Bible Reading Plan – Day 59

₁Kwathi emva kokufa kukaMose inceku kaJehova, uJehova wakhuluma kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, isikhonzi sikaMose, wathi:

₁UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma ngasese eseShithimi amadoda amabili abe yizinhloli, wathi: “Hambani nibone izwe neJeriko.” Basuka, bafika endlini yesifebe esigama laso linguRahabi, balala khona.

₂Inkosi yaseJeriko yatshelwa; kwathiwa: “Bheka, kwafika lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba ahlole izwe.” ₃Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha lawo madoda afikile kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngokuba ezile ukuzohlola izwe lonke.”

₄Owesifazane wayesethatha lawo madoda omabili, wawathukusa, wathi: “Kunjalo; amadoda afika kimi, kepha ngangingazi ukuthi avelaphi; ₅kwathi ngesikhathi sokuvalwa kwesango lapho sekumnyama, amadoda aphuma; angazi ukuthi ayaphi lawo madoda; sheshani niwaxoshe, ngokuba niyakuwafica.” ₆Kepha wayewenyusele ophahleni, wawashumeka ezinhlangeni zefilakisi* abezihlelile ophahleni. ₇Abantu bawaxosha endleleni eya eJordani emazibukweni; sebephumile abawaxosha, bavala isango.

₈Engakalali, wenyukela kuwo ophahleni; ₉wathi kumadoda: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uninikile izwe, nokuthi sehlelwe ngukunesaba, nokuthi bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwenu. ₁₀Ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uJehova womisa amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibithe nokuthi wenzani kuwo amakhosi amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, oSihoni no-Ogi, enawaqothulayo. ₁₁Sathi sikuzwa lokho, izinhliziyo zethu zaphela amandla, akwabe kusabakho sibindi kumuntu phambi kwenu, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi. ₁₂Ngalokho ake nifunge manje uJehova kimi, njengokuba nginenzele umusa, ukuba nani niyenzele indlu kababa umusa, ningiphe uphawu oluqinisileyo, ₁₃nisindise ubaba, nomame, nabafowethu, nawodadewethu, nabo bonke abanabo, nophule imiphefumulo yethu ekufeni.”

₁₄Athi amadoda kuye: “Mayife imiphefumulo yethu esikhundleni senu; uma ningavezi obala le ndaba yethu, siyakunenzela umusa neqiniso lapho uJehova esinika izwe.”

₁₅Wayesewehlisa ngentambo ngasefasiteleni, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayingasogangeni lomuzi, wahlala ngasogangeni. ₁₆Wathi kuwo: “Khuphukelani entabeni, funa abanixoshayo banifice, nicashe khona izinsuku ezintathu, ukuze abanixoshayo babuye, andukuba nihambe indlela yenu.”

₁₇Ayesethi amadoda kuye: “Thina asinacala ngaleso sifungo sakho osifungise sona, ₁₈uma ekufikeni kwethu ezweni ungabophi le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni osehlise ngalo, uzibuthele endlini yakho uyihlo, nonyoko, nabafowenu, nabendlu bonke bakayihlo. ₁₉Kuyakuthi yilowo nalowo ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe libe sekhanda lakhe, thina singabi nacala; kodwa lowo okuwe endlini, igazi lakhe liyakuba sekhanda lethu, uma sibekwa isandla kuye. ₂₀Kepha uma uveza obala le ndaba yethu, asiyikuba nacala ngesifungo sakho osifungise sona.”

₂₁Wathi: “Makube njengamazwi enu.” Wayesewamukisa ahamba; wabopha intambo ebomvu efasiteleni.

₂₂Asuka aya entabeni, ahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu, baze babuya abawaxoshayo; abaxoshayo babewafuna indlela yonke, abaze bawafumana. ₂₃Ayesebuya lawo madoda omabili, ehla entabeni, awela, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo. ₂₄Athi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova unikile ezandleni zethu izwe lonke; bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwethu.”

₁UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, basuka eShithimi, bafika eJordani, yena nabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, balala khona ebusuku bengakaweli. ₂Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezintathu izinduna zadabula phakathi kwekamu.* ₃Zayala abantu, zathi: “Nxa nibona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nabapristi bamaLevi bewuthwala, niyakusuka endaweni yenu, niwulandele. ₄Nokho kuyakuba khona ibanga phakathi kwenu nawo, lingangezingalo eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili ngokulinganisa, ningasondeli kuwo, ukuba nazi indlela eniyakuhamba ngayo, ngokuba anidlulanga ngale ndlela phambili.”

₅UJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Zingcweliseni, ngokuba kusasa uJehova uyakwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.”

₆UJoshuwa wakhuluma kubapristi, wathi: “Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, niwele phambi kwabantu.” Baphakamisa-ke umphongolo wesivumelwano, bahamba phambi kwabantu.

₇UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Namuhla ngizakuqala ukukukhulisa emehlweni abo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ukuba bazi ukuthi njengalokho nganginoMose, kanjalo ngiyakuba nawe. ₈Wobayala abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano, uthi: ‘Nxa senifikile onqenqemeni lwamanzi aseJordani, niyakuma ngaseJordani.’ ”

₉UJoshuwa wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Sondelani lapha, nizwe amazwi kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” ₁₀Wathi uJoshuwa: “Niyakwazi ngalokhu ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu nokuthi uyakuxosha nokuxosha phambi kwenu amaKhanani, namaHeti, namaHivi, namaPherizi, namaGirigashi, nama-Amori, namaJebusi. ₁₁Bhekani, umphongolo wesivumelwano seNkosi yomhlaba wonke uwela iJordani phambi kwenu. ₁₂Ngalokho zithatheleni manje amadoda ayishumi nambili ezizweni zakwa-Israyeli, indoda ibenye ngesizwe. ₁₃Kuyakuthi lapho amathe ezinyawo zabapristi abathwala umphongolo kaJehova, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, eyakuma emanzini aseJordani, amanzi aseJordani anqamuke, amanzi avela ngenhla, eme nqwabanye.”

₁₄Kwathi lapho abantu besuka ematendeni abo ukuba bawele iJordani, abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano bephambi kwabantu, ₁₅nalapho abathwala umphongolo sebefikile eJordani, izinyawo zabapristi abathwala umphongolo zicwilile onqenqemeni lwamanzi aseJordani eligcwele phezu kwalo lonke ugu lwalo izinsuku zonke zokuvuna, ₁₆ayesema amanzi avela ngenhla, afukuka aba nqwabanye kude kakhulu ngase-Adamu, umuzi oseceleni kweSaretani; lawo ewuka eya ngaseLwandle lwase-Araba, uLwandle Lukasawoti, anqamuka impela; abantu base bewela maqondana neJeriko. ₁₇Abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova bema baqina emhlabathini owomileyo ngaphakathi neJordani, abantu bonke bawela emhlabathini owomileyo, saze sawela iJordani isizwe sonke saphelela.

₁Kwathi lapho isizwe sonke sesiwele iJordani saphelela, uJehova wakhuluma kuJoshuwa, wathi: ₂“Zithatheleni amadoda ayishumi nambili, indoda ibenye ngesizwe, ₃niwayale nithi: ‘Zikhipheleni lapha phakathi kweJordani, endaweni lapho izinyawo zabapristi zazimi khona ziqinile, amatshe ayishumi nambili, niwele nawo, niwabeke endaweni eniyakulala kuyo ebusuku.’ ”

₄UJoshuwa wayesebiza lawo madoda ayishumi nambili ayewakhethile kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, indoda inye ngesizwe. ₅UJoshuwa wathi kuwo: “Welani phambi komphongolo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, niye phakathi kweJordani, netshathe, kube yilowo nalowo itshe ehlombe lakhe njengokomumo wezizwe zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ₆ukuba lokho kube yisikhumbuzo phakathi kwenu, kuze kuthi lapho abantwana benu bebuza ngesikhathi esizayo, bethi: ‘Ayini lawa matshe kini na?’ ₇anothi kubo: ‘Kungokuba amanzi aseJordani enqamuka phambi komphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova; ekuweleni kwawo iJordani amanzi aseJordani anqamuka; lawa matshe ayakuba yisikhumbuzo kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade.’ ”

₈Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza-ke njengalokho uJoshuwa ebayalile, bakhipha amatshe ayishumi nambili phakathi kweJordani, njengalokho uJehova ekhulumile kuJoshuwa, njengokomumo wezizwe zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; bawela nawo, baya endaweni yokulala, bawabeka khona. ₉UJoshuwa wamisa amatshe ayishumi nambili phakathi neJordani, endaweni lapho izinyawo zabapristi abathwala umphongolo zazimi khona; akhona kuze kube namuhla.

₁₀Abapristi abathwala umphongolo babemi phakathi neJordani, kwaze kwaphelela konke uJehova amyale ngakho uJoshuwa ukuba akukhulume kubantu njengakho konke uMose abemyale ngakho uJoshuwa; abantu bashesha bawela. ₁₁Kwathi lapho bonke abantu sebewelile baphelela, umphongolo kaJehova wawela kanye nabapristi emehlweni abantu. ₁₂Abantwana bakwaRubeni, nabantwana bakwaGadi, nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase bawela behlomile phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, njengalokho uMose ebekhulumile kubo; ₁₃kwawela phambi kukaJehova kungathi abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane behlomele ukulwa ukuba baphume impi, baye emathafeni aseJeriko.

₁₄Ngalolo suku uJehova wamkhulisa uJoshuwa emehlweni abo bonke abakwa-Israyeli; bamesaba njengalokho babemesaba uMose izinsuku zonke zokuhamba kwakhe.

₁₅UJehova wakhuluma kuJoshuwa, wathi: ₁₆“Yala abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano ukuba benyuke eJordani.”

₁₇UJoshuwa wayala-ke abapristi, wathi: “Yenyukani eJordani.”

₁₈Kwathi lapho abapristi abathwala umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova sebenyuke phakathi kweJordani, amathe ezinyawo zabapristi esefike emhlabathini owomileyo, amanzi aseJordani abuyela endaweni yawo, aphuphuma lonke ugu njengakuqala.

₁₉Abantu benyuka eJordani ngolweshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa eGiligali emkhawulweni wangasempumalanga kwaseJeriko. ₂₀Lawo matshe ayishumi nambili abawakhipha eJordani wawamisa eGiligali. ₂₁Wakhuluma kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, wathi: “Nxa abantwana benu beyakubuza oyise ngesikhathi esizayo, bethi: ‘Ayini lawa matshe na?’ ₂₂anobazisa abantwana benu, nithi: ‘U-Israyeli wawela leli Jordani emhlabathini owomileyo,’ ₂₃ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu wawamisa amanzi aseJordani phambi kwenu, naze nawela, njengalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu wenza eLwandle Olubomvu, alomisa phambi kwethu, saze sawela, ₂₄ukuba abantu bonke bomhlaba bazi isandla sikaJehova ukuthi sinamandla, nesabe uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu kuze kube phakade.”

₁Kwathi onke amakhosi ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani ngasentshonalanga, nawo onke amakhosi amaKhanani ayengaselwandle esezwa ukuthi uJehova womise amanzi aseJordani phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli saze sawela, izinhliziyo zabo zaphela amandla, kungabe kusaba khona sibindi ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.