UJoshuwa 9:1-27
9 Lokhu kwafika endlebeni zamakhosi amaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaKhenani, lamaPherizi, lamaHivi kanye lamaJebusi.+ Amakhosi la ayebusa entshonalanga komfula uJodani+ elizweni lezintaba, laseShefela kanye lasekhunjini loLwandle Olukhulu*+ laphambi kweLebhanoni.
2 Amanyana ukuze alwe loJoshuwa labako-Israyeli.+
3 AbaseGibhiyoni+ labo bakuzwa lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenze eJerikho+ le-Ayi.+
4 Ngakho babumba icebo, bathatha imiphako yabo bayifaka ezikhwameni ezindala bazigaxa kubobabhemi. Bathatha lemigodla yezikhumba zewayini ezigugileyo, ezasezidabuke zathungwa.
5 Lamanyathela ababewagqokile ayesegugile futhi ethungwe athungwa. Babegqoke izigqoko ezindala ezazijujukile njalo izinkwa ababezithwele zasezomile, sezivuthuka lokuvuthuka.
6 Basuka baya eGiligali+ bafika bakhuluma loJoshuwa lamadoda ako-Israyeli bathi: “Sivela elizweni elikhatshana kakhulu. Sicela lenze isivumelwano lathi.”
7 Kodwa amadoda ako-Israyeli aphendula amaHivi*+ athi: “Engxenye lihlala eduze lathi. Pho singasenza njani isivumelwano lani?”+
8 AmaHivi asesithi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku zakho.”
UJoshuwa wasewabuza wathi: “Lingobani futhi livela ngaphi?”
9 Amphendula athi: “Siyizinceku zakho futhi sivela elizweni elikhatshana.+ Silapha ngenxa yebizo likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Siluzwile udumo lwakhe lakho konke akwenza eGibhithe.+
10 Sezwa lalokho akwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori ayengaphetsheya komfula uJodani,* uSihoni+ inkosi yeHeshibhoni lo-Ogi+ inkosi yeBhashani owayese-Ashitharothi.
11 Ngakho abadala besizwe sethu labantu bakithi bathe kithi, ‘Thathani imiphako lingene indlela liyebabona. Lifike lithi kubo: “Sizakuba zinceku zenu,+ sicela lenze isivumelwano lathi.”’+
12 Izinkwa lezi zazitshisa sisuka emizini yethu sisiza lapha. Kodwa khathesi sezomile futhi sezivuthuka+ njengoba libona.
13 Izikhumba lezi zewayini zazizintsha ngesikhathi sizigcwalisa kodwa khathesi sezidabukile.+ Amanyathela ethu lezembatho zethu sekumadabudabu ngenxa yobude bomango.”
14 Abako-Israyeli bathi bekuzwa lokhu bayihlola imiphako yamadoda la kodwa abazange babuze kuJehova.+
15 Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza labo isivumelwano sokuthi babengasoze bababulale, wabathembisa lokuthi babezahlalisana labo ngokuthula.+ Abakhokheli bako-Israyeli labo bafunga kubo.+
16 Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu benze isivumelwano labo, bezwa ukuthi babehlala eduze labo.
17 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho ababekhona, kwathi ngelanga lesithathu bafika emadolobheni ayehlala amadoda la. Amadolobho la kwakuyiGibhiyoni,+ leKhefira, leBheherothi kanye leKhiriyathi-jeyarimi.+
18 Kodwa abako-Israyeli abazange bawahlasele ngoba abakhokheli babefunge ngebizo likaJehova+ uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Ngakho bonke abantu baqalisa ukukhonona besola lokho okwakwenziwe ngabakhokheli babo.
19 Abakhokheli basebesithi kubo: “Akuvumi ukuthi sibabulale ngoba sifunge ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
20 Ngakho asisoze sibabulale ukuze uNkulunkulu angasithukutheleli ngoba sifungile kubo.”+
21 Izinduna zaqhubeka zathi: “Lingababulali, bazakuba yizisebenzi zethu bathezele abantu inkuni njalo babakhele lamanzi.” Lokhu yikho izinduna ezabathembisa khona.
22 UJoshuwa wasebabiza wathi kubo: “Kungani lisiqilile lathi livela khatshana kakhulu lina lihlala khonapha eduze lathi?+
23 Kusukela lamuhla liqalekisiwe+ futhi lizahlala liyizigqili. Lizatheza inkuni njalo likhe lamanzi azasetshenziswa endlini kaNkulunkulu wami.”
24 Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi: “Yikuthi izinceku zakho zatshelwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu watshela uMosi inceku yakhe ukuthi alinike lonke ilizwe lokuthi litshabalalise bonke abantu abahlala kulo.+ Ngakho sesaba ukuthi lizasibulala+ sasesibumba icebo leli.+
25 Khathesi sisezandleni zakho. Yenza kithi loba kuyini okubona kulungile njalo kuqondile.”
26 Ngakho uJoshuwa wabavikela kwabako-Israyeli njalo abazange bababulale.
27 Ngalelolanga wabenza baba yizigqili zokutheza inkuni lokukha amanzi ayezasetshenziswa ngabako-Israyeli+ kanye lase-alithareni likaJehova elalizakuba sendaweni ayezayikhetha.+ Lalamuhla balokhu beyizigqili.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Lapha kutshiwo uLwandle lweMedithera.
^ Ngalesosikhathi eGibhiyoni kwakuhlala amaHivi.
^ Lapha kutshiwo empumalanga kukaJodani.
