Joshuwa 9:1-27
9 Lapho wonke amakhosi ayesohlangothini olusentshonalanga yeJordani + ezwa ngalokho okwakwenzekile, lawo ayesezintabeni, ayeseShefela, ayekulo lonke ugu loLwandle Olukhulu *+ nayephambi kweLebhanoni—amaHeti, ama-Amori, amaKhanani, amaPherizi, amaHivi namaJebusi +—
2 abumbana ukuze alwe noJoshuwa no-Israyeli. +
3 AbaseGibheyoni + nabo bezwa ngalokho uJoshuwa ayekwenze eJeriko + nase-Ayi. +
4 Ngakho benza ngokuhlakanipha, bafaka imiphako emasakeni agugile bayithwesa izimbongolo, kanye nezigubhu zewayini ezenziwe ngesikhumba ezigugile, ezidabukile zabe sezithungwa;
5 babefake nezimbadada ezigugile zase zichitshiyelwa, begqoke izingubo ezigugile. Sonke isinkwa somphako wabo sasomile, sivuthuka.
6 Baya kuJoshuwa ekamu eGiligali + bathi kuye nasemadodeni akwa-Israyeli: “Sivela ezweni elikude. Manje yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”
7 Kodwa amadoda akwa-Israyeli athi kula maHivi: + “Mhlawumbe nakhelene nathi. Pho singasenza kanjani isivumelwano nani?” +
8 Baphendula bathi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku* zakho.”
UJoshuwa wabe esethi kubo: “Ningobani, nivelaphi?”
9 Bathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho zivela ezweni elikude kakhulu + ngenxa yegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngoba sizwile ngodumo lwakhe nangakho konke akwenza eGibhithe +
10 nangakho konke akwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya* kweJordani, iNkosi uSihoni + yaseHeshibhoni neNkosi u-Ogi + yaseBhashani, eyayise-Ashitaroti.
11 Ngakho amadoda akithi amadala nabo bonke abakhileyo ezweni lakithi bathe kithi, ‘Thathani umphako wendlela nihambe niyobahlangabeza. Nifike nithi kubo: “Sizoba yizinceku zenu; + manje yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”’ +
12 Lesi sinkwa somphako sasishisa lapho sisithatha ezindlini zethu ngosuku esaphuma ngalo siza lapha kini. Kodwa manje niyazibonela ukuthi sesomile futhi siyavuthuka. +
13 Lezi zigubhu zewayini zazizintsha lapho sizigcwalisa, kodwa manje sezidabukile. + Izingubo nezimbadada zethu sekugugile ngenxa yohambo olude.”
14 Lapho ezwa lokho, amadoda akwa-Israyeli athatha omunye umphako wabo ukuze awuhlole, kodwa awazange abuze kuJehova. +
15 Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza ukuthula nabo, + wenza nesivumelwano nabo sokuthi ngeke bababulale, futhi yilokho izikhulu zenhlangano ezakufunga kubo. +
16 Ekupheleni kwezinsuku ezintathu, ngemva kokuba benze isivumelwano nabo, bezwa ukuthi bahlala endaweni eseduze nabo, bangomakhelwane.
17 Ama-Israyeli asuka aya emadolobheni abo, afika khona ngosuku lwesithathu; amadolobha abo kwakuyiGibheyoni, + iKhefira, iBheroti neKiriyati-jeyarimi. +
18 Kodwa ama-Israyeli awabahlaselanga abaseGibheyoni ngoba izikhulu zenhlangano zazifunge uJehova + uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli kubo. Ngakho yonke inhlangano yakhononda ngezikhulu.
19 Zonke izikhulu zathi kuyo yonke inhlangano: “Ngenxa yokuthi sifunge kubo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, asivunyelwe ukubalimaza.
20 Nakhu esizokwenza: Ngeke sibabulale, ukuze uNkulunkulu angasithukutheleli ngenxa yesifungo esisenze kubo.” +
21 Izikhulu zaqhubeka zathi kubo: “Mabangabulawa, kodwa mabanikwe umsebenzi wokutheza izinkuni nowokukhelela yonke inhlangano amanzi.” Yilokhu izikhulu ezabathembisa kona.
22 UJoshuwa wababiza wakhuluma nabo, wathi: “Nisikhohliseleni nathi, ‘Sivela endaweni ekude kakhulu,’ kuyilapho nihlala khona lapha phakathi kwethu? +
23 Kusukela manje niqalekisiwe + futhi niyohlale nenza umsebenzi wobugqila, nizotheza izinkuni nikhe namanzi endlu kaNkulunkulu wami.”
24 Bamphendula uJoshuwa bathi: “Kungenxa yokuthi izinceku zakho zatshelwa ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wayala uMose inceku yakhe ukuba aninike lonke leli zwe futhi aziqothule zonke izakhamuzi zalo zisuke phambi kwenu. + Ngakho besesaba ukuthi ukuphila* kwethu kusengozini ngenxa yenu, + yingakho senze lokhu. +
25 Manje sisesandleni sakho. Yenza noma yini oyibona iyinhle futhi ilungile.”
26 Yilokho kanye akwenza kubo; wabasindisa esandleni sama-Israyeli, awazange ababulale.
27 Kodwa ngalolo suku uJoshuwa wabanika umsebenzi wokutheza izinkuni nowokukha amanzi enhlangano + nawe-altare likaJehova endaweni uNkulunkulu ayezoyikhetha, + futhi kusenjalo kuze kube namuhla. +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Okuwukuthi, iMedithera.
^ Noma, “Siyizigqila.”
^ Okuwukuthi, ohlangothini olungasempumalanga.
^ Noma, “imiphefumulo.”
