You shall write Aaron’s name on Levi’s rod. There shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses.

Entongeni kaLevi uzabhala ibizo lika-Aroni, ngoba kumele kube lentonga eyodwa emele inhloko inye ngayinye yesizwana sabokhokho bayo.

4 You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before the covenant, where I meet with you.

Zifake ethenteni lokuhlangana phambi komtshokotsho wobufakazi, lapho engihlangana lawe khona.

5 It shall happen that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud. I will make the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you, cease from me.”

Intonga yendoda engizayikhetha izahluma, njalo mina ngizahle ngikuqede lokhu kukhonona okulokhu kuqhubeka kusolwa wena ngabako-Israyeli.”

6 Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, a total of twelve rods. Aaron’s rod was among their rods.

Ngakho uMosi wakhuluma kwabako-Israyeli, abakhokheli babo bamnika intonga ezilitshumi lambili, ngayinye ingeyomkhokheli wesizwana sabokhokho bakhe, kwathi leka-Aroni yayibalelwa kuzo.

7 Moses laid up the rods before Yahweh in the Tent of the Testimony.

UMosi wabeka intonga lezo phambi kukaThixo ethenteni lobufakazi.

8 On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.

Ngosuku olulandelayo uMosi wangena ethenteni lobufakazi wabona ukuthi intonga ka-Aroni eyayimele indlu kaLevi, yayisihlumile yaqhakaza, isilamaluba njalo isithele izithelo ze-alimondi.

9 Moses brought out all the rods from before Yahweh to all the children of Israel. They looked, and each man took his rod.

Ngakho uMosi wazisusa zonke intonga phambi kukaThixo waziletha phambi kwabo bonke abako-Israyeli. Bazikhangela, ngulowo wathatha eyakhe intonga.

10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Put back the rod of Aaron before the covenant, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that you may make an end of their complaining against me, that they not die.”

UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Buyisela intonga ka-Aroni phambi komtshokotsho wobufakazi, igcinwe khonapho ibe yisibonakaliso kulabo abahlamukayo. Lokhu kuzaqeda ukukhonona kwabo ngami, ukuze bangafi.”

11 Moses did so. As Yahweh commanded him, so he did.

UMosi wenza khona lokho kanye uThixo ayemlaye ngakho.

12 The children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, we perish! We are undone! We are all undone!

Abako-Israyeli bathi kuMosi, “Sizakufa! Sifile, sonke sesifile!

13 Everyone who keeps approaching Yahweh’s tabernacle, dies! Will we all perish?”

Loba ngubani ozasondela phansi kwethabanikeli likaThixo uzakufa. Sizakufa sonke na?”