uBaba Wethu Udiliza Izindonga zaseJeriko
Izinsuku eziyisithupha ibutho lizungeza umuzi ovaliwe lithule. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa liwuzungeza kasikhombisa futhi limemeze, uBaba wethu awise udonga. Konke kunikelwa ekubhujisweni ngaphandle kwendlu kaRahabi, ekhishwa yizinsizwa ezazimfungele.
6 1IJeriko yayivalwe nse ngenxa yama-Israyeli; kwakungaphumi muntu kungangeni muntu.
2uBaba wethu wathi kuJoshuwa: “Bheka, iJeriko nenkosi yayo namaqhawe ayo anamandla ngikunikele esandleni sakho.
3“Zungezani umuzi, nina nonke madoda alwayo, niwuhaqe kanye. Nenze kanjalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. 4Abapristi abayisikhombisa mabaphathe izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa nizungeze umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi beshaya izimpondo. 5Kuyothi lapho uphondo lwenqama lukhala kakhulu nilwizwa, abantu bonke bamemeze kakhulu. Udonga lomuzi luyodilika lithi mbo phansi, kuthi yilowo nalowo aqonde phambili.”
6uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi wathi kubo: “Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, kuthi abapristi abayisikhombisa baphathe izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo kaBaba wethu.”
7Wathi kubantu: “Qhubekelani phambili! Zungezani umuzi, kuthi amadoda ahlomile ahambe phambi komphongolo kaBaba wethu.”
8Kwathi uJoshuwa eseqedile ukukhuluma, abapristi abayisikhombisa ababephethe izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi kukaBaba wethu baqhubekela phambili, beshaya izimpondo, kwathi umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaBaba wethu wabalandela. 9Amadoda ahlomile ahamba phambi kwabapristi ababeshaya izimpondo, abaqaphi bangemuva belandela umphongolo, izimpondo zikhala njalonjalo.
10Kodwa uJoshuwa wayala abantu wathi: “Ningamemezi, nezwi lenu lingezwakali; akuphumi nalinye izwi emlonyeni wenu kuze kube yilapho ngithi, ‘Memezani!’ Khona-ke nimemeze.” 11Ngakho wenza umphongolo kaBaba wethu wazungeza umuzi kanye. Base befika ekamu balala khona ekamu. 12uJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu ngakusasa, abapristi baphakamisa umphongolo kaBaba wethu. 13Abapristi abayisikhombisa ababephethe izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo kaBaba wethu baqhubeka behamba, bezishaya njalo. Amadoda ahlomile ahamba phambili; abaqaphi bangemuva balandela umphongolo kaBaba wethu izimpondo zikhala. 14Ngakho ngosuku lwesibili bazungeza umuzi kanye babuyela ekamu. Benza kanjalo izinsuku eziyisithupha.
15Ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ekuseni kakhulu bazungeza umuzi njengakuqala, kodwa ngalolu suku kasikhombisa. 16Kwathi ngokuzungeza kwesikhombisa, abapristi beshaya izimpondo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Memezani! Ngokuba uBaba wethu uninikile umuzi. 17Umuzi nakho konke okukuwo kunikelwe kuBaba wethu ukuba kubhujiswe. NguRahabi isifebe kuphela nabo bonke abanaye endlini yakhe abayophila, ngokuba wafihla izithunywa esazithuma. a a v17 Ukunikelwa kuBaba wethu ukuba kubhujiswe kusho ukuthi konke kwanikelwa ngokugcwele kuNkulunkulu ngokubhujiswa — kwakungenakuthathwa mpango yokusetshenziswa ngumuntu siqu. 18Kodwa niqhelelane nalokho okwahlukaniselwe ukubhujiswa, ukuze ningazilethi incithakalo ngokuthatha okuthile kukho, nifake lonke ikamu lika-Israyeli engozini yokubhujiswa, nilethe inhlupheko kulo. 19Kodwa sonke isiliva, negolide, nezinto zethusi nezensimbi kungcwele kuBaba wethu; kumele kungene engcebeni yakhe.”
20Ngakho abantu bamemeza lapho abapristi beshaya izimpondo. Bathi ukuzwa icilongo, bamemeza kakhulu, udonga ladilika lathi mbo phansi. Abantu bangena ngokugijima emzini, yilowo nalowo eqonde phambili, bawuthumba. 21Banikela konke okwakusemzini ekubhujisweni—amadoda nabesifazane, abasha nabadala, izinkabi, izimvu, izimbongolo—ngosiko lwenkemba. b b v21 Ukunikelwa kweJeriko ekubhujisweni kungenye yezigcawu ezinzima kunazo zonke eMibhalweni: ukwahlulela kukaBaba wethu okwakubanjelwe isikhathi eside phezu komphakathi owawunikele elunyeni nasekuhlatshweni kwezingane. Ngisho nalapha umusa wakhe uyafinyelela, usindisa uRahabi nendlu yakhe yonke—owangaphandle owaphendukela kuye ngokholo. 22uJoshuwa wathi emadodeni amabili ayehlole izwe: “Yanini endlini yesifebe nikhiphe lowo wesifazane nabo bonke abangabakhe, njengoba nafunga kuye.” 23Ngakho izinhloli ezincane zangena zakhipha uRahabi, noyise, nonina, nabafowabo, nabo bonke ababengabakhe. Zakhipha umndeni wakhe wonke zabahlalisa ngaphandle kwekamu lika-Israyeli. 24Bawushisa umuzi nakho konke okwakukuwo, kodwa bafaka isiliva, negolide, nezinto zethusi nezensimbi endlini yokugcina yendlu kaBaba wethu. 25uJoshuwa wamsindisa uRahabi isifebe, nendlu kayise, nabo bonke ababengabakhe. Uhlala phakathi kuka-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla, ngokuba wafihla izithunywa uJoshuwa azithuma ukuba zihlole iJeriko.
26uJoshuwa wabafungisa lesi sifungo: “Uqalekisiwe phambi kukaBaba wethu umuntu osukuma akhe kabusha lo muzi, iJeriko. Uyobeka isisekelo sawo ngokulahlekelwa yizibulo lakhe, amise amasango awo ngokulahlekelwa ngomncane wakhe.” 27Ngakho uBaba wethu wayenoJoshuwa, udumo lukaJoshuwa lwanda kulo lonke izwe.
