Kepha abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza isiphambeko engcebweni; ngoba u-Akani indodana kaKarmi kaSabidi indodana kaSeraki wesizwe sakwaJuda wathatha empangweni, intukuthelo kaJehova yabavuthela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
UJoshuwa wayesethuma amadoda asuka eJeriko aya e-Ayi eseduze neBeti Aveni ngasempumalanga kwaseBethele, wakhuluma kuwo, wathi: “Khuphukani, nilihlole izwe.” Akhuphuka amadoda, abheka i-Ayi.
Abuyela kuJoshuwa, athi kuye: “Mabangakhuphuki bonke abantu; kodwa makukhuphuke amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezimbili noma ezintathu, alichithe i-Ayi; mabangasebenzi khona bonke abantu; ngoba bayingcosana.
Kwase kukhuphukela khona abantu kungathi abayizinkulungwane ezintathu, babaleka phambi kwamadoda ase-Ayi.
Amadoda ase-Ayi abulala kubo abantu kungathi amashumi amathathu nesithupha, ngokuba abaxosha esuka phambi kwesango kwaze kwaba seSebarimi, ababulala ethambekeni; ngalokho izinhliziyo zabantu zaphela amandla, zaba njengamanzi.
UJoshuwa waklebhula izingubo zakhe, wawa ngobuso emhlabathini phambi komphongolo kaJehova kwaze kwahlwa, yena namalunga akwa-Israyeli, bathela uthuli emakhanda abo.
UJoshuwa wayesethi: “Awu, Nkosi Jehova, ubaweliseleni lababantu iJordani ukuba usinikele esandleni sama-Amori ukuba asibhubhise na? Sengathi ngabe sathokoza kuNkulunkulu, sahlala phesheya kweJordani!
O Nkosi, ngiyakuthini uma u-Israyeli efulathela izitha zakhe na?
Ngokuba amaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo ezweni bayokuzwa basihaqe, banqume igama lethu emhlabeni; futhi uyakwenzani egameni lakho elikhulu?
UJehova wayesethi kuJoshuwa: “Sukuma; ucambalale kanje ngobuso bakho?
U-Israyeli wona, nabo basephula isivumelwano sami engabayala ngaso; ngoba baze bathatha ezinye zezimpahla zasebhange futhi bantshontsha futhi futhi bathuthumela, bazibeka phakathi kwezimpahla zabo.
Ngakho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli babengenakuma phambi kwezitha zabo, kodwa bafulathela izitha zabo, ngoba babeqalekisiwe; angisayikuba nani ngaphandle kokuthi nibhubhise okuqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu.
Vuka, ungcwelise abantu, uthi: ‘Zingcweliseleni ikusasa, ngokuba usho kanje uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Kukhona okuqalekisiweyo phakathi kwakho, Israyeli; awukwazi ukuma phambi kwezitha zakho uze ususe. Oqalekisiweyo phakathi kwenu.
Ngalokho niyakulethwa ekuseni ngokwezizwe zenu; isizwe eyasamukela uJehova siyakufika ngokwezizukulwane zakhe; futhi isizukulwane uJehova ayakwamukela siyofika ngemindeni; lendlu uJehova ayakuyithatha izafika indoda ngendoda.
Othathwe nempango uyakushiswa ngomlilo, yena nakho konke anakho, ngokuba wephule isivumelwano sikaJehova nangenxa yokuthi wenze ubuwula kwa-Israyeli.
UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu, wasondeza u-Israyeli ngokwezizwe zakhe; kwathathwa isizwe sakwaJuda.
Wasondeza isizwe sakwaJuda; wathatha umndeni wamaSarigi; futhi waletha isizukulwane samaSarigi umuntu ngomuntu; noSabdi wathathwa.
Wayesesondeza indlu yakhe ngendoda; kwakhethwa u-Akani, indodana kaKarmi, indodana kaSabidi, indodana kaSeraki, owesizwe sakwaJuda.
UJoshuwa wayesethi ku-Akani: “Ndodana yami, mnike uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli inkazimulo, uvume kuye; manje ngitshele okwenzileyo; ungangifihleli.
U-Akani wamphendula uJoshuwa, wathi: “Nempela ngonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngenzile kanje nakanje.
Lapho ngabona empangweni ingubo enhle yaseBhabhiloni namashekeli angamakhulu amabili esiliva nesiphetho segolide esinesisindo esingamashekeli angamashumi amahlanu, ngakufisa, ngathatha; bheka, kuthukusiwe emhlabathini phakathi kwetende lami, nesiliva liphansi kwakho.
UJoshuwa wayesethuma izithunywa, zagijimela etendeni; bheka, kwakufihliwe etendeni lakhe, nesiliva liphansi kwakho.
Zakukhipha phakathi kwetende zakuyisa kuJoshuwa nakubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli zakubeka phambi kukaJehova.
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