UBaba Unika u-Israyeli Ifa Lakhe
Izwe labiwa ngenkatho njengoba uBaba wethu wayeyalile, kodwa uKalebi uyeza acele isiqephu esithile. Eneminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu ufuna izwe lamagquma elineziqhwaga, ethembele esithembisweni esenziwa eminyakeni engamashumi amane nanhlanu edlule. UJoshuwa umnika iHebroni.
14 1Yilawa amafa abantu bakwa-Israyeli abawamukela ezweni laseKhanani, u-Eleyazare umpristi, noJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, nezinhloko zezizwe zoyise bakwa-Israyeli ababawabela wona. 2Bawamukela ifa labo ngenkatho, njengokuba uBaba wethu wayala ngoMose, ngenxa yezizwe eziyisishiyagalolunye nenxenye yesizwe. 3Ngokuba uMose wayelinike ifa lazo izizwe ezimbili nenxenye yesizwe ngaphesheya kweJordani, kodwa amaLevi akawanikanga ifa phakathi kwabo. 4Ngokuba amadodana kaJosefa ayeyizizwe ezimbili, uManase no-Efrayimi. AmaLevi awaze athola isabelo ezweni, kuphela imizi yokuhlala kuyo, namadlelo ezinkomo zawo nempahla yawo. 5Ngakho abantu bakwa-Israyeli benza njengokuba uBaba wethu wayeyale uMose, balaba izwe.
UKalebi Wamukela Isithembiso sikaBaba wethu
6Abantu bakwaJuda beza kuJoshuwa eGiligali, uKalebi indodana kaJefune umKhenizi wathi kuye: “Wena uyakwazi lokho uBaba wethu akusho kuMose, umuntu kaBaba wethu, ngawe nangami eKadeshi-Baneya. 7Ngangineminyaka engamashumi amane lapho uMose, inceku kaBaba wethu, engithuma eKadeshi-Baneya ukuyohlola izwe, ngambuyisela umbiko njengokuba kwakusenhliziyweni yami. 8Kodwa abafowethu esasihlola nabo abenyuka nami benza izinhliziyo zabantu zancibilika ngokwesaba, kodwa mina ngamlandela ngokuphelele uBaba. 9Ngalolo suku uMose wafunga kimi wathi: ‘Ngempela izwe unyawo lwakho oluhambe kulo liyakuba yifa lakho nelabantwana bakho kuze kube phakade, ngokuba umlandele ngokuphelele uBaba.’
10Manje, uBaba wethu usengigcine ngiphila iminyaka engamashumi amane nanhlanu, njengokuba athembisa, kusukela ngesikhathi akhuluma leli zwi kuMose lapho u-Israyeli ezulazula ehlane. Nangu ngikhona namuhla, ngineminyaka engamashumi ayisishiyagalombili nanhlanu. 11Namuhla ngisenamandla njengangosuku uMose angithuma ngalo; amandla ami manje alingana namandla ami ngaleso sikhathi—ukulwa impi, nokuphuma nokungena. 12Ngakho ngiphe leli zwe lezintaba uBaba wethu akhuluma ngalo ngalolo suku. Wezwa ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi ama-Anaki ayelapha, enemizi emikhulu enezinqaba. Mhlawumbe uBaba wethu uyakuba nami, ngibaxoshe, njengokuba asho.”
13UJoshuwa wabusisa uKalebi indodana kaJefune, wamnika iHebroni laba yifa lakhe. 14Ngakho iHebroni laba yifa likaKalebi indodana kaJefune umKhenizi kuze kube namuhla, ngokuba wamlandela ngokuphelele uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. 15IHebroni ngaphambili lalibizwa ngokuthi iKiriyati-Araba, ngokuba u-Araba wayengumuntu omkhulu kunabo bonke phakathi kwama-Anaki. Lase liphumula izwe empini.
