Yoshuwa
3 Emva koko uYoshuwa wavuka ekuseni, waza wahamba nawo onke amaSirayeli, basuka eShitim+ baya kufika eYordan. Balala apho ngaphambi kokuba bawele.
2 Emva kweentsuku ezintathu, amagosa+ angena enkampini 3 aza ayalela abantu esithi: “Nakuyibona ityeya yesivumelwano kaYehova uThixo wenu ithwelwe ngababingeleli abangabaLevi,+ nimele niyilandele. 4 Kodwa ke kumele kubekho umgama weekubhite eziyi-2 000* phakathi kwenu nayo, ningasondeli nakancinci kuyo, ukuze niyazi indlela enifanele nihambe ngayo, kuba zange nahamba kule ndlela.”
5 Emva koko uYoshuwa wathi ebantwini: “Zenzeni ngcwele,+ kuba ngomso uYehova uza kwenza izinto ezimangalisayo phakathi kwenu.”+
6 UYoshuwa wathi kubabingeleli: “Thathani ityeya+ yesivumelwano nize nidlule nihambe phambi kwabantu.” Ngoko bayithatha ityeya yesivumelwano baza bahamba phambi kwabantu.
7 Emva koko uYehova wathi kuYoshuwa: “Namhlanje ndiza kukuphakamisa phambi kwawo onke amaSirayeli,+ ukuze azi ukuba ndiza kukuxhasa,+ njengokuba ndandimxhasa noMoses.+ 8 Umele ubanike lo myalelo ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yesivumelwano: ‘Xa nifika apho aqala khona amanzi eYordan, nimele ningene nize nime ngxi.’”+
9 Yaye uYoshuwa wathi kumaSirayeli: “Sondelani nize nimamele amazwi kaYehova uThixo wenu.” 10 Emva koko uYoshuwa wathi: “Niza kubona ngale nto ke ukuba kukho uThixo ophilayo phakathi kwenu,+ yaye ngokuqinisekileyo uza kugxotha phambi kwenu amaKanan, amaHiti, amaHivi, amaPerizi, amaGirgashi, ama-Amori namaYebhusi.+ 11 Jongani! Nikhokelwa yityeya yesivumelwano yeNkosi yomhlaba wonke ukuwela iYordan. 12 Ngoko khethani amadoda ayi-12 kwizizwe zakwaSirayeli, indoda ibe nye kwisizwe ngasinye,+ 13 yaye xa zingena emanzini eYordan iinyawo zababingeleli abathwele iTyeya kaYehova, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, amanzi asuka emantla eYordan aza kuma, abe lidama.”*+
14 Ngoko xa abantu babesimka kwindawo ababehleli kuyo ngaphambi kokuba bawele iYordan, ababingeleli ababethwele ityeya+ yesivumelwano bahamba phambi kwabo. 15 Ngokukhawuleza emva kokuba ababingeleli abathwele iTyeya befake iinyawo zabo apho aqala khona amanzi (ngalo lonke ixesha lesivuno iYordan iyaphuphuma+), 16 ema ngxi amanzi asuka emantla. Aqalisa ukudama* kude, eAdam, isixeko esikufutshane neTsaretan, aza aphela lawo aya kuLwandle LwaseArabha, uLwandle LweTyiwa.* Amanzi ema yaye abantu bawela phambi kweYeriko. 17 Ngoxa ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yesivumelwano sikaYehova babemi kumhlaba owomileyo+ phakathi eYordan, onke amaSirayeli awela kumhlaba owomileyo,+ lwade lonke uhlanga lwagqiba ukuyiwela iYordan.