UJoshuwa 1

₁Emveni kokufa kukaMose, inceku kaSimakade, uSimakade wakhuluma kuJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni inceku kaMose, wathi: ₂“Inceku yami uMose ifile, ngakho-ke suka uwele iJordani, wena nabo bonke laba bantu, ningene ezweni engizakubabela lona abantu bakwa-Israyeli. ₃Yonke indawo lapho nibeke khona unyawo lwenu, leyo ndawo ngiyakuninika yona njengalokhu ngishilo kuMose. ₄Kusukela eLebhanoni kuze kube semfuleni omkhulu, umfula iYufrathe, lonke izwe lamaHithi kuze kuyofinyelela olwandle entshonalanga, kuyakuba yizwe lenu. ₅Akuyukuba bikho muntu oyoma phambi kwakho, zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakho; njengoba nganginaye uMose, ngiyakuba nawe kanjalo, angiyukukuyeka, futhi angiyukukushiya. ₆Qina, ume isibindi, ngokuba nguwena oyokwenza laba bantu badle izwe engafunga koyisemkhulu ukubanika lona. ₇Qina kuphela, ube nesibindi kakhulu, uqaphele ukwenza njengokomthetho wonke inceku yami uMose akuyala ngawo. Ungachezuki nakancane kuwo, uye ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo, ukuze ube nempumelelo noma kuphi lapho uya khona. ₈Le ncwadi yomthetho ayiyukusuka emlonyeni wakho; uyakuzindla ngayo imini nobusuku, ukuze uqikelele ukwenza njengakho konke okulotshwe kuyo. Ngokwenzenjalo uyokwenza indlela yakho ichume, ube nenqubekelaphambili. ₉Ngiyakuyala manje: qina, ume isibindi; ungesabi, ungadikibali, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wakho unawe noma kuphi lapho uya khona.”

₁₀UJoshuwa wayeseyala izinduna zabantu, ethi: ₁₁“Dabulani enkanjini, niyale abantu ukuba balungise umphako, ngokuba ezinsukwini ezintathu nizowela iJordani, ukuba ningene, nidle izwe uSimakade aninika lona ukuba libe ngelenu.”

₁₂UJoshuwa wayesekhuluma nabakwaRubeni nabakwaGadi nengxenye yesizwana sakwaManase, wathi: ₁₃“Khumbulani izwi uMose, inceku kaNkulunkulu, aniyala ngalo, ethi: ‘USimakade uNkulunkulu wenu uzakunabela indawo yokuphumula, futhi uyakuninika leli lizwe.’ ₁₄Omkenu nabantwana benu nemfuyo yenu kuyakusala ezweni uMose aninika lona, elingaphesheya kweJordani. Kepha nina niyakuwela nihlomile phambi kwabafowenu, nonke nina maqhawe anamandla niyakubasiza, ₁₅aze uSimakade abaphe ukuphumula abafowenu kanye nani, nabo balidle izwe uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu abanika lona. Niyobuyela ezweni lenu nilidle, izwe uMose, inceku kaSimakade, aninika lona phesheya kweJordani ngasempumalanga.”

₁₆Bamphendula uJoshuwa bathi: “Konke lokho osiyale ngakho sizokwenza, futhi noma kuphi lapho usithuma khona siyakuya. ₁₇Njengoba samlalela uMose ezintweni zonke, nawe siyakukuhlonipha. Kuphela nje, sengathi uSimakade uNkulunkulu wakho angaba nawe njengalokhu ayenoMose. ₁₈Noma ngubani omelana neziyalo zakho, angawahloniphi amazwi akho, lokho oyala ngakho, uyakuyiswa kwagoqanyawo. Wena nje qina ume isibindi.”