UJoshuwa 24
1 UJoshuwa wasebuthanisa zonke izizwe zakoIsrayeli eShekema, wabiza abadala bakoIsrayeli lenhloko zabo labahluleli babo lenduna zabo, bazimisa phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
Ngakho uJoshuwa wabuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekhemu. Wamema bonke abadala, abakhokheli, abahluleli leziphathamandla zako-Israyeli, njalo bazethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
2 UJoshuwa wasesithi kubo bonke abantu: Itsho njalo iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Endulo oyihlo babehlala ngaphetsheya komfula, uTera uyise kaAbrahama loyise kaNahori, babekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini bonke, “UThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli uthi: ‘Kudala okhokho benu, okugoqela uThera uyise ka-Abhrahama loNahori, babehlala ngaphetsheya koMfula njalo bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.
3 Ngasengimthatha uyihlo uAbrahama ngimsusa ngaphetsheya komfula, ngamhambisa wadabula elizweni lonke leKhanani, ngayandisa inzalo yakhe, ngamnika uIsaka.
Kodwa ngathatha uyihlo u-Abhrahama elizweni elingaphetsheya koMfula ngamkhokhelela eKhenani ngamnika izizukulwane ezinengi. Ngamnika u-Isaka,
4 LakuIsaka nganika uJakobe loEsawu. LakuEsawu nganika intaba yeSeyiri ukudla ilifa layo, kodwa uJakobe labantwana bakhe behlela eGibhithe.
njalo u-Isaka ngamnika uJakhobe lo-Esawu. Nganika ilizwe lonke elilamaqaqa eleSeyiri ku-Esawu, kodwa uJakhobe lamadodana akhe baya eGibhithe.
5 Ngasengithuma uMozisi loAroni, ngatshaya iGibhithe, njengalokho engakwenzayo phakathi kwayo; lemva kwalokho ngalikhupha.
Ngasengithuma uMosi lo-Aroni, njalo ngajezisa amaGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza khonale ngasengilikhupha khona.
6 Ngasengibakhupha oyihlo eGibhithe, lafika elwandle, amaGibhithe asexotshana lani ngenqola langamabhiza aze afika eLwandle oluBomvu.
Ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe, beza olwandle njalo amaGibhithe axotshana labo ngezinqola lamabhiza baze bayafika eLwandle Olubomvu.
7 Kwathi bekhala eNkosini, yabeka umnyama phakathi kwenu lamaGibhithe, yaletha ulwandle phezu kwabo, yabasibekela. Lamehlo enu abona engakwenza eGibhithe. Lahlala enkangala insuku ezinengi.
Kodwa bakhala kuThixo befuna uncedo yena waseletha umnyama phakathi kwenu lamaGibhithe; waletha ulwandle phezu kwabo wabembesa ngalo. Lazibonela ngamehlo enu lokho engakwenza kumaGibhithe. Laselihlala enkangala okwesikhathi eside.
8 Ngasengililetha elizweni lamaAmori ayehlala ngaphetsheya kweJordani, asesilwa lani, ngawanikela esandleni senu, lalidla ilifa lelizwe lawo, ngawachitha phambi kwenu.
Ngaliletha elizweni lama-Amori ayehlala empumalanga yeJodani. Balwisana lani, kodwa mina ngabanikela ezandleni zenu. Ngababhubhisa phambi kwenu njalo laselithatha ilizwe labo.
9 UBalaki indodana kaZipori inkosi yakoMowabi wasesukuma walwa loIsrayeli, wathuma wabiza uBalami indodana kaBeyori ukuthi aliqalekise.
Lapho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yaseMowabi, alungiselela ukulwisana lo-Israyeli, wathumela uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori ukuthi aliqalekise.
10 Kodwa kangithandanga ukulalela uBalami; ngakho walibusisa lokulibusisa, ngasengilikhulula esandleni sakhe.
Kodwa ngala ukulalela uBhalamu, ngakho walibusisa njalonjalo mina ngasengilihlenga esandleni sakhe.
11 Lachapha iJordani, lafika eJeriko, izakhamizi zeJeriko zalwa zimelene lani, amaAmori, lamaPerizi, lamaKhanani, lamaHethi, lamaGirigashi, amaHivi, lamaJebusi; ngawanikela esandleni senu.
Laselichapha uJodani leza eJerikho. Izakhamizi zeJerikho zalwisana lani njengalokho okwenziwa ngama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaGigashi, amaHivi lamaJebusi, kodwa ngabanikela ezandleni zenu.
12 Ngathuma olonyovu phambi kwenu abawaxotsha phambi kwenu, amakhosi amabili amaAmori; hatshi ngenkemba yakho njalo hatshi ngedandili lakho.
Ngathumela olonyovu phambi kwenu, olwabaxotsha phambi kwenu kanye lamakhosi amabili ama-Amori. Kalizange likwenze ngenkemba yenu langedandili lenu.
13 Ngasengilinika ilizwe elingalisebenzelanga, lemizi elingayakhanga, lihlala kiyo. Lidla okwezivini lezivande zemihlwathi elingakuhlanyelanga.
Ngakho ngalinika ilizwe elingazanga liliginqele lamadolobho elingazange liwakhe; njalo lihlala phakathi kwawo njalo lisidla ezivinini zama-oliva elingazihlanyelanga.’
14 Khathesi-ke yesabeni iNkosi, liyikhonze ngobuqotho langeqiniso, lisuse onkulunkulu oyihlo ababakhonza ngaphetsheya komfula leGibhithe, njalo likhonze iNkosi.
Ngakho mesabeni uThixo limkhonze ngokuthembeka konke. Lahlani onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya koMfula laseGibhithe, likhonze uThixo.
15 Uba-ke kukubi emehlweni enu ukuyikhonza iNkosi, zikhetheleni lamuhla lowo elizamkhonza; kumbe onkulunkulu ababakhonzayo oyihlo ababengaphetsheya komfula, loba onkulunkulu bamaAmori elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizayikhonza iNkosi.
Kodwa nxa ukukhonza uThixo kukhanya kungathandeki kini, khethani phakathi kwenu namhlanje lowo elizamkhonza, kumbe ngonkulunkulu okhokho benu ababebakhonza ngaphetsheya koMfula kumbe onkulunkulu bama-Amori, lawo elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizakhonza uThixo.”
16 Basebephendula abantu besithi: Kakube khatshana lathi ukuthi sitshiye iNkosi, sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu.
Abantu basebephendula besithi, “Akube khatshana lathi ukuthi silahle uThixo ukuze sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu!
17 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu iyiyo eyasenyusayo labobaba sivela elizweni leGibhithe, endlini yobugqili, eyenza phambi kwamehlo ethu lezizibonakaliso ezinkulu, yasilondoloza endleleni yonke esahamba kiyo, laphakathi kwabo bonke abantu esedlule phakathi kwabo.
KwakunguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwakhe owasikhuphayo thina kanye labobaba eGibhithe sisuka elizweni lobugqili, wasesenza izimanga ezinkulu emehlweni ethu. Wasivikela kulolonke uhambo lwethu lakuzo zonke izizwe.
18 INkosi yasixotsha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe, lamaAmori ayehlala elizweni. Thina lathi sizayikhonza iNkosi, ngoba inguNkulunkulu wethu.
Njalo uThixo wazixotsha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe, okugoqela ama-Amori ayehlala elizweni. Lathi sizamkhonza uThixo ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”
19 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Kalilakuyikhonza iNkosi, ngoba inguNkulunkulu ongcwele, inguNkulunkulu olobukhwele. Kayiyikuthethelela iziphambeko zenu lezono zenu.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Kalenelisi ukumkhonza uThixo. UnguNkulunkulu ongcwele; unguNkulunkulu olobukhwele. Kasoze alixolele ekuhlamukeni kwenu lezonweni zenu.
20 Uba liyitshiya iNkosi likhonze onkulunkulu abezizwe, izaphenduka yenze okubi kini, iliqede, emva kokuthi ilenzele okuhle.
Nxa lingatshiya uThixo beselikhonza abanye onkulunkulu bezizweni uzaliphendukela alehlisele umonakalo aliqede du, yena ubelungile.”
21 Abantu basebesithi kuJoshuwa: Hatshi, kodwa sizayikhonza iNkosi.
Kodwa abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Hatshi! Sizamkhonza uThixo.”
22 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Lingabafakazi ngani ukuthi lina lizikhethele iNkosi ukuyikhonza. Basebesithi: Singabafakazi.
UJoshuwa wathi, “Yini elizifakazelayo ukuthi selikhethe ukukhonza uThixo.” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo singofakazi.”
23 Khathesi-ke, susani onkulunkulu abezizwe abaphakathi kwenu, lithobele inhliziyo yenu eNkosini, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli.
UJoshuwa wathi kubo, “Ngakho-ke lahlani bonke onkulunkulu bezizweni abaphakathi kwenu beselinikela inhliziyo zenu kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli.”
24 Abantu basebesithi kuJoshuwa: INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu sizayikhonza, lelizwi layo sililalele.
Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Sizamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu simlalele.”
25 Ngakho uJoshuwa wasebenzela abantu isivumelwano ngalolosuku, wababekela isimiso lesimiselo eShekema.
Ngalelolanga uJoshuwa wenzela abantu isivumelwano, njalo wabenzela imithetho lemilayo khonapho eShekhemu.
26 UJoshuwa wasebhala lawomazwi egwalweni lomlayo kaNkulunkulu; wathatha ilitshe elikhulu, walimisa lapho ngaphansi kwesihlahla se-okhi elingasendlini engcwele yeNkosi.
UJoshuwa waloba konke lokhu oGwalweni lwemiThetho kaNkulunkulu. Wasethatha ilitshe elikhulu walimisa phansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi eduzane lendawo engcwele kaThixo.
27 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini bonke: Khangelani, lelilitshe lizakuba yibufakazi ngathi, ngoba liwezwile wonke amazwi eNkosi eyawakhuluma kithi; ngakho lizakuba yibufakazi ngani, hlezi lenze inkohliso kuNkulunkulu wenu.
Wathi ebantwini bonke, “Khangelani! Ilitshe leli lizakuba yibufakazi kithi sonke. Selizwile wonke amazwi akhulunywe nguThixo kithi. Lizakuba ngofakazi wokulilahla nxa lingakhulumi iqiniso kuNkulunkulu.”
28 UJoshuwa wasebayekela abantu ukuthi bahambe, ngulowo lalowo waya elifeni lakhe.
UJoshuwa wasetshela abantu ukuba bahambe, yilowo esiya elifeni lakhe.
29 Kwasekusithi emva kwalezizinto uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku yeNkosi, wafa eleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
Ngemva kwezinto lezi, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaThixo wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
30 Basebemngcwabela emngceleni welifa lakhe eThiminathi-Sera esentabeni yakoEfrayimi enyakatho kwentaba iGahashi.
Njalo bamngcwaba elizweni alizuza njengelifa, eThimnathi-Sera elizweni elilamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi enyakatho yentaba yeGashi.
31 Njalo uIsrayeli wayikhonza iNkosi zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa lazo zonke izinsuku zabadala abelula insuku emva kukaJoshuwa, njalo ababewazi wonke umsebenzi weNkosi eyawenzela uIsrayeli.
Abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala kulaye ababesele bephila njalo bebone zonke izinto uThixo ayezenzele abako-Israyeli.
32 Lamathambo kaJosefa abantwana bakoIsrayeli ababenyuke lawo bevela eGibhithe bawangcwaba eShekema, esiqintini sensimu uJakobe asithenga kubantwana bakaHamori uyise kaShekema ngenhlamvu zesiliva ezilikhulu; saba-ke yilifa labantwana bakoJosefa.
Njalo amathambo kaJosefa, abako-Israyeli ababesuke lawo eGibhithe, angcwatshelwa eShekhemu esiqintini somhlaba leso uJakhobe asithenga ngenhlamvu ezilikhulu zesiliva emadodaneni kaHamori, uyise kaShekhemu. Leli laba yilifa lezizukulwane zikaJosefa.
33 UEleyazare indodana kaAroni wasesifa, bamngcwaba eqaqeni lukaPhinehasi indodana yakhe, ayeluphiwe entabeni yakoEfrayimi.
U-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni wafa wasengcwatshelwa eGibhiya, eyayabelwe indodana yakhe uFinehasi elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi.
