Joshua 24
1 Ipapo Joshua akaunganidza marudzi ose aIsraeri paShekemu. Akadana vakuru vavaIsraeri, vatungamiri, vatongi, navatariri vavo vakazviisa pamberi paMwari.
Ngakho uJoshuwa wabuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekhemu. Wamema bonke abadala, abakhokheli, abahluleli leziphathamandla zako-Israyeli, njalo bazethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
2 Joshua akati kuvanhu vose, “Zvanzi naJehovha Mwari waIsraeri: ‘Kare madzitateguru enyu pamwe chete naTera, baba vaAbhurahama naNahori, vaigara mhiri kwoRwizi vachishumira vamwe vamwari.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini bonke, “UThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli uthi: ‘Kudala okhokho benu, okugoqela uThera uyise ka-Abhrahama loNahori, babehlala ngaphetsheya koMfula njalo bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.
3 Asi ndakatora baba wenyu Abhurahama kubva kunyika iri mhiri kweRwizi ndikamufambisa munyika yose yeKenani ndikamupa vana vazhinji. Ndakamupa Isaka,
Kodwa ngathatha uyihlo u-Abhrahama elizweni elingaphetsheya koMfula ngamkhokhelela eKhenani ngamnika izizukulwane ezinengi. Ngamnika u-Isaka,
4 uye kuna Isaka ndakapa Jakobho naEsau. Ndakapa Esau nyika yezvikomo yeSeiri, asi Jakobho navanakomana vake vakaenda kuIjipiti.
njalo u-Isaka ngamnika uJakhobe lo-Esawu. Nganika ilizwe lonke elilamaqaqa eleSeyiri ku-Esawu, kodwa uJakhobe lamadodana akhe baya eGibhithe.
5 “‘Ipapo ndakatuma Mozisi naAroni uye ndakatambudza vaIjipita nezvandakaita ikoko, uye ndakakubudisai.
Ngasengithuma uMosi lo-Aroni, njalo ngajezisa amaGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza khonale ngasengilikhupha khona.
6 Pandakabudisa madzibaba enyu muIjipiti, vakasvika pagungwa, vaIjipita vakavatevera vaine ngoro navatasvi vamabhiza kusvikira paGungwa Dzvuku.
Ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe, beza olwandle njalo amaGibhithe axotshana labo ngezinqola lamabhiza baze bayafika eLwandle Olubomvu.
7 Asi ivo vakachema kuna Jehovha, akaisa rima pakati penyu navaIjipita; akauyisa gungwa pamusoro pavo rikavafukidza. Makaona nameso enyu chaiwo zvandakaita kuvaIjipita. Ipapo makagara murenje kwenguva refu.
Kodwa bakhala kuThixo befuna uncedo yena waseletha umnyama phakathi kwenu lamaGibhithe; waletha ulwandle phezu kwabo wabembesa ngalo. Lazibonela ngamehlo enu lokho engakwenza kumaGibhithe. Laselihlala enkangala okwesikhathi eside.
8 “‘Ndakauya nemi kunyika yavaAmori vaigara kumabvazuva kweJorodhani. Vakakurwisai asi ndakavaisa mumaoko enyu. Ndakavaparadza pamberi penyu, imi mukatora nyika yavo.
Ngaliletha elizweni lama-Amori ayehlala empumalanga yeJodani. Balwisana lani, kodwa mina ngabanikela ezandleni zenu. Ngababhubhisa phambi kwenu njalo laselithatha ilizwe labo.
9 Zvino Bharaki mwanakomana waZipori mambo weMoabhu, akati agadzirira kundorwa naIsraeri, akatuma nhume kundodana Bharamu mwanakomana waBheori kuti akutukei.
Lapho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yaseMowabi, alungiselela ukulwisana lo-Israyeli, wathumela uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori ukuthi aliqalekise.
10 Asi ini ndakaramba kunzwa Bharamu, naizvozvo akaramba achingokuropafadzai, ini ndikakurwirai paruoko rwake.
Kodwa ngala ukulalela uBhalamu, ngakho walibusisa njalonjalo mina ngasengilihlenga esandleni sakhe.
11 “‘Ipapo makayambuka Jorodhani, mukasvika paJeriko. Vanhu veJeriko vakarwa nemi, sezvakaitawo vaAmori, vaPerizi, vaKenani, vaHiti, vaGirigashi, vaHivhi navaJebhusi, asi ndakavaisa mumaoko enyu.
Laselichapha uJodani leza eJerikho. Izakhamizi zeJerikho zalwisana lani njengalokho okwenziwa ngama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaGigashi, amaHivi lamaJebusi, kodwa ngabanikela ezandleni zenu.
12 Ndakatuma mago pamberi penyu, iwo akavadzinga pamberi penyu, uyewo namadzimambo maviri avaAmori. Hamuna kuzviita nomunondo wenyu kana nouta hwenyu.
Ngathumela olonyovu phambi kwenu, olwabaxotsha phambi kwenu kanye lamakhosi amabili ama-Amori. Kalizange likwenze ngenkemba yenu langedandili lenu.
13 Saka ndakakupai nyika yamusina kushandira namaguta amusina kuvaka; uye mugere maari uye munodya zvinobva muminda yemizambiringa nemiorivhi yamusina kusima.’
Ngakho ngalinika ilizwe elingazanga liliginqele lamadolobho elingazange liwakhe; njalo lihlala phakathi kwawo njalo lisidla ezivinini zama-oliva elingazihlanyelanga.’
14 “Zvino ityai Jehovha uye mumushumire nokutendeka kwose. Rasai vamwari vainamatwa namadzitateguru enyu mhiri kworwizi nokuIjipiti, uye mushumire Jehovha.
Ngakho mesabeni uThixo limkhonze ngokuthembeka konke. Lahlani onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya koMfula laseGibhithe, likhonze uThixo.
15 Asi kana kushumira Jehovha kusingakufadzei, zvino zvisarudzirei nhasi wamuchashumira, vamwari vaishumirwa namadzitateguru enyu mhiri kwoRwizi kana vamwari vavaAmori, munyika mamugere. Asi kana ndirini neimba yangu tichashumira Jehovha.”
Kodwa nxa ukukhonza uThixo kukhanya kungathandeki kini, khethani phakathi kwenu namhlanje lowo elizamkhonza, kumbe ngonkulunkulu okhokho benu ababebakhonza ngaphetsheya koMfula kumbe onkulunkulu bama-Amori, lawo elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizakhonza uThixo.”
16 Ipapo vanhu vakapindura vachiti, “Ngazvive kure nesu kuti tisiye Jehovha kuti tishumire vamwe vamwari!
Abantu basebephendula besithi, “Akube khatshana lathi ukuthi silahle uThixo ukuze sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu!
17 Jehovha Mwari wedu pachake, ndiye akatibudisa isu namadzibaba edu kubva muIjipiti, nyika youranda, uye akaita zviratidzo zvikuru zvatakaona. Akatidzivirira parwendo rwedu rwose rwatakafamba pakati pendudzi dzose dzatakapfuura nokwadziri.
KwakunguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwakhe owasikhuphayo thina kanye labobaba eGibhithe sisuka elizweni lobugqili, wasesenza izimanga ezinkulu emehlweni ethu. Wasivikela kulolonke uhambo lwethu lakuzo zonke izizwe.
18 Uye Jehovha akadzinga pamberi pedu ndudzi dzose pamwe chete navaAmori vakanga vagere munyika ino. Nesuwo tichashumira Jehovha, nokuti ndiye Mwari wedu.”
Njalo uThixo wazixotsha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe, okugoqela ama-Amori ayehlala elizweni. Lathi sizamkhonza uThixo ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”
19 Joshua akapindura vanhu achiti, “Hamungagoni kushumira Jehovha. NdiMwari mutsvene; ndiMwari ane godo. Haangakukanganwirei kumumukira kwenyu nezvivi zvenyu.
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Kalenelisi ukumkhonza uThixo. UnguNkulunkulu ongcwele; unguNkulunkulu olobukhwele. Kasoze alixolele ekuhlamukeni kwenu lezonweni zenu.
20 Kana mukarasa Jehovha, mukashumira vamwari vavatorwa, iye achakupindukirai agouyisa njodzi pamusoro penyu agokuparadzai.”
Nxa lingatshiya uThixo beselikhonza abanye onkulunkulu bezizweni uzaliphendukela alehlisele umonakalo aliqede du, yena ubelungile.”
21 Asi vanhu vakati kuna Joshua, “Kwete! Isu tichashumira Jehovha.”
Kodwa abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Hatshi! Sizamkhonza uThixo.”
22 Ipapo Joshua akati, “Ndimi zvapupu zvezvamaita kuti masarudza kushumira Jehovha.” Ivo vakapindura vachiti: “Hongu, tiri zvapupu.”
UJoshuwa wathi, “Yini elizifakazelayo ukuthi selikhethe ukukhonza uThixo.” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo singofakazi.”
23 Joshua akati, “Naizvozvo rasai vamwari vavatorwa vari pakati penyu murerekere mwoyo yenyu kuna Jehovha Mwari waIsraeri.”
UJoshuwa wathi kubo, “Ngakho-ke lahlani bonke onkulunkulu bezizweni abaphakathi kwenu beselinikela inhliziyo zenu kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli.”
24 Vanhu vakati kuna Joshua, “Tichashumira Jehovha Mwari wedu, uye tichamuteerera.”
Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Sizamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu simlalele.”
25 Pazuva iro Joshua akaitira vanhu sungano, akavadzikira mitemo nemirayiro ipapo paShekemu.
Ngalelolanga uJoshuwa wenzela abantu isivumelwano, njalo wabenzela imithetho lemilayo khonapho eShekhemu.
26 Joshua akanyora mashoko aya mubhuku romurayiro waMwari. Ipapo akatora ibwe guru akariisa pasi pomuouki, pedyo nenzvimbo tsvene yaJehovha.
UJoshuwa waloba konke lokhu oGwalweni lwemiThetho kaNkulunkulu. Wasethatha ilitshe elikhulu walimisa phansi kwesihlahla somʼOkhi eduzane lendawo engcwele kaThixo.
27 Akati kuvanhu vose, “Tarirai! Ibwe iri richava chapupu pamusoro pedu. Ranzwa mashoko ose ataurwa naJehovha kwatiri. Richava chapupu pamusoro penyu kana musina kutendeka kuna Mwari wenyu.”
Wathi ebantwini bonke, “Khangelani! Ilitshe leli lizakuba yibufakazi kithi sonke. Selizwile wonke amazwi akhulunywe nguThixo kithi. Lizakuba ngofakazi wokulilahla nxa lingakhulumi iqiniso kuNkulunkulu.”
28 Ipapo Joshua akaendesa vanhu, mumwe nomumwe kunhaka yake.
UJoshuwa wasetshela abantu ukuba bahambe, yilowo esiya elifeni lakhe.
29 Mushure mezvinhu izvi Joshua mwanakomana waNuni, muranda waJehovha, akafa ava namakore zana negumi.
Ngemva kwezinto lezi, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaThixo wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
30 Uye vakamuviga munyika yenhaka yake, paTimunati Sera, munyika yamakomo yaEfuremu, nechokumusoro kweGomo reGaashi.
Njalo bamngcwaba elizweni alizuza njengelifa, eThimnathi-Sera elizweni elilamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi enyakatho yentaba yeGashi.
31 VaIsraeri vakashumira Jehovha nguva dzose dzoupenyu hwaJoshua, uye napamazuva ose avakuru vakasara vari vapenyu Joshua afa, avo vakaona zvinhu zvose zvakanga zvaitirwa Israeri naJehovha.
Abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala kulaye ababesele bephila njalo bebone zonke izinto uThixo ayezenzele abako-Israyeli.
32 Mapfupa aJosefa, ayo akanga auyiwa nawo navana vaIsraeri kubva kuIjipiti, akavigwa paShekemu, munzvimbo yakanga yatengwa naJakobho kuvanakomana vaHamori, baba vaShekemu, nezana remari yesirivha. Iyi yakava nhaka yezvizvarwa zvaJosefa.
Njalo amathambo kaJosefa, abako-Israyeli ababesuke lawo eGibhithe, angcwatshelwa eShekhemu esiqintini somhlaba leso uJakhobe asithenga ngenhlamvu ezilikhulu zesiliva emadodaneni kaHamori, uyise kaShekhemu. Leli laba yilifa lezizukulwane zikaJosefa.
33 Uye Ereazari mwanakomana waAroni akafa, akavigwa paGibhea munzvimbo yakanga yapiwa mwanakomana wake Finehasi, munyika yamakomo yaEfuremu.
U-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni wafa wasengcwatshelwa eGibhiya, eyayabelwe indodana yakhe uFinehasi elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi.
