U-Israyeli Uwela Umfula IJordani
1Ngovivi ngakusasa, uJoshuwa wavuka wakhukhula nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, esuka eShithimu, baze bayofika emfuleni iJordani. Bakanisa lapho ngaphambi kokuba bawele. 2Sekwedlule izinsuku ezintathu, izinduna zadabula enkanjini, 3zayala abantu zithi: “Nxa nibona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu uthwelwe ngabaphristi abangabaLevi, niyakusuka endaweni yenu. Wulandeleni, 4ukuze niyazi indlela enimele ukuhamba ngayo, ngokuba anikaze nidlule kule ndawo ngaphambilini, nokho kufanele kube nesikhala phakathi kwenu nawo, ibanga elingaba yizi-2 000 zamakhubhithi; ningasondeli neze eduze kwawo.”
5UJoshuwa wayesethi kubantu: “Zingcweliseni, ngokuba kusasa uSimakade uzokwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.”
6Kubaphristi, uJoshuwa wathi: “Thathani umphongolo wesivumelwano nidlule phambi kwabantu.”
Ngakho-ke bawuthatha umphongolo wesivumelwano base behamba phambi kwabantu. 7USimakade wathi kuJoshuwa: “Namuhla ngizakuqala ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, ukuze bazi ukuthi ngiyoba nawe njengoba nganginaye uMose. 8Nguwe oyakuyala abaphristi abathwele umphongolo wesivumelwano, uthi: ‘Nxa senifikile osebeni lomfula iJordani, niyokuma ninganyakazi.’ ”
9UJoshuwa wayesethi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Sondelani nizwe amazwi kaSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.”
10UJoshuwa wayesethi: “Niyokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu, ongayikwehluleka ukuxosha phambi kwenu amaKhanani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGirigashi, ama-Amori, namaJebusi. 11Bhekani, umphongolo wesivumelwano seNkosi yomhlaba wonke uzokwedlula phambi kwenu eJordani. 12Ngakho-ke khethani amadoda ali-12 kuzo zonke izizwana zakwa-Israyeli, abe munye kuleso naleso sizwe. 13Kuyothi lapho amathe ezinyawo zabaphristi abathwele umphongolo kaSimakade, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, ethinta amanzi eJordani, amanzi eJordani ageleza evela enhla ayokuma, ayokuma abe yintaba.”
14Kwathi lapho abantu besuka emathendeni abo ukuba bawele iJordani, abaphristi abathwele umphongolo wesivumelwano babephambi kwabo. 15Lapho abathwele umphongolo befika eJordani, nezinyawo zabaphristi sezithinte amanzi osebeni lomfula iJordani ogola izintethe ngaso sonke isikhathi sokuvuna, 16amanzi anqamuka ukugeleza, aba yintaba aze ayofinyelela ngase-Adamu, eliseduze neZarethani. Kwathi amanzi agelezela olwandle i-Araba, uLwandle Lukasawoti nawo anqamuka, abantu bawela umfula maqondana neJerikho. 17Abaphristi ababethwele umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaSimakade bama bangathi nyaka emhlabathini owomile phakathi kweJordani, saze sawela sonke isizwe sakwa-Israyeli, sihamba emhlabathini owomileyo.
