UBaba wethu uhola u-Israyeli ukuwela iJordani
IJordani igcwele ize ichichime, futhi abantu abakaze bayihambe le ndlela ngaphambili. UBaba wethu utshela abapristi ukuba bangene emanzini bethwele umphongolo, futhi kuphela lapho izinyawo zabo ziwathinta lapho umfula unqwabelana khona. Isizwe sonke siwela emhlabathini owomile.
3 1UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, yena nawo wonke u-Israyeli basuka eShithimi, bafika eJordani, bakanisa khona bengakaweli. 2Emva kwezinsuku ezintathu izinduna zadabula ekamu, 3zayala abantu zathi: “Lapho nibona umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wenu othwelwe abapristi abangamaLevi, sukani endaweni yenu niwulandele. 4Kodwa gcinani ibanga phakathi kwenu nawo, cishe izinyawo eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu ngokulinganisa; ningasondeli kuwo, ukuze nazi indlela enizohamba ngayo, ngokuba anikaze nihambe ngale ndlela ngaphambili.”
5UJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Zingcweliseni — kusasa uBaba wethu uzokwenza izimangaliso phakathi kwenu.” 6UJoshuwa wayesethi kubapristi: “Thathani umphongolo wesivumelwano niwele phambi kwabantu.” Base bewuthatha umphongolo wesivumelwano, bahamba phambi kwabantu.
7UBaba wethu wathi kuJoshuwa: “Namuhla ngizoqala ukukuphakamisa phambi kuka-Israyeli wonke, ukuze bazi ukuthi njengoba ngangikuMose, ngizoba nawe. 8Yala abapristi abathwele umphongolo wesivumelwano uthi: ‘Lapho nifika onqenqemeni lwamanzi aseJordani, nime eJordani.’ ”
9UJoshuwa wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Wozani lapha nilalele amazwi kaBaba wenu.” 10UJoshuwa wathi: “Nakhu eniyokwazi ngakho ukuthi uBaba ophilayo uphakathi kwenu: uzobaxosha nokubaxosha phambi kwenu amaKhanani, amaHeti, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGirigashi, ama-Amori, namaJebusi. 11Bhekani — umphongolo wesivumelwano weNkosi yomhlaba wonke uwela phambi kwenu ungena eJordani. 12Manje-ke, khethani amadoda ayishumi nambili ezizweni zakwa-Israyeli, indoda eyodwa esizweni ngasinye. 13Lapho izintende zezinyawo zabapristi abathwele umphongolo weNkosi uBaba womhlaba wonke zifika ziphumule emanzini aseJordani, amanzi aseJordani ayonqamuka — amanzi ageleza evela phezulu — eme aba yinqwaba yinye.”
14Kwathi lapho abantu besuka emathendeni abo beyokuwela iJordani, abapristi bewuthwele umphongolo wesivumelwano phambi kwabo, 15kwathi lapho labo ababethwele umphongolo befika eJordani, nezinyawo zabapristi ababethwele umphongolo zangena emanzini onqenqemeni (ngokuba iJordani iyachichima iphuphume izindonga zayo zonke ngazo zonke izinsuku zokuvuna), 16amanzi ageleza evela ngasenhla ema, aqonga aba yinqwaba yinye kude e-Adamu, umuzi oseduze neZarethani, kanti amanzi ageleza ehlela oLwandle lwase-Araba, uLwandle Olufile, anqamuka ngokuphelele. Base bewela abantu malungana neJeriko. a a v16 I-Adamu yidolobhana elingaseMfuleni iJordani, hhayi umuntu waseBhayibhelini. NgesiHeberu: uLwandle Lukasawoti. 17Abapristi ababethwele umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu bema baqina emhlabathini owomile phakathi kweJordani, kuyilapho wonke u-Israyeli ewela emhlabathini owomile, size siqede sonke isizwe ukuwela iJordani.
