UJoshuwa 9

1 Kwasekusithi lapho wonke amakhosi ayenganeno kweJordani, entabeni, lesihotsheni, lekhunjini lolwandle olukhulu, maqondana leLebhanoni, amaHethi lamaAmori, amaKhanani, amaPerizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi ezwa,

And it cometh to pass, when all the kings who [are] beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the great sea, over-against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear —

2 abuthana ndawonye ukulwa loJoshuwa loIsrayeli nganhliziyonye.

that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel — one mouth.

3 Kwathi abahlali beGibeyoni sebezwile lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenzile eJeriko laseAyi,

And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai,

4 labo basebesenza ngobuqili; bahamba bazenza izithunywa, bathwalisa obabhemi babo amasaka agugileyo lemigodla yewayini egugileyo ledabukileyo lebekelweyo,

and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,

5 lamanyathela agugileyo labekelweyo enyaweni zabo, lezigqoko ezigugileyo bezigqokile, lezinkwa zonke zomphako wabo sezomile zikhuntile.

and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry — it was crumbs.

6 Basebesiya kuJoshuwa enkambeni eGiligali, bathi kuye lemadodeni akoIsrayeli: Sivela elizweni elikhatshana, ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano lathi.

And they go unto Joshua, unto the camp at Gilgal, and say unto him, and unto the men of Israel, 'From a land far off we have come, and now, make with us a covenant;'

7 Kodwa amadoda akoIsrayeli athi kumaHivi: Mhlawumbe lihlala phakathi kwethu; pho, singenza njani isivumelwano lenu?

and the men of Israel say unto the Hivite, 'It may be in our midst ye are dwelling, and how do we make with thee a covenant?'

8 Asesithi kuJoshuwa: Sizinceku zakho. UJoshuwa wasesithi kiwo: Lingobani? Njalo livela ngaphi?

and they say unto Joshua, 'Thy servants we [are].' And Joshua saith unto them, 'Who [are] ye? and whence come ye?'

9 Asesithi kuye: Izinceku zakho zivela elizweni elikhatshana kakhulu, ngenxa yebizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ngoba sizwile indumela yayo lakho konke eyakwenza eGibhithe,

And they say unto him, 'From a land very far off have thy servants come, for the name of Jehovah thy God, for we have heard His fame, and all that He hath done in Egypt,

10 lakho konke eyakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yeHeshiboni, loOgi inkosi yeBashani, eyayiseAshitarothi.

and all that He hath done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who [is] in 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.

'And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us, saying, Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we [are], and now, make with us a covenant;

12 Lesisinkwa sethu sasithatha sitshisa singumphako wethu ezindlini zethu mhla siphumayo sisiza kini; kodwa khathesi, khangela, sesomile sakhunta.

this our bread — hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry, and hath been crumbs;

13 Lalimigodla yewayini esayigcwalisayo yayimitsha; kodwa khangela, isidabukile. Lalezizigqoko zethu lamanyathela ethu sekugugiswe luhambo olude kakhulu.

and these [are] the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and lo, they have rent; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.'

14 Ngakho amadoda athatha kokomphako wabo, engabuzanga umlomo weNkosi.

And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;

15 UJoshuwa wasesenza ukuthula labo, wenza isivumelwano labo sokubayekela baphile, lezinduna zenhlangano zafunga kibo.

and Joshua maketh with them peace, and maketh with them a covenant, to keep them alive; and swear to them do the princes of the company.

16 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezintathu emva kokuthi sebenzile isivumelwano labo, bezwa ukuthi bangomakhelwane babo, lokuthi babehlala phakathi kwabo.

And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days after that they have made with them a covenant, that they hear that they [are] their neighbours — that in their midst they are dwelling.

17 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesuka bafika emizini yabo ngosuku lwesithathu. Njalo imizi yabo yayiyiGibeyoni leKefira leBherothi leKiriyathi-Jeyarimi.

And the sons of Israel journey and come in unto their cities on the third day — and their cities [are] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim —

18 Njalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli kababatshayanga ngoba izinduna zebandla zazibafungele ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli; inhlangano yonke yasingungunela izinduna.

and the sons of Israel have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel, and all the company murmur against the princes.

19 Kodwa zonke izinduna zathi enhlanganweni yonke: Thina sifungile kibo ngeNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngakho-ke kasilakubathinta.

And all the princes say unto all the company, 'We — we have sworn to them by Jehovah, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them;

20 Sizakwenza lokhu kibo, sibayekele baphile, ukuze kungabi khona ulaka phezu kwethu ngenxa yesifungo esasifunga kibo.

this we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.'

21 Lezinduna zathi kubo: Bayekeleni baphile, kodwa kababe ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi enhlanganweni yonke, njengokutsho kwezinduna kubo.

And the princes say unto them, 'They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company, as the princes spake to them.'

22 UJoshuwa wasebabiza, wakhuluma labo esithi: Lisikhohliseleni, lisithi: Sikhatshana kakhulu lani; kanti lina lihlala phakathi kwethu?

And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, 'Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling?

23 Ngakho-ke liqalekisiwe, njalo kakuyikuqunywa phakathi kwenu izigqili labagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi bendlu kaNkulunkulu wami.

and now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant, even hewers of wood 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.

And they answer Joshua and say, 'Because it was certainly declared to thy servants, that Jehovah thy God commanded Moses His servant to give to you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;

25 Khathesi-ke, khangela, sesisesandleni sakho; yenza njengokulungileyo lanjengokuqondileyo emehlweni akho ukukwenza kithi.

and now, lo, we [are] in thy hand, as [it is] good, and as [it is] right in thine eyes to do to us — do.'

26 Ngakho wenza njalo kubo, wabophula esandleni sabantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuze bangababulali.

And he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;

27 UJoshuwa wasebenza ngalolosuku baba ngabagamuli benkuni labakhi bamanzi benhlangano, labelathi leNkosi, kuze kube lamuhla, endaweni ezayikhetha.

and Joshua maketh them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the company, and for the altar of Jehovah, unto this day, at the place which He doth choose.