Abahluleli 2
1 Ingilosi kaThixo yahamba isuka eGiligali isiya eBhokhimi yathi, “Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngaliholela elizweni engafunga ukulinika okhokho benu. Ngathi, ‘Angiyikusephula isivumelwano sami lani,
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,
2 njalo kaliyikwenza isivumelwano labantu balelilizwe, kodwa lizabhidliza ama-alithare abo.’ Kodwa lina kalingilalelanga. Likwenzeleni lokhu na?
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
3 Ngakho khathesi-ke ngiyalitshela ukuthi angiyikubaxotsha phambi kwenu, bazakuba yizifu kini njalo onkulunkulu babo bazakuba yimijibila kini.”
So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
4 Kwathi ingilosi kaThixo isizikhulumile zonke lezizinto kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, abantu bakhala kakhulu,
When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5 indawo leyo bayibiza ngokuthi yiBhokhimi. Banikela imihlatshelo kuThixo khonapho.
So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.
6 Emva kokuba uJoshuwa esebadedele abako-Israyeli, bahamba bayalithatha ilizwe, lowo lalowo endaweni eyilifa lakhe.
After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
7 Abantu bamkhonza uThixo ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala kulaye ababesele bephila njalo beyibonile imisebenzi emikhulu uThixo ayeyenzele abako-Israyeli.
And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
8 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaThixo, wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110.
9 Bamngcwaba emhlabeni oyilifa lakhe, eThimnathi-Heresi, elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, enyakatho kwentaba iGashi.
They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10 Kwathi emva kokuba sonke isizukulwane leso sesiphelile, kwavela esinye isizukulwane esasingamazi uThixo kanye lalokho ayekwenzele abako-Israyeli.
After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
11 Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo, bakhonza uBhali.
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
12 Bamdela uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyise, owayebakhuphe eGibhithe. Balandela njalo bakhonza onkulunkulu abehlukeneyo babantu ababehlala phakathi kwabo. Bamthukuthelisa uThixo
Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
13 ngoba bamdela bakhonza uBhali labo-Ashithorethi.
for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14 Ekubathukutheleleni kwakhe uThixo wabanikela ezandleni zababahlaselayo lababaphangayo. Wabanikela ezitheni zabo ezazibahanqile, ababengasenelisi ukumelana lazo.
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
15 Zonke izikhathi lapho abako-Israyeli bephuma ukuyakulwa, isandla sikaThixo samelana labo ukuba behlulwe, njengokufunga kwakhe kubo. Basebephakathi kohlupho olukhulu.
Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.
16 Kulapho-ke uThixo abeka khona abahluleli ababahlengayo ezandleni zabaphangi laba.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
17 Belo kababalalelanga abahluleli babo kodwa baqhubeka bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu. Kabenzanga njengabokhokho babo, kodwa bona baphanga baphuma endleleni oyise ababehambe ngayo, indlela yokulalela imilayo kaThixo.
Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
18 Ngasosonke isikhathi lapho uThixo ebabekela khona umahluleli, wayemthungamela umahluleli abahlenge ezandleni zezitha zabo lapho esaphila; ngoba uThixo waba lesihawu kubo lapho bebubula ngaphansi kwalabo ababebancindezele lababebahlukuluza.
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.
19 Kodwa lapho umahluleli esefile, abantu babuyela ezindleleni zokuxhwala okwedlula ezaboyise, belandela abanye onkulunkulu, bebasebenzele njalo bebakhonza, besala ukudela izenzo zabo ezimbi lezindlela zobuqholo.
But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20 Ngakho uThixo wamthukuthelela kakhulu u-Israyeli wathi, “Njengoba isizwe lesi sesephule isivumelwano engasimisela okhokho baso njalo kasingilalelanga,
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice,
21 kangisayikuxotsha phambi kwaso iloba yisiphi isizwe phakathi kwezatshiywa nguJoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe.
I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
22 Ngizasebenzisa zona ukuhlola abako-Israyeli ngibone ukuthi bazayigcina yini indlela kaThixo, bahambe kuyo njengokwenziwa ngokhokho babo.”
In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
23 UThixo wayevumele ukuthi lezozizwe zisale; kazixotshanga masinyane ngokuzinikela ezandleni zikaJoshuwa.
That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.
