UJoshuwa

22 UJoshuwa wasebiza abakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase 2 wathi kubo: “Likwenzile konke elakutshelwa nguMosi+ inceku kaJehova futhi belikulalela konke ebengilitshela khona.+ 3 Alizange libatshiye abafowenu kuze kube lamuhla+ njalo likwenzile lokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu alitshela khona.+ 4 UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu usebaphile abafowenu indawo yokuhlala futhi sekulokuthula elizweni njengoba nje wayethembisile.+ Yikho khathesi selingabuyela ematendeni enu elizweni elalinikwa nguMosi inceku kaJehova, elingaphetsheya kukaJodani.*+ 5 Kodwa libe leqiniso lokuthi liyayigcina imilayo kanye lemithetho elayinikwa+ nguMosi inceku kaJehova, limthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu,+ lihambe ezindleleni zakhe zonke,+ lilalele imilayo yakhe,+ linamathele kuye+ futhi limkhonze+ ngenhliziyo yonke langomphefumulo* wonke.”+

6 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa wababusisa wasesithi babuyele emizini yabo. 7 UMosi wayenike ingxenye yesizwana sakoManase ilifa eBhashani,+ uJoshuwa yena wasenika enye ingxenye yesizwana sakoManase indawo yokuhlala entshonalanga kukaJodani+ ndawonye labafowabo. Bathi sebesuka besiya emizini yabo uJoshuwa wababusisa, 8 wasesithi kubo: “Selilenotho enengi, isiliva legolide, lezifuyo ezinengi, lekhopha lensimbi lezigqoko ezinengi kakhulu.+ Thathani konke lokhu+ libuyele ematendeni enu, liyekwabelana labafowenu.”

9 Ngemva kwalokho abakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase basuka eShilo elizweni leKhenani besiya elizweni leGiliyadi+ ababeliphiwe nguMosi+ ukuthi bahlale kulo njengokutsho kukaJehova. 10 Bathi sebefike emangweni weJodani oselizweni leKhenani, abakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bakha inkalakatha ye-alithare eceleni komfula uJodani. 11 Abanye abako-Israyeli bezwa+ ukuthi abakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bakhe i-alithare emngceleni welizwe leKhenani emangweni weJodani oselizweni labako-Israyeli. 12 Bathi bekuzwa lokho babuthana bonke eShilo+ befuna ukuyakulwa labo.

13 Abako-Israyeli bathuma uFiniyasi+ indodana ka-Eliyazari umphristi ukuthi aye elizweni leGiliyadi kwabakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase. 14 Wahamba labakhokheli abalitshumi. Umkhokheli ngamunye wayemela isizwana esisodwa sako-Israyeli njalo bonke babengabakhokheli bezimuli zosendo lwabo phakathi kwezinkulungwane zabako-Israyeli.+ 15 Bathi sebefike eGiliyadi kwabakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bathi kubo:

16 “Nanku okutshiwo ngabantu bakaJehova: ‘Kuyini lokhu elikwenzileyo?+ Kalithembekanga kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Lina lamuhla selimtshiyile uJehova lakha i-alithare, lamhlamukela uJehova.+ 17 Selilikhohliwe yini icala esalenza ePheyori? Lanxa uJehova wajezisa abantu bakhe+ ngesifo esibi, lalamuhla silokhu singakazihlambululi esonweni leso. 18 Kodwa lina selifuna ukutshiya uJehova! Nxa lingamhlamukela uJehova, kusasa uzathukuthelela bonke abantu bako-Israyeli.+ 19 Nxa libona angani ilizwe elihlala kulo kalihlanzekanga, chaphani lizohlala lathi ngapha elizweni likaJehova+ lapho okulethabanikeli likaJehova khona.+ Esikucelayo nje yikuthi lingamhlamukeli uJehova ngokwakha elinye i-alithare thina sivele silalo i-alithare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,+ ngoba lokho kungenza lathi sikhanye sesingabahlamuki. 20 Selikhohliwe yini ukuthi kwenzakalani u-Akhani+ indodana kaZera aze atshontshe izinto okwakumele zitshabalaliswe? UNkulunkulu wathukuthelela bonke abantu bako-Israyeli+ futhi u-Akhani kayisuye yedwa owafayo ngenxa yokona kwakhe.’”+

21 AbakoRubheni labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sakoManase bathi besizwa lokhu baphendula abakhokheli bezinkulungwane zako-Israyeli+ bathi: 22 “UJehova uNkulunkulu omkhulu kulabo bonke onkulunkulu+ uyalazi iqiniso. UJehova uNkulunkulu omkhulu kulabo bonke onkulunkulu uyalazi iqiniso njalo labako-Israyeli bazalazi. Nxa kuyikuthi simhlamukele uJehova futhi asithembekanga kuye, kangasilamuleli lamuhla. 23 Nxa i-alithare leli silakhele ukuthi sesifuna ukuhlamukela uJehova senzele kulo iminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele lemihlatshelo yobudlelwano, uJehova uzasijezisa+ sibili. 24 Kodwa okwenze sakha i-alithare leli yikuthi besisesaba ukuthi kusasa abantwabenu bazathi kubantwabethu: “Lina alilalungelo lokukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. 25 UJehova wenze umfula uJodani waba ngumngcele phakathi kwethu lani lina abakoRubheni labakoGadi. Yikho alilalungelo lokukhonza uJehova.” Nxa abantwabenu bangatshonjalo bazavimbela abantwabethu ukukhonza uJehova.’

26 “Yikho sithe kungcono sakhe i-alithare, hatshi elokwenzela iminikelo yokutshiswa loba imihlatshelo, 27 kodwa elizakuba yibufakazi phakathi kwethu lani+ kanye lezizukulwane zethu ezizayo ukuthi lathi sizaqhubeka sikhonza uJehova njalo sisenza imihlatshelo leminikelo yokutshiswa kanye lemihlatshelo yobudlelwano+ phambi kwakhe. Senzela ukuthi kusasa abantwabenu bangathi kubantwabethu: ‘Lina alilalungelo lokukhonza uJehova.’ 28 Yikho sithe nxa bangatsho njalo kithi lasezizukulwaneni zethu ezizayo sizaphendula sithi: ‘Khangelani, nanti i-alithare elakhiwa ngokhokho bethu elifanana lelikaJehova. Kabazange balakhele ukuthi libe ngelokwenzela iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo kodwa ukuthi libe yibufakazi phakathi kwethu lani.’ 29 Ngeke simhlamukele uJehova loba sekutheni njalo kasisoze simtshiye uJehova+ ngokwakha i-alithare leminikelo yokutshiswa leminikelo yamabele leminye imihlatshelo. Kodwa thina iminikelo sizayenzela e-alithareni likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu eliphambi kwethabanikeli.”+

30 UFiniyasi umphristi labakhokheli lezinduna zezinkulungwane zako-Israyeli ezazihambe laye basuthiseka+ ngempendulo abayiphiwa ngabakoRubheni labakoGadi kanye labakoManase. 31 Ngakho uFiniyasi indodana ka-Eliyazari umphristi waphendula abakoRubheni labakoGadi labakoManase wathi: “Lamuhla sesikwazi ukuthi uJehova ulathi ngoba akulanto embi eliyenzileyo phambi kukaJehova. Sesikwazi ukuthi uJehova kasoze abajezise abako-Israyeli.”

32 UFiniyasi umphristi labakhokheli basuka eGiliyadi kwabakoRubheni labakoGadi baya elizweni leKhenani, bafika babikela abako-Israyeli ilizwi ababelithwele. 33 Abako-Israyeli basuthiseka ngabakuzwayo badumisa uNkulunkulu. Abasaphindanga bakhuluma ngokuhlasela abakoRubheni labakoGadi balobise konke okuselizweni labo.

34 AbakoRubheni labakoGadi banika i-alithare* leli ibizo ngoba besithi, “Lingufakazi phakathi kwethu ukuthi uJehova nguNkulunkulu weqiniso.”