< UJoshuwa 4 >
1 Kwasekusithi lapho isizwe sonke sesiqede ukuchapha iJordani, iNkosi yakhuluma kuJoshuwa isithi:
2 Zithathele amadoda alitshumi lambili ebantwini, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe,
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.
4 UJoshuwa wasebiza amadoda alitshumi lambili ayewalungisile ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli, indoda yabanye kuleso lalesosizwe.
5 UJoshuwa wasesithi kuwo: Dlulani phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, lingene phakathi kweJordani, lizithathele, lowo lalowo, ilitshe elilodwa, aletshate ehlombe, njengokwenani lezizwe zabantwana bakoIsrayeli,
6 ukuze lokhu kube yisiboniso phakathi kwenu. Nxa abantwana benu bebuza kusasa besithi: Ayini lamatshe kini?
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.
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.
9 UJoshuwa wasemisa amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani endaweni lapho inyawo zabapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano ezazimi khona. Njalo asekhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.
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.
11 Kwasekusithi bonke abantu sebeqedile ukuchapha, umtshokotsho weNkosi wachapha, labapristi phambi kwabantu.
12 Njalo abantwana bakoRubeni labantwana bakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase bachapha behlomile phambi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli, njengokubatshela kukaMozisi.
13 Phose izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane behlomele impi, bachapha phambi kweNkosi ukuya empini, emagcekeni eJeriko.
14 Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamkhulisa uJoshuwa emehlweni kaIsrayeli wonke, njalo bamesaba njengalokhu babemesaba uMozisi insuku zonke zempilo yakhe.
15 INkosi yasikhuluma kuJoshuwa isithi:
16 Laya abapristi abathwala umtshokotsho wobufakazi ukuthi bakhuphuke eJordani.
17 UJoshuwa wasebalaya abapristi esithi: Khuphukani eJordani.
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.
19 Labantu bakhuphuka besuka eJordani ngolwetshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa inkamba eGiligali ephethelweni lempumalanga yeJeriko.
20 Lalawomatshe alitshumi lambili abawathatha eJordani uJoshuwa wawamisa eGiligali.
21 Wakhuluma kubantwana bakoIsrayeli esithi: Nxa abantwana benu bebuza kusasa kuboyise besithi: Ayini lamatshe?
22 Lizabazisa-ke abantwana benu lisithi: UIsrayeli wayichapha le iJordani emhlabathini owomileyo.
23 Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yenza amanzi eJordani atsha phambi kwenu laze lachapha, njengokwenza kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kuLwandle oluBomvu eyalomisa phambi kwethu saze sachapha,
24 ukuze zonke izizwe zomhlaba zazi isandla seNkosi, ukuthi silamandla, ukuze liyesabe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu zonke izinsuku.
