Joshua 3
1 Early the next morning Joshua got up and left Shittim with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over.
Ekuseni kakhulu uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShithima baqonda eJodani lapho abamisa khona izihonqo zabo bengakachaphi.
2 After three days the officers went through the camp
Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo,
3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu labaphristi abangabaLevi belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele.
4 But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between yourselves and the ark. Do not go near it, so that you can see the way to go, since you have never traveled this way before.”
Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo umango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lomtshokotsho; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”
5 Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uThixo uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”
6 And he said to the priests, “Take the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho bawuthatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.
7 Now the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you just as I was with Moses.
UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi.
8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.’”
Tshela abaphristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika okhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, lingene liyekuma phakathi komfula.’”
9 So Joshua told the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.”
UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go ahead of you into the Jordan.
Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.
12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.
Ngakho-ke, khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni esisodwa.
13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—touch down in the waters of the Jordan, its flowing waters will be cut off and will stand up in a heap.”
Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho kaThixo, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of them.
Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayechapha uJodani, abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano bahamba phambili.
15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge,
UJodani wayehlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho befika eJodani inyawo zabo zazithinta amanzi,
16 the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.
amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetswayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho.
17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.
Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
