Isahluko 22
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UJoshuwa wababiza abakwaRubeni, nabakwaGadi, nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase,
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wathi kubo: “Nigcinile konke uMose inceku kaJehova aniyala ngakho, nalalela izwi lami kukho konke enganiyala ngakho;
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anishiyanga abafowenu lezi zinsuku eziningi kuze kube namuhla, kepha nigcinile imfanelo yomyalo kaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.
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Manje uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu ubanikile abafowenu ukuphumula njengalokho ebekhuluma kubo; ngalokho buyani, niye ematendeni enu ezweni lefa lenu aninika lona uMose inceku kaJehova ngaphesheya kweJordani.
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Qaphelisisani kuphela ukwenza imiyalo nomthetho aniyala ngakho uMose inceku kaJehova ukuba nimthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, nihambe kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe, nigcine imiyalo yakhe, ninamathele kuye, nimkhonze ngayo yonke inhliziyo yenu nangawo wonke umphefumulo wenu.”
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UJoshuwa wayesebabusisa, wabamukisa; baya ematendeni abo.
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Inxenye yesizwe sakwaManase uMose wayeyabele izwe eBashani, kepha inxenye uJoshuwa wayinika izwe phakathi kwabafowabo phesheya kweJordani ngasentshonalanga. Lapho uJoshuwa esebamukisa ukuba baye ematendeni abo, wababusisa, wakhuluma kubo, wathi:
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“Buyelani ematendeni enu nemfuyo eningi: izinkomo eziningi kakhulu, nesiliva, negolide, nethusi, nensimbi, nezingubo eziningi, nabelane impango yezitha zenu nabafowenu.”
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Abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase babuya, bamuka kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli eShilo eliyizwe laseKhanani ukuba baye ezweni lakwaGileyadi, izwe lefa labo, ababelwa lona njengesiyalezo sikaJehova ngesandla sikaMose;
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sebefike eziyingeni zamatshe ngaseJordani ezisezweni laseKhanani abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase bakha khona i-altare ngaseJordani, liyi-altare elikhulu ukubonakala kwalo.
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Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bezwa kuthiwa: “Bhekani, abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase bakhile i-altare malungana nezwe laseKhanani eziyingeni zamatshe ngaseJordani ngaphesheya kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”
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Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli sebezwile lokho, yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli yabuthana ngaseShilo ukuba ikhuphuke ilwe nabo.
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Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bathuma kubantwana bakwaRubeni nakubantwana bakwaGadi nakuyo inxenye yesizwe sakwaManase ezweni lakwaGileyadi uFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi,
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nezikhulu eziyishumi kanye naye, isikhulu sibe sinye ngendlu kayise ezizweni zonke zakwa-Israyeli, yileso naleso siyinhloko yendlu kayise phakathi kwemindeni yakwa-Israyeli.
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Bafika kubantwana bakwaRubeni nakubantwana bakwaGadi nakuyo inxenye yesizwe sakwaManase ezweni lakwaGileyadi, bakhuluma kubo, bathi:
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“Isho kanje yonke inhlangano kaJehova, ithi: ‘Isiphambeko sini enisenzile kuNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ukuba nibuye namuhla ekumlandeleni uJehova ngokuzakhela i-altare, nihlubuke namuhla uJehova.
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Ububi basePeyori buncane yini kithi esingakazihlambululi kubo kuze kube namuhla, noma inhlangano kaJehova yehlelwa yisifo,
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ukuba nibuye namuhla ekumlandeleni uJehova na? Kuzakuthi uma nihlubuka namuhla uJehova, athukuthelele yonke inhlangano ka-Israyeli kusasa.
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Kepha uma izwe lefa lenu lingcolile, welani, niye ezweni lefa likaJehova, lapho lihlala khona itabernakele likaJehova, nibe nefa phakathi kwethu; kepha ningahlubuki uJehova, ningahlubuki futhi kithi ngokuzakhela i-altare ngaphandle kwe-altare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.
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U-Akani indodana kaZera akenzanga yini isiphambeko kukho okuqalekisiweyo, yonke inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli yehlelwa yintukuthelo na? Futhi akafanga yedwa lowo muntu ebubini bakhe.’ ”
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Abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi nenxenye yesizwe sakwaManase baphendula, bakhuluma kuzo izinhloko zemindeni yakwa-Israyeli, bathi:
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“UNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, yebo, uNkulunkulu, uJehova uNkulunkulu, uyakwazi, no-Israyeli futhi uyakukwazi ukuthi uma kwakungokuhlubuka noma kungokuphambuka kuJehova, ungasisindisi namuhla
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ngokuthi sizakhele i-altare, sabuya ekumlandeleni uJehova; futhi uma kwakungukuba sinikele phezu kwalo ngeminikelo yokushiswa nangeminikelo yempuphu, nokuba sinikele ngemihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula phezu kwalo, uJehova uqobo makakubize.
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“Qha, impela senzile lokho ngokunakekela nangesizathu, sathi: Ngesikhathi esizayo abantwana benu bangakhuluma kubantwana bethu ngokuthi: ‘Ninamsebenzi muni noJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli na?
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UJehova wenzile iJordani umkhawulo phakathi kwethu nani, nina bantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi; aninasabelo kuJehova;’ abantwana benu bese bebuyisela emuva abantwana bethu ukuba bangabe besamesaba uJehova.
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“Sase sithi-ke: ‘Masenze silakhe i-altare, lingabi ngelomnikelo wokushiswa nelomhlatshelo,’
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kepha libe ngufakazi phakathi kwethu nani naphakathi kwezizukulwane zethu emva kwethu, ukuze senze inkonzo kaJehova phambi kwakhe ngeminikelo yethu yokushiswa, nangemihlatshelo yethu, nangeminikelo yethu yokuthula, ukuba abantwana benu bangasho kubantwana bethu ngesikhathi esizayo ukuthi: ‘Aninasabelo kuJehova.’
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“Sathi-ke: ‘Kuyakuthi lapho besho kanjalo kithi nakuzo izizukulwane zethu ngesikhathi esizayo, sisho ukuthi: “Bhekani isifanekiso se-altare likaJehova abalenzayo obaba, lingabi ngeleminikelo yokushiswa nelemihlatshelo; lingufakazi phakathi kwethu nani.” ’
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“Makube kude nathi ukuba sihlubuke uJehova, sibuye namuhla ekumlandeleni uJehova ngokwakha i-altare leminikelo yokushiswa, neleminikelo yempuphu, nelemihlatshelo, ngaphandle kwe-altare likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu eliphambi kwetabernakele lakhe.”
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Kuthe uFinehasi umpristi, nezikhulu zenhlangano, izinhloko zemindeni yakwa-Israyeli ezazinaye sezizwile amazwi akhulunywa ngabantwana bakwaRubeni, nangabantwana bakwaGadi, nangabantwana bakwaManase, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo.
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UFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi wathi kubantwana bakwaRubeni nakubantwana bakwaGadi nakubantwana bakwaManase: “Namuhla siyazi ukuthi uJehova uphakathi kwethu, ngokuba anenzanga lesi siphambeko kuJehova; manje senophulile abantwana bakwa-Israyeli esandleni sikaJehova.”
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UFinehasi indodana ka-Eleyazare umpristi nezikhulu babuya kubantwana bakwaRubeni nakubantwana bakwaGadi ezweni lakwaGileyadi, bebuyela ezweni laseKhanani kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli, bababuyisela izwi.
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Leyo nto yaba nhle emehlweni abantwana bakwa-Israyeli; abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bambonga uNkulunkulu, ababe besasho ukuthi bayakukhuphuka babahlasele, bachithe izwe ababehlala kulo abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi.
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Abantwana bakwaRubeni nabantwana bakwaGadi balibiza i-altare ngokuthi: “Lingufakazi phakathi kwethu wokuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu.”