UJoshuwa 3
1 Ekuseni kakhulu uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShithima baqonda eJodani lapho abamisa khona izihonqo zabo bengakachaphi.
And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
2 Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo,
And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
3 zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu labaphristi abangabaLevi belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele.
And they commanded the people, saying, When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then you shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4 Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo umango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lomtshokotsho; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near to it, that you may know the way by which you must go: for you have not passed this way heretofore.
5 UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uThixo uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”
And Joshua said to the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
6 UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho bawuthatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.
And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7 UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi.
And the LORD said to Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
8 Tshela abaphristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika okhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, lingene liyekuma phakathi komfula.’”
And you shall command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When you are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, you shall stand still in Jordan.
9 UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
10 Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.
And Joshua said, Hereby you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passes over before you into Jordan.
12 Ngakho-ke, khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni esisodwa.
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
13 Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho kaThixo, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”
And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand on an heap.
14 Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayechapha uJodani, abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano bahamba phambili.
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
15 UJodani wayehlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho befika eJodani inyawo zabo zazithinta amanzi,
And as they that bore the ark were come to Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overflows all his banks all the time of harvest, )
16 amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetswayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho.
That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up on an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
