Joshua 6

1IJerikho yayivalwe ngci ngenxa yabako-Israyeli. Akulamuntu owayephuma loba owayengena.

2Ngakho uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa, “Khangela, senginikele iJerikho, inkosi yayo kanye lamabutho ayo ezandleni zakho. 3Hambani libhode idolobho kanye lamadoda wonke ahlomileyo. Kwenzeni lokhu okwensuku eziyisithupha. 4Abaphristi abayisikhombisa kabathwale amacilongo enziwe ngempondo zenqama phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa libhode idolobho kasikhombisa, abaphristi bevuthela amacilongo. 5Nxa lingabezwa sebetshaya amacilongo bedonsa, abantu bonke kabahlabe umkhosi; umduli wedolobho uzadilika abantu bahle bangene, yilowo lalowo aqonde phambili.”

6Ngakho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abaphristi wathi kubo, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo kuthi abaphristi abayisikhombisa bahambe phambi kwawo bethwele amacilongo.” 7Waselaya abantu esithi, “Akuhanjwe! Hambani libhode idolobho, amabutho ahlomileyo ehamba phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo.”

8Kwathi uJoshuwa esekhulume labantu, abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa phambi kukaThixo bahamba phambili bevuthela amacilongo, njalo umtshokotsho wesivumelwano ubalandela. 9Amabutho ayehlomile ahamba phambi kwabaphristi ababevuthela amacilongo, njalo amabutho angemuva ayelandela umtshokotsho. Ngasosonke lesisikhathi amacilongo ayekhala. 10Kodwa uJoshuwa wayelaye abantu wathi, “Lingaze lahlaba umkhosi wempini, lingakhwezi amazwi enu, lingakhulumi lutho kuze kufike isikhathi engizalitshela ngaso ukuthi limemeze. Beselihlaba-ke umkhosi.” 11Ngakho umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bawuthwala babhoda lawo idolobho kanye. Abantu babuyela ezihonqweni bayalala.

12UJoshuwa wavuka kusesele ngelanga elilandelayo njalo abaphristi bathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo. 13Abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa bahamba phambili bekhokhele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo, bevuthela amacilongo. Amadoda ayehlomile ayehamba phambi kwabo njalo amabutho angemuva ayelandela umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo, kukanti-ke amacilongo aqhubeka ekhala. 14Ngosuku lwesibili babhoda idolobho kanye basebebuyela ezihonqweni. Bakwenza lokhu okwensuku eziyisithupha.

15Ngelanga lesikhombisa bavuka emadabukakusa babhoda idolobho kasikhombisa ngendlela efanayo, ngaphandle kokuthi ngalelolanga babhoda kasikhombisa. 16Ngokwesikhombisa, kwathi abaphristi bekhalisa amacilongo, uJoshuwa walaya abantu wathi, “Memezani! Ngoba uThixo useliphile idolobho. 17Idolobho lakho konke okukulo kuzakwahlukaniselwa uThixo. URahabi isifebe lalabo ahlala labo endlini yakhe yibo abazasindiswa ngenxa yokuthi wafihla inhloli esazithumayo. 18Kodwa xwayani izinto ezahlukaniselwe ukubhujiswa, ukwenzela ukuthi lingazehliseli ukubhujiswa ngokuthatha okunye kwalezozinto. Lokho kungenza ukuthi izihonqo zako-Israyeli zehlelwe luhlupho njalo zitshabalaliswe. 19Sonke isiliva, igolide lezinto zonke ezenziwe ngethusi langensimbi ezingcwele ziletheni kuThixo njalo kumele zifakwe esiphaleni sakhe sengcebo.”

20Kwathi amacilongo ekhala abantu bahlaba umkhosi; ekukhaleni kwecilongo, abantu sebehlaba umkhosi omkhulu, umduli wabhidlika, ngakho wonke umuntu wangena phakathi balithatha idolobho. 21Idolobho balehlukanisela uThixo basebecakaza ngenkemba yonke into ephilayo eyayihlala kulo, amadoda labesifazane, abatsha labadala, inkomo, izimvu labobabhemi.

22UJoshuwa wakhuluma emadodeni amabili ayeke athunywa njengezinhloli zelizwe wathi, “Yanini endlini yesifebe liyesikhupha lezihlobo zaso zonke ligcwalise isifungo elasenza kuso.” 23Ngakho amadoda ayahambe ukuyahlola angena akhupha uRahabi, uyise lonina labanewabo lazozonke izihlobo zakhe. Bakhupha imuli yonke bayifaka endaweni eyayingaphandle kwezihonqo zako-Israyeli.

24Basebetshisa idolobho lonke lakho konke okwakuphakathi kwalo, kodwa befake isiliva legolide lezinto ezilungiswe ngethusi lensimbi esiphaleni sengcebo yendlu kaThixo. 25Kodwa uJoshuwa waphephisa uRahabi isifebe lemuli yakhe labo bonke abangabakhe ngenxa yokuthi wafihla amadoda ayethunywe nguJoshuwa ukuba zinhloli eJerikho, futhi ulokhu ehlala phakathi kwabako-Israyeli kuze kube lamhlanje.

26Ngalesosikhathi uJoshuwa wenza isifungo esiqinileyo esithi, “Iqalekisiwe phambi kukaThixo indoda ezimisela ukwakha kutsha lelidolobho laseJerikho:

Ngempilo yezibulo lakhe lendodana
uzakwenza izisekelo;
ngempilo yecinathunjana
uzalungisa amasango alo.”
27 UThixo wayeloJoshuwa, udumo lwakhe lwanda elizweni lonke.