Jos 3 | NdeIBE | STEP | Kusele ekuseni uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShitimi baqonda eJodani lapho abakha izihonqo zabo khona bengakachaphi.

Joshua 3

Ukuchapha uJodani

1 Kusele ekuseni uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShitimi baqonda eJodani lapho abakha izihonqo zabo khona bengakachaphi. 2 Ngemva kwezinsuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo, 3 zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, labaphristi abangabaLevi, belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele. 4 Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo ummango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lebhokisi; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”

5 UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uJehova uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”

6 UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani ibhokisi lesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho balithatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.

7 UJehova wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi. 8 Tshela abaphristi abathwala ibhokisi lesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika ekhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, ngenani liyekuma phakathi komfula.’ ”

9 UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu. 10 Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGirigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.

11 Khangelani, ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.

12 Ngakhoke khethanini amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni. 13 Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele ibhokisi likaJehova – uJehova womhlaba wonke – sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”

14 Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayochapha uJodani abaphristi ababethwele ibhokisi lesivumelwano bahamba phambili. 15 UJodani uhlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele ibhokisi sebefika eJodani izinyawo zabo zithinta amanzi,

16 amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetshwayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho. 17 Abaphristi ababethwele ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.