RAKABHI akatarisa nepahwindo rake, chiedza chemambakwedza chichitanga kurova bani reJeriko. Uto rine simba revaIsraeri rainge rakaungana panzvimbo iyi. Sezvavakatanga kutenderera zvakare guta iri, guruva rakatanga kuti togo mumashure mavo uye ruzha rwekurira kwehwamanda rwakatangazve.

Jeriko ndiwo waiva musha waRakabhi. Ainyatsoziva migwagwa yemo, dzimba uye misika nezvitoro, izvo zvaigara zvakazara nevanhu. Ainyatsoziva vanhu vomuguta iri. Sezvo uto revaIsraeri raitenderera guta iri kamwe chete zuva nezuva, izvo zvakanga zvisati zvamboitika, Rakabhi aigona kuona kuti vanhu vomuguta rake vaiwedzera kutya. Kurira kwehwamanda zvakwainzwika mumigwagwa uye munzvimbo dzaiungana vanhu muJeriko, Rakabhi haana kupererwa sezvaiita vamwe.

Rakabhi akanga akatarisa uto iri sezvarakatanga kutenderera guta mangwanani-ngwanani, pazuva rechinomwe. Pakati peuto revaIsraeri, akaona vapristi vavo vachiridza hwamanda, vakatakura areka tsvene yaimiririra kuvapo kwaMwari wavo, Jehovha. Tinogona kufungidzira Rakabhi akatsamira neruoko patambo tsvuku yaiva pahwindo rake, yakarembera parusvingo rukuru rweJeriko. Tambo iyi yaiyeuchidza Rakabhi nezvetariro yaaiva nayo yokuti iye nemhuri yake vaizopona pakuparadzwa kweguta racho. Rakabhi aiva mutengesi here? Jehovha aisamuona semutengesi, asi aitomuona semukadzi aiva nokutenda kunoshamisa. Ngatidzokerei panotangira nyaya yaRakabhi, tione kuti tingadzidzei kubva kwaari.

Rakabhi aiva pfambi. Chokwadi ichi chakashamisa vamwe vaongorori vekare veBhaibheri zvekuti vakasvika pakuti, aingova muchengeti weimba yevanenge vari parwendo. Asi Bhaibheri harivanzi chokwadi. (Joshua 2:1; VaHebheru 11:31; Jakobho 2:25) Basa raiitwa naRakabhi rinogona kunge raionekwa nevaKenani serisina kuipa. Asi tsika hadzigoni nguva dzose kuita kuti pfungwa yokuziva chakanaka nechakaipa kana kuti hana yatakapiwa naJehovha isashanda. (VaRoma 2:14, 15) Rakabhi anofanira kunge aitonyara nemararamiro aaiita. Kungofananawo nevakawanda nhasi vanorarama nenzira yakadai, anogona kunge aiona sokuti hapana zvimwe zvaaikwanisa kuita kuti ariritire mhuri yake.

Hapana mubvunzo kuti Rakabhi aidawo kuva noupenyu huri nani. Nyika yake yaiva yakazara nechisimba uye tsika dzakaora dzaisanganisira makunakuna uye kurara nemhuka. (Revhitiko 18:3, 6, 21-24) Chitendero ndicho chakaita kuti zvakaipa zvipararire kudaro. Kunamata vanamwari vechidhimoni vakadai saBhaari naMoreki kwaisanganisira kupisa vana sezvibayiro vari vapenyu. Chipfambi chaikurudzirwawo patemberi.

Jehovha aiona zvaiitika muKenani. Nemhaka yezvakaipa zvakawanda zvaiitwa nevaKenani, Jehovha akati: “Nyika iyi haina kuchena, ndichaunza chirango pamusoro payo nokuda kwokukanganisa kwayo, uye nyika yacho icharutsa vagari vayo.” (Revhitiko 18:25) ‘Chirango nokuda kwokukanganisa kwayo’ chaisanganisirei? Mwari akanga avimbisa vaIsraeri kuti: “Jehovha Mwari wako achadzinga marudzi aya pamberi pako zvishoma nezvishoma.” (Dheuteronomio  7:22) Mazana emakore akanga apfuura, Jehovha ainge avimbisa kupa mhuri yaAbrahamu nyika yacho, uye ‘Mwari haamborevi nhema.’—Tito 1:2; Genesisi 12:7.

Zvisinei, Jehovha ainge ataurawo kuti mamwe emarudzi aiva munyika iyi aifanira kuparadzwa zvachose. (Dheuteronomio 7:1, 2) Se“Mutongi wenyika yose” akarurama, Jehovha akanga aona zvaiva mumwoyo yevanhu ava uye ainyatsoziva kuipa kwavo uye kuora kwainge kwaita tsika dzavo. (Genesisi 18:25; 1 Makoronike 28:9) Rakabhi anofanira kunge ainzwa sei kurarama muguta rainge rava kuda kuparadzwa? Tinogona kungofungidzira manzwiro aakaita paakanzwa mishumo yezvaiitwa nevaIsraeri. Akanzwa kuti Mwari waIsraeri ainge atungamirira vanhu vake, avo vainge vari varanda vaidzvinyirirwa, kuti vakunde uto reIjipiti raiva nesimba kupfuura dzimwe nyika dzose dzepanguva iyoyo. Parizvino vaIsraeri vakanga vava kuda kurwisa Jeriko! Asi, vanhu vomuguta iri vakaramba vachiita zvakaipa. Tinogona kuona kuti nei Bhaibheri richitaura nezvehama dzaRakabhi dzechiKenani richivati “vaya vasina kuteerera.”—VaHebheru 11:31.

Rakabhi ainge akasiyana nevamwe. Kwemakore akawanda anofanira kunge aifungisisa mishumo yose yaainzwa nezvevaIsraeri uye nezvaMwari wavo Jehovha. Jehovha ainge akanyatsosiyana navanamwari vevaKenani! NdiMwari airwira vanhu vake pane kuvashungurudza, uye aisimudzira pane kudzikisira tsika dzevanamati vake. NdiMwari aikoshesa vakadzi kwete kuvaona sevanhu vokutenga kana kutengesa kuti vangoita zvebonde kana kuti vazvidzwe mukunamata kwakaipa. Rakabhi paakaziva kuti vaIsraeri vainge vadzika misasa mhiri kwaJodhani, vagadzirira kuti vapinde nechisimba muJeriko, anofanira kunge akatya zvikuru achifunga kuti chii chaizoitika kuvanhu vemunyika yake. Jehovha akaona uye akakoshesa zvakanaka zvaifungwa naRakabhi here?

Mazuva ano pane vakawanda vakaita saRakabhi. Vanoona sokuti hapana chavanokwanisa kuita kuti vasiye mararamiro avo ayo anoita kuti vasafara uye vazvione sevasingakoshi, zvokuti vanofunga kuti hapana anombovaonawo sevanhu. Zvakaitika kuna Rakabhi zvinonyaradza nokuti zvinoratidza kuti Mwari anokoshesa munhu wese. Pasinei nokuti takaora mwoyo zvakadini, Mwari haasi “kure nomumwe nomumwe wedu.” (Mabasa 17:27) Ari pedyo, akagadzirira uye anoda chaizvo kupa tariro kune vose vanotenda maari. Rakabhi akatenda muna Mwari here?

VaIsraeri vasati vatanga kutenderera Jeriko, rimwe zuva pasuo raRakabhi pakasvika varume vaviri vaaisaziva. Varume ava vaifunga kuti vaizofamba nomuguta racho pasina avaona, asi vanhu vakanga vasina kugadzikana muguta iri, vachingwaririra kuti vaone chero tsori dzaibva kuvaIsraeri. Rakabhi uyo ainge akangwaririra, angangodaro akakurumidza kuziva varume ava. Zvaisava zvitsva kuti pasuo rake pasvike varume vaasingazivi, asi varume ava vainge vasina kuvinga basa raiitwa naRakabhi, vaingotsvaka pokugara.

Varume vaviri ava vaitova tsori dzaibva mumusasa wevaIsraeri. Joshua, mutungamiriri wavo akanga avatuma kunoongorora guta reJeriko. Iri raiva guta rokutanga revaKenani iro vaIsraeri vaida kupinda  nechisimba uye zvichida ndiro raiva rakasimba kupfuura mamwe ose. Joshua aida kuziva kuti iye neuto rake vaizotarisana nehondo yakadini. Hapana mubvunzo kuti tsori idzi dzakasarudza imba yaRakabhi dzichiziva. Sezvo yaiva imba yepfambi, vashanyi vaigona kungopfuura vasina kuonekwa. Zvichida tsori idzi dzaitarisira kunzwa mashoko aizodzibatsira aizotaurwa nevaya vainge vasina kungwarira.

Bhaibheri rinoti, Rakabhi ‘akagamuchira nhume zvakanaka.’ (Jakobho 2:25) Akavagamuchira mumba make, ndokuvabvumira kuti vagare kunyange zvazvo ainyumwira kuti vaiva vanaani uye kuti vakanga vavingei. Zvichida aitarisira kudzidza zvakawanda nezvaMwari wavo Jehovha.

Pasina nguva, nhume dzaibva kuna mambo weJeriko dzakasvika! Shoko rainge rapararira rokuti tsori dzaibva kuvaIsraeri dzainge dzapinda muimba yaRakabhi. Rakabhi aizoita sei? Kana aizochengetedza varume ava, aisazoisa upenyu hwake nehwemhuri yake pangozi here? Vanhu vomuJeriko vaisazouraya iye nemhuri yake here kana akachengetedza vavengi ava? Asiwo Rakabhi ainge ava kuziva kuti varume ava ndivanaani. Kana ainge ava kutoziva kuti Jehovha aiva Mwari ari nani zvikuru kupfuura mwari wake, aigona here kushandisa mukana uyu kuti atsigire Jehovha?

Rakabhi aisava nenguva yekufunga, asi aiva akachenjera uye akaona zvokuita nokukurumidza. Akaviga tsori idzi pakati pemashanga omufurakisi aakanga akaronga padenga reimba yake kuti aome. Akabva ataura nenhume dzaibva kuna mambo achiti: “Chokwadi, varume vacho vauya kwandiri, asi handina kuziva kwavanga vachibva. Varume vacho vabuda kwasviba, gedhi rava kuvharwa. Handimbozivi kuti varume vacho vaenda kupi. Kurumidzai kuvatevera nokuti muchavabata.” (Joshua 2:4, 5) Fungidzira uchiona Rakabhi akatarisa zviso zvenhume dzamambo. Ainetseka here kana nhume idzi dzaiona kuti akanga asina kugadzikana?

Zano rake rakashanda! Nhume dzamambo dzakabva dzatevera dzakananga kumazambuko aJodhani. (Joshua 2:7) Rakabhi anofanira kunge akatura befu. Achishandisa zano riri nyore, Rakabhi akanyepera varume ava vaida zvokuuraya, avo vainge vasina kodzero yokuziva chokwadi, uye akachengetedza vashumiri vaJehovha vaiva vasina mhosva.

Nokukurumidza, Rakabhi akadzokera padenga reimba yake ndokuudza tsori mbiri idzi zvaainge aita. Akataurawo chimwe chinhu chaikosha chokuti: Vanhu vokwake vainge vapererwa uye vaitya vaIsraeri zvisingaiti. Mashoko aya akanaka anofanira kunge akafadza tsori idzi. VaKenani vakaipa ava vainge vava kutya zvikuru simba raJehovha, Mwari wevaIsraeri! Rakabhi akazotaurawo chimwe chinhu chinokosha zvikuru kwatiri. Akati: “Jehovha Mwari wenyu ndiMwari kumatenga ari kumusoro nepanyika iri pasi.”  (Joshua 2:11) Zvaakanga anzwa nezvaJehovha zvakamubatsira kuziva kuti: Aifanira kuvimba naMwari wevaIsraeri. Rakabhi akatenda muna Jehovha.

Rakabhi akanga asina mubvunzo kuti Jehovha aizoita kuti vanhu vake vakunde. Saka akakumbira kunzwirwa ngoni kuti aponeswe pamwe chete nemhuri yake. Tsori dzacho dzakabvuma, ndokumuudza zvakajeka kuti aisafanira kuudza mumwe munhu nezvadzo uye kuti aifanira kuisa tambo tsvuku pahwindo reimba yake pamadziro eguta racho kuitira kuti uto revaIsraeri rimuchengetedze pamwe chete nemhuri yake.—Joshua 2:12-14, 18.

Tinogona kudzidza chokwadi chinokosha pakutenda kwakaratidzwa naRakabhi. Bhaibheri rinoti, “kutenda kunotevera chinhu chakanzwiwa.” (VaRoma 10:17) Akanzwa mashoko akarurama nezvesimba uye kururamisira kwaJehovha Mwari, zvikamuita kuti avimbe naye uye atende maari. Mazuva ano, tine zivo yakawanda zvikuru nezvaJehovha. Tichaedza kumuziva uye kutenda maari zvichibva pane zvatinodzidza muShoko rake Bhaibheri here?

Dzichitevera zano raRakabhi, tsori mbiri idzi dzakadzika rusvingo rweJeriko dzichishandisa tambo yaiva pahwindo raRakabhi, ndokuverevedza dzakananga kumakomo. Kwaiva nemapako akawanda kumawere aiva kuchamhembe kweJeriko uko tsori idzi dzaikwanisa kuhwanda kusvikira dzava kukwanisa kudzokera kumusasa wevaIsraeri, dziine mashoko akanaka adzainge dzawana kuna Rakabhi.

Pashure, vanhu vomuJeriko vakadedera nokutya zvikuru pavakanzwa kuti Jehovha ainge aita chishamiso chokumisa mvura yeRwizi rwaJodhani kuti vaIsraeri vapfuure nepakaoma. (Joshua 3:14-17) Asi mashoko aya akatoita kuti Rakabhi awedzere kuva nechokwadi chokuti kutenda kwake muna Jehovha kwainge kwakakodzera.

Iye zvino vaIsraeri vakatanga kutenderera guta reJeriko kamwe chete pazuva, kwemazuva matanhatu. Zuva rechinomwe rakasvika, asi rainge rakasiyana nemamwe. Sezvambotaurwa kwatangira nyaya ino, kutenderera uku kwakatanga mangwanani-ngwanani uye pashure pokunge uto iri ratenderera guta racho kekutanga, rakaramba richingotenderera guta reJeriko. (Joshua 6:15) Chii chaiitwa neuto revaIsraeri?

Parakatenderera guta kechinomwe pazuva rechinomwe, uto revaIsraeri rakabva ramira. Hwamanda dzakamira kurira. Kwakabva kwava norunyararo. Vanhu vanofanira kunge vaiva vasisina kugadzikana muguta. Zvadaro, Joshua akaudza uto rake kuti rishevedzere uye rakashevedzera kekutanga, richishevedzera nenzwi guru kwazvo. Varindi vaiva pamusoro pemasvingo eguta reJeriko vakafunga kuti kushevedzera uku yaiva nzira itsva yokurwisa here? Kana zvakadaro, hazvina kuvatorera nguva kuti vazive kuti chii chaiitika. Rusvingo rwakakura urwu rwakatanga kuzununguka. Rwakazununguka, ruchitsemuka, uye rwakakoromokera pasi! Guruva parakapera, chimwe chikamu cherusvingo rweguta iri chakasara chakamira. Imba yaRakabhi haina kuwa, nokuti akanga atenda muna Jehovha. Chimbofungidzira kuti akanzwa sei paakaona kuti Jehovha ainge amudzivirira! * Mhuri yake yakanga yadzivirirwawo!—Joshua 6:10, 16, 20, 21.

Vanhu vaJehovha vakaremekedzawo Rakabhi nemhaka yokutenda kwake. Pavakaona kuti pane imwe imba yakasara yakamira muungwandangwanda hweguta, vakaziva kuti Jehovha ainge adzivirira mukadzi uyu. Rakabhi nemhuri yake vakadzivirirwa pakuparadzwa kweguta iri raiva rakaipa. Pashure pehondo iyi, Rakabhi akabvumidzwa kugara pedyo nemusasa wevaIsraeri. Nokufamba kwenguva, Rakabhi akazobatana nevanhu vechiJudha. Akaroorwa nemurume ainzi Sarimoni. Mwanakomana wavo ainzi Bhoazi akazova murume ane kutenda kunoshamisa. Akaroora Rute muMoabhi. * (Rute 4:13, 22) Mambo Dhavhidhi naJesu Kristu, uyo akazova Mesiya, vakabva nemudzinza remhuri iyi yaiva nekutenda kunoshamisa.—Joshua 6:22-25; Mateu 1:5, 6, 16.

Nyaya yaRakabhi inotiratidza kuti munhu wese anokosha kuna Jehovha. Anotiona tose, anoona zviri mumwoyo yedu uye anofara paanoona kuti tine kutenda sezvaakaita kuna Rakabhi. Kutenda kwaRakabhi kwakamuita kuti aite chimwe chinhu. Bhaibheri rinoti, akanzi “akarurama nemabasa.” (Jakobho 2:25) Zvechokwadi, kuchenjera kutevedzera kutenda kwaRakabhi!