Abahluleli 2
1 Ingilosi kaThixo yahamba isuka eGiligali isiya eBhokhimi yathi, “Ngalikhupha eGibhithe ngaliholela elizweni engafunga ukulinika okhokho benu. Ngathi, ‘Angiyikusephula isivumelwano sami lani,
And an Angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to the Place of Weeping, and he said: “I led you away from Egypt, and I led you into the land, about which I swore to your fathers. And I promised that I would not nullify my covenant with you, even forever:
2 njalo kaliyikwenza isivumelwano labantu balelilizwe, kodwa lizabhidliza ama-alithare abo.’ Kodwa lina kalingilalelanga. Likwenzeleni lokhu na?
but only if you would not form a pact with the inhabitants of this land. Instead, you should overturn their altars. Yet you were not willing to listen to my voice. Why have you done this?
3 Ngakho khathesi-ke ngiyalitshela ukuthi angiyikubaxotsha phambi kwenu, bazakuba yizifu kini njalo onkulunkulu babo bazakuba yimijibila kini.”
For this reason, I am not willing to destroy them before your face, so that you may have enemies, and so that their gods may be your ruin.”
4 Kwathi ingilosi kaThixo isizikhulumile zonke lezizinto kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, abantu bakhala kakhulu,
And when the Angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, they lifted up their voice, and they wept.
5 indawo leyo bayibiza ngokuthi yiBhokhimi. Banikela imihlatshelo kuThixo khonapho.
And the name of that place was called, the Place of Weeping, or the Place of Tears. And they immolated victims to the Lord in that place.
6 Emva kokuba uJoshuwa esebadedele abako-Israyeli, bahamba bayalithatha ilizwe, lowo lalowo endaweni eyilifa lakhe.
Then Joshua dismissed the people, and the sons of Israel went away, each one to his own possession, so that they might obtain it.
7 Abantu bamkhonza uThixo ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala kulaye ababesele bephila njalo beyibonile imisebenzi emikhulu uThixo ayeyenzele abako-Israyeli.
And they served the Lord, during all his days, and during all the days of the elders, who lived for a long time after him, and who knew all the works of the Lord, which he had done for Israel.
8 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaThixo, wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
Then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
9 Bamngcwaba emhlabeni oyilifa lakhe, eThimnathi-Heresi, elizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, enyakatho kwentaba iGashi.
And they buried him in the parts of his possession at Timnath-Serah, on Mount Ephraim, before the northern side of Mount Gaash.
10 Kwathi emva kokuba sonke isizukulwane leso sesiphelile, kwavela esinye isizukulwane esasingamazi uThixo kanye lalokho ayekwenzele abako-Israyeli.
And that entire generation was gathered to their fathers. And there rose up others, who had not known the Lord and the works that he had done for Israel.
11 Lapho-ke abako-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaThixo, bakhonza uBhali.
And the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they served the Baals.
12 Bamdela uThixo, uNkulunkulu waboyise, owayebakhuphe eGibhithe. Balandela njalo bakhonza onkulunkulu abehlukeneyo babantu ababehlala phakathi kwabo. Bamthukuthelisa uThixo
And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had led them away from the land of Egypt. And they followed foreign gods and the gods of the peoples who were living around them, and they adored them. And they provoked the Lord to wrath,
13 ngoba bamdela bakhonza uBhali labo-Ashithorethi.
forsaking him, and serving Baal and Ashtaroth.
14 Ekubathukutheleleni kwakhe uThixo wabanikela ezandleni zababahlaselayo lababaphangayo. Wabanikela ezitheni zabo ezazibahanqile, ababengasenelisi ukumelana lazo.
And the Lord, having become angry against Israel, delivered them into the hands of plunderers, who seized them and sold them to the enemies that were living on all sides. Neither were they able to withstand their adversaries.
15 Zonke izikhathi lapho abako-Israyeli bephuma ukuyakulwa, isandla sikaThixo samelana labo ukuba behlulwe, njengokufunga kwakhe kubo. Basebephakathi kohlupho olukhulu.
Instead, wherever they wanted to go, the hand of the Lord was upon them, just as he said and just as he swore to them. And they were greatly afflicted.
16 Kulapho-ke uThixo abeka khona abahluleli ababahlengayo ezandleni zabaphangi laba.
And the Lord raised up judges, who would free them from the hands of their oppressors. But they were not willing to listen to 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.
Fornicating with foreign gods and adoring them, they quickly deserted the way along which their fathers had advanced. And having heard the commandments of the Lord, they did all things to the contrary.
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.
And while the Lord was raising up the judges, in their days, he was moved to mercy, and he listened to the groaning of the afflicted, and he freed them from the slaughter of their oppressors.
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 after a judge had died, they turned back, and they were doing much worse things than their fathers had done, following strange gods, serving them, and adoring them. They did not abandon their pursuits and their very stubborn way, by which they were accustomed to walk.
20 Ngakho uThixo wamthukuthelela kakhulu u-Israyeli wathi, “Njengoba isizwe lesi sesephule isivumelwano engasimisela okhokho baso njalo kasingilalelanga,
And the fury of the Lord was enraged against Israel, and he said: “For this people has made void my covenant, which I had formed with their fathers, and they have despised listening to my voice.
21 kangisayikuxotsha phambi kwaso iloba yisiphi isizwe phakathi kwezatshiywa nguJoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe.
And so, I will not destroy the nations that Joshua left behind when he died,
22 Ngizasebenzisa zona ukuhlola abako-Israyeli ngibone ukuthi bazayigcina yini indlela kaThixo, bahambe kuyo njengokwenziwa ngokhokho babo.”
so that, by them, I may test Israel, as to whether or not they will keep the way of the Lord, and walk in it, just as their fathers kept it.”
23 UThixo wayevumele ukuthi lezozizwe zisale; kazixotshanga masinyane ngokuzinikela ezandleni zikaJoshuwa.
Therefore, the Lord left all these nations, and he was not willing to quickly overthrow them, nor did he deliver them into the hands of Joshua.
