UJoshuwa 6:1-20

IJeriko lalivaliwe ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli; akuphumi muntu kungangeni muntu. UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa: “Bheka, nginikela esandleni sakho iJeriko nenkosi yalo namaqhawe anamandla; Kumelwe nizungeze umuzi, wonke amadoda enu empi, nizungeze umuzi kanye. Ngakho kufanele wenze izinsuku eziyisithupha. Abapristi abayisikhombisa bayakuthwala izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo; ngosuku lwesikhombisa niyakuwuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi bashaye amacilongo. Lapho bebetha uphondo lwenqama isikhathi eside, lapho nizwa ukukhala kwecilongo, bonke abantu bayakukhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu; ugange lomuzi luyakuwa, abantu bakhuphuke, kube yilowo nalowo phambi kwakhe. UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi, wathi kubo: “Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, abapristi abayisikhombisa baphathe izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo kaJehova. Wathi kubantu: “Sukani nizungeze umuzi, abahlomileyo mabadlule phambi komphongolo kaJehova.” Kwathi uJoshuwa ekhuluma ebantwini, abapristi abayisikhombisa abathwele izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa bahamba phambi kukaJehova, babetha amacilongo, umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wabalandela. Abahlomileyo baphuma phambi kwabapristi ababetha amacilongo, umvuzo walandela umphongolo, abapristi bahamba bevuthela izimpondo. UJoshuwa wayala abantu, wathi: “Aniyikukhamuluka, ningakhamuki ngezwi lenu, kungaphumi lizwi emlonyeni wenu, kuze kufike usuku enginiyala ngalo ukuba nimemeze; khona-ke kufanele umemeze. Umphongolo kaJehova wawuzungeza umuzi, waya khona kanye, bangena ekamu, balala ekamu. UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, abapristi bawuthwala umphongolo kaJehova. Abapristi abayisikhombisa abathwala izimpondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komphongolo kaJehova badabula, babetha izimpondo; abahlomileyo baphuma phambi kwabo; kodwa umvuzo wafika ngemva komphongolo kaJehova, abapristi bahamba bevuthela izimpondo. Ngosuku lwesibili bawuzungeza umuzi kanye, babuyela ekamu; benze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, bawuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa ngendlela efanayo; kodwa ngalolo suku bawuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa. Kwathi ngokwesikhombisa abapristi sebevuthela amacilongo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: “Khamulukani! ngoba uJehova uninikile umuzi. Umuzi uyakuqalekiswa, wona nakho konke okukuwo, kuJehova; uRahabi isifebe kuphela oyakuphila, yena nabo bonke abanaye endlini, ngokuba wafihla izithunywa esazithumayo. Kumelwe niziqaphe empahleni eyenqatshelwe, funa niqalekiswe, uma namukela empahleni echithiweyo, nenze ikamu lika-Israyeli libe yisiqalekiso, niliqalekise. Kepha lonke isiliva negolide nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi kungcweliselwe uJehova; kufanele ingene endlini yengcebo kaJehova. Abantu basebekhamuluka lapho abapristi bebetha amacilongo; lapho abantu bezwa ukukhala kwecilongo, abantu bekhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lwawa bhusma, kangangokuthi abantu bakhuphuka. Bangena emzini, wonke umuntu ephambi kwakhe, bawuthatha umuzi.