Joshuwa

Isahluko 6

IJeriko lalivalile amasango alo ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; kwakungaphumi muntu, kungangeni muntu.
2 UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Bheka, nginikele esandleni sakho iJeriko, nenkosi yalo, namaqhawe anamandla.
3 Niyakuhaqa umuzi, onke amadoda empi, niwuzungeze umuzi kanye. Uyakwenze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha.
4 Abapristi abayisikhombisa bayakuthwala amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo; ngosuku lwesikhombisa niyakuwuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi babethe amacilongo.
5 Kuyakuthi lapho bekhalisa kade uphondo lwejubili nalapho nilizwa izwi lecilongo, bonke abantu bakhamuluke ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lomuzi luwele phansi endaweni yalo, abantu bakhuphuke, yilowo nalowo aqonde phambili nje.”
6 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi, wathi kubo: “Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, abapristi abayisikhombisa bathwale amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo kaJehova.”
7 Kubantu wathi: “Dlulani, niwuzungeze umuzi, abahlomileyo badlule phambi komphongolo kaJehova.”
8 Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa esekhulumile kubantu, abapristi abayisikhombisa bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi kukaJehova badlula, babetha amacilongo, umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wabalandela.
9 Abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabapristi ababetha amacilongo, nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo, bebetha amacilongo besahamba.
10 UJoshuwa wayala abantu, wathi: “Aniyikukhamuluka; ningalizwakalisi izwi lenu, kungaphumi gama emlonyeni wenu, kuze kufike usuku engiyakuthi ngalo kini: ‘Khamulukani!’ Bese nikhamuluka.”
11 Wayesenza ukuba umphongolo kaJehova uzungeze umuzi, wawuhaqa kanye; base befika ekamu, balala ubusuku ekamu.
12 UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, abapristi bathatha umphongolo kaJehova.
13 Abapristi abayisikhombisa, bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo kaJehova, bahamba njalo bewabetha amacilongo; abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabo, nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo kaJehova, bebetha amacilongo besahamba.
14 Ngosuku lwesibili bawuzungeza umuzi kanye, babuyela ekamu; benze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha.
15 Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ukuntwela kokusa, bawuzungeza umuzi ngandlelanye kasikhombisa; ngalolo suku kuphela bawuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa.
16 Kwathi ngokwesikhombisa abapristi sebebethile amacilongo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Khamulukani, ngokuba uJehova uninikile umuzi.
17 Umuzi uyakwahlukaniselwa uJehova, wona nakho konke okukuwo; uRahabi isifebe kuphela uyakusinda, yena nabo bonke abakuye endlini, ngokuba wazithukusa izithunywa esazithumayo.
18 Kodwa zigcineni nina kukho okuqalekisiweyo, funa lapho senikuqalekisile nithathe kukho okuqalekisiweyo, nilenze ikamu libe ngeliqalekisiweyo, nilihluphe.
19 Kepha lonke isiliva, negolide, nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi kungcwele kuJehova; kuyakungena endlini yengcebo kaJehova.”
20 Abantu base bekhamuluka, amacilongo abethwa; kwathi lapho abantu bezwe ukukhala kwecilongo, abantu bakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lwawela phansi endaweni yalo, abantu benyukela emzini, yilowo nalowo waqonda phambili nje, bawuthatha umuzi.
21 Baqalekisa konke okusemzini, isilisa nesifazane, abasha nabadala, nezinkabi, nezimvu, nezimbongolo, ngosiko lwenkemba.
22 UJoshuwa wathi kulawo madoda amabili ayelihlolile izwe: “Ngenani endlini yesifebe, nikhiphe kuyo owesifazane nabo bonke anabo, njengalokho namfungela.”
23 Izinsizwa ezaziyizinhloli zangena, zamkhipha uRahabi, noyise, nonina, nabafowabo, nabo bonke anabo, zakhipha bonke abomuzi wakhe, zababeka ngaphandle kwekamu lakwa-Israyeli.
24 Bawushisa umuzi ngomlilo, nakho konke okukuwo; isiliva kuphela, negolide, nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi bakufaka endlini yengcebo endlini kaJehova.
25 Kepha uRahabi isifebe, nabendlu kayise, nabo bonke anabo, uJoshuwa wabasindisa; uhlala phakathi kuka-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla, lokhu wathukusa izithunywa uJoshuwa azithuma ukuba zihlole iJeriko.
26 UJoshuwa wabafungisa ngaleso sikhathi, wathi: “Makaqalekiswe phambi kukaJehova umuntu osuka akhe lo muzi waseJeriko; uyakubeka isisekelo sawo ngokulahlekelwa yizibulo lakhe, amise amasango awo ngokulahlekelwa ngomncinyane wakhe.”
27 UJehova wayenaye uJoshuwa; udumo lwakhe lwalukhona ezweni lonke.