RAHABI anasuzumira pawindo la nyumba yake m’bandakucha n’kumayang’ana chigwa chimene chinazungulira mzinda wa Yeriko. Asilikali achiisiraeli omwe ankafuna kulanda mzindawo anali atasonkhana kuchigwako. Asilikaliwo anayamba kuzunguliranso mzinda wa Yeriko akuguba mwamphamvu kwinaku akuliza malipenga, ndipo fumbi linangoti koboo!

Yeriko unali mzinda umene Rahabi ankakhala ndipo ankadziwa bwino misewu, nyumba, misika komanso mashopu a mumzindawu. Ankadziwanso bwino makhalidwe a anthu a mumzindawu. Pamene asilikali a Isiraeli ankapitiriza kuguba mozungulira mzindawu, iye ankadziwa kuti anthu a mumzindawu ali ndi mantha kwambiri chifukwa izi zinali zachilendo. Ngakhale kuti phokoso la malipenga linali pokopoko mumzinda monsemo, Rahabi sankachita mantha ngati mmene anthu ena ankachitira.

Kenako asilikali aja anayambanso kuguba m’mawa pa tsiku la 7. Pakati pawo panali ansembe omwe ankaliza malipenga komanso ananyamula likasa lopatulika lomwe linkaimira kukhalapo kwa Yehova, Mulungu wa Aisiraeli. Yerekezerani kuti mukumuona Rahabi atatsamiritsa mkono wake pachingwe chofiira chomwe chinali pawindo la nyumba yake, lomwe linkaonekera kunja kwa mzindawo. Chingwechi n’chimene chikanathandiza kuti Rahabi komanso banja lake apulumuke, mzindawo ukamawonongedwa. Kodi Rahabi anali wachinyengo? Ayi, Yehova ankamuona kuti anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba. Tiyeni tikambirane bwinobwino nkhani ya Rahabi kuti tione zimene tingaphunzire kwa iye.

Rahabi anali hule. Akatswiri ambiri zimawavuta kuvomereza mfundo imeneyi moti amati sikuti Rahabi analidi hule koma iye anangokhala ndi nyumba ya alendo basi. Koma Baibulo silipita m’mbali kapena kubisa zakuti Rahabi anali hule. (Yoswa 2:1; Aheberi 11:31; Yakobo 2:25) Anthu a ku Kanani, ankaona kuti zimene Rahabi ankachita zinali zovomerezeka. Komabe, kaya ndife a chikhalidwe chotani, chikumbumtima chimene Yehova anatipatsa, chimatiuza ngati tikuchita zabwino kapena zoipa. (Aroma 2:14, 15) Rahabi ayenera kuti ankadziwa zoti zimene ankachita zinali zochititsa manyazi. Mwina, monga zimakhalira ndi anthu ambiri amene amachitanso zimenezi masiku ano, Rahabi ankaona kuti amachita zimenezi chifukwa chofuna kuti azipeza ndalama zoti azisamalira banja lake.

N’zodziwikiratu kuti Rahabi ankafunitsitsa atasiya khalidwe limeneli. Mumzinda umene ankakhala munkachitika zachiwawa zambiri komanso zochititsa manyazi, monga kugonana pachibale komanso kugona ndi nyama. (Levitiko 18:3, 6, 21-24) Chipembedzo chakuderali n’chimene chinkachititsa kuti anthu azichita zinthu zoipa zimenezi. M’makachisi munkachitika miyambo yolimbikitsa uhule ndipo anthu omwe ankalambira milungu monga Baala komanso Moleki, ankawotcha ana amoyo popereka nsembe kwa milunguyi.

Yehova ankaona zonse zimene zinkachitika ku Kanani. Ndipotu chifukwa cha zinthu zoipa zimene Akanani ankachita, Yehova ananena kuti: “Dzikolo n’lodetsedwa, ndipo ndidzalilanga chifukwa cha kulakwa kwake. Pamenepo dzikolo lidzataya anthu ake kunja.” (Levitiko 18:25) Kodi ‘chilango’ chimenechi chinaphatikizapo chiyani? Yehova anali atalonjeza Aisiraeli  kuti: “Yehova Mulungu wako adzakankhira mitundu imeneyi kutali ndi iwe, kuichotsa pamaso pako pang’onopang’ono.” (Deuteronomo 7:22) Zaka zambiri m’mbuyomo, Yehova anali atalonjeza kuti adzapereka dzikoli kwa ana a Abulahamu ndipo “Mulungu . . . sanganame.”—Tito 1:2; Genesis 12:7.

Komabe, Yehova anali atanena kuti adzawonongeratu mitundu ina ya m’dzikoli. (Deuteronomo 7:1, 2) Monga “Woweruza wa dziko lonse lapansi,” Yehova, anaona mumtima mwa munthu aliyense ndipo anazindikira kuti anthuwa anali oipa kwambiri. (Genesis 18:25; 1 Mbiri 28:9) Kodi Rahabi ankamva bwanji pamene ankakhala mumzinda woipa umenewu? Zimene iye anachita atangomva zokhudza Aisiraeli zingatithandize kudziwa mmene ankamvera. Iye anamva kuti Yehova, Mulungu wa Isiraeli anathandiza anthu ake omwe anali akapolo ku Iguputo kugonjetsa asilikali a m’dzikolo omwe pa nthawiyo anali asilikali amphamvu kwambiri padziko lonse. Ndiyeno pa nthawiyi Aisiraeli anali atatsala pang’ono kuukira mzinda wa Yeriko. Koma anthu a mumzindawu anapitirizabe kuchita zoipa. N’chifukwa chake Baibulo limanena kuti anthu a ku Kanani “anachita zinthu mosamvera.”—Aheberi 11:31.

Koma Rahabi anali wosiyana ndi anthuwa. Kwa zaka zambiri, iye ankaganizira za zimene anamva zokhudza Aisiraeli ndi Mulungu wawo, Yehova. Koma Yehova ndi wosiyana kwambiri ndi milungu imene anthu a ku Kanani ankalambira. Iye amasamalira anthu amene amamulambira osati kuwazunza ndipo amapatsa atumiki ake mfundo zabwino zoti azitsatira osati kuwapondereza. Amaona kuti akazi ndi anthu ofunika kwambiri osati ongoyenera kugona nawo, kugulidwa kapena kugulitsidwa komanso ngati ongoyenera kuwagwiritsa ntchito pa kulambira konyenga. Rahabi atazindikira kuti Aisiraeli amanga msasa pafupi ndi mtsinje wa Yorodano ndipo akufuna kulanda mzinda wa Yeriko, ayenera kuti anada nkhawa kwambiri kuti iye ndi anthu a mtundu wake ziwathera bwanji. Koma Yehova anaona chinachake chabwino mwa Rahabi.

Masiku ano, palinso anthu ambiri amene amachita uhule ngati mmene Rahabi ankachitira. Anthu ena sikuti kumakhala kufuna kuti azichita zoipa komanso zochititsa manyazi ndipo anthu oterewa sasangalala ndi khalidwe lawo, ndipo amadziona ngati osafunika. Koma nkhani ya Rahabiyi, ikutikumbutsa kuti Yehova amaona kuti munthu aliyense ndi wofunika. Ngakhale titadziona kuti ndife osafunika, “iye sali kutali ndi aliyense wa ife.” (Machitidwe 17:27) Nthawi zonse iye amakhala wokonzeka kuthandiza anthu amene amamukhulupirira kukhala ndi chiyembekezo. Kodi Rahabi anali ndi chikhulupiriro?

Tsiku lina, Aisiraeli asanayambe kuzungulira mzinda wa Yeriko, kunyumba kwa Rahabi kunafika alendo awiri amene sankawadziwa. Alendowa sankafuna kuti anthu awazindikire. Koma anthu a mumzindawu anali tcheru kuti azindikire ngati kwabwera anthu achilendo ochokera kumsasa wa Aisiraeli odzafufuza mmene zinthu zilili mumzindawu. Anthuwa atangofika kunyumba kwa Rahabi, iye anadziwiratu cholinga chawo. Anawazindikira msanga chifukwa alendowa sanabwere kudzagona naye koma anangobwera kudzapempha malo ogona.

Amuna amenewa anali ochokera ku msasa wa Aisiraeli. Mtsogoleri wawo Yoswa, ndi amene anawatumiza kuti akaone mphamvu komanso kufooka kwa anthu a mumzinda wa Yeriko. Uwu unali mzinda  woyamba woti Aisiraeli alande m’dziko la Kanani ndipo ndi umene unali wamphamvu koposa mizinda yonse m’dzikoli. Choncho Yoswa ankafuna kudziwa mmene zinthu zinalili mumzindawu. N’zodziwikiratu kuti amuna awiri aja anasankha dala kupita kunyumba kwa Rahabi. Ankaganiza kuti popeza kunali kunyumba ya hule, angathe kufikako popanda anthu ambiri kuzindikira cholinga chawo. Mwina anapita kumeneko poganiza kuti angamve mosavuta zimene anthu ena angamalankhule zokhudza Aisiraeli.

Baibulo limati Rahabi ‘anawalandira bwino’ alendowo. (Yakobo 2:25) Iye anawalowetsa m’nyumba ndipo ngakhale kuti ankawakayikira, anawalola kuti agone. N’kutheka kuti ankafuna kudziwa zambiri za Mulungu wawo, Yehova.

Koma mwadzidzidzi kunyumbako kunafika anthu otumidwa ndi mfumu ya Yeriko. Anali atamva mphekesera zoti Aisiraeli awiri afika kunyumba kwa Rahabi. Kodi pamenepa Rahabi akanatani? Iye ankadziwa kuti kubisa alendowo kuchititsa kuti moyo wake ndi wa anthu a m’banja lake ukhale pa ngozi. Chifukwa anthu a mumzinda wa Yeriko akanawapha chifukwa chobisa adani awo. Komabe Rahabi anali atadziwa kuti anthuwo anali Aisiraeli. Ngati ankadziwa kuti Yehova ndi Mulungu wamphamvu kuposa milungu yawo, mwina pa nthawiyi anaganiza zokhala kumbali ya Yehova.

Rahabi anayenera kusankha zinthu mwamsanga. Nthawi yomweyo anadziwa zoyenera kuchita ndipo anabisa amuna awiriwo padenga la nyumba yake. Kenako anauza anthu omwe anabwera aja kuti: “Inde, amunawo anabweradi kwa ine, koma sindinadziwe kuti achokera kuti. Ndipo amunawo atuluka usiku uno nthawi yotseka chipata itayandikira. Koma ine sindikudziwa kumene alowera. Fulumirani! Athamangireni! Muwapeza amenewo.” (Yoswa 2:4, 5) Taganizani mmene nkhope za anthuwo zinkaonekera pamene Rahabi ankawauza mawu amenewa. Kodi n’kutheka kuti iye ankapumira m’mwamba chifukwa choopa kuti mwina anthuwo amuzindikira kuti sanawauze zoona?

Njira imene anagwiritsa ntchitoyi inathandiza. Nthawi yomweyo anthu aja anathamangira kowolokera mtsinje wa Yorodano. (Yoswa 2:7) Tsopano mtima wa Rahabi uyenera kuti unakhala m’malo. Pogwiritsa ntchito njirayi, iye anachititsa kuti anthu aja, omwe ankafuna kupha atumiki a Yehova osalakwa, achoke panyumbapo.

Nthawi yomweyo, Rahabi anapita kumene kunali amuna awiri aja n’kuwafotokozera zimene anachita. Anawaululiranso kuti anthu a mtundu wake anali ndi mantha kwambiri ndi Aisiraeli. Amuna aja ayenera kuti anasangalala kwambiri atamva nkhani imeneyi. Anasangalala kudziwa kuti Akanani, omwe anali anthu oipa kwambiri, akuchita mantha ndi Yehova, Mulungu wa Isiraeli. Kenako Rahabi analankhula mawu omwe ndi ofunika kwambiri kwa tonsefe. Iye anati: “Yehova Mulungu wanu ndiye Mulungu wa kumwamba ndi padziko lapansi.” (Yoswa 2:11) Zochepa zimene anamva zokhudza Yehova zinali zokwanira kumuthandiza kudziwa kuti, Mulungu wa Aisiraeli  ndiye woyenera kumukhulupirira. Choncho iye anayamba kukhulupirira Yehova.

Rahabi sankakayikira kuti Yehova athandiza Aisiraeli kuti apambane. Choncho anapempha amunawo kuti amuchitire chifundo kuti iye ndi anthu a m’banja lake asaphedwe. Amunawo anavomera koma anamuuza kuti sayenera kuulula zimene iwo anabwerera. Anamuuzanso kuti amange chingwe chofiira chimene anawapulumutsira pawindo la nyumba yake n’cholinga choti asilikali achiisiraeli asadzaphe anthu a m’banja lake komanso iyeyo.—Yoswa 2:12-14, 18.

Tingaphunzire mfundo yofunika kwambiri kuchokera pa chikhulupiriro cha Rahabi. Monga mmene Baibulo limanenera, “munthu amakhala ndi chikhulupiriro chifukwa cha zimene wamva.” (Aroma 10:17) Rahabi anamva zokhudza mphamvu komanso chilungamo cha Yehova Mulungu ndipo anayamba kumukhulupirira. Masiku ano tili ndi zinthu zambiri zimene zingatithandize kudziwa Yehova. Kodi timayesetsa kuti timudziwe bwino komanso kumukhulupirira pogwiritsa ntchito zimene taphunzira m’Mawu ake, Baibulo?

Amuna awiri aja anatsatira malangizo a Rahabi ndipo anatsika padenga paja pogwiritsa ntchito chingwe chimene chinali pawindo la nyumbayi, n’kuthawira kumapiri kumpoto kwa mzinda wa Yeriko. Kumapiriko kunali mapanga ambiri oti anatha kubisalako mpaka pamene anaona kuti angathe kubwerera kumsasa wa Aisiraeli n’kukanena nkhani yosangalatsa imene anamva kwa Rahabi.

Kenako mantha a anthu a mumzinda wa Yeriko anawonjezereka pamene anamva kuti Yehova waimitsa madzi a mtsinje wa Yorodano ndipo Aisiraeli awoloka pouma. (Yoswa 3:14-17) Koma Rahabi atamva zimenezi, zinangolimbitsa chikhulupiriro chake mwa Yehova.

Kenako Aisiraeli anayamba kuguba mozungulira mzinda wa Yeriko. Iwo ankazungulira mzindawo tsiku lililonse kamodzi ndipo anachita izi kwa masiku 6. Ndiyeno anayamba kuzungulira mzindawo pa tsiku la 7, koma zimene zinachitika pa tsikuli zinali zosiyana ndi masiku enawo. Monga tafotokozera kumayambiriro kwa nkhaniyi, kugubaku kunayamba m’mawa ndipo atazungulira mzindawo kamodzi, anapitirizabe kuuzungulira. (Yoswa 6:15) Anthu a mumzinda wa Yeriko ankangodabwa ndi zimene Aisiraeli ankachitazi.

Kenako atamaliza kuzungulira pa ulendo wa 7 anaima. Anasiyanso kuliza malipenga awo ndipo kunangoti zii. Anthu anachita mantha kwambiri ndipo zinthu zinali zitasokonekera mumzindawu. Kenako Yoswa analamula asilikaliwo kuti afuule mwamphamvu. N’kutheka kuti alonda amene anali pamwamba pa mzindawu anadabwa kwambiri atamva kufuulako. Mwina ankadzifunsa kuti, kodi Aisiraeli alanda mzindawu pogwiritsa ntchito kufuulako? Koma pasanapite nthawi anapeza yankho. Makoma a mzindawu anayamba kugwedezeka mwamphamvu zimene zinapangitsa kuti ang’ambike kenako n’kugwa. Pamene fumbi la kugwa kwa makomawa linkatha, zinaoneka kuti pali kagawo ka khoma lina komwe sikanagwe. Ili linali khoma la nyumba ya Rahabi, yemwe anali ndi chikhulupiriro cholimba chimene chinapangitsa kuti nyumba yakeyo isagwe. Tangoganizani mmene iye anamvera ataona kuti Yehova wachititsa kuti nyumba yake isagwe. Iye ndi anthu a m’banja lake anali otetezeka m’nyumbayo. *—Yoswa 6:10, 16, 20, 21.

Nawonso asilikali achiisiraeli sanaphe Rahabi chifukwa cha chikhulupiriro chake. Iwo ataona kuti nyumba yake yatsala yokhayokha yosagwa, anadziwa kuti Yehova ndi amene wamupulumutsa. Choncho pamene ankapha anthu a mumzindawu anasiya Rahabi ndi anthu a m’banja lake osawapha. Nkhondoyi itatha, Rahabi analoledwa kuti azikhala pafupi ndi msasa wa Aisiraeli. M’kupita kwa nthawi anakhala m’gulu la Ayuda ndipo anakwatiwa ndi munthu wina dzina lake Salimoni. Kenako anabereka mwana, dzina lake Boazi, yemwenso anali ndi chikhulupiro cholimba. Patapita nthawi Boazi anakwatira Rute, yemwe anali Mmowabu. * (Rute 4:13, 22) Mfumu Davide komanso Yesu Khristu anabadwira ku banja la anthu achikhulupiriro amenewa.—Yoswa 6:22-25; Mateyu 1:5, 6, 16.

Nkhani ya Rahabi imasonyeza kuti munthu aliyense ndi wofunika kwa Yehova. Mulungu amationa tonsefe, amadziwa mtima wathu ndiponso amasangalala akapeza kuti tili ndi chikhulupiriro ngakhale chochepa ngati chimene anapeza mwa Rahabi. Chikhulupiriro chimene Rahabi anali nacho anachisonyeza mwa zochita zake. Monga mmene Baibulo limanenera, iye ‘anaonedwa ngati wolungama chifukwa cha ntchito zake.’ (Yakobo 2:25) Nafenso tingachite bwino kutsanzira chikhulupiriro chake.