UJoshuwa 22
1 UJoshuwa wamema abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sikaManase
Then, called Joshua—for the Reubenites, and for the Gadites, —and for the half tribe of Manasseh;
2 wathi kubo, “Selenze konke uMosi inceku kaThixo eyakulayayo, njalo lingilalele kukho konke engililaye ngakho.
and said unto them, Ye, have observed all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, —and have hearkened unto my voice, in all that I commanded you:
3 Okwesikhathi eside khathesi, kuze kube lamuhla, kalizange lihlamukele abafowenu kodwa lenze umsebenzi lowo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinike wona.
ye have not forsaken your brethren, these many days, unto this day, —but have kept the charge of the commandment of Yahweh your God.
4 Njengoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wanika abafowenu ukuphumula njengokuthembisa kwakhe, buyelani emakhaya enu elizweni uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika lona ngaphetsheya kweJodani.
Now, therefore, that Yahweh your God hath given rest unto your brethren, according as he spake unto them, —now, therefore, turn ye and get you to your homes within the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave unto you, over the Jordan.
5 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.”
Only, take ye diligent heed, to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you—to love Yahweh 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.
6 UJoshuwa wasebabusisa wathi kabahambe; yikho basebesiya emizini yabo.
So Joshua blessed them, —and sent them away, and they took their journey unto their homes.
7 Ingxenye yesizwana sakoManase uMosi wayeyinike ilizwe eBhashani, kwathi eyinye ingxenye yesizwana uJoshuwa wayeyinike indawo lapho okwakwakhele abafowabo eJodani. Kwathi uJoshuwa esethe kabahambe emakhaya, wababusisa
Now, unto the [one] half tribe of Manesseh, had Moses given a possession in Bashan, and, unto the [other] half, did Joshua give possession with their brethren, over the Jordan, westward, —moreover also, when Joshua sent them away unto their homes, he blessed them,
8 wathi, “Buyelani emakhaya enu lenotho yenu enengi, lilemihlambi emikhulu yezifuyo, lilesiliva, igolide ithusi lensimbi, lamalembu amanengi, beselisabelana labafowenu lokho elakuthumba ezitheni zenu.”
and spake unto them, saying—With much wealth, return ye unto your homes, even with very much cattle, with silver and with gold, and with copper and with iron, and with very much raiment, —divide ye the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
9 Ngakho abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase batshiya abako-Israyeli eShilo eseKhenani babuyela eGiliyadi, ilizwe labo, ababelizuze kulandela umlayo kaThixo awethula ngoMosi.
So the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh. returned and departed from the sons of Israel, from Shiloh, which was in the land of Canaan, —to go unto the land of Gilead, unto the land of their possession, wherein they had received their possessions, at the bidding of Yahweh by the hand of Moses.
10 Bathi sebefike eGelithothi eduzane leJodani elizweni leKhenani, abakoRubheni, abakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bakha i-alithari elikhulu eduzane leJodani.
And, when they came into the circles of the Jordan, which were in the land of Canaan, —then did the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh build there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of large dimensions,
11 Kwathi abako-Israyeli sebezwe ukuthi sebakhe i-alithari emngceleni weKhenani eGelithothi duzane leJodani eceleni lako-Israyeli,
And the sons of Israel heard say, —Lo! the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar in front of the land of Canaan, in the circles of the Jordan, in the region opposite the sons of Israel.
12 umphakathi wonke wako-Israyeli wabuthana eShilo ukulungiselela ukulwa labo empini.
And, when the sons of Israel heard, all the assembly of the sons of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up against them to war.
13 Ngakho abako-Israyeli bathuma uFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi elizweni leGiliyadi kuRubheni, uGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase.
And the sons of Israel sent unto the sons of Reuben and unto the sons of Gad and unto the half tribe of Manasseh, within the land of Gilead, —Phinehas, son of Eleazar the priest;
14 Waphelekezelwa zinduna ezilitshumi, inye ngayinye ivela phakathi kwezizwe zonke zako-Israyeli njalo iyinhloko yesigaba semuli yensendo zako-Israyeli.
and ten princes with him, one prince of an ancestral house for each of the tribes of Israel, —they being, severally heads of their ancestral houses, among the thousands of Israel.
15 Ekuyeni kwabo eGiliyadi, kuRubheni loGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bathi kubo:
So they came in unto the sons of Reuben and unto the sons of Gad and unto the half tribe of Manasseh, within the land of Gilead, —and spake with them, saying:
16 “Umphakathi wonke kaThixo uthi: ‘Kungani lisuke langathembeki kuNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli ngale indlela? Kungani lilahle uNkulunkulu lizakhela i-alithari njengokumhlamukela khathesi.
Thus, say all the assembly of Yahweh—What is this act of treachery which ye have committed against the God of Israel, that ye should turn back, to-day, from following Yahweh, —in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel, to-day, against Yahweh?
17 Kambe ukona kukaPheyori kakwanelanga kithi na? Kuze kube lamhla kasikazihlambululi esonweni leso, lanxa umkhuhlane wake wahlasela isizwe sikaThixo!
Too little for us, was the iniquity of Peor, from which we have not cleansed ourselves, unto this day, —although the plague came upon the assembly of Yahweh;
18 Selibalekela uThixo na? Nxa lingahlamukela uThixo lamhla, kusasa uzazondela isizwe sonke sako-Israyeli:
but that, ye, must turn back to-day from following Yahweh, —though it must needs be that, if, ye, rebel to-day against Yahweh, then, to-morrow, with all the assembly of Israel, will he be wroth?
19 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.
Howbeit, if, unclean, be the land of your possession, do ye on your part come over into the land of the possession of Yahweh, where abideth the habitation of Yahweh, and take your possession in our midst, —but, against Yahweh, do not rebel, nor, against us, rebel, by building yourselves an altar apart from the altar of Yahweh our God.
20 Lapho u-Akhani indodana kaZera aze angathembeki ezintweni ezingcwelisiweyo, isijeziso kasehlelanga isizwe sonke sako-Israyeli yini? Kayisuye yedwa owafela isono sakhe.’”
Did not, Achan son of Zerah, commit an act of treachery, with a devoted thing, and, upon all the assembly of Israel, came wrath, —so that not, he—one man alone, died in his iniquity.
21 Ngakho uRubheni, uGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase baphendula abakhokheli bezinsendo zako-Israyeli bathi:
Then responded the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, —and spake unto the heads of the thousands of Israel:
22 “USomandla, uNkulunkulu uThixo! USomandla uNkulunkulu uThixo! Uyazi! Njalo u-Israyeli kabe lolwazi! Nxa lokhu bekuyikuhlamukela kumbe ukuqholozela uThixo, lingasisindisi lamhlanje.
El-Elohim-Yahweh, El-Elohim-Yahweh, he knoweth, and, Israel, he, shall know, —if in rebellion, or if in treachery, against Yahweh, do not save us this day:
23 Nxa sazakhela i-alithari lethu ukwenzela ukubalekela uThixo lokunikela ngeminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele, kumbe ukunikela ngeminikelo yokuthula kulo, uThixo ngokwakhe kasijezise.
that we should build for ourselves an altar, to turn back from following Yahweh, —or, if that we might cause to go up thereon ascending-sacrifice or meal-offering, or if that we might offer thereon peace-offerings, let Yahweh himself require it;
24 Hatshi! Sakwenza sisesaba ukuthi kwelinye ilanga izizukulwane zenu zingathi kwezethu, ‘Lilani loThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli?
if, indeed, we have not, rather, out of anxiety and of purpose, done this thing, saying, —. In time to come, your sons might speak to our sons, saying, What have ye to do with Yahweh, God of Israel;
25 UThixo sewenza iJodani ibe ngumngcele phakathi kwethu lani lina maRubheni lamaGadi! Kalilasabelo kuThixo.’ Ngakho izizukulwane zenu zingenza ukuthi ezethu ziyekele ukwesaba uThixo.
seeing that, a boundary, hath Yahweh put between us and you, ye sons of Reuben and ye sons of Gad—even the Jordan, ye have no portion in Yahweh, —so might your sons cause our sons, to cease from revering Yahweh.
26 Yikho sathi, ‘Kasilungiseni sakhe i-alithari, kodwa hatshi eleminikelo yokutshiswa kumbe imihlatshelo.’
We said, therefore, Let us prepare, we pray you, to build us an altar, —not for ascending-offering, nor for sacrifice;
27 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.’
but that, a witness, it may be between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we are to do the service of Yahweh, before him, with our ascending-offerings and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings, —that your sons may not say, in time to come, to our sons, Ye have no portion in Yahweh.
28 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.’
Therefore said we, And it shall be, when they [so] say to us, or to our generations, in time to come, —that we will say—Behold ye the pattern of the altar of Yahweh, which our fathers made, not for ascending-offerings nor for sacrifice, but that, a witness, it might be between us and you.
29 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.”
Far be it from us—that we should rebel against Yahweh, or turn back, to-day, from following Yahweh, by building an altar, for ascending-offering, or meal-offering or for sacrifice, —other than the altar of Yahweh our God, which is before his habitation.
30 Kwathi uFinehasi umphristi labakhokheli besizwe, abakhokheli bezinsendo zako-Israyeli, sebezwe okwakutshiwo nguRubheni, uGadi loManase bathokoza.
And, when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the assembly, even the heads of the thousands of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spake, then was it well-pleasing in their eyes.
31 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.”
And Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said unto the sons of Reuben and unto the sons of Gad and unto the sons of Manasseh—To-day, we know that, in our midst, is Yahweh, in that ye have not committed, against Yahweh, this act of treachery, —now, have ye rescued the sons of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh.
32 UFinehasi indodana ka-Eliyazari, umphristi, labakhokheli babuyela eKhenani bevela emhlanganweni wabo labakoRubheni labakoGadi eGiliyadi basebebika kwabako-Israyeli.
So Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest and the princes returned from the sons of Reuben and from the sons of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, unto the sons of Israel, —and brought them back word.
33 Bathokoza ukuzwa umbiko basebedumisa uNkulunkulu. Kabasakhulumanga njalo ngokuya empini yokubalwisa ukwenzela ukutshabalalisa ilizwe lapho abakoRubheni labakoGadi ababehlala khona.
And the thing was well-pleasing in the eyes of the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God, —and spake not of going up against them, to war, to lay waste the land, wherein the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad dwelt.
34 Njalo abakoRubheni labakoGadi banika i-alithari lelibizo: UBufakazi Phakathi Kwethu ukuthi uThixo unguNkulunkulu.
So the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad named the altar [a Witness]: A witness, it is between us, That, Yahweh, is God.
