Abahluleli 2
1 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisenyuka isuka eGiligali isiya eBokimi, yathi: Ngalenyusa lisuka eGibhithe, ngaliletha elizweni engalifungela oyihlo, njalo ngathi: Kangiyikwephula isivumelwano sami lani kuze kube sephakadeni.
The LORD’s angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to give your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you.
2 Lani-ke kaliyikwenza isivumelwano labahlali balelilizwe, lizadiliza amalathi abo. Kodwa kalililalelanga ilizwi lami. Kuyini lokhu elikwenzileyo?
You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars.’ But you have not listened to my voice. Why have you done this?
3 Ngakho lami ngathi: Kangiyikuzixotsha elifeni phambi kwenu, kodwa zizakuba njengameva enhlangothini zenu, labonkulunkulu bazo babe ngumjibila kini.
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’”
4 Kwasekusithi lapho ingilosi yeNkosi isikhulume lamazwi kubo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, abantu baphakamisa ilizwi labo bakhala inyembezi.
When the LORD’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept.
5 Basebebiza ibizo laleyondawo ngokuthi yiBokimi, bayihlabela iNkosi lapho.
They called the name of that place Bochim, and they sacrificed there to the LORD.
6 Kwathi uJoshuwa esebayekele abantu bahamba, abantwana bakoIsrayeli bahamba, ngulowo lalowo waya elifeni lakhe ukudla ilifa lelizwe.
Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land.
7 Abantu basebeyikhonza iNkosi kuzo zonke izinsuku zikaJoshuwa, lazo zonke izinsuku zabadala abasala bephila emva kukaJoshuwa, ababewubonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu weNkosi eyayiwenzele uIsrayeli.
The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD that he had worked for Israel.
8 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku yeNkosi, wafa-ke, eleminyaka elikhulu letshumi.
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
9 Basebemngcwabela emngceleni welifa lakhe eThiminathi-Heresi entabeni yakoEfrayimi, enyakatho kwentaba iGahashi.
They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash.
10 Njalo lalesosizukulwana sabuthelwa kuboyise. Kwasekusukuma esinye isizukulwana emva kwabo esasingayazi iNkosi njalo lomsebenzi eyayiwenzele uIsrayeli.
After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know the LORD, nor the work which he had done for Israel.
11 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, bakhonza oBhali.
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and served the Baals.
12 Batshiya iNkosi, uNkulunkulu waboyise, eyabakhupha elizweni leGibhithe, balandela abanye onkulunkulu, kubonkulunkulu bezizwe ezazibazingelezele, bakhothama kibo, bayithukuthelisa iNkosi.
They abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger.
13 Bayidela iNkosi, bakhonza uBhali laboAshitarothi.
They abandoned the LORD, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
14 Ngakho ulaka lweNkosi lwavutha kuIsrayeli, yabanikela esandleni sabaphangi ababaphangayo; yabathengisa esandleni sezitha zabo inhlangothi zonke, ukuze bangabe besaba lakho ukuma phambi kwazo.
The LORD’s anger burnt against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
15 Loba bephuma besiya ngaphi, isandla seNkosi samelana labo ngokubi, njengokutsho kweNkosi lanjengokufunga kweNkosi kibo, njalo bacindezeleka kakhulu.
Wherever they went out, the LORD’s hand was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were very distressed.
16 INkosi yasimisa abahluleli ababophula esandleni salabo ababaphangayo.
The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.
17 Kanti kababalalelanga labahluleli babo, kodwa baphinga ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu, bakhothama kibo; baphambuka masinyane endleleni oyise ababehamba kuyo, belalela imilayo yeNkosi. Bona kabenzanga njalo.
Yet they didn’t listen to their judges; for they prostituted themselves to other gods, and bowed themselves down to them. They quickly turned away from the way in which their fathers walked, obeying the LORD’s commandments. They didn’t do so.
18 Lalapho iNkosi ibamisela abahluleli, iNkosi yayilomahluleli, yabophula esandleni sezitha zabo zonke izinsuku zikamahluleli; ngoba iNkosi yazisola ngenxa yokububula kwabo ngenxa yalabo ababacindezelayo lababahlukuluzayo.
When the LORD raised up judges for them, then the LORD was with the judge, and saved them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for it grieved the LORD because of their groaning by reason of those who oppressed them and troubled them.
19 Kwasekusithi ekufeni kukamahluleli, babuyela emuva baxhwala okwedlula oyise, ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu, ngokubakhonza langokubakhothamela; kabalahlanga okwemisebenzi yabo lokwendlela yabo yenkani.
But when the judge was dead, they turned back, and dealt more corruptly than their fathers in following other gods to serve them and to bow down to them. They didn’t cease what they were doing, or give up their stubborn ways.
20 Ngakho ulaka lweNkosi lwavutha kuIsrayeli, yathi: Ngoba lesisizwe seqe isivumelwano sami engasilaya oyise, kasilalelanga ilizwi lami,
The LORD’s anger burnt against Israel; and he said, “Because this nation transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not listened to my voice,
21 lami kangisayikuxotsha loba ngubani elifeni phambi kwabo ezizweni uJoshuwa azitshiya ekufeni kwakhe,
I also will no longer drive out any of the nations that Joshua left when he died from before them;
22 ukuze ngihlole ngazo uIsrayeli ukuthi bazagcina yini indlela yeNkosi ukuhamba kuyo njengaboyise bayigcina, kumbe hatshi.
that by them I may test Israel, to see if they will keep the LORD’s way to walk therein, as their fathers kept it, or not.”
23 Ngakho iNkosi yaziyekela lezozizwe, ukuze ingazixotshi elifeni masinyane, njalo kayizinikelanga esandleni sikaJoshuwa.
So the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily. He didn’t deliver them into Joshua’s hand.
