Izinhloli zithunywa eJeriko, zamukelwa nguRahabi
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 bakwaIsrayeli ukuba ahlole izwe.
3Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela kuRahabi, yathi: Khipha lawomadoda afikile kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngokuba ezile ukuzohlola izwe lonke.
4Owesifazane wayesethatha lawomadoda omabili, wawathukusa, wathi: Kunjalo; amadoda afika kimi, kepha ngangingazi ukuthi avelaphi;
5kwathi ngesikhathi sokuvalwa kwesango lapho sekumnyama, amadoda aphuma; angazi ukuthi ayaphi lawomadoda; 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 lendaba 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 ngalesosifungo sakho osifungisé sona,
18uma ekufikeni kwethu ezweni ungabophi lentambo ebomvu efasiteleni osehlisé 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 lendaba yethu, asiyikuba-nacala ngesifungo sakho osifungisé 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 lawomadoda 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.
