UJoshuwa 9
1 Kwasekusithi lapho wonke amakhosi ayenganeno kweJordani, entabeni, lesihotsheni, lekhunjini lolwandle olukhulu, maqondana leLebhanoni, amaHethi lamaAmori, amaKhanani, amaPerizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi ezwa,
When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it
2 abuthana ndawonye ukulwa loJoshuwa loIsrayeli nganhliziyonye.
they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 Kwathi abahlali beGibeyoni sebezwile lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenzile eJeriko laseAyi,
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4 labo basebesenza ngobuqili; bahamba bazenza izithunywa, bathwalisa obabhemi babo amasaka agugileyo lemigodla yewayini egugileyo ledabukileyo lebekelweyo,
they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wineskins,
5 lamanyathela agugileyo labekelweyo enyaweni zabo, lezigqoko ezigugileyo bezigqokile, lezinkwa zonke zomphako wabo sezomile zikhuntile.
and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
6 Basebesiya kuJoshuwa enkambeni eGiligali, bathi kuye lemadodeni akoIsrayeli: Sivela elizweni elikhatshana, ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano lathi.
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”
7 Kodwa amadoda akoIsrayeli athi kumaHivi: Mhlawumbe lihlala phakathi kwethu; pho, singenza njani isivumelwano lenu?
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?”
8 Asesithi kuJoshuwa: Sizinceku zakho. UJoshuwa wasesithi kiwo: Lingobani? Njalo livela ngaphi?
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9 Asesithi kuye: Izinceku zakho zivela elizweni elikhatshana kakhulu, ngenxa yebizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngoba sizwile indumela yayo lakho konke eyakwenza eGibhithe,
They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,
10 lakho konke eyakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yeHeshiboni, loOgi inkosi yeBashani, eyayiseAshitarothi.
and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
11 Ngakho abadala bethu labo bonke abakhileyo elizweni lakithi bakhuluma kithi besithi: Thathani umphako wendlela esandleni senu, lihambe liyehlangana labo, lithi kibo: Sizinceku zenu; ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano lathi.
Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’
12 Lesisinkwa sethu sasithatha sitshisa singumphako wethu ezindlini zethu mhla siphumayo sisiza kini; kodwa khathesi, khangela, sesomile sakhunta.
This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy.
13 Lalimigodla yewayini esayigcwalisayo yayimitsha; kodwa khangela, isidabukile. Lalezizigqoko zethu lamanyathela ethu sekugugiswe luhambo olude kakhulu.
These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
14 Ngakho amadoda athatha kokomphako wabo, engabuzanga umlomo weNkosi.
The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from the LORD’s mouth.
15 UJoshuwa wasesenza ukuthula labo, wenza isivumelwano labo sokubayekela baphile, lezinduna zenhlangano zafunga kibo.
Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.
16 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezintathu emva kokuthi sebenzile isivumelwano labo, bezwa ukuthi bangomakhelwane babo, lokuthi babehlala phakathi kwabo.
At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.
17 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesuka bafika emizini yabo ngosuku lwesithathu. Njalo imizi yabo yayiyiGibeyoni leKefira leBherothi leKiriyathi-Jeyarimi.
The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18 Njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli kababatshayanga ngoba izinduna zebandla zazibafungele ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; inhlangano yonke yasingungunela izinduna.
The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 Kodwa zonke izinduna zathi enhlanganweni yonke: Thina sifungile kibo ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngakho-ke kasilakubathinta.
But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them.
20 Sizakwenza lokhu kibo, sibayekele baphile, ukuze kungabi khona ulaka phezu kwethu ngenxa yesifungo esasifunga kibo.
We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”
21 Lezinduna zathi kubo: Bayekeleni baphile, kodwa kababe ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi enhlanganweni yonke, njengokutsho kwezinduna kubo.
The princes said to them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
22 UJoshuwa wasebabiza, wakhuluma labo esithi: Lisikhohliseleni, lisithi: Sikhatshana kakhulu lani; kanti lina lihlala phakathi kwethu?
Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us?
23 Ngakho-ke liqalekisiwe, njalo kakuyikuqunywa phakathi kwenu izigqili labagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi bendlu kaNkulunkulu wami.
Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
24 Basebephendula uJoshuwa bathi: Ngoba kwatshelwa lokutshelwa ezincekwini zakho ukuthi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho yalaya uMozisi inceku yayo ukulinika ilizwe lonke lokuchitha bonke abakhileyo belizwe phambi kwenu. Ngakho sesaba kakhulu ngempilo yethu ngenxa yenu. Yikho senze le into.
They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 Khathesi-ke, khangela, sesisesandleni sakho; yenza njengokulungileyo lanjengokuqondileyo emehlweni akho ukukwenza kithi.
Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”
26 Ngakho wenza njalo kubo, wabophula esandleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuze bangababulali.
He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them.
27 UJoshuwa wasebenza ngalolosuku baba ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi benhlangano, labelathi leNkosi, kuze kube lamuhla, endaweni ezayikhetha.
That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the LORD’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.
