ABahluleli 1:1-36
1 Kwathi uJoshuwa esefile+ abako-Israyeli* babuza uJehova+ bathi: “Ngubani phakathi kwethu ozaqala ukuyahlasela amaKhenani?”
2 UJehova waphendula wathi: “Kuzaqala uJuda.+ Nginikela* ilizwe leli ezandleni zakhe.”
3 AbakoJuda basebesithi kubafowabo besizwana sakoSimiyoni: “Sicela lihambe lathi endaweni esiyiphiweyo+ liyesincedisa ukulwa lamaKhenani. Lathi sizahamba lani nxa selisiya endaweni eliyiphiweyo.” Ngakho abakoSimiyoni bahamba labo.
4 AbakoJuda basuka-ke bayahlasela njalo uJehova wanikela amaKhenani lamaPherizi ezandleni zabo,+ banqoba amadoda angu-10 000 eBhezekhi.
5 Bathola u-Adoni-bhezekhi eBhezekhi, balwa laye bawanqoba amaKhenani+ lamaPherizi.+
6 U-Adoni-bhezekhi wabaleka kodwa baxotshana laye baze bambamba, basebemquma izithupha lamazwane amakhulu.
7 U-Adoni-bhezekhi wathi: “Kulamakhosi angu-70 engawaquma izithupha lamazwane amakhulu njalo adobha ukudla okuwa etafuleni yami. UNkulunkulu ungenze lokho ebengikwenza kwabanye.” Ngemva kwalokho baya laye eJerusalema+ lapho afela khona.
8 Amadoda akoJuda alwa leJerusalema+ ayithumba abulala abantu ngenkemba, athungela ledolobho ngomlilo.
9 Asuka lapho ayahlasela amaKhenani ayehlala eNegebhi laseShefela kanye laselizweni lezintaba.+
10 AbakoJuda bahamba bayahlasela amaKhenani ayehlala eHebroni (iHebroni kuqala yayibizwa ngokuthi yiKhiriyathi-abha), njalo banqoba uSheshayi lo-Ahimani loThalimayi.+
11 Basuka lapho bayahlasela abantu beDebhiri.+ (Kuqala iDebhiri yayibizwa ngokuthi yiKhiriyathi-sefa.)+
12 UKhalebhi+ wathi: “Indoda ezahlasela iKhiriyathi-sefa iyinqobe ngizayinika indodakazi yami u-Akhisa ibe ngumkayo.”+
13 U-Othiniyeli+ indodana kaKhenazi+ umnawakhe kaKhalebhi wayihlasela wayinqoba. Ngakho uKhalebhi wamnika indodakazi yakhe u-Akhisa yaba ngumkakhe.
14 U-Akhisa wathi esehamba wancenga umkakhe ukuthi acele insimu kuyise uKhalebhi. U-Akhisa wehla kubabhemi wakhe,* uKhalebhi wasembuza wathi: “Ufunani?”
15 Wasephendula wathi: “Njengoba ungiphe indawo eningizimu* ngicela ungibusise ungiphe leGulothi-mayimi.”* Ngakho uKhalebhi wamupha iGulothi ephezulu leGulothi ephansi.
16 Izizukulwane zendoda engumKheni+ uyisezala kaMosi+ zasuka edolobheni elilezihlahla zelala+ zilabantu bakoJuda zaya enkangala yakoJuda eseningizimu kwe-Aradi,+ zafika zahlala labantu bakuleyondawo.+
17 Kodwa abakoJuda bahamba labafowabo besizwana sakoSimiyoni bayahlasela amaKhenani ayehlala eZefathi, balitshabalalisa idolobho lelo.+ Yikho balibiza ngokuthi yiHoma.*+
18 UJuda wathumba iGaza+ le-Ashikheloni+ le-Ekhroni+ kanye lazo zonke izindawo ezisemangweni walawo madolobho.
19 UJehova wayebasekela abantu bakoJuda yikho benelisa ukulithatha ilizwe lezintaba. Kodwa abazange benelise ukuxotsha abantu ababehlala emagcekeni akuleyondawo ngoba babelezinqola zensimbi.*+
20 Banika uKhalebhi iHebroni njengoba nje uMosi wayethembisile,+ uKhalebhi wasedudula amadodana amathathu ka-Anakhi.+
21 Kodwa abakoBhenjamini kabazange bawaxotshe amaJebusi ayehlala eJerusalema. Yikho elokhu ehlala labakoBhenjamini eJerusalema kuze kube lamuhla.+
22 Kusenjalo abendlu kaJosefa+ basuka bayahlasela iBhetheli njalo uJehova wayelabo.+
23 Babethumele izinhloli ukuthi ziyehlola iBhetheli. (Kuqala iBhetheli yayibizwa ngokuthi yiLuzi.)+
24 Izinhloli lezo zabona indoda iphuma edolobheni zasezisithi kuyo: “Sicela usitshengise ukuthi singangena njani edolobheni leli, ungenza njalo asisoze sikubulale.”*
25 Indoda leyo yasibatshengisa ukuthi bangangena njani edolobheni, basebelihlasela babulala abantu ababelapho ngenkemba kodwa yona bayiyekela lemuli yayo yonke.+
26 Indoda le yasuka yaya elizweni lamaHithi yafika yakha idolobho yalibiza ngokuthi yiLuzi. Lalamuhla idolobho lelo libizwa ngalelobizo.
27 AbakoManase kabazange bayithumbe iBhethi-sheyani lamadolobho aseduze kwayo, leThanakhi+ lamadolobho aseduze kwayo, leDori lamadolobho aseduze kwayo, le-Ibhiliyami lamadolobho aseduze kwayo kanye leMegido lamadolobho aseduze kwayo.+ AmaKhenani kawazange avume ukusuka endaweni lezo.
28 Abako-Israyeli bathi sebelamandla bacindezela amaKhenani bawenza izisebenzi zabo+ futhi kabazange bawaxotshe wonke elizweni.+
29 Abako-Efrayimi labo kabazange bawaxotshe amaKhenani ayehlala eGezeri. Yikho amaKhenani aqhubeka ehlala labo eGezeri.+
30 AbakoZebhuloni kabazange bawaxotshe amaKhenani ayehlala eKhithironi laseNahaloli.+ Aqhubeka ehlala labo futhi bawacindezela aba yizisebenzi zabo.+
31 Abako-Asheri kabazange babaxotshe abantu ababehlala e-Akho, leSidoni,+ le-Ahilabi, le-Akhizibi+, leHelibha, le-Afikhi+ laseRehobhi.+
32 Ngakho abako-Asheri baqhubeka behlala phakathi kwamaKhenani ngenxa yokuthi kabazange bawasuse elizweni.
33 AbakoNafithali kabazange bawaxotshe amaKhenani ayehlala eBhethi-shemeshi laseBhethi-anathi+ kodwa baqhubeka behlala lawo.+ Bacindezela abantu baseBhethi-shemeshi labaseBhethi-anathi babenza izisebenzi zabo.
34 Ama-Amori kawazange avumele abakoDani ukuthi basuke elizweni lezintaba bazohlala endaweni engamagceke.+
35 Ngakho ama-Amori aqhubeka ehlala entabeni iHeresi lase-Ayijaloni+ kanye laseShalabhimi.+ Kodwa izizukulwane zikaJosefa zathi sezilamandla kakhulu zawacindezela zawenza izisebenzi.
36 Ilizwe lama-Amori lalisukela emqansweni we-Akhirabhimi+ laseSela kusiya phambili.
Amabala angaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “amadodana ako-Israyeli.”
^ Kumbe, “Senginikele.”
^ Ezinye inguqulo zithi, “waseqakeza izandla ephezu kukababhemi wakhe.”
^ Kumbe, “eNegebhi.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Imithombo yamanzi.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ukutshabalalisa.”
^ Kumbe, “babelezinqola ezilezingqamu ezinde emaceleni.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “sizakuba lothando oluqotho kuwe.”
