UJoshuwa 24:1-18

UJoshuwa wayeseqoqa zonke izizwana zakwa-Israyeli eShekhemi, wabiza amalunga akwa-Israyeli, izinhloko, abehluleli, nezikhulu, bema phambi kukaNkulunkulu. UJoshuwa wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Emandulo okhokho benu, uThera namadodana akhe u-Abhrahama noNahori, babehlala ngaphesheya komfula, bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu. Ngamthatha ukhokho wenu u-Abhrahama ngaphesheya komfula, ngamhola edabula lonke iKhanani, ngenza isizukulwane sakhe saba singi, ngamnika u-Isaka. U-Isaka ngamnika uJakobe no-Esawu. Ngamnika u-Esawu elezintaba kuze kube seSeyiri ukuba alidle libe yifa lakhe, kodwa uJakobe nabantwana bakhe behlela eGibhithe. “ ‘Ngathumela uMose no-Aroni, ngalihlupha iGibhithe ngalokho engakwenza phakathi kwalo; emveni kwalokho nganikhipha. Lapho ngibakhipha okhokho benu eGibhithe, nafika olwandle; abaseGibhithe babaxosha okhokho benu ngezinqola nangamahhashi, baze bafika oLwandle Lomhlanga. Lapho bekhala kuSimakade, waletha ubumnyama phakathi kwenu nabaseGibhithe. Wenza ulwandle ukuba lubuyele phezu kwabo lubagubuzele; nakubona engakwenza kwabaseGibhithe; emveni kwalokho nahlala ehlane izinsuku eziningi. “ ‘Nganingenisa ezweni lama-Amori ahlala phesheya kweJordani, alwa nani; ngawanikela esandleni senu, nalidla izwe lawo; ngawabhubhisa phambi kwenu. Inkosi uBhalaki, indodana kaZiphori wakwaMowabi, waphuma ukuyolwa no-Israyeli. Wathumela ukuyobiza uBhileyamu indodana kaBheyori ukuba aniqalekise, kodwa angimlalelanga uBhileyamu; ngakho-ke wanibusisa, nganikhulula esandleni sakhe. “ ‘Lapho niwela iJordani, nafika eJerikho; izakhamuzi zalo zalwa nani, kanjalo nama-Amori, amaPherizi, amaKhanani, amaHithi, amaGirigashi, amaHivi, namaJebusi, ngabanikela esandleni senu. Ngathumela iminyovu phambi kwenu, eyaxosha phambi kwenu amakhosi amabili ama-Amori, kwakungengankemba yakho noma ngomnsalo wakho. Nganinika izwe eningalikhandlekelanga nemizi eningayakhanga, nihlala kuyo; nidla izithelo zemivini nezeminqumo eningakutshalanga.’ “Manje mesabeni uSimakade, nimkhonze ngobuqotho nangeqiniso, nibasuse onkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho besengaphesheya komfula naseGibhithe, nikhonze uSimakade. Uma kukubi emehlweni enu ukukhonza uSimakade, khethani namuhla ukuthi ngubani eniyakumkhonza, noma ngonkulunkulu ababekhonzwa ngokhokho benu besengaphesheya komfula, noma ngonkulunkulu bama-Amori enihlala ezweni lawo, kepha mina nendlu yami siyakumkhonza uSimakade.” Abantu baphendula bathi: “Makube kude nathi ukushiya uSimakade sikhonze abanye onkulunkulu, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu nguYena owasikhipha thina nokhokho bethu Gibhithe, endlini yobugqila, nowenza lezo zibonakaliso emehlweni ethu. Wasivikela endleleni yonke esahamba kuyo, naphakathi kwabo bonke abantu esedlula phakathi kwabo. USimakade waxosha bonke abantu phambi kwethu, ama-Amori ayehlala ezweni; yingakho siyomkhonza uSimakade, ngokuba unguNkulunkulu wethu.”