Joshua 9
1 Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)—
Kwasekusithi lapho wonke amakhosi ayenganeno kweJordani, entabeni, lesihotsheni, lekhunjini lolwandle olukhulu, maqondana leLebhanoni, amaHethi lamaAmori, amaKhanani, amaPerizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi ezwa,
2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
abuthana ndawonye ukulwa loJoshuwa loIsrayeli nganhliziyonye.
3 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
Kwathi abahlali beGibeyoni sebezwile lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenzile eJeriko laseAyi,
4 acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
labo basebesenza ngobuqili; bahamba bazenza izithunywa, bathwalisa obabhemi babo amasaka agugileyo lemigodla yewayini egugileyo ledabukileyo lebekelweyo,
5 They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.
lamanyathela agugileyo labekelweyo enyaweni zabo, lezigqoko ezigugileyo bezigqokile, lezinkwa zonke zomphako wabo sezomile zikhuntile.
6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”
Basebesiya kuJoshuwa enkambeni eGiligali, bathi kuye lemadodeni akoIsrayeli: Sivela elizweni elikhatshana, ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano lathi.
7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”
Kodwa amadoda akoIsrayeli athi kumaHivi: Mhlawumbe lihlala phakathi kwethu; pho, singenza njani isivumelwano lenu?
8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”
Asesithi kuJoshuwa: Sizinceku zakho. UJoshuwa wasesithi kiwo: Lingobani? Njalo livela ngaphi?
9 “Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt,
Asesithi kuye: Izinceku zakho zivela elizweni elikhatshana kakhulu, ngenxa yebizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngoba sizwile indumela yayo lakho konke eyakwenza eGibhithe,
10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
lakho konke eyakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yeHeshiboni, loOgi inkosi yeBashani, eyayiseAshitarothi.
11 So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’
Ngakho abadala bethu labo bonke abakhileyo elizweni lakithi bakhuluma kithi besithi: Thathani umphako wendlela esandleni senu, lihambe liyehlangana labo, lithi kibo: Sizinceku zenu; ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano lathi.
12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy.
Lesisinkwa sethu sasithatha sitshisa singumphako wethu ezindlini zethu mhla siphumayo sisiza kini; kodwa khathesi, khangela, sesomile sakhunta.
13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”
Lalimigodla yewayini esayigcwalisayo yayimitsha; kodwa khangela, isidabukile. Lalezizigqoko zethu lamanyathela ethu sekugugiswe luhambo olude kakhulu.
14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
Ngakho amadoda athatha kokomphako wabo, engabuzanga umlomo weNkosi.
15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
UJoshuwa wasesenza ukuthula labo, wenza isivumelwano labo sokubayekela baphile, lezinduna zenhlangano zafunga kibo.
16 Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.
Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezintathu emva kokuthi sebenzile isivumelwano labo, bezwa ukuthi bangomakhelwane babo, lokuthi babehlala phakathi kwabo.
17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesuka bafika emizini yabo ngosuku lwesithathu. Njalo imizi yabo yayiyiGibeyoni leKefira leBherothi leKiriyathi-Jeyarimi.
18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
Njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli kababatshayanga ngoba izinduna zebandla zazibafungele ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; inhlangano yonke yasingungunela izinduna.
19 All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.
Kodwa zonke izinduna zathi enhlanganweni yonke: Thina sifungile kibo ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngakho-ke kasilakubathinta.
20 This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”
Sizakwenza lokhu kibo, sibayekele baphile, ukuze kungabi khona ulaka phezu kwethu ngenxa yesifungo esasifunga kibo.
21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.
Lezinduna zathi kubo: Bayekeleni baphile, kodwa kababe ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi enhlanganweni yonke, njengokutsho kwezinduna kubo.
22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?
UJoshuwa wasebabiza, wakhuluma labo esithi: Lisikhohliseleni, lisithi: Sikhatshana kakhulu lani; kanti lina lihlala phakathi kwethu?
23 Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Ngakho-ke liqalekisiwe, njalo kakuyikuqunywa phakathi kwenu izigqili labagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi bendlu kaNkulunkulu wami.
24 The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this.
Basebephendula uJoshuwa bathi: Ngoba kwatshelwa lokutshelwa ezincekwini zakho ukuthi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho yalaya uMozisi inceku yayo ukulinika ilizwe lonke lokuchitha bonke abakhileyo belizwe phambi kwenu. Ngakho sesaba kakhulu ngempilo yethu ngenxa yenu. Yikho senze le into.
25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
Khathesi-ke, khangela, sesisesandleni sakho; yenza njengokulungileyo lanjengokuqondileyo emehlweni akho ukukwenza kithi.
26 So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
Ngakho wenza njalo kubo, wabophula esandleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuze bangababulali.
27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.
UJoshuwa wasebenza ngalolosuku baba ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi benhlangano, labelathi leNkosi, kuze kube lamuhla, endaweni ezayikhetha.
