Joshuwa

24 UJoshuwa wazihlanganisa ndawonye zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli eShekemi, wabiza amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli, izinhloko, abahluleli nezikhulu, + bama phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. 2 UJoshuwa wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushoyo, ‘Okhokho benu + babehlala ngaphesheya koMfula* esikhathini eside esidlule +—uThera uyise ka-Abrahama noyise kaNahori—futhi babekhonza abanye onkulunkulu. +

3 “‘Ngemva kwesikhathi ngathatha ukhokho wenu u-Abrahama + ngaphesheya koMfula* ngamhambisa lonke leli zwe laseKhanani, ngayandisa inzalo* yakhe. + Ngamnika u-Isaka; + 4 u-Isaka ngamnika uJakobe no-Esawu. + Kamuva u-Esawu ngamnika iNtaba iSeyiri ukuba ibe yifa lakhe; + uJakobe namadodana akhe behlela eGibhithe. + 5 Kamuva ngathuma uMose no-Aroni, + ngashaya iGibhithe ngezinhlupho, + ngemva kwalokho nganikhipha. 6 Lapho ngikhipha oyihlo eGibhithe + futhi befika olwandle, abaseGibhithe babajaha ngezinqola zempi nangamabutho amahhashi baze bafika oLwandle Olubomvu. + 7 Baqala ukukhala kuJehova, + ngakho wabeka ifu elimnyama phakathi kwenu nabaseGibhithe, wabamboza ngolwandle + bafa, futhi nazibonela ngawenu lokho engakwenza eGibhithe. + Ngemva kwalokho nahlala ehlane iminyaka eminingi. *+

8 “‘Nganiletha ezweni lama-Amori ayehlala ngaphesheya* kweJordani, wona alwa nani. + Kodwa ngawanikela esandleni senu ukuze nithathe izwe lawo, ngawabhuqa phambi kwenu. + 9 Khona-ke uBhalaki indodana kaZipori, inkosi yakwaMowabi, walwa no-Israyeli. Wabiza uBhalami indodana kaBheyori ukuze aniqalekise. + 10 Kodwa angimlalelanga uBhalami. + Ngakho wanibusisa ngokuphindaphindiwe, + futhi nganikhulula esandleni sakhe. +

11 “‘Nawela iJordani + nafika eJeriko. + Izikhulu* zaseJeriko, ama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhanani, amaHeti, amaGirigashi, amaHivi namaJebusi balwa nani, kodwa ngabanikela esandleni senu. + 12 Ngabenza baphelelwa yithemba* phambi kwenu, okwabenza banibalekela +—amakhosi amabili ama-Amori. Lokhu akwenziwanga yinkemba yenu noma umnsalo wenu. + 13 Ngale ndlela nganinika izwe enaningalikhandlekelanga namadolobha enaningawakhanga, + nahlala kuwo. Manje nidla emasimini amagilebhisi nasezihlahleni zeminqumo eningazitshalanga.’ +

14 “Ngakho-ke, yesabani uJehova nimkhonze ngobuqotho* nangokwethembeka, *+ nisuse onkulunkulu okhokho benu ababebakhonza ngaphesheya koMfula* naseGibhithe, + nikhonze uJehova. 15 Manje uma kubonakala kukubi emehlweni enu ukukhonza uJehova, zikhetheleni namuhla ukuthi ubani enizomkhonza, + ukuthi nizokhonza onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa okhokho benu ngaphesheya koMfula *+ noma onkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni lawo. + Kepha mina nomndeni wami,* sizokhonza uJehova.”

16 Abantu baphendula bathi: “Kuyinto engacabangeki ukuba sishiye uJehova sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu. 17 NguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu owasikhuphula, thina nobaba bethu wasikhipha ezweni laseGibhithe, + endlini yobugqila, + futhi owenza lezi zibonakaliso ezinkulu phambi kwamehlo ethu + nowayelokhu esiqaphile kuyo yonke indlela esayihamba naphakathi kwazo zonke izizwe esadabula phakathi kwazo. + 18 UJehova waxosha zonke izizwe kanye nama-Amori ayehlala ezweni ngaphambi kokuba sifike. Ngakho-ke, nathi sizokhonza uJehova, ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”

19 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Nizokwazi ngempela yini ukukhonza uJehova? Ngoba unguNkulunkulu ongcwele; + unguNkulunkulu ofuna ukuzinikela kuye kuphela. + Ngeke azixolele izeqo zenu* nezono zenu. + 20 Uma nimshiya uJehova nikhonze onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe, naye uyomelana nani aniqothule ngemva kokuba esenenzele okuhle.” +

21 Kodwa abantu bathi kuJoshuwa: “Sizokhonza uJehova!” + 22 Ngakho uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Ningofakazi bokuthi nizikhethele ngokwenu ukukhonza uJehova.” + Bathi: “Singofakazi.”

23 “Ngakho-ke, susani onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe abaphakathi kwenu, nikhonze uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu.” 24 Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa: “Sizokhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, futhi sizolalela izwi lakhe!”

25 UJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano nabantu ngalolo suku wabanika isiqondiso nomthetho eShekemi. 26 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa waloba la mazwi encwadini yoMthetho + kaNkulunkulu, wayesethatha itshe + elikhulu walimisa ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu esingasendlini engcwele kaJehova.

27 UJoshuwa wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Lalelani! Leli tshe lizoba ufakazi wethu, + ngoba likuzwe konke uJehova asitshele kona, lizoba ufakazi, ukuze ningamphiki uNkulunkulu wenu.” 28 UJoshuwa wabe esebadedela abantu bahamba yilowo nalowo waya endaweni eyifa lakhe. +

29 Ngemva kwalezi zinto uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka engu-110. + 30 Ngakho bamngcwaba endaweni eyifa lakhe eThimnati-sera, + esezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, enyakatho yeNtaba iGahashi. 31 U-Israyeli waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zamadoda amadala aqhubeka ephila ngemva kokufa kukaJoshuwa nayekwazi konke uJehova ayekwenzele u-Israyeli. +

32 Amathambo kaJosefa, + lawo ama-Israyeli ayekhuphuke nawo esuka eGibhithe, angcwatshwa eShekemi endaweni uJakobe ayeyithenge emadodaneni kaHamori, + uyise kaShekemi, ngezinhlamvu zemali ezingu-100; + futhi yaba yifa lenzalo kaJosefa. +

33 U-Eleyazare indodana ka-Aroni naye wafa. + Ngakho bamngcwaba eGqumeni LikaFinehasi indodana yakhe, + ayemnike lona ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.