Isono Sika-Akhani Nokujeziswa Kwakhe
1Kepha abantu bakwa-Israyeli abethembekanga mayelana nezinto ezaziqalekisiwe. U-Akhani, indodana kaKharimi kaZabidi kaZera wesizwana sakwaJuda, wathatha ezinye zezinto ezaziqalekisiwe; ngakho-ke ulaka lukaSimakade lwavuthela bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli.
U-Israyeli Uyehlulwa E-Ayi
2UJoshuwa wathumela amadoda esuka eJerikho eya e-Ayi, umuzi owawuseduzane neBhethi Aveni ngasempumalanga yeBhethele, wathi kuwo: “Khuphukani niyohlola izwe.”
Amadoda ahamba, awuhlola umuzi i-Ayi.
3Abuyela kuJoshuwa, athi kuye: “Akudingekile ukuba kungakhuphuka yonke impi; akuhambe amadoda ayizi-2 000 noma ayizi-3 000 awuhlasele umuzi i-Ayi. Ngokuba ingumuzi omncane, makungakhuphuki wonke umuntu, kodwa abayingcosana.”
4Kwakhuphukela lapho amabutho ayizi-3 000, kepha babalekela amabutho ase-Ayi. 5Amadoda ase-Ayi abulala amabutho angama-36 empi yakwa-Israyeli, ayixosha eyisusa ngasesangweni yaze yayofika eShebharimi, ababulala emthambekeni. Izinhliziyo zabantu zadikibala, zaphelelwa ngamandla.
6UJoshuwa wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wathi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaSimakade kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, yena namalunga akwa-Israyeli bazithela ngothuli emakhanda. 7UJoshuwa wathi: “Maye, Simakade Nkulunkulu! Ubawezeleni laba bantu iJordani, ukuzosinikela esandleni sama-Amori ukuba asibhubhise, na? Bekungcono ukuba sivele sahlala khona phesheya kweJordani! 8Hawu, Nkosi! Sengizothini njengoba u-Israyeli efulathele wehlulwa yizitha zakhe, na? 9AmaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo kuleli lizwe bazokuzwa ngalokhu bese beyasizungeza, balishabalalise igama lethu emhlabeni. Uyakulenzelani-ke igama lakho elikhulu kangaka, na?”
10USimakade wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sukuma! Uweleni ngobuso emhlabathini, na? 11U-Israyeli wonile, usephulile isivumelwano engimmisele sona. Bathathile izinto eziqalekisiweyo, bebile, benza inkohlakalo, bazithathile lezo zinto bazihlanganisa nempahla yabo. 12Ngakho-ke u-Israyeli akakwazi ukumelana nezitha zakhe; uyakuzifulathela izitha zakhe ngokuba usezenze into efanele ukubhujiswa. Angisezukuba nani ngaphandle kokuba nizishabalalise lezi zinto eziqalekisiwe eziphakathi kwenu.
13“Ngakho-ke suka ungcwelise abantu, uthi kubo: ‘Zingcweliseleni usuku lwakusasa, ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: kunezinto eziqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu, Israyeli aniyukuma phambi kwezitha zenu nize nikhiphe phakathi kwenu izinto eziqalekisiweyo.
14“ ‘Ngakho-ke kusasa niyakusondela ngezizwana zenu. Isizwana uSimakade ayakusikhetha, siyosondela ngokwemindeni yaso, umndeni awuthathayo usondele ngezindlu zawo, kuthi indlu ayithathayo uSimakade, kusondele umuntu ngamunye. 15Kuyothi umuntu oyotholakala enokuqalekisiweyo, ashiswe ngomlilo nakho konke anakho, ngokuba esephulile isivumelwano sikaSimakade, nangokuba enze into embi kakhulu kwa-Israyeli.’ ”
16Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasondeza abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngokwezizwana zabo. Kwakhethwa isizwe sakwaJuda. 17Wasisondeza isizwana sakwaJuda, kwasondezwa umungu ngamunye emndenini wabakwaZera, kwase kuqokwa uZabhidi. 18Wayesesondeza abendlu yakhe ngamunye ngamunye, kwathi u-Akhani, indodana kaKharimi kaZabhidi kaZera, wesizwana sakwaJuda, wakhethwa.
19UJoshuwa wathi ku-Akhani: “Ndodana yami, mnikeze udumo uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uvume kuye isono sakho. Ngitshele manje ukuthi wenzeni; ungangifihleli lutho.”
20U-Akhani wamphendula uJoshuwa, wathi: “Kuliqiniso, yimi engonile kuSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Nakhu engikwenzileyo: 21lapho ngibona phakathi kwempango ingubo enhle eShinari, isiliva elingama-200 amashekeli, nesigaxa segolide esisisindo salo singamashekeli angama-50, ngakunxanela, ngase ngiyakuthatha. Manje ngikumbele ngakufihla phakathi ethendeni lami, isiliva lona liphansi kwakho konke.”
22Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wathumela izithunywa, zagijima zaya ethendeni lika-Akhani, zakufica lapho kufihliwe ethendeni lakhe, isiliva liphansi kwakho. 23Zakukhipha ethendeni zakuletha kuJoshuwa nabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, bakwendlala phambi kukaSimakade. 24UJoshuwa nabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli ababenaye bamthatha u-Akhani, indodana kaZera, nesiliva, nengubo, nesigaxa segolide, namadodana namadodakazi akhe, nezinkabi zakhe nezimbongolo nezimvu nethende lakhe, nakho konke okwakungokwakhe, bakukhuphulela esigodini i-Akhori. 25UJoshuwa wathi: “Wenzeleni ukuba usilethele inhlupheko, na? USimakade uzakukulethela inhlekelele nawe namuhla.”
Bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe waze wafa, babashisa ngomlilo, babakhanda ngamatshe. 26Bamisa phezu kwakhe inqwaba yamatshe, esekhona nanamuhla. USimakade wayesephenduka olakeni lwakhe oluvuthayo. Ngakho-ke igama laleyo ndawo labizwa ngokuthi yisigodi i-Akhori.
