1 Akazange athembeke amaSirayeli kumyalelo *kaNdikhoyo wokuba angathathi nto kufuneka itshatyalalisiwe eJeriko. Umfo owawudelayo loo myalelo nguAkana, unyana kaKarmi, umzukulwana kaZabhedi wakwaZera wesizwe sakwaJuda. Loo nto yawuvuthisa umsindo kaNdikhoyo ngakumaSirayeli.
2 UYoshuwa wathumela amadoda asuka eJeriko esiya eAyi, idolophu eyayingasempumalanga yeBhetele, imelene neBhetaven, ukuba aye kuhlola elo lizwe. Aya ke, ayihlola iAyi,
3 abuya athi kuYoshuwa: “Akukho mfuneko yakusa wonke umkhosi eAyi. Makuye nokuba ngamawaka amabini okanye amathathu amadoda. Noko abantu baseAyi bambalwa.”
4 Hayi ke, kwaphuma amawaka amathathu ukuya kuhlasela iAyi, kodwa asuka aswantsuliswa.
5 Amadoda aseAyi awajika emasangweni edolophu loo madoda, awaleqa ewahlisa induli ukuya kutsho ezixhotyeni, abulala amashumi amathathu anantandathu. AmaSirayeli atyhafa, ankwantya kukoyika.
6 UYoshuwa kunye namadoda amakhulu bazikrazula izambatho zabo, bazikhahlela phantsi ngaphambi kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, bahlala benjenjalo kwada kwahlwa. Babezigalele nangothuli entloko, bebonakalisa intlungu ababenayo.
7 UYoshuwa wakhala wathi: “Ndikhoyo, Mhlekazi, wawusiwezela ntoni ke kambe eJordan? Wawufuna ukuza kusitshabalalisa ngala ma-Amori? Akwaba sasisuke sahlala ngaphesheya kweJordan kwaba kanye!