< Joshua 24 >

1 And Ioshua assembled againe all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called the Elders of Israel, and their heades, and their iudges, and their officers, and they presented themselues before God.
Ngakho uJoshuwa wabuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekhemu. Wamema bonke abadala, abakhokheli, abahluleli leziphathamandla zako-Israyeli, njalo bazethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
2 Then Ioshua said vnto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt beyond the flood in olde time, euen Terah the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor, and serued other gods.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini bonke, “UThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli uthi: ‘Kudala okhokho benu, okugoqela uThera uyise ka-Abhrahama loNahori, babehlala ngaphetsheya koMfula njalo bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.
3 And I tooke your father Abraham from beyond the flood, and brought him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seede, and gaue him Izhak.
Kodwa ngathatha uyihlo u-Abhrahama elizweni elingaphetsheya koMfula ngamkhokhelela eKhenani ngamnika izizukulwane ezinengi. Ngamnika u-Isaka,
4 And I gaue vnto Izhak, Iaakob and Esau: and I gaue vnto Esau mount Seir, to possesse it: but Iaakob and his children went downe into Egypt.
njalo u-Isaka ngamnika uJakhobe lo-Esawu. Nganika ilizwe lonke elilamaqaqa eleSeyiri ku-Esawu, kodwa uJakhobe lamadodana akhe baya eGibhithe.
5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt: and when I had so done among them, I brought you out.
Ngasengithuma uMosi lo-Aroni, njalo ngajezisa amaGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza khonale ngasengilikhupha khona.
6 So I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and ye came vnto the Sea, and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with charets and horsemen vnto the red sea.
Ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe, beza olwandle njalo amaGibhithe axotshana labo ngezinqola lamabhiza baze bayafika eLwandle Olubomvu.
7 Then they cryed vnto the Lord, and he put a darkenesse betweene you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea vpon them, and couered them: so your eyes haue seene what I haue done in Egypt also ye dwelt in the wildernesse a long season.
Kodwa bakhala kuThixo befuna uncedo yena waseletha umnyama phakathi kwenu lamaGibhithe; waletha ulwandle phezu kwabo wabembesa ngalo. Lazibonela ngamehlo enu lokho engakwenza kumaGibhithe. Laselihlala enkangala okwesikhathi eside.
8 After, I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt beyond Iorden, and they fought with you: but I gaue them into your hand, and ye possessed their countrey, and I destroyed them out of your sight.
Ngaliletha elizweni lama-Amori ayehlala empumalanga yeJodani. Balwisana lani, kodwa mina ngabanikela ezandleni zenu. Ngababhubhisa phambi kwenu njalo laselithatha ilizwe labo.
9 Also Balak the sonne of Zippor King of Moab arose and warred against Israel, and sent to call Balaam the sonne of Beor for to curse you,
Lapho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yaseMowabi, alungiselela ukulwisana lo-Israyeli, wathumela uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori ukuthi aliqalekise.
10 But I would not heare Balaam: therefore he blessed you, and I deliuered you out of his hand.
Kodwa ngala ukulalela uBhalamu, ngakho walibusisa njalonjalo mina ngasengilihlenga esandleni sakhe.
11 And ye went ouer Iorden, and came vnto Iericho, and the men of Iericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hiuites and the Iebusites, and I deliuered them into your hand.
Laselichapha uJodani leza eJerikho. Izakhamizi zeJerikho zalwisana lani njengalokho okwenziwa ngama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaGigashi, amaHivi lamaJebusi, kodwa ngabanikela ezandleni zenu.
12 And I sent hornets before you, which cast them out before you, euen the two kings of the Amorites, and not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
Ngathumela olonyovu phambi kwenu, olwabaxotsha phambi kwenu kanye lamakhosi amabili ama-Amori. Kalizange likwenze ngenkemba yenu langedandili lenu.
13 And I haue giuen you a land, wherein ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and yee dwell in them, and eate of the vineyards and oliue trees, which yee planted not.
Ngakho ngalinika ilizwe elingazanga liliginqele lamadolobho elingazange liwakhe; njalo lihlala phakathi kwawo njalo lisidla ezivinini zama-oliva elingazihlanyelanga.’
14 Nowe therefore feare the Lord, and serue him in vprightnesse and in trueth, and put away the gods, which your fathers serued beyonde the flood and in Egypt, and serue the Lord.
Ngakho mesabeni uThixo limkhonze ngokuthembeka konke. Lahlani onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya koMfula laseGibhithe, likhonze uThixo.
15 And if it seeme euill vnto you to serue the Lord, choose you this day whome yee will serue, whether the gods which your fathers serued (that were beyond the flood) or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwel: but I and mine house will serue the Lord.
Kodwa nxa ukukhonza uThixo kukhanya kungathandeki kini, khethani phakathi kwenu namhlanje lowo elizamkhonza, kumbe ngonkulunkulu okhokho benu ababebakhonza ngaphetsheya koMfula kumbe onkulunkulu bama-Amori, lawo elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizakhonza uThixo.”
16 Then the people answered and saide, God forbid, that we shoulde forsake the Lord, to serue other gods.
Abantu basebephendula besithi, “Akube khatshana lathi ukuthi silahle uThixo ukuze sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu!
17 For the Lord our God, he brought vs and our fathers out of the lande of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and he did those great miracles in our sight, and preserued vs in all the way that we went, and among all the people through whome we came.
KwakunguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwakhe owasikhuphayo thina kanye labobaba eGibhithe sisuka elizweni lobugqili, wasesenza izimanga ezinkulu emehlweni ethu. Wasivikela kulolonke uhambo lwethu lakuzo zonke izizwe.
18 And the Lord did cast out before vs all the people, euen the Amorites which dwelt in the lande: therefore will we also serue the Lord, for he is our God.
Njalo uThixo wazixotsha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe, okugoqela ama-Amori ayehlala elizweni. Lathi sizamkhonza uThixo ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”
19 And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Ye can not serue the Lord: for he is an holie God: he is a ielous God: hee will not pardon your iniquitie nor your sinnes.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Kalenelisi ukumkhonza uThixo. UnguNkulunkulu ongcwele; unguNkulunkulu olobukhwele. Kasoze alixolele ekuhlamukeni kwenu lezonweni zenu.
20 If yee forsake the Lord and serue strange gods, then he will returne and bring euill vpon you, and consume you, after that hee hath done you good.
Nxa lingatshiya uThixo beselikhonza abanye onkulunkulu bezizweni uzaliphendukela alehlisele umonakalo aliqede du, yena ubelungile.”
21 And the people saide vnto Ioshua, Nay, but we will serue the Lord.
Kodwa abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Hatshi! Sizamkhonza uThixo.”
22 And Ioshua saide vnto the people, Yee are witnesses against your selues, that yee haue chosen you the Lord, to serue him: and they sayd, We are witnesses.
UJoshuwa wathi, “Yini elizifakazelayo ukuthi selikhethe ukukhonza uThixo.” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo singofakazi.”
23 Then put away nowe, saide he, the strange gods which are among you, and bowe your hearts vnto the Lord God of Israel.
UJoshuwa wathi kubo, “Ngakho-ke lahlani bonke onkulunkulu bezizweni abaphakathi kwenu beselinikela inhliziyo zenu kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli.”
24 And ye people saide vnto Ioshua, The Lord our God wil we serue, and his voyce wil we obey.
Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Sizamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu simlalele.”
25 So Ioshua made a couenant with the people the same day, and gaue them an ordinance and lawe in Shechem.
Ngalelolanga uJoshuwa wenzela abantu isivumelwano, njalo wabenzela imithetho lemilayo khonapho eShekhemu.
26 And Ioshua wrote these woordes in the booke of the Lawe of God, and tooke a great stone, and pitched it there vnder an oke that was in the Sanctuarie of the Lord.
UJoshuwa waloba konke lokhu oGwalweni lwemiThetho kaNkulunkulu. Wasethatha ilitshe elikhulu walimisa phansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi eduzane lendawo engcwele kaThixo.
27 And Ioshua saide vnto all the people, Beholde, this stone shall be a witnesse vnto vs: for it hath heard all the wordes of the Lord which he spake with vs: it shall be therefore a witnesse against you, lest yee denie your God.
Wathi ebantwini bonke, “Khangelani! Ilitshe leli lizakuba yibufakazi kithi sonke. Selizwile wonke amazwi akhulunywe nguThixo kithi. Lizakuba ngofakazi wokulilahla nxa lingakhulumi iqiniso kuNkulunkulu.”
28 Then Ioshua let the people depart, euery man vnto his inheritance.
UJoshuwa wasetshela abantu ukuba bahambe, yilowo esiya elifeni lakhe.
29 And after these things Ioshua the sonne of Nun, the seruaunt of the Lord died, being an hundreth and ten yeeres olde.
Ngemva kwezinto lezi, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaThixo wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
30 And they buried him in ye border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the Northside of mount Gaash.
Njalo bamngcwaba elizweni alizuza njengelifa, eThimnathi-Sera elizweni elilamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi enyakatho yentaba yeGashi.
31 And Israel serued the Lord all the daies of Ioshua, and all the daies of the Elders that ouerliued Ioshua, and which had knowen all the workes of the Lord that he had done for Israel.
Abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala kulaye ababesele bephila njalo bebone zonke izinto uThixo ayezenzele abako-Israyeli.
32 And the bones of Ioseph, which the children of Israel brought out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem in a parcell of ground which Iaakob bought of the sonnes of Hamor the father of Shechem, for an hundreth pieces of siluer, and the children of Ioseph had them in their inheritance.
Njalo amathambo kaJosefa, abako-Israyeli ababesuke lawo eGibhithe, angcwatshelwa eShekhemu esiqintini somhlaba leso uJakhobe asithenga ngenhlamvu ezilikhulu zesiliva emadodaneni kaHamori, uyise kaShekhemu. Leli laba yilifa lezizukulwane zikaJosefa.
33 Also Eleazar the sonne of Aaron died, whome they buried in the hill of Phinehas his sonne, which was giuen him in mount Ephraim.
U-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni wafa wasengcwatshelwa eGibhiya, eyayabelwe indodana yakhe uFinehasi elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi.

< Joshua 24 >