NJENGOKO kwakusithi qheke ukusa, uRahabhi wakroba efestileni ejonge kuloo mathafa ayejikeleze iYeriko. Apho, kwakuhlanganisene umkhosi wamaSirayeli owawuze kuhlasela iYeriko. Njengoko wawuphinda ujikeleza isixeko, kwakuqhuma uthuli, kusitsho nesankxwe sezigodlo.

Ekubeni uRahabhi wayehlala eYeriko, wayezazi izitrato, izindlu, iimarike neevenkile zakhona eziphithizelayo. Wayebazi kakhulu nabantu bakhona. Wayebabona ukuba baya benyukelwa zizibilini njengoko suku ngalunye umkhosi wamaSirayeli wawujikeleza esi sixeko. Ngoxa abantu baseYeriko babengcangcazela yaye bephelelwe ngamathemba ngenxa yesankxwe sezigodlo ezazizalise izitrato neendawo zembutho, uRahabhi wayezolile.

Ngentsasa yosuku lwesixhenxe uRahabhi wayebukele njengoko loo mkhosi wawuqalisa ukujikeleza isixeko. Phakathi kwaloo majoni akwaSirayeli, wabona ababingeleli bevuthela izigodlo, bephethe ityeya engcwele, eyayifuzisela ubukho bukaThixo wabo uYehova. Khawube nombono kaRahabhi ebambe intambo engqombela eyayijinga efestileni yakhe, kudonga olungaphandle kweYeriko. Loo ntambo yayiqinisa ithemba lakhe lokuba yena nentsapho yakhe babeza kusinda xa kutshatyalaliswa esi sixeko. Ngaba uRahabhi wayengumngcatshi? KuYehova wayengenguye; kodwa wayelibhinqa elinokholo olomeleleyo. Makhe sibuyele ekuqaleni kweli bali likaRahabhi size sibone ukuba yintoni esinokuyifunda.

URahabhi wayengunongogo. Loo nto yabothusa kakhulu abanye abahlalutyi beBhayibhile kangangokuba bathi wayegcina nje indlu yabahambi. Yona iBhayibhile ayifihli makhuba. (Yoshuwa 2:1; Hebhere 11:31; Yakobi 2:25) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, ukuba ngunongogo yayiyinto eyamkelekileyo kubantu baseKanan. Ngoxa kwakwamkelile apho ukuba ngunongogo, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRahabhi wayesazi ukuba kuphosakele ngenxa yokuba uYehova wanika mntu ngamnye isazela esisinceda sikwazi ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi. (Roma 2:14, 15) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRahabhi wayeneentloni ngendlela awayephila ngayo. Mhlawumbi ngokufanayo nabaninzi abaphila ubomi obunjalo namhlanje, wayeziva enyanzelekile ukuba athengise ngomzimba ukuze ondle intsapho yakhe.

Alithandabuzeki elokuba uRahabhi wayenqwenela ukuphucula ubomi bakhe. Abantu besixeko sakowabo babenogonyamelo, beziphethe kakubi, belalana ngoxa bezalana yaye belala nezilwanyana. (Levitikus 18:3, 6, 21-24) Nonqulo lwalufak’ isandla kwezi zenzo zimbi. Ezitempileni kwakukhuthazwa abantu ukuba babe ngoonongogo, kunqulwa oothixo abafana noBhahali noMoleki, kutshiswa nabantwana bephila kusithiwa kuyabingelelwa.

UYehova wayeyibona yonke loo nto yayisenzeka kwaKanan. Ngenxa yezinto ezimbi ezazisenzeka apho, uYehova wathi: “Ilizwe eli alihlambulukanga, yaye ndiya kulohlwaya ngesiphoso salo,  lize ilizwe elo libahlanze abemi balo.” (Levitikus 18:25) Sasiza kuba yintoni ‘isohlwayo ngesiphoso salo’? UThixo wayethembise uSirayeli ngala mazwi: “UYehova uThixo wakho uya kuzishenxisa ngokuthe ngcembe ezi ntlanga phambi kwakho.” (Duteronomi 7:22) Kumakhulu eminyaka ngaphambili, uYehova wathembisa ukuba eli lizwe uza kulinika intsapho ka-Abraham, ibe ‘uThixo akanakuxoka.’—Tito 1:2; Genesis 12:7.

UYehova wachaza iintlanga ezaziza kukhutshwa ngokupheleleyo kweli lizwe. (Duteronomi 7:1, 2) ‘NjengoMgwebi olilungisa womhlaba wonke,’ wayezazi zonke iintliziyo zabo bantu, esazi nendlela obabendele ngayo ububi nokonakala kwezo ntliziyo. (Genesis 18:25; 1 Kronike 28:9) URahabhi wayephila njani kwisixeko esasiqalekiswe ngolo hlobo? Usenokuyithelekelela indlela awayevakalelwa ngayo njengoko wayemane esiva iingxelo ngoko kwenziwe ngamaSirayeli. Weva ukuba uThixo kaSirayeli wakhokela abantu bakhe—uhlanga olwalucinezelekile, lungamakhoboka—ukuba boyise umkhosi wamaYiputa, owona wawunamandla ehlabathini ngelo xesha. Ngoku uSirayeli wayeza kuhlasela iYeriko! Sekunjalo, abantu beso sixeko baqhubeka nobubi babo. Sinokusibona isizathu sokuba iBhayibhile ithi amaKanan ‘ayengathobeli.’—Hebhere 11:31.

URahabhi wayengafani nawo. Inoba wayecinga ngeengxelo awayesoloko eziva ngamaSirayeli kunye noThixo wawo uYehova. UYehova wayengafani tu noothixo bakwaKanan. Yena wayebalwela abantu bakhe endaweni yokubaxhaphaza, ebafundisa ukuziphatha kakuhle endaweni yokubathoba isidima. Lo Thixo wayewaxabisile amabhinqa, engawajongi njengezinto nje zokuba kulalwe nazo, zithengiswe zize zisetyenziswe kunqulo olungendawo. Xa uRahabhi weva ukuba amaSirayeli amise inkampu ngaphaya kweYordan, kunokwenzeka ukuba yaba buhlungu intliziyo yakhe akucinga ngabantu bakowabo. Ngaba uYehova wabona okulungileyo entliziyweni kaRahabhi waza wamthanda?

Nanamhlanje, baninzi abantu abafana noRahabhi. Babambeke zizinto ezibohlutha isidima nolonwabo; baziva bengento yanto. Eli bali likaRahabhi liyathuthuzela yaye lisikhumbuza ukuba akakho kuthi ongento yanto emehlweni kaThixo. Enoba siziva siphantsi kangakanani na, ‘akakho kude kuye ngamnye wethu.’ (IZenzo 17:27) Akakho kude kuthi, yaye ubanika ithemba bonke abo banokholo kuye. Ngaba uRahabhi wayenokholo?

Ngenye imini, ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli ajikeleze iYeriko, kwafika amadoda amabini emzini kaRahabhi. La madoda ayecinga ukuba akazubhaqwa, kodwa ekubeni wonke umntu kweso sixeko wayesoyika, kwakugadwe kwamntu ongathi yintlola. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uRahabhi, owayeneliso elibukhali, wakhawuleza wabona ukuba angoobani. Phofu ke, yayiyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba amadoda angaziwayo angene ekhayeni likaRahabhi, kodwa la ayefuna nje indawo yokulala, engezanga kuthenga umzimba.

La madoda mabini yayiziintlola ezivela kwinkampu yakwaSirayeli. Umphathi-mkhosi, uYoshuwa, wawathumela ukuba aye kuhlola izinto enamandla nebuthathaka kuzo iYeriko. Esi yayisisixeko sokuqala samaKanan nesona sinamandla kwezaziza kuhlaselwa ngamaSirayeli. UYoshuwa wayefuna ukwazi ukuba yena namadoda akhe babeza kujamelana nantoni. Alithandabuzeki elokuba ezi ntlola zaziyazi into eziyenzayo xa zikhetha le ndlu kaRahabhi. Yayiyile ndlu kanongogo kuphela apho zazinokuhamba zingabhaqwanga. Mhlawumbi zazifuna nokubamba nantoni na awayenokuyithetha engaqondanga.

IBhayibhile ithi uRahabhi “wabamkela ngomoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe abathunywa.” (Yakobi 2:25) Wabamkela nangona wayebakrokrela ukuba bangoobani nokuba bafuna ntoni. Mhlawumbi wayefuna ukuva izinto ezininzi ngoThixo wabo uYehova.

Ngequbuliso kwafika abathunywa bakakumkani waseYeriko! Kwakudume ukuba kufike iintlola zakwaSirayeli ekhayeni likaRahabhi. Wayeza kuthini uRahabhi? Ukuba wayenokuwakhusela loo madoda, ngaba wayengazukubeka yena nendlu yakhe esichengeni? Ngaba abantu baseYeriko babengazukubulala kwanto ikuloo ndlu? Kwangaxeshanye, uRahabhi umele ukuba wayesele ewazi ukuba angoobani la madoda. Ukuba wayesele esazi ukuba uYehova ubhetele kunoothixo bakhe, mhlawumbi eli yayiza kuba lithuba lokuba ame ngakwicala likaYehova.

Lalingekho ixesha lokucinga, kodwa uRahabhi wakhawuleza wayicinga into amakayenze. Waya kufihla ezo ntlola kwiindiza zeflakisi ezazomiswe kuphahla lwendlu yakhe. Wathi kubathunywa bakakumkani: “Ewe, aye afika loo madoda kum, yaye andiwazanga ukuba avela phi. Kwathi, ukuvalwa kwesango, kwakuba mnyama, aphuma. Andazi ukuba aye ngaphi na amadoda lawo. Wasukeleni ngokukhawuleza, kuba niza kuwafumana.” (Yoshuwa 2:4, 5) Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kaRahabhi ethetha naba bathunywa ebajonge ebusweni. Akungebi mhlawumbi wayecinga ukuba bayambona ukuba uyoyika?

Iqhinga lakhe lasebenza! Abathunywa bawasukela ngakumazibuko eYordan. (Yoshuwa 2:7) Kwatsho kwee xibilili izibilini kuRahabhi. Ngelo qhinga lilula wabalahla abo babulali kwakungafuneki bazi inyaniso ngeentlola, wabe uyabahlangula abakhonzi bakaYehova abangenatyala.

URahabhi wakhawuleza wakhwela eluphahleni waza wazixelela iintlola into ayenzileyo. Zatsho zafumana nento eyayiza kuzinceda xa wazixelela ukuba abantu baseYeriko baphelelwe ngamathemba yaye bayawoyika umkhosi wamaSirayeli. Ezi ntlola zimele ukuba zavuya ngokwenene zakuva  oku. Loo maKanan mabi ayewoyika amandla kaThixo wamaSirayeli, uYehova! Emva koko uRahabhi wathetha into ebaluleke nangakumbi kuthi. Wathi: “UYehova uThixo wenu nguThixo emazulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phantsi.” (Yoshuwa 2:11) Ubuncinane nantsi into awayifundayo kwiingxelo awazivayo ngoYehova: Ufanele amthembe uThixo wamaSirayeli. Waba nokholo kuYehova.

Wayeqinisekile ukuba uYehova wayeza kubanceda abantu bakhe boyise iYeriko. Ngoko wacela ukwenzelwa inceba ngokuthi yena nentsapho yakhe basindiswe. Ezo ntlola zavuma, zamchazela uRahabhi ukuba akugcine kuyimfihlo oko aze abophe intambo engqombela kwifestile yakhe ekudonga olungaphandle kwisixeko ukuze amajoni akhusele yena nentsapho yakhe.—Yoshuwa 2:12-14, 18.

Sinokufunda into ebalulekileyo kukholo lukaRahabhi. IBhayibhile ithi, “ukholo lulandela oko kuviweyo.” (Roma 10:17) Weva iingxelo ezithembekileyo ngendlela anamandla nalilungisa ngayo uYehova uThixo, ngoko waba nokholo waza wamthemba. Namhlanje, zininzi izinto ezisifundisa ngoYehova. Ngaba siza kwenza umgudu wokumazi size sibe nokholo kuye ngenxa yezinto esizifunde kwiLizwi lakhe iBhayibhile?

Zilandela icebiso likaRahabhi, ezi ntlola zimbini zehla ngentambo edongeni zaza zabalekela ngasezintabeni. Kwakukho imiqolomba emininzi kumathambeka akumantla eYeriko apho zazinokuzimela khona de utshaba lumke, zize zise ezi ndaba zimnandi kwinkampu yamaSirayeli.

Kamva, ngokuqinisekileyo abantu baseYeriko bangcangcazela luloyiko xa beva ukuba uYehova wahlule amanzi oMlambo iYordan ngokungummangaliso ukuze umkhosi wamaSirayeli ukwazi ukudlula. (Yoshuwa 3:14-17) Kodwa ezo ndaba zamenza uRahabhi waqiniseka ukuba akaphazamanga ngokuba nokholo kuYehova.

Umkhosi wamaSirayeli wajikeleza isixeko saseYeriko iintsuku ezintandathu—ujikeleza kube kanye suku ngalunye. Ngoku lusuku lwesixhenxe, yaye lona lwahlukile. Njengoko kuchaziwe ekuqaleni kweli nqaku, umkhosi waqalisa ukujikeleza xa kuphuma ilanga, kodwa ngoku awuzange uyeke, waqhubeka ujikeleza. (Yoshuwa 6:15) Yintoni le yayisenziwa ngala maSirayeli?

Ekugqibeleni, emva komjikelo wesixhenxe, kusuku lwesixhenxe, umkhosi wema. Zathi cwaka izigodlo. Kwathi cwaka. Ngelo xesha izibilini zabantu beso sixeko zaziphezulu. Ngoko uYoshuwa wenza umqondiso waza umkhosi waqalisa ukukhwaza kakhulu. Akungebi abalindi ababephezu kodonga lwaseYeriko babezibuza ukuba ngaba aba bantu bacinga ukuba baza kusihlasela ngokusuka nje benze ingxolo? Ukuba kunjalo, bathi besacinga, olo donga lukhulu laqalisa ukushukuma. Landindizela, laqhekeka laza lathi bhuma phantsi! Lwathi xa lutyhila uthuli, kwavela icala lodonga olusamileyo. Le yayiyindlu kaRahabhi, eyasindiswa lukholo lwakhe. Khawucinge indlela amele ukuba wavakalelwa ngayo xa ebona indlela uYehova amsindise ngayo. * Intsapho yakokwabo yasinda!—Yoshuwa 6:10, 16, 20, 21.

Ngokufanayo, abantu bakaYehova babeluxabisa ukholo lukaRahabhi. Xa babona loo ndlu inye ingawanga neyayiphakathi kwengqushu, baqonda ukuba uRahabhi usindiswe nguYehova. Yena nentsapho yakowabo basinda ekubulaweni kweso sixeko sibi. Emva kolo hlaselo, uRahabhi wavunyelwa waya kuhlala kufuphi nenkampu yamaSirayeli. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uRahabhi waba yinxalenye yentsapho yakwaYuda. Watshata noSalmon. Unyana wabo uBhohazi waba yindoda enokholo olomeleleyo. Watshata nomMowabhikazi ogama linguRute. * (Rute 4:13, 22) UKumkani uDavide noYesu Kristu, uMesiya, baphuma kule ntsapho yaziwa ngokuba nokholo.—Yoshuwa 6:22-25; Mateyu 1:5, 6, 16.

Ibali likaRahabhi lisifundisa ukuba sonke sibalulekile kuYehova. Sonke uyasibona, afunde iintliziyo zethu yaye uyavuya xa efumana ukholo olufana nolo walubona entliziyweni kaRahabhi. Ukholo lwakhe lwaba nesenzo. Njengoko iBhayibhile isitsho, ‘wavakaliswa elilungisa ngemisebenzi.’ (Yakobi 2:25) Siya kuba sizizilumko ukuba sixelisa ukholo lwakhe.