UJoshuwa
6 IJerikho yayivalwe ngci ngenxa yama-Israyeli. Akulamuntu owayephuma loba owayengena.+
2 UJehova wakhuluma loJoshuwa wathi: “Sengiyinikele esandleni sakho iJerikho lenkosi yayo kanye lamabutho ayo alamandla.+ 3 Wonke amabutho enu kumele abhode idolobho lonke kanye ngelanga. Lokhu kumele likwenze okwamalanga ayisithupha. 4 Kufanele kube labaphristi abayisikhombisa abazahamba phambi kwebhokisi, ngamunye wabo ethwele uphondo lwenqama. Ngelanga lesikhombisa lizabhoda idolobho kasikhombisa njalo kumele abaphristi bahambe betshaya uphondo.+ 5 Nxa abantu bangezwa uphondo lwenqama lukhala* kumele bamemeze kakhulu kube lokuhlokoma kwempi. Wonke umduli wedolobho uzadilika,+ abantu besebezithela phakathi kwedolobho, ngamunye wabo aqonde phambili.”
6 Ngakho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abaphristi wasesithi kubo: “Thathani ibhokisi lesivumelwano, kuthi abaphristi abayisikhombisa bahambe phambi kwebhokisi likaJehova,+ ngamunye ethwele uphondo lwenqama.” 7 Ngemva kwalokho wathi emabuthweni: “Bhodani idolobho. Kumele kube lamabutho ahlomileyo+ azahamba phambi kwebhokisi likaJehova.” 8 Njengoba nje uJoshuwa wayetshilo, abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele impondo zenqama bahamba phambi kukaJehova ngamunye etshaya uphondo lwakhe. Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaJehova lalingemva kwabo. 9 Amabutho ahlomileyo ayehamba phambi kwabaphristi ababetshaya uphondo. Ngemva kwebhokisi kwakulamanye amabutho njalo abaphristi babetshaya uphondo kokuphela.
10 UJoshuwa wayetshele abantu wathi: “Lingaqali ukumemeza futhi lingakhulumi lutho. Lihlale lithule kuze kube lilanga engizalitshela ngalo ukuthi limemeze, beselimemeza.” 11 Bathwala ibhokisi likaJehova babhoda lalo idolobho kanye nje kuphela. Ngemva kwalokho abantu babuyela ematendeni abo lapho abalala khona ubusuku bonke.
12 Ngelanga elilandelayo uJoshuwa wavuka kusesele, abaphristi basebethwala ibhokisi+ likaJehova. 13 Abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele impondo zenqama babehamba phambi kwebhokisi likaJehova betshaya uphondo kokuphela. Phambi kwabo kwakulamabutho ayehlomile njalo ngemva kwebhokisi likaJehova kwakulandela amanye amabutho. Impondo zazikhala zingathuli. 14 Langelanga lesibili balibhoda kanye idolobho, basebebuyela ematendeni abo. Lokhu bakwenza insuku eziyisithupha.+
15 Ngelanga lesikhombisa bavuka ekuseni kakhulu. Njengensukwini balibhoda idolobho kodwa mhlalokho balibhoda kasikhombisa. Kungalelolanga kuphela abalibhoda khona kasikhombisa.+ 16 Bathi sebelibhoda okwesikhombisa abaphristi batshaya uphondo. UJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: “Memezani+ ngoba uJehova uselinikele kini idolobho! 17 Tshayani libhuqe+ idolobho lonke kanye lakho konke okuphakathi kwalo. Konke ngokukaJehova. Lizatshiya uRahabi+ isifebe kuphela labo bonke elizabathola endlini yakhe ngoba wafihla inhloli esasizithumile.+ 18 Lingasondeli ezintweni okumele zitshabalaliswe+ ukuze lingazihawukeli licine selizithatha,+ beselisehlisela abako-Israyeli uhlupho bacine sebetshabalaliswa.+ 19 Kodwa sonke isiliva legolide lakho konke okwenziwe ngekhopha langensimbi kungcwele kuJehova.+ Kumele liyekufaka esiphaleni senotho kaJehova.”+
20 Impondo zakhala+ futhi abantu bathi bezizwa baklabalala kwaba lokuhlokoma kwempi, wonke umduli wadilikela phansi,+ bazithela phakathi kwedolobho balithatha. 21 Babulala wonke amadoda labesifazana ababephakathi, abantwana labadala, inkomo lezimvu kanye labobabhemi,+ bakuqeda konke ngenkemba.
22 UJoshuwa wakhuluma lamadoda amabili ayehlole ilizwe wathi: “Hambani endlini yowesifazana oyisifebe, liyemthatha labo bonke abangakibo njengoba nje lafunga kuye.”+ 23 Ngakho inhloli lezi zahamba zayathatha uRahabi loyise lonina labafowabo labo bonke abangakibo.+ Zabuya labo zayabahlalisa ngaphandle kwenkamba yama-Israyeli.
24 Bathungela lonke idolobho ngomlilo njalo konke okuphakathi kwatsha kwaloba. Kodwa isiliva legolide lezinto ezazenziwe ngekhopha langensimbi bazithatha bayazifaka esiphaleni senotho yendlu kaJehova.+ 25 URahabi isifebe lemuli kayise labo bonke abangakibo yibo kuphela uJoshuwa angababulalanga+ ngoba uRahabi wafihla inhloli ezazithunywe nguJoshuwa ukuthi ziyehlola iJerikho.+ Lalamuhla+ uRahabi ulokhu ehlala phakathi kwabako-Israyeli.
26 Ngalesosikhathi uJoshuwa wafunga wathi: “UJehova kamqalekise umuntu ozakwakha kutsha idolobho leJerikho. Uzathi efaka isisekelo salo afelwe lizibulo lakhe, athi esefaka amagedi alo+ afelwe yisicino sakhe.”
27 UJehova wayeloJoshuwa+ njalo udumo lwakhe lwasabalala emhlabeni wonke.+