Isahluko 1
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Lawa angamazwi uMose awakhuluma kubo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ngaphesheya kweJordani ehlane e-Araba, malungana neSufi, phakathi kwePharanu, neThofeli, neLabani, neHaseroti, neDi Zahabi,
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kuyizinsuku eziyishumi nanye ukusuka eHorebe ngendlela yasentabeni yaseSeyiri ukuya eKadeshi Barineya.
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Kwathi ngomnyaka wamashumi amane ngenyanga yeshumi nanye ngolokuqala lwenyanga uMose wakhuluma kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli njengakho konke uJehova amyale ngakho ukuba akukhulume kubo,
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esenqobile uSihoni inkosi yama-Amori, owahlala eHeshiboni, no-Ogi inkosi yaseBashani, owahlala e-Ashitaroti ngase-Edireyi.
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Ngaphesheya kweJordani ezweni lakwaMowabi uMose waqala ukuchasisela lo mthetho ngokuthi:
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“UJehova uNkulunkulu wethu wakhuluma kithi eHorebe, wathi: ‘Sekuyisikhathi eside nihlale kule ntaba;
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phendukani nihambe, niye entabeni yama-Amori nasezindaweni zonke eziseduze nakhona e-Araba, ezintabeni, nangenzansi, naseningizimu, nangasogwini lolwandle, ezweni lamaKhanani, naseLebanoni, kuze kube semfuleni omkhulu, umfula u-Ewufrathe.
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Bhekani, ngilibekile izwe phambi kwenu; ngenani nilidle izwe uJehova alifungela oyihlo, o-Abrahama, no-Isaka, noJakobe ukulinika bona nenzalo yabo emva kwabo.’
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“Ngakhuluma kini ngaleso sikhathi, ngathi: ‘Anginakunithwala mina ngedwa;
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uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unandisile; bhekani, namuhla ningangezinkanyezi zezulu ngobuningi.
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UJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo makathasisele kulokhu eniyikho kayinkulungwane, anibusise, njengalokho wakhuluma kini.
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Mina ngedwa ngingathwala kanjani izinhlupheko zenu, nemithwalo yenu, nokuxabana kwenu na?
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Nizithathele amadoda ahlakaniphileyo, aqondileyo, aziwayo ezizweni zenu, ngiwenze abe yizinhloko phezu kwenu.’
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“Nangiphendula nathi: ‘Okukhulumileyo kuhle kithi ukukwenza.’
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“Ngase ngithatha izinhloko zezizwe zenu, amadoda ahlakaniphileyo naziwayo, ngawenza aba yizinhloko phezu kwenu: izinduna zezinkulungwane, nezinduna zamakhulu, nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, nezinduna zamashumi, neziphathimandla ezizweni zenu.
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Ngabayala abahluleli benu ngaleso sikhathi, ngathi: ‘Zwanini okuphakathi kwabafowenu, nahlulele ngokulungileyo phakathi komuntu nomfowabo, nomfokazi okuye.
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Maningakhethi abantu ekwahluleleni, nimuzwe omncane njengomkhulu, ningesabi ubuso bamuntu, ngokuba ukwahlulela kungokukaNkulunkulu; indaba elukhuni kini niyilethe kimi, ngiyizwe.’
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Nganiyala ngaleso sikhathi ngakho konke ebeniyakukwenza.
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“Sasuka eHorebe, sadabula lelo hlane elikhulu nelesabekayo enalibonayo ngasendleleni yasentabeni yama-Amori, njengalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu wasiyala, saze safika eKadeshi Barineya.
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Ngase ngithi kini: ‘Senifikile entabeni yama-Amori uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu asinika yona.
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Bhekani, uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ulibekile izwe phambi kwenu: khuphukani nilidle, njengalokho uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyihlo akhuluma kini; ningesabi, ningapheli amandla.’
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“Nasondela kimi nina nonke, nathi: ‘Masithume amadoda phambi kwethu ukuba asihlolele izwe, asibuyisele izwi ngendlela esimelwe ukukhuphuka ngayo, nangemizi esiyakufika kuyo.’
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“Leyo nto yaba nhle emehlweni ami, ngathatha kini amadoda ayishumi nambili, kwaba yindoda inye kuleso naleso sizwe.
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Wona ayesephenduka, akhuphukela entabeni, afika esiGodini sase-Eshikoli, asihlola.
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Athatha ngezandla zawo ezithelweni zezwe, azehlisela kithi, asibuyisela izwi, athi: ‘Yizwe elihle uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu asinika lona.’
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“Nokho anithandanga ukukhuphuka, kepha nahlubuka esiyalezweni sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu;
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nakhonona ematendeni enu, nathi: ‘Ngokuba uJehova wasizonda, wasikhipha ezweni laseGibithe ukuba asinikele esandleni sama-Amori, sichithwe.
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Siyakukhuphukelaphi na? Abafowethu benzile izinhliziyo zethu ziphele amandla ngokusho ukuthi: “Abantu bakhulu, bade kunathi; imizi mikhulu, ibiyelwe kuze kube sezulwini; futhi sibonile amadodana ama-Anaki khona.” ’
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“Ngase ngithi kini: ‘Ningashaywa luvalo, ningabesabi.
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UJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ohamba phambi kwenu uyakunilwela njengakho konke anenzela khona eGibithe emehlweni enu,
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nasehlane lapho ubone khona ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakuthwala njengendoda ithwala indodana yayo, endleleni yonke enahamba ngayo, naze nafika kule ndawo.’
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“Noma kunjalo, anikholwanga nokho nguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu
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owahamba phambi kwenu endleleni ukunifunela indawo ukuba nimise kuyo amatende enu, ngomlilo ebusuku ukunibonisa indlela ebeniyakuhamba ngayo, nangefu emini.
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“UJehova wezwa izwi lokukhuluma kwenu, wathukuthela, wafunga wathi:
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‘Impela akuyikubona noyedwa walaba bantu balesi sizukulwane esibi izwe elihle engafunga ukubanika lona oyihlo,
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ngaphandle kukaKalebi indodana kaJefune; yena uyakulibona; ngiyakumnika yena nabantwana bakhe izwe alinyatheleyo, ngokuba umlandele uJehova wakhe ngokupheleleyo.’
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“Futhi uJehova wangithukuthelela ngenxa yenu, wathi: ‘Nawe awuyikungena khona;
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uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni omi phambi kwakho uyakungena khona; mqinise wena, ngokuba uyakumenza u-Israyeli adle ifa lalo.
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Abancane benu enasho ukuthi bayakuba yimpango, nabantwana benu abangakwazi namuhla okuhle nokubi bayakungena khona, ngibanike lona, balidle.
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Kepha nina anophenduka, nihambe, niye ehlane ngendlela eya eLwandle Olubomvu.’
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“Nase niphendula, nithi kimi: ‘Sonile kuJehova; siyakukhuphuka silwe njengakho konke asiyala ngakho uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Nabhincisa, kwaba yilowo nalowo izikhali zakhe zokulwa; kwase kuba lula kini ukuba nikhuphukele entabeni.’
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“UJehova wayesethi kimi: ‘Yisho kubo ukuthi: “Ningakhuphuki, ningalwi, ngokuba angikho phakathi kwenu, ukuze ningabulawa phambi kwezitha zenu.” ’
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“Ngakhuluma-ke kanjalo kini, analalela, kepha nahlubuka ezwini likaJehova, naziqhenya, nakhuphukela entabeni.
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Ama-Amori ayehlala kuleyo ntaba aphuma anihlasela, anixosha njengokwenza kwezinyosi, aninqoba eSeyiri, kwaze kwaba seHorma.
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Nabuye nakhala phambi kukaJehova, kepha uJehova akalalelanga izwi lenu, kanizwanga.
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Nase nihlala eKadeshi izinsuku eziningi njengezinsuku enazihlala khona.