1. Kwathi ngenyanga yokuqala uSirayeli ephela wagaleleka kwintlango iZin, waza wamisa eKadeshe. Apho ke kulapho wafa waza wangcwatyelwa khona uMiriyam.
2. Ke kaloku kwakungekho manzi kuloo ndawo. Ngoko ke amaSirayeli aqokelelana kuMosis noAron,
3. alwa noMosis, athi: “Akwaba nathi sasife nabantakwethu phambi *kwesibingelelo *sikaNdikhoyo.
4. Ngani ukuba thina bantu bakaNdikhoyo nisizise kule ntlango? Benifuna size kufela apha ndawonye nemfuyo yethu?
5. Kakade, kwakutheni ukuze nisikhuphe eJiputa, nize kusifaka kwenje yona indawo, emhlaba ungavelisi nento le? Akukho ngqolowa namakhiwane, kungekho diliya narharnati; ke wona amanzi tu!”
6. UMosis noAron balishiya ibandla, baya kuma esangweni lesibingelelo. Baguqa phantsi, baza ke babubona ubungangamsha bukaNdikhoyo.
7. UNdikhoyo wathi kuMosis:
8. “Thatha intonga ephambi kwetyesi yomnqophiso, uze wena nomntakwenu uAron nilihlanganise ibandla, uze ke uthethe neliwa bejongile. Kothi kumpompoze amanzi kulo, baze abantu nemfuyo yabo basele.”
9. Ke uMosis wayithatha intonga leyo esibingelelweni ngokomyalelo kaNdikhoyo.
10. Yena noAron bawaqokelela onke amaSirayeli apho phambi kweliwa, waza wathi uMosis: “Phulaphulani, nina baqhankqalazi! Ngaba nifuna sikhuphe amanzi kweli liwa?”