Jos 24 | NdeIBE | STEP | Ngakho uJoshuwa wabuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekemu. Wamema bonke abadala, abakhokheli, abehluleli leziphathamandla zako-Israyeli, njalo bazethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

Joshua 24

Isivumelwano siyavuselelwa eShekemu

1 Ngakho uJoshuwa wabuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekemu. Wamema bonke abadala, abakhokheli, abehluleli leziphathamandla zako-Israyeli, njalo bazethula phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

2 UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini bonke, “UJehova uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli uthi: ‘Kudala okhokho benu, okugoqela uThera uyise ka-Abhrahama loNahori, babehlala ngaphetsheya koMfula njalo bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu. 3 Kodwa ngathatha uyihlo u-Abhrahama elizweni elingaphetsheya koMfula ngamkhokhelela eKhenani ngamnika izizukulwana ezinengi. Ngamnika u-Isaka, 4 njalo u-Isaka ngamnika uJakhobe lo-Esawu. Nganika ilizwe lonke elilamaqaqa eleSeyiri ku-Esawu, kodwa uJakhobe lamadodana akhe baya eGibhithe.

5 “ ‘Ngasengithuma uMosi lo-Aroni, njalo ngajezisa amaGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza khonale ngasengilikhupha khona.

6 Ekukhupheni kwami okhokho benu eGibhithe, beza olwandle njalo amaGibhithe axotshana labo ngezinqola lamabhiza baze bayafika eLwandle Olubomvu. 7 Kodwa bakhala kuJehova befuna uncedo yena waseletha umnyama phakathi kwenu lamaGibhithe; waletha ulwandle phezu kwabo wabembesa ngalo. Lazibonela ngamehlo enu lokho engakwenza kumaGibhithe. Laselihlala enkangala okwesikhathi eside.

8 “ ‘Ngaliletha elizweni lama-Amori ayehlala empumalanga yeJodani. Balwisana lani, kodwa mina ngabanikela ezandleni zenu. Ngababhubhisa phambi kwenu njalo laselithatha ilizwe labo. 9 Lapho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yaseMowabi, alungiselela ukulwisana lo-Israyeli, wathumela uBhalamu indodana kaBhewori ukuthi aliqalekise. 10 Kodwa ngala ukulalela uBhalamu, ngakho walibusisa njalonjalo mina ngasengilihlenga esandleni sakhe.

11 “ ‘Laselichapha uJodani leza eJerikho. Izakhamizi zeJerikho zalwisana lani njengalokho okwenziwa ngama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaGirigashi, amaHivi lamaJebusi, kodwa ngabanikela ezandleni zenu.

12 Ngatshaya uphondo phambi kwenu, olwabaxotsha phambi kwenu – kanye lamakhosi amabili ama-Amori. Kalizanga likwenze ngenkemba yenu langedandili lenu.

13 Ngakho ngalinika ilizwe elingazanga liliginqele lamadolobho elingazange liwakhe; njalo lihlala phakathi kwawo njalo lisidla ezivinini lemi-oliva elingayihlanyelanga.’

14 “Ngakho yesabani uJehova limkhonze ngokuthembeka konke. Lahlani onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya koMfula laseGibhithe, likhonze uJehova.

15 Kodwa nxa ukukhonza uJehova kukhanya kungathandeki kini, khethani phakathi kwenu namhlanje lowo eliza mkhonza, kumbe ngonkulunkulu okhokho benu ababebakhonza ngaphetsheya koMfula kumbe onkulunkulu bama-Amori, lawo elihlala elizweni lawo. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizakhonza uJehova.”

16 Abantu basebephendula besithi, “Akube khatshana lathi ukuthi silahle uJehova ukuze sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu! 17 KwakunguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ngokwakhe owasikhuphayo thina kanye labobaba eGibhithe sisuka elizweni lobugqili, wasesenza izimanga ezinkulu emehlweni ethu. Wasivikela kulo lonke uhambo lwethu lakuzo zonke izizwe.

18 Njalo uJehova wazixotsha phambi kwethu zonke izizwe, okugoqela ama-Amori ayehlala elizweni. Lathi sizamkhonza uJehova ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”

19 UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Kalenelisi ukumkhonza uJehova. UnguNkulunkulu ongcwele; unguNkulunkulu olobukhwele. Kasoze alixolele ukuhlamuka kwenu lezono zenu. 20 Uma lingatshiya uJehova beselikhonza abanye onkulunkulu bezizweni uzaliphendukela alehlisele umonakalo aliqede du, yena ubelungile.”

21 Kodwa abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Hatshi! Sizamkhonza uJehova.”

22 UJoshuwa wathi, “Yini elizifakazelayo ukuthi selikhethe ukukhonza uJehova.” Baphendula bathi, “Yebo singofakazi.”

23 UJoshuwa wathi kubo, “Ngakho-ke lahlani bonke onkulunkulu bezizweni abaphakathi kwenu beselinikela izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli.”

24 Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa, “Sizamkhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu simlalele.”

25 Ngalelolanga uJoshuwa wenzela abantu isivumelwano, njalo wabenzela imithetho lemilayo khonapho eShekemu. 26 UJoshuwa waloba konke lokhu eGwalweni Lwemithetho kaNkulunkulu. Wasethatha ilitshe elikhulu walimisa phansi kwesihlahla som-Okhi eduzane lendawo engcwele kaJehova.

27 Wathi ebantwini bonke, “Khangelani! Ilitshe leli lizakuba yibufakazi kithi sonke. Selizwile wonke amazwi akhulunywe nguJehova kithi. Lizakuba ngofakazi wokulilahla uma lingakhulumi iqiniso kuNkulunkulu.”

Ungcwatshelwa Elizweni Lesithembiso

28 UJoshuwa wasetshela abantu ukuba bahambe, yilowo esiya elifeni lakhe.

29 Ngemva kwezinto lezi, uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova wafa eseleminyaka elikhulu letshumi. 30 Njalo bamngcwaba elizweni alizuza njengelifa, eThiminathi Sera elizweni elilamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi enyakatho yentaba yeGahashi.

31 Abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uJehova ngesikhathi sokuphila kukaJoshuwa labadala abaphile iminyaka eyayisedlula eyakhe njalo ababebone zonke izinto uJehova ayezenzele abako-Israyeli.

32 Njalo amathambo kaJosefa, abako-Israyeli ababesuke lawo eGibhithe, angcwatshelwa eShekemu esiqintini somhlaba leso uJakhobe asithenga ngezinhlamvu ezilikhulu zesiliva emadodaneni kaHamori, uyise kaShekemu. Leli laba yilifa lezizukulwane zikaJosefa.

33 U-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni wafa wasengcwatshelwa eGibheya, eyayabelwe indodana yakhe uFinehasi elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi.