UJoshuwa
2 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma inhloli ezimbili ukuthi zisuke eShithimi+ ziyehlola ilizwe. Wathi kuzo: “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe, lihlolisise ikakhulu iJerikho.” Ngakho amadoda la ahamba afika endlini yowesifazana oyisifebe okuthiwa nguRahabi,+ ahlala khona. 2 Inkosi yaseJerikho yabikelwa ukuthi kulamadoda ako-Israyeli afike ebusuku ezohlola ilizwe. 3 Inkosi yathi isizwa lokhu yathumela ilizwi kuRahabi yathi: “Khipha amadoda asendlini yakho ngoba alande ukuzohlola lonke ilizwe.”
4 URahabi wathatha amadoda la amabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Amadoda elikhuluma ngawo afikile sibili kodwa angikwazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi. 5 Aphume sekumnyama igedi ledolobho selizavalwa. Angikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi kodwa nxa lingawalandela masinyane lizawathola.” 6 (Kodwa yena wayekhwele lawo ephahleni wawafihla phakathi kwemihlanga eyayibuthelelwe lapho.) 7 Ngakho amadoda aseJerikho awalandela eqonde emazibukweni*+ kaJodani. Athi esanda kuphuma, igedi ledolobho lahle lavalwa.
8 URahabi wakhwela ephahleni amadoda azinhloli engakalali, 9 wathi kuwo: “Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uJehova uzalinika ilizwe+ leli lokuthi bonke abantu balapha bayalesaba.+ Abantu bonke elizweni sebephele amandla ngenxa yenu,+ 10 ngoba sezwa ukuthi uJehova womisa amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu ngesikhathi lisuka eGibhithe+ lokuthi lawenzani amakhosi amabili ama-Amori uSihoni+ lo-Ogi,+ lawo elawabulala ngaphetsheya* kukaJodani. 11 Sathi sikuzwa lokhu saphela amandla. Khathesi bonke abantu sebehlalele evalweni ngenxa yenu, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu nguNkulunkulu phezulu emazulwini laphansi+ emhlabeni. 12 Ngakho ngicela lifunge kimi ngoJehova ukuthi lizakuba lothando oluqotho emulini kababa njengoba lami ngibe lothando oluqotho kini, futhi ngicela linginike isibonakaliso esitshengisa ukuthi lizakwenza elikuthembisayo.* 13 Ngicela lisindise ubaba lomama, labafowethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, lingasibulali.”+
14 Amadoda la amphendula athi: “Kungcono kufe thina esikhundleni sokuthi kufe lina! Ngesikhathi uJehova esesinika ilizwe lenu, sizakuba lomusa kini senze lokho esikuthembisileyo nxa lingasoze likhulume ngendaba le.” 15 Ngemva kwalokho wawanika intambo wathi ehle ngayo ewindini ngoba indlu yakhe yayisemdulini+ wedolobho, yakhelwe phezu kwawo. 16 Wasesithi kuwo: “Qondani ezintabeni liyecatsha khona okwamalanga amathathu ukuze abalidingayo bangalitholi. Nxa sebephendukile selingasuka lizihambele.”
17 Amadoda la athi kuye: “Sizagcwalisa isifungo esisenze kuwe+ nxa ungenza lokhu: 18 Nxa sesingena elizweni leli kumele sithole ubophele intambo le ebomvu ewindini osikhiphe ngalo. Kumele ubize uyihlo lonyoko labafowenu kanye lazo zonke izihlobo zikayihlo, babuye endlini yakho.+ 19 Nxa kungaba lomuntu ophumayo endlini yakho abesebulawa, icala lizakuba ngelakhe, thina asisoze sibe lecala. Kodwa kungabulawa umuntu ophakathi kwendlu yakho, icala lizakuba ngelethu. 20 Nxa ungatshela abantu ngendaba le+ sizabe sesikhululekile esifungweni esisenze kuwe.” 21 URahabi waphendula wathi: “Kulungile, konke elikukhulumileyo ngizakwenza.”
Basebevalelisana, amadoda la ahamba. Ngemva kwalokho wabophela intambo ebomvu ewindini. 22 Inhloli lezi zaya ezintabeni zahlala khona okwamalanga amathathu, amadoda ayezidinga aze abuyela eJerikho. Amadoda aseJerikho ayedinge inhloli lezi kuyo yonke imigwaqo kodwa kawazange azithole. 23 Inhloli ezimbili zehla ezintabeni zachapha umfula zaya kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, zafika zamlandisela konke okwakwenzakele. 24 Zathi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova usesinike+ lonke ilizwe. Phela bonke abantu elizweni sebephele amandla ngenxa yokusesaba.”+