Jos 2 | NdeIBE | STEP | UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathumela izinhloli ezimbili ngasese zisuka eShithimi. Wathi kuzo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe lakhona, ikakhulu iJerikho.” Ngakho zahamba zayangena endlini yesifebe esithiwa nguRahabi zahlala khona.

Joshua 2

URahabi lezinhloli

1 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathumela izinhloli ezimbili ngasese zisuka eShithimi. Wathi kuzo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe lakhona, ikakhulu iJerikho.” Ngakho zahamba zayangena endlini yesifebe esithiwa nguRahabi zahlala khona.

2 Inkosi yaseJerikho yatshelwa ukuthi “Khangela! Abanye abantu bako-Israyeli bafike lapha ebusuku ukuze bazohlola ilizwe lethu,”

3 Ngakho inkosi yaseJerikho yathumela ilizwi kuRahabi yathi, “Khupha amadoda eze kuwe angena endlini yakho, ngoba alande ukuzohlola ilizwe lonke.” 4 Kodwa owesifazane wayethethe amadoda womabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Liqiniso amadoda afikile kimi, kodwa bengingakwazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi.

5 Kusihlwa, sesifikile isikhathi sokuvala isango ledolobho amadoda asuke azihambela. Kangikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Baxhumeni masinyane. Engxenye lingabafica. 6 (Kodwa wayebakhweze phezu kophahla wabafihla ngaphansi kwezinqwaba zesikusha ayesichaye ephahleni). 7 Ngakho amadoda aphuma ijumo elandela izinhloli emgwaqweni oya ezibukweni leJodani, njalo athi esanda kuphuma isango lavalwa.

8 Izinhloli zathi zingakalali kulobo busuku wakhwela phezu kophahla. 9 Wasesithi kuzo, “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uselinike lelilizwe lokuthi sonke sesehlelwe yikwesaba okukhulu ngenxa yenu, okwenza ukuthi bonke abahlala kulelilizwe babelomhedehede wokulesaba.

10 Sesizwile ukuthi uJehova walenzela amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu atsha ngesikhathi liphuma eGibhithe, lalokho elakwenza kuSihoni lo-Ogi amakhosi amabili ama-Amori empumalanga yeJodani elawatshaya lawaqothula. 11 Sathi sikuzwa lokho izinhliziyo zethu zahle zaphela amandla njalo wonke umuntu kazabe esaba lesibindi ngenxa yenu ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ophezulu ezulwini laphansi emhlabeni. 12 Yikho-ke ngicela ukuthi lifunge kimi ngoJehova ukuthi lizakuba lomusa emulini yami ngoba lami ngitshengise umusa kini. 13 Nginikani isitshengiselo esiqinisekileyo esokuthi lizaphephisa impilo kababa lomama, abanewethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, njalo lizasisindisa ekufeni.”

14 Amadoda amthembisa athi, “Ukuphila kwethu yikuphila kwenu! Ungayekela ukuveza lokho esikwenzayo sizakwenzela umusa lokwethembeka lapho uJehova esesipha ilizwe.”

15 Ngakho-ke wabehlisela phansi ngentambo baphuma ngewindi ngoba indlu ayehlala kuyo yayingumduli munye lalowo owawugombolozele idolobho. 16 Wayethe kubo, “Qondani emaqaqeni ukwenzela ukuthi abalandeli benu bangaze balifica. Catshani khonale okwezinsuku ezintathu baze baphenduke beseliqhubeka ngendlela yenu.

17 Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize 18 ngaphandle kokuthi uma sesingena kulelilizwe sifice ubophele leliqhele elibomvu ewindini osikhuphe ngalo, njalo usulethe uyihlo lonyoko, abafowenu lemuli yakho yonke endlini yakho. 19 Uma umuntu angaphuma phandle kwendlu yakho abesesiya esitaladeni, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lakhe: kawusoze ube ngumlandu wethu. Kuye wonke oyabe ephakathi kwendlu kanye lawe, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lethu uma angavele athintwe. 20 Kodwa ungavele uveze lokhu esikwenzayo, sizabe sesikhululiwe esifungweni osenza lathi.”

21 Waphendula wathi: “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.

22 Bathi besuka baqonda emaqaqeni lapho abahlala khona okwezinsuku ezintathu abalandeli baze badela ukubadinga emgwaqweni wonke basebebuyela bengababonanga. 23 Ngakho-ke amadoda womabili aphindela emuva. Ehla emaqaqeni achapha umfula asefika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni amtshela konke okwakwenzakele kuwo.

24 Athi kuJoshuwa, “UJehova ngeqiniso uphe ilizwe lonke ezandleni zethu; bonke abantu bayathuthumela ngokwesaba, ngenxa yethu.”