Yoshuwa 9:1-27
9 Xa bevayo ukuba kwenzeke ntoni bonke ookumkani abangakwintshona yeYordan,+ abakummandla weentaba, abaseShefela, abakulo lonke unxweme loLwandle Olukhulu,*+ nabangaphambi kweLebhanon, amaHiti, ama-Amori, amaKanan, amaPerizi, amaHivi namaYebhusi,+
2 badibana bonke ukuze balwe noYoshuwa namaSirayeli.+
3 Abemi baseGibheyon+ nabo bayiva into eyayenziwe nguYoshuwa eYeriko+ naseAyi.+
4 Ngoko beza neqhinga, bafaka umphako kwiingxowa ezigugileyo baza bawubeka kwiidonki zabo, baphatha neebhotile zewayini zofele ezazisele zigqabhukile zaza zathungwa;
5 babenxibe iimbadada ezigugileyo neempahla ezigugileyo. Isonka ababesiphethe sasomile yaye siphuqeka.
6 Ngoko baya kuYoshuwa eGiligali,+ bathi kuye nakumadoda akwaSirayeli: “Sisuka kwilizwe elikude. Yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”
7 Kodwa amadoda akwaSirayeli athi kuloo maHivi:+ “Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nisuka kwalapha kufutshane. Ngoko singasenza njani isivumelwano kunye nani?”+
8 Wona amphendula uYoshuwa athi: “Sizizicaka zakho.”*
UYoshuwa wathi kuwo: “Ningoobani, yaye nivela phi?”
9 Athi: “Izicaka zakho zivela kwilizwe elikude kakhulu+ kuba zihlonipha igama likaYehova uThixo wakho, ngenxa yokuba siluvile udumo lwakhe nazo zonke izinto awazenza eYiputa.+
10 Sizivile nezinto awazenza kookumkani ababini bama-Amori ababengaphesheya kweYordan,* uKumkani uSihon+ waseHeshbhon noKumkani uOgi+ waseBhashan, owayeseAshtaroti.
11 Ngoko abadala nabo bonke abemi belizwe lethu bathi kuthi, ‘Thathani umphako niye kubo. Nize nithi: “Siza kuba zizicaka zenu;+ ngoku ke yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”’+
12 Esi sonka sethu sasishushu ngemini esemka ngayo ezindlini zethu sisiza kuni. Ngoku niyasibona ukuba somile yaye siyaphuqeka.+
13 Yaye ezi bhotile zofele zazintsha xa sasizigcwalisa, kodwa ngoku zigqabhukile.+ Iimpahla zethu neembadada zethu zigugile ngenxa yobude bohambo.”
14 Ngoko amadoda akwaSirayeli athatha omnye waloo mphako, awuhlola, kodwa akazange abuze kuYehova.+
15 UYoshuwa wenza uxolo kunye nawo+ nesivumelwano sokuba akazukuwabulala, yaye iinkokheli zebandla zawafungela ziwaqinisekisa.+
16 Ekupheleni kweentsuku ezintathu, emva kokuba benze isivumelwano kunye nawo, beva ukuba la madoda ahlala kufutshane.
17 Emva koko amaSirayeli ahamba ayokufika kwizixeko zala madoda emva kweentsuku ezintathu; izixeko zawo yayiyiGibheyon,+ iKefira, iBheheroti neKiriyati-yarim.+
18 Kodwa amaSirayeli akazange azihlasele, kuba iinkokheli zebandla zazibafungele abo bantu ngoYehova+ uThixo kaSirayeli. Ngoko lonke ibandla lazikhalazela iinkokheli.
19 Ngoko zonke iinkokheli zathi kwibandla: “Ekubeni aba bantu sibafungele ngoYehova uThixo kaSirayeli, asivumelekanga ukuba sibenzakalise.
20 Nantsi into esiza kuyenza: Asizukubabulala, ukuze singamcaphukisi uThixo ngokungagcini isifungo esabenzela sona.”+
21 Zaphinda zathi: “Sanukubabulala, kodwa mabathezele lonke ibandla iinkuni, balithuthele namanzi.” Zabathembisa loo nto ke iinkokheli.
22 Ngoko uYoshuwa wawabiza la madoda waza wathi kuwo: “Bekutheni ukuze nisiqhathe nithi, ‘Sisuka kude kakhulu,’ kanti nisuka kwalapha kufutshane?+
23 Ukususela ngoku niqalekisiwe,+ yaye niza kuhlala ningamakhoboka athuthela indlu kaThixo wam iinkuni namanzi.”
24 Amphendula uYoshuwa athi: “Izicaka zakho zaye zaxelelwa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYehova uThixo wakho wayalela uMoses umkhonzi wakhe ukuba aninike lonke eli lizwe, aze atshabalalise bonke abemi balo phambi kwenu.+ Ngoko besisoyikisela ubomi bethu ngenxa yenu,+ yiloo nto senze le nto.+
25 Ngoko ke sisesandleni sakho. Yenza kuthi loo nto ucinga ukuba ilungile yaye ifanelekile.”
26 Wenza loo nto ke kuwo; wawasindisa kumaSirayeli, kwaye abazange bawabulale.
27 Ngoko ukususela loo mini, uYoshuwa wawanika umsebenzi wokuthutha iinkuni namanzi, ethuthela ibandla+ nesibingelelo sikaYehova esiza kuba kwindawo uThixo aza kuyikhetha.+ Lowo ngumsebenzi amaGibheyon asawenzayo unanamhlanje.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Oko kukuthi, iMeditera.
^ Okanye “Singamakhoboka akho.”
^ Oko kukuthi, kwicala elingasempuma.
