Joshuwa
2 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma ngasese amadoda amabili ayizinhloli, esuka eShithimi. + Wathi kuwo: “Hambani niyohlola izwe, ikakhulukazi iJeriko.” Ngakho ahamba afika endlini yowesifazane oyisifebe okuthiwa uRahabi, + ahlala khona. 2 Inkosi yaseJeriko yatshelwa kwathiwa: “Namuhla ebusuku kufike amadoda akwa-Israyeli ezohlola izwe.” 3 Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela umyalezo kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha amadoda afikele endlini yakho, ngoba azohlola lonke izwe.”
4 Kodwa owesifazane wawathatha lawo madoda amabili wawacashisa. Wabe esethi: “Yebo, afikile kimi lawo madoda, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi avelaphi. 5 Kuthe sekuhlwile lapho isango ledolobha selizovalwa, lawo madoda ahamba. Angazi ukuthi ayephi, kodwa uma ningaphuthuma niwajahe, nizowafica.” 6 (Nokho, wayewanyusele phezu kwendlu, wawafihla ezithungweni zefilakisi* ezazibekwe ngokulandelana phezu kwendlu.) 7 Ngakho amadoda ayethunywe yinkosi awajaha ehamba ngendlela eya eJordani emazibukweni, + isango lavalwa ngemva nje kokuba labo abawajahayo sebephumile.
8 Ngaphambi kokuba amadoda alale, uRahabi wakhuphukela kuwo phezu kwendlu. 9 Wathi kuwo: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uzoninika leli zwe, + futhi sethuke kakhulu ngenxa yenu. + Zonke izakhamuzi zakule ndawo ziphele amandla ngenxa yenu, + 10 ngoba siyizwile indlela uJehova omisa ngayo amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu lapho niphuma eGibhithe, + sezwa nangalokho enakwenza emakhosini amabili ama-Amori, uSihoni + no-Ogi, + enawaqothula ngaphesheya* kweJordani. 11 Lapho sizwa ngakho, saphela amandla* futhi akekho noyedwa olungamshayi uvalo* ngenxa yenu, ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu naphansi emhlabeni. + 12 Manje ngicela nifunge egameni likaJehova ukuthi, ngenxa yokuthi nginibonise umusa, nani nizowubonisa umusa umndeni wakithi, futhi kumele ninginike isiqinisekiso* ukuze ngazi ukuthi nizosigcina isithembiso senu. 13 Kumele nisindise ubaba nomama, abafowethu nodadewethu nabo bonke abahlala nabo, kumele nisisindise ekufeni.” +
14 La madoda athi kuye: “Kuzofa thina esikhundleni senu! Uma ningeke niyidalule le ndaba yethu, sizonibonisa umusa futhi sethembeke kini lapho uJehova esinika leli zwe.” 15 Ngemva kwalokho wawehlisa ngentambo efasiteleni, ngoba indlu yakhe yayixhumene nodonga lwedolobha. Empeleni, wayehlala phezulu odongeni. + 16 Wabe esethi kuwo: “Hambani niye ezintabeni, nicashe khona izinsuku ezintathu, ukuze labo abanijahayo banganitholi. Kuyothi uma sebebuyile, bese niqhubeka nendlela yenu.”
17 La madoda athi kuye: “Sizobopheka ukugcina isifungo osifungise sona + 18 kuphela uma kuzothi lapho sifika kule ndawo, sikuthole ubophele le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni ozosehlisa ngalo. Kufanele uqoqele uyihlo, unyoko, abafowenu nawo wonke umndeni kayihlo endlini yakho. + 19 Uma kwenzeka kuba khona ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe liyoba sekhanda lakhe, thina ngeke sibe nacala. Kodwa uma kungake kulimale noma* ubani onawe endlini, igazi lakhe liyoba semakhanda ethu. 20 Kodwa uma ungayidalula le ndaba yethu, + ngeke sibe nacala ngokuphathelene nesifungo osifungise sona.” 21 Waphendula wathi: “Makube njengamazwi enu.”
Wabe esewadedela ahamba. Ngemva kwalokho, wabophela intambo ebomvu efasiteleni. 22 Ngakho ahamba aya ezintabeni afike ahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu, kwaze kwaba yilapho ababewajaha sebebuyele emuva. Ababewajaha babewacinge kuyo yonke imigwaqo, kodwa abawatholanga. 23 La madoda amabili abe esehla ezintabeni awela umfula aze ayofika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni. Amlandisa zonke izinto ezazenzeke kuwo. 24 Abe esethi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova usinike lonke izwe. + Empeleni, zonke izakhamuzi zendawo ziphele amandla ngenxa yethu.” +