Joshuwa
4:1-24
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Ematje atawuba sikhumbuto (1-24)
4 Ngekushesha nje lapho sonkhe lesive sesiyewelile iJordane, Jehova watsi kuJoshuwa:
2 “Tsatsa emadvodza langu-12 emkhatsini walabantfu, kube yindvodza yinye esiveni ngasinye,+
3 bese utsi kuwo: ‘Tsatsani ematje langu-12 ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane lapho baphristi bebeme khona,+ futsi nihambe nawo niyowabeka endzaweni lenitawucitsa kuyo busuku.’”+
4 Ngako Joshuwa wabita lamadvodza langu-12 labewakhetse emkhatsini wema-Israyeli, indvodza yinye esiveni ngasinye,
5 wase utsi kuwo: “Hambani nendlule leLibhokisi laJehova Nkulunkulu wenu niye ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane, futsi ngamunye wenu kufanele atsatse litje aletjatse ehlombe, kuhambisane nelinani letive taka-Israyeli.
6 Lamatje atawuba luphawu emkhatsini wenu. Nakwenteka esikhatsini lesitako bantfwana* benu banibuta batsi: ‘Niwabekeleni lamatje?’+
7 nibotsi kubo: ‘Kungenca yekutsi emanti emfula iJordane ema embikwelibhokisi+ lesivumelwane saJehova. Ngesikhatsi lelibhokisi lewela, emanti emfula iJordane ema angasageleti. Lamatje atawuba sikhumbuto lesihlala njalo kubantfu baka-Israyeli.’”+
8 Ngako ema-Israyeli enta njengobe nje Joshuwa abewatjelile. Atsatsa ematje langu-12 ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane njengobe nje Jehova abetjele Joshuwa. Lamatje abelingana nelinani letive taka-Israyeli. Awatsatsa aya nawo kulendzawo lebekatawucitsa kuyo busuku, afike awabeka lapho.
9 Joshuwa naye wabeka ematje langu-12 ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane, lapho bekume khona labaphristi labebatfwele libhokisi lesivumelwane,+ futsi nalamuhla lamatje solo asekhona.
10 Labaphristi lebebatfwele leLibhokisi bachubeka beme ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane kwaze kwaba ngulapho sekwentiwe konkhe loko Jehova labetsite Joshuwa akutjele labantfu, ngekuvumelana nako konkhe Mosi labekutjele Joshuwa. Kuso sonkhe leso sikhatsi, labantfu baphutfuma bewelela ngesheya.
11 Ngekushesha nje nasebewele bonkhe bantfu, baphristi nabo bewela betfwele leLibhokisi laJehova futsi babonwa bantfu bonkhe.+
12 Sive sakaRubeni, sive sakaGadi nencenye yesive sakaManase bewelela ngesheya bahleleke+ baba ngemacembu emasotja futsi bahamba embikwalalamanye ema-Israyeli, njengobe nje Mosi abeshito.+
13 Lamasotja labehlomele imphi abengaba ngu-40 000 futsi ewela embikwaJehova, aya ehlane laseJerikho.
14 Ngalelolanga, Jehova waphakamisa Joshuwa embikwawo onkhe ema-Israyeli,+ futsi amhlonipha* kakhulu Joshuwa kuko konkhe kuphila kwakhe, njengobe nje naMosi+ abemhlonipha kakhulu.
15 Ngemuva kwaloko, Jehova watsi kuJoshuwa:
16 “Tjela labaphristi labetfwele lelibhokisi+ leBufakazi kutsi baphume eJordane.”
17 Ngako Joshuwa watjela labaphristi watsi: “Phumani kulomfula iJordane.”
18 Kwatsi lapho labaphristi lebebatfwele libhokisi+ lesivumelwane saJehova besuka ekhatsi nekhatsi neJordane, netinyawo tabo tinyatsela elusentseni+ lwemfula, emanti emfula iJordane aphindze ageleta, futsi lomfula wagcwala wagola tintsetse njengasekucaleni.
19 Labantfu bewela umfula iJordane ngelilanga lesi-10 enyangeni yekucala, futsi bahlala eGilgali+ emnceleni waseJerikho losemphumalanga.
20 Joshuwa watsatsa lamatje langu-12 labetsetfwe eJordane wawamisa eGilgali.+
21 Ngemuva kwaloko wakhuluma nema-Israyeli watsi: “Esikhatsini lesitako nangabe bantfwana benu babuta bobabe babo, batsi: ‘Ani lamatje?’+
22 nibobachazela nitsi: ‘Ema-Israyeli ewela iJordane emhlabatsini lowomile+
23 ngesikhatsi Jehova Nkulunkulu wenu omisa emanti emfula iJordane embikwawo aze ewela onkhe, njengobe nje Jehova Nkulunkulu wenu enta eLwandle Lolubovu ngesikhatsi omisa emanti embikwetfu saze sewela sonkhe.+
24 Loko wakwenta kuze bonkhe bantfu emhlabeni bati kutsi sandla saJehova sinemandla kangakanani,+ kuze nani nitewuhlale nimesaba Jehova Nkulunkulu wenu.’”
