AmaSirayeli awela iJordan
1Ngengomso uYoshuwa namaSirayeli ephela bavuka xa kumpondo zankomo, banduluka eShitim, baya kuma phezu kweJordan lo gama balinde ukuwela. 2Emva kweentsuku ezintathu iinduna zajikeleza esikhululweni, 3ziyalela abantu zisithi: “Xa nibona ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo uThixo wenu kunye nababingeleli abangabaLevi abayithweleyo, ze niphakame, niphume, nilandele. 4Kaloku niza kuhamba ngendlela eningazange niyihambe ngaphambili; kuya kufuneka ke nilandele ababingeleli. Kodwa kufuneka ningasondeli kwityesi yomnqophiso. Ze kubekho umgama omalunga nekhilomitha enye phakathi kwayo nani.”
5UYoshuwa ke wathi ebantwini: “Zihlambululeni, kuba ngomso uNdikhoyo uza kwenza imimangaliso phakathi kwenu.” 6Waza wabhekisa kubabingeleli wathi: “Thwalani ityesi yomnqophiso niwele, baze abantu balandele.” Benjenjalo ke ababingeleli.
7Wathi uNdikhoyo kuYoshuwa: “Into endiza kuyenza namhlanje iya kukwenza utsho uhlonipheke kumaSirayeli, aqonde ukuba ndinawe nanjengoMosis. 8Yithi kubabingeleli abathwele ityesi yomnqophiso ze bathi bakufika emlanjeni iJordan, bangene beme enyeleni.”
9UYoshuwa wabiza amaSirayeli wathi: “Sondelani nize kuva amazwi athethwe nguNdikhoyo uThixo wenu. 10Noqonda ngale nto ukuba uThixo ophilayo ukho phakathi kwenu: nguye oya kuwaswantsulisa amaKanana, amaHeti, amaHivi, amaPerezi namaGirgashi, ama-Amori kunye namaJebhusi. 11Niyabona, ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, iNkosi yehlabathi liphela, yiyo enandulelayo ukuwela iJordan. 12Khethani ishumi elinambini lamadoda kwizizwe zakwaSirayeli, ibe nye kwisizwe ngasinye. 13Bakuthi cakatha emanzini ababingeleli abathwele ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, iNkosi yehlabathi liphela, umlambo iJordan uya kuma, ahlanganiselane ndawonye amanzi avela ngentla.”
14-15Yayilixesha lokuvuna, umlambo uzele, uphuphuma.
Ukunduluka kwamaSirayeli ukuya kuwela iJordan, ababingeleli babewakhokele, bethwele ityesi yomnqophiso. Kuthe nje ukuba bathi cakatha emlanjeni, 16ema amanzi avela ngentla, ahlanganiselana ada aya kutsho eAdam, idolophu emelene neZaretan. Amanzi ahlayo ukusinga kuLwandle oluFileyo anqamka, baza ke abantu bawelela kufuphi neJeriko. 17Lo gama abantu bakwaSirayeli bawelayo behamba kumhlaba owomileyo, ababingeleli ababethwele ityesi yomnqophiso babemi zinzi kumhlaba owomileyo apho esizikithini somlambo iJordan, bada bawela baphelela abantu.
