UJOTJHUWA 24

₁UJotjhuwa wabuthelela zoke iinkoro zakwa-Israyeli eTjhekemu, wabiza abaphathi, iinhloko zemindeni, abagwebi kanye neenkhulu zakwa-Israyeli, baziveza phambi kwakaZimu. ₂UJotjhuwa wathi kibo boke abantu: “Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, ‘Ekadeni aboyihlo bebahlala ngaphetjheya komlambo iYufrathe, uTerarhi uyise ka-Abrahamu noNarhori. Bona balotjha abozinyana khonapho. ₃Yeke ngathatha uyihlomkhulu u-Abrahamu ngaphetjheya komlambo ngamdabulisa loke iKanana, ngamenza wanda ngeenzukulwana: Ngamupha u-Isaka, ₄ku-Isaka ngamupha uJakopo no-Esewu. Ngapha u-Esewu inarha yangeentabeni zeSeyiri kobana kube lilifa lakhe, kodwana uJakopo nabantwabakhe behlela enzasi eGibhide. ₅Ngathumela uMosi no-Aroni, ngehlisela iGibhide amatshwenyeko njengombana ngenza phakathi kwayo, ngemva kwalapho nganikhupha eGibhidapho. ₆Iye, ngakhupha aboyihlomkhulu eGibhide. Kwathi nanifika elwandle, amaGibhide anihlala eenthendeni ngeenkarana zepi nangeenjomani ukuyokufika elwandle lomGaba. ₇Kuthe lokha nanililela uSomnini, mina Somnini ngabeka ubumnyama phakathi kwenu namaGibhide, ngenza bona ilwandle liwabhibhe, nje-ke amehlwenu abona engakwenza ngeGibhide, nahlala erhalawumbeni isikhathi eside. ₈Nganiletha enarheni yama-Amori ebegade ahlala ngaphetjheya kweJordani. Alwa nani kodwana ngawanikela ezandleni zenu, nathumba inarhawo nawarhayila phambi kwenu. ₉Yeke uBhalaki umsa kaTsiphori ikosi yakwaMowabi wavuka walwa no-Israyeli. Wathumela ilizwi wamema uBhiliyamu umsa kaBhewori kobana aninikelele. ₁₀Kodwana azange ngilalele uBhiliyamu, yeke wanibusisa. Ngalokho nganitjhaphulula esandleni sakhe. ₁₁Nayama iJordani nafika eJerikho. Amadoda weJerikho alwa nani, nama-Amori, amaPerizi, amaKanana, amaRhithi, amaGirigatjhi, amaRhivi namaJebusi. Boke njalo ngabanikela ezandleni zenu. ₁₂Ngathumela abonondovu phambi kwenu, baqotjha amakhosi amabili wama-Amori phambi kwenu. Bekungasi msebe namkha isabulenu okwaqotjha amakhosi lawo. ₁₃Nganinikela inarha eningazange niyijulukele, namadorobho eningazange niwakhe. Nahlala lapho, nagoma iinthelo zamadiribe neemvande zemithi ye-oliva eningazange niyitjale.’ ”

₁₄UJotjhuwa waraga wathi: “Ngalokho-ke yesabani uSomnini nimlotjhe ngokuzimisela nangokwethembeka. Lahlani abosingazimu ebebalotjhwa boyihlomkhulu ngaphetjheya komlambo iYufrathe neGibhide bese nilotjha uSomnini. ₁₅Nakube anifuni ukulotjha uSomnini, khona-ke khethani namhlanjesi kobana nifuna ukulotjha bani, kungaba bosingazimu ebebalotjhwa boyihlomkhulu ngaphetjheya komlambo iYufrathe, namkha abozinyana bama-Amori enarheni enihlala kiyo le. Kodwana mina nomzami sizakulotjha uSomnini.”

₁₆Abantu baphendula bathi: “Afe-ke! Angeze sathoma safulathela uSomnini bese sidlhemadlhema ngemva kwabosingazimu sibalotjhe, ₁₇ngombana nguSomnini uZimethu owasikhupha thina nabobaba enarheni yeGibhide, ekumbeni yobukhoboka. USomnini wenza iimbonakaliso ezikulu phambi kwethu, wasibulunga kiyo yoke indlela esayikhambako, naphakathi kwabo boke abantu esadlula hlangana nabo. ₁₈USomnini godu waqotjha phambi kwethu zoke izizwe, ama-Amori ebegade ahlala enarheni, ngalokho nathi sizayilotjha uSomnini ngombana unguZimethu.”

₁₉Kodwana uJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Anikwazi ukulotjha uSomnini ngombana unguZimu ocwengileko nonesikhwele. Angeze acolela iimphambeko namkha izono zenu. ₂₀Nakube nifulathela uSomnini nilotjhe abozinyana, uSomnini uzakujika anilimaze, aniqede nya, nanyana akhe wanenzela okuhle nje.”

₂₁Abantu bathi kuJotjhuwa: “Awa! Thina sizokulotjha uSomnini.” ₂₂Yeke uJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Nibofakazi ngokwenu bonyana nikhethe uSomnini kobana nimlotjhe.”

Abantu bathi: “Kunjalo, sibofakazi.”

₂₃Waraga wathi: “Khona-ke lahlani abosingazinyana abaphakathi kwenu bese nibeka umqondwenu kuSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli.”

₂₄Abantu bathi kuJotjuwa: “NakunguSomnini uZimethu yena, sizamlotjha! Sizakulalela ilizwi lakhe.”

₂₅Ngaleyondlela uJotjhuwa wenza isibopho nabantu mhlokho eTjhekemu, wabanikela imithetho nemiyalo ₂₆ayitlola ngencwadini yomthetho kaZimu. Wathatha ilitje elikhulu walijamisa lapho ngaphasi komuthi omkhulu endaweni ecwengileko kaSomnini. ₂₇UJotjhuwa wathi ebantwini: “Qalani, ilitjeli lizakuba ngufakazi ngathi ngombana lizwe woke amezwi kaSomnini awakhulume kithi. Iye, lizakuba ngufakazi ngani nakube aninaqiniso phambi kwakaZimenu.”

₂₈Nje-ke uJotjhuwa wathi abantu abakhambe, omunye nomunye abuyele elifeni lakhe.

₂₉Ngemva kwalokho uJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni inceku kaSomnini wahlongakala. Gade aneminyaka elikhulu netjhumi. ₃₀Bambulungela elifeni lakhe eTimnathi-Serarhi, okuyinarha yeentatjana zakwa-Efrayimu, ngetlhagwini yeGatjhi.

₃₁Ama-Israyeli alotjha uSomnini emihleni yoke yokuphila kwakaJotjhuwa nemihleni yoke yabaphathi abasala ngemva kwakaJotjhuwa nebegade bazi koke uSomnini akwenzela ama-Israyeli.

₃₂Amathambo kaJosefa abantu abawathatha eGibhide abekwa eTjhekemu, endaweni eyathengwa nguJakopo emadodaneni kaRhamori uyise kaTjhekemu ngeempaparwana ezilikhulu zesiliva. Indawo leyo yaba lilifa leenzukulwana zakaJosefa.

₃₃U-Elazara umsa ka-Aroni wahlongakala. Bambulungela embundwini wakaFiniyasi indodanakhe, egade anikelwe wona eentatjaneni zakwa-Efrayimu.