UJoshuwa 3 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

UIsrayeli uchapha iJordani

¹ UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasuka eShithimi labo bonke abakoIsrayeli; bayafika eJordani, bamisa khona bengakachaphi.

² Kwathi emva kwensuku ezintathu izinduna zadabula phakathi kwezihonqo,

³ zatshela abantu zathi: Nxa libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, uthelwe ngabapristi abangamaLevi, lisuke liwulandele,

⁴ ukuba lazi indlela elizahamba ngayo, ngoba kalikaze lihambe ngalindlela. Kodwa kuzakuba khona ibanga phakathi kwenu lawo elingangezingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili, lingasondeli kuwo.

⁵ UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Zihlambululeni, ngoba kusasa iNkosi izakwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.

⁶ UJoshuwa wathi kubapristi: Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, lihambe ngaphambi kwabantu. Basebewuthatha umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, bahamba ngaphambi kwabantu.

⁷ INkosi yathi kuJoshuwa: Lamhla ngizaqala ukukuphakamisa phambi kwabo bonke abakoIsrayeli ukuba bazi ukuthi njengalokho ngangiloMose, ngizakuba lawe.

⁸ Uzalaya abapristi abathwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi: Nxa selifikile ngasemanzini eJordani, lizakuma phakathi kweJordani.

⁹ UJoshuwa wasesithi kubo abakoIsrayeli: Sondelani lapha, lizwe amazwi eNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.

¹⁰ Wathi: Lizakwazi ngalokhu ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu, lokuthi uzawaxotsha ngempela amaKanani lamaHethi lamaPerizi lamaGirigashi lamaAmori lamaJebusi ngaphambi kwenu.

¹¹ Umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi yomhlaba wonke uzachapha iJordani ngaphambi kwenu.

¹² Ngakhoke khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili ezizweni zakoIsrayeli, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe.

¹³ Kuzakuthi lapho inyawo zabapristi abathwele umtshokotsho weNkosi, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, zinyathela amanzi eJordani, amanzi eJordani azakhawula ukugeleza, kuthi amanzi avela ngaphezu komfula abuthane abe yinqwaba.

¹⁴ Ngakho abantu basuka emathenteni abo ukuchapha iJordani, abapristi babengaphambi kwabo bethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano.

¹⁵ IJordani liyagcwala lichitheke isikhathi sonke sokuvuna. Lapho abapristi befika eJordani lenyawo zabo zinyathela amanzi,

¹⁶ amanzi avela ngaphezu komfula ema, abuthana aba yinqwaba okwebanga elide kwaze kwafika eAdama umuzi oseduze leZarethani; lalawo agelezela olwandle lwaseAraba, uLwandle lweTshwayi, aqamuka wonke; abantu bachapha maqondana leJeriko.

¹⁷ Kwathi lapho bonke abakoIsrayeli bechapha emhlabathini owomileyo, abapristi abathwele umtshokotsho weNkosi bema emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJordani baze bachapha bonke abantu.