LA MADODA asenkathazweni. Kufuneka ebalekile, kungenjalo aza kubulawa. Aziintlola ezingamaSirayeli, yaye umfazi owancedayo nguRahabhi. URahabhi uhlala apha endlwini eseludongeni lwesixeko iYeriko. Masibone isizathu sokuba la madoda abe senkathazweni.

AmaSirayeli alungele ukuwela uMlambo iYordan aye kungena elizweni lakwaKanan. Kodwa ngaphambi kokwenjenjalo, uYoshuwa uthumela iintlola ezimbini. Uthi: ‘Hambani niye kukhangela ilizwe nesixeko saseYeriko.’

Ekufikeni kweentlola eYeriko, ziya endlwini kaRahabhi. Kodwa mntu uthile uxelela ukumkani waseYeriko: ‘Kufike amaSirayeli amabini apha ebusuku eze kuhlola ilizwe.’ Ekuveni oku, ukumkani uthumela amadoda kuRahabhi, aze amyalele: ‘Wakhuphe la madoda asendlwini yakho!’ Kodwa uRahabhi uzifihle eluphahleni iintlola. Ngoko uthi: ‘Ewe, kufike amadoda athile endlwini yam, kodwa andiwazi apho ebevela khona. Emke ngorhatya, ngaphambi kokuvalwa kwesango lomzi. Ukuba niyawasukela, ningawafumana!’ Yaye ke amadoda ayemka ukusukela iintlola.

Akuba emkile, uRahabhi ubalekela eluphahleni. ‘Ndiyazi ukuba uYehova uya kuninika eli lizwe,’ uxelela iintlola. ‘Sivile indlela awalomisa ngayo uLwandle Olubomvu ekuphumeni kwenu eYiputa, nendlela enababulala ngayo ukumkani uSihon no-Ogi. Ndinenzele ububele, ngoko khanindithembise ukuba niya kundenzela ububele nam. Sindisani ubawo noma, kwanabantakwethu noodadewethu.’

Iintlola ziyamthembisa ukuba ziya kwenjenjalo, kodwa uRahabhi makenze into ethile. ‘Thabatha le ntsontelo ibomvu uze uyibophelele efestileni yakho,’ zitsho iintlola, ‘uze uzihlanganisele endlwini yakho zonke izalamane zakho. Ekubuyeni kwethu ukuza kuthimba iYeriko, sakuyibona le ntsontelo efestileni yakho size singabulali mntu endlwini yakho.’ Ekubuyeleni kweentlola kuYoshuwa, zimxelela konke okwenzekileyo.