UJoshuwa 23 - iBhayibhili Elingcwele 1978

UJoshuwa ulaya abantu ukuba bathembeke

¹ Kwasekudlule isikhathi eside iNkosi isiphumuzile uIsrayeli ezitheni zakhe ezazimhanqile, loJoshuwa wayeselixhegu.

² Wabiza wonke uIsrayeli, abadala babo lenhloko zemizi, labahluleli babo lezinduna zabo, wathi kubo: Sengilixhegu;

³ selizibonele konke iNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu ekwenzileyo kulezizizwe ngenxa yenu, ngoba kwakuyiNkosi uNkulunkulu uqobo eyalilwelayo.

⁴ Ngilabele kube yilifa lezizwe zenu amazwe ezizwe eziseleyo kanye lawazo zonke izizwe engazichitha kusukela eJordani kuze kube soLwandle olukhulu ngasentshonalanga.

⁵ INkosi uNkulunkulu wenu izazixotsha phambi kwenu, izixotshe ukulenzela indawo, lihlale elizweni lazo, njengokuthembisa kwayo.

⁶ Ngakhoke qinani ligcine lenze konke okulotshiweyo ogwalweni lomlayo kaMose, lingaphambuki kuwo liye ngakwesokunene loba ngakwesokhohlo,

⁷ ukuze lingahlangani lezizwe eziseleyo phakathi kwenu, lingabaphathi ngamabizo onkulunkulu bazo, lingafungi ngabo, lingabakhonzi, lingakhothami phambi kwabo,

⁸ kodwa libambelele eNkosini uNkulunkulu wenu njengoba lenzile kuze kube lamhla.

⁹ Ngoba iNkosi ixotshile phambi kwenu izizwe ezinkulu lezilamandla; linake kakubanga lamuntu obelamandla ukumelana lani kuze kube lamhla.

¹⁰ Umuntu oyedwa phakathi kwenu angaxotsha abantu abayinkulungwane, ngoba yiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elilwelayo njengokuthembisa kwayo.

¹¹ Qaphelisisani ukuyithanda iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.

¹² Ngoba uba libuyela emuva, lizihlanganise lezizwe eziseleyo phakathi kwenu, lithathane lazo ukuba lithathe abesifazana bazo, lazo zithathe abenu,

¹³ yazinike ukuthi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu kayiyikuqhubeka ngokuzixotsha lezizizwe phambi kwenu; kodwa zizakuba yisifu lomjibila kini, zibe luswazi emihlana yenu, lameva emehlweni enu, lize libhubhe liphele kulelilizwe elihle, iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elinika lona.

¹⁴ Khathesike sengizalitshiya, lonke liyazi enhliziyweni zenu lasemiphefumulweni yenu ukuba kakukho lokukodwa okungenzekanga kuzo zonke izinto ezinhle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyazithembisa ngani; konke kwenzakele, kakukho okukodwa okungenzakalanga.

¹⁵ Kodwa njengalokhu zonke izinto ezinhle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyazithembisa ngani zigcwalisekile, ngakho iNkosi ingalehlisela zonke izinto ezimbi, ize ilibhubhise liphele kulelilizwe elihle iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu elinike lona.

¹⁶ Uba lisaphula isivumelwano seNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu eyalilaya sona, lisuke liyekhonza abanye onkulunkulu, likhothame kibo, ulaka lweNkosi luzakuvutha kini, libhubhe masinyane liphele kulelilizwe elihle elinike lona.