Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli beqa ngokuqalekisiweyo, lokhu u-Akani kaKarmi kaZabidi kaZera, owesizwe sakwaJuda, ethatha kukho okuqalekisiweyo; intukuthelo kaJehova yabavuthela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
UJoshuwa wathuma amadoda, asuka eJeriko aya e-Ayi eliseceleni kweBeti Aveni ngasempumalanga kwaseBethele, wakhuluma kuwo, wathi: “Khuphukani, nilihlole izwe.” Amadoda akhuphuka ahlola i-Ayi.
Abuyela kuJoshuwa, athi kuye: “Mabangakhuphuki bonke abantu; makuhambe amadoda kungathi izinkulungwane ezimbili noma ezintathu, alichithe i-Ayi; ungabakhathazi bonke abantu ngokuya khona, ngokuba bayingcosana nje.” Kwase kukhuphukela khona abantu abayizinkulungwane ezintathu, kepha babaleka phambi kwamadoda ase-Ayi. Amadoda ase-Ayi abulala abantu abangamashumi amathathu nesithupha, abaxosha esuka phambi kwesango aze afika eShebarimi, ababulala emthambekeni; izinhliziyo zabantu zaphela amandla, zaba njengamanzi.
UJoshuwa waziklebhula izingubo zakhe, wawa ngobuso emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaJehova kwaze kwahlwa, yena namalunga akwa-Israyeli; bathela uthuli emakhanda abo. UJoshuwa wathi: “Maye, Nkosi Nkulunkulu! Ubaweliseleni iJordani nakanye laba bantu ukuba usinikele esandleni sama-Amori, usibhubhise, na? Sengathi nga saneliswa ukuhlala ngaphesheya kweJordani! O Nkosi, ngiyakuthini, lapha abakwa-Israyeli sebefulathele izitha zabo na? Ngokuba amaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo ezweni bayakukuzwa, basihaqe, banqume igama lethu emhlabeni; uyakwenzela ntoni igama lakho elikhulu na?”
UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sukuma; uweleni kanje ngobuso bakho na? U-Israyeli wonile, yebo, beqile isivumelwano sami engabayala ngaso, yebo, bathathile nakukho okuqalekisiweyo, futhi bebile, baqambile amanga, bakubeka kweyabo impahla. Ngalokho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli abanakuma phambi kwezitha zabo, bayafulathela izitha zabo, ngokuba sebeqalekisiwe; angisayikuba nani, uma ningachithi okuqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu.
“Suka ungcwelise abantu, uthi: ‘Zingcweliseleni ingomuso, ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli usho kanje, uthi: Kukhona okuqalekisiweyo phakathi kwakho, Israyeli; awunakuma phambi kwezitha zakho, ningakakususi okuqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu.
“ ‘Kusasa niyakusondezwa ngezizwe zakini; kuyakuthi isizwe asithathayo uJehova sisondele ngemindeni; umndeni awuthathayo uJehova uyakusondela ngezindlu; indlu ayithathayo uJehova iyakusondela ngabantu. Kuyakuthi othathwayo enokuqalekisiweyo ashiswe ngomlilo, yena nakho konke anakho, ngokuba eqile isivumelwano sikaJehova nangokuba esebenzile ubuwula kwa-Israyeli.’ ”
UJoshuwa wayesevuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasondeza u-Israyeli ngezizwe zakubo; isizwe sakwaJuda sathathwa. Wayesesondeza imindeni yakwaJuda; wathatha umndeni wakwaZera, wawusondeza umndeni wakwaZera ngabantu, kwathathwa uZabidi. Wayisondeza indlu yakhe ngabantu; u-Akani kaKarmi kaZabidi kaZera, owesizwe sakwaJuda, wathathwa.
UJoshuwa wayesethi ku-Akani: “Ndodana yami, ake umnike uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli inkazimulo, uvume kuye, ungitshele okwenzileyo, ungangifihleli.”
U-Akani wamphendula uJoshuwa, wathi: “Kuyiqiniso, ngonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngenza ukuthi nokuthi. Ngabona empangweni ingubo enhle yaseShineyari, namashekeli* angamakhulu amabili esiliva, nesigaxa segolide esinesisindo esingamashekeli angamashumi ayisihlanu, ngakufisa, ngakuthatha; bheka, kuthukusiwe emhlabathini phakathi kwetende lami, nesiliva liphansi kwakho.”
UJoshuwa wayesethuma izithunywa, zagijimela etendeni; bheka kwakuthukusiwe etendeni lakhe, isiliva liphansi. Zakukhipha phakathi kwetende, zakuyisa kuJoshuwa nakubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli, bakubeka phansi phambi kukaJehova.
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