1Ibandla lonke labantwana bakwa-Israyeli lasuka ehlane laseSini, bahamba ngamabanga njengesiyalo sikaJehova, bamisa eRefidimi; kwakungekho manzi okuba abantu baphuze.
2Ngalokho abantu baphikisana noMose, bathi: “Siphe amanzi, siphuze.” UMose wathi kubo: “Yini ukuba niphikisane nami na? Nimlingelani uJehova na?”
3Abantu bomela khona amanzi; abantu bakhonona ngoMose, bathi: “Usikhuphuleleni eGibithe ukuba usibulale, thina nabantwana bethu nezinkomo zethu ngokoma, na?”
4UMose wayesekhala kuJehova, ethi: “Ngizakwenzani kulaba bantu na? Sekukancane ukuba bangikhande ngamatshe.”
5UJehova wathi kuMose: “Dlulela phambi kwabantu, uthathe amalunga akwa-Israyeli; nenduku yakho owashaya ngayo umfula, yiphathe ngesandla sakho, uhambe.
6Bheka, ngiyakuma phambi kwakho edwaleni laseHorebe; uzakushaya itshe, kuphume amanzi kulo, abantu baphuze.” Wenze njalo uMose emehlweni amalunga akwa-Israyeli.
7Waqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngokuthi iMasa* neMeriba* ngenxa yokuphikisana kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, nangokuba bemlinga uJehova, bethi: “Ukhona yini uJehova phakathi kwethu noma qha?”
8Kwase kufika u-Amaleki, walwa no-Israyeli eRefidimi.
9UMose wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sikhethele amadoda, uphume ulwe no-Amaleki; kusasa ngizakuma esiqongweni sentaba, induku kaNkulunkulu isesandleni sami.”
10UJoshuwa wenze njalo, njengalokho uMose eshilo kuye, walwa no-Amaleki; oMose, no-Aroni, noHure bakhuphukela esiqongweni sentaba.
11Kwathi uMose esephakamisile isandla sakhe, u-Israyeli wahlula, kepha nxa esehlisa, u-Amaleki wahlula.
12Kodwa izandla zikaMose zaba nzima; bathatha itshe, walibeka phambi kwakhe, wahlala kulo; o-Aroni noHure basekela izandla zakhe, omunye engalapha, omunye engalapha; zase zihlala ziqinile izandla zakhe laze lashona ilanga.
13UJoshuwa wamchitha u-Amaleki nabantu bakhe ngosiko lwenkemba.
14UJehova wathi kuMose: “Kulobe lokhu kube yisikhumbuzo encwadini, ukubeke ezindlebeni zikaJoshuwa ukuthi ngizakuqothula ukukhunjulwa kuka-Amaleki phansi kwezulu.”
15UMose walakha i-altare, waliqamba igama lokuthi iJehova-Nisi.
16Wathi: “Isandla singasesihlalweni sobukhosi sikaJehova sokuthi uJehova uyakulwa no-Amaleki izizukulwane ngezizukulwane.”