UJoshuwa 24

₁UJoshuwa wabutha zonke izizwe zakwa-Israyeli eShekemi, wabiza amalunga akwa-Israyeli, nezinhloko zakhe, nabahluleli bakhe, nezinduna zakhe, bema phambi kukaNkulunkulu.

₂UJoshuwa wathi kubantu bonke: “Usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Oyihlo bahlala endulo ngaphesheya koMfula,* uThera uyise ka-Abrahama noyise kaNahori, bakhonza abanye onkulunkulu. ₃Ngamthatha uyihlo u-Abrahama ngaphesheya koMfula,* ngamhambisa ezweni lonke laseKhanani, ngayandisa inzalo yakhe, ngamupha u-Isaka. ₄Ngamupha u-Isaka oJakobe no-Esawu; ngamnika u-Esawu intaba yaseSeyiri ukuba ayidle; uJakobe nabantwana bakhe behlela eGibithe.

₅“ ‘Ngathuma oMose no-Aroni, ngahlupha iGibithe ngalokho engakwenza phakathi kwalo; ngasemuva nganikhipha. ₆Ngakhipha oyihlo eGibithe; nafika elwandle; abaseGibithe babaxosha oyihlo ngezinqola nangabamahhashi, baze bafika eLwandle Olubomvu. ₇Lapho bekhala kuJehova, wabeka ubumnyama phakathi kwenu nabaseGibithe, waluhambisa ulwandle phezu kwabo, wabasibekela; amehlo enu abona engakwenzayo eGibithe; nahlala ehlane izinsuku eziningi.

₈“ ‘Nganingenisa ezweni lama-Amori ahlala ngaphesheya kweJordani, alwa nani; ngawanikela esandleni senu, nadla izwe lawo; ngawachitha phambi kwenu. ₉Kwase kuvuka uBalaki indodana kaSipori, inkosi yakwaMowabi, walwa no-Israyeli; wathuma wabiza uBileyamu indodana kaBeyori ukuba aniqalekise, ₁₀kepha angithandanga ukumlalela uBileyamu, kodwa kakhulu wanibusisa, nganophula esandleni sakhe.

₁₁“ ‘Nase niwela iJordani, nafika eJeriko; amadoda aseJeriko alwa nani, nama-Amori, namaPherizi, namaKhanani, namaHeti, namaGirigashi, namaHivi, namaJebusi, ngawanikela esandleni senu. ₁₂Ngathuma iminyovu phambi kwenu eyawaxosha phambi kwenu amakhosi omabili ama-Amori, kungengankemba yakho noma ngomnsalo wakho. ₁₃Nganinika izwe eningakhandlekanga kulo, nemizi eningayakhanga nihlala nokho kuyo; niyadla ezivinini naseminqumeni eningakutshalanga.’

₁₄“Manje yesabani uJehova, nimkhonze ngobuqotho nangeqiniso, nisuse onkulunkulu ababakhonzayo oyihlo phesheya koMfula* naseGibithe, nimkhonze uJehova. ₁₅Uma kukubi emehlweni enu ukumkhonza uJehova, khethani namuhla ukuthi ngubani eniyakumkhonza, noma onkulunkulu ababakhonzayo oyihlo besengaphesheya koMfula,* noma onkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni lawo; kepha mina nendlu yami siyakumkhonza uJehova.”

₁₆Abantu baphendula bathi: “Makube kude nathi ukumshiya uJehova ukuba sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu, ₁₇ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu nguye owasikhuphula thina nawobaba ezweni laseGibithe, indlu yobugqila, nowazenza lezo zibonakaliso emehlweni ethu, wasilondoloza endleleni yonke esahamba ngayo, naphakathi kwabo bonke abantu esadlula phakathi kwabo. ₁₈UJehova waxosha phambi kwethu bonke abantu, nama-Amori futhi ayehlala ezweni; ngalokho nathi siyakumkhonza uJehova, ngokuba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”

₁₉UJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Aninakumkhonza uJehova, ngokuba unguNkulunkulu ongcwele; unguNkulunkulu onomhawu, akayikuthethelela iziphambeko zenu nezono zenu. ₂₀Uma nimshiya uJehova, nikhonze onkulunkulu babezizwe, uyakuphenduka, anenzele okubi, aniqede esenenzele okuhle.”

₂₁Kepha abantu bathi kuJoshuwa: “Qha, ngokuba siyakumkhonza uJehova.”

₂₂Wayesethi uJoshuwa kubantu: “Nina ningofakazi benu bokuthi nizikhethele uJehova ukuba nimkhonze yena.”

Bathi: “Singofakazi.”

₂₃Wathi: “Susani manje onkulunkulu babezizwe abaphakathi kwenu, nithobele izinhliziyo zenu kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.”

₂₄Abantu bathi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu siyakumkhonza, sililalele izwi lakhe.”

₂₅UJoshuwa wayesenza isivumelwano nabantu ngalolo suku, wabamisela isimiso nomthetho eShekemi.

₂₆UJoshuwa waloba lawo mazwi encwadini yomthetho kaNkulunkulu, wathatha itshe elikhulu, walimisa lapho phansi kwe-oki* elingasendlini engcwele kaJehova.

₂₇Wayesethi uJoshuwa kubo abantu bonke: “Bhekani, leli tshe liyakuba ngufakazi ngathi, ngokuba lizwile onke amazwi kaJehova awakhuluma kithi; ngalokho liyakuba ngufakazi ngani, funa nimphike uNkulunkulu wenu.”

₂₈UJoshuwa wayesebamukisa abantu, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe.

₂₉Kwathi emva kwalezo zinto uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi. ₃₀Bammbela emkhawulweni wefa lakhe eThimnati Sera elisezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ngasenyakatho kwentaba yakwaGahashi.

₃₁U-Israyeli wamkhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zamalunga ayekhona izinsuku ezithile emva kukaJoshuwa, ayeyazi yonke imisebenzi kaJehova ayeyenzele u-Israyeli.

₃₂Amathambo kaJosefa akhushulwa eGibithe ngabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, bawembela eShekemi esiqeshini sezwe asithengayo uJakobe kumadodana kaHamori uyise kaShekemi ngamakesita* ayikhulu, laba ifa labantwana bakwaJosefa.

₃₃U-Eleyazare indodana ka-Aroni wafa; bammbela egqumeni likaFinehasi indodana yakhe, abenikiwe lona ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi.