Amatshe Ayishumi Nambili Okukhumbula uBaba
Ngezwi likaBaba wethu amadoda ayishumi nambili athwala amatshe ayishumi nambili ewakhipha phakathi komfula ukuze kwakhiwe isikhumbuzo eGiligali. Isizathu esinikeziwe simayelana nekusasa kuphela: ngelinye ilanga abantwana bayobuza ukuthi la matshe asho ukuthini, futhi abazali babo bayoba nento ebonakalayo abangayikhomba.
4 1Kwathi lapho sonke isizwe siqedile ukuwela iJordani, uBaba wethu wathi kuJoshuwa:
2“Thathani amadoda ayishumi nambili ebantwini, indoda eyodwa esizweni ngasinye. 3Niwayale nithi: ‘Thathani amatshe ayishumi nambili lapha, phakathi neJordani, lapho izinyawo zabapristi zazimi khona ziqinile; niwawele nawo niwabeke ekamu lapho nizolala khona kulobu busuku.’”
4Ngakho uJoshuwa wabiza amadoda ayishumi nambili ayewamisile emadodaneni akwa-Israyeli, indoda eyodwa esizweni ngasinye. 5Wathi kuwo: “Welani phambi komphongolo kaBaba wenu, niye phakathi neJordani, yilowo nalowo kini athathe itshe aliphathe ehlombe lakhe—libe linye ngesizwe ngasinye sabantwana bakwa-Israyeli, 6ukuze lokhu kube yisibonakaliso phakathi kwenu: lapho abantwana benu bebuza ngelinye ilanga bethi, ‘Asho ukuthini kini la matshe?’ 7nizakutsho kubo nithi: amanzi eJordani anqamuka phambi komphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu. Lapho uwela iJordani, amanzi eJordani anqamuka. La matshe azakuba yisikhumbuzo kubantu bakwa-Israyeli kuze kube phakade.”
8Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza njengokuyala kukaJoshuwa: bathatha amatshe ayishumi nambili phakathi neJordani, linye ngesizwe ngasinye sakwa-Israyeli, njengoba uBaba wethu ayeshilo kuJoshuwa, bawayisa ekamu labo, bawabeka khona. 9UJoshuwa wamisa namatshe ayishumi nambili phakathi neJordani, lapho izinyawo zabapristi zazimi khona ziphethe umphongolo wesivumelwano; asesekhona lapho kuze kube namuhla. 10Abapristi ababephethe umphongolo bema phakathi neJordani kwaze kwaphela konke uBaba wethu ayemyale ngakho uJoshuwa ukuba akusho ebantwini—njengoba uMose ayemyalile uJoshuwa. Abantu bawela ngokushesha. 11Kwathi lapho bonke abantu sebeqedile ukuwela, umphongolo kaBaba wethu nabapristi bawela phambi kwabantu. 12Abantwana bakwaRubeni, abantwana bakwaGadi, nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase bawela behlomile phambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli, njengoba uMose ayebatshelile. 13Kwawela cishe izinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane ezihlomele impi phambi kukaBaba wethu ziyokulwa, ziya emathafeni aseJeriko. 14Ngalolo suku uBaba wethu wamenza mkhulu uJoshuwa emehlweni akwo onke akwa-Israyeli; bamhlonipha njengoba babemhloniphile uMose, zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe.
15Khona-ke uBaba wethu wathi kuJoshuwa:
16“Yala abapristi abaphethe umphongolo wobufakazi ukuba bakhuphuke baphume eJordani.”
17Ngakho uJoshuwa wayala abapristi wathi: “Khuphukani niphume eJordani.” 18Kwathi lapho abapristi ababephethe umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu bekhuphuka bephuma phakathi neJordani, izinyawo zabo zithinta umhlabathi owomile, amanzi eJordani abuyela endaweni yawo, achichima phezu kwazo zonke izindonga zawo njengakuqala.
19Abantu bakhuphuka baphuma eJordani ngosuku lweshumi lwenyanga yokuqala, bamisa ekamu eGiligali, ngasempumalanga yeJeriko. 20UJoshuwa wawamisa lawo matshe ayishumi nambili eGiligali—lawo ababewathathe eJordani. 21Wathi kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli: “Ezinsukwini ezizayo, lapho abantwana benu bebuza oyise bethi, ‘Asho ukuthini la matshe?’ 22nizakutshela abantwana benu nithi: ‘U-Israyeli wawela le Jordani emhlabathini owomile.’ 23Ngokuba uBaba wenu wawomisa amanzi eJordani phambi kwenu naze nawela, njengoba uBaba wenu owomisa uLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwethu saze sawela, 24ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi ukuthi isandla sikaBaba wethu sinamandla, nokuze nihloniphe uBaba wenu ngaso sonke isikhathi.”
