UJoshuwa 2

₁UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma ngasese eseShithimi amadoda amabili abe yizinhloli, wathi: “Hambani nibone izwe neJeriko.” Basuka, bafika endlini yesifebe esigama laso linguRahabi, balala khona.

₂Inkosi yaseJeriko yatshelwa; kwathiwa: “Bheka, kwafika lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba ahlole izwe.” ₃Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha lawo madoda afikile kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngokuba ezile ukuzohlola izwe lonke.”

₄Owesifazane wayesethatha lawo madoda omabili, wawathukusa, wathi: “Kunjalo; amadoda afika kimi, kepha ngangingazi ukuthi avelaphi; ₅kwathi ngesikhathi sokuvalwa kwesango lapho sekumnyama, amadoda aphuma; angazi ukuthi ayaphi lawo madoda; sheshani niwaxoshe, ngokuba niyakuwafica.” ₆Kepha wayewenyusele ophahleni, wawashumeka ezinhlangeni zefilakisi* abezihlelile ophahleni. ₇Abantu bawaxosha endleleni eya eJordani emazibukweni; sebephumile abawaxosha, bavala isango.

₈Engakalali, wenyukela kuwo ophahleni; ₉wathi kumadoda: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uninikile izwe, nokuthi sehlelwe ngukunesaba, nokuthi bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwenu. ₁₀Ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uJehova womisa amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibithe nokuthi wenzani kuwo amakhosi amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, oSihoni no-Ogi, enawaqothulayo. ₁₁Sathi sikuzwa lokho, izinhliziyo zethu zaphela amandla, akwabe kusabakho sibindi kumuntu phambi kwenu, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi. ₁₂Ngalokho ake nifunge manje uJehova kimi, njengokuba nginenzele umusa, ukuba nani niyenzele indlu kababa umusa, ningiphe uphawu oluqinisileyo, ₁₃nisindise ubaba, nomame, nabafowethu, nawodadewethu, nabo bonke abanabo, nophule imiphefumulo yethu ekufeni.”

₁₄Athi amadoda kuye: “Mayife imiphefumulo yethu esikhundleni senu; uma ningavezi obala le ndaba yethu, siyakunenzela umusa neqiniso lapho uJehova esinika izwe.”

₁₅Wayesewehlisa ngentambo ngasefasiteleni, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayingasogangeni lomuzi, wahlala ngasogangeni. ₁₆Wathi kuwo: “Khuphukelani entabeni, funa abanixoshayo banifice, nicashe khona izinsuku ezintathu, ukuze abanixoshayo babuye, andukuba nihambe indlela yenu.”

₁₇Ayesethi amadoda kuye: “Thina asinacala ngaleso sifungo sakho osifungise sona, ₁₈uma ekufikeni kwethu ezweni ungabophi le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni osehlise ngalo, uzibuthele endlini yakho uyihlo, nonyoko, nabafowenu, nabendlu bonke bakayihlo. ₁₉Kuyakuthi yilowo nalowo ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe libe sekhanda lakhe, thina singabi nacala; kodwa lowo okuwe endlini, igazi lakhe liyakuba sekhanda lethu, uma sibekwa isandla kuye. ₂₀Kepha uma uveza obala le ndaba yethu, asiyikuba nacala ngesifungo sakho osifungise sona.”

₂₁Wathi: “Makube njengamazwi enu.” Wayesewamukisa ahamba; wabopha intambo ebomvu efasiteleni.

₂₂Asuka aya entabeni, ahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu, baze babuya abawaxoshayo; abaxoshayo babewafuna indlela yonke, abaze bawafumana. ₂₃Ayesebuya lawo madoda omabili, ehla entabeni, awela, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo. ₂₄Athi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova unikile ezandleni zethu izwe lonke; bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwethu.”