Judges - Chapter 2

Verse 1: Ingelosi kaJehova yakhuphuka eGiligali, yaya eBokimi. Yathi: “Nganikhuphula eGibithe, nginilethile ezweni engalifungela oyihlo; ngathi: ‘Angisoze ngaphula kuze kube phakade isivumelwano sami nani,

Verse 2: kepha aniyikwenza sivumelwano nabakhe kuleli zwe; niyakudiliza ama-altare abo.’ Kodwa anililalelanga izwi lami. Nenzeleni lokho na?

Verse 3: Ngalokho ngithi manje: Angiyikubaxosha phambi kwenu, kepha bayakuba sezinhlangothini zenu, onkulunkulu babo babe lugibe kini.”

Verse 4: Kwathi ingelosi kaJehova isikhulumile lawo mazwi kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, abantu badazuluka, bakhala.

Verse 5: Baqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngokuthi iBokimi, bahlabela uJehova khona.

Verse 6: UJoshuwa esemukisile abantu, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe ukuba balidle izwe.

Verse 7: Abantu bamkhonza uJehova izinsuku zonke zikaJoshuwa nezinsuku zonke zamalunga asalayo emva kukaJoshuwa, ayebonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu ayewenzele u-Israyeli.

Verse 8: UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.

Verse 9: Bammbela emkhawulweni wefa lakhe eThimnati Heresi ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ngasenyakatho kwentaba yakwaGahashi.

Verse 10: Naso sonke leso sizukulwane sabuthelwa koyise; savela esinye isizukulwane emva kwaso esasingamazi uJehova nomsebenzi ayewenzele u-Israyeli.

Verse 11: Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, bakhonza oBali;

Verse 12: bamshiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise owabakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, balandela abanye onkulunkulu, onkulunkulu babantu ababebazungeza, babakhothamela, bamcunula uJehova.

Verse 13: Bamshiya-ke uJehova, bakhonza oBali no-Ashitaroti.

Verse 14: Intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela abakwa-Israyeli, wabanikela esandleni sabaphangi ababaphanga, wathengisa ngabo esandleni sezitha zabo nxazonke. Ababe besaba nakuma phambi kwezitha zabo.

Verse 15: Nomaphi lapho bephumela khona, isandla sikaJehova sasimelene nabo sibenzela okubi njengokukhuluma kukaJehova nanjengokufunga kukaJehova kubo; bantula kakhulu.

Verse 16: UJehova wavusa abahluleli ababasindisa esandleni sababaphangayo.

Verse 17: Nabahluleli ababalalelanga, ngokuba baya baphinga nabanye onkulunkulu, babakhothamela; baphambuka masinyane endleleni abahamba ngayo oyise, belalela imiyalo kaJehova; bona abenzanga njalo.

Verse 18: Lapho uJehova ebavusela abahluleli, uJehova wayenaye umahluleli, wabasindisa esandleni sezitha zabo izinsuku zonke zomahluleli, ngokuba uJehova waba nesihe ngokubulawa kwabo ngenxa yababacindezelayo nababakhathazayo.

Verse 19: Kepha kwathi ekufeni komahluleli babuyela emuva, bona kakhulu kunawoyise, ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze, babakhothamele; abayekanga izenzo zabo nendlela yabo yenkani.

Verse 20: Intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela u-Israyeli, wathi: “Ngokuba lesi sizwe seqile isivumelwano sami engabayala ngaso oyise, singalalelanga izwi lami,

Verse 21: angiyikuphinda ngixoshe phambi kwabo noyedwa walezo zizwe azishiyayo uJoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe,

Verse 22: ukuze ngivivinye ngazo u-Israyeli, uma beyakugcina indlela kaJehova ukuba bahambe ngayo njengalokho oyise bebeyigcina, noma qha.”

Verse 23: UJehova wayeseyeka lezo zizwe zingaxoshwa masinyane, futhi kazinikelanga esandleni sikaJoshuwa.