Joshuwa

6 Manje iJeriko lalivalwe ngci ngenxa yama-Israyeli; kwakungekho muntu ophumayo, engekho nongenayo. +

2 UJehova wabe esethi kuJoshuwa: “Nginikele kuwe iJeriko nenkosi yalo kanye namaqhawe alo anamandla. + 3 Nonke nina madoda asebuthweni lempi kufanele nimashe nizungeze idolobha, nilizungeze kanye idolobha. Kufanele nenze kanjalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. 4 Makube nabapristi abayisikhombisa abaphethe izimpondo eziyisikhombisa zezinqama abazohamba phambi koMphongolo. Kodwa ngosuku lwesikhombisa kufanele nimashe nizungeze idolobha kasikhombisa futhi abapristi kufanele bashaye izimpondo. + 5 Lapho kushaywa uphondo lwenqama—ngokushesha nje lapho nizwa ukukhala* kophondo—bonke abantu kufanele bamemeze kakhulu ngendlela okumemeza ngayo abantu abasempini. Udonga lwedolobha luyobe selubhidlika + futhi abantu kumele bakhuphuke, yilowo nalowo aqonde phambili.”

6 Ngakho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi wathi kubo: “Thathani umphongolo wesivumelwano, abapristi abayisikhombisa kufanele baphathe izimpondo eziyisikhombisa zenqama bahambe phambi koMphongolo kaJehova.” + 7 Wayesethi kubantu: “Hambani nimashe nizungeze idolobha, ibutho elihlomile + kufanele lihambe phambi koMphongolo kaJehova.” 8 Njengoba nje uJoshuwa ayeshilo kubantu, abapristi abayisikhombisa abaphethe izimpondo eziyisikhombisa zenqama phambi kukaJehova bahamba phambili bashaya izimpondo, umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wawubalandela. 9 Ibutho elihlomile lahamba ngaphambi kwabapristi ababeshaya izimpondo, ibutho labaqaphi elingemuva lalilandela uMphongolo njengoba izimpondo zazilokhu zishaywa.

10 UJoshuwa wayeyale abantu, wathi: “Ningamemezi, akufanele amazwi enu azwakale. Akukho zwi okufanele liphume emilonyeni yenu kuze kube usuku engiyothi ngalo kini, ‘Memezani!’ Khona-ke kuyofanele nimemeze.” 11 Wayala ukuba uMphongolo kaJehova uzungeze idolobha, ulizungeze kanye, ngemva kwalokho babuyela ekamu balala khona.

12 Ngosuku olulandelayo uJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, abapristi bathatha uMphongolo + kaJehova, 13 kwathi abapristi abayisikhombisa ababephethe izimpondo eziyisikhombisa zenqama bahamba phambi koMphongolo kaJehova, baqhubeka nokushaya izimpondo. Ibutho elihlomile lalihamba phambi kwabo, kuyilapho ibutho labaqaphi elingemuva lilandela uMphongolo kaJehova njengoba izimpondo zazilokhu zishaywe njalo. 14 Ngosuku lwesibili bamasha bazungeza idolobha kanye, ngemva kwalokho babuyela ekamu. Benza kanjalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. +

15 Ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, lapho nje kuntwela ukusa, bamasha bazungeza idolobha ngendlela ababenze ngayo ngaphambili izikhathi eziyisikhombisa. Yilolo suku nje kuphela abazungeza ngalo idolobha izikhathi eziyisikhombisa. + 16 Lapho sebezungeza okwesikhombisa abapristi bashaya izimpondo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Memezani, + ngoba uJehova uninike lona leli dolobha! 17 Idolobha nakho konke okukulo kumele kubhujiswe; + konke kungokukaJehova. NguRahabi + isifebe kuphela ongaqhubeka ephila, yena nabo bonke abanaye endlini, ngoba wafihla izinhloli esasizithumile. + 18 Ningazithinti izinto okufanele zibhujiswe, + ukuze ningazihaleli bese nizithatha, + nenze ikamu lakwa-Israyeli lifanelwe ukubhujiswa futhi nililethele inhlekelele. *+ 19 Kodwa lonke isiliva negolide nezinto zethusi nezensimbi kungcwele kuJehova. + Kufanele kuye endaweni yokugcina ingcebo kaJehova.” +

20 Lapho kushaywa izimpondo, abantu bamemeza. + Ngokushesha nje lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kophondo futhi bememeza kakhulu ngendlela okumemeza ngayo abantu abasempini, udonga lwabhidlika. + Ngemva kwalokho abantu bakhuphukela kulo idolobha, yilowo nalowo waqonda phambili, balinqoba idolobha. 21 Bakubhubhisa ngenkemba konke okwakukulo, owesilisa nowesifazane, omdala nomncane, inkunzi, imvu nembongolo. +

22 UJoshuwa wathi ezinsizweni ezimbili ezazihlole izwe: “Hambani niye endlini yowesifazane oyisifebe, nifike nimkhiphe kanye nabo bonke abangabakhe, njengoba nje nafunga kuye.” + 23 Ngakho lezo zinsizwa eziyizinhloli zangena zakhipha uRahabi kanye noyise, unina, abafowabo nabo bonke abangabakhe; zawukhipha wonke umndeni wakhe, + zawuyisa ngaphandle kwekamu lakwa-Israyeli.

24 Balishisa ngomlilo idolobha nakho konke okwakukulo. Kodwa isiliva, igolide, nezinto zethusi nezensimbi bakuyisa endaweni yokugcina ingcebo esendlini kaJehova. + 25 URahabi isifebe nomndeni wakubo nabo bonke abangabakhe kuphela uJoshuwa angababulalanga; + futhi usahlala kwa-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla, + ngenxa yokuthi wafihla izinhloli uJoshuwa ayezithume ukuba ziyohlola iJeriko. +

26 Ngaleso sikhathi uJoshuwa wafunga wathi:* “Kwangathi angaqalekiswa phambi kukaJehova umuntu owakha kabusha leli dolobha laseJeriko. Lapho ebeka isisekelo salo kuyofa izibulo lakhe, futhi lapho efaka iminyango yalo kuyofa uthunjana wakhe.” +

27 UJehova waba kanjalo-ke noJoshuwa, + nodumo lwakhe lwagcwala kuwo wonke umhlaba. +