URahabhi Uzimela Iintlola
Iintlola ezimbini zizimela endlwini yehenyukazi laseYeriko, kanti nguRahabhi othetha into evakalayo: wonke umzi uvile oko uBawo wethu wakwenzayo eLwandle oluBomvu, sele unyibilika. Watshintshisela ubomi babo ngobosapho lwakhe, waza waxhoma umsonto obomvu efestileni yakhe.
2 1UYoshuwa unyana kaNun wathuma ngasese amadoda amabini esuka eShitim, eziintlola, wathi: “Hambani, niye kuhlola ilizwe, ngokukodwa iYeriko.” Ahamba ke, angena endlwini yehenyukazi eligama linguRahabhi, alala khona.
2Waxelelwa ukumkani waseYeriko, kwathiwa: “Kukho amadoda angene apha ngobu busuku, evela koonyana bakaSirayeli, eze kuhlola ilizwe.”
3Wathumela ukumkani waseYeriko kuRahabhi, wathi: “Khuphela ngaphandle amadoda eze kuwe, angene endlwini yakho, kuba eze kuhlola lonke eli lizwe.”
4Kodwa umfazi wayewathabathile amadoda amabini, wawafihla, waza wathi: “Ewe, afikile amadoda kum, kodwa bendingazi apho avela khona. 5Kuthe kusenziwa mnyama, isango lisavalwa, aphuma amadoda. Andazi apho aye khona amadoda. Khawulezani niwasukele, kuba niya kuwafumana.” 6Kodwa yena wayewanyusele phezu kwendlu, wawafihla ezithungwini zeflakisi awayezibeke apho. 7 Awasukela amadoda endleleni eya eYordan, kwesa emazibukweni; kwathi bakuphuma ababasukelayo, lavalwa isango.
8Zingekalali ke iintlola ebusuku, wenyuka uRahabhi weza kuzo phezu kwendlu, 9wathi kuzo: “Ndiyazi ukuba uNdikhoyo ulinikele kuni eli lizwe, nokuba unkwantyo wenu usifikele, nokuba bonke abemi beli lizwe banyibilika phambi kwenu. 10Kuba sivile indlela awatshisa ngayo uNdikhoyo amanzi oLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwenu, ngexesha lokuphuma kwenu eYiputa; nento enayenzayo kuSihon noOgi, ookumkani ababini bama-Amori ababengaphesheya kweYordan ngasempumalanga, enabasingela phantsi. 11Sivile, yanyibilika intliziyo yethu, akwasala moya emntwini ngenxa yenu, kuba uNdikhoyo uThixo wenu nguThixo emazulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phantsi. 12Ngoko ndifungeleni ngoNdikhoyo: njengokuba ndinenzele inceba, nani niyenzele inceba indlu kabawo; nindinike umqondiso othembekileyo, 13ukuba nophilisa ubomi bukabawo, noma, nabanakwethu, nodade bethu, nabo bonke abendlu yabo, nisihlangule ekufeni.”
14Athi amadoda kuye: “Imiphefumlo yethu ibe yeyenu, nina nife! Ukuba anixelanga le nto siyenzayo, kothi xa uBawo wethu asinike ilizwe, sikwenzele inceba nenyaniso.”
15Wawahlisa ngomtya ngefestile, kuba indlu yakhe yayiseludongeni lomzi; wayehleli eludongeni. 16Wathi kuwo: “Yiyani entabeni, hleze ababasukelayo banifumane. Nizimele khona iintsuku ezintathu bade babuye, nandule ukuhamba ngendlela yenu.”
17Athi kuye amadoda: “Siya kuba msulwa kwesi sifungo osifungisileyo, 18ukuba, ekungeneni kwethu ezweni, awuthanga wasibophelela esi singa sibomvu kule festile usehlise ngayo, uze uhlanganisele uyihlo, nonyoko, nabanakwenu, nendlu yonke kayihlo endlwini. 19Nabani na oya kuphuma ngeengcango zendlu yakho, aye ezitratweni, igazi lakhe liya kuba phezu kwentloko yakhe; thina sosulwa. Ke lowo uya kuba nawe endlwini, ukuba isandla simchukumisile, igazi lakhe liya kuba phezu kwentloko yethu. 20Ukuba uthe wayixela le nto siyenzayo, thina sokhululeka kwisifungo osifungisileyo.”
21Wathi: “Makube njengoko nitshoyo.” Wawandulula; ahamba ke, waza walubophelela usinga olubomvu kule festile.
22Aya entabeni, ahlala khona iintsuku ezintathu bade babuya ababasukelayo. Ababasukelayo bakhangela yonke indlela, abafumananga nto. 23Abuyela umva la madoda mabini, ehla entabeni, awela umlambo, aya kuYoshuwa unyana kaNun, amxelela konke okwawehlelayo. 24Athi kuYoshuwa: “Inene uBawo wethu ulinikele ezandleni zethu lonke ilizwe; ngaphezu koko, bonke abemi balapho banyibilika yoyika phambi kwethu.”
