UYOSHUWA 6

₁Amasango eJeriko ayevalwe mba ukuze amaSirayeli angabi nako ukungena. Kwakungekho mntu uphumayo nongenayo kweso sixeko. ₂*UNdikhoyo wathi kuYoshuwa: “IJeriko ndiyinikela kuwe, kunye nokumkani wayo, kwakunye namagorha ayo. ₃Wena ke kunye nomkhosi wakho kufuneka niyijikeleze kanye ngemini iintsuku zibe ntandathu. ₄Kufuneka ababingeleli babe sixhenxe, elowo ephethe isigodlo, bahambe ngaphambi kwetyesi yomnqophiso. Ngosuku lwesixhenxe kufuneka wena nomkhosi wakho nisijikeleze kasixhenxe isixeko, ababingeleli bona bavuthele izigodlo. ₅Kuya kuthi ke xa bevuthela isandi eside ababingeleli, nihlabe umkhosi, nimemeze, zidilike iindonga zeJeriko. Wandule ke ukungena macal' onke ngaphakathi kwesixeko wonke umkhosi.”

₆UYoshuwa wababiza ababingeleli, wathi kubo: “Thathani ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, baze abasixhenxe kuni bahambe ngaphambi kwayo, bephethe izigodlo.” ₇Waza ke wayalela umkhosi wakhe ukuba ujikeleze isixeko, amanye amadoda axhobileyo ahambe ngaphambi kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo.

₈Kwathi uYoshuwa esathetha njalo beza phambili abo babingeleli basixhenxe bephethe izigodlo ezisixhenxe, bazivuthela, baza balandelwa yityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo. ₉Ibutho lamadoda axhobileyo lahamba phambi kwabababingeleli ababevuthela izigodlo, elinye ibutho lalandela ityesi yomnqophiso. Wonke loo gama izigodlo bezihlokoma. ₁₀UYoshuwa wawayalela amadoda akhe wathi: “Ze ningahlabi mkhosi, ningakhwazi. Ewe, ze ningakhe nilinge niyivule imilomo yenu, ide ibe lolo suku niya kuyalelwa ndim.” ₁₁Loo madoda ke ajikeleza isixeko kwakanye, ehamba netyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, aza abuyela esikhululweni, alala.

₁₂Ngengomso uYoshuwa wavuka kwangentseni, nababingeleli baphinda bayithwala ityesi yomnqophiso njengezolo. ₁₃Kwahamba amadoda axhobileyo ngaphambili, kwalandela ababingeleli abavuthela izigodlo abasixhenxe, kweza ababingeleli abathwele ityesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, kwaza ekugqibeleni yangamadoda axhobileyo. ₁₄Ngolu suku lwesibini basijikeleza kanye isixeko, baza babuyela kwasesikhululweni. Loo nto bayenza iintsuku zantandathu.

₁₅Ngosuku lwesixhenxe bavuka kwangomsobomvu, baza basijikeleza kasixhenxe isixeko, kwanjengalaa ndlela babenze ngayo. Ewe, ngale imini baphindelela kwada kwasixhenxe ukusijikeleza. ₁₆Ngesihlandlo sesixhenxe, xa ababingeleli babevuthela izigodlo, uYoshuwa wathi kumadoda akhe: “Ze nihlabe umkhosi, nimemeze, kuba uNdikhoyo usinikile esi sixeko! ₁₇Isixeko, nayo yonke into ekuso, kufuneka zitshatyalaliswe mpela, zibe ngumnikelo kuNdikhoyo ngomlilo. NguRahabhi ihenyukazi yedwa kunye nabantu bakowabo amabasindiswe, kuba yena wazifihla iintlola zethu. ₁₈Ze ningathathi nto ekufuneka itshatyalaliswe; xa nenjenjalo nozibizela intshabalalo ngokunokwenu, nihlisele amaSirayeli ishwangusha xa ewonke. ₁₉Yonke into eyenziwe ngesiliva, negolide, nobhedu, okanye ngentsimbi, mayahlulelwe uNdikhoyo. Kufuneka ifakwe koovimba bakaNdikhoyo.”

₂₀Bazivuthela izigodlo ababingeleli. Athi akuziva amadoda, ahlaba umkhosi ememeza, zadilika iindonga! Wasuka umkhosi waya ngqo esixekweni, wafika wasithimba. ₂₁Asenza umnikelo kuNdikhoyo isixeko, afaka ikrele umntu wonke, abulala amadoda nabafazi, abatsha nabadala. Abulala iinkomo, iigusha, kunye needonki.

₂₂UYoshuwa wathi la madoda mabini ayeziintlola makaye kwaRahabhi, eze naye nabantu bakowabo, njengoko ayethembisile. ₂₃Aya ke, abuya naye uRahabhi, kunye noyise, nonina, nabantakwabo, kunye nabo bonke abantu bakowabo. Bathatha wonke loo mzi uphela, babahlalisa ngakwisikhululo samaSirayeli. ₂₄Bantumeka umlilo kweso sixeko, satsha nqu, kunye nento yonke eyayilapho. Igolide, nesiliva, nezinto zobhedu, nentsimbi, bazithatha bazisa koovimba bakaNdikhoyo. ₂₅Kodwa uYoshuwa wabasindisa ooRahabhi nabantu bakowabo, yaye uRahabhi usekho kwaSirayeli unanamhla, kuba wafihla iintlola ezazithunyelwe eJeriko nguYoshuwa.

₂₆UYoshuwa wafunga wathi:

₂₇UNdikhoyo waba noYoshuwa, lwavakala kulo lonke udumo lwakhe.