< UJoshuwa 17 >
1 Kwasekusiba lenkatho yesizwe sakoManase, ngoba wayelizibulo likaJosefa, engekaMakiri izibulo likaManase uyise kaGileyadi; ngoba yena wayengumuntu wempi; ngakho waba leGileyadi leBashani.
2 Yayikhona njalo eyabaseleyo babantwana bakoManase ngokwensendo zabo, eyabantwana bakoAbiyezeri, leyabantwana bakoHeleki, leyabantwana bakoAsiriyeli, leyabantwana bakoShekema, leyabantwana bakoHeferi, leyabantwana bakoShemida. Laba ngabantwana besilisa bakaManase indodana kaJosefa ngokwensendo zabo.
3 Kodwa uZelofehadi indodana kaHeferi indodana kaGileyadi indodana kaMakiri indodana kaManase wayengelamadodana, kodwa amadodakazi. Lala ngamabizo amadodakazi akhe: OMahla loNowa, uHogila, uMilka loTiriza.
4 Asesondela phambi kukaEleyazare umpristi laphambi kukaJoshuwa indodana kaNuni laphambi kweziphathamandla, esithi: INkosi yalaya uMozisi ukusinika ilifa phakathi kwabafowethu. Ngakho wawanika ngokomlayo weNkosi ilifa phakathi kwabafowabo bakayise.
5 Ngakho kwawela inkatho ezilitshumi kuManase, ngaphandle kwelizwe leGileyadi leBashani, elingaphetsheya kweJordani.
6 Ngoba amadodakazi kaManase adla ilifa phakathi kwamadodana akhe. Lelizwe leGileyadi laba ngelabaseleyo bamadodana akoManase.
7 Umngcele wakoManase wasusukela eAsheri usiya eMikimethathi ephambi kweShekema; lomngcele waya ngakwesokunene kubahlali beEni-Tapuwa.
8 UManase waba lelizwe leTapuwa, kodwa iTapuwa emngceleni kaManase yayingeyabantwana bakoEfrayimi.
9 Lomngcele wehlela esifuleni iKana eningizimu kwesifula. Imizi le ngeyakoEfrayimi phakathi kwemizi yakoManase. Lomngcele wakoManase usenyakatho kwesifula, lokuphuma kwawo kuselwandle.
10 Eningizimu lalingelakoEfrayimi, lenyakatho lalingelakoManase, lolwandle lungumngcele wakhe. LeAsheri bahlangana enyakatho, leIsakari empumalanga.
11 Ngoba koIsakari loAsheri uManase wayeleBeti-Sheyani lemizana yayo, leIbileyamu lemizana yayo, labahlali beDori lemizana yayo, labahlali beEni-Dori lemizana yayo, labahlali beThahanakhi lemizana yayo, labahlali beMegido lemizana yayo: Amadundulu amathathu.
12 Kodwa abantwana bakoManase babengelakho ukuxotsha elifeni leyomizi, kodwa amaKhanani ayefuna ukuhlala kulelolizwe.
13 Kodwa kwathi lapho abantwana bakoIsrayeli sebelamandla bawasebenzisa amaKhanani njengezibhalwa, kodwa kabawaxotshanga lokuwaxotsha elifeni.
14 Abantwana bakoJosefa basebekhuluma kuJoshuwa besithi: Unginikeleni inkatho eyodwa lesabelo esisodwa ukuba yilifa, kube kanti ngiyisizwe esikhulu, njengoba iNkosi ingibusisile kuze kube lapha?
15 UJoshuwa wasesithi kubo: Uba uyisizwe esikhulu, wena yenyukela eguswini, uzicentele khona elizweni lamaPerizi leleziqhwaga, nxa intaba yakoEfrayimi iminyene kuwe.
16 Abantwana bakoJosefa basebesithi: Intaba kayisanelanga, njalo kulenqola zensimbi lamaKhanani wonke ahlala elizweni lesihotsha, lawaseBeti-Sheyani lemizana yayo, lawasesigodini seJizereyeli.
17 UJoshuwa wasekhuluma kundlu kaJosefa, kuEfrayimi lakuManase esithi: Uyisizwe esikhulu, futhi ulamandla amakhulu; kawuyikuba lenkatho eyodwa,
18 kodwa intaba izakuba ngeyakho; ngoba iligusu, uzalicenta, lokuphuma kwalo kube ngokwakho, ngoba uzawaxotsha elifeni amaKhanani, lanxa elenqola zensimbi, lanxa elamandla.
