UJoshuwa

24 UJoshuwa wasebuthanisa zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli eShekhemu, wabiza abadala bako-Israyeli, abakhokheli labahluleli labaphathi,+ bayakuma phambi kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso. 2 UJoshuwa wakhuluma labantu bonke wathi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ‘Kudala+ okhokho benu,+ okugoqela uThera uyise ka-Abrahama loNahori, babehlala ngaphetsheya komfula* futhi babekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.+

3 “‘Ngemva kwesikhathi ngasusa ukhokho wenu u-Abrahama+ ngaphetsheya komfula* ngamletha elizweni leKhenani ngathi alibhode lonke ilizwe leli njalo ngenza izizukulwane zakhe zaba zinengi.+ Ngamnika u-Isaka;+ 4 u-Isaka yena ngamnika uJakhobe lo-Esawu.+ Ngemva kwesikhathi u-Esawu ngamnika intaba iSeyiri;+ uJakhobe lamadodana akhe bona baya eGibhithe.+ 5 Ngathuma uMosi lo-Aroni+ eGibhithe, ngehlisela abantu beGibhithe izinhlupho+ ngasengilikhipha khona. 6 Ngathi sengibakhiphile oyihlo eGibhithe+ futhi sebeseduze lolwandle, abaseGibhithe babaxotshanisa ngamabhiza langezinqola zempi baze bayafika eLwandle Olubomvu.+ 7 Bakhala kuJehova+ becela uncedo, ngasengifaka iyezi elimnyama phakathi kwabo labaseGibhithe. Ngasibekela+ abaseGibhithe ngamanzi elwandle njalo lazibonela ngawenu lokho engakwenzayo eGibhithe.+ Ngemva kwalokho lahlala enkangala okweminyaka eminengi.+

8 “‘Ngaliletha elizweni lama-Amori ayehlala ngaphetsheya kukaJodani.* Alwa lani+ kodwa ngawanikela esandleni senu ukuze lithathe ilizwe lawo, ngawathanyela ngawaqeda du phambi kwenu.+ 9 UBhalakhi indodana kaZiphori inkosi yakoMowabi walwa labako-Israyeli. Wabiza uBhalamu indodana kaBheyori ukuthi iliqalekise.+ 10 Kodwa angizange ngimlalele uBhalamu.+ Ngakho walibusisa kanengi+ njalo ngalikhulula esandleni sakhe.+

11 “‘Lachapha uJodani+ laya eJerikho. Abakhokheli beJerikho,*+ ama-Amori, lamaPherizi, lamaKhenani, lamaHithi, lamaGirigashi, lamaHivi lamaJebusi balwa lani kodwa ngabanikela esandleni senu.+ 12 Ngabaqeda amandla* balibalekela,+ njengalokho engakwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori. Kalibaxotshanga ngenkemba zenu kumbe ngamadandili.*+ 13 Ngalipha ilizwe elingazange liliginqele lamadolobho elingazange liwakhe,+ lafika lahlala kuwo. Lidla amagilebisi lama-oliva elingazange liwahlanyele.’+

14 “Yikho-ke mesabeni uJehova limkhonze, libe qotho kuye* futhi lithembeke.*+ Susani onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya komfula* laseGibhithe,+ likhonze uJehova. 15 Kodwa nxa lingafuni ukukhonza uJehova khethani lamuhla ukuthi lizakhonza bani.+ Lingazikhethela ukukhonza onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu ngaphetsheya komfula*+ kumbe onkulunkulu bama-Amori elihlala elizweni lawo.+ Kodwa mina lemuli yami sizakhonza uJehova.”

16 Abantu baphendula bathi: “Ngeke sitshiye uJehova sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu. 17 NguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu owakhipha thina labokhokho bethu elizweni lobugqili,+ eGibhithe.+ Wenza lezimangaliso ezinkulu phambi kwethu,+ waqhubeka esigcinile indlela yonke futhi esivikela ebantwini bonke esadabula phakathi kwabo.+ 18 UJehova wasusa bonke abantu kanye lama-Amori ayehlala elizweni leli. Ngakho lathi sizakhonza uJehova ngoba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”

19 UJoshuwa wasesithi kubo: “Kalingeke lenelise ukumkhonza uJehova ngoba unguNkulunkulu ongcwele+ njalo ufuna abantu bazinikele kuye kuphela.+ Nxa lingayekela ukwenza njalo, kasoze alixolele iziphambeko zenu lezono zenu.+ 20 Nxa lingatshiya uJehova likhonze onkulunkulu bezizweni, uzaliphendukela alihlasele aliqede lonke lanxa ubelenzela okuhle.”+

21 Kodwa abantu baphendula uJoshuwa bathi: “Thina sizakhonza uJehova kuphela!”+ 22 UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: “Liyazifakazela lina ngokwenu ukuthi selikhethe ukukhonza uJehova.”+ Bona baphendula bathi: “Ye lokho siyakufakaza.”

23 UJoshuwa wasesithi: “Nxa kunjalo susani onkulunkulu bezizweni abaphakathi kwenu, libeke inhliziyo zenu kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” 24 Abantu bamphendula bathi: “Sizakhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu futhi sizalalela akutshoyo!”

25 Ngakho uJoshuwa wenza isivumelwano labantu ngalelolanga njalo wabafakela imithetho lezimiso eShekhemu. 26 UJoshuwa wasebhala amazwi la encwadini yoMthetho kaNkulunkulu.+ Wathatha ilitshe elikhulu+ walibeka ngaphansi kwesihlahla esikhulu esiseduze lendawo engcwele kaJehova.

27 UJoshuwa waqhubeka wathi ebantwini bonke: “Ilitshe leli likuzwile konke uJehova asitshele khona, yikho lizakuba ngufakazi wethu.+ Lizakuba ngufakazi wenu ukuze lingamtshiyi uNkulunkulu.” 28 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa wabakhulula abantu, ngamunye wabo wabuyela endaweni yakhe ayiphiwayo.+

29 Konke lokhu sekwenzakele uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni inceku kaJehova wafa. Wayeseleminyaka engu-110.+ 30 Bamngcwaba endaweni eyayililifa lakhe eThiminathi-sera+ ezintabeni zako-Efrayimi, enyakatho kwentaba iGahashi. 31 Abako-Israyeli baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngesikhathi uJoshuwa esaphila langensuku zabadala abasala bephila uJoshuwa esefile, ababekubonile konke uJehova ayekwenzele abako-Israyeli.+

32 Amathambo kaJosefa+ ababesuke lawo eGibhithe angcwatshwa eShekhemu endaweni eyayithengwe nguJakhobe emadodaneni kaHamori,+ uyise kaShekhemu. Indawo le wayithenga ngezinhlamvu zemali ezingu-100+ njalo yaba lilifa lamadodana kaJosefa.+

33 U-Eliyazari indodana ka-Aroni laye wafa,+ basebemngcwaba eqaqeni lukaFiniyasi indodana yakhe+ ayeluphiwe ezintabeni zako-Efrayimi.