AbaHlulelii
2 Ingilozi+ kaJehova yakhuphuka isuka eGiligali+ yaya eBhokimu, yathi: “Nginikhuphe eGibhide nganisa enarheni engafunga ngayo kibokhokho benu.+ Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngathi, ‘Angeze ngisiphule isivumelwano sami nani.+ 2 Nina, kufuze ningenzi isivumelwano nezakhamuzi zenarha le+ begodu kufuze nibhuruze ama-aldarabo.’+ Kodwana akhenge nilalele ilizwi lami.+ Kubayini nenze lokhu? 3 Kungebangelo ngathi, ‘Angeze ngabaqotha phambi kwenu+ begodu bazokuba sithiyo kini,+ nabozimu babo bazoniyenga bona ningilahle.’”+
4 Kwathi ingilozi kaJehova nayikhuluma amezwi la kiwo woke ama-Israyeli, abantu bathoma ukukhihla isililo. 5 Yeke babiza indawo leyo ngokuthi yiBhokimu* begodu benzela uJehova imihlatjelo lapho.
6 Lokha uJotjhuwa nakatjhaphulula abantu bona bakhambe, omunye nomunye umIsrayeli waya elifeni lakhe bona athumbe inarha.+ 7 Abantu baragela phambili balotjha uJehova emihleni yoke kaJotjhuwa nemihleni yoke yabadala abaphila ukudlula uJotjhuwa, ababona zoke izenzo zakaJehova ezikulu azenzela u-Israyeli.+ 8 UJotjhuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wahlongakala aneminyaka eli-110.+ 9 Bambulunga endaweni yelifa lakhe eTimnathi-Rheresi,+ esifundeni seentaba zakwa-Efrayimu, ngetlhagwini yeNtaba iGatjhi.+ 10 Soke isizukulwaneso sabuthelelwa kibokhokho baso,* kwavela esinye isizukulwana ngemva kwaso ebesingamazi uJehova namkha lokho akwenzela u-Israyeli.
11 Ngalokho ama-Israyeli enza okumbi emehlweni kaJehova begodu alotjha aboBhali.+ 12 Ngokunjalo afulathela uJehova, uZimu wabokhokho bawo, owabakhupha enarheni yeGibhide.+ Alandela abanye abozimu, okubozimu beentjhaba eziwabhodileko+ begodu abakhothamela, asilinga uJehova.+ 13 Afulathela uJehova begodu alotjha uBhali nemifanekiso ka-Atjhitarothi.+ 14 Ngalokho ilaka lakaJehova lavuthela ama-Israyeli, wawanikela esandleni sabadlelezeli, yeke babadlelezela.+ Wawathengisela esandleni samanaba awabhodileko,+ akhenge asakghona ukuqalana namanabawo.+ 15 Nanyana kukuphi lapho bewaya khona, isandla sakaJehova besilwa nawo, siwalethela ihlekelele,+ njengombana uJehova bekakhulumile nanjengombana uJehova bekafungile kiwo+ begodu bewasesizini elikhulu.+ 16 Yeke uJehova bekabeka abahluleli ebebawasindisa esandleni sabadlelezeli bawo.+
17 Kodwana ala ukulalela nabahluleli begodu bewangwadla nabanye abozimu, abakhothamela. Aphambuka msinyana endleleni abokhokho bawo ebebakhamba kiyo, labo abalalela imiyalo kaJehova.+ Abhalelwa ukwenza lokho. 18 Bekuthi uJehova nakawabekela abahluleli,+ uJehova bekamsekela umahluleli loyo begodu awasindise esandleni samanabawo yoke imihla yomahluleli loyo; ngombana uJehova bekawarhawukela+ ngokububula okubangwa ngilabo abawagandelelako+ nalabo ebewabatlhorisa.
19 Kodwana bekuthi nakuhlongakala umahluleli loyo, athome phasi godu aziphathe kumbi ukudlula abokhokho bawo ngokulandela abanye abozimu, babalotjhe begodu babakhothamele.+ Akhenge alise imikghwawo nokuziphatha kwawo kokuba nekani. 20 Ekugcineni ilaka lakaJehova lavuthela ama-Israyeli,+ wathi: “Ngebanga lokuthi isitjhabesi siphambuke esivumelwaneni sami+ engayala ngaso abokhokho baso begodu akhenge singilalele,+ 21 nami angeze ngaqotha nasinye isitjhaba phambi kwaso esatjhiywa nguJotjhuwa emva nakahlongakalako.+ 22 Lokhu ngikwenzela ukulinga ama-Israyeli bona ngibone ukuthi azokukhamba endleleni kaJehova+ njengombana kwenza aboyise.” 23 Yeke uJehova wavumela iintjhabezi bona zihlale. Akhenge aziqothe msinya begodu akhenge azinikele esandleni sakaJotjhuwa.