Joshuwa
6:1-27
6 Ngaleso sikhatsi, iJerikho beyivalwe ngci ngenca yema-Israyeli; kute labekakhona kungena nobe kuphuma.+
2 Jehova wabese utsi kuJoshuwa: “IJerikho ngiyinikele esandleni sakho, yona nenkhosi yakhona kanye nemachawe akhona lanemandla.+
3 Nonkhe nine mabutfo emphi kufanele nihambahambe nitungelete lelidolobha, futsi nilitungelete kanye. Nguloko lokufanele nikwente emalanga lasitfupha.
4 Akube nebaphristi labangu-7 labaphetse timphondvo letingu-7 tetimvu letindvuna embikweLibhokisi. Kodvwa ngelilanga lesi-7 kufanele nitungelete lelidolobha tikhatsi letingu-7, futsi labaphristi kufanele bashaye letimphondvo.+
5 Nakushaywa loluphondvo lwemvu, ngekushesha nje nakuvakala umsindvo* walo, bonkhe bantfu babomemeta kakhulu njengebantfu labasemphini. Ngaleso sikhatsi tindvonga talelidolobha titakuwa bhu phansi+ futsi bantfu kufanele bakhuphuke, nguloyo naloyo acondze ngco embili.”
6 Ngako Joshuwa indvodzana yaNuni wabitela baphristi ndzawonye wase utsi kubo: “Tsatsani libhokisi lesivumelwane, bese baphristi labangu-7 baphatsa timphondvo letingu-7 tetimvu embikwaleLibhokisi laJehova.”+
7 Wabese utsi kubantfu: “Hambani nitungelete lelidolobha futsi emadvodza lahlomele imphi+ kufanele ahambe embikwaleLibhokisi laJehova.”
8 Njengobe Joshuwa abeshito kubantfu, baphristi labangu-7 lebebaphetse timphondvo letingu-7 tetimvu embikwaJehova bahamba futsi bashaya letimphondvo. Libhokisi lesivumelwane saJehova belibalandzela.
9 Emadvodza lahlomele imphi ahamba embikwebaphristi lebebashaya timphondvo, futsi emasotja lebekavikela libutfo ngemuva alandzela Libhokisi njengobe timphondvo betichubeka tishaywa.
10 Joshuwa bekatjele labantfu watsi: “Ningamemeti nobe nikhulume. Akukafaneli kuphume livi emlonyeni wenu kuze kube lilanga lapho ngitawutsi: ‘Memetani!’ Nangisho njalo nibobese niyamemeta.”
11 Wakhipha sicondziso sekutsi Libhokisi laJehova litungelete lelidolobha, lilitungelete kanye. Ngemuva kwaloko babuyela endzaweni lebebahlala kuyo, bacitsa busuku bonkhe lapho.
12 Ngelilanga lelilandzelako, Joshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu futsi baphristi batsatsa Libhokisi+ laJehova.
13 Labaphristi labangu-7 lebebaphetse timphondvo letingu-7 tetimvu bahamba embikweLibhokisi laJehova, bachubeka bashaya letimphondvo. Emadvodza labehlomele imphi bekahamba embikwalabaphristi, kantsi emasotja lebekavikela libutfo ngemuva abelandzela Libhokisi laJehova njengobe letimphondvo betisolo tishaywa.
14 Ngelilanga lesibili, lelidolobha balitungeleta kanye, kwatsi ngemuva kwaloko babuyela lapho bebahlala khona. Loko bakwenta emalanga lasitfupha.+
15 Ngelilanga lesi-7 bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, nakudzabuka kusa, futsi batungeleta lelidolobha tikhatsi letingu-7, ngendlela labebasolo benta ngayo. Kungalelolanga kuphela lapho batungeleta khona lelidolobha tikhatsi letingu-7.+
16 Nabalitungeleta kwesi-7, baphristi bashaya letimphondvo futsi Joshuwa watjela labantfu watsi: “Memetani+ ngobe Jehova sewuninike lelidolobha!
17 Lelidolobha nako konkhe lokukulo kufanele kunikelwe ekubhujisweni;+ tonkhe leto tintfo taJehova. NguRahabi+ ingwadla kanye nabo bonkhe labasendlini yakhe labatawuchubeka baphila, ngobe wafihla letinhloli lesatitfuma.+
18 Ningasondzeli kulokunikelwe ekubhujisweni+ kuze ningakufisi bese niyakutsatsa,+ ngaleyo ndlela nente yonkhe indzawo ema-Israyeli lahlala kuyo ifanelwe kunikelwa ekubhujisweni ngekutsi niyiletsele inhlekelele.*+
19 Kodvwa lonkhe lisiliva, ligolide netintfo letentiwe ngelitfusi nangensimbi tingcwele kuJehova.+ Kufanele titsatfwe tiyiswe endzaweni yemcebo waJehova.”+
20 Bantfu babese bayamemeta ngalesikhatsi kushaywa letimphondvo.+ Ngekushesha nje nabeva umsindvo weluphondvo futsi sebamemete kakhulu njengebantfu labasemphini, tindvonga tawa bhu phansi.+ Ngemuva kwaloko bantfu bakhuphukela edolobheni, nguloyo naloyo wacondza ngco embili futsi balincoba lelidolobha.
21 Konkhe lobekukulelidolobha bakubhubhisa ngenkemba, lokufaka ekhatsi emadvodza nebafati, labancane nalasebakhulile, tinkunzi, timvu kanye netimbongolo.+
22 Joshuwa watsi kuletinhloli letimbili lebetihlole lelive: “Hambani niye endlini yaRahabi ingwadla, nibuye naye kanye nabo bonkhe labasendlini yakhe, njengobe nje nafunga kuye.”+
23 Ngako lamajaha labekatinhloli ahamba aya endlini yaRahabi futsi abuya naye kanye nababe wakhe, namake wakhe, banakabo nabo bonkhe lebebasendlini yakhe. Aletsa wonkhe umndeni wakhe+ futsi awumikisa endzaweni lephephile lebeyingephandle kwendzawo lapho bekuhlala khona ema-Israyeli.
24 Ngemuva kwaloko bashisa lelidolobha nako konkhe lobekukulo. Kodvwa lisiliva, ligolide kanye netintfo letakhiwe ngelitfusi nangensimbi batiyisa endlini yemcebo waJehova.+
25 Rahabi ingwadla kanye nendlu yababe wakhe nabo bonkhe lebebasendlini yakhe ngibo kuphela labasindziswa nguJoshuwa,+ futsi Rahabi wahlala ka-Israyeli+ ngobe wafihla emadvodza labetfunywe nguJoshuwa kutsi ayohlola iJerikho.+
26 Ngaleso sikhatsi Joshuwa wafunga* watsi: “Ucalekisiwe embikwaJehova nobe ngubani lotawuphindze akhe lelidolobha laseJerikho. Nakabeka sisekelo salo kutawufa umntfwana wakhe wekucala, futsi nakakha tivalo talo kutawufa umntfwana wakhe lomncane.”+
27 Jehova waba naJoshuwa,+ futsi ludvumo lwaJoshuwa* lwevakala kuwo wonkhe umhlaba.+
Imibhalo lengentansi
^ Nobe “kukhala kwalo sikhatsi lesidze.”
^ Nobe “inkinga; kulahlwa.”
^ Kungaphindze kubekwe ngekutsi, “wafungisa bantfu lesifungo.”
^ Kungenteka kusho kutsi ludvumo lwaJehova.
