Jotjhuwa
2 Ngemva kwalokho, uJotjhuwa indodana kaNuni wathumela ngemsitheleni amadoda amabili avela eTjhitimu+ bona ayokuba ziinhloli. Wathi kiwo: “Khambani niyokuhlola inarha, khulukhulu iJerikho.” Nje-ke akhamba afika endlini yengwadla ekuthiwa nguRarhabu,+ ahlala khona. 2 Ikosi yeJerikho yafumana umbiko othi: “Qala! Kungene amadoda wakwa-Israyeli enarhenapha ebusuku banamhlanjesi azokuhlola inarha.” 3 Yeke ikosi yeJerikho yathumela umlayezo kuRarhabu yathi: “Khupha amadoda afikileko begodu angena ngendlinakho ngombana azele ukuzokuhlola inarha yoke.”
4 Kodwana uRarhabu wafihla amadoda amabili lawo. Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Iye khona, afikile kimi amadoda lawo kodwana bengingazi ukuthi avelaphi. 5 Kuthe nakurhwaqelako lokha isango ledorobho nasele lizokuvalwa, amadoda la aphuma. Angazi bona atjhingephi kodwana naningarhaba niwagijimise nizowafumana.” 6 (Nanyana kunjalo, bekakhuphukele nawo ephahleni wawafihla hlangana neenhlanga zesitjalo selineni* ebezirhenyiswe ephahleni.) 7 Nje-ke amadoda athunywe yikosi awagijimisa ngendlela yeJordani emazibukweni+ begodu isango ledorobho lavalwa ngemva kobana amadoda athunywe yikosi aphumile.
8 Ngaphambi kobana iinhloli ezimbili zilale, uRarhabu wakhuphukela kizo ephahleni. 9 Wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uzoninikela inarha le+ nokuthi sirhidlwa livalo ngebanga lenu.+ Zoke izakhamuzi zenarha ziphelelwe mamandla ngebanga lenu+ 10 ngombana sizwile ukuthi uJehova wawomisa njani amanzi weLwandle eliBomvu naniphuma eGibhide,+ nalokho enakwenza emakhosini amabili wama-Amori, uSirhoni+ no-Ogi,+ enawatjhabalalisa ehlangothini elingepumalanga yeJordani. 11 Kwathi nasizwa ngalokho, sangenwa mamanzi emadolweni, akekho onesibindi ngebanga lenu ngombana uJehova uZimenu unguZimu phezulu ezulwini nephasini phasi.+ 12 Nje-ke, ngibawa nifunge kimi ngoJehova ukuthi ngebanga lokuthi ngibe nomusa* kini nani nizokuba nomusa* emndenini kababa; begodu kufuze ninginikele itshwayo lokuthi nizokwenza enikutjhoko. 13 Kufuze nirhawukele ukuphila kwakamma nobaba, abafowethu nabodadwethu, nabo boke okungebabo begodu kufuze nisisindise ekufeni.”+
14 Iinhloli zamphendula zathi: “Kungamane kufe thina esikhundleni senu! Nange ningayivezi indabethu le sizokuba nomusa* begodu sithembeke kuwe uJehova nakasinikela inarha.” 15 Ngemva kwalokho, wazikhupha ngefesidere wazehlisela phasi ngerobho ngombana indlwakhe beyingehlangothini leboda ledorobho. Kuhlekuhle, bekahlala ebodeni ledorobho.+ 16 Yeke wathi kizo: “Tjhingani esifundeni seentaba nibhace khona amalanga amathathu bona labo abanigijimisako banganifumani. Nasele labo abanigijimisako babuyile, ningakhamba.”
17 Iinhloli zathi kuye: “Angekhe sibe mlandu ngokuphathelene nesifungo osenzise sona+ 18 nasingafika enarheni le sifumane ungakabophi intambo ebomvu le efesidereni osehlise ngalo. Yeke kufuze ubize uyihlo, unyoko, abafowenu nawo woke umndeni kayihlo ube nawe ngendlini.+ 19 Nanyana ngubani ozokuphumela ngaphandle kwendlwakho, iingazi zakhe zizokuba phezu kwehlokwakhe, thina angekhe sibe mlandu. Kodwana nanyana ngubani olimala anawe ngendlini, iingazi zakhe zizokuba phezu kweenhloko zethu. 20 Kodwana nawungayiveza indabethu le,+ angekhe sibe mlandu ngokuphathelene nesifungo osenzise sona.” 21 Waziphendula wathi: “Akwenzeke ngokwamezwenu.”
Wazikhambisa. Ngemva kwalokho, wabopha intambo ebomvu efesidereni. 22 Nje-ke zaya esifundeni seentaba zahlala lapho amalanga amathathu, bekwabuya labo abazigijimisako. Labo abazigijimisako bebazifune kizo zoke iindlela kodwana akhenge bazifumane. 23 Ngemva kwalokho, amadoda amabili aziinhloli ehla esifundeni seentaba ayama umlambo begodu afika kuJotjhuwa indodana kaNuni. Amtjela koke okwenzeke kiwo. 24 Athi kuJotjhuwa: “UJehova usinikele yoke inarha.+ Ekhabolakhona, zoke izakhamuzi zenarha ziphelelwe mamandla ngebanga lethu.”+