ABALHUME aba bali omwa butsibu. Batholere iba thibitha, bithe bithya ibakendi ithibwa. Ni balingi ab’Abaisraeli, n’omukali oyuka bawathikaya ni Rahabu. Rahabu ikere hano omwa nyumba eyiri okwa lhuhimbo lhw’omuyi we Yeriko. Leka thulebaye ngani busana naki abalhume aba ibabya omwa butsibu.

Abaisraeli bakisiya ibasoka Olhusi Yorodani erihika omwa kihugho kye Kanana. Aliriryo embere w’erikolha eki, Yosua akathuma abalingi babiri. Akababwira athi: ‘Mughende muyitheghereraye ekihugho n’omuyi we Yeriko.’

Abalingi bakabya bahika e Yeriko, bakaghenda omwa nyumba ya Rahabu. Aliriryo omundu akabwira omwami we Yeriko athi: ‘Abaisraeli babiri mubakasa hano omw’igholho-gholho erisyalinga ekihugho.’ Omwami akabya owa eki, akathuma abalhume oku Rahabu, n’erimulhaghira bathi: ‘Abalhume abawulyingiraya omwa nyumba yawu, bahulhukayemu!’ Aliriryo Rahabu abiribisa abalingi b’omwa lhuthwe lhw’enyumba yiwe. Neryo akabugha athi: ‘Abalhume mubakasa omwa nyumba yaghe, aliriryo singasi aha balyalhua. Mubakaghenda obuthuku ibukayira, olhukyo lhw’omuyi lhuthali lhwa kingwa. Mwam’anguha, imwangana bahamba!’ Neryo abalhume bakaghenda bakabathibithako.

Bakabya babiri ghenda, Rahabu akanguha endatha omwa lhuthwe lhw’enyumba. Akabwira abalingi athi: ‘Nyasi ngoku Yehova akendi baha ekihugho kino. Muthwowa ngokwa mumya Engetse Eyengulha omughulhu mwalhua e Misiri, kandi ngokwa mumw’itha omwami Sihoni na Ogi. Nabiri bakwira olhukeri, neryo munyilhaghanisaye, kisi-kisi, ngoku mukendi syabya b’olhukeri okw’ingye. Mulhamaye thatha na mama waghe, abaghalha n’abali bethu.’

Abalingi bakalhaghanisaya bathi bakendi kolha bathya, aliriryo Rahabu atholere inyakolha ekindu kirebe. Abalingi bakamubwira bathi: ‘Imaya omughuha ow’engulha oyu n’eribohaghu okw’idirisa lyawu, kandi wuhindanaye abahughu bawu abosi babye omwa nyumba yawu haghuma nawu. Ithwe abosi thwasyabya thwasa thukasyahamba e Yeriko, thukendi syalhangira omughuha omw’idirisa lyawu neryo ithwaleka eritha mundu wosi-wosi omwa nyumba yawu.’ Abalingi bakabya babirihika eyiri Yosua, bakamubwira ebyosi ebya byabere.