UBawo wethu wolaba ilizwe eliseleyo

Izizwe ezisixhenxe azikalithabathi ilizwe abalinikwe nguBawo wethu, waza uYoshuwa wabuza ukuba baya kulibala kude kube nini na. Uthumela abahloli belizwe ukuba balibhale phantsi libe ziinxalenye ezisixhenxe, awisele amaqashiso eShilo, waza umhlaba omncinci wakwaBhenjamin phakathi kukaYuda noYosefu wachazwa kuqala.

Isahluko 18.

Laza lonke ibandla loonyana bakaSirayeli lahlanganisana eShilo, lamisa khona intente yokuhlangana, kuba ilizwe lalithotyiwe phambi kwabo. Kwakusele izizwe ezisixhenxe koonyana bakaSirayeli ezazingekalizuzi ilifa lazo. Wathi ke uYoshuwa koonyana bakaSirayeli: “Kunini na nilibala ukungena ukuze nilihluthe ilizwe aninike lona uBawo wethu, uThixo wooyihlo? Zikhetheleni amadoda amathathu esizweni, ndiwathume ukuba ahambe-hambe elizweni, alibhale phantsi libe lilifa labo, abuyele kum. Woluhlula lube ziinxalenye ezisixhenxe: uYuda wohlala emdeni wakhe ngasezantsi, nendlu kaYosefu yohlala emdeni wayo ngasentla. Nolibhala phantsi ilizwe libe ziinxalenye ezisixhenxe, nize nalo apha kum, ndaza ndaniwisela amaqashiso apha phambi koBawo wethu. AbaLevi abanasabelo phakathi kwenu, kuba ububingeleli bukaBawo wethu bulilifa labo. UGadi, noRubhen, nesiqingatha sesizwe sakwaManase sebelizuzile ilifa labo ngaphesheya kweYordan ngasempumalanga, abalinikwa nguMoses, umkhonzi kaBawo wethu.”

Asuka ke amadoda, ahamba; waza uYoshuwa wabawisela umthetho abo bahamba ukuba balibhale phantsi ilizwe, esithi: “Hambani, nihambe-hambe elizweni, nilibhale phantsi, nibuyele kum, ndize apha ndiniwisele amaqashiso phambi koBawo wethu eShilo.”

Ahamba ke amadoda, acanda elizweni, alibhala phantsi ngokwemizi libe ziinxalenye ezisixhenxe encwadini, abuyela kuYoshuwa eminqubeni eShilo. UYoshuwa wabawisela amaqashiso eShilo phambi koBawo wethu; waza khona uYoshuwa walaba ilizwe koonyana bakaSirayeli, ngokwezabelo zabo.

Isipho sikaBawo wethu kuBhenjamin

Iqashiso lesizwe soonyana bakaBhenjamin laphuma ngokwemizalwane yabo; waphuma ke umda walo, wahamba phakathi koonyana bakaYuda noonyana bakaYosefu. Umda wabo ngasentla wathabathela eYordan, wenyuka waya egxalabeni elingasentla kweYeriko, wenyuka ngasentabeni ngasentshonalanga, ukuma kwawo waya entlango yaseBhetaven. Wasuka apho umda wegqitha waya ngasezantsi eLuzi, egxalabeni layo (yiBheteli ke leyo), wehla waya eAtaroti-adare, entabeni engasezantsi kweBhetehoron engasezantsi. Wajika umda, wabheka ngasezantsi ngecala lasentshonalanga, wathabathela entabeni ekhangelene neBhetehoron ngasezantsi, ukuma kwawo waya eKiriyati-bhahali (yiKiriyati-yeharim ke leyo), umzi woonyana bakaYuda. Lelo ke icala lasentshonalanga. Icala lasezantsi laqala ekupheleni kweKiriyati-yeharim; waza umda waya entshonalanga, wafika emthonjeni wamanzi aseNefetowa. Wehla umda waya esiphelweni sentaba ekhangelene nomfula woonyana bakaHinom, osekupheleni kwentili yamaRafa ngasentla; waza wehla esihlanjeni saseHinom, wafika egxalabeni lamaYebhusi elingasezantsi, waya nge-En-rogele. Wabheka entla, waya e-En-shemeshe, wegqitha waya eGeliloti ekhangelene nokunyuka kweAdumin, wehla waya etyeni likaBhohan unyana kaRubhen. Wegqitha waya egxalabeni elikhangelene neArabha ngasentla, wehla waya eArabha. Umda wadlula, waya egxalabeni laseBhete-hogela elingasentla; waza wema encamini yasentla yoLwandle lweTyuwa, ekupheleni kweYordan ngasezantsi. Nguwo lowo umda wangasezantsi. IYordan yona yaba ngumda wawo ngasempumalanga. Leli ke ilifa loonyana bakaBhenjamin, nemida yalo ngeenxa zonke, ngokwemizalwane yabo. Imizi yesizwe soonyana bakaBhenjamin, ngokwemizalwane yabo, yayiyiYeriko, neBhete-hogela, neEmeki-ketsitse, neBhete-arabha, neTsemarayim, neBheteli, neAvim, nePara, neOfra, neKefare-amoni, neOfeni, neGebha: imizi elishumi elinamibini inemizana yayo. IGibheyon, neRama, neBheroti, neMizpa, neKefira, neMotsa, neRekem, neIrepeli, neTarala, neTsela, neHaelefu, nowamaYebhusi (yiYerusalem ke leyo), neGibheha, neKiriyati: imizi elishumi elinamine inemizana yayo. Lilo elo ilifa loonyana bakaBhenjamin ngokwemizalwane yabo.