Joshuwa

7 Kodwa ama-Israyeli awathembekanga ngokuphathelene nezinto okwakufanele zibhujiswe, ngoba u-Akhani + indodana kaKarmi, indodana kaZabidi, indodana kaZera, wesizwe sakwaJuda, wathatha okuthile ezintweni okwakufanele zibhujiswe. + Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wawathukuthelela kakhulu ama-Israyeli. +

2 UJoshuwa wathuma amadoda esuka eJeriko ukuba aye e-Ayi, + eliseduze kweBheti-aveni, empumalanga yeBhethele, + wathi kuwo: “Khuphukani niyohlola izwe.” Ngakho lawo madoda akhuphuka alihlola i-Ayi. 3 Lapho ebuyela kuJoshuwa athi kuye: “Asikho isidingo sokuba kukhuphuke bonke abantu. Amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezimbili noma ezintathu angalinqoba i-Ayi. Ungathumeli bonke abantu khona ukuze bangakhathali bonke, ngoba abase-Ayi bambalwa.”

4 Ngakho kwakhuphuka amadoda angaba ngu-3 000, kodwa awakwazanga ukumelana namadoda ase-Ayi. + 5 Amadoda ase-Ayi awajaha ewasusa ngaphandle kwesango ledolobha aze ayofika eShebharimi,* futhi aqhubeka ewabulala endaweni eyehlelayo, abulala amadoda angu-36. Ngenxa yalokho abantu baphela amandla.*

6 UJoshuwa waklebhula izingubo zakhe waguqa phambi koMphongolo kaJehova kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, yena namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli, babelokhu bethela inhlabathi emakhanda abo. 7 UJoshuwa wathi: “Maye, Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova, kungani ususe lesi sizwe le ngaphesheya kweJordani ukuze nje usinikele kuma-Amori ukuba asibhubhise? Ukube nje samane saneliswa ukuhlala ngaphesheya* kweJordani! 8 Ungixolele Jehova, ngingathini nje manje njengoba u-Israyeli ebalekele* izitha zakhe? 9 Lapho amaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo kuleli zwe bezwa ngalokhu, bazosivimbezela futhi balesule igama lethu emhlabeni, uzolivikela kanjani igama lakho elikhulu?” +

10 UJehova waphendula uJoshuwa wathi: “Sukuma! Uweleni ngobuso? 11 Ama-Israyeli onile. Asephulile isivumelwano + sami engasenza nawo. Athathe okuthile ezintweni obekufanele zibhujiswe, + akweba + akufihla ezintweni zawo. + 12 Ngakho ama-Israyeli ngeke akwazi ukumelana nezitha zawo. Azophenduka azibalekele izitha zawo, ngoba asefanelwe ukubhujiswa. Ngeke ngisaba nani ngaphandle kokuba nibhuqe leyo nto efanelwe ukubhujiswa iphele phakathi kwenu. + 13 Sukuma ungcwelise abantu! + Yithi kubo, ‘Zingcweliseleni usuku lwakusasa, ngoba yilokhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushoyo: “Phakathi kwakho Israyeli, kukhona into okufanele ibhujiswe. Ngeke nikwazi ukumelana nezitha zenu kuze kube yilapho senikususile phakathi kwenu lokho okufanele kubhujiswe. 14 Kumele nize ekuseni, isizwe nesizwe, kuthi isizwe uJehova asikhethayo + sisondele, umndeni nomndeni, kuthi umndeni uJehova awukhethayo usondele, indlu nendlu, kuthi indlu uJehova ayikhethayo isondele, indoda nendoda. 15 Lowo oyotholakala naleyo nto okufanele ibhujiswe uyoshiswa ngomlilo, + yena nakho konke okungokwakhe, ngenxa yokuthi wephule isivumelwano + sikaJehova nangenxa yokuthi wenze into eyihlazo kwa-Israyeli.”’”

16 Ngakho uJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu wayala u-Israyeli ukuba asondele, isizwe nesizwe, kwakhethwa isizwe sakwaJuda. 17 Wasondeza imindeni yakwaJuda, kwakhethwa umndeni wakwaZera, + ngemva kwalokho wasondeza umndeni wakwaZera, indoda nendoda, kwakhethwa uZabidi. 18 Ekugcineni wasondeza indlu kaZabidi, indoda nendoda, kwakhethwa u-Akhani indodana kaKarmi, indodana kaZabidi, indodana kaZera, wesizwe sakwaJuda. + 19 UJoshuwa wabe esethi ku-Akhani: “Ndodana yami, ngicela unikeze uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli udumo, uvume isono sakho kuye. Ngicela ungitshele ukuthi wenzeni. Ungangifihleli.”

20 U-Akhani waphendula uJoshuwa wathi: “Ngempela yimi owonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, futhi yilokhu engikwenzile. 21 Lapho ngibona empangweni isembatho esikhethekile esihle saseShinari + namashekeli* esiliva angu-200 kanye negolide elinesisindo esingamashekeli angu-50, ngakuhalela, ngase ngikuthatha. Njengamanje kugqitshwe emhlabathini phakathi etendeni lami, nemali ngaphansi kwako.”

22 Ngaso leso sikhathi uJoshuwa wathuma izithunywa zagijima zaya etendeni, zathola ingubo ifihlwe etendeni lakhe kanye nemali ngaphansi kwayo. 23 Ngakho zazithatha lezo zinto etendeni zaziyisa kuJoshuwa nakuwo wonke ama-Israyeli zazibeka phambi kukaJehova. 24 UJoshuwa nawo wonke u-Israyeli bathatha u-Akhani + indodana kaZera, isiliva, isembatho esikhethekile negolide, + bathatha namadodana akhe, amadodakazi akhe, inkunzi yakhe, imbongolo yakhe, umhlambi wakhe wezimvu nezimbuzi, itende lakhe nakho konke okwakungokwakhe, bakuyisa eSigodini* Sase-Akori. + 25 UJoshuwa wathi: “Usiletheleleni inhlekelele? *+ UJehova uzokulethela inhlekelele nawe namuhla.” Wonke u-Israyeli wabe usubashaya ngamatshe, + ngemva kwalokho wabashisa ngomlilo. + Yile ndlela abababulala ngayo ngokubashaya ngamatshe. 26 Babeka inqwaba yamatshe phezu kwesidumbu sika-Akhani, isekhona kuze kube namuhla. Ngenxa yalokho intukuthelo kaJehova yabohla. + Yingakho igama laleyo ndawo kuthiwa iSigodi Sase-Akori* kuze kube namuhla.