uBawo Uhlaziya Abantu Bakhe eGiligali

Phambi kokuba kubekho kulwa, kukho ukuphumla. Isizukulwana esitsha siyolukwa sishiywe eminqubeni ukuze siphile, iPasika iyagcinwa, yaza imana yaphela mhla badla ukudla kwelizwe ngokwalo. Kwandula kwafika indoda ephethe ikrele elirholiweyo, exelela uYoshuwa ukuba ingumphathi womkhosi kaBawo wethu.

Isahluko 5.

Kwathi ookumkani bonke bama-Amori ababengasentshonalanga kweYordan, nookumkani bonke bamaKanan ababengaselwandle, bakuva ukuba uBawo wethu wayewomisile amanzi aseYordan phambi kwamaSirayeli, bada bawela, zanyibilika iintliziyo zabo, akwaba sabakho moya kubo ngenxa yamaSirayeli.

Ngelo xesha uBawo wethu wathi kuYoshuwa: “Zenzele iintshengece, uphinde ubaluse oonyana bakaSirayeli, okwesibini.”

Waza uYoshuwa wenza iintshengece, wabalusa oonyana bakaSirayeli eGibheyati-haarraloti, iNduli yeeNyama zokwaluswa. Nantsi into eyabangela ukuba uYoshuwa abaluse: bonke abantu ababephume eYiputa, amadoda, onke amadoda okulwa, babefele entlango endleleni emva kokuphuma eYiputa. Bonke abaphumayo babelusiwe, kodwa abo babezelwe entlango endleleni bakuphuma eYiputa babengaluswanga. Oonyana bakaSirayeli bahamba iminyaka engamashumi amane entlango, lwada lonke uhlanga—amadoda okulwa awaphumayo eYiputa—lwaphela, ngokuba babengaliphulaphulanga izwi likaBawo wethu. Wabafungela uBawo wethu ukuba akayi kubavumela ukuba balibone ilizwe awalifungela ooyise ukuba asinike lona, ilizwe elibaleka amasi nobusi. Wabamisa oonyana babo esikhundleni sabo, waza uYoshuwa wabalusa, kuba babengalukanga, bengaluswanga endleleni. Kwathi, lwakugqitywa ukwaluswa lonke uhlanga, bahlala eminqubeni bada baphiliswa.

Waza uBawo wethu wathi kuYoshuwa: “Namhla ndiliqengqile isingcikivo samaYiputa, lasuka kuni.” Ngenxa yoko loo ndawo kuthiwa yiGiligali unanamhla.

AmaSirayeli abemise eGiligali ayenza ipasika ngomhla weshumi elinesine wenyanga, ngokuhlwa, ezinkqantosini zaseYeriko. Ngengomso yepasika, kwangaloo mini, badla indyebo yelizwe: izonka ezingenagwele namakhweba. Yaphela imana ngengomso emva kokuba bedlile indyebo yelizwe. Oonyana bakaSirayeli ababa saba nayo imana; ngaloo mnyaka badla isivuno selizwe lakwaKanan.

uMthetheli woMkhosi kaBawo wethu

Kwathi uYoshuwa engaseYeriko, waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona indoda imi phambi kwakhe, irhole ikrele layo ngesandla sayo. Wasondela kuyo wathi: “Ungowethu na, okanye ungoweentshaba zethu?”

Yaphendula yathi: “Hayi. Ndize ngoku njengomthetheli womkhosi kaBawo wethu.” UYoshuwa wawa ngobuso emhlabeni, waqubuda, wathi: “Ithini na inkosi yam kumkhonzi wayo?”

Umthetheli womkhosi kaBawo wethu wathi kuYoshuwa: “Khulula iimbadada ezinyaweni zakho, kuba indawo omi kuyo ingumhlaba ongcwele.” Wenjenjalo ke uYoshuwa.