1 Kwathi onke amakhosi ama-Amori ayengaphesheya kweJordani ngasentshonalanga, nawo onke amakhosi amaKhanani ayengaselwandle esezwa ukuthi uJehova womise amanzi aseJordani phambi kwabantwana bakwa-Israyeli saze sawela, izinhliziyo zabo zaphela amandla, kungabe kusaba khona sibindi ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
2 Ngaleso sikhathi uJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Zenzele omese bensengetsha, ubuye usoke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngokwesibili.”
3 UJoshuwa wazenzela omese bensengetsha, wabasika abantwana bakwa-Israyeli eDulini Lamajwabu.
4 Nasi isizathu uJoshuwa abasoka ngaso: bonke abantu abaphuma eGibithe ababengabesilisa, onke amadoda empi, bafa ehlane ngasendleleni, sebephumile eGibithe.
5 Ngokuba bonke abantu abaphuma babesokiwe, kepha bonke abantu abazalwa ehlane ngasendleleni ekuphumeni kwabo eGibithe babengabasokanga.
6 Ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba iminyaka engamashumi amane ehlane, saze saphela isizwe sonke, yiwo amadoda empi aphuma eGibithe, lokhu engalalelanga izwi likaJehova, afunga kuwo uJehova ukuthi akayikuwabonisa izwe uJehova alifungela oyise ethi uyakusinika lona, izwe elivame ubisi nezinyosi.
7 Abantwana bawo abavusa esikhundleni sawo bona uJoshuwa wabasoka, ngokuba babengabangasokile, lokhu bengabasokanga endleleni.
8 Kwathi sebeqedile ukusoka abantu bonke, bahlala ezindaweni zabo ekamu,* baze baphola.
9 UJehova wayesethi kuJoshuwa: “Namuhla ngilethulile kini ihlazo laseGibithe.” Ngalokho igama laleyo ndawo lathiwa iGiligali kuze kube namuhla.
10 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bamisa eGiligali, bagcina iphasika ngosuku lweshumi nane lwenyanga ngakusihlwa emathafeni aseJeriko.
11 Badla ezithelweni zezwe ngolwangakusasa emva kwephasika, amaqebelengwane angenamvubelo notshwele ngalona lolo suku.
12 Imana* lanqamuka ngangomuso, nxa sebedla ezithelweni zezwe; abakwa-Israyeli ababe besaba nemana futhi, kepha base bedla ezithelweni zezwe laseKhanani ngalowo mnyaka.
13 Kwathi uJoshuwa esengaseJeriko, waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabona, bheka, nanso indoda malungana naye enenkemba yayo ihoshiwe esandleni sayo; uJoshuwa waya kuyo, wathi kuyo: “Uvuna thina noma izitha zethu na?”
14 Yathi: “Qha, ngifikile njengesikhulu sebandla likaJehova.”UJoshuwa wayesewa ngobuso emhlabathini, wakhuleka, wathi kuyo: “Ithini inkosi yami encekwini yayo na?”
15 Isikhulu sebandla likaJehova sathi kuJoshuwa: “Khumula isicathulo sakho onyaweni lwakho, ngokuba indawo omi kuyo ingcwele.” UJoshuwa wenze njalo-ke.