UJoshuwa 4
1 Kwathi isizwe sonke sesimchaphile uJodani, uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa,
When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 “Khetha amadoda alitshumi lambili phakathi kwabantu, yileyo imele isizwana sako-Israyeli,
“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
3 ubusubatshela ukuthi bathathe amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi laphakathi kweJodani kusukela lapho okwakumi khona abaphristi, beseliwathwala liwabeke endaweni elizalala kuyo lamuhla ebusuku.”
and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”
4 Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wabiza amadoda alitshumi lambili ayewakhethe phakathi kwabako-Israyeli, eyodwa ivela esizwaneni.
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.
5 Wasesithi kuwo, “Hambani phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu liye phakathi laphakathi kweJodani. Omunye lomunye wenu kumele athwale ilitshe ehlombe lakhe, kusiya ngenani lezizwana zako-Israyeli,
Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6 ukuze kube luphawu phakathi kwenu. Kwelizayo nxa abantwana benu belibuza besithi, ‘Kanti amatshe la atshoni?’
that this may be a sign amongst you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
7 Libatshele ukuthi ukugeleza kweJodani kwamiswa phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo. Kwathi lapho umtshokotsho uchapha iJodani, amanzi omfula uJodani ehlukaniswa. Amatshe la azakuba yisukhumbuzo ebantwini bako-Israyeli nini lanini.”
then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”
8 Ngakho-ke abako-Israyeli benza njengokulaya kukaJoshuwa. Bathatha amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi laphakathi kweJodani, kusiya ngenani lezizwana zako-Israyeli, njengokulaywa kukaJoshuwa nguThixo; basebewathwalela ezihonqweni zabo lapho abafika bawabeka khona phansi.
The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.
9 UJoshuwa wamisa amatshe alitshumi lambili ayekade ephakathi laphakathi kweJodani, endaweni lapho abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano abafika bema khona njalo lokhu ekhonapho kuze kube lamhlanje.
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
10 Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho baqhubeka bemi phakathi kweJodani abantu baze baqeda konke uThixo ayekulaye uJoshuwa, njengokuqondiswa kukaJoshuwa nguMosi. Abantu bedlula ngokuphangisa
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.
11 njalo bathi bonke sebechaphile, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo labaphristi beza kwelinye icele abantu bekhangele.
When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.
12 Amadoda akoRubheni, akoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase achapha ehlomile phambi kwabako-Israyeli njengokuqondisa kukaMosi.
The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
13 Abantu abaphose bafike kunkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane ababehlomele impi bachapha phambi kukaThixo besiya emagcekeni eJerikho ukuyakulwa impi.
About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 Ngalelolanga uThixo waphakamisa uJoshuwa emehlweni abo bonke abako-Israyeli; njalo bamhlonipha okwempilo yakhe yonke, njengoba babehloniphe uMosi.
On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 UThixo wathi kuJoshuwa,
The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
16 “Laya abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho woBufakazi bakhuphuke baphume eJodani.”
“Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, that they come up out of the Jordan.”
17 Ngakho uJoshuwa walaya abaphristi wathi, “Phumani phakathi kweJodani.”
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”
18 Abaphristi baphuma emfuleni bethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo. Bonela ukunyathela umhlabathi owomileyo amanzi eJodani ahle abuyela endaweni yawo, ageleza okomfula ogcweleyo njengakuqala.
When the priests who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
19 Ngelanga letshumi enyangeni yakuqala abantu basuka eJodani bayamisa izihonqo eGiligali emngceleni ongempumalanga yeJerikho.
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
20 UJoshuwa wamisa amatshe alitshumi ayethethwe phakathi kweJodani eGiligali.
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
21 Wakhuluma kwabako-Israyeli wathi, “Kwelizayo nxa izizukulwane zenu zingabuza abazali bazo zisithi, ‘Amatshe la atshoni?’
He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’
22 Kumele libatshele ukuthi ‘Abako-Israyeli bachapha uJodani emhlabathini owomileyo!’
Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 Ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu womisa umfula uJodani phambi kwenu laze lachapha. UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wenza kuJodani lokho akwenza oLwandle Olubomvu aze alomise phambi kwethu saze sachapha sonke.
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,
24 Wenza lokhu ukuze abantu bonke bomhlaba bakwazi ukuthi isandla sikaThixo silamandla lokuthi lihlale limesaba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”
