UJoshuwa 3
1 UJoshuwa wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, basuka eShithimi, bafika eJordani, yena labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli; basebelala khona bengakachaphi.
Ekuseni kakhulu uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShithima baqonda eJodani lapho abamisa khona izihonqo zabo bengakachaphi.
2 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezintathu induna zadabula phakathi kwenkamba;
Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo,
3 zalaya abantu zisithi: Nxa libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, labapristi, amaLevi, bewuthwele, lina-ke lisuke endaweni yenu liwulandele.
zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu labaphristi abangabaLevi belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele.
4 Kodwa kuzakuba khona ibanga phakathi kwenu lawo, phose ingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngesilinganiso; lingasondeli kuwo; ukuze lazi indlela elizahamba ngayo, ngoba kalidlulanga ngalindlela mandulo.
Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo umango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lomtshokotsho; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”
5 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Zingcweliseni, ngoba kusasa iNkosi izakwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uThixo uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”
6 UJoshuwa wasekhuluma kubapristi esithi: Phakamisani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, ledlule phambi kwabantu. Basebewuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, bahamba phambi kwabantu.
UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho bawuthatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.
7 INkosi yasisithi kuJoshuwa: Lamuhla ngizaqala ukukukhulisa emehlweni kaIsrayeli wonke ukuze bazi ukuthi njengalokho ngangiloMozisi, ngizakuba lawe.
UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi.
8 Wena-ke uzalaya abapristi abathwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi: Nxa selifikile ekhunjini lwamanzi eJordani, lizakuma eJordani.
Tshela abaphristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika okhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, lingene liyekuma phakathi komfula.’”
9 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli: Sondelani lapha, lizwe amazwi eNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.
UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 UJoshuwa wasesithi: Ngalokhu lizakwazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu, lokuthi uzawaxotsha lokuwaxotsha elifeni amaKhanani lamaHethi lamaHivi lamaPerizi lamaGirigashi lamaAmori lamaJebusi asuke ngaphambi kwenu.
Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.
11 Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi yomhlaba wonke uzachapha phambi kwenu eJordani.
Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.
12 Ngakho-ke zithatheleni amadoda alitshumi lambili ezizweni zakoIsrayeli, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe.
Ngakho-ke, khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni esisodwa.
13 Kuzakuthi-ke lapho ingaphansi yenyawo zabapristi abathwele umtshokotsho weNkosi, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, zizakuma emanzini eJordani, amanzi eJordani azaqunywa, amanzi ehlayo evela phezulu; azakuma abe yinqwaba eyodwa.
Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho kaThixo, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”
14 Kwasekusithi abantu besuka emathenteni abo ukuchapha iJordani, abapristi bathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano phambi kwabantu.
Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayechapha uJodani, abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano bahamba phambili.
15 Lalapho abathwele umtshokotsho befika eJordani, lenyawo zabapristi abathwele umtshokotsho zigxanyuzwa ephethelweni lamanzi (ngoba iJordani liyagcwala enkunjini zonke zalo zonke izinsuku zokuvuna),
UJodani wayehlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho befika eJodani inyawo zabo zazithinta amanzi,
16 amanzi ehlayo evela phezulu ema, aphakama aba yinqwaba eyodwa, khatshana kakhulu lomuzi iAdamu, oseceleni kweZarethani; lalawo ehlela elwandle lwamagceke, ulwandle lweTshwayi, aphela aqunywa. Labantu bachapha maqondana leJeriko.
amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetswayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho.
17 Labapristi abathwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi bema emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJordani beqinile, loIsrayeli wonke wachapha emhlabathini owomileyo, isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha iJordani.
Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
