UJoshuwa 2

2 ¹UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma ngasese amadoda amabili evela eShithimi ukuba abe izinhloli, wathi: “Hambani niyohlola izwe, ikakhulukazi iJeriko.” Ahamba, angena endlini yesifebe esasithiwa uRahabi, alala khona.

²Inkosi yaseJeriko yatshelwa: “Amadoda avela kwa-Israyeli afike lapha namuhla ebusuku ukuzohlola izwe.”

³Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha amadoda afike kuwe angena endlini yakho, ngokuba eze ukuzohlola izwe lonke.”

⁴Kodwa owesifazane wayewathathile amadoda omabili wawafihla, wathi: “Yebo, amadoda afika kimi, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi avelaphi. ⁵Sekuhlwa, lapho isango lisazovalwa, amadoda aphuma. Angazi ukuthi aye ngaphi amadoda. Awaxoshe ngokushesha, ngoba nizowafica.” ⁶Kodwa wayewakhuphulele ophahleni wawafihla phakathi kwezinhlanga zeflakisi ayezendlalele khona. ⁷Amadoda awaxosha ngendlela yeJordani kuze kufike emazibukweni; kwathi lapho abaxoshi sebephumile, isango lavalwa.

⁸Izinhloli zingakalali ebusuku, uRahabi wakhuphukela kuzo ophahleni, ⁹wathi kuzo: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uSimakade uninike leli zwe, nokuthi uvalo lwenu lusehlele, nokuthi bonke abakhileyo kuleli zwe bancibilika phambi kwenu. ¹⁰Sezwa ukuthi uSimakade walwomisa kanjani uLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithe, nalokho enakwenza kuSihoni no-Ogi, amakhosi amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani ngasempumalanga, enawanikela ekubhujisweni. ¹¹Sathi sikuzwa, izinhliziyo zethu zancibilika, kwaphela ukuma esibindini sawo wonke umuntu ngenxa yenu, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi. ¹²Ngakho-ke manje funga kimi ngoSimakade: njengoba nginenzele umusa, nani nenze umusa endlini kababa, ninginike nophawu oluqinisekileyo, ¹³ukuba nisindise ukuphila kukababa nokukamama nokwabafowethu nokwabodadewethu nokwabo bonke ababo, nisophule ekufeni.”

¹⁴Amadoda athi kuye: “Ukuphila kwethu kube ngenxa yenu! Uma ningakuvezi lokhu esikwenzayo, khona-ke lapho uBaba wethu esinika leli zwe, siyokwenzela umusa nokwethembeka.”

¹⁵Wabehlisa ngentambo ngefasitela, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayisogangeni lomuzi—wayehlala ogangeni. ¹⁶Wathi kuwo: “Yanini ezintabeni, funa abaxoshi bahlangane nani. Nicashe khona izinsuku ezintathu baze babuye, bese nihamba indlela yenu.”

¹⁷Amadoda athi kuye: “Siyokhululeka kulesi sifungo osenze sasifunga, ¹⁸ngaphandle kokuba, lapho singena ezweni, ubophe le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni osehlise ngalo, uqoqele uyihlo nonyoko nabafowenu nayo yonke indlu kayihlo endlini. ¹⁹Wonke ophuma eminyango yendlu yakho aye emgwaqweni—igazi lakhe liyoba sekhanda lakhe, thina siyobe simsulwa. Kodwa uma isandla sithinta noma ngubani onawe endlini, igazi lakhe liyoba sekhanda lethu. ²⁰Uma uveza lokhu esikwenzayo, siyokhululeka kulesi sifungo osenze sasifunga.”

²¹Wathi: “Makube njengokusho kwenu.” Wawamukisa, ahamba, wabe esebopha intambo ebomvu efasiteleni.

²²Ahamba aya ezintabeni, ahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu baze babuya abaxoshi. Abaxoshi bafuna endleleni yonke, abatholanga lutho. ²³Amadoda omabili abuyela emuva, ehla ezintabeni, awela, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okwawehlela. ²⁴Athi kuJoshuwa: “Impela uBaba wethu ulinikele izwe lonke ezandleni zethu; yebo, bonke abahlala khona bancibilika ngovalo phambi kwethu.”