UYoshuwa ukhohliswa ngamaGibheyon
1Imbali yokutshatshela kwamaSirayeli yaya kuvakala nakwiikumkani ezazimi ngasentshonalanga kweJordan: kweleentaba, emazantsi eentaba, nasemantla konxweme lolwandle, ukuya kutsho eLebhanon. Ezo ke yayiziikumkani ezazilawula amaHeti, ama-Amori, amaKanana, amaPerezi, amaHivi, namaJebhusi. 2Zonke zabuthelana ngamxhelo mnye ukuze zilwe noYoshuwa namaSirayeli.
3Abantu baseGibheyon, ababengamaHivi, bayiva imbali yezigigaba zikaYoshuwa eJeriko naseAyi, 4baza bagqiba ekubeni mabenze iqhinga. Bathume izigidimi zilayishe ukutya ezimbongolweni ngeengxowa ezigugileyo. 5Zanxiba amadlavu, neembadada ezikrazukileyo, zathatha isonka esomileyo esingundileyo 6Zenyuka zaya esikhululweni eGiligali, zafika zathi kuYoshuwa namaSirayeli: “Singabantu abavela kwilizwe elikude. Size kucela kuni imvisiswano yokuhlalisana ngoxolo.”
7AmaSirayeli athi: “Singathini na ukunqophisana nani? Kusenokwenzeka ukuba nisuka kwalapha kufuphi.”
8Bathi kuYoshuwa: “Thina sizizicaka zakho.”
Wababuza uYoshuwa wathi: “Ningamani, yaye nivela phi?”
9Bona baphendula bathi: “Mhlekazi, sivela kwelikude; saye sivile ngezigigaba *zikaNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, nangayo yonke into awayenza eJiputa, 10kwakunye nakwenze kwiikumkani ezimbini zama-Amori ngaphesheya kweJordan, kukumkani uSihon waseHeshbhon kunye nokumkani uOgi waseBhashan owayemi eAshtoreti. 11Amadoda amakhulu akuthi, kunye nabemi bonke belakowethu, bathi kuthi: ‘Zenzeleni umphako wendlela, nihambe niye kubo, nithi: “Sizizicaka zenu. Visisanani nathi, sihlalisane ngoxolo.” ’ 12Khangela umphako wethu wesonka. Ukunduluka kwethu ekhaya sisiza apha, esi sonka sasiseshushu. Ngoku sesomile, singunde nokungunda. 13Iimvaba zewayini zazizele, zintsha, ngoku sezikrazukile. Neempahla zethu kunye neembadada zigugile luhambo olude.”
14Amadoda akwaSirayeli angcamla kumphako waloo madoda, kodwa akakhange abhekise kuNdikhoyo. 15NoYoshuwa ke wasivuma isicelo sawo soxolo, wanqophisana nawo ngelithi akayi kubulawa. Zafunga iinkokheli zebandla lamaSirayeli, zathi loo mnqophiso aziyi kuwutyeshela.
16Kwathi kungekadluli neentsuku ezintathu senziwa isivumelwano, eva amaSirayeli ukuba abo bantu yayingabamelwane bawo, behlala kufuphi nawo. 17Anduluka ke amaSirayeli, athi emva kweentsuku ezintathu agaleleka apho kwakuhlala khona loo madoda. Izixeko zawo yayiyiGibheyon, iKefira, iBheroti, kunye neKiriyati-yarim. 18Kambe ke amaSirayeli akazange ababulale aba bantu, kuba kaloku iinkokheli zebandla lawo zazibenzele isifungo ngegama likaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli. Lonke ibandla lakwaSirayeli lazikhalazela iinkokheli, 19zaza iinkokheli zathi: “Kaloku safunga ngegama likaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli kwaba bantu. Ke ngoko asinakubenza nto konke. 20Naku emasikwenze: masingabachukumisi, hleze sihlelwe yingqumbo ngokutyeshela isifungo. 21Masibayeke baphile ngokwesifungo sethu, kodwa ngabo abaza kusikhelela amanzi, basicandele iinkuni.”
22UYoshuwa wathi mabeziswe kuye abantu baseGibheyon, wabhekisa kubo wathi: “Nisikhohlisele ntoni nisithi nivela kude nje, kanti nihlala kufuphi? 23Niqalekisiwe ngenxa yento eniyenzileyo. Niya kuhlala ningamakhoboka, nithuthe amanzi, nicande neenkuni zomzi woThixo wam.”
24Bathi ukuphendula bona: “Mhlekazi, sibangwe kukuva ukuba kuyinyani ukuba uNdikhoyo uThixo wenu wayalela uMosis ukuba wonke lo mhlaba makawunike nina, batshabalalise bonke abemi bawo, ke ngoko sasoyikela nobomi bethu. 25Ngoku ke siphantsi kwegunya lakho; yenza loo nto wena ucinga ukuba ilungile.”
26Nantsi ke into awayenzayo uYoshuwa: wabakhusela, akawavumela ukuba amaSirayeli ababulale, 27kodwa wathi mababe ngamakhoboka okukha amanzi nokucanda iinkuni zamaSirayeli nezeqonga lamadini kaNdikhoyo. Loo msebenzi basawenza unanamhla kuloo ndawo yalathwe nguNdikhoyo.
