Joshua 3
1 Mangwanani-ngwanani Joshua navaIsraeri vose vakasimuka kubva paShitimu vakaenda kuJorodhani, pavakavaka misasa vasati vayambukira mhiri.
Ekuseni kakhulu uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShithima baqonda eJodani lapho abamisa khona izihonqo zabo bengakachaphi.
2 Shure kwamazuva matatu vatungamiri vavanhu vakapinda mumisasa,
Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo,
3 vachirayira vanhu vachiti, “Pamunoona areka yesungano yaJehovha Mwari wenyu, navaprista, vaRevhi, voitakura, munofanira kubva panzvimbo dzenyu moitevera.
zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu labaphristi abangabaLevi belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele.
4 Ipapo muchaziva nzira yamunofanira kuenda nayo, nokuti hamusati mambofamba nenzira iyi. Asi munofanira kusiya nzvimbo inosvika makubhiti zviuru zviviri pakati penyu neareka. Regai kuswedera pedyo nayo.”
Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo umango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lomtshokotsho; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”
5 Zvino Joshua akati kuvanhu, “Zvinatsei, nokuti mangwana Jehovha achaita zvinhu zvinoshamisa pakati penyu.”
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uThixo uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”
6 Joshua akati kuvaprista, “Simudzai areka yesungano mutungamirire vanhu.” Naizvozvo vakaisimudza vakatungamirira vanhu.
UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho bawuthatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.
7 Zvino Jehovha akati kuna Joshua, “Nhasi ndichatanga kukusimudzira pamberi pavaIsraeri vose, kuitira kuti vazive kuti ndinewe sezvandaiva naMozisi.
UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi.
8 Taurira vaprista vanotakura areka yesungano uti: ‘Kana masvika panotangira mvura yeJorodhani, munofanira kupinda momira muJorodhani.’”
Tshela abaphristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika okhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, lingene liyekuma phakathi komfula.’”
9 Joshua akati kuvaIsraeri, “Uyai pano muteerere mashoko aJehovha Mwari wenyu.
UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 Ichi ndicho chinhu chamuchaziva nacho kuti Mwari wenyu mupenyu ari pakati penyu uye kuti zvirokwazvo achadzinga vaKenani mberi kwenyu, navaHiti, navaPerizi, navaGirigashi, navaAmoni navaJebhusi.
Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.
11 Tarirai, areka yesungano yaShe wenyika yose ichakutungamirirai pakuyambuka Jorodhani.
Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.
12 Naizvozvo, sarudzai varume gumi navaviri kubva kumarudzi avaIsraeri, mumwe chete kubva kurudzi rumwe norumwe.
Ngakho-ke, khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni esisodwa.
13 Uye vaprista vanotakura areka yaJehovha, Ishe wenyika yose, pavanongotsika netsoka dzavo muJorodhani, mvura yarwo inoerera ichibva kumusoro ichamira yoita murwi.”
Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho kaThixo, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”
14 Naizvozvo vanhu pavakasimuka kubva pamisasa kuti vayambuke Jorodhani, vaprista vakanga vakatakura areka yesungano vakavatungamirira.
Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayechapha uJodani, abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano bahamba phambili.
15 Zvino Jorodhani runogara ruzere nguva yose yokukohwa. Asi vaprista vakanga vakatakura areka pavakangosvika paJorodhani tsoka dzavo dzichitsika kumucheto kwemvura,
UJodani wayehlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho befika eJodani inyawo zabo zazithinta amanzi,
16 mvura yaibva kumusoro yakabva yamira kuerera. Yakaungana ikaita murwi iri kure chaizvo, paguta rinonzi Adhama pedyo neZaretani, mvura yaiererawo ichidzika kuGungwa reArabha (Gungwa roMunyu) yakagurwa zvachose. Naizvozvo vanhu vakayambuka mhiri kwakatarisana neJeriko.
amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetswayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho.
17 Vaprista vakanga vakatakura areka yesungano yaJehovha vakaramba vamire pavhu rakaoma pakati peJorodhani, vaIsraeri vose pavaipfuura, kusvikira rudzi rwose rwapedza kuyambuka napavhu rakaoma.
Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
