< Joshua 22 >

1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
UJoshuwa wamema abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sikaManase
2 and said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, and have hearkened to my voice in all that I commanded you.
wathi kubo, “Selenze konke uMosi inceku kaThixo eyakulayayo, njalo lingilalele kukho konke engililaye ngakho.
3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, and ye have kept the charge of the commandment of Jehovah your God.
Okwesikhathi eside khathesi, kuze kube lamuhla, kalizange lihlamukele abafowenu kodwa lenze umsebenzi lowo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinike wona.
4 And now Jehovah your God hath given rest to your brethren, as he said unto them; and now return, and get you unto your tents, unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Jehovah gave you beyond the Jordan.
Njengoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wanika abafowenu ukuphumula njengokuthembisa kwakhe, buyelani emakhaya enu elizweni uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika lona ngaphetsheya kweJodani.
5 Only, take great heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded you, to love Jehovah your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Kodwa linanzelele kakhulu ukuthi lilondoloza umlayo lomthetho uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika wona: Ukuthanda uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ukuhamba ezindleleni zakhe zonke, ukulalela imilayo yakhe, ukubambelela kuye lokumsebenzela ngenhliziyo yenu yonke lomphefumulo wenu wonke.”
6 And Joshua blessed them, and sent them away; and they went to their tents.
UJoshuwa wasebabusisa wathi kabahambe; yikho basebesiya emizini yabo.
7 And to half the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given [inheritance] in Bashan, and to the other half thereof had Joshua given among their brethren on this side the Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents, he blessed them also,
Ingxenye yesizwana sakoManase uMosi wayeyinike ilizwe eBhashani, kwathi eyinye ingxenye yesizwana uJoshuwa wayeyinike indawo lapho okwakwakhele abafowabo eJodani. Kwathi uJoshuwa esethe kabahambe emakhaya, wababusisa
8 and spoke to them, saying, Return unto your tents with much wealth and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with copper, and with iron, and with clothing, in very great quantity; divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
wathi, “Buyelani emakhaya enu lenotho yenu enengi, lilemihlambi emikhulu yezifuyo, lilesiliva, igolide ithusi lensimbi, lamalembu amanengi, beselisabelana labafowenu lokho elakuthumba ezitheni zenu.”
9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, into the land of their possession, of which they had become possessed, according to the word of Jehovah through Moses.
Ngakho abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase batshiya abako-Israyeli eShilo eseKhenani babuyela eGiliyadi, ilizwe labo, ababelizuze kulandela umlayo kaThixo awethula ngoMosi.
10 And they came to the districts of the Jordan that are in the land of Canaan; and the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of grand appearance.
Bathi sebefike eGelithothi eduzane leJodani elizweni leKhenani, abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bakha i-alithari elikhulu eduzane leJodani.
11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the districts of the Jordan, separately from the children of Israel.
Kwathi abako-Israyeli sebezwe ukuthi sebakhe i-alithari emngceleni weKhenani eGelithothi duzane leJodani eceleni lako-Israyeli,
12 And when the children of Israel heard [of it], the whole assembly of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.
umphakathi wonke wako-Israyeli wabuthana eShilo ukulungiselela ukulwa labo empini.
13 And the children of Israel sent to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
Ngakho abako-Israyeli bathuma uFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi elizweni leGiliyadi kuRubheni, uGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase.
14 and with him ten princes, of each father's house a prince, out of all the tribes of Israel; and each of them was head of a father's house, of the thousands of Israel.
Waphelekezelwa zinduna ezilitshumi, inye ngayinye ivela phakathi kwezizwe zonke zako-Israyeli njalo iyinhloko yesigaba semuli yensendo zako-Israyeli.
15 And they came to the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, to the land of Gilead, and spoke with them, saying,
Ekuyeni kwabo eGiliyadi, kuRubheni loGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bathi kubo:
16 Thus saith the whole assembly of Jehovah: What wickedness is this which ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Jehovah, in that ye have built yourselves an altar, rebelling this day against Jehovah?
“Umphakathi wonke kaThixo uthi: ‘Kungani lisuke langathembeki kuNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli ngale indlela? Kungani lilahle uNkulunkulu lizakhela i-alithari njengokumhlamukela khathesi.
17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us? from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the assembly of Jehovah.
Kambe ukona kukaPheyori kakwanelanga kithi na? Kuze kube lamhla kasikazihlambululi esonweni leso, lanxa umkhuhlane wake wahlasela isizwe sikaThixo!
18 And ye turn away this day from following Jehovah; and it will be, that since ye rebel this day against Jehovah, to-morrow he will be wroth with the whole assembly of Israel.
Selibalekela uThixo na? Nxa lingahlamukela uThixo lamhla, kusasa uzazondela isizwe sonke sako-Israyeli:
19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession is unclean, come over into the land of the possession of Jehovah, where Jehovah's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession amongst us; but rebel not against Jehovah, and rebel not against us, in building for yourselves an altar besides the altar of Jehovah our God.
Nxa umhlaba elilawo ungcolisiwe wozani emhlabeni kaThixo lapho ithabanikeli likaThixo elimi khona beselisabelana umhlaba lathi. Kodwa lingahlamukeli uThixo kumbe thina ngokuzakhela i-alithari lenu, ngaphandle kwe-alithari likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.
20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing? and wrath fell on all the assembly of Israel, and he perished not alone in his iniquity.
Lapho u-Akhani indodana kaZera aze angathembeki ezintweni ezingcwelisiweyo, isijeziso kasehlelanga isizwe sonke sako-Israyeli yini? Kayisuye yedwa owafela isono sakhe.’”
21 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered and said to the heads of the thousands of Israel,
Ngakho uRubheni, uGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase baphendula abakhokheli bezinsendo zako-Israyeli bathi:
22 The God of gods, Jehovah, the God of gods, Jehovah, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know [it]; if it is in rebellion, or if in trespass against Jehovah, — save us not this day!
“USomandla, uNkulunkulu uThixo! USomandla uNkulunkulu uThixo! Uyazi! Njalo u-Israyeli kabe lolwazi! Nxa lokhu bekuyikuhlamukela kumbe ukuqholozela uThixo, lingasisindisi lamhlanje.
23 — that we have built for ourselves an altar to turn from following Jehovah, and if it is to offer up burnt-offering and oblation on it, and if to offer peace-offerings thereon, let Jehovah himself require it [from us];
Nxa sazakhela i-alithari lethu ukwenzela ukubalekela uThixo lokunikela ngeminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele, kumbe ukunikela ngeminikelo yokuthula kulo, uThixo ngokwakhe kasijezise.
24 and if we have not done it from fear of this thing, saying, In future your children will speak to our children, saying, What have ye to do with Jehovah the God of Israel?
Hatshi! Sakwenza sisesaba ukuthi kwelinye ilanga izizukulwane zenu zingathi kwezethu, ‘Lilani loThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli?
25 Jehovah hath made the Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad, ye have no portion in Jehovah! And so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Jehovah.
UThixo sewenza iJodani ibe ngumngcele phakathi kwethu lani lina maRubheni lamaGadi! Kalilasabelo kuThixo.’ Ngakho izizukulwane zenu zingenza ukuthi ezethu ziyekele ukwesaba uThixo.
26 And we said, Let us now set to work to build an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice,
Yikho sathi, ‘Kasilungiseni sakhe i-alithari, kodwa hatshi eleminikelo yokutshiswa kumbe imihlatshelo.’
27 but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we might do service to Jehovah before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in future, Ye have no portion in Jehovah.
Ngeyinye indlela, kuzakuba yibufakazi phakathi kwethu lani lezizukulwane ezizalandela, ukuthi sizekhonza uThixo endlini yakhe engcwele ngeminikelo yokutshiswa, iminikelo yethu kanye leyokuthula. Ngakho kwelakusasa izizukulwane zenu kazisoze zithi kwezethu, ‘Kalilasabelo kuThixo.’
28 And we said, If it shall be that in future they so say to us and to our generations, we will say, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, but as a witness between us and you.
Njalo sathi, ‘Bangavele batsho lokhu kithi kumbe kuzizukulwane zethu, sizaphendula sithi: Khangelani emfanekisweni we-alithari likaThixo, elakhiwa ngobaba, hatshi eleminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo, kodwa njengobufakazi phakathi kwethu lani.’
29 Far be it from us that we should rebel against Jehovah, and turn this day from following Jehovah, in building an altar for burnt-offering, for oblation, and for sacrifice, besides the altar of Jehovah our God that is before his tabernacle.
Kukhatshana kithi ukuthi sihlamukele uThixo simfulathele lamhla ngokwakha i-alithari leminikelo yokutshiswa, iminikelo yamabele lemihlatshelo, ngaphandle kwe-alithari likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu elimi phambi kwethabanikeli lakhe.”
30 And when Phinehas the priest and the princes of the assembly and the heads of the thousands of Israel that were with him heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their sight.
Kwathi uFinehasi umphristi labakhokheli besizwe, abakhokheli bezinsendo zako-Israyeli, sebezwe okwakutshiwo nguRubheni, uGadi loManase bathokoza.
31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that Jehovah is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Jehovah: now have ye delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Jehovah.
UFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi, wathi kuRubheni, uGadi loManase, “Lamhla siyazi ukuthi uThixo ulathi, ngenxa yokuthi kalizange liyekele ukwethembeka phambi kukaThixo kuloludaba. Khathesi selihlenge abako-Israyeli esandleni sikaThixo.”
32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, to the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
UFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi, labakhokheli babuyela eKhenani bevela emhlanganweni wabo labakoRubheni labakoGadi eGiliyadi basebebika kwabako-Israyeli.
33 And the thing was good in the sight of the children of Israel, and the children of Israel blessed God, and no more said that they would go up in warfare against them, to destroy the land in which the children of Reuben and the children of Gad dwelt.
Bathokoza ukuzwa umbiko basebedumisa uNkulunkulu. Kabasakhulumanga njalo ngokuya empini yokubalwisa ukwenzela ukutshabalalisa ilizwe lapho abakoRubheni labakoGadi ababehlala khona.
34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad gave a name to the altar; for it is a witness between us that Jehovah is God.
Njalo abakoRubheni labakoGadi banika i-alithari lelibizo: UBufakazi Phakathi Kwethu ukuthi uThixo unguNkulunkulu.

< Joshua 22 >