UJOTJHUWA 3

₁UJotjhuwa wavuka ngamasa; yena nawo woke ama-Israyeli basuka eTjhithimu baya eJordani bafese bahlala lapho ngaphambi kobana bayame. ₂Ekupheleni kwamalanga amathathu iinkhulu zakhamba zigega nekampa, ₃zayala abantu zathi: “Lokha nanibona umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini uZimenu uthwelwe baphristi bamaLevi, fudukani eendaweni zenu niwulandele, ₄ukuze nazi indlela ekumele nikhambe ngayo ngombana azange khenikhambe ngendlela le ngaphambilini. Nokho kumele kube nesikhala phakathi kwenu nawo, kube sibanga esingaba mamitha amakhulu athobako. Ningatjhideli hlanu kwawo.”

₅UJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Zihlambululeni ngombana kusasa uSomnini uzokwenza iimangaliso phakathi kwenu.”

₆Godu uJotjhuwa wathi kubaphristi: “Thwalani umfaji wesivumelwano, nikhambe phambi kwabantu niyame.” Yeke bawuqubula, bakhamba phambi kwabantu.

₇USomnini wathi kuJotjhuwa: “Namhlanje ngizokuthoma ukukukhulisa emehlwenawo woke ama-Israyeli ukuze azi bonyana njengombana nganginoMosi, nawe ngizakuba nawe. ₈Wena yala abaphristi abathwele umfaji wesivumelwano bona nabafika eligwini lomlambo iJordani, bajame.”

₉UJotjhuwa wathi kuma-Israyeli: “Tjhidelani nizokwizwa amezwi sakaSomnini uZimenu.” ₁₀Waraga wathi: “Ngalokhu nizakwazi bonyana uZimu ophilako uphakathi kwenu: Ngambala uzakuqotjha phambi kwenu amaKanana, amaRhithi, amaRhivi, amaPerizi, amaGirigatjhi, ama-Amori namaJebusi. ₁₁Qalani, umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini wephasi loke wayama iJordani phambi kwenu. ₁₂Ngalokho-ke thathani amadoda alitjhumi nambili eenkorweni zakwa-Israyeli. Akube yindoda ngayinye ekorweni ngayinye. ₁₃Kuzakuthi lokha iinyawo zabaphristi abathwele umfaji kaZimu onguSomnini wephasi loke nazikghwatha amanzi weJordani, amanzi avela ngehla azakujama angasadluli bese akghubelelane akhuphuke abe yintaba.”

₁₄Yeke kwathi lokha abantu nabafudusa amatendabo bona bayokuyama iJordani, abaphristi abathwele umfaji wesivumelwano bakhamba phambi kwabo. ₁₅Nanyana iJordani beyithwala iingodo ngeenkhathi zokuvuna, kwathi bona iinyawo zabaphristi abathwele umfaji zikghwathe amanzi wakhona, ₁₆lawo avela ngehla ajama athoma ukukhuphuka aba yintaba. Lokhu kwenzeka kude e-Adamu okulidorobho elihlanu kweTsaretani ukuze amanzi ageleza ukuyela ngelwandle lomrhoba, okulilwandle leTswayi, aqunteke. Abantu bayama manqophana neJerikho. ₁₇Lokha ama-Israyeli nasayama njalo akhamba ehlabathini eyomileko, abaphristi ebebathwele umfaji wesivumelwano sakaSomnini bajama ehlabathini eyomileko phakathi kweJordani soke isizwe besaqeda ukuyama.