Joshuwa
24 Ngemuva kwaloko Joshuwa wahlanganisa tonkhe tive taka-Israyeli eShekhemu, wabita nemadvodza lamadzala aka-Israyeli, tinhloko, behluleli kanye netikhulu,+ futsi bema embikwaNkulunkulu weliciniso. 2 Joshuwa wakhuluma nabo bonkhe labantfu watsi: “Naku lokushiwo nguJehova Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli: ‘Esikhatsini lesendlulile+ bokhokho benu,+ lokufaka ekhatsi Thera babe wa-Abrahama naNahori, bebahlala ngale ngesheya kweMfula* futsi bakhonta labanye bonkulunkulu.+
3 “‘Ngemuva kwesikhatsi ngatsatsa khokho wenu Abrahama+ ngale ngesheya kweMfula* ngamhambisa kulo lonkhe live laseKhenani, ngaphindze ngandzisa intalelwane* yakhe.+ Ngamniketa Isaka,+ 4 futsi Isaka ngamniketa Jakobe na-Esawu.+ Ngemuva kwaloko Esawu ngamniketa iNtsaba iSeyiri kutsi ibe lifa lakhe,+ kantsi Jakobe nemadvodzana akhe behlela eGibhithe.+ 5 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, ngatfumela Mosi na-Aroni+ futsi ngashaya iGibhithe ngetishayo lengatiletsa kuyo,+ ngabese ngiyanikhipha. 6 Ngesikhatsi ngikhipha bobabe benu eGibhithe+ futsi befika elwandle, bantfu baseGibhithe babacosha ngetinkalishi temphi nangemasotja lagibele emahhashi baze bayofika eLwandle Lolubovu.+ 7 Bobabe benu bacala kukhala kuJehova,+ ngako wamisa lifu lelimnyama emkhatsini wabo nebantfu baseGibhithe, waletsa emanti aselwandle etikwabo futsi abambonya.+ Nine natibonela ngewenu loko lengakwenta eGibhithe.+ Ngemuva kwaloko nahlala ehlane iminyaka* leminyenti.+
8 “‘Ngabese nginiletsa eveni lema-Amori labehlala ngale* kweJordane futsi alwa nani.+ Kodvwa ngawanikela esandleni senu kuze nitsatse live lawo libe lifa lenu, ngaphindze ngawacotfula embikwenu.+ 9 Ngemuva kwaloko, Bhalaki labeyindvodzana yaSiphori futsi ayinkhosi yakaMowabi weta kutokulwa nema-Israyeli. Wabese ubita Bhalamu indvodzana yaBheyori kutsi atonicalekisa.+ 10 Kodvwa angizange ngimlalele Bhalamu.+ Ngako wanibusisa waphindzelela,+ futsi nganikhulula esandleni sakhe.+
11 “‘Nabese newela iJordane,+ nahamba naze nayewufika eJerikho.+ Baholi* baseJerikho, lokungema-Amori, emaPheresi, emaKhenani, emaHethi, emaGirigashi, emaHivi nemaJebhusi balwa nani, kodvwa ngabanikela esandleni senu.+ 12 Ngako natsi nisengakefiki ngabenta baphelelwa ngemandla,* futsi loko kwabenta besuka embikwenu,+ njengobe kwaba njalo nangemakhosi lamabili ema-Amori. Anibacoshanga ngenkemba yenu nobe ngebutjoki benu.+ 13 Ngaleyondlela nganinika live leningazange nilisebentele nemadolobha leningazange niwakhe,+ nabese nihlala kuwo. Nidla titselo tetihlahla temagilebisi netetihlahla temincumo leningazange nitihlanyele.’+
14 “Ngako yesabani Jehova, nimkhonte ngebucotfo* nangekwetsembeka,*+ nisuse labonkulunkulu lebebakhontwa bokhokho benu ngale ngesheya kweMfula* kanye naseGibhithe,+ futsi nikhonte Jehova. 15 Nangabe kubonakala kukubi kini kukhonta Jehova, tikhetseleni lamuhla kutsi nitawukhonta bani,+ kungaba bonkulunkulu lebebakhontwa bokhokho benu ngale ngesheya kweMfula*+ nobe bonkulunkulu bema-Amori lenihlala eveni lawo.+ Kodvwa mine nendlu yami sitawukhonta Jehova.”
16 Nabeva loko, labantfu batsi: “Asikucabangi ngisho nakancane kushiya Jehova futsi sikhonte labanye bonkulunkulu. 17 NguJehova Nkulunkulu wetfu lowasikhipha nabobabe eveni laseGibhithe,+ lokulive lebesigcilatwa kulo,+ futsi wenta netimangaliso letinkhulu embikwetfu,+ wachubeka asivikela kuyo yonkhe indlela lebesihamba kuyo nasemkhatsini wabo bonkhe bantfu lebesendlula kubo.+ 18 Jehova wacosha tonkhe tive lebetihlala kulendzawo sisengakefiki, lokufaka ekhatsi ema-Amori. Ngako natsi sitawukhonta Jehova ngobe unguNkulunkulu wetfu.”
19 Ngemuva kwaloko Joshuwa watsi kulabantfu: “Ngeke nikhone kukhonta Jehova, ngobe unguNkulunkulu longcwele,+ futsi unguNkulunkulu lofuna kukhontwe yena yedvwa.+ Ngeke anicolele tiphambeko* tenu netono tenu.+ 20 Nangabe nishiya Jehova bese nikhonta bonkulunkulu betive, naye utanishiya futsi anicotfule ngisho nobe sekanentele tintfo letinhle.”+
21 Kodvwa labantfu batsi kuJoshuwa: “Cha, tsine sitawukhonta Jehova!”+ 22 Ngako Joshuwa watsi kubo: “Nibofakazi bekutsi nitikhetsele nine kukhonta Jehova.”+ Bona batsi: “Yebo sibofakazi.”
23 “Ngako, susani labonkulunkulu betive labasemkhatsini wenu, futsi ninikele tinhlitiyo tenu kuJehova Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli.” 24 Labantfu batsi kuJoshuwa: “Sitawukhonta Jehova Nkulunkulu wetfu, futsi sitalilalela livi lakhe!”
25 Ngako ngalelolanga Joshuwa wenta sivumelwane nabo futsi wabanika simiso nemtsetfo eShekhemu. 26 Ngemuva kwaloko Joshuwa wabhala lamavi encwadzini yeMtsetfo waNkulunkulu,+ wase utsatsa litje lelikhulu+ walibeka ngephansi kwesihlahla lesikhulu lebesingasendzaweni lengcwele yaJehova.
27 Joshuwa wachubeka watsi kulabantfu: “Bukani! Lelitje litawuba ngufakazi lomelene natsi+ ngobe likuve konkhe Jehova lakushito kitsi, futsi litawuba ngufakazi lomelene nani kuze ningamphiki Nkulunkulu wenu.” 28 Ngako Joshuwa wabakhulula kutsi bahambe, nguloyo naloyo waya endzaweni lelifa lakhe.+
29 Ngemuva kwaloko Joshuwa indvodzana yaNuni, inceku yaJehova wafa asaneminyaka lengu-110 budzala.+ 30 Ngako bamngcwaba endzaweni lebeyilifa lakhe eThimnathi-sera,+ lesesifundzeni lesinetintsaba saka-Efrayimu, enyakatfo yeNtsaba iGashi. 31 Ema-Israyeli achubeka akhonta Jehova kuko konkhe kuphila kwaJoshuwa, nakuwo onkhe emalanga emadvodza lamadzala lachubeka aphila ngemuva kwaJoshuwa, nalabetati tonkhe tintfo Jehova latentela ema-Israyeli.+
32 Ematsambo aJosefa+ leta nema-Israyeli ngesikhatsi aphuma eGibhithe, abengcwatjwe eShekhemu ensimini Jakobe labeyitsenge ngetinhlavu temali letingu-100+ emadvodzaneni aHamori,+ babe waShekhemu. Lensimu yaba lifa lemadvodzana aJosefa.+
33 Eliyezeri indvodzana ya-Aroni naye wafa.+ Ngako bamngcwaba eGcumeni laFinehasi indvodzana yakhe,+ labenikwe lona esifundzeni lesinetintsaba saka-Efrayimu.