Jotjhuwa
9 Woke amakhosi ebewangetjingalanga yeJordani,+ lawo ebewasesifundeni seentaba, eTjhefela nendaweni emagega neLwandle eliKhulu,*+ phambi kweLibhanoni ezwa ngokwenzekileko. La bekumakhosi wamaRhiti, ama-Amori, amaKanana, amaPerizi, amaRhivi namaJebusi.+ 2 Kuthe nawezwa ngalokho, enza isivumelwano bona ayokulwa noJotjhuwa nama-Israyeli.+
3 Izakhamuzi zeGibiyoni+ nazo zezwa ngalokho okwenziwe nguJotjhuwa eJerikho+ ne-Ayi.+ 4 Yeke zenza iqhinga lobuqili, zafaka imiphako emigodleni emidala zayikhweza phezu kwabodumbana bazo neenkhwama zewayini ezidala ekhe zathumbuka begodu zalungiswa; 5 bezifake amapatlagwana adabukileko napetjhiweko, zimbethe nezambatho ezidabukileko. Boke uburotho ebebusemphakwenazo bebomile begodu butshutshureka. 6 Ngemva kwalokho, zaya kuJotjhuwa ekampeni eGiligali,+ zathi kuye nemadodeni wakwa-Israyeli: “Sivela enarheni ekude. Nje-ke yenzani isivumelwano nathi.” 7 Amadoda wakwa-Israyeli athi kumaRhivi:+ “Mhlamunye nihlala eduze nathi. Alo, singasenza njani isivumelwano nani?”+ 8 AmaRhivi athi kuJotjhuwa: “Siziinsebenzi zakho.”
UJotjhuwa wathi kiwo: “Nibobani begodu nivelaphi?” 9 AmaRhivi athi kuye: “Iinsebenzi zakho zivela enarheni ekude khulu+ ngebanga legama lakaJehova uZimakho ngombana sizwile ngedumo lakhe nangakho koke akwenze eGibhide,+ 10 nakho koke akwenze emakhosini amabili wama-Amori ebewangakwelinye ihlangothi leJordani,* iKosi uSirhoni+ yeRhetjhibhoni neKosi u-Ogi+ yeBhatjhani, ebeyise-Atjhitarothi. 11 Ngalokho-ke, abadala bethu nazo zoke izakhamuzi zenarhenethu bathe kithi, ‘Thathani imiphako yendlela nikhambe niyokuhlangana nabo. Nithi kibo: “Sizokuba ziinsebenzi zenu;+ nje-ke yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”’+ 12 Uburotho esabuthatha bona bube mphakwethu bebutjhisa ngelanga esatjhiya ngalo imizethu bona size kini. Njenganje uburothobu bomile begodu buyatshutshureka.+ 13 Iinkhwama zewayinezi bezizitja nasizizalisako kodwana nje sezithumbukile.+ Izambatho zethu namapatlagwanethu zidabukile ngebanga lekhambo elide.”
14 Ngalokho amadoda wakwa-Israyeli athatha* eminye yemiphako yamaRhivi kodwana akhenge abuze kuJehova.+ 15 Yeke uJotjhuwa wenza ukuthula nawo+ begodu wenza nawo isivumelwano bona aphile, ngilokho amakhosana wehlangano akufunga kiwo.+
16 Ekupheleni kwamalanga amathathu, ngemva kokuthi enze nawo isivumelwano, ama-Israyeli ezwa bona akhelene nawo begodu bewahlala eduze nawo. 17 Yeke ama-Israyeli aya emadorobheni wabantwabo ngelanga lesithathu; amadorobhabo bekuyiGibiyoni,+ iKefira, iBherothi neKhiriyathi-Jeyarimu.+ 18 Nanyana kunjalo, ama-Israyeli akhenge abasahlele ngombana amakhosana wehlangano bewafunge kibo ngoJehova+ uZimu ka-Israyeli. Yeke ihlangano yoke yathoma ukunghonghoyila ngamakhosana. 19 Ngalokho woke amakhosana athi kiyo yoke ihlangano: “Njengombana sifunge kibo ngoJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli, asinalungelo lokubalimaza. 20 Ngilokhu esizokwenza kibo: Sizobalisa baphile bona kungabi nelaka phezu kwethu ngebanga lesifungo esisenze kibo.”+ 21 Amakhosana angezelela athi: “Baliseni baphile kodwana kufuze batheze iinkuni, bakhelele namanzi wehlangano yoke.” Ngilokhu amakhosana akuthembisako malungana nabantu beGibiyoni.
22 Nje-ke uJotjhuwa wababiza wathi kibo: “Kubayini nisikhohlise nathi, ‘Sivela endaweni ekude khulu nani,’ khisibe nihlala hlangana nathi?+ 23 Kusukela nje, niqalekisiwe+ begodu nizokuba ziingqila zokutheza iinkuni nokukhelela amanzi wendlu kaZimami.” 24 Baphendula uJotjhuwa bathi: “Kungebanga lokuthi iinsebenzi zakho zatjelwa bona uJehova uZimakho uyale uMosi incekwakhe bona aninikele yoke inarha nokuthi nitjhabalalise zoke izakhamuzi zayo phambi kwenu.+ Yeke besisaba bona nizosibulala,+ kungebangelo senze lokhu.+ 25 Nje-ke sisezandleni zakho. Yenza nanyana yini ocabanga bona yihle nokuthi ilungile.” 26 Ngilokhu akwenza kibo; wabasindisa ezandleni zama-Israyeli begodu akhenge ababulale. 27 Ngelangelo uJotjhuwa wabenza abathezi beenkuni nabakhi bamanzi wehlangano+ newe-aldara lakaJehova endaweni uZimu azoyikhetha,+ ngilokho abakwenzako bekube kunamhlanjesi.+