Xa iintlola zamaSirayeli zaya kwisixeko saseYeriko, zahlala kwindlu yomfazi onguRahabhi. Ukumkani waseYeriko wayiva loo nto waza wathumela amajoni kwindlu yalo mfazi. Wazifihla eluphahleni lwendlu waza wathi amajoni makaye kuzikhangela kwenye indawo. Wathi kwiintlola: ‘Ndiza kuninceda kuba ndiyazi ukuba uYehova ungakuni ibe niza kusithimba nesi sixeko. Ndicela nindithembise ukuba niza kuyisindisa intsapho yam.’

Ezi ntlola zathi kuRahabhi: ‘Siyakuthembisa ukuba wonke umntu ongaphakathi endlwini yakho akayi kufa.’ Zathi: ‘Ukuze intsapho yakho isinde, bophelela intambo ebomvu efestileni yendlu yakho.’

URahabhi wazihlisa ngentambo efestileni. Zaya kuzimela ezintabeni iintsuku eziyi-3 ngaphambi kokuba zibuyele kuYoshuwa. Emva koko amaSirayeli anqumla uMlambo iYordan aze alungiselela ukuthatha elo lizwe. Isixeko sokuqala awasoyisayo yiYeriko. UYehova wathi makajikeleze eso sixeko kanye ngemini iintsuku eziyi-6. Ngosuku lwe-7 asijikeleza kayi-7. Emva koko ababingeleli bavuthela amaxilongo, aza amajoni atsho ngengxolo enkulu. Iindonga zeso sixeko zathi bhuma phantsi! Kodwa yona indlu kaRahabhi, eyayiseludongeni, zange idilike. URahabhi nentsapho yakhe basindiswa kuba wayemthembile uYehova.

Iindaba zaseYeriko zanwenwela nakwezinye izizwe zamaKanan. Ookumkani bezo zizwe badibana ukuze balwe namaSirayeli. Kodwa amaGibheyon eza nelinye iqhinga. Aya kuYoshuwa enxibe iimpahla ezikrazukileyo aza athi: ‘Sisuka kwilizwe elikude. Sivile ngoYehova nangazo zonke izinto azenzileyo eYiputa nakwaMowabhi. Sithembise ukuba akuzi kusihlasela, siza kuba ngabakhonzi bakho.’

UYoshuwa wawakholelwa waza wavuma ukuba akazi kuwahlasela. Kwiintsuku eziyi-3 emva koko, wafumanisa ukuba awaveli kwilizwe elikude. Ayevela kwaKanan. UYoshuwa wawabuza wathi: ‘Nindiqhathele ntoni?’ Aphendula athi: ‘Besisoyika! Siyazi ukuba uYehova uThixo wenu uyanilwela. Sicela ningasibulali.’ UYoshuwa wagcina isithembiso sakhe, akawabulala.

Zange kube kudala, ookumkani bamaKanan abayi-5 nemikhosi yabo boyikisa amaGibheyon ngokuwabulala. UYoshuwa nomkhosi wakhe bahamba ubusuku bonke besiya kuwakhusela. Umlo waqala ekuseni kakhulu ngosuku olulandelayo. AmaKanan abaleka. Naphi na apho ayebalekela khona uYehova wayewabetha ngamatye amakhulu esichotho. UYoshuwa wacela ukuba uYehova enze ilanga lime ngxi. Wayenokuyicela njani loo nto ekubeni ilanga lingazange lime ngaphambili? Wayenokuyicela kuba wayemthembile uYehova. Ilanga alizange litshone loo mini ade amaSirayeli oyisa ookumkani bamaKanan nemikhosi yabo.