Amatye Alishumi Elinambini Okukhumbula uBawo
Ngelizwi likaBawo wethu, amadoda alishumi elinambini athwala amatye alishumi elinambini esiwakhupha phantsi komlambo, ukuze akhe isikhumbuzo eGiligali. Isizathu esinikwayo simalunga nekamva kuphela: ngenye imini abantwana baya kubuza ukuba athetha ntoni na la matye, baze abazali babe nento ebambekayo abanokwalatha kuyo.
4 1Kwathi, lwakugqiba lonke uhlanga ukuwela iYordan, uBawo wethu wathi kuYoshuwa:
2“Thabatha amadoda alishumi elinambini ebantwini, indoda-nye kwisizwe ngasinye. 3Bawisele umthetho, uthi: ‘Thabathani amatye alishumi elinambini apha, phakathi kweYordan, apho zema khona bee bhuxe iinyawo zababingeleli; niwele nawo, niwabeke eminqubeni apho niya kulala khona ngobu busuku.’”
4Waza uYoshuwa wabiza amadoda alishumi elinambini awayewamisile koonyana bakaSirayeli, indoda-nye esizweni ngasinye. 5Wathi kuwo: “Welani phambi kwetyeya kaBawo wenu, niye phakathi kweYordan, athabathe ngamnye wenu ilitye, alibeke egxalabeni lakhe, ngokwamanani ezizwe zoonyana bakaSirayeli, 6khon' ukuze le nto ibe ngumqondiso kuni. Xa oonyana benu bebuza kamva, besithi: ‘Athetha ntoni na kuni la matye?’ 7niya kubaxelela ukuba amanzi aseYordan anqamka phambi kwetyeya yomnqophiso kaBawo wethu. Yakuwela iYordan, anqamka amanzi aseYordan. La matye aya kuba sisikhumbuzo koonyana bakaSirayeli ngonaphakade.”
8Oonyana bakaSirayeli benza njengoko wabawisela umthetho uYoshuwa: bathabatha amatye alishumi elinambini phakathi kweYordan, ngokwamanani ezizwe zoonyana bakaSirayeli, njengoko wathethayo uBawo wethu kuYoshuwa, bawela nawo baya eminqubeni yabo, bawabeka khona. 9UYoshuwa wawamisa namatye alishumi elinambini phakathi kweYordan, apho zema khona iinyawo zababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso; asekhona khona unanamhla. 10Ababingeleli abathwele ityeya bema phakathi kweYordan, kwada kwagqitywa yonke into awamwisela umthetho uBawo wethu uYoshuwa ukuba ayithethe ebantwini, njengoko uMoses wabawisela umthetho uYoshuwa. Baza bakhawuleza abantu bawela. 11Kwathi, bakugqiba bonke abantu ukuwela, yawela netyeya kaBawo wethu nababingeleli phambi kwabantu. 12Oonyana bakaRubhen, noonyana bakaGadi, nesiqingatha sesizwe sakwaManase, bawela bexhobile phambi koonyana bakaSirayeli, njengoko uMoses wabaxelela. 13Malunga namashumi amane amawaka exhobele imfazwe bawela phambi koBawo wethu, besiya kulwa, ezinkqantosini zeYeriko. 14Ngaloo mini uBawo wethu wamenza mkhulu uYoshuwa emehlweni amaSirayeli onke; bamoyika njengoko babemoyika uMoses, yonke imihla yobomi bakhe.
15Waza uBawo wethu wathi kuYoshuwa:
16“Bawisele umthetho ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yesingqino, ukuba benyuke, baphume emanzini aseYordan.”
17Wabawisela ngoko umthetho uYoshuwa ababingeleli, esithi: “Nyukani niphume eYordan.” 18Kwathi, bakunyuka ababingeleli abathwele ityeya yomnqophiso kaBawo wethu phakathi kweYordan, zathi iinyawo zabo zakuchukumisa umhlaba owomileyo, abuyela amanzi aseYordan endaweni yawo, aqukuqela phezu kweendonga zawo zonke njengawokuqala.
19Abantu banyuka baphuma eYordan ngosuku lweshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa iintente eGiligali, ngasempumalanga kwiYeriko. 20Loo matye alishumi elinambini ababewathabathe eYordan, uYoshuwa wawamisa eGiligali. 21Wathi koonyana bakaSirayeli: “Xa kuthe kamva, bathe oonyana benu babuza ooyise, besithi: ‘Athetha ntoni na la matye?’ 22niya kubaxelela oonyana benu, nithi: ‘AmaSirayeli ayiwela le Yordan emhlabeni owomileyo.’ 23Kuba uBawo wenu wawomisa amanzi aseYordan phambi kwenu, nada nawela, njengoko uBawo wenu walomisayo uLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwethu, sada sawela, 24ukuze zazi zonke izizwe zomhlaba ukuba sinamandla isandla sikaBawo wethu, nokuze nimoyike uBawo wenu ngamaxesha onke.”
