1 Emva koko ke uYoshuwa into kaNune wathumela ngasekhusini iintlola zambini zisuka apho babekhulule khona eShitim, wathi: “Hambani niye kuhlola ilizwe laseKanana, ngokukodwa idolophu iJeriko.” Esukile ke loo madoda aya kungena kumzi wehenyukazi uRahabhi.
2 Ukumkani waseJeriko waxelelwa kwathiwa: “Kukho amaSirayeli afikileyo ngobu busuku, eze kuhlola eli lizwe.”
3 Ukumkani wathumela izigidimi kuRahabhi esithi: “Wakhuphe loo madoda asendlwini yakho, kuba aze kuhlola ilizwe lonke.”
4-6 URahabhi waphendula wathi: “Ewe, ebekho amadoda ebefikile apha kwam, phofu andiwazi ukuba abe evela phi na. Kambe ke ahambe ukutshona kwelanga, kungekavalwa namasango edolophu le. Andikhange ndibuze apho aya khona, kodwa ukuba niyawasukela ningawafumana.” (Ethetha le nto nje uRahabhi ezo ntlola wayezifihle phezu kwendlu, zingaphantsi komqhaphu owawubekwe apho.)
7 Ahamba ke loo madoda ngendlela eya kumazibuko eJordan, esukela iintlola ezo. Avalwa kwangoko amasango.
8 Ngaphambi kokuba zilale ezo ntlola, uRahabhi waya kuzo phezu kwendlu,
9 wafika wathi: “Ndiyazi ukuba *uNdikhoyo ulinike nina eli lizwe. Bonke abemi beli lizwe bayankwantya nini; boyika ngokokude baphelelwe ngamandla.
10 Sayiva nento yokuba uNdikhoyo walomisa uLwandle oluBomvu ukuba niwele ukunduluka kwenu eJiputa. Saziva neendaba zokubatshabalalisa tu kwenu ooSihon no-Ogi iikumkani zama-Amori ezazimi kwelaa cala lingasempumalanga yeJordan.
11 Soyika kakhulu ukuvakala kwezo ndaba, sonke apha satsho saphelelwa ngamandla. UNdikhoyo uThixo wenu nguye olawula emazulwini nalapha emhlabeni.
12 Ngoku ke khanifunge ngegama lakhe ukuba nobenzela inceba abantu basekhaya njengoko nam ndinenzele inceba, nindinike nomqondiso oqinisekileyo.
13 Ndithembiseni ukuba nomsindisa utata, nomama, nabantakwethu, noodadethu, kunye neentsapho zabo, singàbulawa thina.”
14 Athi loo madoda: “Ubomi bethu sibuthenga ngobenu. Ukuba wena akuyithethanga mntwini le nto sihambele yona apha kweli lizwe, siyathembisa ukuba sonenzela inceba xa uNdikhoyo esinikezela lo mhlaba.”
15 Indlu kaRahabhi yayiseludongeni olubiyele idolophu. Wawakhupha ngefestile ke loo madoda, ehla ngentambo.
16 Wathi: “Ze niye kuzimela ezintabeni, ningabonwa ngamadoda athunywe ngukumkani. Ze nihlale apho iintsuku ezintathu, de loo madoda abuye, nandule ke nina ukugoduka.”
17 Zathi iintlola kuRahabhi: “Asiyi kuba natyala lokungasigcini isifungo osifungise sona ukuba akukwenzanga oku:
18 xa singena kweli lizwe kufuneka ubophelele lo msonto ubomvu kule festile usikhuphe ngayo. Kufuneka uze noyihlo nonyoko nabantakwenu, nabo bonke abantu bakowenu, ubahlanganisele endlwini yakho.
19 Ukuba ngaba kubekho mntu uphumela ngaphandle kule ndlu, aze abulawe, lityala lakhe. Kanti ke xa kwenzakaliswe umntu esendlwini yakho, ityala loba lelethu.
20 Ukuba uyixelele nabani na into esizele yona, thina asiyi kuba natyala ngokungasigcini esi sifungo.”
21 Wavuma uRahabhi, wawandulula. Akuba ehambile, wabophelela loo msonto ubomvu efestileni.
22 Ezo ntlola zabaleka, zaya kuzimela ezintabeni, zahlala apho iintsuku ezintathu. Amadoda ayethunywe ngukumkani azikhangela kulo lonke ngasendleleni engazifumani, ada ancama abuyela eJeriko.
23 Zehla ke entabeni iintlola, zawuwela umlambo, zabuyela kuYoshuwa, zamxelela konke okwehlayo kuhambo lwazo,
24 zathi: “Inene, uNdikhoyo elaa lizwe lonke ulinikezela kuthi, yaye abantu balapho bonke baphelelwe ngamandla ngenxa yokoyika.”