Jotjhuwa
3 UJotjhuwa wavuka ngamasa, yena nama-Israyeli woke basuka eTjhitimu+ beza eJordani. Bahlala ubusuku boke lapho ngaphambi kokuthi bayame.
2 Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu, iinduna+ zakhamba ikampa yoke 3 zayala abantu zathi: “Msinyana nanibona umfaji wesivumelwano kaJehova uZimenu, uthwalwa maLevi abaphristi,+ kufuze nisuke endawenenu niwulandele. 4 Kodwana kube nesikhala esimakhubhiti angaba zii-2 000* phakathi kwenu nawo; ningatjhideli kiwo, bona nizokwazi ukuthi kufuze nitjhingephi, ngombana azange khenikhambe ngendlela le ngaphambili.”
5 Nje-ke uJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Zicwengiseni+ ngombana kusasa uJehova uzokwenza izinto ezihle khulu phakathi kwenu.”+
6 Ngemva kwalokho, uJotjhuwa wathi ebaphristini: “Gugani umfaji+ wesivumelwano nikhambe phambi kwabantu.” Yeke baguga umfaji wesivumelwano bakhamba phambi kwabantu.
7 UJehova wathi kuJotjhuwa: “Namhlanjesi ngizokuthoma ukukuphakamisa emehlweni ka-Israyeli+ woke bona azi ukuthi ngizokuba nawe+ njengombana benginoMosi.+ 8 Kufuze uyale abaphristi abathwele umfaji wesivumelwano uthi: ‘Nanifika magega neJordani, kufuze ningene ngemanzini nijame ningasikinyeki.’”+
9 UJotjhuwa wathi ema-Israyelini: “Yizani nilalele amezwi kaJehova uZimenu.” 10 UJotjhuwa wathi: “Ngalokhu nizokwazi ukuthi uZimu ophilako uphakathi kwenu+ nokuthi nakanjani uzokuqotha amaKanana, amaRhiti, amaRhivi, amaPerizi, amaGirigatjhi, ama-Amori namaJebusi phambi kwenu.+ 11 Qala! Umfaji wesivumelwano weKosi yephasi loke ukhamba phambi kwenu utjhinga ngeJordani. 12 Nje-ke thathani amadoda ali-12 eenkorweni zakwa-Israyeli, indoda yinye ekorweni ngayinye,+ 13 msinyana iinyawo zabaphristi abathwele umFaji kaJehova, iKosi yephasi loke, nazithinta amanzi weJordani, amanzi weJordani avela ngehla azokujanyiswa begodu azokujama tsi njengedamu.”*+
14 Yeke kwathi abantu nabasuka ematendenabo ngaphambi kokuyama iJordani, abaphristi abathwele umfaji+ wesivumelwano bakhamba phambi kwabantu. 15 Msinyana abaphristi abathwele umFaji nabafika eJordani begodu bafaka iinyawo zabo ngemanzini (iJordani beyiphuphuma+ ngesikhathi sesivuno), 16 amanzi avela ngehla ajama. Aphakama njengedamu* kude khulu e-Adamu idorobho eliseduze neTsaretani, ngesikhatheso amanzi ehlela eLwandle le-Araba, okuliLwandle leTswayi,* oma. Amanzi ajanyiswa begodu abantu bayamela ngaphetjheya baqalana neJerikho. 17 Abaphristi abathwele umfaji wesivumelwano sakaJehova bebasolo bajamile bangasikinyeki ehlabathini eyomileko+ phakathi kweJordani, woke u-Israyeli wayama ehlabathini eyomileko+ bekwaba kulapho soke isitjhaba siqeda ukuyama iJordani.