Joshuwa 9

¹Kwathi lapho onke amakhosi ayengaphesheya kweJordani, ezintabeni, nasemathafeni, nasogwini lonke loLwandle Olukhulu olubhekene neLebanoni, amaHeti, nama-Amori, namaKhanani, namaPherizi, namaHivi, namaJebusi, esezwa lokho,

²abuthana ndawonye ukuba alwe noJoshuwa no-Israyeli nganhliziyonye.

³Kepha bathi ukuba abakhileyo eGibeyoni bezwa lokho uJoshuwa ayekwenzile kulo iJeriko ne-Ayi,

⁴nabo benza ubuqili, bahamba bazenzisa kwangathi bayizithunywa, babeka amasaka agugileyo ezimbongolweni zabo, nezimvaba zewayini ezigugileyo neziklebhukileyo, ebesezithungiwe,

⁵nezicathulo ezigugileyo eziciciyelweyo zisezinyaweni zabo, bembethe nezingubo ezigugileyo; isinkwa sonke somphako wabo sasomile, sikhuntile.

⁶Baya kuJoshuwa ekamu laseGiligali, bathi kuye nakumadoda akwa-Israyeli: “Sivela ezweni elikude; ngalokho manenze manje isivumelwano nathi.”

⁷Amadoda akwa-Israyeli athi kumaHivi: “Mhlawumbe nakhile phakathi kwethu; singenza kanjani isivumelwano nani na?”

⁸Bathi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku zakho.” UJoshuwa wathi kubo: “Ningobani, futhi nivelaphi na?”

⁹Bathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho zivela ezweni elikude kakhulu ngenxa yegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokuba siluzwile udumo lwakhe, nakho konke akwenzayo eGibithe,

¹⁰nakho konke akwenza kuwo amakhosi omabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yaseHeshiboni no-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani, eyayise-Ashitaroti.

¹¹Amalunga ethu nabo bonke abakhileyo ezweni lakithi bakhuluma kithi, bathi: ‘Phathani ezandleni zenu umphako wendlela, niye nibahlangabeze, nithi kubo: “Siyizinceku zenu; manenze isivumelwano nathi.” ’

¹²Lesi sinkwa somphako wethu sasithatha sisashisa ezindlini zethu ngosuku esaphuma ngalo ukuba siye kini; kepha manje, bhekani, sesomile, sikhuntile;

¹³lezi zimvaba zewayini esazigcwalisa zazizintsha; bhekani, seziklebhukile; lezi zingubo zethu nezicathulo zethu sezigugile ngenxa yendlela ende kakhulu.”

¹⁴Amadoda ayesethatha emphakweni wabo engabuzanga umlomo kaJehova.

¹⁵UJoshuwa wabethembisa ukuthula, wenza isivumelwano nabo ukuba baphile; izikhulu zenhlangano zafunga kubo.

¹⁶Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu sebesenzile isivumelwano nabo, bezwa ukuthi bangabakhelwane babo nokuthi bahlala phakathi kwabo.

¹⁷Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli base besuka, bafika emizini yabo ngosuku lwesithathu; imizi yabo yayiyiGibeyoni, neKefira, neBeroti, neKiriyati Jeharimi.

¹⁸Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ababachithanga, ngokuba izikhulu zenhlangano zazifungile kubo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Yonke inhlangano yakhonona ngezikhulu.

¹⁹Zonke izikhulu zase zithi kuyo yonke inhlangano: “Sifungile kubo uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli; ngalokho asinakubathinta manje.

²⁰Siyakwenza lokho kubo, sibayeke baphile, funa sehlelwe lulaka ngenxa yesifungo esasifunga kubo.”

²¹Izikhulu zase zithi kubo: “Mabayekwe baphile; baba ngabagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo yonke inhlangano njengalokho izikhulu zazibatshelile.”

²²UJoshuwa wababiza, wakhuluma kubo, wathi: “Nisikhohliseleni ngokuthi: ‘Sikude kakhulu nani,’ lokhu nakhile phakathi kwethu, na?

²³Ngalokho seniqalekisiwe, akuyikunqamuka ukuvela kini izigqila, abagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo indlu kaNkulunkulu wami.”

²⁴Bamphendula uJoshuwa, bathi: “Kungokuba izinceku zakho zatshelwa nokutshelwa ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wayala inceku yakhe uMose ukuba aninike izwe lonke, achithe bonke abakhileyo ezweni phambi kwenu; ngalokho sesaba kakhulu ngokuphila kwethu ngenxa yenu, sakwenza lokho.

²⁵Bheka, manje sesisesandleni sakho; okuhle nokulungile emehlweni akho ukuba ukwenze kithi, kwenze.”

²⁶Wayesenze njalo kubo, wabophula esandleni sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, baze bangababulali.

²⁷UJoshuwa wabenza ngalolo suku abagawuli bemithi nabakhi bamanzi kuyo inhlangano nakulo i-altare likaJehova kuze kube namuhla endaweni abeyakuyikhetha.