UJoshuwa 9 - isiZulu 1959/1997

Ubuqili babaseGibeyoni

1 Kwathi lapho onke amakhosi ayengaphesheya kweJordani, ezintabeni, nasemathafeni, nasogwini lonke loLwandle Olukhulu olubhekene neLebanoni, amaHeti, nama-Amori, namaKhanani, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi, esezwa lokho,

2abuthana ndawonye ukuba alwe noJoshuwa no-Israyeli nganhliziyonye.

3 Kepha bathi ukuba abakhileyo eGibeyoni bezwa lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenzile kulo iJeriko ne-Ayi,

4nabo benza ubuqili, bahamba bazenzisa kwangathi bayizithunywa, babeka amasaka agugileyo ezimbongolweni zabo, nezimvaba zewayini ezigugileyo neziklebhukileyo, ebesezithungiwe,

5nezicathulo ezigugileyo eziciciyelweyo zisezinyaweni zabo, bembethe nezingubo ezigugileyo; isinkwa sonke somphako wabo sasomile, sikhuntile.

6Baya kuJoshuwa ekamu* laseGiligali, bathi kuye nakumadoda akwa-Israyeli: “Sivela ezweni elikude; ngalokho manenze manje isivumelwano nathi.”

7 Amadoda akwa-Israyeli athi kumaHivi: “Mhlawumbe nakhile phakathi kwethu; singenza kanjani isivumelwano nani na?”

8Bathi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku zakho.”

UJoshuwa wathi kubo: “Ningobani, futhi nivelaphi na?”

9Bathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho zivela ezweni elikude kakhulu ngenxa yegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokuba siluzwile udumo lwakhe, nakho konke akwenzayo eGibithe,

10 nakho konke akwenza kuwo amakhosi omabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yaseHeshiboni no-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani, eyayise-Ashitaroti.

11Amalunga ethu nabo bonke abakhileyo ezweni lakithi bakhuluma kithi, bathi: ‘Phathani ezandleni zenu umphako wendlela, niye nibahlangabeze, nithi kubo: “Siyizinceku zenu; manenze isivumelwano nathi.” ’

12Lesi sinkwa somphako wethu sasithatha sisashisa ezindlini zethu ngosuku esaphuma ngalo ukuba siye kini; kepha manje, bhekani, sesomile, sikhuntile;

13lezi zimvaba zewayini esazigcwalisa zazizintsha; bhekani, seziklebhukile; lezi zingubo zethu nezicathulo zethu sezigugile ngenxa yendlela ende kakhulu.”

14 Amadoda ayesethatha emphakweni wabo engabuzanga umlomo kaJehova.

15 UJoshuwa wabethembisa ukuthula, wenza isivumelwano nabo ukuba baphile; izikhulu zenhlangano zafunga kubo.

16Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu sebesenzile isivumelwano nabo, bezwa ukuthi bangabakhelwane babo nokuthi bahlala phakathi kwabo.

17Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli base besuka, bafika emizini yabo ngosuku lwesithathu; imizi yabo yayiyiGibeyoni, neKefira, neBeroti, neKiriyati Jeharimi.

18Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababachithanga, ngokuba izikhulu zenhlangano zazifungile kubo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Yonke inhlangano yakhonona ngezikhulu.

19 Zonke izikhulu zase zithi kuyo yonke inhlangano: “Sifungile kubo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; ngalokho asinakubathinta manje.

20 Siyakwenza lokho kubo, sibayeke baphile, funa sehlelwe lulaka ngenxa yesifungo esasifunga kubo.”

21Izikhulu zase zithi kubo: “Mabayekwe baphile; baba ngabagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo yonke inhlangano njengalokho izikhulu zazibatshelile.”

22UJoshuwa wababiza, wakhuluma kubo, wathi: “Nisikhohliseleni ngokuthi: ‘Sikude kakhulu nani,’ lokhu nakhile phakathi kwethu, na?

23Ngalokho seniqalekisiwe, akuyikunqamuka ukuvela kini izigqila, abagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo indlu kaNkulunkulu wami.”

24 Bamphendula uJoshuwa, bathi: “Kungokuba izinceku zakho zatshelwa nokutshelwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wayala inceku yakhe uMose ukuba aninike izwe lonke, achithe bonke abakhileyo ezweni phambi kwenu; ngalokho sesaba kakhulu ngokuphila kwethu ngenxa yenu, sakwenza lokho.

25Bheka, manje sesisesandleni sakho; okuhle nokulungile emehlweni akho ukuba ukwenze kithi, kwenze.”

26Wayesenze njalo kubo, wabophula esandleni sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, baze bangababulali.

27UJoshuwa wabenza ngalolo suku abagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo inhlangano nakulo i-altare likaJehova kuze kube namuhla endaweni abeyakuyikhetha.