Jos 9 | NdeIBE | STEP | Kwathi amakhosi wonke ayebusa ngentshonalanga yeJodani esezwe mayelana lezinto lezi – lawo ayeselizweni lamaqaqa, aphansi kwamaqaqa, angentshonalanga lasekhunjini lonke loLwandle oLukhulu kusiyafika eLebhanoni, amakhosi amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhenani, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi

Joshua 9

Ubuqili bamaGibheyoni

1 Kwathi amakhosi wonke ayebusa ngentshonalanga yeJodani esezwe mayelana lezinto lezi – lawo ayeselizweni lamaqaqa, aphansi kwamaqaqa, angentshonalanga lasekhunjini lonke loLwandle oLukhulu kusiyafika eLebhanoni, amakhosi amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhenani, amaPherizi, amaHivi lamaJebusi 2 bahlangana ukuze balwise uJoshuwa labako-Israyeli.

3 Kodwa kwathi ngesikhathi abantu beGibheyoni sebezwe konke uJoshuwa ayekwenze eJerikho le-Ayi, 4 benza ubuqili: Bahamba njengamanxusa ayelabobabhemi ababethwele amasaka adabukileyo lezigxingi zewayini ezindala ezazidabuke zangcinwa.

5 Amadoda ayegqoke amanyathela ayedabukile njalo ethungiwe, begqoke lezigqoko ezindala. Zonke izinkwa ababezithwele njengomphako zazomile njalo zikhuntile. 6 Baya kuJoshuwa esihonqweni seGiligali bathi kuye labantu bako-Israyeli, “Sivela elizweni elikude: yenza isivumelwano lathi.”

7 Abako-Israyeli baphendula amaHivi bathi, “Kodwa mhlawumbe lihlala eduzane lathi. Phoke singenzanjani isivumelwano lani?”

8 Bathi kuJoshuwa “Siyizinceku zenu.” Kodwa uJoshuwa wababuza wathi, “Lingobani njalo livela ngaphi?”

9 Baphendula bathi, “Izinceku zakho zivela elizweni elikude njalo zikhangwe yindumela kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu. Phela sesezwa imibiko emayelana laye: lakho konke akwenza eGibhithe, 10 lakho konke akwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori empumalanga yeJodani – USihoni inkosi yeHeshibhoni lo-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani owayebusa e-Ashitarothi.

11 Abadala bethu lalabo bonke abahlala elizweni lakithi bathi kithi, ‘Thwalani umphako kuhambo lwenu; hambani liyehlangana labo lithi kubo, “Sizinceku zenu: yenzani isivumelwano lathi.’ ”

12 Isinkwa sethu lesi sasikhudumala ngesikhathi sisifaka emigodleni yethu sisesengekhaya ngelanga esasuka ngalo sisiza kini. Kodwa-ke khangelani ukuthi sesome njani njalo sesikhuntile. 13 Izigxingi lezi zewayini esazigcwalisisayo zazizintsha, kodwa-ke khangelani ukuthi sezidabuke njani. Izigqoko lamanyathela ethu sekudatshulwe yibude bommango.”

14 Abako-Israyeli bahlola umphako wabo kodwa-ke kabasabuzanga kuJehova. 15 Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano sokuthula labo wabavumela ukuthi bahlale, njalo abakhokheli bebandla bavumelana lalokhu ngesifungo.

16 Sekwedlule izinsuku ezintathu benze isivumelwano lamaGhibheyoni, abako-Israyeli bezwa ukuthi lababantu babengomakhelwana, ababehlala eduzane labo. 17 Abako-Israyeli baya emadolobheni abo la: iGibheyoni, iKhefira, iBhirothi leKhiriyathi Jeyarimi. 18 Kodwa abako-Israyeli kabazange babahlasele ngenxa yokuthi abakhokheli bebandla babefunge ngoJehova uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli. Ibandla lonke lakhonona kubakhokheli; 19 kodwa abakhokheli bonke baphendula bathi, “Sibanike isifungo sethu ngoJehova, uNkulunkulu wako-Israyeli njalo singeke sabathinta khathesi. 20 Lokhu yikho esizakwenza kubo: Sizabayekela bahlale, ukuze ulaka lungezi kithi ngenxa yokwephula isifungo esasenza phambi kwabo.”

21 Baqhubeka bathi, “Bayekeleni bahlale, kodwa bazakuba ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi abazasebenzela uzulu wonke.” Ngakho-ke isivumelwano sabakhokheli sagcinwa.

22 UJoshuwa wabiza wonke amaGibheyoni wathi kuwo, “Kungani lisiqilibezele ngokuthi, ‘Sihlala khatshana lani, lina lihlala eduzane lathi kangaka?’ 23 Seliqalekisiwe: kalisoze liyekele ukuba ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi lisebenzela indlu kaNkulunkulu wami.”

24 Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi, “Izinceku zakho zatshelwa mgceke ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu walaya njani inceku yakhe uMosi ukuthi alinike ilizwe lonke lokuthi litshabalalise bonke ababakhele kulo lina lingakafiki. Ngakho-ke sesabela izimpilo zethu ngenxa yenu, yikho okusibangele ukuthi senze lokhu. 25 Sesizinikele ezandleni zenu. Yenzani kithi konke elibona kufanele njalo kuqondile kini.”

26 Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wabasindisa esandleni sika-Israyeli, njalo kabasababulalanga.

27 Ngalelolanga wenza ukuthi amaGibhiyoni abe ngababandi benkuni labakhi bamanzi besebenzela uzulu njalo besebenza e-alithareni likaJehova endaweni eyayikhethwe nguJehova. Yikho abayikhona kuze kube lamhlanje.