1 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wathuma ngasese eseShithimi amadoda amabili abe yizinhloli, wathi: “Hambani nibone izwe neJeriko.” Basuka, bafika endlini yesifebe esigama laso linguRahabi, balala khona.
2 Inkosi yaseJeriko yatshelwa; kwathiwa: “Bheka, kwafika lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ukuba ahlole izwe.”
3 Inkosi yaseJeriko yathumela kuRahabi, yathi: “Khipha lawo madoda afikile kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngokuba ezile ukuzohlola izwe lonke.”
4 Owesifazane wayesethatha lawo madoda omabili, wawathukusa, wathi: “Kunjalo; amadoda afika kimi, kepha ngangingazi ukuthi avelaphi;
5 kwathi ngesikhathi sokuvalwa kwesango lapho sekumnyama, amadoda aphuma; angazi ukuthi ayaphi lawo madoda; sheshani niwaxoshe, ngokuba niyakuwafica.”
6 Kepha wayewenyusele ophahleni, wawashumeka ezinhlangeni zefilakisi* abezihlelile ophahleni.
7 Abantu bawaxosha endleleni eya eJordani emazibukweni; sebephumile abawaxosha, bavala isango.
8 Engakalali, wenyukela kuwo ophahleni;
9 wathi kumadoda: “Ngiyazi ukuthi uJehova uninikile izwe, nokuthi sehlelwe ngukunesaba, nokuthi bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwenu.
10 Ngokuba sizwile ukuthi uJehova womisa amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibithe nokuthi wenzani kuwo amakhosi amabili ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani, oSihoni no-Ogi, enawaqothulayo.
11 Sathi sikuzwa lokho, izinhliziyo zethu zaphela amandla, akwabe kusabakho sibindi kumuntu phambi kwenu, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ezulwini phezulu nasemhlabeni phansi.
12 Ngalokho ake nifunge manje uJehova kimi, njengokuba nginenzele umusa, ukuba nani niyenzele indlu kababa umusa, ningiphe uphawu oluqinisileyo,
13 nisindise ubaba, nomame, nabafowethu, nawodadewethu, nabo bonke abanabo, nophule imiphefumulo yethu ekufeni.”
14 Athi amadoda kuye: “Mayife imiphefumulo yethu esikhundleni senu; uma ningavezi obala le ndaba yethu, siyakunenzela umusa neqiniso lapho uJehova esinika izwe.”
15 Wayesewehlisa ngentambo ngasefasiteleni, ngokuba indlu yakhe yayingasogangeni lomuzi, wahlala ngasogangeni.
16 Wathi kuwo: “Khuphukelani entabeni, funa abanixoshayo banifice, nicashe khona izinsuku ezintathu, ukuze abanixoshayo babuye, andukuba nihambe indlela yenu.”
17 Ayesethi amadoda kuye: “Thina asinacala ngaleso sifungo sakho osifungise sona,
18 uma ekufikeni kwethu ezweni ungabophi le ntambo ebomvu efasiteleni osehlise ngalo, uzibuthele endlini yakho uyihlo, nonyoko, nabafowenu, nabendlu bonke bakayihlo.
19 Kuyakuthi yilowo nalowo ophumela ngaphandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe libe sekhanda lakhe, thina singabi nacala; kodwa lowo okuwe endlini, igazi lakhe liyakuba sekhanda lethu, uma sibekwa isandla kuye.
20 Kepha uma uveza obala le ndaba yethu, asiyikuba nacala ngesifungo sakho osifungise sona.”
21 Wathi: “Makube njengamazwi enu.” Wayesewamukisa ahamba; wabopha intambo ebomvu efasiteleni.
22 Asuka aya entabeni, ahlala khona izinsuku ezintathu, baze babuya abawaxoshayo; abaxoshayo babewafuna indlela yonke, abaze bawafumana.
23 Ayesebuya lawo madoda omabili, ehla entabeni, awela, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo.
24 Athi kuJoshuwa: “UJehova unikile ezandleni zethu izwe lonke; bonke abakhileyo ezweni baphela amandla phambi kwethu.”