1 Ngemva kokufa kukaMosi inceku kaThixo, uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, umsekeli kaMosi: 2 “UMosi inceku yami usefile. Ngakho-ke, wena labantu bonke laba, lungiselelani ukuchapha umfula uJodani liye elizweni esengizalinika lona, abako-Israyeli. 3 Ngizalinika zonke izindawo lapho elizanyathela khona ngezinyawo zenu njengokuthembisa engakwenza kuMosi. 4 Ilizwe lenu lizasukela enkangala yeLebhanoni lasemfuleni omkhulu uYufrathe, ilizwe lonke lamaHithi, lize liyekhawula olwandle olukhulu entshonalanga. 5 Kakulamuntu ozenelisa ukumelana lani zonke insuku zokuphila kwenu. Njengoba ngangiloMosi, ngizakuba lawe; kangisoze ngikutshiye, kangisoze ngikudele. 6 Qina ube lesibindi ngenxa yokuthi uzakhokhela abantu laba ukuze bayethatha ilizwe elilifa labo engafunga kubokhokho babo ukuthi ngizabanika lona.

7 Qina ube lesibindi. Ugcine yonke imithetho owayiphiwa nguMosi inceku yami, ungaze waphambuka kuyo uye kwesokunene kumbe kwesokhohlo ukuze uphumelele kuzozonke izindawo ozakuya kuzo. 8 INcwadi yoMthetho le kayingasuki emlonyeni wakho, cabanga ngayo emini lebusuku ukuze unanzelele ukugcina konke okulotshwe kuyo. Ngokwena njalo uzaphumelela. 9 Angikulayanga na? Qina ube lesibindi, ungethuki njalo ungalahli ithemba, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho uzakuba lawe loba kungaphi lapho oya khona.”

10 Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa walaya iziphathamandla zabantu wathi: 11 “Dabulani phakathi kwezihonqo litshele abantu ukuthi, ‘Lungisani imiphako yenu. Ensukwini ezintathu kusukela lamhla lizachapha uJodani lapha ukuze lingene liyethatha ilizwe uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu alinika lona ukuba libe ngelenu!’ ”

12 UJoshuwa wathi kwabakoRubheni, labakoGadi lengxenye yesizwana sikaManase, 13 “Khumbulani umlayo uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika wona owokuthi: ‘UThixo uNkulunkulu wenu uzaliphumuza ngokulinika ilizwe leli.’ 14 Amakhosikazi enu, abantwabenu lezifuyo zenu zingahlala elizweni elalinikwa nguMosi empumalanga yeJodani, kodwa ibutho lenu lonke, lihlome liphelele, kumele lichaphe ngaphambi kwabafowenu. Kuzamele lincedise abafowenu, 15 uThixo aze abaphumuze, njengalokho alenzele khona lina, labo baze bathathe ilizwe lelo uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu abanika lona. Ngemva kwalokho selingabuyela liyehlala elizweni lenu, uMosi inceku kaThixo alinika lona ngempumalanga yeJodani.”

16 Baphendula uJoshuwa bathi, “Konke osilaya khona sizakwenza, lalapho osithuma khona sizahamba. 17 Njengalokhu salalela uMosi ngokupheleleyo, lawe sizakulalela. Sifisa ukuthi uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho abe lawe njengoba wayeloMosi. 18 Yiloba ngubani ohlamukela ilizwi lakho njalo engalaleli lokho okutshoyo, lalokho oyabe ukulaya, kumele abulawe. Kumele uqine ube lesibindi!”