1 Kwathi, bakuva bonke ookumkani abanganeno kweYordan ezintabeni, nasezihlanjeni, nangaselwandle lonke olukhulu, kwasingisa eLebhanon, amaHeti, nama-Amori, namaKanan, namaPerizi, namaHivi, namaYebhusi,
2 babuthelana ndawonye, ukuba balwe ngamxhelo mnye noYoshuwa namaSirayeli.
3 Ke abemi baseGibheyon beva oko akwenzileyo uYoshuwa kwiYeriko, nakwiAyi,
4 benza nabo ngobuqhophololo. Baya bazenza izigidimi, babeka iingxowa ezonakeleyo emaesileni abo, neentsuba zewayini ezonakeleyo, ezikrazukileyo, ezibotshiweyo,
5 neembadada ezonakeleyo, ezixoliweyo, ezinyaweni zabo; bambatha neengubo ezonakeleyo; nesonka sonke somphako wabo besomile, besingundile kunene.
6 Beza kuYoshuwa emkhosini eGiligali, bathi kuye nakumadoda akwaSirayeli, Sivela ezweni elikude; simiseleni ngoko umnqophiso.
7 Athi amadoda akwaSirayeli kumaHivi lawo, Hi, kanti nikwahleli phakathi kwethu; sothini na ukunimisela umnqophisi?
8 Bathi kuYoshuwa, Singabakhonzi bakho. Wathi uYoshuwa kubo, Ningoobani na, nivela phi na?
9 Bathi kuye, Bavela kwelikude kakhulu ilizwe abakhonzi bakho, ngenxa yegama likaYehova uThixo wakho; kuba siluvile udumo lwakhe, nento yonke awayenzayo eYiputa;
10 nento yonke awayenzayo kookumkani bobabini bama-Amori, ababephesheya kweYordan, kuSihon ukumkani waseHeshbhon, nakuOgi ukumkani waseBhashan obeseAshtaroti.
11 Atsho kuthi amadoda amakhulu, nabemi bonke belizwe lakowethu, ukuthi, Phathani ezandleni zenu umphako wendlela, niye kuwakhawulela, nithi kuwo, Singabakhonzi benu; simiseleni ngoko umnqophiso.
12 Esi sisonka sethu sasenza umphako wethu sishushu ezindlwini zethu, ngomhla wokuphuma kwethu ekhaya ukuza kuni; ngoku nasi somile, singundile;
13 iintsuba ezi zewayini sazizalisa zisentsha; nanzi zikrazukile; nanzi neengubo zethu, neembadada zethu, zonakele ngobude bendlela.
14 Acaphula ke amadoda emphakweni wabo, akabuza cebo emlonyeni kaYehova.
15 Wenza uxolo nabo uYoshuwa, wabamisela umnqophiso wokubasindisa; zabafungela nezikhulu zalo ibandla.
16 Kwathi, ekupheleni kwemihla emithathu emveni kokuba bebamisele umnqophiso, beva ukuba bakufuphi kubo, nokuba bahleli kwaphakathi kwabo.
17 Banduluka oonyana bakaSirayeli, bafika emizini yabo ngomhla wesithathu. Imizi yabo yiGibheyon, neKefira, neBheroti, neKiriyati-yeharim.
18 Oonyana bakaSirayeli abababulala, ngokuba izikhulu zebandla zibe zifunge uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli kubo. Lazikrokrela izikhulu lonke ibandla.
19 Zathi zonke izikhulu kwibandla lonke, Thina sifunge uYehova uThixo kaSirayeli kubo, ke ngoko asinakubachukumisa.
20 Masenjenje kubo: masibasindise, kungabikho burhalarhume phezu kwethu ngenxa yesifungo esabafungela sona.
21 Zathi izikhulu kubo, Mabadle ubomi; mababe ngabathezi beenkuni nabakhi bamanzi bebandla lonke; njengoko zathethayo izikhulu kubo.
22 Wababiza ke uYoshuwa, wathetha kubo, esithi, Nisikhohliseleni na, nisithi, Simgama kakhulu kuni; kanti nihleli kwaphakathi kwethu?
23 Niqalekisiwe ngoko; kuni akuyi kunqumka bakhonzi, bathezi beenkuni, bakhi bamanzi bendlu kaThixo wam.
24 Baphendula bathi kuYoshuwa, Baxelelwa ngokuqinisekileyo abakhonzi bakho. okokuba uYehova uThixo wakho wamwisela uMoses umkhonzi wakhe umthetho, ukuba uya kuninika lonke ilizwe, nokuba uya kubatshabalalisa bonke abemi belizwe ebusweni benu; sayoyikela kunene ke imiphefumlo yethu ebusweni benu, senza le nto ke.
25 Kalokunje nanku sisesandleni sakho; yenza njengoko kulungileyo, njengoko kuthe tye emehlweni akho ukwenza kuthi.
26 Wenjenjalo ke kubo, wabahlangula esandleni soonyana bakaSirayeli, abababulala.
27 UYoshuwa wabenza ngaloo mini abathezi beenkuni nabakhi bamanzi, ebandleni nasesibingelelweni sikaYehova, unanamhla, kuloo ndawo athe wayinyula. |