UJoshuwa 4 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

Amatshe alitshumi lambili athathwa eJordani abe yisikhumbuzo

¹ Lapho bonke abantu sebelichaphile iJordani, iNkosi yathi kuJoshuwa:

² Khetha amadoda alitshumi lambili ebantwini, indoda ibenye kuleso lalesosizwe,

³ uwatshele uthi: Thathani amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani, kuyona leyondawo lapho bekumi khona abapristi, liwathwale likhuphuke lawo, liwabeke endaweni lapho lizamisa khona lamuhla.

⁴ UJoshuwa wasebiza amadoda alitshumi lambili ebantwini bakoIsrayeli ayewakhethile, indoda yabanye kuleso lalesosizwe,

⁵ wathi kuwo: Dlulani phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, lingene phakathi kweJordani, lowo lalowo wenu athathe ilitshe, aletshate ehlombe, ilitshe elilodwa limele isizwe sinye sakoIsrayeli,

⁶ ukuba lokhu kube yisiboniso phakathi kwenu nxa abantwana benu belibuza ngesikhathi esizayo besithi: Lamatshe atshoni kini na?

⁷ Lizabatshelake ukuba amanzi eJordani aqamuka phambi komtshotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi, lapho uchapha iJordani. Ngakho lamatshe azakuba yisikhumbuzo ebantwini bakoIsrayeli kokuphela.

⁸ Amadoda akoIsrayeli enza njengokuwatshela kwakhe uJoshuwa, athatha amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani, alingana lobunengi bezizwe zakoIsrayeli, njengokutsho kweNkosi kuJoshuwa; akhuphuka lawo, awesa endaweni lapho babemise khona, awabeka khona.

⁹ UJoshuwa wasemisa amatshe alitshumi lambili phakathi kweJordani endaweni lapho abapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano babemi khona; asekhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.

¹⁰ Ngoba abapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho bema phakathi kweJordani kwaze kwaphela konke lokho iNkosi eyayimlaye khona uJoshuwa ukukutshela abantu, ngakho konke uMose ayekutshele uJoshuwa. Abantu bachapha masinyane.

¹¹ Kwathi bonke abantu sebechaphile, abapristi bachapha lomtshokotsho weNkosi, bahamba phambi kwabantu.

¹² AbakoRubeni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwe sakoManase bachapha phambi kwabakoIsrayeli behlomile, njengokubalaya kukaMose;

¹³ babeyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amane behlomele ukulwa, bachapha phambi kweNkosi ukuya ezigodini zeJeriko.

¹⁴ Ngalolosuku iNkosi yamphakamisa uJoshuwa phambi kwabo bonke abakoIsrayeli, bamhlonipha njengalokhu babemhlonipha uMose insuku zonke zokuphila kwakhe.

¹⁵ INkosi yasisithi kuJoshuwa:

¹⁶ Tshela abapristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano ukuba bakhuphuke eJordani.

¹⁷ UJoshuwa wasebatshela abapristi esithi: Khuphukani eJordani.

¹⁸ Kwathi lapho abapristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi sebekhuphukile eJordani, sebemi emhlabathini owomileyo, amanzi eJordani abuyela endaweni yawo, afohla zonke inkumbi zawo njengakuqala.

¹⁹ Abantu bachapha iJordani ngosuku lwetshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa eGiligali ngasempumalanga kweJeriko.

²⁰ Lawomatshe alitshumi lambili abawakupha eJordani uJoshuwa wawamisa eGiligali.

²¹ Wathi kwabakoIsrayeli: Nxa abantwana benu belibuza ensukwini ezizayo ukuthi atshoni lamatshe,

²² lizakubatshelake abantwana benu lithi: UIsrayeli walichapha leliJordani emhlabathini owomileyo.

²³ Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yenza amanzi aseJordani atsha phambi kwenu laze lachapha, njengokwenza kwayo oLwandle oluBomvu eyalutshisa phambi kwethu saze sachapha,

²⁴ ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi ukuba iNkosi ilamandla, ukuba liyesabe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kokuphela.