Jotjhuwa

22 UJotjhuwa wabiza bakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntu sekoro yakwaManase 2 wathi kibo: “Nikwenzile koke uMosi inceku kaJehova aniyale ngakho+ begodu nililalele ilizwi lami kikho koke enginiyale ngakho.+ 3 Anikabalahli abafowenu isikhathesi soke bekube kunamhlanjesi;+ nikwenzile lokho uJehova uZimenu aniyale bona nikwenze.+ 4 Nje-ke uJehova uZimenu unikele abafowenu ukuphumula, njengombana abathembisa.+ Yeke ningabuyela ematendenenu enarheni uMosi inceku kaJehova aninikela yona ngakwelinye ihlangothi leJordani.*+ 5 Kwaphela tjhejisisani bona nilalele umyalo nomThetho enawunikelwa nguMosi inceku kaJehova,+ ngokuthanda uJehova uZimenu,+ ngokukhamba eendleleni zakhe zoke,+ ngokuphetha imiyalwakhe,+ ngokunamathela kuye+ nangokumlotjha+ ngeenhliziyo zenu zoke nangemiphefumulwenu* yoke.”+

6 Ngemva kwalokho, uJotjhuwa wababusisa, wabakhambisa begodu baya ematendenabo. 7 UMosi bekanikele isiquntu sekoro yakwaManase ilifa eBhatjhani,+ kwathi uJotjhuwa wanikela esinye isiquntu sekoro yakwaManase inarha ngetjingalanga yeJordani+ kunye nabafowabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJotjhuwa nakathi baye ematendenabo, wababusisa 8 wathi kibo: “Buyelani ematendenenu ninomnotho omnengi, ninefuyo enengi khulu, ninesiliva negolide, ikhopha nesimbi nezambatho ezinengi kwamambala.+ Thathani isabelo senu+ sepahla efunyenwe epini emanabenenu, niyihlukaniselane nabafowenu.”

9 Ngemva kwalokho, bakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntu sekoro yakwaManase batjhiya amanye ama-Israyeli eTjhilo enarheni yeKanana, babuyela enarheni yeGiliyadi,+ inarha abanikelwa yona bona bahlale kiyo ngokomyalo kaJehova ngoMosi.+ 10 Kwathi bakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntu sekoro yakwaManase nabafika eemfundeni zeJordani enarheni yeKanana, bakha i-aldara hlanu kweJordani, i-aldara elikhulu nelibabazekako. 11 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi amanye ama-Israyeli ezwa kuthiwa:+ “Qalani! BakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntu sekoro yakwaManase bakhe i-aldara emkhawulweni wenarha yeKanana eemfundeni zeJordani ngehlangothini lama-Israyeli.” 12 Ama-Israyeli nawezwa ngalokhu, yoke ihlangano yama-Israyeli yabuthana eTjhilo+ bona iyokulwa nabo.

13 Ama-Israyeli athumela uFiniyasi+ indodana ka-Elazara umphristi kebakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntwini sekoro yakwaManase enarheni yeGiliyadi, 14 bekakhamba namakhosana alitjhumi avela kizo zoke iinkoro zakwa-Israyeli, enye nenye ikosana beyiyihloko yekorwayo hlangana neenkulungwana zakwa-Israyeli.+ 15 Nabafika kebakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntwini sekoro yakwaManase enarheni yeGiliyadi, bathi kibo:

16 “Yoke ihlangano kaJehova ithi: ‘Sisenzo bani sokungathembeki+ enisenzileko kuZimu ka-Israyeli? Namhlanjesi nifulathele uJehova ngokuzakhela i-aldara nangokuhlubuka kuJehova.+ 17 Kghani isono sePewori asikasaneli na? Asikazihlwengisi kiso bekube kunamhlanjesi, ngitjho nanyana kwafika isibetho phezu kwehlangano kaJehova.+ 18 Nina-ke nifulathela uJehova namhlanjesi! Nange nihlubuka kuJehova namhlanjesi, kusasa ilaka lakhe lizokuvuthela yoke ihlangano yakwa-Israyeli.+ 19 Nje-ke nangabe kungebanga lokuthi inarhenu ayikahlwengeki, yamelani enarheni kaJehova+ lapho kuhlala khona ithaberinakeli lakaJehova+ begodu nihlale hlangana nathi kodwana ningahlubuki kuJehova, ningasenzi iinhlubuki ngokuzakhela lenu i-aldara kanti i-aldara lakaJehova uZimethu likhona.+ 20 Ngesikhathi u-Akani+ indodana kaZerarhi angathembeki malungana nezinto ebezinikelwe ekutjhatjalalisweni, ilaka akhenge livuthele yoke ihlangano yakwa-Israyeli na?+ Begodu akhenge afe yedwa ngebanga lesono sakhe.’”+

21 Nabezwa lokho bakwaRubeni, bakwaGadi nesiquntu sekoro yakwaManase baphendula iinhloko zeenkulungwana zakwa-Israyeli bathi:+ 22 “UZimu wabozimu, uJehova! UZimu wabozimu, uJehova!+ Uyazi, no-Israyeli uzokwazi. Nangabe besihlubuka begodu singakathembeki kuJehova, uZimu angasibabaleli namhlanjesi. 23 Nangabe sizakhele i-aldara bona sifulathele uJehova, bona senze iminikelo etjhiswako, iminikelo yeenthoro nemihlatjelo yetjhebiswano kilo, uJehova uzosijezisa.+ 24 Kuhlekuhle, lokhu sikwenze ngebanga lokuthileko ebekusitshwenya, ngombana sithe, ‘Ngomuso, amadodanenu azokuthi emadodanenethu: “Nihlangana ngani noJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli? 25 UJehova ubeke iJordani bona ibe mkhawulo phakathi kwethu nani, bakwaRubeni nebakwaGadi. Aninasabelo kuJehova.” Yeke amadodanenu azokuvimbela amadodanethu bona alotjhe uJehova.’

26 “Ngalokho sathi, ‘Asithatheni igadango ngokuthi sakhe i-aldara, ingasi lokwenza iminikelo etjhiswako namkha imihlatjelo 27 kodwana bona libe bufakazi phakathi kwenu nathi+ neenzukulwana zethu ukuthi sizokulotjha uJehova ngeminikelwethu etjhiswako, ngemihlatjelwethu nangemihlatjelwethu yetjhebiswano+ bona ngomuso amadodanenu angathi emadodanenethu: “Aninasabelo kuJehova.”’ 28 Yeke sathi, ‘Nakungenzeka ngomuso batjho njalo kithi neenzukulwaneni zethu, sizokuthi: “Qalani i-aldara elifana nelakaJehova elenziwa bokhokho bethu, ingasi lokwenza iminikelo etjhiswako namkha imihlatjelo kodwana bona libe bufakazi phakathi kwenu nathi.”’ 29 Angeze sathoma sahlubuka kuJehova begodu sifulathele uJehova+ namhlanjesi ngokuthi sakhe i-aldara lokwenza imihlatjelo. Asizokwenza iminikelo etjhiswako, iminikelo yeenthoro nemihlatjelo, ngaphandle kwe-aldareni lakaJehova uZimethu eliphambi kwethaberinakeli lakhe!”+

30 Kwathi uFiniyasi umphristi, amakhosana wehlangano neenhloko zeenkulungwana zakwa-Israyeli ebezinaye nabezwa amezwi weenzukulwana zakaRubeni, zakaGadi nezakaManase, baneliseka.+ 31 Yeke uFiniyasi indodana ka-Elazara umphristi wathi eenzukulwaneni zakaRubeni, zakaGadi nezakaManase: “Namhlanjesi siyazi ukuthi uJehova uphakathi kwethu, ngombana anikoni kuJehova. Nje-ke nisindise ama-Israyeli esandleni sakaJehova.”

32 Ngemva kwalokho, uFiniyasi indodana ka-Elazara umphristi namakhosana basuka kebakwaRubeni nebakwaGadi enarheni yeGiliyadi babuyela enarheni yeKanana, balethela amanye ama-Israyeli umbiko. 33 Ama-Israyeli aneliseka ngombiko loyo, adumisa uZimu begodu akhenge asayiphatha yokuya epini ayokulwa nebakwaRubeni nebakwaGadi bona atjhabalalise inarha ebebahlala kiyo.

34 Yeke bakwaRubeni nebakwaGadi bathiya i-aldara,* ngombana bathi: “Libufakazi phakathi kwethu bokuthi uJehova unguZimu weqiniso.”