KWADLULA iminyaka—iminyaka eyi-10, engu-20, engu-30, engu-39! Ama-Israyeli asalokhu esehlane. Kuyo yonke le minyaka uJehova uyabanakekela abantu bakhe. Ubasuthisa ngemana. Emini ubahola ngefu, ebusuku abahole ngomlilo. Kuyo yonke le minyaka izingubo zabo azigugi nezinyawo zabo azibi buhlungu.

Manje sekuyinyanga yokuqala yonyaka wama-40 kusukela baphuma eGibhithe. Ama-Israyeli akanise futhi eKadeshi. Ayelapha ngesikhathi izinhloli eziyi-12 zithunyelwa ukuhlola izwe laseKhanani cishe eminyakeni engama-40 edlule. Udadewabo kaMose uMiriyamu ufela eKadeshi. Njengakuqala, kunenkinga lapha.

Abantu abawatholi amanzi. Ngakho bayakhononda kuMose: ‘Ngabe kungcono ukuba safa. Wasikhiphelani eGibhithe wasiletha kule ndawo embi okungamili lutho kuyo? Akukho ukudla, ayikho imikhiwane, akukho mivini, awekho amapomegranati. Akukho ngisho namanzi okuphuza.’

Lapho uMose no-Aroni beya etabernakele beyothandaza, uJehova utshela uMose: ‘Butha abantu ndawonye. Bese kuthi phambi kwabo bonke ukhulume naleliya dwala. Kuyophuma kulo amanzi anele, abantu nemfuyo yabo.’

Ngakho uMose ubutha abantu, athi: ‘Lalelani, nina eningakholwa kuNkulunkulu! Ingabe mina no-Aroni kufanele sinivezele amanzi kuleli dwala?’ UMose abe eseshaya idwala kabili ngenduku, kuphume umfula omkhulu wamanzi edwaleni. Kuba namanzi anele abo bonke abantu nezilwane ukuba baphuze.

Kodwa uJehova ubathukuthelele oMose no-Aroni. Uyazi ukuthi kungani? Ngenxa yokuthi bathe yibona ababezokhipha amanzi edwaleni. Kodwa eqinisweni uJehova owakwenza. Ngenxa yokuthi oMose no-Aroni abalikhulumanga iqiniso ngalokhu, uJehova uthi uzobajezisa. Uthi, ‘Ngeke nibaholele abantu eKhanani.’

Ngokushesha ama-Israyeli ayasuka eKadeshi. Ngemva kwesikhathi afika eNtabeni iHori. Lapha, phezulu enta-beni, u-Aroni uyafa. Uneminyaka eyi-123 ekufeni kwakhe. Ama-Israyeli adabuke kakhulu, amkhalela izi-nsuku ezingu-30 u-Aroni. Indodana yakhe u-Eleya-zare iba umpristi omkhulu olandelayo wesizwe sakwa-Israyeli.