Kepha abantu bakwa-Israyeli abethembekanga mayelana nezinto ezaziqalekisiwe. U-Akhani, indodana kaKharimi kaZabidi kaZera wesizwana sakwaJuda, wathatha ezinye zezinto ezaziqalekisiwe; ngakho-ke ulaka lukaSimakade lwavuthela bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli.
UJoshuwa wathumela amadoda esuka eJerikho eya e-Ayi, umuzi owawuseduzane neBhethi Aveni ngasempumalanga yeBhethele, wathi kuwo: “Khuphukani niyohlola izwe.”
Amadoda ahamba, awuhlola umuzi i-Ayi.
Abuyela kuJoshuwa, athi kuye: “Akudingekile ukuba kungakhuphuka yonke impi; akuhambe amadoda ayizi-2 000 noma ayizi-3 000 awuhlasele umuzi i-Ayi. Ngokuba ingumuzi omncane, makungakhuphuki wonke umuntu, kodwa abayingcosana.”
Kwakhuphukela lapho amabutho ayizi-3 000, kepha babalekela amabutho ase-Ayi. Amadoda ase-Ayi abulala amabutho angama-36 empi yakwa-Israyeli, ayixosha eyisusa ngasesangweni yaze yayofika eShebharimi, ababulala emthambekeni. Izinhliziyo zabantu zadikibala, zaphelelwa ngamandla.
UJoshuwa wayeseklebhula izingubo zakhe, wathi mbo ngobuso emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaSimakade kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, yena namalunga akwa-Israyeli bazithela ngothuli emakhanda. UJoshuwa wathi: “Maye, Simakade Nkulunkulu! Ubawezeleni laba bantu iJordani, ukuzosinikela esandleni sama-Amori ukuba asibhubhise, na? Bekungcono ukuba sivele sahlala khona phesheya kweJordani! Hawu, Nkosi! Sengizothini njengoba u-Israyeli efulathele wehlulwa yizitha zakhe, na? AmaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo kuleli lizwe bazokuzwa ngalokhu bese beyasizungeza, balishabalalise igama lethu emhlabeni. Uyakulenzelani-ke igama lakho elikhulu kangaka, na?”
USimakade wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sukuma! Uweleni ngobuso emhlabathini, na? U-Israyeli wonile, usephulile isivumelwano engimmisele sona. Bathathile izinto eziqalekisiweyo, bebile, benza inkohlakalo, bazithathile lezo zinto bazihlanganisa nempahla yabo. Ngakho-ke u-Israyeli akakwazi ukumelana nezitha zakhe; uyakuzifulathela izitha zakhe ngokuba usezenze into efanele ukubhujiswa. Angisezukuba nani ngaphandle kokuba nizishabalalise lezi zinto eziqalekisiwe eziphakathi kwenu.
“Ngakho-ke suka ungcwelise abantu, uthi kubo: ‘Zingcweliseleni usuku lwakusasa, ngokuba usho kanje uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: kunezinto eziqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu, Israyeli aniyukuma phambi kwezitha zenu nize nikhiphe phakathi kwenu izinto eziqalekisiweyo.
“ ‘Ngakho-ke kusasa niyakusondela ngezizwana zenu. Isizwana uSimakade ayakusikhetha, siyosondela ngokwemindeni yaso, umndeni awuthathayo usondele ngezindlu zawo, kuthi indlu ayithathayo uSimakade, kusondele umuntu ngamunye. Kuyothi umuntu oyotholakala enokuqalekisiweyo, ashiswe ngomlilo nakho konke anakho, ngokuba esephulile isivumelwano sikaSimakade, nangokuba enze into embi kakhulu kwa-Israyeli.’ ”
Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasondeza abantu bakwa-Israyeli ngokwezizwana zabo. Kwakhethwa isizwe sakwaJuda. Wasisondeza isizwana sakwaJuda, kwasondezwa umungu ngamunye emndenini wabakwaZera, kwase kuqokwa uZabhidi. Wayesesondeza abendlu yakhe ngamunye ngamunye, kwathi u-Akhani, indodana kaKharimi kaZabhidi kaZera, wesizwana sakwaJuda, wakhethwa.
UJoshuwa wathi ku-Akhani: “Ndodana yami, mnikeze udumo uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uvume kuye isono sakho. Ngitshele manje ukuthi wenzeni; ungangifihleli lutho.”
U-Akhani wamphendula uJoshuwa, wathi: “Kuliqiniso, yimi engonile kuSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Nakhu engikwenzileyo: lapho ngibona phakathi kwempango ingubo enhle eShinari, isiliva elingama-200 amashekeli, nesigaxa segolide esisisindo salo singamashekeli angama-50, ngakunxanela, ngase ngiyakuthatha. Manje ngikumbele ngakufihla phakathi ethendeni lami, isiliva lona liphansi kwakho konke.”
Ngakho-ke uJoshuwa wathumela izithunywa, zagijima zaya ethendeni lika-Akhani, zakufica lapho kufihliwe ethendeni lakhe, isiliva liphansi kwakho. Zakukhipha ethendeni zakuletha kuJoshuwa nabo bonke abantu bakwa-Israyeli, bakwendlala phambi kukaSimakade.
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