UJoshuwa
9 Lokhu kwafika endlebeni zamakhosi amaHithi, lama-Amori, lamaKhenani, lamaPherizi, lamaHivi kanye lamaJebusi.+ Amakhosi la ayebusa entshonalanga komfula uJodani+ elizweni lezintaba, laseShefela kanye lasekhunjini loLwandle Olukhulu*+ laphambi kweLebhanoni. 2 Amanyana ukuze alwe loJoshuwa labako-Israyeli.+
3 AbaseGibhiyoni+ labo bakuzwa lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenze eJerikho+ le-Ayi.+ 4 Ngakho babumba icebo, bathatha imiphako yabo bayifaka ezikhwameni ezindala bazigaxa kubobabhemi. Bathatha lemigodla yezikhumba zewayini ezigugileyo, ezasezidabuke zathungwa. 5 Lamanyathela ababewagqokile ayesegugile futhi ethungwe athungwa. Babegqoke izigqoko ezindala ezazijujukile njalo izinkwa ababezithwele zasezomile, sezivuthuka lokuvuthuka. 6 Basuka baya eGiligali+ bafika bakhuluma loJoshuwa lamadoda ako-Israyeli bathi: “Sivela elizweni elikhatshana kakhulu. Sicela lenze isivumelwano lathi.” 7 Kodwa amadoda ako-Israyeli aphendula amaHivi*+ athi: “Engxenye lihlala eduze lathi. Pho singasenza njani isivumelwano lani?”+ 8 AmaHivi asesithi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku zakho.”
UJoshuwa wasewabuza wathi: “Lingobani futhi livela ngaphi?” 9 Amphendula athi: “Siyizinceku zakho futhi sivela elizweni elikhatshana.+ Silapha ngenxa yebizo likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho. Siluzwile udumo lwakhe lakho konke akwenza eGibhithe.+ 10 Sezwa lalokho akwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori ayengaphetsheya komfula uJodani,* uSihoni+ inkosi yeHeshibhoni lo-Ogi+ inkosi yeBhashani owayese-Ashitharothi. 11 Ngakho abadala besizwe sethu labantu bakithi bathe kithi, ‘Thathani imiphako lingene indlela liyebabona. Lifike lithi kubo: “Sizakuba zinceku zenu,+ sicela lenze isivumelwano lathi.”’+ 12 Izinkwa lezi zazitshisa sisuka emizini yethu sisiza lapha. Kodwa khathesi sezomile futhi sezivuthuka+ njengoba libona. 13 Izikhumba lezi zewayini zazizintsha ngesikhathi sizigcwalisa kodwa khathesi sezidabukile.+ Amanyathela ethu lezembatho zethu sekumadabudabu ngenxa yobude bomango.”
14 Abako-Israyeli bathi bekuzwa lokhu bayihlola imiphako yamadoda la kodwa abazange babuze kuJehova.+ 15 Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza labo isivumelwano sokuthi babengasoze bababulale, wabathembisa lokuthi babezahlalisana labo ngokuthula.+ Abakhokheli bako-Israyeli labo bafunga kubo.+
16 Ngemva kwamalanga amathathu benze isivumelwano labo, bezwa ukuthi babehlala eduze labo. 17 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho ababekhona, kwathi ngelanga lesithathu bafika emadolobheni ayehlala amadoda la. Amadolobho la kwakuyiGibhiyoni,+ leKhefira, leBheherothi kanye leKhiriyathi-jeyarimi.+ 18 Kodwa abako-Israyeli abazange bawahlasele ngoba abakhokheli babefunge ngebizo likaJehova+ uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Ngakho bonke abantu baqalisa ukukhonona besola lokho okwakwenziwe ngabakhokheli babo. 19 Abakhokheli basebesithi kubo: “Akuvumi ukuthi sibabulale ngoba sifunge ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. 20 Ngakho asisoze sibabulale ukuze uNkulunkulu angasithukutheleli ngoba sifungile kubo.”+ 21 Izinduna zaqhubeka zathi: “Lingababulali, bazakuba yizisebenzi zethu bathezele abantu inkuni njalo babakhele lamanzi.” Lokhu yikho izinduna ezabathembisa khona.
22 UJoshuwa wasebabiza wathi kubo: “Kungani lisiqilile lathi livela khatshana kakhulu lina lihlala khonapha eduze lathi?+ 23 Kusukela lamuhla liqalekisiwe+ futhi lizahlala liyizigqili. Lizatheza inkuni njalo likhe lamanzi azasetshenziswa endlini kaNkulunkulu wami.” 24 Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi: “Yikuthi izinceku zakho zatshelwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu watshela uMosi inceku yakhe ukuthi alinike lonke ilizwe lokuthi litshabalalise bonke abantu abahlala kulo.+ Ngakho sesaba ukuthi lizasibulala+ sasesibumba icebo leli.+ 25 Khathesi sisezandleni zakho. Yenza kithi loba kuyini okubona kulungile njalo kuqondile.” 26 Ngakho uJoshuwa wabavikela kwabako-Israyeli njalo abazange bababulale. 27 Ngalelolanga wabenza baba yizigqili zokutheza inkuni lokukha amanzi ayezasetshenziswa ngabako-Israyeli+ kanye lase-alithareni likaJehova elalizakuba sendaweni ayezayikhetha.+ Lalamuhla balokhu beyizigqili.+