BaseGibeyoni bayenga Joshuwa
1Kwatsi kube onkhe emakhosi langasenshonalanga kwemfula iJordane eve ngaletintfo, labo labaseveni letintsaba nangasematsafeni langasenshonalanga, kugudla lusentse lweLwandle Lolukhulu kuze kuyewufika eLebanoni, emakhosi emaHethi, nema-Amori, nemaKhenani, nemaPheresi, nemaHivi, nemaJebhusi, 2ahlangana akha imphi yekuhlasela Joshuwa kanye nema-Israyeli.
3Kodvwa satsi sive saseGibeyoni kube sive kutsi Joshuwa kanye nema-Israyeli wentani eJerikho nase-Ayi, 4sakha licebo: Sahamba njengetitfunywa letichuba timbongolo letetfwele imitfwalo ngemasaka lasagugile nangemadlelantfongeni lamadzala lasadzabuka abuye achitjelwa. 5Lamadvodza etinyaweni tawo abefake tincabule letindzala letase tichitjelwe, abembetse netimphahla letase tigugile. Tonkhe tinkhwa letatingimiphako yawo tase tomile, tikhuntsile. 6Esuka acondza kuJoshuwa enkambu leyayiseGilgali, afike atsi kuye nakulamadvodza aka-Israyeli: “Siphuma eveni lelikhashane kakhulu; yentani sivumelwane natsi.”
7Emadvodza aka-Israyeli akhuluma kulamaHivi, atsi: “Kodvwa mhlawumbe nakhelene nje natsi. Singasenta kanjani sivumelwane nani?”
8LamaHivi akhuluma kuJoshuwa, atsi: “Sitinceku takho.”
Kodvwa Joshuwa wawabuta watsi: “Nibobani nine? Niphumaphi?”
9EmaHivi aphendvula atsi: “Tinceku takho tiphuma eveni lelikhashane kakhulu, ngobe sivile ngeludvumo lwaSimakadze Nkulunkulu wenu. Sivile imibiko ngaye nangako konkhe lakwenta eveni laseGibhithe, 10nako konkhe lakwenta kulamakhosi lamabili ema-Amori ngasemphumalanga kweJordane, boSihoni, inkhosi yaseHeshboni, na-Ogi, inkhosi yaseBhashani, labebusa e-Ashtarothe. 11Baholi betfu nabo bonkhe labahlala eveni letfu basitfumile, batsi: ‘Tsatsani imiphako yendlela yenu, nihambe niyewuhlangabeta baka-Israyeli nitsi kubo: “Sitinceku tenu; yentani sivumelwane natsi.” 12Letinkhwa tetfu tatishisa ngesikhatsi sitipakisha, sisesuka ekhaya ngelilanga lesaphuma ngalo kuta lapha kini. Kodvwa manje asenibuke kutsi setome kanjani taze takhuntsa. 13Lamadlelantfongeni etfu eliwayini abemasha, kodvwa ase niwabuke nyalo kutsi asadzabuke kanjani. Naletingubo tetfu netincabule tetfu setigugile ngenca yebudze balendlela.’ ”
14Emadvodza aka-Israyeli ayihlola lemiphako yawo, kodvwa akazange abute lutfo kuSimakadze. 15Joshuwa wavuma wase wenta sivumelwane sekuthula nawo sekutsi bawayekele aphile, nebaholi besive basicinisa ngekufunga.
16Kwaphela emalanga lamatsatfu basentile lesivumelwane nemaGibeyoni, baka-Israyeli beva kutsi abomakhelwane babo, ahlala edvute nawo. 17Ngako ema-Israyeli ashuca aya khona, kwatsi ngelilanga lesitsatfu atseleka emadolobheni awo iGibeyoni, neKhefira, neBherothi, neKhiriyathi Jeyarimu. 18Kodvwa ema-Israyeli akazange awahlasele, ngobe baholi baka-Israyeli bebafunge sifungo kuwo ngaSimakadze Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli.
Inhlangano yonkhe yema-Israyeli yakhonona ngebaholi bayo, 19kodvwa baholi bayiphendvula, batsi: “Sifunge kuwo ngaSimakadze, Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli, singeke sibatsintse nyalo. 20Naku lesitakwenta kuwo: Sitawayekela aphile, kuze lulaka lungasehleli ngekutsi sephule sifungo setfu lesasenta kuwo.” 21Baholi bachubeka batsi: “Wayekeleni aphile, kodvwa niwente abandze tinkhuni, akhelele nemanti, akhelele sonkhe sive.” Ngako ema-Israyeli abalalela baholi.
22Joshuwa wase ubita emaGibeyoni, wakhuluma kuwo, watsi: “Nisiyengeleni natsi: ‘Sihlala khashane kabi nani,’ kantsi nisho nje nakhelene natsi? 23Manje-ke senicalekisiwe: Anisayikuyekela kuba tisebenti, nibe babandzi betinkhuni nebakheleli bemanti bendlu yaNkulunkulu wami.”
24Aphendvula Joshuwa atsi: “Tinceku takho tatjelwa kahle kamhlophe kutsi Simakadze Nkulunkulu wenu wamyala kanjani Mosi, inceku yakhe, kutsi aninike lonkhe lelive nekutsi acitse tonkhe tive letikulo embikwenu. Ngako sesabela timphilo tetfu ngenca yenu, ngiko nje sente lesento. 25Manje sesisesandleni sakho. Yenta kitsi loko lokubonakala kukuhle kuwe.”
26Ngako Joshuwa wawasindzisa esiveni sema-Israyeli, akazange awabulale. 27Ngalelo langa wenta emaGibeyoni aba babandzi betinkhuni nebakheleli bemanti besive sonkhe sema-Israyeli nelilati laSimakadze endzaweni lekhetfwe nguSimakadze. Nguloko labangiko kona ngisho nalamuhla loku.
