UJoshuwa uthuma izinhloli eKhanani

2UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wasethuma eseShithimi amadoda amabili aba zinhloli ensitha, esithi: Hambani libone ilizwe, leJerikoa. Asehamba, ayafikela endlini yomfazi, iwuleb, obizo lakhe lalinguRahabic, alala khona. 2 Kwatshelwa inkosi yeJeriko kwathiwa: Khangela, kufike lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuhlola ilizwe. 3 Inkosi yeJeriko yasithumela kuRahabi isithi: Khupha lawo amadoda afikele kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngoba azehlola ilizwe lonke. 4 Kodwa owesifazana wayethethe lawomadoda amabili, wawafihla, wakhuluma kanje: Afikile kimi amadoda, kodwa bengingazi lapha avela khonad. 5 Kwasekusithi sekuzavalwa isango lapho sekumnyama amadoda aphuma. Kangikwazi lapho amadoda aye khona; axhumeni ngokuphangisa liwalandele, ngoba lizawafica. 6 Kodwa yena wayewenyusele ephahleni, wawafihla phakathi kwamahlanga efilakisi ayechayelwe yena ephahleni. 7 Amadoda asewaxhuma ngendlela yeJordani aze afika emazibukweni; bavala amasango emva kokuphuma kwabawaxhumayo bewalandela.

8 Kwathi wona engakalali, yena wenyukela kuwo ephahleni; 9 wasesithi emadodeni: Ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi ilinikile ilizwe, lokuthi ukwesabeka kwenu kuwele phezu kwethu, lokuthi bonke abakhileyo elizweni bayancibilika ngenxa yobukhona benue. 10 Ngoba sizwile ukuthi iNkosi yomisa amanzi oLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithef, lalokho elakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni loOgig elabatshabalalisayoh. 11 Sathi sikuzwa lokhoi inhliziyo yethu yancibilikaj, kakusekho isibindi emuntwini ngenxa yenuk. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, nguye uNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansil. 12 Ngakho-ke ake lifunge kimi ngeNkosi, ngoba ngilenzele umusa, lani-ke lizayenzela umusa indlu kababam, linginike isiboniso esiqinileyon, 13 ukuthi ligcine bephila ubaba lomama, labanewethu labodadewethu, lakho konke abalakho, likhulule impilo yethu ekufeni. 14 Lamadoda athi kuye: Umphefumulo wethu ufe esikhundleni senu, uba ungavezi obala loludaba lwethu. Njalo kuzakuthi lapho iNkosi isisinikile ilizwe, sizakwenzela umusa leqinisoo.

15 Wasewehlisa ngentambo ewindini, ngoba indlu yakhe yayisemdulini womuzi, wayehlala phezu komdulip. 16 Wasesithi kuwo: Yanini entabeni, hlezi abaxhumi bahlangane lani, licatshe khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuye abaxhumi, lemva kwalokho lihambe ngendlela yenu. 17 Amadoda asesithi kuye: Thina sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho lesi osifungise sonaq. 18 Khangela, ekufikeni kwethu elizweni uzabophela lintambo yomnxebar obomvu ewindini osehlise ngalos, njalo uzibuthanisele endlini yakho oyihlo lonyoko labanewenu lendlu yonke kayihlot. 19 Kuzakuthi-ke, loba ngubani ophumela phandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakhe, thina-ke sizakuba singelacala. Njalo loba ngubani ozakuba lawe endlini, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lethu, uba isandla sisiba phezu kwakheu. 20 Kodwa uba uluveza obala loludaba lwethu, sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho osifungise sonav. 21 Wasesithi: Njengamazwi enu, kakube njalo. Wasewayekela ehamba, ahamba, wabophela intambo ebomvu ewindini. 22 Asehamba afika entabeni, ahlala khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuya abaxhumi, ngoba abaxhumi bawadinga endleleni yonke, kodwa kabawatholanga.

23 Ngakho amadoda womabili aphenduka asesehla entabeni, achapha, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuniw, amtshela konke okuwehleleyox. 24 Athi kuJoshuwa: Isibili iNkosi ilinikele esandleni sethu ilizwe lonke, futhi-ke bonke abakhileyo belizwe bancibilikile ngenxa yobukhona bethuy.