AbaHluleli
2 Khona-ke ingelosi+ kaJehova yakhuphukela eBhokimi+ isuka eGiligali+ yathi: “Nganikhuphula nganikhipha eGibhithe nganiletha ezweni engafunga ngalo kokhokho+ benu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngathi, ‘Angisoze ngasephula isivumelwano sami kanye nani.+ 2 Futhi nina, akumelwe nenze isivumelwano nabakhileyo baleli zwe.+ Kufanele niwadilize+ ama-altare abo.’ Kodwa anizange nililalele izwi lami.+ Nikwenzeleni lokhu?+ 3 Nami-ke ngithé: ‘Ngeke ngibaxoshe phambi kwenu, bayoba izingibe kini,+ onkulunkulu babo bayoba yisiyengo kini.’”+
4 Kwathi nje ngemva kokuba ingelosi kaJehova ikhulumé la mazwi kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, abantu baphakamisa amazwi abo bakhala.+ 5 Yingakho baqamba leyo ndawo ngokuthi iBhokimi. Futhi bamenzela lapho uJehova umhlatshelo.
6 Lapho uJoshuwa emukisa abantu, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe, ukuba adle ifa lezwe.+ 7 Abantu baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa nazo zonke izinsuku zamadoda amadala aqhubeka ephila ngemva kukaJoshuwa nayeboné wonke umsebenzi kaJehova omkhulu awenzela u-Israyeli.+ 8 Khona-ke uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.+ 9 Ngakho bamngcwaba endaweni yefa lakhe eThimnati-heresi+ esifundeni sezintaba sakwa-Efrayimi, enyakatho yeNtaba iGahashi.+ 10 Sonke leso sizukulwane naso sabuthelwa koyise,+ futhi kwaqala ukuvela esinye isizukulwane ngemva kwaso esasingamazi uJehova noma umsebenzi ayewenzelé u-Israyeli.+
11 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bawela ekwenzeni okubi emehlweni kaJehova+ nasekukhonzeni oBhali.+ 12 Kanjalo bamshiya uJehova uNkulunkulu woyise owayebakhiphé ezweni laseGibhithe+ balandela abanye onkulunkulu phakathi konkulunkulu bezizwe ezazibazungezile+ baqala ukubakhothamela, bamcasula uJehova.+ 13 Ngakho bamshiya uJehova bakhonza uBhali nemifanekiso ka-Ashitoreti.+ 14 Khona-ke intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela u-Israyeli,+ wamnikela ezandleni zabagcugci, bamgcugca;+ wamthengisa esandleni sezitha zakhe ezimzungezile,+ futhi wayengasakwazi ukuma phambi kwezitha zakhe.+ 15 Nomaphi lapho ayephumela khona, isandla sikaJehova sasimelana naye kube inhlekelele,+ njengoba nje uJehova ayekhulumile nanjengoba nje uJehova ayefungile kuye;+ waba sebunzimeni obukhulu.+ 16 Ngakho uJehova wayevusa abahluleli,+ bamsindise esandleni sababemgcugca.+
17 Akazange abalalele ngisho nabahluleli bakhe, kodwa waziphatha kabi ngokobulili+ nabanye onkulunkulu,+ wabakhothamela. Waphambuka ngokushesha endleleni okhokho bakhe ababehambé ngayo ngokulalela imiyalo kaJehova.+ Yena akazange enze kanjalo. 18 Lapho uJehova emvusela abahluleli,+ uJehova wayeba nalowo mahluleli, amsindise esandleni sezitha zakhe zonke izinsuku zalowo mahluleli; ngoba uJehova wayedabuka+ ngokububula kwakhe ngenxa yabacindezeli bakhe+ nalabo ababemkhakhabisa bemyisa ngapha nangapha.
19 Kwakuthi lapho umahluleli efa, aphenduke enze ngendlela echithayo ukwedlula oyise ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuze abakhonze futhi abakhothamele.+ Akazange ayiyeke imikhuba yakhe nokuziphatha kwakhe kokuba nenkani.+ 20 Ekugcineni intukuthelo kaJehova yamvuthela+ u-Israyeli, wathi: “Ngenxa yokuthi lesi sizwe seqé isivumelwano sami+ engabayala ngaso okhokho baso futhi asililalelanga izwi lami,+ 21 nami futhi, ngeke ngiphinde ngixoshe phambi kwaso nesisodwa salezi zizwe uJoshuwa azishiya ngemuva lapho efa,+ 22 ukuze ngimvivinye+ ngazo u-Israyeli, ukuthi uyoba yini umgcini wendlela kaJehova ngokuthi ahambe kuyo njengoba nje oyise bayigcina, noma cha.” 23 Ngakho uJehova wazivumela lezi zizwe ukuba zisale ngokuba angazixoshi ngokushesha,+ futhi akazange azinikele esandleni sikaJoshuwa.