Ubuqili Obenziwa Ngabantu BaseGibheyoni
1Kwathi ukuba wonke amakhosi ayengaphesheya kweJordani kwelezintaba, nalawo ayesemathafeni agudle ugu loLwande Olukhulu kuya ngaseLebhanoni: amaHithi, ama-Amori, amaKhanani, amaPherizi, amaHivi namaJebusi, ezwe ngalokhu, 2ahlangana ndawonye aba yimbumba efuna ukuhlasela uJoshuwa no-Israyeli.
3Kepha izakhamuzi zaseGibheyoni lapho zizwa ngalokho uJoshuwa ayekwenze kulo iJerikho ne-Ayi, 4nazo zenza ubuqili. Zahamba zayozihlinzeka ngemiphako, zase zithatha amasaka agugile zawabeka phezu kwezimbongolo zazo, nezimvaba ezigugile nezidabukileyo ezase zichitshiyelwe. 5Zafaka izimbadada ezindala ezinyaweni zazo, zagqoka izingubo ezigugile, zathatha umphako wezinkwa ezomile, eziyimvuthu. 6Zaya kuJoshuwa enkanjini eGiligali, zathi kuye nabakwa-Israyeli: “Sivela ezweni elikude, ngakho-ke yenzani isivumelwano nathi.”
7Kepha abakwa-Israyeli bathi kumaHivi: “Mhlawumbe nje nihlala phakathi kwethu; singasenza kanjani-ke isivumelwano nani, na?”
8Zathi kuJoshuwa: “Siyizinceku zakho.”
Kepha uJoshuwa wathi kuzo: “Ningobani, futhi nivelaphi?”
9Zathi kuye: “Izinceku zakho zivela ezweni elikude kakhulu ngenxa yegama likaSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu, ngokuba sizwile ngaye nangakho konke akwenza eGibhithe, 10nasemakhosini amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, uSihoni inkosi yaseHeshibhoni no-Ogi inkosi yaseBhashani, owayehlala e-Ashitharothi. 11Ngakho-ke abaholi bethu nazo zonke izakhamuzi zezwe lakithi, zathi kithi: ‘Thathani umphako, nihambe nihlangane nabo nithi kubo: “Siyizinceku zenu, manje wozani nenze nathi isivumelwano.” ’
12“Nasi isinkwa sethu, sasisashisa lapho sisithatha ezindlini zethu ukuba sibe ngukudla kwethu endleleni, ngosuku esalifulathela ngalo elakithi lapho siza kini. Bhekani manje, somile futhi sesize savuthuluka. 13Niyabona-ke, nezimvaba zethu zewayini zazizintsha lapho sizigcwalisa, kodwa sezidabukile; izingubo nezimbadada zethu sekuvuthukela emizimbeni yethu ngenxa yobude bendlela.”
14Amadoda akwa-Israyeli athatha emphakweni wazo engazange alizwe ilaka likaSimakade. 15UJoshuwa wenza nazo isivumelwano sokuthula, eziqinisekisa ukuthi aziyukufa. Abaholi bebandla lakwa-Israyeli bafunga nabo ukuthi abayukuzibulala.
16Emveni kwezinsuku ezintathu besenzile isivumelwano nazo, bezwa ukuthi zingomakhelwane babo nokuthi zihlala phakathi kwabo. 17Abantu bakwa-Israyeli basuka bagasela kuzo, bafika emizini yazo ngosuku lwesithathu. Imizi yazo kwakuyiGibheyoni, iKhefira, iBhiyerothi neKiriyathi Jeharimi. 18Kepha abakwa-Israyeli abazange bazihlasele, ngoba abaholi babo babefungile ngoSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Ibandla lonke lakwa-Israyeli lakhononda ngabaholi balo. 19Abaholi bathi kulo lonke ibandla: “Sifungile kubo ngoSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngakho-ke asikwazi manje ukuba singabalimaza. 20Yilokhu esizokwenza kubo: sizobayeka baphile ukuze singehlelwa wulaka ngenxa yesifungo esisenze kubo.”
21Abaholi babo bathi kubo: “Masibayeke baphile, ukuze basithezele izinkuni, futhi bakhele lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli amanzi, njengokuba abaholi benqumile ngabo.”
22UJoshuwa wababiza, wathi kubo: “Nisikhohliseleni nithi: ‘Sihlala kude nani,’ nibe nihlala phakathi kwethu, na? 23Ngakho-ke niqalekisiwe, abanye benu bayohlala beyizigqila, abathezi bezinkuni nabakhela indlu kaNkulunkulu wami amanzi.”
24Bamphendula uJoshuwa, bathi: “Lokho kwenziwe ngukuthi izinceku zakho zezwa ngokweqiniso ukuthi uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu wayiyala inceku yakhe uMose ukuba ininike izwe, nokuba ibhubhise zonke izakhamuzi zezwe eziphambi kwenu. Besinovalo olukhulu lokuthi nizosibulala, yingakho senze le nto. 25Kepha manje sesisezandleni zenu, yenza ngathi lokho obona kufanele ukuba ukwenze kithi.”
26UJoshuwa wenza lokhu kubo: wabakhulula esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli, abaze bababulala. 27Kodwa kusukela ngalolo lusuku uJoshuwa wabenza abathezi bezinkuni nabakhela ibandla lonke ne-althare likaSimakade amanzi. Lona ngumsebenzi abasaqhubeka ukuwenza nanamhlanje endaweni aziqokele yona uNkulunkulu.