UJoshuwa 10:1-43
10 U-Adoni-zedekhi inkosi yeJerusalema wezwa ukuthi uJoshuwa wayenqobe i-Ayi wayitshabalalisa njalo wenza enkosini+ yayo lokho ayekwenze eJerikho lasenkosini yayo,+ lokuthi abaseGibhiyoni sebenze isivumelwano sokuthula labako-Israyeli+ bahlalisana kuhle labo.
2 Yikho wesaba wathuthumela+ ngoba idolobho leGibhiyoni lalilikhulu njengedolobho lesikhosini. Lalilikhulu ukwedlula i-Ayi+ futhi wonke amadoda ayehlala kulo ayengamaqhawe.
3 Ngakho u-Adoni-zedekhi inkosi yeJerusalema wathumela ilizwi kuHohami inkosi yeHebroni,+ loPhiramu inkosi yeJamuthi, loJafiya inkosi yeLakhishi, loDebhiri inkosi ye-Egiloni,+
4 wathi: “Buyani lizongincedisa ukuhlasela iGibhiyoni ngoba yenze isivumelwano sokuthula loJoshuwa labantu bako-Israyeli.”+
5 Ngakho amakhosi amahlanu ama-Amori+ asuka lamabutho awo aya eGibhiyoni afika ayihanqa ukuze alwe layo. Kwakulenkosi yeJerusalema, lenkosi yeHebroni, lenkosi yeJamuthi, lenkosi yeLakhishi kanye lenkosi ye-Egiloni.
6 Amadoda aseGibhiyoni asethumela ilizwi kuJoshuwa eGiligali+ athi: “Ungasilahli, siyizigqili zakho!+ Buya masinyane uzosilamulela ngoba wonke amakhosi ama-Amori aselizweni lezintaba asebuthene ukuze asihlasele.”
7 UJoshuwa uthe ekuzwa lokhu wasuka eGiligali lebutho lakhe lonke elaligoqela lamadoda ayeyazi kuhle impi.+
8 UJehova wasesithi kuJoshuwa: “Ungabesabi+ ngoba bonke sengibanikele esandleni sakho.+ Akula loyedwa wabo ozamelana lawe.”+
9 UJoshuwa lamabutho akhe basuka eGiligali bahamba ubusuku bonke, batheleka kubo besalibele.
10 UJehova wabaphithanisa amakhanda phambi kwama-Israyeli.+ Ngakho ama-Israyeli abulala abanengi kakhulu eGibhiyoni, axotshana labo emqansweni weBhethi-horoni ebabulala umango wonke baze bayafika e-Azekha leMakheda.
11 Bathe besabaleka besehla ngomgwaqo weBhethi-horoni uJehova wabehlisela isiqhotho esikhulu kwaze kwayafika e-Azekha, bafa baphela bonke. Isiqhotho sabulala abantu abanengi kakhulu ukwedlula labo ababulawa ngabako-Israyeli ngenkemba.
12 UJehova wawatshaya wawabhuqa ama-Amori phambi kwabako-Israyeli. Kungalelolanga lapho uJoshuwa akhuluma khona loJehova phambi kwabako-Israyeli wathi:
“Langa, mana mpo+ phezu kweGibhiyoni!+
Lawe nyanga, ume phezu kwesigodi se-Ayijaloni!”
13 Ngakho ilanga lama mpo lenyanga kayizange itshede, abako-Israyeli baze baphindisela ezitheni zabo. Ilanga lama phakathi laphakathi kwesibhakabhaka, laqhubeka likhanya esibhakabhakeni okosuku lonke. Konke lokhu kubhaliwe ebhukwini likaJashari.+
14 Alukaze lube khona usuku olunjalo ngoba mhlalokho uJehova walalela ayekutshelwe ngumuntu,+ into ayengakaze ayenze futhi angazange aphinde ayenze. UJehova wayebalwela sibili abako-Israyeli!+
15 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli babuyela enkambeni yabo eGiligali.+
16 Amakhosi amahlanu wona ayebalekele eMakheda+ afika acatsha ebhalwini.
17 UJoshuwa wabikelwa ukuthi amakhosi amahlanu ayetholakale eMakheda+ ecatshile ebhalwini,
18 wasesithi: “Giqani amatshe amakhulu livale ubhalu beselitshiya abanye belindile.
19 Kodwa lina lonke qhubekani lixotshanisa izitha zenu lizibulale.+ Lingazivumeli ukuthi zifike emadolobheni azo ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu uzinikele esandleni senu.”
20 UJoshuwa labako-Israyeli babulala amabutho esitha amanengi kakhulu, kwasala amalutshwana. Asalayo abaleka ayangena emadolobheni ayevikelwe ngemiduli emikhulu.
21 Ngemva kwalokho wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli abuyela kuJoshuwa enkambeni eyayiseMakheda kungela loyedwa olimeleyo. Akulamuntu owaphinda wasongela abako-Israyeli.
22 UJoshuwa wasesithi: “Vulani ubhalu likhiphe amakhosi amahlanu aphakathi liwalethe lapha.”
23 Ngakho bawakhipha amakhosi lawo amahlanu. Kwakulenkosi yeJerusalema, lenkosi yeHebroni, lenkosi yeJamuthi, lenkosi yeLakhishi kanye lenkosi ye-Egiloni.+
24 Bawathatha amakhosi la bawaletha kuJoshuwa, wasebiza wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli, wathi ezinduneni zamabutho ayehambe lazo: “Sondelani linyathele amakhosi la entanyeni.” Yikho zasondela zanyathela amakhosi la intamo.+
25 UJoshuwa wasesithi kubo: “Lingesabi futhi lingatshaywa luvalo.+ Qinani libe lesibindi ngoba lokhu yikho uJehova azakwenza kuzo zonke izitha zenu elilwa lazo.”+
26 UJoshuwa wasewabulala wonke wawalengisa ezigodweni* ezinhlanu. Alenga kwaze kwaba ntambama.
27 Ilanga lathi selitshonile uJoshuwa wathi izidumbu zawo zethulwe ezigodweni+ ziyelahlelwa ebhalwini amakhosi la ayecatshe kulo. Ngemva kwalokho bagiqela amatshe amakhulu emlonyeni wobhalu njalo amatshe la alokhu ekhona kuze kube lamuhla.
28 UJoshuwa wathumba iMakheda+ wabulala zonke izakhamizi zayo ngenkemba. Wabulala inkosi yayo labo bonke abantu, kakho loyedwa owasalayo.+ Wenza enkosini yeMakheda+ lokho ayekwenze enkosini yeJerikho.
29 UJoshuwa wasuka eMakheda lawo wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli wayahlasela iLibhina.+
30 UJehova wanikela inkosi yayo+ labantu bayo ezandleni zabako-Israyeli. Babulala wonke umuntu ngenkemba, akuzange kuphunyuke loyedwa. Benza enkosini yayo lokho ababekwenze enkosini yeJerikho.+
31 UJoshuwa lamabutho wonke ako-Israyeli basuka eLibhina baya eLakhishi.+ Bafika bamisa inkamba eduze ledolobho leLakhishi balihlasela.
32 UJehova wanikela iLakhishi esandleni sabako-Israyeli bayithumba ngelanga lesibili. Bayihlasela babulala wonke umuntu ngenkemba.+ Benza kuyo lokho ababekwenze eLibhina.
33 UHoramu inkosi yeGezeri+ wasuka esiyahlomulela iLakhishi kodwa uJoshuwa wamnqoba yena labantu bakhe, akusalanga loyedwa wabo.
34 UJoshuwa lawo wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli basuka eLakhishi bayamisa inkamba eduze le-Egiloni+ ukuze balwe layo.
35 Bayihlasela bayithumba ngelanga elilodwa, babulala wonke umuntu ngenkemba njengalokho ababekwenze eLakhishi.+
36 Ngemva kwalokho uJoshuwa lamabutho wonke ako-Israyeli basuka e-Egiloni baya eHebroni+ bafika balwa layo.
37 Bayihlasela bathumba amadolobho ayo, babulala inkosi yayo ngenkemba labo bonke ababekuyo, abatshiyanga lomuntu oyedwa. UJoshuwa wenza kuyo lokho ayekwenze i-Egiloni, waqeda bonke abantu ababelapho.
38 UJoshuwa lawo wonke amabutho ako-Israyeli batshibilika baya eDebhiri+ bafika balwa layo.
39 Wayinqoba wathumba inkosi yayo lamadolobho ayo wasebulala bonke abantu+ ngenkemba. Wabaqeda bonke, kakho owasala ephila.+ Wenza eDebhiri lasenkosini yayo lokho ayekwenze eLibhina lasenkosini yayo lalokho ayekwenze eHebroni.
40 UJoshuwa walinqoba lonke ilizwe lezintaba, iNegebhi leShefela+ lazo zonke izindawo ezazisemawatheni* ezintaba kanye lamakhosi azo. Wayebulala wonke umuntu ayemthola lapho, engatshiyi muntu ephila,+ njengoba nje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wayetshilo.+
41 UJoshuwa wabanqoba bonke kusukela eKhadeshi-bhaneya+ kwaze kwayafika eGaza,+ wathatha lelizwe lonke laseGosheni+ kwaze kwayafika eGibhiyoni.+
42 UJoshuwa wawanqoba wonke amakhosi la wathatha amazwe awo ngasikhathi sinye ngoba uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wayebalwela abako-Israyeli.+
43 Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu uJoshuwa wabuyela eGiligali+ lamabutho wonke ako-Israyeli.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “ezihlahleni.”
^ Iwatha licele lentaba eliseduze lalapho eqala khona ukuqansa.
