Joshua 9
1 And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],
Kwathi amakhosi wonke ayebusa ngentshonalanga yeJodani, layeselizweni lamaqaqa, layesewatheni lwamaqaqa angentshonalanga, layesekele uLwandle oLukhulu kusiyafika eLebhanoni, amakhosi amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhenani, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi esizwa ngalezizinto
2 they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.
ahlangana ukuze alwisane uJoshuwa labako-Israyeli.
3 And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.
Kodwa kwathi ngesikhathi abantu beGibhiyoni sebezwe konke uJoshuwa ayekwenze eJerikho le-Ayi,
4 And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and tore and patched bottles of wine,
benza ubuqili: Bahamba njengamanxusa ayelabobabhemi ababethwele amasaka adabukileyo lezigxingi zewayini ezindala ezazidabuke zangcinwa.
5 and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.
Amadoda ayegqoke amanyathela ayedabukile njalo exaxelwe, begqoke lezigqoko ezigugileyo. Zonke izinkwa ababezithwele njengomphako zazomile njalo zikhuntile.
6 And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.
Baya kuJoshuwa esihonqweni seGiligali bathi kuye lakwabako-Israyeli, “Sivela elizweni elikude; ngakho yenzani isivumelwano lathi.”
7 And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure you dwell among us; and how should I make a covenant with you?
Abako-Israyeli baphendula amaHivi bathi, “Kodwa mhlawumbe lihlala eduzane lathi, pho singasenza kanjani isivumelwano lani?”
8 And they said to Joshua, We are your servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are you, and whence have you come?
Bathi kuJoshuwa “Siyizinceku zenu.” Kodwa uJoshuwa wababuza wathi, “Lingobani njalo livela ngaphi?”
9 And they said, Your servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,
Baphendula bathi, “Izinceku zakho zivela elizweni elikude njalo zikhangwe yindumela kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu. Ngoba sesezwa imibiko eminengi ngaye: konke akwenza eGibhithe,
10 and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who lived in Astaroth and in Edrain.
lakho konke akwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori empumalanga yeJodani, uSihoni inkosi yeHeshibhoni lo-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani owayebusa e-Ashitharothi.
11 And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.
Abadala bethu labo bonke abakhileyo elizweni lakithi bathi kithi, ‘Thwalani umphako wohambo lwenu; lihambe liyehlangana labo lithi kubo, “Sizinceku zenu: yenzani isivumelwano lathi.”’
12 These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.
Isinkwa sethu lesi sasifudumala ngesikhathi sisifaka emigodleni yethu sisesemakhaya ngelanga esasuka ngalo sisiza kini. Kodwa-ke khangelani ukuthi sesome njalo sakhunta njani.
13 And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are tore; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.
Izigxingi lezi zewayini esazigcwalisisayo zazizintsha, kodwa-ke khangelani ukuthi sezidabuke njani. Izigqoko lamanyathela ethu sekudatshulwe yibude bomango.”
14 And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.
Abako-Israyeli bahlola imiphako yabo kodwa-ke kabasabuzanga kuThixo.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.
Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano sokuthula labo wabavumela ukuthi bahlale, njalo abathungameli bebandla bavumelana lalokhu ngesifungo.
16 And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbors, and that they lived among them.
Sekwedlule insuku ezintathu benze isivumelwano lamaGibhiyoni, abako-Israyeli bezwa ukuthi lababantu babengomakhelwana, ababehlala eduzane labo.
17 And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.
Abako-Israyeli baya emadolobheni abo ayebalisa iGibhiyoni, iKhefira, iBherothi leKhiriyathi-Jeyarimi.
18 Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.
Kodwa abako-Israyeli kabazange babahlasele ngenxa yokuthi abathungameli bebandla babefunge ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli. Ibandla lonke lakhonona ngabadala bebandla;
19 And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.
kodwa bona bonke baphendula bathi, “Sibanike isifungo sethu ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli njalo asingeke sabathinta khathesi.
20 This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.
Lokhu yikho esizakwenza kubo: Sizabayekela bahlale, ukuze ulaka lungezi kithi ngenxa yokwephula isifungo esasenza phambi kwabo.”
21 They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.
Baqhubeka bathi, “Bayekeleni bahlale, kodwa bazakuba ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi abazasebenzela uzulu wonke.” Ngakho-ke isivumelwano sabakhokheli sagcinwa.
22 And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have you deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas you are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?
UJoshuwa wabiza wonke amaGibhiyoni wathi kuwo, “Kungani lisikhohlisile ngokuthi, ‘Sihlala khatshana lani, lina lihlala eduzane lathi kangaka?’
23 And now you are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.
Seliqalekisiwe: kalisoze liyekele ukuba ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi lisebenzela indlu kaNkulunkulu wami.”
24 And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord your God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that lived on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.
Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi, “Izinceku zakho zatshelwa mgceke ukuthi uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu walaya njani inceku yakhe uMosi ukuthi alinike ilizwe lonke lokuthi litshabalalise bonke ababakhele kulo lina lingakafiki. Ngakho-ke sesabela impilo zethu ngenxa yenu, yikho okwenze senza lokhu.
25 And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.
Sesizinikele ezandleni zenu. Yenzani kithi konke elikubona kufanele njalo kuqondile kini.”
26 And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.
Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wabasindisa esandleni sika-Israyeli, njalo kabasababulalanga.
27 And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.
Ngalelolanga wenza ukuthi amaGibhiyoni abe ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi besebenzela uzulu njalo besebenza e-alithareni likaThixo endaweni eyayikhethwe nguThixo. Yikho abayikhona kuze kube lamhlanje.
