UJoshuwa 4
1 Kwasekusithi lapho isizwe sonke sesiqede ukuchapha iJordani, iNkosi yakhuluma kuJoshuwa isithi:
When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 Zithathele amadoda alitshumi lambili ebantwini, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe,
“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
3 uwalaye uthi: Zithatheleni okuvela lapha phakathi kweJordani kuleyondawo, lapho obekumi khona inyawo zabapristi ziqinile, amatshe alitshumi lambili, liwathwale lichaphe lawo, liwabeke endaweni yokulala lapho elizalala khona ebusuku.
and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you’ll camp tonight.’”
4 UJoshuwa wasebiza amadoda alitshumi lambili ayewalungisile ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli, indoda yabanye kuleso lalesosizwe.
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.
5 UJoshuwa wasesithi kuwo: Dlulani phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, lingene phakathi kweJordani, lizithathele, lowo lalowo, ilitshe elilodwa, aletshate ehlombe, njengokwenani lezizwe zabantwana bakoIsrayeli,
Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6 ukuze lokhu kube yisiboniso phakathi kwenu. Nxa abantwana benu bebuza kusasa besithi: Ayini lamatshe kini?
that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
7 Lizabatshela-ke: Ngoba amanzi eJordani aqunywa phambi komtshotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi. Lapho uchapha iJordani, amanzi eJordani aqunywa. Ngakho lamatshe azakuba yisikhumbuzo ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli kuze kube nininini.
then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”
8 Labantwana bakoIsrayeli benza njalo njengokulaya kukaJoshuwa, bathatha amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani, njengokutsho kweNkosi kuJoshuwa, ngokwenani lezizwe zabantwana bakoIsrayeli; bawathwala bachapha lawo, baya endaweni lapho abalala khona, bawabeka khona.
The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.
9 UJoshuwa wasemisa amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani endaweni lapho inyawo zabapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano ezazimi khona. Njalo asekhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
10 Ngoba abapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho bema phakathi kweJordani kwaze kwaphela yonke into iNkosi eyayimlaye yona uJoshuwa ukuyitshela abantu, njengakho konke uMozisi ayekulaye uJoshuwa. Labantu baphangisa bachapha.
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.
11 Kwasekusithi bonke abantu sebeqedile ukuchapha, umtshokotsho weNkosi wachapha, labapristi phambi kwabantu.
When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.
12 Njalo abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase bachapha behlomile phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, njengokubatshela kukaMozisi.
The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
13 Phose izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane behlomele impi, bachapha phambi kweNkosi ukuya empini, emagcekeni eJeriko.
About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before GOD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamkhulisa uJoshuwa emehlweni kaIsrayeli wonke, njalo bamesaba njengalokhu babemesaba uMozisi insuku zonke zempilo yakhe.
On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 INkosi yasikhuluma kuJoshuwa isithi:
The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
16 Laya abapristi abathwala umtshokotsho wobufakazi ukuthi bakhuphuke eJordani.
“Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, that they come up out of the Jordan.”
17 UJoshuwa wasebalaya abapristi esithi: Khuphukani eJordani.
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”
18 Kwasekusithi lapho abapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi sebekhuphukile phakathi kweJordani, lengaphansi yenyawo zabapristi isiphakanyiselwe emhlabathini owomileyo, amanzi eJordani abuyela endaweni yawo, ahamba njengamandulo aphuphuma enkunjini zonke zayo.
When the priests who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
19 Labantu bakhuphuka besuka eJordani ngolwetshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa inkamba eGiligali ephethelweni lempumalanga yeJeriko.
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
20 Lalawomatshe alitshumi lambili abawathatha eJordani uJoshuwa wawamisa eGiligali.
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
21 Wakhuluma kubantwana bakoIsrayeli esithi: Nxa abantwana benu bebuza kusasa kuboyise besithi: Ayini lamatshe?
He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’
22 Lizabazisa-ke abantwana benu lisithi: UIsrayeli wayichapha le iJordani emhlabathini owomileyo.
Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yenza amanzi eJordani atsha phambi kwenu laze lachapha, njengokwenza kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kuLwandle oluBomvu eyalomisa phambi kwethu saze sachapha,
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Sea of Suf, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,
24 ukuze zonke izizwe zomhlaba zazi isandla seNkosi, ukuthi silamandla, ukuze liyesabe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu zonke izinsuku.
that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”
