Abahluleli
2:1 Ingelosi kaJehova yakhuphuka isuka eGiligali, yaya eBokimi, yathi: "Ngenzile."
ukukhuphuka eGibithe, nginilethe ezweni engiya kulo
izifungo koyihlo; ngathi: Angisoze ngaphula isivumelwano sami
wena.
2:2 Futhi aniyikwenza isivumelwano nabakhileyo kuleli zwe; nizokwenza
chitha ama-altare abo, kepha anililalelanga izwi lami;
wenze lokhu?
2:3 Ngalokho nami ngathi: Angiyikubaxosha phambi kwenu; kodwa
bayakuba njengameva ezinhlangothini zenu, onkulunkulu bazo babe lugibe
kuwe.
2:4 Kwathi lapho ingelosi kaJehova ikhuluma la mazwi kuye
bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, kangangokuthi abantu baphakamisa izwi labo, futhi
wakhala.
2:5 Baqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngokuthi iBokim, futhi bahlabela khona
kuJehova.
2:6 UJoshuwa wayesebadedela abantu, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba;
umuntu elifeni lakhe ukuze adle ifa lezwe.
2:7 Futhi abantu bamkhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa, futhi zonke izinsuku
wabadala abaphila emva kukaJoshuwa, ababebone yonke imisebenzi emikhulu kaJoshuwa
uJehova akwenzele u-Israyeli.
2:8 Futhi uJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa, ngokuba
iminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.
2:9 Bammbela emkhawulweni wefa lakhe eThimnati Heresi, e
entabeni yakwa-Efrayimi ngasenyakatho kwentaba iGahashi.
2:10 Futhi sonke leso sizukulwane sabuthelwa koyise
kwavela esinye isizukulwane emva kwabo esasingamazi uJehova, noma singakamazi
imisebenzi ayeyenzele u-Israyeli.
2:11 Futhi abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, futhi bakhonza
U-Baalim:
2:12 Futhi bamshiya uJehova, uNkulunkulu wawoyise, owabakhipha
ezweni laseGibithe, walandela abanye onkulunkulu bonkulunkulu babantu
ababebahaqile, bakhothamela, bacunula
uJehova ngokuthukuthela.
2:13 Futhi bamshiya uJehova, futhi bakhonza uBhali no-Ashitaroti.
2:14 Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli, wabakhulula
esandleni sabaphangi ababeziphanga, wathengisa ngazo phakathi kwabo
izandla zezitha zabo nxazonke, kangangokuthi babengabange besakwazi
ume phambi kwezitha zabo.
2:15 Nomaphi lapho bephuma, isandla sikaJehova sasimelene nabo
okubi, njengalokho uJehova eshilo, nanjengoba uJehova abefungile kubo;
bakhathazeka kakhulu.
2:16 Nokho, uJehova wavusa abahluleli, owabakhulula esandleni
isandla salabo ababachithayo.
2:17 Nokho abalalelanga abahluleli babo, kodwa bahamba a
baphinga nabanye onkulunkulu, babakhothamela, baphenduka
ngokushesha basuka endleleni oyise ababehamba ngayo, belalela izwi likaJehova
imiyalo kaJehova; kodwa kabakwenzanga lokho.
2:18 Kwathi lapho uJehova ebavusela abahluleli, uJehova wayenaye
ahlulele, wawophule esandleni sezitha zawo zonke izinsuku
womahluleli, ngokuba uJehova wazisola ngenxa yokububula kwabo ngakho
ngenxa yalabo ababebacindezela futhi bebahlupha.
2:19 Kwathi, lapho umahluleli efile, ukuthi babuyela, futhi
bazonakalisa kakhulu kunoyise ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu
zikhonze, uzikhothamele; abazange bayeke okwabo
izenzo zabo, noma endleleni yabo yenkani.
2:20 Intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli; wathi: Ngoba
ukuthi lababantu beqile isivumelwano sami engabayala ngaso
obaba, futhi kabalilalelanga izwi lami;
2:21 Futhi mina ngeke kusukela manje ukuxosha noma ubani phambi kwabo bezizwe
uJoshuwa ayishiya ekufeni kwakhe;
2:22 Ukuze ngazo ngivivinye u-Israyeli, noma bayogcina indlela
uJehova ukuhamba kulo, njengalokho oyise baligcina, noma qha.
2:23 Ngakho uJehova wazishiya lezo zizwe, ngaphandle kokushesha ukuzixosha;
futhi akabanikelanga esandleni sikaJoshuwa.