16. Izibhebhe zazingumsebenzi kaNkulunkulu, nokuloba kwakungukuloba kukaNkulunkulu, kuqoshiwe ezibhebheni.
17. UJoshuwa wezwa umsindo wabantu bekhamuluka, wathi kuMose: “Kukhona umsindo wempi ekamu.”*
18. Wathi: “Akusilo izwi labahalalisa ngokunqoba, akusilo izwi lokukhala ngokunqotshwa, kepha ngizwa umsindo wabahlabelelayo.”
19. Kwathi esasondela ekamu,* wabona ithole nokusina; ulaka lukaMose lwase luvutha, wazilahla izibhebhe ezandleni zakhe, wazaphula phansi kwentaba.
20. Wayeselithatha ithole ababelenzile, walishisa ngomlilo, walicolisisa laze laba luthuli, walivumvuzela emanzini, wabaphuzisa wona abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
21. UMose wathi ku-Aroni: “Benzeni kuwe laba bantu ukuba ubehlisele isono esingaka na?”
22. Wathi u-Aroni: “Ulaka lwenkosi yami malungavuthi; uyabazi abantu ukuthi bathanda ububi.
23. Ngokuba bathi kimi: ‘Senzele onkulunkulu abazakuhamba phambi kwethu, ngokuba uMose lowo, umuntu owasikhuphula ezweni laseGibithe, asazi ukuthi wehlelwe yini.’
24. Ngase ngithi kubo: ‘Onalo igolide makalikhumule;’ base benginika lona, ngaliphonsa emlilweni, kwaphuma leli thole.”
25. UMose wababona abantu ukuthi babedlubulundile; ngokuba u-Aroni wayebakhululile baze bahlekwa yizitha zabo;
26. uMose wayesema esangweni lekamu,* wathi: “AbakaJehova mabeze kimi.” Onke amadodana kaLevi ayesebuthana kuye.
27. Wayesethi kuwo: “Usho njalo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Akube yilowo nalowo kini abhince inkemba yakhe ethangeni lakhe, adabule ekamu,* aye emuva, aye phambili, kusukela kwelinye isango kuze kube kwelinye isango lekamu, yilowo nalowo abulale umfowabo, nalowo umngane wakhe, nalowo umakhelwane wakhe.’ ”
28. Amadodana kaLevi enza njengezwi likaMose, kwawa ngalolo suku abantu kungathi abayizinkulungwane ezintathu.
29. Wayesethi uMose: “Njengalokhu yilowo nalowo emelene nendodana yakhe nanomfowabo, manizahlukanisele namuhla kuJehova ukuba aninike isibusiso namuhla.”
30. Kwathi ngangomuso uMose wathi kubantu: “Nenzile isono esikhulu; sengiyakukhuphukela kuJehova, uma mhlawumbe ngingenza ukubuyisana ngesono senu.”
31. UMose wabuyela kuJehova, wathi: “Hawu, laba bantu benzile isono esikhulu, bazenzele onkulunkulu ngegolide.
32. Nokho uma ubathethelela isono sabo; kepha uma ungabathetheleli, ake ungesule encwadini yakho oyilobileyo.”