18. ukuba nibuye namuhla ekumlandeleni uJehova na? Kuzakuthi uma nihlubuka namuhla uJehova, athukuthelele yonke inhlangano ka-Israyeli kusasa.
19. Kepha uma izwe lefa lenu lingcolile, welani, niye ezweni lefa likaJehova, lapho lihlala khona itabernakele* likaJehova, nibe nefa phakathi kwethu; kepha ningahlubuki uJehova, ningahlubuki futhi kithi ngokuzakhela i-altare ngaphandle kwe-altare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.
20. U-Akani indodana kaZera akenzanga yini isiphambeko kukho okuqalekisiweyo, yonke inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli yehlelwa yintukuthelo na? Futhi akafanga yedwa lowo muntu ebubini bakhe.’ ”
21. Abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase baphendula, bakhuluma kuzo izinhloko zemindeni yakwa-Israyeli, bathi:
22. “UNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, yebo, uNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uyakwazi, no-Israyeli futhi uyakukwazi ukuthi uma kwakungokuhlubuka noma kungokuphambuka kuJehova, ungasisindisi namuhla
23. ngokuthi sizakhele i-altare, sabuya ekumlandeleni uJehova; futhi uma kwakungukuba sinikele phezu kwalo ngeminikelo yokushiswa nangeminikelo yempuphu, nokuba sinikele ngemihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula phezu kwalo, uJehova uqobo makakubize.
24. “Qha, impela senzile lokho ngokunakekela nangesizathu, sathi: Ngesikhathi esizayo abantwana benu bangakhuluma kubantwana bethu ngokuthi: ‘Ninamsebenzi muni noJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?
25. UJehova wenzile iJordani umkhawulo phakathi kwethu nani, nina bantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi; aninasabelo kuJehova;’ abantwana benu bese bebuyisela emuva abantwana bethu ukuba bangabe besamesaba uJehova.
26. “Sase sithi-ke: ‘Masenze silakhe i-altare, lingabi ngelomnikelo wokushiswa nelomhlatshelo,’
27. kepha libe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu nani naphakathi kwezizukulwane zethu emva kwethu, ukuze senze inkonzo kaJehova phambi kwakhe ngeminikelo yethu yokushiswa, nangemihlatshelo yethu, nangeminikelo yethu yokuthula, ukuba abantwana benu bangasho kubantwana bethu ngesikhathi esizayo ukuthi: ‘Aninasabelo kuJehova.’
28. “Sathi-ke: ‘Kuyakuthi lapho besho kanjalo kithi nakuzo izizukulwane zethu ngesikhathi esizayo, sisho ukuthi: “Bhekani isifanekiso se-altare likaJehova abalenzayo obaba, lingabi ngeleminikelo yokushiswa nelemihlatshelo; lingufakazi phakathi kwethu nani.” ’