Joshuwa
24 UJoshuwa wazihlanganisa ndawonye zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli eShekemi+ wabiza amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli+ nezinhloko zakhe nabahluleli bakhe nezikhulu zakhe, bama phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso.+ 2 UJoshuwa wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushilo, ‘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+ ngamenza walihamba lonke leli zwe laseKhanani futhi ngayenza yaba ningi inzalo yakhe.+ Ngakho ngamnika u-Isaka.+ 4 Khona-ke u-Isaka ngamnika uJakobe no-Esawu.+ Kamuva u-Esawu ngamnika iNtaba iSeyiri ukuba ayithathe;+ uJakobe namadodana akhe behlela eGibhithe.+ 5 Kamuva ngathuma oMose no-Aroni,+ ngashaya iGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza phakathi kwalo;+ ngemva kwalokho nganikhipha.+ 6 Lapho ngikhipha oyihlo eGibhithe+ futhi nifika olwandle, amaGibhithe abasukela+ oyihlo ngezinqola zempi nangamabutho amahhashi aze afika oLwandle Olubomvu. 7 Baqala ukukhala kuJehova.+ Ngakho wabeka ubumnyama phakathi kwenu namaGibhithe+ waletha ulwandle phezu kwawo wawasibekela,+ amehlo enu akubona lokho engakwenza eGibhithe;+ nahlala ehlane izinsuku eziningi.+
8 “‘Ekugcineni nganiletha ezweni lama-Amori ayehlala ngaphesheya kweJordani, wona alwa nani.+ Ngawanikela esandleni senu ukuze nithathe izwe lawo, ngawabhuqa phambi kwenu.+ 9 Khona-ke uBhalaki indodana kaZipori,+ inkosi yakwaMowabi, wasukuma walwa no-Israyeli.+ Ngakho wathumela wabiza uBhalami indodana kaBheyori ukuba aniqalekise.+ 10 Angifunanga ukumlalela uBhalami.+ Ngakho wanibusisa ngokuphindaphindiwe.+ Kanjalo nganikhulula esandleni sakhe.+
11 “‘Khona-ke nawela iJordani+ nafika eJeriko.+ Abanikazi bamazwe aseJeriko, ama-Amori namaPherizi namaKhanani namaHeti namaGirigashi, amaHivi namaJebusi balwa nani; kodwa ngabanikela esandleni senu.+ 12 Ngakho ngathumela umuzwa wokudangala ngaphambi kwenu, kancane kancane wabaxosha phambi kwenu+—amakhosi amabili ama-Amori—hhayi ngenkemba yakho futhi hhayi ngomnsalo wakho.+ 13 Kanjalo nganinika izwe enaningalikhandlekelanga nemizi enaningayakhanga,+ nahlala kuyo. Nidla izivini nezixhobo zeminqumo eningazitshalanga.’+
14 “Manje yesaba uJehova+ umkhonze ngokungabi naphutha nangeqiniso,+ ususe onkulunkulu okhokho bakho ababebakhonza ngaphesheya koMfula naseGibhithe,+ ukhonze uJehova. 15 Manje uma kukubi emehlweni enu ukukhonza uJehova, zikhetheleni namuhla ukuthi nizokhonza bani,+ noma onkulunkulu ababebakhonza okhokho benu ababengaphesheya koMfula+ noma onkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni labo.+ Kepha mina nendlu yami, sizokhonza uJehova.”+
16 Abantu baphendula bathi: “Kuyinto engacabangeki, ukuba sishiye uJehova sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu. 17 Ngoba nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu owasikhuphula thina nawobaba wasikhipha ezweni laseGibhithe,+ endlini yezigqila,+ futhi owenza lezi zibonakaliso ezinkulu phambi kwamehlo ethu+ nowaqhubeka esiqaphile kuyo yonke indlela esayihamba naphakathi kwazo zonke izizwe esadabula phakathi kwazo.+ 18 UJehova waxosha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe+ ezazihlala ezweni, yebo ama-Amori. Nathi futhi, sizokhonza uJehova, ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”+
19 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Anikwazi ukukhonza uJehova, ngoba unguNkulunkulu ongcwele;+ unguNkulunkulu ofuna ukuzinikela kuye kuphela.+ Ngeke akuxolele ukuvukela kwenu nezono zenu.+ 20 Uma ningake nimshiye uJehova+ futhi nikhonze onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe,+ naye futhi ngokuqinisekile uyophenduka anilimaze futhi aniqothule ngemva kokuba esenenzele okuhle.”+
21 Abantu bona bathi kuJoshuwa: “Cha, sizokhonza uJehova!”+ 22 UJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Ningofakazi ngokumelene nani ngokwenu+ ukuthi nizikhethele uJehova ngokuzithandela, ukuba nimkhonze.”+ Bathi: “Singofakazi.”
23 “Manje susani onkulunkulu bezinye izizwe abaphakathi kwenu,+ nithambekisele izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” 24 Abantu bona bathi kuJoshuwa: “Sizokhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, futhi sizolalela izwi lakhe!”+
25 UJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano nabantu ngalolo suku wabamisela isiqondiso nesinqumo sokwahlulela+ eShekemi. 26 Khona-ke uJoshuwa waloba la mazwi encwadini yomthetho kaNkulunkulu+ futhi wathatha itshe elikhulu+ walimisa lapho ngaphansi komuthi omkhulu+ ongasendlini kaJehova engcwele.
27 UJoshuwa wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Bhekani! Leli tshe yilo elizoba ufakazi ngokumelene nathi,+ ngoba lona ngokwalo liwezwile wonke amazwi kaJehova awakhulume nathi, futhi kumelwe libe ufakazi ngokumelene nani, ukuze ningamphiki uNkulunkulu wenu.” 28 Ngalokho uJoshuwa wabamukisa abantu yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe.+
29 Ngemva kwalezi zinto uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, ekugcineni wafa eseneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.+ 30 Ngakho bamngcwaba endaweni yefa lakhe eThimnati-sera,+ elisesifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi, enyakatho yeNtaba iGahashi. 31 U-Israyeli waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zamadoda amadala aqhubeka ephila ngemva kukaJoshuwa+ futhi ayewazi wonke umsebenzi kaJehova awenzela u-Israyeli.+
32 Amathambo kaJosefa,+ lawo abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababewenyusile bawakhipha eGibhithe, bawangcwaba eShekemi esiqeshini sensimu uJakobe ayesithole kubantwana bakwaHamori,+ uyise kaShekemi, ngezinhlamvu zemali eziyikhulu;+ saba esabantwana bakwaJosefa njengefa labo.+
33 No-Eleyazare indodana ka-Aroni, wafa.+ Ngakho bamngcwaba eGqumeni likaFinehasi indodana yakhe,+ ayemnike lona esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi.