Joshua 3
1 Early the following morning Joshua and the Israelites set out from Shittim and arrived at the banks of the Jordan. There they all spent the night before crossing over.
Ekuseni kakhulu uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli basuka eShithima baqonda eJodani lapho abamisa khona izihonqo zabo bengakachaphi.
2 Three days later those in charge of the people went through the camp
Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu iziphathamandla zangena phakathi kwezihonqo,
3 telling the people, “When you see the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord your God carried by the priests, the Levites, you must leave the place where you are and follow it.
zinika imilayo ebantwini zisithi, “Lapho libona umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu labaphristi abangabaLevi belithwele kuzamele litshiye izindawo zenu lililandele.
4 That way you'll know which way to go, since you haven't been here before. Leave about 3,000 feet between you and the Ark. Don't go near it!”
Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi lilandele yiphi indlela, njengoba lingakaze libe kuwonalo umango. Kodwa kumele ligcine ibanga elingaba yizingalo eziyinkulungwane ezimbili phakathi kwenu lomtshokotsho; lingasondeli phansi kwalo.”
5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Make sure you are pure, because tomorrow the Lord is going to do amazing things among you.”
UJoshuwa wathi ebantwini, “Zihlambululeni ngoba kusasa uThixo uzakwenza izimanga phakathi kwenu.”
6 Joshua spoke to the priests, “Pick up the Ark of the Agreement and go before the people.” So they picked up the Ark of the Agreement and went ahead of the people.
UJoshuwa wathi kubaphristi, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano beselikhokhela phambi kwabantu.” Ngakho bawuthatha basebehamba phambi kwabo.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “What I do today will confirm you as great leader in the sight of all the Israelites, so that they'll realize that just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.
UThixo wasesithi kuJoshuwa, “Lamhla ngizaqalisa ukukuphakamisa emehlweni abako-Israyeli bonke ukuze babone ukuthi ngilawe njengoba ngangiloMosi.
8 Tell the priests carrying the Ark of the Agreement, ‘When you get to the edge of the Jordan, take a few steps into the water and then stop.’”
Tshela abaphristi abathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano uthi, ‘Lingafika okhunjini lwamanzi kaJodani, lingene liyekuma phakathi komfula.’”
9 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to what the Lord your God has to say to you.
UJoshuwa wathi kwabako-Israyeli, “Wozani lapha lizolalela amazwi kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 This is how you will know that the living God is right here with you,” he told them. “You can be sure that he will drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.
Lokhu yikho okuzakwenza ukuthi lazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu ophilayo uphakathi kwenu njalo ngempela uzaxotsha phambi kwenu amaKhenani, amaHithi, amaHivi, amaPherizi, amaGigashi, ama-Amori lamaJebusi.
11 Just watch—the Ark of the Agreement of the Lord of all the earth will cross in front of you through the Jordan.
Khangelani, umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi womhlaba wonke lizangena phakathi kweJodani phambi kwenu.
12 Choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.
Ngakho-ke, khethani amadoda alitshumi lambili esuka ezizwaneni zako-Israyeli, oyedwa esizwaneni esisodwa.
13 The moment the priests carrying the Ark step into the water the river will stop flowing and the water will pile up.”
Kuzakuthi masinyazana abaphristi abathwele umtshokotsho kaThixo, iNkosi yomhlaba wonke, sebengene eJodani, amanzi omfula ogelezayo azakwehlukaniswa abesesima abe yinqwaba.”
14 So the people broke camp and set out to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the Ark ahead of them.
Ngakho kwathi abantu sebesuke ezihonqweni ukuze bayechapha uJodani, abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano bahamba phambili.
15 As it was harvest season, the Jordan was full of water, overflowing its banks. But at the very moment the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the water, the river stopped flowing.
UJodani wayehlala egcwele ngezikhathi zonke zokuvuna. Kukanti kwathi abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho befika eJodani inyawo zabo zazithinta amanzi,
16 The water piled up a long way upstream, at the town of Adam, near Zarethan, while downstream no more water flowed into the Dead Sea. So the people crossed over, opposite Jericho.
amanzi ayevelela ngaphezulu ema ukugeleza. Abuthana aba yinqwaba ema khatshana laphaya, malungana ledolobho elithiwa yi-Adamu duzane leZarethani kukanti amanzi ayegelezela phansi ngekuyeni olwandle lwe-Arabha (okutsho uLwandle Lwetswayi) ahle ehlukaniswa ngokupheleleyo. Ngakho-ke abantu bachaphela ngaphetsheya malungana leJerikho.
17 The priests carrying the Ark stood on the dried-up riverbed of the Jordan as all the people went by, staying there until everyone had crossed over on dry ground.
Abaphristi ababethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bema bathi mpo emhlabathini owomileyo phakathi kweJodani, ngesikhathi abantu bonke bako-Israyeli bechapha isizwe sonke saze saqeda ukuchapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
