7
Abazinkulungwane Ezilikhulu Lamatshumi Amane Lane Bafakwa Uphawu
1 Emva kwalokhu ngabona izingilosi ezine zimi emagumbini womane omhlaba, zivimbele imimoya emine yomhlaba zisenqabela loba yiwuphi umoya ukuvunguza elizweni loba olwandle loba kwesinye isihlahla. 2 Ngabuya ngabona enye ingilosi isiza ivela empumalanga, ilophawu lukaNkulunkulu ophilayo. Yamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu ezingilosini ezine ezaziphiwe amandla okulimaza umhlaba lolwandle, isithi: 3 “Lingawulimazi umhlaba loba ulwandle loba izihlahla size sibeke uphawu emabunzini ezinceku zikaNkulunkulu wethu.” 4 Ngasengisizwa inani lalabo ababekwa uphawu: Abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amane lane (144,000) abezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli.
5 Abesizwana sakoJuda abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000) bafakwa uphawu,
abesizwana sakoRubheni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sakoGadi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
6 abesizwana sako-Asheri abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sakoNafithali abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sakoManase abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
7 abesizwana sakoSimiyoni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sakoLevi abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sako-Isakhari abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
8 abesizwana sakoZebhuluni abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sakoJosefa abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000),
abesizwana sikaBhenjamini abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili (12,000).
Ixuku Elikhulukazi Elabembethe Ezimhlophe
9 Emva kwalokhu ngakhangela khonapho phambi kwami kwakulexuku elikhulukazi elingela kubalwa livela ezizweni zonke lezizwaneni lasebantwini kanye lasezindimini zonke limi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi laphambi kweWundlu. Babegqoke izembatho ezimhlophe bephethe ingatsha zelala ngezandla zabo. 10 Bamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu besithi:
“Ukusindisa ngokukaNkulunkulu wethu,
ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi,
kanye lokweWundlu.”
11 Izingilosi zonke zazimi zizingeleze isihlalo sobukhosi njalo zizingeleze abadala kanye lezidalwa ezine eziphilayo. Zathi mbo phansi ngobuso bazo phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi zakhonza uNkulunkulu 12 zisithi:
“Ameni!
Udumo lobukhosi
lokuhlakanipha lokubongwa lokuhlonitshwa
lamandla kanye lokuqina
kakube kuNkulunkulu wethu nini lanini.
Ameni!”
13 Emva kwalokho omunye wabadala wangibuza wathi, “Laba abezembatho ezimhlophe ngobani, njalo bavele ngaphi?”
14 Ngaphendula ngathi, “Nkosi, uyakwazi.”
Wasesithi, “Laba yibo abaphume ekuhluphekeni okukhulu; bagezise izembatho zabo egazini leWundlu bazenza zaba mhlophe. 15 Ngakho-ke,
baphambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu
bemkhonza emini lebusuku ethempelini lakhe;
njalo yena ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi
uzakubavikela ngobukhona bakhe.
16 ‘Kabasoze balambe futhi;
njalo kabasoze bome futhi.
Ilanga kalisayikuhlaba phezu kwabo’*U-Isaya 49.10
loba ukutshisa okuhangulayo.
17 Ngoba iWundlu elingaphakathi kwesihlalo sobukhosi lizakuba ngumelusi wabo;
lizabaholela emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila.
‘UNkulunkulu uzazesula zonke
inyembezi emehlweni abo.’†U-Isaya 49.10”‡U-Isaya 25.8