UJoshuwa Uthumela Izinhloli Ezimbili EJerikho
1UJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni, wayesethumela izinhloli ezimbili isinyenyela, zisuka eShithimu, wathi kuzo: “Hambani nisihlolele izwe, ikakhulu iJerikho.”
Zahamba, zafike zangenisa endlini yesifebe esibizo laso nguRahabi, zalala khona. 2Inkosi yaseJerikho yabikelwa ukuthi: “Abanye bakwa-Israyeli bafikile kusihlwa ukuzohlola izwe.”
3Inkosi yaseJerikho yayisithumela umyalezo kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha lawo madoda afikele kwakho, angena endlini yakho, ngokuba eze ukuzohlola lonke izwe.”
4Kepha owesifazane wawathatha lawo madoda amabili wawafihla. Wayesethi: “Yebo, impela lawo madoda afikile kimi, kodwa angiwazanga ukuthi avelaphi. 5Kuthe kusihlwa sekuzovalwa isango, asuka ahamba. Angazi ukuthi aphume alibhekisaphi. Phuthumani niwalandele, ngokuba ningase niwafice.”
6Kodwa ngaleso sikhathi wayesezikhuphulele phezulu ophahleni lwendlu yakhe, wazifihla phansi kwenyanda yekhwani ayeyibeke lapho. 7Amadoda azilandela ngendlela elibangise eJordani aze ayofinyelela emazibukweni alo. Athi ukuba aphume amadoda ayezilandela, lavalwa isango.
8Zingakalali izinhloli, uRahabi wakhuphukela kuzo ophahleni; 9wathi kuzo: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uSimakade uNkulunkulu uninikile leli lizwe nokuthi sonke sigcwele ingebhe ngenxa yenu, nokuthi zonke izakhamuzi zaleli lizwe zinesaba okokufa. 10Ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uSimakade wawomisa kanjani amanzi oLwandle Lomhlanga phambi kwenu lapho niphuma eGibhithe, nalokho enakwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, kuSihoni no-Ogi enababhubhisa bashabalala. 11Sithe ukuba sizwe ngalokho izinhliziyo zangenwa yingebhe, kwangaba bikho muntu onesibindi sokuma phambi kwenu, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu, unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi. 12Manje-ke lokhu nginiphathe kahle, fungani kimi ngoSimakade ukuthi nani niyakubenzela umusa abendlu kababa; nginikeni uphawu oluzakuba yisiqiniseko sokuthi nizokwethembeka, 13nokuthi niyomsindisa ubaba, umama, abafowethu, odadewethu nakho konke okungokwabo, nisikhulule ekufeni.”
14Amadoda athi kuye: “Singanifela nokunifela. Uma ningaludaluli lolu daba lwethu, siyakuniphatha ngomusa nangokwethembeka lapho uSimakade esesinika izwe.”
15URahabi wayesewehlisa ngentambo aphuma ngefasitela, ngoba indlu ayehlala kuyo yayiyingxenye yodonga lomuzi, yena ehlala ngaphakathi kodonga. 16Wathi kuwo: “Hambani nilibhekise kwelezintaba, ukuze abanixoshayo banganitholi. Cashani lapho izinsuku ezintathu baze babuye abanixoshayo, bese niqhubeka nohambo lwenu.”
17Amadoda athi kuye: “Asiyukubophezeleka kulesi sifungo osenzise sona, 18uma kuyothi lapho sihlasela izwe, sithole ungayibophelanga le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni owasikhipha ngalo, futhi ungaqoqelanga endlini yakho uyihlo nonyoko nabafowenu nabo bonke abendlu kayihlo. 19Uma kukhona ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yendlu yakho abe semgwaqweni, kuyoba yicala lakhe uma efa, thina asiyukuba nacala, kodwa uma kukhona othinta noma yimuphi kulabo abanawe endlini, icala lokufa kwabo liyothwalwa yithi. 20Kodwa uma uluxoxa lolu daba lwethu, thina siyobe sesikhululekile kulesi sifungo osifungise sona.”
21Wathi: “Makube njengoba nisho.”
Wayesewakhulula aqhubeka nohambo lwawo. Yena wabophela intambo ebomvu efasiteleni.
22Ahamba abheka kwelezintaba, ahlala lapho izinsuku ezintathu baze babuya labo ababewaxosha. Ababewaxosha bawafuna kuyo yonke indawo ngasendleleni, kodwa abawafumananga. 23Lawo madoda amabili ehla kwelezintaba, awela afika kuJoshuwa, indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo. 24Athi kuJoshuwa: “Ngempela, uSimakade ulinikele lonke izwe ezandleni zethu; ngaphezu kwalokho zonke izakhamuzi zezwe ziyagedezela wuvalo lokusesaba.”
