Amakhosi Ayisihlanu Anqotshwa NgaseGibheyoni
1Lapho u-Adoni Zedeki, inkosi yaseJerusalema, esezwile ukuthi uJoshuwa uyidle kanjani i-Ayi, wayishaya wayiqothula, wenza kuyo i-Ayi nenkosi yayo njengalokhu ayenzile kulo iJerikho nenkosi yalo, nokuthi izakhamuzi zaseGibheyoni zasenza kanjani isivumelwano sokuthula no-Israyeli, zahlala phakathi kwakhe; 2wesaba kakhulu, ngokuba iGibheyoni yayingumuzi omkhulu njengomunye wemizi yamakhosi nokuthi futhi inkulu kune-Ayi, namadoda wonke akhona angamaqhawe. 3Ngakho-ke u-Adoni Zedeki, inkosi yaseJerusalema, wathumela kuHohamu inkosi yaseHebhroni, nakuPhiramu inkosi yaseJarimuthi, nakuJafiya inkosi yaseLakhishi, nakuDebhiri inkosi yase-Egiloni, wathi: 4“Khuphukani, nizongisiza, silihlasele iGibheyoni, ngokuba lenze isivumelwano sokuthula noJoshuwa nabantu bakwa-Israyeli.”
5Ngalokho amakhosi ayisihlanu ama-Amori: inkosi yaseJerusalema, inkosi yaseHebhroni, inkosi yaseJarimuthi, inkosi yaseLakhishi, nenkosi yase-Egiloni, ahlanganisa amabutho awo, akhuphuka nayo yonke impi yawo, akanisa malungana neGibheyoni, alwa nalo.
6AbaseGibheyoni bathumela kuJoshuwa enkanjini eGiligali, bathi: “Ungaziyekeleli izinceku zakho; woza kithi ngokushesha usisindise, usisize, ngokuba wonke amakhosi ama-Amori akhe kwelezintaba ayasihlanganyela.”
7UJoshuwa wayesekhuphuka esuka eGiligali, nawo wonke amabutho anamandla. 8USimakade wathi kuJoshuwa: “Ungabesabi, ngokuba ngibanikele esandleni sakho; akukho namunye kubo oyakuma phambi kwakho.”
9UJoshuwa wabathelekela bengazelele; kwazise wayehambe ubusuku bonke esuka eGiligali. 10USimakade wabathela ngokudideka phambi kuka-Israyeli, owacekela phansi abaningi eGibheyoni, wabaxosha ngendlela ekhuphukela eBhethi Horoni, wabacekela phansi ngenkemba kwaze kwaba se-Azeka naseMakheda. 11Besabaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli besuka emehlelweni eBhethi Horoni, uSimakade wehlisela phezu kwabo amatshe amakhulu evela ezulwini, baze bayofika e-Azeka, bafa. Babebaningi kakhulu ababulawa yisichotho kunalabo ababulawa ngu-Israyeli ngenkemba.
12Ngosuku uSimakade anikela ngalo ama-Amori ku-Israyeli, uJoshuwa wakhuluma noSimakade ephambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli wathi:
“Langa, yima nse eGibheyoni,
nawe nyanga,
esigodini i-Ayijaloni.”
13Lase lima ilanga,
nenyanga yema,
abantu baze baziphindiselela ezitheni zabo.
Akulotshiwe yini lokho encwadini yolungileyo, na? Ilanga lema phakathi nomkhathi, alisheshanga ukushona kwangathi wusuku lonke. 14Aluzange lube khona usuku olunjengalolo ngaphambi kwalo noma ngasemuva kwalo, lapho uSimakade alalela khona izwi lomuntu; wamlwela u-Israyeli.
15UJoshuwa nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababenaye babuyela enkanjini eGiligali.
UJoshuwa Ubulala Amakhosi Ayisihlanu
16Lawo makhosi ayisihlanu abaleka, ayocasha emgedeni eMakheda. 17Kwabikwa kuJoshuwa ukuthi: “Lawo makhosi ayisihlanu afunyaniswe ecashe emgedeni eMakheda.”
18UJoshuwa wathi: “Gingqelani amatshe amakhulu emlonyeni womgede, nimise amadoda ngakuwo, awulinde, 19kepha nina ningami lapho; zixosheni izitha zenu, nizihlasele ngasemuva, ningazivumeli ukuba zingene emizini yazo, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu uzinikele esandleni senu.”
20Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa nabantu bakwa-Israyeli sebecekele phansi abaningi kakhulu baze babaqeda, insali yangena emizini ebiyelweyo. 21Bonke abantu babuyela kuJoshuwa enkanjini eMakheda bephephile, akubanga bikho owake wakhuluma okubi ngo-Israyeli.
22Wayesethi uJoshuwa: “Vulani umlomo womgede, niwalethe kimi lawo makhosi ayisihlanu asemgedeni.”
23Benza kanjalo-ke; bawakhipha, bawaletha kuye lawo makhosi amahlanu ayesemgedeni: inkosi yaseJerusalema, inkosi yaseHebhroni, inkosi yaseJarimuthi, inkosi yaseLakhishi, nenkosi yase-Egiloni. 24Lapho bewaletha lawo makhosi kuJoshuwa, uJoshuwa wabiza wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli wathi ezinduneni zamabutho ezazihambe naye: “Sondelani, nibeke izinyawo zenu ezintanyeni zalawa makhosi.”
Zasondela-ke, zabeka izinyawo zazo ezintanyeni zawo.
25UJoshuwa wathi kuzo: “Ningesabi, ningabi naluvalo; qinani, nime isibindi, ngokuba uSimakade uyakwenza kanjalo kuzo zonke izitha zenu enilwa nazo.”
26Emveni kwalokho uJoshuwa wawagenca, wawabulala, wawaphanyeka ezihlahleni eziyisihlanu, alenga emithini kwaze kwahlwa.
27Ekushoneni kwelanga uJoshuwa wayala, base beyawehlisa emithini, bawaphonsa emgedeni lapho ayekade ecashe khona, babeka amatshe amakhulu emlonyeni womgede; asekhona nanamuhla.
UJoshuwa Unqoba Imizi EKhanani Engaseningizimu
28UJoshuwa wadla iMakheda ngalolo lusuku, walichitha ngenkemba nenkosi yalo, waqothula bonke abantu ababekulo, akashiyanga namunye. Wenza enkosini yaseMakheda njengoba ayenzile enkosini yaseJerikho.
29UJoshuwa wasuka eMakheda nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eLibhina, balwa nalo. 30USimakade wayinikela nayo nenkosi yayo esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli, wayichitha ngenkemba nabo bonke abantu ababekuyo, akashiyanga namunye. Wenza enkosini yaseMakheda njengoba ayenzile enkosini yaseJerikho.
31UJoshuwa wasuka eLibhina nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eLakhishi, wakanisa malungana nayo, walwa nayo. 32USimakade wayinikela iLakhishi esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli, balidla ngosuku lwesibili, balichitha ngenkemba nabo bonke abantu ababekulo njengoba babenzile eLibhina.
33Kwase kukhuphuka uHoramu, inkosi yaseGezeri, ukuzosiza iLakhishi, kepha uJoshuwa wayibulala nabantu bayo, akashiyanga namunye kubo.
34UJoshuwa wasuka eLakhishi, nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya e-Egiloni; bakanisa maqondana nalo, balwa nalo. 35Balidla ngalolo lusuku, balichitha ngenkemba; nabo bonke abantu ababekulo, njengalokhu babenzile eLakhishi.
36UJoshuwa wakhuphukela e-Egiloni nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eHebhroni, balwa nalo. 37Balidla, balichitha ngenkemba, inkosi nayo yonke imizi yalo, nabo bonke abantu ababekulo; akashiyanga namunye, njengalokhu ayenzile e-Egiloni.
38UJoshuwa wabuyela nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli eDebhiri, balihlasela; 39walidla nenkosi yalo nayo yonke imizi yalo, balichitha ngenkemba, baqothula bonke abantu ababekulo, akashiyanga namunye; njengalokhu ayenzile eHebhroni, naseDebhiri nakuyo inkosi yalo, naseLibhina nakuyo inkosi yalo.
40UJoshuwa walinqoba lonke izwe lezintaba, iNegevu, amathafa, imithambeka, namakhosi wonke alo; akashiyanga nayinye. Wakuqothula konke okuphefumulayo njengokuyala kukaSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. 41UJoshuwa wabanqoba kusukela eKadeshi Bharineya kuze kufike eGaza, nalo lonke iGosheni kuze kufike eGibheyoni. 42UJoshuwa wawanqoba wonke lawo makhosi namazwe awo ngasikhathi sinye, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wamlwela u-Israyeli.
43UJoshuwa wabuyela enkanjini eGiligali, nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababenaye.
