1 Ingelosi kaJehova yakhuphuka eGiligali, yaya eBokimi. Yathi: “Nganikhuphula eGibithe, nginilethile ezweni engalifungela oyihlo; ngathi: ‘Angisoze ngaphula kuze kube phakade isivumelwano sami nani,
2 kepha aniyikwenza sivumelwano nabakhe kuleli zwe; niyakudiliza ama-altare abo.’ Kodwa anililalelanga izwi lami. Nenzeleni lokho na?
3 Ngalokho ngithi manje: Angiyikubaxosha phambi kwenu, kepha bayakuba sezinhlangothini zenu, onkulunkulu babo babe lugibe kini.”
4 Kwathi ingelosi kaJehova isikhulumile lawo mazwi kubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, abantu badazuluka, bakhala.
5 Baqamba igama laleyo ndawo ngokuthi iBokimi, bahlabela uJehova khona.
6 UJoshuwa esemukisile abantu, abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba, yilowo nalowo waya efeni lakhe ukuba balidle izwe.
7 Abantu bamkhonza uJehova izinsuku zonke zikaJoshuwa nezinsuku zonke zamalunga asalayo emva kukaJoshuwa, ayebonile wonke umsebenzi omkhulu ayewenzele u-Israyeli.
8 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, inceku kaJehova, wafa eneminyaka eyikhulu neshumi.
9 Bammbela emkhawulweni wefa lakhe eThimnati Heresi ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ngasenyakatho kwentaba yakwaGahashi.
10 Naso sonke leso sizukulwane sabuthelwa koyise; savela esinye isizukulwane emva kwaso esasingamazi uJehova nomsebenzi ayewenzele u-Israyeli.
11 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza okubi emehlweni kaJehova, bakhonza oBali;
12 bamshiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise owabakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, balandela abanye onkulunkulu, onkulunkulu babantu ababebazungeza, babakhothamela, bamcunula uJehova.
13 Bamshiya-ke uJehova, bakhonza oBali no-Ashitaroti.
14 Intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela abakwa-Israyeli, wabanikela esandleni sabaphangi ababaphanga, wathengisa ngabo esandleni sezitha zabo nxazonke. Ababe besaba nakuma phambi kwezitha zabo.
15 Nomaphi lapho bephumela khona, isandla sikaJehova sasimelene nabo sibenzela okubi njengokukhuluma kukaJehova nanjengokufunga kukaJehova kubo; bantula kakhulu.
16 UJehova wavusa abahluleli ababasindisa esandleni sababaphangayo.
17 Nabahluleli ababalalelanga, ngokuba baya baphinga nabanye onkulunkulu, babakhothamela; baphambuka masinyane endleleni abahamba ngayo oyise, belalela imiyalo kaJehova; bona abenzanga njalo.
18 Lapho uJehova ebavusela abahluleli, uJehova wayenaye umahluleli, wabasindisa esandleni sezitha zabo izinsuku zonke zomahluleli, ngokuba uJehova waba nesihe ngokubulawa kwabo ngenxa yababacindezelayo nababakhathazayo.
19 Kepha kwathi ekufeni komahluleli babuyela emuva, bona kakhulu kunawoyise, ngokulandela abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babakhonze, babakhothamele; abayekanga izenzo zabo nendlela yabo yenkani.
20 Intukuthelo kaJehova yavuthela u-Israyeli, wathi: “Ngokuba lesi sizwe seqile isivumelwano sami engabayala ngaso oyise, singalalelanga izwi lami,
21 angiyikuphinda ngixoshe phambi kwabo noyedwa walezo zizwe azishiyayo uJoshuwa ekufeni kwakhe,
22 ukuze ngivivinye ngazo u-Israyeli, uma beyakugcina indlela kaJehova ukuba bahambe ngayo njengalokho oyise bebeyigcina, noma qha.”
23 UJehova wayeseyeka lezo zizwe zingaxoshwa masinyane, futhi kazinikelanga esandleni sikaJoshuwa.