UBaba Unikela Imizi Yokuphephela
UBaba wethu uhlukanisa imizi eyisithupha ukuze lowo obulele umuntu ngephutha abe nendawo yokubalekela futhi alalelwe ngaphambi kokuba abulawe ngokuphindiselwa. Imithetho icacile: chaza udaba lwakho esangweni, uhlale khona kuze kuqulwe icala, futhi uhlale kuze kufe umpristi omkhulu.
20 1UBaba wethu wasekhuluma kuJoshuwa:
2“Tshela abakwa-Israyeli uthi: ‘Zikhetheleni imizi yokuphephela engakhuluma ngayo kini ngoMose, 3ukuze noma ngubani obulala umuntu ngengozi, engazi, abalekele khona—ibe yindawo yenu yokuphephela kumphindiseli wegazi. 4Noma ngubani obalekela komunye walemizi uyakuma esangweni lomuzi achaze udaba lwakhe kubadala balowo muzi. Bayakumngenisa, bamnike indawo, bamvumele ukuba ahlale phakathi kwabo. 5Uma umphindiseli wegazi emxosha, akumele bamnikele umbulali kuye, ngoba washaya umakhelwane wakhe engazi, engenanzondo yangaphambili. 6Kumele ahlale kulowo muzi aze ame phambi kwebandla ukuze athethwe, kuze kufe umpristi omkhulu okhonza ngaleso sikhathi. Khona-ke umbulali angabuyela emzini wakhe nasendlini yakhe, umuzi abaleka kuwo.’”
7Bahlukanisa iKedeshi eGalile, ezintabeni zakwaNafetali; iShekemu, ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi; neKiriyati-Aruba (iHebroni), ezintabeni zakwaJuda. 8Ngaphesheya kweJordani, empumalanga yeJeriko, banikela iBezeri ehlane phezu kwethafa esizweni sakwaRubeni, iRamoti eGileyadi esizweni sakwaGadi, neGolani eBashani esizweni sakwaManase. 9Lena kwakuyimizi eyayikhethelwe bonke abakwa-Israyeli nabafokazi ababehlala phakathi kwabo, ukuze noma ngubani owayebulala umuntu ngokungahlosile abalekele khona angafi ngesandla somphindiseli wegazi engakami phambi kwebandla ukuba athethwe.