Ama-Israyeli akhohliswa maGibiyoni
1Woke amakhosi angaphetjheya kweJordani ezwa ngokwenzakeleko. Lawo bekumakhosi wamaRhiti, ama-Amori, amaKanana, amaPerizi, amaRhivi namaJebusi ahlala ngenarheni yeentaba nemibundu yeTjhefela, namagegana nelwandle eliKhulu ukuyela eLibhanoni. 2Nje-ke abuthana ndawonye avumelana ngalizwi linye bona alwe noJotjhuwa nama-Israyeli.
3Kodwana kuthe bona abahlali beGibiyoni bezwe ngokwenziwe nguJotjhuwa eJerikho ne-Ayi, 4benza iqhinga lobuqili. Bakhamba baya kuJotjhuwa bazenza inga ziinthunywa. Bebathethe iinquthulo ezidala zemigodla bazikhweza phezu kwabodumbana, bathatha neenkhumba zewayini ezidala ezidabukileko nezineentjheza, 5bafaka amapatlagwana adabukileko nakhibelelweko, bembatha izambatho ezirhalukileko. Yoke imiphakwabo beyome kere begodu ikokorene.
6Banqomba kuJotjhuwa ekampeni eGiligali bathi kuye nama-Israyeli: “Sibuya kude kwamambala nasinje; yeke besithi yewenze isivumelwano nathi.”
7Kodwana ama-Israyeli athi kumaRhivi: “Afe-ke, singenza njani isivumelwano nani singanazi nokunazi? Mhlamunye nihlala khona hlanu kwethwapha nje!”
8Bona bathi kuJotjhuwa: “Siziinceku zakho.”
UJotjhuwa wabuza wathi: “Nibobani-ke nina? Khonanje nibuya tjhuba liphi?”
9Bamphendula bathi: “Iinceku zakho zibuya kude tle, sithe asize kuwapha ngebanga lebizo lakaSomnini uZimakho. Sizwe umbiko ngoSomnini uZimakho ngalokho akwenze amaGibhide, 10namakhosi amabili wama-Amori ebegade angaphetjheya kweJordani, uSirhoni ikosi yeRhetjhibhoni no-Ogi ikosi yeBatjhana ehlala e-Atjhitarothi. 11Abaphathi nabo boke abahlali benarhekhethu bathe kithi, ‘Thathani umphako nikhambe niyokuhlanganisa amehlo nabo nifese nithi siziinceku zabo. Yeke sibawa benze isivumelwano nathi.’ 12Nasi isikwana sethu ebesisiphethe njengomphako, nokho besisatjhisa sona nasisuka ekhaya. Gadesi sele somelele begodu sikokorene, 13iinkhumba zewayinezi nazo kokwakho bezizitja nasizivubelako. Gadesi sele zidabukile, nezambatho namapatlagwanethu sese kuphelile kuqedwe yindlelakazi ede le.”
14Kwathi ama-Israyeli angakabuzi nokubuza kuSomnini, adumela umphako lowo ahlanganyela nabo! 15UJotjhuwa waba nokuthula nabo, wenza isivumelwano sokobana baphephile bese abarholi bomkhambathi bafunga kibo.
16Ekupheleni kwamalanga amathathu ngemva kobana benze isivumelwano nabo, bezwa bonyana babomakhelwana babo nokobana bahlala phakathi kwabo. 17Ama-Israyeli aphuma anqomba emadorobheni wabantwabo afika elangeni lesithathu. Amadorobhabo gade kuyiGibiyoni, iKefira, iBherothi neKhiriyathi-Jeyarimu. 18Kodwana azange abulale abantwabo ngombana abarholi bomkhambathi bafunga ebantwinabo ngoSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli. Kwathi lokha umkhambathi woke nawunghonghoyila kubarholabo, 19boke abaphathi bathi kiwo woke umkhambathi: “Ngithi esifunge kibo ngoSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli, nje-ke angeze sisababeka isandla. 20Nasi indlela esizabaphatha ngayo: Sizabalisa baphile ukuze ubukhali bakaSomnini bungabi phezu kwethu ngebanga lesifungo esisifunge kibo.” 21Abaphathi godu bathi: “Nje-ke nani baliseni baphile.” Ngalokho abaphathi baqunta bonyana abantwabo babe ziinsebenzi zawo woke umkhambathi, bawugawulele iinkuni bawukhelele namanzi. 22Yeke uJotjhuwa wabiza abantwabo wathi kibo: “Nisikhohliseleni ngokusitjela bonyana nivela kude khibe nihlala enyonga yesilukazapha? 23Ngalokho-ke ninikelelwe, nizakuhlala nimakhoboka, abathezi beenkuni nabakheleli bamanzi ekumbeni kaZimami.”
24Baphendula uJotjhuwa bathi: “Iinceku zakho zaqinisekiswa bonyana uSomnini uZimakho ayale incekwakhe uMosi bonyana aniphe yoke inarha le nokobana nina kumele nibhubhise nya phambi kwenu boke abahlali bakhona. Sesabela khulu amaphilwethu ngebanga lenu, kungalokho senze lokhu. 25Qala, njenganje sisesandleni sakho, yeke yewenze ngokubona kwakho ngathi.”
26Nje-ke nasi indlela uJotjhuwa enza ngayo kibo: Wabasindisa esandleni sama-Israyeli. Azange ababulale. 27Kodwana ukusuka mhlokho wabenza bona basebenzele umkhambathi ne-aldari lakaSomnini ngokutheza iinkuni nokukhelela amanzi. Lokho bakwenza bekwaba kunamhlanje endaweni eyakhethwa nguSomnini.
