Intshayelelo yebali labagwebi
1Kwenyuka isithunywa sikaYehova eGiligali, saya eBhokim, sathi, Ndaninyusa eYiputa, ndanizisa kwelo zwe ndafunga kooyihlo ngalo, ndathi, Andiyi kuwaphula umnqophiso wam nani naphakade; 2ke nina nize ningenzi mnqophiso nabemi beli lizwe; nize nizidilize izibingelelo zabo. Aniliphulaphulanga ke izwi lam. Yintoni na le niyenzileyo? 3Kananjalo ndathi, Andiyi kubagqogqa phambi kwenu, ukuze babe ziimviko emacaleni enu, oothixo babo babe ngumgibe kuni.
4Kwathi, sakuwathetha isithunywa sikaYehova la mazwi kubo bonke oonyana bakaSirayeli, basuka abantu baliphakamisa izwi labo, balila. 5Bayibiza loo ndawo ngokuthi, yiBhokim;• babingelela apho kuYehova.
6Ke kaloku okuyá uYoshuwa wabandululáyo abantu, baya oonyana bakaSirayeli elowo elifeni lakhe, ukuba balimé ilizwe. 7Abantu bamkhonza uYehova yonke imihla kaYoshuwa, nemihla yonke yamadoda amakhulu awasalelayo kuYoshuwa, abewubonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu kaYehova, abewenzele amaSirayeli.
8Wafa ke uYoshuwa unyana kaNun, umkhonzi kaYehova, eminyaka ilikhulu elinashumi-nye ezelwe. 9Bamngcwabela emdeni welifa lakhe, eTimnata-heres, kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, entla kwentaba yaseGahashe.
10Sakuba neso sizukulwana sonke sihlanganiselwe kooyise, kwavela sizukulwana simbi emva kwaso, esibe singamazi uYehova, kwanomsebenzi abewenzele amaSirayeli. 11Oonyana bakaSirayeli benza ubui emehlweni kaYehova, bakhonza ooBhahali.• 12Bamlahla uYehova, uThixo wooyise, owabakhuphayo ezweni lamaYiputa; balandela thixo bambi koothixo bezizwe ezibajikelezileyo, babanqula, bamqumbisa uYehova. 13Bamlahla ke uYehova, bakhonza uBhahali noAshtaroti.
14Wavutha ke umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli, wawanikela esandleni sabaphangi, bawaphanga. Wathengisa ngawo, wawanikela esandleni seentshaba zawo ngeenxa zonke; akaba saba nakuma phambi kweentshaba zawo. 15Athi akuphuma esiya naphi, sasuka isandla sikaYehova sawachasa ngobubi, njengoko wakuthethayo uYehova, njengoko wawafungelayo; abandezeleka kunene.
16UYehova wavelisa abagwebi; bawasindisa esandleni sabaphangi bawo. 17Akabaphulaphula nabagwebi bawo, asuka ahenyuza ngokulandela thixo bambi, abanqula, atyeka kamsinya endleleni ababehamba ngayo ooyise, yokuphulaphula imithetho kaYehova. Akenjanga njalo ke wona. 18Naxa uYehova wawavelisela abagwebi, uYehova waba nomgwebi lowo, wawasindisa esandleni seentshaba zawo yonke imihla yomgwebi lowo; ngokuba uYehova wazohlwaya ngenxa yokuncwina kwawo, phambi kwabaxini bawo, ababandezeli bawo. 19Kwathi, akufa umgwebi lowo, abuya onakalisa ngaphezu kooyise, alandela thixo bambi ngokubakhonza nangokubanqula; akaziyeka iintlondi zawo nendlela yokuba lukhuni kwawo.
20Wavutha umsindo kaYehova kumaSirayeli; wathi, Ngenxa enokuba olu hlanga luwugqithile umnqophiso wam endawumisela ooyise, alwaliphulaphula ilizwi lam: 21nam andiyi kuphinda ndithi phambi kwabo ndigqogqe mntu wezi ntlanga, wazishiyayo uYoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe; 22ukuze ndiwalinge ngazo amaSirayeli, ukuba oyigcina na indlela kaYehova, ahambe ngayo, njengoko bayigcináyo ooyise, akayi kuyigcina, kusini na? 23Waziyeka ke uYehova ezo ntlanga, akazigqogqa kamsinya, akazinikela esandleni sikaYoshuwa.
