UJoshuwa 6:1-20

IJeriko lalivalile amasango alo ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; kwakungaphumi muntu, kungangeni muntu. UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Bheka, nginikele esandleni sakho iJeriko, nenkosi yalo, namaqhawe anamandla. Niyakuhaqa umuzi, onke amadoda empi, niwuzungeze umuzi kanye. Uyakwenze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. Abapristi abayisikhombisa bayakuthwala amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili* phambi komphongolo; ngosuku lwesikhombisa niyakuwuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi babethe amacilongo. Kuyakuthi lapho bekhalisa kade uphondo lwejubili* nalapho nilizwa izwi lecilongo, bonke abantu bakhamuluke ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lomuzi luwele phansi endaweni yalo, abantu bakhuphuke, yilowo nalowo aqonde phambili nje.” UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi, wathi kubo: “Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, abapristi abayisikhombisa bathwale amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili* phambi komphongolo kaJehova.” Kubantu wathi: “Dlulani, niwuzungeze umuzi, abahlomileyo badlule phambi komphongolo kaJehova.” Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa esekhulumile kubantu, abapristi abayisikhombisa bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili* phambi kukaJehova badlula, babetha amacilongo, umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wabalandela. Abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabapristi ababetha amacilongo, nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo, bebetha amacilongo besahamba. UJoshuwa wayala abantu, wathi: “Aniyikukhamuluka; ningalizwakalisi izwi lenu, kungaphumi gama emlonyeni wenu, kuze kufike usuku engiyakuthi ngalo kini: ‘Khamulukani!’ Bese nikhamuluka.” Wayesenza ukuba umphongolo kaJehova uzungeze umuzi, wawuhaqa kanye; base befika ekamu,* balala ubusuku ekamu. UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, abapristi bathatha umphongolo kaJehova. Abapristi abayisikhombisa, bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili* phambi komphongolo kaJehova, bahamba njalo bewabetha amacilongo; abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabo, nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo kaJehova, bebetha amacilongo besahamba. Ngosuku lwesibili bawuzungeza umuzi kanye, babuyela ekamu;* benze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. Kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ukuntwela kokusa, bawuzungeza umuzi ngandlelanye kasikhombisa; ngalolo suku kuphela bawuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa. Kwathi ngokwesikhombisa abapristi sebebethile amacilongo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Khamulukani, ngokuba uJehova uninikile umuzi. Umuzi uyakwahlukaniselwa uJehova, wona nakho konke okukuwo; uRahabi isifebe kuphela uyakusinda, yena nabo bonke abakuye endlini, ngokuba wazithukusa izithunywa esazithumayo. Kodwa zigcineni nina kukho okuqalekisiweyo, funa lapho senikuqalekisile nithathe kukho okuqalekisiweyo, nilenze ikamu* libe ngeliqalekisiweyo, nilihluphe. Kepha lonke isiliva, negolide, nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi kungcwele kuJehova; kuyakungena endlini yengcebo kaJehova.” Abantu base bekhamuluka, amacilongo abethwa; kwathi lapho abantu bezwe ukukhala kwecilongo, abantu bakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lwawela phansi endaweni yalo, abantu benyukela emzini, yilowo nalowo waqonda phambili nje, bawuthatha umuzi.