< Abahluleli 1 >

1 Kwasekusithi emva kokufa kukaJoshuwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli babuza iNkosi besithi: Ngubani ozasenyukelela ukuyamelana lamaKhanani kuqala ukulwa emelene labo?
Emva kokufa kukaJoshuwa, abako-Israyeli babuza uThixo bathi, “Pho ngubani ozahamba kuqala ukuba ayesilwela lamaKhenani na?”
2 INkosi yasisithi: UJuda uzakwenyuka; khangelani, ngilinikele ilizwe esandleni sakhe.
UThixo waphendula wathi, “NguJuda ozahamba; ilizwe sengilinikele ezandleni zabo.”
3 UJuda wasesithi kuSimeyoni umfowabo: Yenyuka lami enkathweni yami ukuze silwe simelene lamaKhanani; lami-ke ngizahamba lawe enkathweni yakho. USimeyoni wasehamba laye.
Lapho-ke abantu bakoJuda bathi kwabakoSimiyoni abafowabo, “Hambani lathi elizweni esalabelwayo, ukuyakulwa lamaKhenani. Lathi sizakwenanisa ngokuhamba lani kwelenu.” Ngakho abakoSimiyoni ahamba labo.
4 UJuda wasesenyuka, njalo iNkosi yanikela amaKhanani lamaPerizi esandleni sabo; bawatshaya eBezeki, amadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi.
Kwathi uJuda esehlasele, uThixo wanikela amaKhenani lamaPherizi ezandleni zabo, wabulala abantu abazinkulungwane ezilitshumi eBhezekhi.
5 Basebefica uAdoni-Bezeki eBezeki, balwa bemelene laye, bawatshaya amaKhanani lamaPerizi.
Kukhonapho abafica khona u-Adoni-Bhezekhi balwa laye, baqothula amaKhenani kanye lamaPherizi.
6 Kodwa uAdoni-Bezeki wabaleka, baxotshana laye, bambamba, baquma izithupha zezandla zakhe lamazwane akhe amakhulu.
U-Adoni-Bhezekhi wabaleka, kodwa baxotshana laye baze bambamba, bamquma izithupha zakhe lamazwane amakhulu.
7 UAdoni-Bezeki wasesithi: Amakhosi angamatshumi ayisikhombisa aqunywe izithupha zezandla zawo lezenyawo zawo ayedobha ngaphansi kwetafula lami. Njengokwenza kwami, ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu ungiphindisele. Basebemusa eJerusalema, wafela khona.
U-Adoni-Bhezekhi wasesithi, “Amakhosi angamatshumi ayisikhombisa ayequnywe izithupha zawo lamazwane amakhulu ayedobha imvuthuluka ngaphansi kwetafula yami. Khathesi uNkulunkulu usephindisele kimi ngalokho engakwenza kuwo.” Bamusa eJerusalema lapho afela khona.
8 Abantwana bakoJuda balwa-ke bemelene leJerusalema, bayithumba, bayitshaya ngobukhali benkemba, lomuzi bawuthungela ngomlilo.
Abantu bakoJuda bahlasela leJerusalema bayithumba. Bahlasela idolobho ngezinkemba balithungela ngomlilo.
9 Emva kwalokho-ke abantwana bakoJuda behla ukuyakulwa bemelene lamaKhanani ayehlala entabeni leningizimu lesihotsheni.
Emva kwalokho, abantu bakoJuda bahamba bayakulwa lamaKhenani ayehlala elizweni lezintaba, iNegebi kanye lamawatha ezintaba angasentshonalanga.
10 UJuda wasehamba wamelana lamaKhanani ayehlala eHebroni; lebizo leHebroni kuqala kwakuyiKiriyathi-Arba; batshaya uSheshayi loAhimani loTalimayi.
Baqhubeka bayahlasela amaKhenani ayehlala eHebhroni (kuqala eyayithiwa yiKhiriyathi Aribha) banqoba uSheshayi, u-Ahimani kanye loThalimayi.
11 Basuka lapho baya bamelana labahlali beDebiri. Lebizo leDebiri kuqala kwakuyiKiriyathi-Seferi.
Besuka lapho baqhubeka bayahlasela abantu ababehlala eDebhiri (kuqala eyayithiwa yiKhiriyathi-Sefa).
12 UKalebi wasesithi: Ozatshaya iKiriyathi-Seferi, ayithumbe, ngizamnika uAkisa indodakazi yami ibe ngumkakhe.
UKhalebi wathi, “Ngizakwendisela indodakazi yami u-Akhisa endodeni ezahlasela ithumbe iKhiriyathi-Sefa.”
13 UOthiniyeli indodana kaKenazi umfowabo kaKalebi, owayemncane kulaye, waseyithumba; wasemnika uAkisa indodakazi yakhe ukuba ngumkakhe.
U-Othiniyeli, indodana kaKhenazi, umnawakhe kaKhalebi, wayithumba; ngakho uKhalebi wendisela indodakazi yakhe u-Akhisa kuye.
14 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwakhe wamkhuthaza ukuthi acele kuyise insimu; wasesehla kubabhemi, uKalebi wasesithi kuye: Ulani?
Ngelinye ilanga u-Akhisa wafika ku-Othiniyeli wamkhuthaza ukuthi acele insimu kuyise. Lapho esehlile kubabhemi wakhe uKhalebi wambuza wathi, “Kuyini engingakwenzela khona?”
15 Wasesithi kuye: Ngipha isibusiso. Njengoba ungiphe ilizwe leningizimu, ngipha njalo imithombo yamanzi. UKalebi wasemnika imithombo engaphezulu lemithombo engaphansi.
Waphendula wathi, “Ngicela ungenzele umusa obalulekileyo. Njengoba unginike umhlaba eNegebi, ngicela unginike lemithombo yamanzi.” Ngakho uKhalebi wamnika imithombo eyayingaphezulu leyayingaphansi.
16 Abantwana bomKeni, uyisezala kaMozisi, basebesenyuka besuka emzini wamalala, belabantwana bakoJuda, baya enkangala yakoJuda, eseningizimu kweAradi; baya bahlala phakathi kwabantu.
Abayinzalo kayisezala kaMosi, amaKheni, bahamba labantu bakoJuda besuka edolobheni laMalala besiyahlala phakathi kwabantu basenkangala yakoJuda eNegebi eduze le-Aradi.
17 UJuda wasehamba loSimeyoni umfowabo, bawatshaya amaKhanani ayehlala eZefathi, bayitshabalalisa. Ngakho ibizo lomuzi lathiwa yiHorma.
Emva kwalokho abantu bakoJuda bahamba labakoSimiyoni abafowabo bahlasela amaKhenani ayehlala eZefathi, idolobho basebelichitha ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho lathiwa yiHoma.
18 UJuda wasethumba iGaza lomngcele wayo, leAshikeloni lomngcele wayo, leEkhironi lomngcele wayo.
Abantu bakoJuda bathumba njalo iGaza, i-Ashikheloni kanye le-Ekroni, idolobho linye ngalinye kanye lelizwe lalo.
19 INkosi yasisiba loJuda, wadla ilifa lezintaba, kodwa wayengelakubaxotsha elifeni abahlali besigodi, ngoba babelezinqola zensimbi.
UThixo wayelabantu bakoJuda. Bathumba ilizwe lezintaba, kodwa behluleka ukuxotsha abantu ababesemagcekeni ngoba babelezinqola zempi ezenzwe ngensimbi.
20 Basebenika uKalebi iHebroni, njengokutsho kukaMozisi; wasexotsha elifeni esuka lapho amadodana amathathu kaAnaki.
Njengokuthembisa kukaMosi, iHebhroni yaphiwa uKhalebi, owaxotsha kuyo amadodana amathathu ka-Anakhi.
21 Kodwa abantwana bakoBhenjamini kabawaxotshanga elifeni amaJebusi ayehlala eJerusalema; ngakho amaJebusi ahlala labantwana bakoBhenjamini eJerusalema kuze kube lamuhla.
Kodwa abakoBhenjamini behluleka ukususa amaJebusi ayehlala eJerusalema; lalamhlanje amaJebusi ahlala khona labakoBhenjamini.
22 Lendlu kaJosefa, labo benyukela eBhetheli; njalo iNkosi yayilabo.
Ngalesosikhathi abendlu kaJosefa bahlasela iBhetheli, njalo uThixo wayelabo.
23 Indlu kaJosefa yasithuma inhloli eBhetheli; lebizo lomuzi kuqala laliyiLuzi.
Ekuthumeni kwabo abantu ukuba bayehlola iBhetheli (kuqala idolobho lelo lalithiwa yiLuzi),
24 Abalindi basebebona umuntu ephuma emzini, bathi kuye: Akusitshengise indlela yokungena emzini, besesikwenzela umusa.
inhloli zabona umuntu ephuma edolobheni zasezisithi kuye, “Sitshengise ukuthi singangena njani edolobheni, thina-ke sizabona ukuthi uphatheka kuhle.”
25 Esebatshengise indlela yokungena emzini, bawutshaya umuzi ngobukhali benkemba, kodwa lowomuntu losapho lwakhe lonke babayekela bahamba.
Ngakho wazitshengisa, zasezihlasela idolobho ngenkemba kodwa umuntu lowo zamyekela kanye labendlu yakhe bonke.
26 Lowomuntu wasesiya elizweni lamaHethi, wakha umuzi, wabiza ibizo lawo ngokuthi yiLuzi; yilelo ibizo lawo kuze kube lamuhla.
Ngakho-ke waya elizweni lamaHithi, lapho akha khona idolobho alibiza ngokuthi yiLuzi, okulokhe kuyilo ibizo lalo lalamhlanje.
27 UManase kaxotshanga-ke iBeti-Sheyani lemizana yayo, leThahanakhi lemizana yayo, labahlali beDori lemizana yayo, labahlali beIbileyamu lemizana yayo, labahlali beMegido lemizana yayo; kodwa amaKhanani afuna ukuhlala kulelolizwe.
Kodwa uManase kabaxotshanga abantu baseBhethi-Shani loba eThanakhi kumbe eDori loba e-Ibhiliyami kumbe eMegido kanye lasemizaneni yabo eseduzane, ngoba amaKhenani ayezimisele ukuhlala kulelolizwe.
28 Kwasekusithi uIsrayeli eselamandla wawamisa amaKhanani kusibhalo, kodwa kawaxotshanga lokuwaxotsha elifeni.
Kwathi abako-Israyeli sebelamandla bawabamba ngamandla amaKhenani ukuba abasebenzele kodwa kabazange bawaxotshe wonke.
29 UEfrayimi kawaxotshanga-ke elifeni amaKhanani ayehlala eGezeri, kodwa amaKhanani ahlala eGezeri phakathi kwabo.
Labako-Efrayimi kabawaxotshanga amaKhenani ayehlala eGezeri, kodwa amaKhenani aqhubeka ehlala khona labo.
30 UZebuluni kabaxotshanga elifeni abahlali beKitroni labahlali beNahaloli, kodwa amaKhanani ahlala phakathi kwabo, aba yizibhalwa.
LabakoZebhuluni kabawaxotshanga amaKhenani ayehlala eKhithironi kanye laseNahaloli, asala ephakathi kwabo; kodwa bawabamba ngamandla ukuba abasebenzele.
31 UAsheri kabaxotshanga elifeni abahlali beAko labahlali beSidoni leAhilabi leAkizibi leHeliba leAfiki leRehobi;
Labako-Asheri kababaxotshanga labo ababehlala e-Akho, kumbe eSidoni, kumbe e-Ahilabi loba e-Akhizibhi kumbe eHelibha loba e-Afekhi kumbe eRehobhi,
32 kodwa abakoAsheri bahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani abahlali belizwe, ngoba kabawaxotshanga elifeni.
njalo ngenxa yalokhu abantu bako-Asheri bahlala lamaKhenani ayeyakhe elizweni.
33 UNafithali kabaxotshanga elifeni abahlali beBeti-Shemeshi labahlali beBeti-Anathi, kodwa wahlala phakathi kwamaKhanani, abahlali belizwe; kodwa abahlali beBeti-Shemeshi labeBeti-Anathi baba yizibhalwa kubo.
LabakoNafithali kababaxotshanga labo ababehlala eBhethi-Shemeshi kumbe eBhethi-Anathi; kodwa abakoNafithali labo bahlala lamaKhenani ayeyakhe elizweni, kwathi lawo ayehlala eBhethi-Shemeshi kanye leBhethi-Anathi abanjwa ngamandla ukuba abe yizisebenzi zabo.
34 AmaAmori asebafuqela abantwana bakoDani entabeni, ngoba kawabavumelanga ukwehlela esigodini.
Ama-Amori ancindezela abakoDani ukuba bahlale elizweni lezintaba, angabavumeli ukuba behlele phansi emagcekeni.
35 Kodwa amaAmori ayefuna ukuhlala entabeni yeHeresi eAjaloni leShahalibimi, kodwa isandla sendlu kaJosefa saba nzima, aba yizibhalwa.
Njalo ama-Amori ayezimisele ukuhlala kokuphela eNtabeni iHeresi, le-Ayijaloni kanye leShalibhimi, kodwa kwathi amandla abendlu kaJosefa esemakhulu, lawo abanjwa ngamandla ukuba abe yizisebenzi.
36 Umngcele wamaAmori wawusukela emqansweni weAkirabimi, uvela edwaleni usiya phezulu.
Umngcele wama-Amori wawusekela uMkhandlu weNkume usiya eSela kanye langaphetsheya.

< Abahluleli 1 >