1U-Israyeli wahlala eShithimi; abantu baqala ukuphinga namadodakazi akwaMowabi,
2ngokuba babiza abantu ukuba beze emihlatshelweni yawonkulunkulu babo; abantu badla, bakhothamela onkulunkulu babo.
3U-Israyeli wazihlanganisa noBali Peyori. Intukuthelo kaJehova yayisimvuthela u-Israyeli.
4UJehova wathi kuMose: “Thabatha zonke izinhloko zabantu, uziphanyekele uJehova elangeni, ukuze intukuthelo evuthayo kaJehova ibuye ku-Israyeli.”
5UMose wathi kubo abahluleli bakwa-Israyeli: “Bulalani, kube yilowo nalowo abantu bakhe abazihlanganisile noBali Peyori.”
6Bheka, umuntu wabantwana bakwa-Israyeli wafika eletha kubafowabo owesifazane wakwaMidiyani emehlweni kaMose nasemehlweni enhlangano yonke yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, besakhala ngasemnyango wetende lokuhlangana.
7Esekubona uFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi wavuka ephakathi kwenhlangano, wathatha umkhonto ngesandla sakhe,
8wamlandela umuntu wakwa-Israyeli, wangena etendeni, wabagwaza bobabili, indoda yakwa-Israyeli nowesifazane esiswini sakhe. Sanqamuka-ke kanjalo isifo kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
9Abafayo ngaleso sifo babe yizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nane.
10UJehova wayesekhuluma kuMose, wathi:
11“UFinehasi ka-Eleyazare ka-Aroni umpristi ukhalimile intukuthelo yami kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba wayehawuka ngomhawu wami phakathi kwabo, ukuze ngingaqothuli abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngomhawu wami.
12Ngalokho yisho ukuthi: ‘Bheka, ngiyamnika isivumelwano sami sokuthula;
13siyakuba kuye nakuyo inzalo yakhe emva kwakhe isivumelwano sobupristi obuphakade, ngokuba wayenomhawu ngoNkulunkulu wakhe, wabenzela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukubuyisana.’ ”
14Igama lendoda yakwa-Israyeli eyabulawa, eyabulawa kanye nowesifazane wakwaMidiyani, lalinguZimri indodana kaSalu, isikhulu sendlu kayise phakathi kwabakwaSimeyoni.
15Igama lowesifazane wakwaMidiyani owabulawa lalinguKozibi indodakazi kaSuri owayeyinhloko yabantu bendlu kayise kwaMidiyani.
16UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi:
17“Khathaza abakwaMidiyani, ubashaye,
18ngokuba bayanikhathaza nina ngamacebo abanikhohlise ngawo endabeni kaPeyori nangendaba kaKozibi indodakazi yesikhulu sakwaMidiyani, udadewabo, owabulawa ngosuku lwesifo ngendaba kaPeyori.”