Jotjhuwa 24:1-33
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UJotjhuwa ubuyekeza umlando ka-Israyeli (1-13)
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Isikhuthazo sokobana kulotjhwe uJehova (14-24)
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“Mina nomndenami sizokulotjha uJehova” (15)
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Isivumelwano sakaJotjhuwa nama-Israyeli (25-28)
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UJotjhuwa uyahlongakala begodu uyabulungwa (29-31)
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Amathambo kaJosefa abulungwa eTjhekemu (32)
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U-Elazara uyahlongakala begodu uyabulungwa (33)
24 UJotjhuwa wahlanganisa zoke iinkoro zakwa-Israyeli eTjhekemu, wabiza abadala bama-Israyeli, iinhloko zawo, abahluleli bawo neenkhulu zawo,+ bajama phambi kwakaZimu weqiniso.
2 UJotjhuwa wathi kibo boke abantu: “UJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Ekadeni+ abokhokho benu,+ uTerarhi uyise ka-Abrahama noNarhori, bebahlala ngakwelinye ihlangothi loMlambo* begodu bebalotjha abanye abozimu.+
3 “‘Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi ngasusa ukhokhwenu u-Abrahama+ ngakwelinye ihlangothi loMlambo,* ngamkhambisa yoke inarha yeKanana begodu ngenza iinzukulwana zakhe zaba zinengi.+ Ngamupha u-Isaka;+
4 u-Isaka ngamupha uJakopo no-Esewu.+ Ngemva kwesikhathi, nganikela u-Esewu iNtaba iSeyiri bona ibe ngeyakhe;+ kwathi uJakopo namadodanakhe behlela eGibhide.+
5 Ngemva kwesikhathi, ngathumela uMosi no-Aroni,+ ngabetha iGibhide ngamatshwenyeko,+ ngemva kwalokho nganikhupha eGibhide.
6 Nangikhupha aboyihlo eGibhide,+ amaGibhide bewabagijimisa ngeenkarana zepi namasotja akhamba ngeenjomani kufikela eLwandle eliBomvu. Kwathi nabafika elwandle,+
7 bathoma ukulilela uJehova,+ yeke wabeka ubumnyama phakathi kwenu namaGibhide, wabuyisa ilwandle phezu kwawo lawagubuzesa,+ nazibonela ngawenu engakwenza eGibhide.+ Ngemva kwalokho, nahlala emmangweni iminyaka eminengi.+
8 “‘Nganiletha enarheni yama-Amori ebewahlala ngakwelinye ihlangothi leJordani,* alwa nani.+ Nokho ngawanikela esandleni senu bona nithathe inarhawo begodu ngawatjhabalalisa phambi kwenu.+
9 Ngemva kwalokho, uBhalaki indodana kaTsipori ikosi yakwaMowabi, walwa no-Israyeli. Wabiza uBhalami indodana kaBhewori bona aniqalekise.+
10 Nokho akhenge ngimlalele uBhalami.+ Yeke wanibusisa ngokubuyelelweko+ begodu nganisindisa esandleni sakhe.+
11 “‘Ngemva kwalokho, nayama iJordani+ neza eJerikho.+ Abarholi beJerikho,* ama-Amori, amaPerizi, amaKanana, amaRhiti, amaGirigatjhi, amaRhivi namaJebusi balwa nani kodwana ngabanikela esandleni senu.+
12 Ngabenza baphelelwa mamandla* yeke babaleka phambi kwenu,+ njengamakhosi amabili wama-Amori. Akhenge kwenzeke ngomkhontwenu namkha ngomsubelenu.+
13 Ngokunjalo nganinikela inarha eningakayisebenzeli namadorobho eningakawakhi,+ nahlala kiwo. Nje nidla emasimini wamadiribe nemithini yama-oliva eningakayitjali.’+
14 “Yeke, sabani uJehova nimlotjhe ngokungasolekiko nangokuthembeka,*+ nisuse abozimu ebebalotjhwa bokhokho benu ngakwelinye ihlangothi loMlambo* neGibhide,+ nilotjhe uJehova.
15 Nje-ke nange kubonakala kukumbi kini ukulotjha uJehova, khethani namhlanjesi bona nizokulotjha bani,+ ukuthi nizokulotjha abozimu ebebalotjhwa bokhokho benu ngakwelinye ihlangothi loMlambo*+ namkha abozimu bama-Amori enihlala enarhenawo.+ Kodwana mina nomndenami sizokulotjha uJehova.”
16 Abantu baphendula bathi: “Angeze sathoma silahle uJehova begodu angeze silotjhe abanye abozimu.
17 NguJehova uZimethu osikhuphe enarheni yeGibhide,+ endlini yobukhoboka,+ thina nabobabethu, nguye owenze iimangaliso ezikulwezi phambi kwamehlwethu,+ wasigada indlela yoke esiyikhambileko neentjhabeni zoke esidlule hlangana nazo.+
18 UJehova waqotha zoke iintjhaba, kuhlanganise nama-Amori ebewahlala enarheni le ngaphambi kwethu. Yeke nathi sizokulotjha uJehova ngombana unguZimethu.”
19 UJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Angeze nikghone ukulotjha uJehova ngombana unguZimu ocwengileko;+ unguZimu ofuna nizinikele kuye kwaphela.+ Angeze anilibalele imitjhaphwenu* nezono zenu.+
20 Naningalahla uJehova nilotjhe abozimu bezinye iintjhaba, naye uzonijikela anitjhabalalise ngemva kokuthi anenzele okuhle.”+
21 Kodwana abantu bathi kuJotjhuwa: “Awa, sizokulotjha uJehova!”+
22 Yeke uJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Nibofakazi malungana nani bokuthi nizikhethele ngokwenu ukulotjha uJehova.”+ Bathi: “Sibofakazi.”
23 “Yeke susani abozimu bezinye iintjhaba abaphakathi kwenu, nilotjhe uJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli ngehliziyo yoke.”
24 Abantu bathi kuJotjhuwa: “Sizokulotjha uJehova uZimethu begodu sizokulalela ilizwi lakhe!”
25 Yeke uJotjhuwa wenza isivumelwano nabantu mhlokho eTjhekemu begodu wababekela umthetho.
26 Ngemva kwalokho, uJotjhuwa watlola amezwi la eNcwadini yomThetho kaZimu,+ wathatha ilitje elikhulu+ walibeka ngaphasi komuthi omkhulu osendaweni ecwengileko kaJehova.
27 UJotjhuwa waraga wathi ebantwini boke: “Qalani! Ilitjeli lizokuba ngufakazethu+ ngombana lizwe koke uJehova akutjho kithi begodu lizokuba ngufakazenu bona ningamphiki uZimenu.”
28 Ngemva kwalokho, uJotjhuwa wakhambisa abantu, omunye nomunye waya elifeni lakhe.+
29 Ngemva kwezintwezi, uJotjhuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wahlongakala aneminyaka eli-110.+
30 Bambulunga endaweni yelifa lakhe eTimnathi-Serarhi,+ esesifundeni seentaba sakwa-Efrayimu, ngetlhagwini yeNtaba iGatjhi.
31 U-Israyeli waragela phambili alotjha uJehova yoke imihla kaJotjhuwa nayo yoke imihla yabadala abaphila isikhathi eside ukudlula uJotjhuwa begodu ebebazi koke uJehova akwenzela u-Israyeli.+
32 Amathambo kaJosefa+ ama-Israyeli aphuma nawo eGibhide, abulungwa eTjhekemu engcenyeni yesimu uJakopo ayithenga emadodaneni kaRhamori,+ uyise kaTjhekemu, ngeempaparwana zemali ezili-100;+ isimu leyo yaba lilifa lamadodana kaJosefa.+
33 U-Elazara indodana ka-Aroni naye wahlongakala.+ Bambulunga embundwini kaFiniyasi indodanakhe,+ egade anikelwe wona esifundeni seentaba sakwa-Efrayimu.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Kutjho iYufrathe.
^ Kutjho iYufrathe.
^ Kutjho ngepumalanga yeJordani.
^ Namkha kungenzeka “Izakhamuzi zeJerikho.”
^ Namkha kungenzeka “baba nevalo; basaba.”
^ Namkha “nangeqiniso.”
^ Kutjho iYufrathe.
^ Kutjho iYufrathe.
^ Namkha “Angeze anilibalele ngokuhlubuka kwenu.”