Ukuhlolwa kwenarha
1UJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni wathumela amadoda amabili ngasese aseTjhithimu kobana abe ziinhloli wathi: “Khambani niyokuhlola inarha, khulukhulu iJerikho.”
Akhamba-ke, afika ekumbeni yengwadla ekuthiwa nguRarhabu kobana alale lapho. 2Ikosi yeJerikho yabikelwa kwathiwa: “Tjheja, kunamadoda athileko wakwa-Israyeli afike entambama nje kobana azokuhlola inarha.”
3Yeke ikosi yeJerikho yathumela iinthunywa kuRarhabu yathi: “Khupha amadoda eze kuwe nangene ekumbenakho lawo ngombana into ayizeleko kuzokuhlola inarha kwaphela.”
4Kodwana uRarhabu gade afihle amadoda amabili lawo, yeke wathi: “Iye, awa, khona kuliqiniso bona kufike amadoda amabili lapha. Kodwana angiwazi bona adabukaphi. 5Nje-ke kuthe lokha nakurhwalalako sele kuvalwa amasango, nawo aphuma. Ukuthi atjhingephi-ke, awa nami abe angazi. Nokho nange ningarhaba niwagijimise, ningawafumana.”
6URarhabu gade enyusele amadoda lawo ephahleni lekumba, wawafihla hlangana neenhlanga zeflaksi ebegade azineke ephahlenapho. 7Yeke iinthunywa zeJerikho zagijimisa amadoda lawo ngendlela yeJordani ukuyela emazibukweni. Kuthe bona iinthunywa ezigijimisa amadoda ziphume, kwavalwa isango ledorobho.
8Kwathi ngaphambi kobana kulalwe, uRarhabu wenyukela phezu kwephahla emadodeni lawo, 9wathi kiwo: “Ngiyazi bonyana uSomnini uninikele inarha, nokobana sehlelwe kukunesaba begodu boke abahlali benarha bayathuthumela phambi kwenu. 10Kambe sizwile bona uSomnini womisa amanzi welwandle lomGaba phambi kwenu naniphuma eGibhide, godu sezwa nalokho enakwenza emakhosini amabili wama-Amori ebegade angaphetjheya kweJordani, aboSirhoni no-Ogi enabarhayilako. 11Kuthe bona sizwe lokho, sangenwa mamanzi emadolweni, azange kube nomuntu oba nomdlandla ngebanga lenu ngombana uSomnini uZimenu unguZimu ezulwini phezulu nephasini phasi. 12Nje-ke ngibawa nifunge kimi ngoSomnini kobana njengombana ngibe nomusa kini, nani nizakuba nomusa ngomuzi kababa. Ninginikele itshwayo lesiqinisekiso 13kobana niphunyurhise ubaba nomma, abomnakwethu nabodadwethu nabo boke abanabo, iye, nisindise ipilwethu ekufeni.”
14Amadoda athi kuye: “Sifunga ngepilwethu! Nange ungavala phetjheya ngendabethu le, khona-ke sizakuba nomusa besithembeke kuwe lokha uSomnini nasinikela inarha le.”
15Ngebanga lokobana uRarhabu gade ahlala ekumbeni eyakhiwe phezu komthangala wedorobho, wawehlisa ngentambo ngefesidere, 16wathi kiwo: “Khambani niye eentatjaneni, nakungasinjalo abanigijimisako bazanifumana. Zifihleni lapho amalanga amathathu abanigijimisako bebabuye. Ngemva kwalokho-ke seningakhamba.”
17Amadoda athi kuye: “Thina angeze saba nomlandu ngesifungo osifungise sona, 18nakube kuzakuthi nasingena enarheni le, wena ubophelele intambo etlerebede le efesidereni osikhuphe ngalo. Ubizele ekumbenakho uyihlo nonyoko, abafowenu, iye, boke bakwenu. 19Nakube nanyana ngubani onawe ngekumbeni uyathintwa, iingazi zakhe zizakuba phezu kweenhloko zethu. Kodwana nange kungaba nomuntu ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yekumbakho, iingazi zakhe zizakuba phezu kwehlokwakhe, thina-ke asizukuba nomlandu. 20Godu asizukuba nomlandu malungana nesifungo sakho osenze kithi nange wakhuluma ngendabethu le.”
21Yena wathi: “Akube njengokwamezwenu.” Yeke wawalayelisa, akhamba. Ngambala wabophelela intambo etlerebede efesidereni.
22Amadoda lawo akhamba-ke anqomba eentatjaneni, ahlala lapho amalanga amathathu abantu abawagijimisako bebabuya ngombana babhenyegula yoke indlela kodwana bangawafumana. 23Amadoda amabili godu ehla abuya eentatjaneni ayama iJordani aya kuJotjhuwa umsa kaNuni, ambikela koke okuwehleleko. 24Godu athi kuJotjhuwa: “Ngambala uSomnini unikele yoke inarha ezandleni zethu, nabahlali bakhona basesabela ukufa.”
