UJoshuwa 1

₁Kwathi emva kokufa kukaMose inceku kaJehova, uJehova wakhuluma kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, isikhonzi sikaMose, wathi: ₂“UMose inceku yami ufile; ngalokho suka uwele leli Jordani, wena nalaba bantu bonke, niye ezweni engibanika lona abantwana bakwa-Israyeli. ₃Zonke izindawo ayakunyathela kuzo amathe onyawo lwenu ngininikile zona, njengalokho ngakhuluma kuMose. ₄Kusukela ehlane nakuleli Lebanoni kuze kufike emfuleni omkhulu, umfula u-Ewufrathe, lonke izwe lamaHeti, nakuze kube seLwandle Olukhulu ngasentshonalanga, kuyakuba ngumkhawulo wenu. ₅Akuyikubakho muntu ongema phambi kwakho zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakho; njengalokho nganginaye uMose, kanjalo ngiyakuba nawe; angiyikukuyeka, angiyikukushiya.

₆“Qina, ume isibindi, ngokuba uyakwenza ukuba laba bantu badle izwe engalifungela oyise ukubanika lona. ₇Qina kuphela, ume isibindi kakhulu, uqaphele ukwenza ngokomthetho wonke akuyala ngawo uMose inceku yami, ungaphambuki kuwo ngakwesokunene noma ngakwesokhohlo ukuba ube nempumelelo nomaphi lapho uya khona. ₈Le ncwadi yomthetho mayingasuki emlonyeni wakho, kepha wozindla ngayo imini nobusuku ukuba uqaphele ukwenza njengakho konke okulotshwe kuyo, ngokuba lapho uyakuhlahlamelisa indlela yakho, uphumelele kahle. ₉Angikuyalile na? Qina, ume isibindi, ungesabi, ungabi naluvalo, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho unawe nomaphi lapho uya khona.”

₁₀UJoshuwa wayeseyala izinduna zabantu, ethi: ₁₁“Dabulani phakathi kwekamu,* niyale abantu, nithi: ‘Zilungiseleni umphako, ngokuba emva kwezinsuku ezintathu niyakuwela leli Jordani, ningene ukuba nilidle izwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu aninika lona ukuba nilizuze.’ ”

₁₂UJoshuwa wakhuluma kwabakwaRubeni, nabakwaGadi, nakuyo inxenye yesizwe sakwaManase, wathi: ₁₃“Khumbulani izwi aniyala ngalo uMose inceku kaJehova, ethi: ‘UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu uyakuniphumuza, aninike leli zwe.’ ₁₄Omkenu, nabantwana benu, nezinkomo zenu bayakuhlala ezweni uMose aninika lona ngaphesheya kweJordani; kepha nina niyakuwela phambi kwabafowenu nihlomile, nonke nina maqhawe anamandla, nibasize, ₁₅uJehova aze aphumuze abafowenu njengani, nabo badle izwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu abanika lona, andukuba nibuyele ezweni lefa lenu aninika lona uMose inceku kaJehova ngaphesheya kweJordani ngasempumalanga, nilidle.”

₁₆Bamphendula uJoshuwa, bathi: “Konke osiyale ngakho siyakukwenza; nomaphi lapho usithuma khona, siyakuya khona. ₁₇Njengalokho samlalela kukho konke, kanjalo siyakulalela wena; kepha, kuphela uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, makabe kuwe njengalokho wayenoMose. ₁₈Yilowo nalowo oyakuhlubuka ezwini lakho, angalaleli amazwi akho kukho konke omyala ngakho, uyakubulawa; qina kuphela, ume isibindi.”