< UJoshuwa 5 >

1 Kwathi amakhosi ama-Amori ayebusa entshonalanga kweJodani lamakhosi wonke amaKhenani ayebusa ezigcawini ezisekela ulwandle esizwa ukuthi uThixo wayomise njani uJodani phambi kwabako-Israyeli baze bachapha, inhliziyo zawo zathuthumela aswela izibindi zokumelana labako-Israyeli.
Now when all the kings of the Amorrhites, who dwelt beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of Chanaan, who possessed the places near the great sea, had heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the children of Israel, till they passed over, their heart failed them, and there remained no spirit in them, fearing the coming in of the children of Israel.
2 Ngalesosikhathi uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa, “Khanda izingqamu ezibukhali ubususoka abako-Israyeli njalo.”
At that time the Lord said to Josue: Make thee knives of stone, and circumcise the second time the children of Israel.
3 Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wakhanda izingqamu ezibukhali wasesoka abako-Israyeli eGibhiya Haralothi.
He did what the Lord had commanded, and he circumcised the children of Israel in the hill of the foreskins.
4 Lokhu wakwenzela ukuthi: Bonke labo abaphuma eGibhithe, wonke amadoda ayengabuthelwa empini afela enkangala esemangweni wokusuka eGibhithe.
Now this is the cause of the second circumcision: All the people that came out of Egypt that were males, all the men fit for war, died in the desert, during the time of the long going about in the way.
5 Bonke abantu abaphumayo babesokiwe, kodwa bonke abantu ababezalelwe enkangala phakathi kohambo lokusuka eGibhithe babengasokwanga.
Now these were all circumcised. But the people that were born in the desert,
6 Abako-Israyeli babezulazule enkangala okweminyaka engamatshumi amane, amadoda wonke ayefanele ukubuthelwa empini ngesikhathi esuka eGibhithe aze afa, njengoba engazange amlalele uThixo. Ngoba uThixo wayefunge waqinisa kubo wathi ayengasoze alibone ilizwe ayelithembise okhokho babo ukuthi bazalinikwa, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju.
Luring the forty years of the journey in the wide wilderness, were uncircumcised: till all they were consumed that had not heard the voice of the Lord, and to whom he had sworn before, that he would not shew them the land flowing with milk and honey.
7 Ngakho wondla amadodana ezikhundleni zawo, njalo yiwo la asokwa nguJoshuwa. Ayelokhu engakasokwa ngoba kungazange kube lethuba lokubasoka endleleni.
The children of these succeeded in the place of their fathers, and were circumcised by Josue: for they were uncircumcised even as they were born, and no one had circumcised them in the way.
8 Kwathi isizwe sonke sesisokiwe, sahlala ezihonqweni baze baphola.
Now after they were all circumcised, they remained in the same place of the camp, until they were healed.
9 UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamuhla ngisuse ihlazo laseGibhithe kini.” Yikho indawo leyo lokhu ibizwa ngokuthi yiGiligali kuze kube lamhlanje.
And the Lord said to Josue: This day have I taken away from you the reproach of Egypt. And the name of that place was called Galgal, until this present day.
10 Kusihlwa ngelanga letshumi lane kuleyo nyanga, bathi belokhu besamise izihonqo zabo eGiligali emagcekeni eJerikho, abako-Israyeli bagcina iPhasika.
And the children of Israel abode in Galgal, and they kept the phase on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, in the plains of Jericho:
11 Ngokusa olwalandela usuku lwePhasika badla okunye kwesivuno sabo ababekuvunile: isinkwa esingelamvubelo lamabele akhanzingiweyo.
And they ate on the next day unleavened bread of the corn of the land, and frumenty of the same year.
12 Imana yema ukukhithika ngelanga elalandela lelo abadla ngalo ukudla okwakuvela emhlabathini; ngakho kwakungasela mana yabako-Israyeli, kodwa ngalowomnyaka badla okwelizwe leKhenani.
And the manna ceased after they ate of the corn of the land, neither did the children of Israel use that food any more, but they ate of the corn of the present year of the land of Chanaan.
13 Kwathi uJoshuwa esesondele eJerikho, wakhangela wabona indoda eyayimi phambi kwakhe ilomhedla esandleni sayo, uJoshuwa wasondela kuyo wayibuza wathi “Ungowakithi kumbe ungowezitha zethu?”
And when Josue was in the field of the city of Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a man standing over against him: holding a drawn sword, and he went to him, and said: Art thou one of ours, or of our adversaries?
14 Yaphendula yathi “Angikho ndawo, kodwa njengomlawuli webutho likaThixo sengifikile.” UJoshuwa wathi mbo phansi ngobuso edumisa waseyibuza esithi, “Kambe iNkosi yami ilombiko bani wenceku yayo?”
And he answered: No: but I am prince of the host of the Lord, and now I am come. Josue fell on his face to the ground. And worshipping, add: What saith my lord to his servant?
15 Umlawuli wamabutho kaThixo waphendula wathi, “Khulula izicathulo zakho ngoba indawo omi kuyo ingcwele.” UJoshuwa wenza njalo.
Loose, saith he, thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Josue did as was commanded him.

< UJoshuwa 5 >