Eksodusi 8:1-32
8 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Yana kuFaro, uthi kuye, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushoyo: “Khulula abantu bami ukuze bangikhonze. +
2 Uma ulokhu wenqaba ukubakhulula, ngizoshaya yonke indawo yakho ngamaxoxo. +
3 UMfula iNayile uzogcwala amaxoxo, azokhuphuka angene endlini yakho, ekamelweni lakho, phezu kombhede wakho, ezindlini zezinceku zakho, kubantu bakho, kohhavini bakho nasezitsheni zakho zokuxovela* inhlama. +
4 Amaxoxo azokhuphukela kuwe, kubantu bakho, nakuzo zonke izinceku zakho.”’”
5 Kamuva uJehova wathi kuMose: “Yithi ku-Aroni, ‘Yelulela isandla sakho nenduku phezu kwemifula, imisele yeNayile namaxhaphozi, wenze ukuba amaxoxo akhuphukele ezweni laseGibhithe.’”
6 Ngakho u-Aroni welulela isandla sakhe phezu kwamanzi aseGibhithe, amaxoxo aqala ukukhuphuka alimboza izwe laseGibhithe.
7 Nokho, abapristi abenza imilingo benza into efanayo ngobuciko babo obuyimfihlo, nabo benza amaxoxo ukuba akhuphukele ezweni laseGibhithe. +
8 UFaro wabe esebiza uMose no-Aroni wathi: “Ncengani uJehova ukuba asuse amaxoxo kimi nakubantu bami, + ngoba ngiyafuna ukubakhulula abantu ukuze benzele uJehova umhlatshelo.”
9 UMose wathi kuFaro: “Ngishiyela kuwe ukuba unqume ukuthi ngikuncengele nini ukuba amaxoxo asuswe kuwe, ezincekwini zakho, kubantu bakho nasezindlini zakho. Azosala eMfuleni iNayile kuphela.”
10 UFaro wathi: “Kusasa.” Ngakho uMose wathi: “Kuzoba njengokusho kwakho ukuze wazi ukuthi akekho omunye onjengoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. +
11 Amaxoxo azosuka kuwe, ezindlini zakho, ezincekwini zakho nakubantu bakho. Azosala eNayile kuphela.” +
12 Ngakho uMose no-Aroni baphuma kuFaro, uMose wancenga uJehova ngenxa yamaxoxo ayewalethe kuFaro. +
13 UJehova wenza njengoba uMose ayecelile, amaxoxo afa ezindlini, emagcekeni nasemasimini.
14 Babewanqwabelanisa eba izindunduma eziningi, izwe laqala ukunuka.
15 Lapho uFaro ebona ukuthi amaxoxo awasekho, wenza inhliziyo yakhe yaba lukhuni + wenqaba ukubalalela, njengoba nje uJehova ayeshilo.
16 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Yithi ku-Aroni, ‘Yelula induku yakho ushaye uthuli lomhlabathi, lube izinsensane* kulo lonke izwe laseGibhithe.’”
17 Bakwenza lokhu. U-Aroni welula isandla nenduku yakhe washaya uthuli lomhlabathi, kwaba khona izinsensane kumuntu nasesilwaneni. Lonke uthuli lomhlabathi lwaba izinsensane kulo lonke izwe laseGibhithe. +
18 Abapristi abenza imilingo bazama ukwenza okufanayo ukuze baveze izinsensane ngobuciko babo obuyimfihlo, + kodwa abakwazanga. Izinsensane zaba kumuntu nasesilwaneni.
19 Ngakho abapristi abenza imilingo bathi kuFaro: “Lokhu kwenziwe ngamandla* kaNkulunkulu!” + Kodwa inhliziyo kaFaro yaqhubeka iba nenkani, akabalalelanga, njengoba nje uJehova ayeshilo.
20 UJehova wathi kuMose: “Vuka kusesekuseni kakhulu ume phambi kukaFaro. Bheka! Lapho uFaro efika emfuleni, kumelwe uthi kuye, ‘Yilokhu uJehova akushilo: “Khulula abantu bami ukuze bangikhonze.
21 Kodwa uma ungabakhululi abantu bami, ngizothumela izibawu* phezu kwakho, ezincekwini zakho, kubantu bakho nasezindlini zakho; izindlu zaseGibhithe zizogcwala izibawu, zimboze ngisho nomhlabathi abama* phezu kwawo.
22 Ngalolo suku nakanjani ngizolihlukanisa izwe laseGosheni okuhlala kulo abantu bami. Akukho zibawu eziyoba lapho, + ngalokhu uzokwazi ukuthi mina Jehova, nginamandla kuwo wonke umhlaba. +
23 Ngizokwenza kube nomehluko phakathi kwabantu bami nabantu bakho. Kusasa sizokwenzeka lesi sibonakaliso.”’”
24 UJehova wenza kanjalo, iqulu lezibawu lahlasela indlu kaFaro nezindlu zezinceku zakhe nalo lonke izwe laseGibhithe. + Izwe lonakaliswa izibawu. +
25 Ekugcineni uFaro wabiza uMose no-Aroni wathi: “Hambani nenzele uNkulunkulu wenu umhlatshelo ezweni.”
26 Kodwa uMose wathi: “Akufanele senze kanjalo, ngoba lokho esizokwenza umhlatshelo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu kuyoba yinto enengekayo kwabaseGibhithe. + Uma sithukuthelisa abaseGibhithe ngenxa yomhlatshelo esiwunikela phambi kwamehlo abo, ngeke yini basishaye ngamatshe?
27 Sizothatha uhambo lwezinsuku ezintathu siye ehlane, sizomenzela lapho umhlatshelo uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, njengoba nje eshilo kithi.” +
28 Manje uFaro wathi: “Ngizonikhulula ukuze niyokwenzela uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu umhlatshelo ehlane. Kuphela ningayi kude kangaka. Ngincengeleni.” +
29 UMose wathi: “Manje ngiyaphuma lapha, ngizomncenga uJehova, izibawu zizosuka kuFaro, ezincekwini zakhe nakubantu bakhe kusasa. Kodwa uFaro kumelwe ayeke ukusikhohlisa* ngokwenqaba ukukhulula abantu ukuba bayokwenzela uJehova umhlatshelo.” +
30 Ngemva kwalokho uMose waphuma kuFaro wayoncenga uJehova. +
31 Ngakho uJehova wenza njengokusho kukaMose, izibawu zasuka kuFaro, ezincekwini zakhe nakubantu bakhe. Akusalanga nesisodwa.
32 Nokho, uFaro waphinde wenza inhliziyo yakhe yaba lukhuni, akabakhululanga abantu.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “nasemikhombeni yakho yokuxovela.”
^ Isinambuzane esifana nomiyane.
^ NgesiHebheru, “ngumunwe.”
^ Uhlobo lwempukane oluncinzayo.
^ Okuwukuthi, abaseGibhithe.
^ Noma, “ukudlala.”