Numbers 25
1 While the Israelis were camped at a place called Acacia [Grove], some of the men caused themselves to become unacceptable to God by having sex with some of the women of the Moab [people-group who lived in that area].
Ngesikhathi u-Israyeli esehlala eShithima, amadoda aqala ukuhlobonga labafazi bamaMowabi,
2 Then those women invited the men to come when the sacrifices were being offered to their gods. The Israeli men [accepted]. They went to the feasts with the women and worshiped the gods of the Moab people-group.
bona abamema amadoda ako-Israyeli ukuba eze emihlatshelweni yabonkulunkulu babo. Abantu laba babesidla ukudla kwabonkulunkulu labo njalo bebakhothamele.
3 By doing that, those Israeli people joined the women in worshiping the god Baal [add] the Moab people-group thought lived on Peor Mountain. That caused Yahweh to become very angry with his people.
Ngakho u-Israyeli wahlanganyela ekukhonzeni uBhali wasePheyori. Yikho uThixo wabathukuthelela kakhulu.
4 Yahweh said this to Moses/me: “Seize all the leaders of those men who are doing this and execute them while I am watching. Do that in the daytime. After you do that, I will no longer be angry with the Israeli people.”
UThixo wathi kuMosi, “Thatha bonke abakhokheli balababantu, ubabulale njalo ubeke izidumbu zabo egcekeni emini libalele phambi kukaThixo, ukuze intukuthelo eyesabekayo kaThixo isuke ku-Israyeli.”
5 So Moses/I said to the other Israeli leaders, “Each of you must execute your men who have joined [others] in worshiping Baal.”
Ngakho uMosi wathi kubahluleli bako-Israyeli, “Kumele ukuthi munye ngamunye wenu abulale amadoda akini lawo asehlanganyela ekukhonzeni uBhali wasePheyori.”
6 [But later], while Moses/I and many [HYP] other people were crying at the entrance of the Sacred Tent, while they/we were watching, one of the Israeli men brought a woman from the Midian people-group into his tent [and started to have sex with her].
Kwathi indoda ethile yako-Israyeli yaletha umfazi woMidiyani emulini yayo khonapho phambi kukaMosi laphambi kwabako-Israyeli bonke ababebuthene bekhala esangweni lethente lokuhlangana.
7 When Phinehas, who was the grandson of Aaron, saw that, he grabbed a spear
Kwathi uFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni, umphristi, ekubona lokho, watshiya ababebuthene,
8 and rushed into the man’s tent. He thrust the spear completely through the man’s body and into the woman’s belly [and killed both of them]. When he did that, the (plague/serious illness) [that had started to strike the Israelis] stopped.
wathatha umkhonto wayilandela indoda leyo ethenteni. Wagadla ngomkhonto wabagwaza bobabili wayathutsha ngale komʼIsrayeli wangena wayathutshela esiswini sowesifazane. Ngakho sasesiphela isifo esasesihlasele abako-Israyeli;
9 But 24,000 people had already died [from that plague].
kodwa labo abasebefile ngenxa yesifo babezinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lane.
10 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
UThixo wathi kuMosi,
11 “Phinehas has caused me to stop being angry with the Israeli people, by being as eager as I am [to stop this sinful behavior]. I was ready to get rid of all the Israeli people because I was extremely angry, but Phinehas has prevented me from doing that.
“UFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni umphristi, uqedile ukuthukuthelela kwami abantu bako-Israyeli, ngoba wayetshisekela udumo lwami phakathi kwabo njengami, ukuze ngesihawu sami ngingabaqedi.
12 Now tell him that I am making a special peace agreement with him.
Ngalokho umtshele ukuthi sengisenza isivumelwano sokuthula laye.
13 In this agreement, I am promising to give to him and to his descendants the right/authority to be priests. I am doing this because [he showed that] he was very eager to honor me, his God, by stopping this sinful behavior. He has caused the Israeli people to become acceptable to me again by causing them to be forgiven for their sin.”
Yena kanye lezizukulwane zakhe bazakuba lesivumelwano sobuphristi esimi kokuphela, ngoba utshisekelele udumo lukaNkulunkulu wakhe njalo wenzele abako-Israyeli indlela yokubuyisana.”
14 The Israeli man who was killed with the woman of the Moab people-group was named Zimri. He was the son of Salu, who was the leader of a family from the tribe of Simeon.
Ibizo lendoda yako-Israyeli eyabulawa kanye lowesifazane weMidiyani kwakunguZimri indodana kaSalu, umkhokheli wabemuli yamaSimiyoni.
15 The woman’s name was Cozbi. She was the daughter of Zur, who was the leader of one of the clans of the Midian people-group.
Njalo ibizo lowesifazane woMidiyani owabulawayo lalinguKhozibhi indodakazi kaZuri, induna yesizwana semuli yamaMidiyani.
16 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me,
UThixo wathi kuMosi,
17 “[Take your men and] attack the Midian people-group and kill them.
“Kumele liphathe amaMidiyani njengezitha njalo liwabulale,
18 They have become your enemies, because they tricked you Israeli people and induced/persuaded many of you to worship Baal, and because [one of your men had sex with] Cozbi, who was the daughter of a leader of the Midian people-group. She was killed at the time the plague [started because the people sinned] at Peor [Mountain].”
ngoba aliphathe njengezitha alikhohlisa ngendaba kaPheyori kanye lodadewabo uKhozibhi indodakazi yomkhokheli wamaMidiyani, owesifazane owabulawa ngesikhathi sokuhlasela kwesifo esabakhona ngenxa kaPheyori.”
