Joshua 22
1 Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh
Ngalesosikhathi uJoshuwa wabiza abakoRubeni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sabakoManase,
2 and told them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.
wathi kubo: Lina ligcinile konke uMozisi inceku yeNkosi eyalilaya khona, lalilalela ilizwi lami kukho konke engalilaya khona.
3 All this time you have not deserted your brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you by the LORD your God.
Kalibatshiyanga abafowenu kulezinsuku ezinengi, kuze kube lamuhla; kodwa ligcinile imfanelo yomlayo weNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.
4 And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.
Khathesi-ke, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu ibanikile abafowenu ukuphumula, njengalokho akukhuluma kubo. Ngakho-ke buyelani lina liye emathenteni enu elizweni lelifa lenu, alinika lona uMozisi inceku yeNkosi ngaphetsheya kweJordani.
5 But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Kuphela liqaphelisise ukwenza umlayo lomthetho uMozisi inceku yeNkosi alilaya wona, ukuthanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, lokuhamba endleleni zayo zonke, lokugcina imilayo yayo, lokunamathela kuyo, lokuyikhonza ngenhliziyo yenu yonke langomphefumulo wenu wonke.
6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.
Wasebabusisa uJoshuwa ebayekela behamba, baya emathenteni abo.
7 (To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them,
Njalo kungxenye yesizwe sakoManase uMozisi wayenike indawo eBashani; kodwa kungxenye yayo uJoshuwa wayinika indawo labafowabo nganeno kweJordani entshonalanga. Njalo-ke nxa uJoshuwa ebayekela behamba besiya emathenteni abo, wababusisa.
8 saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”
Wakhuluma labo esithi: Buyelani emathenteni enu lilenotho enengi lezifuyo ezinengi kakhulu lilesiliva legolide lethusi lensimbi lezigqoko ezinengi kakhulu; lehlukaniselane impango yezitha zenu labafowenu.
9 So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD through Moses.
Abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase basebebuyela, besuka ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli bephuma eShilo eselizweni leKhanani, ukuya elizweni leGileyadi, elizweni lelifa labo ababelizuzile, ngokomlayo weNkosi ngesandla sikaMozisi.
10 And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
Kwathi sebefikile emingceleni yeJordani eselizweni leKhanani, abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase bakha khona ilathi ngaseJordani, ilathi elikhulu ngokubonakala.
11 Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”
Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli besizwa kuthiwa: Khangelani, abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase bakhile ilathi maqondana lelizwe leKhanani emingceleni eJordani ehlangothini lwabantwana bakoIsrayeli.
12 And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.
Kwathi abantwana bakoIsrayeli bekuzwa, inhlangano yonke yabantwana bakoIsrayeli yabuthana eShilo ukwenyukela kubo empini.
13 The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebethuma kubantwana bakoRubeni lakubantwana bakoGadi lengxenyeni eyodwa kwezimbili yesizwe sakoManase elizweni leGileyadi uPhinehasi indodana kaEleyazare umpristi,
14 With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
lezinduna ezilitshumi laye, induna eyodwa ngendlu ngayinye yaboyise ivela kuzo zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli; ngayinye yayiyinhloko yendlu yaboyise, kunkulungwane zakoIsrayeli.
15 They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,
Basebefika kubantwana bakoRubeni lakubantwana bakoGadi lengxenyeni eyodwa kwezimbili yesizwe sakoManase elizweni leGileyadi, bakhuluma labo besithi:
16 “This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?
Itsho njalo inhlangano yonke yeNkosi: Kuyisiphambeko bani eseliphambeke ngaso limelane loNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, liphambuka lamuhla ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, ekuzakheleni ilathi, ukuze lihlamukele iNkosi lamuhla?
17 Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.
Ngabe isiphambeko sePeyori sincinyane kakhulu kithi yini, esingahlanjululwanga kuso kuze kube lamuhla, lanxa inhlupheko yayiphakathi kwenhlangano yeNkosi,
18 And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
ukuze lina liphenduke lamuhla ekuyilandeleni iNkosi? Kuzakuthi uba lina liyihlamuka iNkosi lamuhla, kusasa izayithukuthelela inhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli.
19 If indeed the land of your inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.
Kodwa ngeqiniso, uba ilizwe lemfuyo yenu lingcolile, chaphelani lina elizweni lemfuyo yeNkosi lapho ithabhanekele leNkosi elihlala khona, lizizuzele imfuyo phakathi kwethu; kodwa lingayihlamukeli iNkosi njalo lingasihlamukeli ekuzakheleni kwenu ilathi ngaphandle kwelathi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
20 Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”
UAkani indodana kaZera kaphambekanga yini ngesiphambeko entweni eqalekisiweyo, kwasekusiba lolaka phezu kwenhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli? Leyondoda kayibhubhanga-ke yodwa esiphambekweni sayo.
21 Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:
Abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase basebephendula bathi kunhloko zezinkulungwane zakoIsrayeli:
22 “The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.
UNkulunkulu wabonkulunkulu, iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wabonkulunkulu, iNkosi, uyazi, loIsrayeli kakwazi; uba bekungokuhlamuka kumbe uba ngokuphambuka eNkosini, lingasisindisi lamuhla,
23 If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.
ukuthi sizakhele ilathi ukuphambuka ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, loba sinikelele phezu kwalo umnikelo wokutshiswa loba umnikelo wokudla, loba ukwenza phezu kwalo iminikelo yokuthula, iNkosi uqobo kayikudinge.
24 But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
Kodwa ngeqiniso sikwenze ngokunqineka ngaloludaba sisithi: Kusasa abantwana benu bazakhuluma kubantwana bethu bathi: Lilani leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli?
25 For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.
Ngoba iNkosi iyenzile iJordani yaba ngumngcele phakathi kwethu lani, lina bantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi, kalilasabelo eNkosini. Ngalokho abantwana benu benze abantwana bethu ukuthi bayekele ukuyesaba iNkosi.
26 That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.
Ngakho sathi: Kasizilungiseleni khathesi ukwakha ilathi, lingabi ngelomnikelo wokutshiswa, njalo lingabi ngelomhlatshelo,
27 Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
kodwa libe yibufakazi phakathi kwethu lani lezizukulwana zethu emva kwethu, ukuthi sikhonze inkonzo yeNkosi phambi kwayo ngeminikelo yethu yokutshiswa langemihlatshelo yethu langeminikelo yethu yokuthula, ukuze abantwana benu bangathi ebantwaneni bethu kusasa: Kalilasabelo eNkosini.
28 Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’
Sasesisithi: Kuzakuthi-ke, nxa bekhuluma lokhu kithi lesizukulwaneni sethu kusasa, sizakuthi: Bonani umfanekiso welathi leNkosi obaba abalakhayo, kungeyisilo lomnikelo wokutshiswa lingeyisilo lomhlatshelo, kodwa liyibufakazi phakathi kwethu lani.
29 Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”
Kakube khatshana lathi ukuthi siyihlamuke iNkosi, lokuthi siphenduke lamuhla ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, ukwakha ilathi lomnikelo wokutshiswa lelomnikelo wokudla lelomhlatshelo, ngaphandle kwelathi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu eliphambi kwethabhanekele layo.
30 When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.
Kwathi uPhinehasi umpristi lenduna zenhlangano lenhloko zezinkulungwane zakoIsrayeli ezazilaye bewezwa amazwi abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi labantwana bakoManase abawakhulumayo, kwakukuhle emehlweni abo.
31 Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”
UPhinehasi indodana kaEleyazare umpristi wasesithi kubantwana bakoRubeni lakubantwana bakoGadi lakubantwana bakoManase: Lamuhla siyazi ukuthi iNkosi iphakathi kwethu, ngoba kaliphambekanga lesisiphambeko eNkosini; khathesi likhulule abantwana bakoIsrayeli esandleni seNkosi.
32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead.
UPhinehasi indodana kaEleyazare umpristi lezinduna basebebuyela bevela ebantwaneni bakoRubeni lebantwaneni bakoGadi elizweni leGileyadi, besiya elizweni leKhanani ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli, babuyisela ilizwi kubo.
33 The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.
Lodaba lwaluluhle emehlweni abantwana bakoIsrayeli; abantwana bakoIsrayeli bambusisa uNkulunkulu, kabasakhulumanga ngokwenyukela kubo empini ukuchitha ilizwe abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi ababehlala kulo.
34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”
Abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi balibiza ilathi ngokuthi: Liyibufakazi phakathi kwethu bokuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu.
