1 UJehova wakhuluma kuMose, wathi:
2 “Thuma wena abantu ukuba bahlole izwe laseKhanani engibanika lona abantwana bakwa-Israyeli; uthume umuntu waleso naleso sizwe sawoyise, kube yilowo nalowo abe yinduna phakathi kwabo.”
3 UMose wabathuma-ke besuka ehlane lasePharanu ngesiyalezo sikaJehova; bonke babo babe ngabantu abayizinhloko zabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
4 Lawa angamagama abo:Owesizwe sakwaRubeni: uShamuwa indodana kaZakuri.
5 Owesizwe sakwaSimeyoni: uShafati indodana kaHori.
6 Owesizwe sakwaJuda: uKalebi indodana kaJefune.
7 Owesizwe sakwa-Isakare: u-Igali indodana kaJosefa.
8 Owesizwe sakwa-Efrayimi: uHosheya indodana kaNuni.
9 Owesizwe sakwaBenjamini: uPaliti indodana kaRafu.
10 Owesizwe sakwaZebuloni: uGadiyeli indodana kaSodi.
11 Owesizwe sakwaJosefa, owesizwe sakwaManase: uGadi indodana kaSusi.
12 Owesizwe sakwaDani: u-Amiyeli indodana kaGemali.
13 Owesizwe sakwa-Asheri: uSethuru indodana kaMikayeli.
14 Owesizwe sakwaNafetali: uNabi indodana kaVofisi.
15 Owesizwe sakwaGadi: uGewuweli indodana kaMaki.
16 Yilawo amagama amadoda athunywa nguMose ukuhlola izwe. UMose wambiza uHosheya indodana kaNuni ngokuthi uJoshuwa.
17 UMose wabathuma ukuhlola izwe laseKhanani, wathi kubo: “Yenyukani ngalapha, niye ngaseningizimu, nikhuphukele ezintabeni,
18 nibone izwe ukuthi linjani, nabantu abakhe kulo ukuthi banamandla noma babuthakathaka, bayingcosana noma baningi yini,
19 nokuthi izwe abakhe kulo linjani, noma lihle noma libi, nokuthi imizi abahlala kuyo injani, noma ngamakamu* noma yizinqaba,
20 nokuthi izwe linjani, noma livundile noma limpofu, noma linezinkuni noma qha. Yibani nesibindi, nibuye nezithelo zezwe.” Kwase kuyisikhathi sezithelo zokuqala zomvini.
21 Base behamba-ke, bahlola izwe kusukela ehlane laseSini kuze kube seRehobe ekuyeni ngaseHamati.
22 Benyukela ngaseningizimu, bafika eHebroni; o-Ahimani, noSheshayi, noTalimayi, abantwana bakwa-Anaki, babelapho. IHebroni lakhiwa iminyaka eyisikhombisa lingakakhiwa iSowani laseGibithe.
23 Bafika esiGodini sase-Eshikoli,* banquma khona igatsha elinehlukuzo lezithelo zomvini, balithwala ngothi phakathi kwababili, kanye namapomegranati* namakhiwane.
24 Leyo ndawo yathiwa isiGodi sase-Eshikoli* ngenxa yehlukuzo abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abalinquma khona.
25 Base bebuya ekuhloleni izwe ngasekupheleni kwezinsuku ezingamashumi amane.
26 Baya bafika kuMose naku-Aroni nakuyo yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli ehlane lasePharanu eKadeshi, babuyisela izwi kubo nakuyo yonke inhlangano, bababonisa izithelo zezwe.
27 Bamtshela bathi: “Safika-ke ezweni owasithuma kulo; ngempela livame ubisi nezinyosi; lokhu kuyizithelo zalo.
28 Nokho abantu abakhe ezweni banamandla, imizi ibiyelwe, mikhulu kakhulu; futhi sabona abantwana bakwa-Anaki khona.
29 U-Amaleki wakhile ezweni laseningizimu; amaHeti, namaJebusi, nama-Amori ahlala ezintabeni; amaKhanani akhile ngaselwandle naseceleni kweJordani.”
30 UKalebi wathulisa abantu phambi kukaMose, wathi: “Masenyuke khona manje, silidle, ngokuba sinamandla okulinqoba.”
31 Kepha amadoda ayenyuke naye athi: “Asinakwenyuka, sihlasele labo bantu, ngokuba banamandla kunathi.”
32 Base belandisa abantwana bakwa-Israyeli umbiko omubi ngezwe ababelihlolile, bathi: “Izwe esilidabulile ukulihlola liyizwe elidla abakhileyo kulo; bonke abantu esababona kulo bangabantu abajaheleyo.
33 Sabona khona iziqhwaga, amadodana ka-Anaki ayela eziqhwageni; emehlweni ethu saba njengezintethe, saba njalo nasemehlweni abo.”