Jos 23 | NdeIBE | STEP | Ngemva kwesikhathi eside njalo uJehova esephumuze abako-Israyeli kuzo zonke izitha zabo ezazibagombolozele, uJoshuwa ngaleso sikhathi esekhulile eseleminyaka eminengi,

Joshua 23

UJoshuwa uvalelisa abakhokheli

1 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside njalo uJehova esephumuze abako-Israyeli kuzo zonke izitha zabo ezazibagombolozele, uJoshuwa ngaleso sikhathi esekhulile eseleminyaka eminengi, 2 wabiza bonke abako-Israyeli – abadala babo, abakhokheli babo, abahluleli babo leziphathamandla zabo wathi kubo: “Sengimdala njalo sengiluphele kakhulu. 3 Lina ngokwenu selikubonile konke lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu akwenzileyo kuzo zonke lezi izizwe esenzela lina; nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu owalilwelayo. 4 Khumbulani ukuthi ngalabela njani ukuba kube yilifa lenu lezizwana zenu wonke umhlaba wezizwe ezasalayo – izizwe engazinqobayo – phakathi kweJodani loLwandle Olukhulu entshonalanga. 5 UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngokwakhe uzabaxotsha endleleni yenu. Uzabasusa lina lingakafiki, njalo lina lizathatha umhlaba wabo, njengokuthembisa kukaJehova uNkulunkulu.

6 “Qinani kakhulu; linanzelele ukuthi lilalela konke okulotshwe eGwalweni lweMithetho kaMosi, lingaphambukelanga kwesokudla kumbe esenxele. 7 Lingaze lazisondeza ezizweni lezi eziphakathi kwenu; lingaze labiza amagama abonkulunkulu bazo kumbe lifunge ngabo. Akumelanga ukuthi libasebenzele lokubakhothamela. 8 Kodwa kumele libambelele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wenu njengalokhu eselikwenze kwaze kwaba khathesi.

9 “UJehova usezixotshile phambi kwenu izizwe ezilamandla; kuze kube lamhla kakho owenelisa ukumelana lani. 10 Oyedwa wenu uyenelisa ukwehlula abantu abayinkulungwane eyodwa ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyalilwela njengokuthembisa kwakhe.

11 Ngakho-ke nanzelelani ukuthi liyamthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.

12 “Kodwa lingabaleka beselisiba lobungane lalabo abasindileyo phakathi kwezizwe lezi ezizasala phakathi kwenu njalo lingavumelana lokuthathana lokudlelana lazo, 13 lapho lingaba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kasoze azixotshe izizwe phambi kwenu. Kodwake zizakuba yimijibila lezithiyo kini, zizakuba yiziswebhu emihlane yenu lameva emehlweni enu, lize libhujiswe elizweni leli elihle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona.

14 “Khathesi sengizahamba ngendlela yomhlaba wonke. Liyazi ngezinhliziyo zenu lemiphefumulo ukuthi kasikho isithembiso lasinye esihle phakathi kwalezo elazinikwa nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu esehlulekayo. Zonke izithembiso sezagcwaliswa; kasikho lesisodwa esehlulekayo. 15 Kodwa njengoba zonke izithembiso ezinhle zikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu seziphumelele, kunjalo uJehova uzalilethela bonke ububi alethusela ngabo, aze alibhubhise elizweni leli elihle alinike lona. 16 Lingephula isivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, owalilayayo ngaso liyokhonza abanye onkulunkulu libakhothamele, ulaka lukaJehova luzavutha kini, njalo lizabhubha ngokuphangisa elizweni elihle alinike lona.”