Isithunywa sikaBaba wethu eBhokimi
Isithunywa sikaBaba wethu sibhekana no-Israyeli eBokimi ngokwenza ukuthula nezizwe zezwe, futhi bayakhala. Isizukulwane sikaJoshuwa siyafa, kuvuke esinye esingamazi uBaba wethu. Indlela yencwadi iyamiswa: ukumlahla, abaphangi, umahluleli ovuswa ngobubele, bese kuba nokonakala okubi kakhulu ngemuva.
2 1Isithunywa sikaBaba wethu senyuka sisuka eGiligali, saya eBhokimi, sathi: “Nganikhuphula eGibhithe nganiletha ezweni engalifunga koyihlo. Ngathi: ‘Angisoze ngasephula isivumelwano sami nani. 2Ningenzi isivumelwano nabantu balelizwe; nidilize ama-altare abo.’ Kodwa anililalelanga izwi lami. Nenzeni na? 3Ngakho-ke manje ngithi: Angiyikubaxosha phambi kwenu; bayakuba ngameva ezinhlangothini zenu, onkulunkulu babo babe ngugibe kini.”
4Kwathi lapho isithunywa sikaBaba wethu sikhuluma lawa mazwi kubo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, abantu baphakamisa izwi labo bakhala. 5Baqamba leyo ndawo ngokuthi iBhokimi, banikela khona imihlatshelo kuBaba wethu. a a v5 IBhokimi lisho ukuthi “abakhalayo” — abantu baqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngenxa yokukhala okwaqubuka lapho bezwa ukuthi base bedukele kude kangakanani kuBaba wabo.
Isizukulwane sikaJoshuwa siyadlula
6Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa esebamukisile abantu, abakwa-Israyeli bahamba, kwaba yilowo nalowo eya efeni lakhe lezwe. 7Abantu bamkhonza uBaba wethu zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zabadala abasala bephila emva kwakhe, ababewubonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu uBaba wethu awenzela u-Israyeli. 8UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaBaba wethu, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi. 9Bammbela efeni lakhe eThimnathi-heresi, esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi, ngasenyakatho yeNtaba iGahashi.
Isizukulwane sikhohlwa uBaba
10Sonke leso sizukulwane naso sabuthelwa koyise, kwase kuvela esinye isizukulwane emva kwaso esasingamazi uBaba wethu nomsebenzi ayewenzele u-Israyeli. 11Abantu bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaBaba wethu, bakhonza oBhali. 12Bamfulathela uBaba wethu, uNkulunkulu woyise, owabakhipha ezweni laseGibhithe. Balandela abanye onkulunkulu, onkulunkulu bezizwe ezazibazungezile, bakhothama kubo, bamthukuthelisa uBaba wethu. 13Bamfulathela uBaba wethu, bakhonza uBhali no-Ashtaroti. 14Ngakho intukuthelo kaBaba wethu yavutha kuma-Israyeli, wabanikela ezandleni zabaphangi ababaphanga, wabathengisa ezitheni ezazibazungezile, baze bangabe besakwazi ukumelana nazo. 15Nomaphi lapho bephumela khona, isandla sikaBaba wethu sasimelene nabo ukubenzela okubi, njengokuba ayeshilo wafunga kubo. Babesosizini olukhulu kakhulu.
16Khona-ke uBaba wethu wavusa abahluleli ababasindisa esandleni sabaphangi babo. 17Kodwa abazange balalele ngisho nabahluleli babo. Baphinga belandela abanye onkulunkulu, bakhothama kubo; bashesha baphambuka endleleni oyise ababehamba ngayo, ababelalela imiyalo kaBaba wethu; bona abenzanga njalo. 18Kwathi lapho uBaba wethu ebavusela abahluleli, wayenaye umahluleli ngamunye, wabasindisa ezitheni zabo zonke izinsuku zalowo mahluleli; ngokuba uBaba wethu wayehawukela ukububula kwabo ngenxa yabacindezeli babo. 19Kodwa kwathi lapho umahluleli esefile, baphenduka babuyela emuva, bona bonakala nakakhulu kunoyise, belandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze babakhothamele. Abazange bakuyeke nokukodwa kwemikhuba yabo nezindlela zabo zenkani.
20Ngakho intukuthelo kaBaba wethu yavutha kuma-Israyeli, wathi: “Ngenxa yokuthi lesi sizwe sesephule isivumelwano sami engasiyala ngaso oyise, asalilalelanga izwi lami, 21angisayikuxosha ngisho nesisodwa isizwe uJoshuwa asishiya mhla efa, 22ukuze ngivivinye u-Israyeli ngazo: ukuthi bayakuyigcina yini indlela kaBaba wethu, behamba ngayo njengoba oyise benza, noma cha.”
23Ngakho uBaba wethu wazishiya lezo zizwe, engazixoshanga ngokushesha, akazinikelanga esandleni sikaJoshuwa.
