Joshuwa 7:1-26
7 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli benza isenzo sokungathembeki ngokuphathelene nento enikelwe ekubhujisweni ngokuba u-Akhani+ indodana kaKarmi, indodana kaZabidi, indodana kaZera, wesizwe sakwaJuda, athathe okunye ezintweni ezinikelwe ekubhujisweni.+ Ngenxa yalokhu intukuthelo kaJehova yabavuthela abantwana bakwa-Israyeli.+
2 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wathuma amadoda esuka eJeriko ukuba aye e-Ayi,+ eliseduze kweBheti-aveni,+ empumalanga yeBhethele,+ wathi kuwo: “Khuphukani nihlole izwe.” Ngakho akhuphuka lawo madoda alihlola i-Ayi.+
3 Ngemva kwalokho abuyela kuJoshuwa athi kuye: “Makungakhuphuki bonke abantu. Makukhuphuke amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezimbili noma amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu alishaye i-Ayi. Ungabakhathazi bonke abantu ngokuya khona, ngoba bambalwa.”
4 Ngakho kwakhuphuka kubantu amadoda angaba yizinkulungwane ezintathu, kodwa awabalekela amadoda ase-Ayi.+
5 Amadoda ase-Ayi abulala amadoda angaba amashumi amathathu nesithupha kuwo, awasukela+ ewasusa phambi kwesango aze afika eShebharimi aqhubeka ewabulala ekwehleleni. Ngenxa yalokho inhliziyo yabantu yaqala ukuncibilika yafana namanzi.+
6 UJoshuwa waklebhula iziphuku zakhe wawa ngobuso+ phansi phambi komphongolo kaJehova kwaze kwaba kusihlwa, yena namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli, baqhubeka bethela uthuli emakhanda abo.+
7 UJoshuwa wathi: “Maye, Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova, usiletheleni lesi sizwe yonke le ndlela sawela iJordani, ukuze nje usinikele esandleni sama-Amori ukuba asibhubhise? Ukube nje besimane sazinqumela saqhubeka sihleli phesheya kweJordani!+
8 Uxolo, Jehova, kodwa ngingathini ngemva kokuba u-Israyeli efulathele izitha zakhe?
9 AmaKhanani nabo bonke abakhileyo kuleli zwe bazokuzwa ngakho, futhi nakanjani bazosihaqa balinqume igama lethu emhlabeni;+ uyolenzelani igama lakho elikhulu?”+
10 UJehova yena wathi kuJoshuwa: “Sukuma, wena! Uwelani ngobuso bakho?
11 U-Isra-yeli wonile, useqile isivumelwano+ sami engasibeka kuye njengomyalo; uthathé okunye ezintweni ezinikelwe ekubhujisweni+ futhi webile+ wakugcina kuyimfihlo,+ wakubeka phakathi kwezinto zakhe.+
12 Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli ngeke bakwazi ukuvukela izitha zabo.+ Bazozifulathela izitha zabo, ngoba sebeyinto enikelwe ekubhujisweni. Ngeke ngisaba nani ngaphandle kokuba nibhuqe leyo nto enikelwe ekubhujisweni iphele phakathi kwenu.+
13 Sukuma! Ngcwelisa abantu,+ uthi, ‘Zingcweliseni kusasa, ngoba nakhu uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akushilo: “Phakathi kwakho, Israyeli,+ kukhona into enikelwe ekubhujisweni. Ngeke ukwazi ukuvukela izitha zakho nize nisuse phakathi kwenu into enikelwe ekubhujisweni.
14 Kumelwe nizilethe ekuseni, isizwe nesizwe, kuthi isizwe uJehova azosikhetha+ sisondele, umndeni nomndeni, kuthi umndeni uJehova azowukhetha usondele, indlu nendlu, kuthi indlu uJehova azoyikhetha isondele, indoda nendoda.
15 Lowo otholakala naleyo nto enikelwe ekubhujisweni uyoshiswa ngomlilo,+ yena nakho konke okungokwakhe, ngenxa yokuthi weqe isivumelwano+ sikaJehova nangenxa yokuthi wenze ubuwula obuyichilo kwa-Israyeli.”’”+
16 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wavuka kusesekuseni wasondeza u-Israyeli, isizwe nesizwe sakhe, kwakhethwa isizwe sakwaJuda.
17 Ngokulandelayo wasondeza imindeni yakwaJuda wakhetha umndeni wakwaZera,+ okwathi ngemva kwalokho wawusondeza umndeni wakwaZera, indoda nendoda, kwakhethwa uZabhidi.
18 Ekugcineni wasondeza indlu yakhe, indoda nendoda, kwakhethwa u-Akhani indodana kaKarmi, indodana kaZabhidi, indodana kaZera, wesizwe sakwaJuda.+
19 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wathi ku-Akhani: “Ndodana yami, siza unikeze uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli+ inkazimulo uvume isono sakho kuye,+ ungitshele,+ ngiyakucela, Wenzeni? Ungangifihleli.”+
20 U-Akhani wamphendula uJoshuwa wathi: “Yiqiniso—ngonile kuJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli,+ ngenzé kanje nakanje.
21 Lapho ngibona+ empangweni isembatho sezikhulu saseShinari,+ esihle, namashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amabili nesigaxa esisodwa segolide, isisindo saso singamashekeli angamashumi amahlanu, ngakuthanda,+ ngakuthatha;+ bheka! kufihlwe emhlabathini phakathi kwetende lami nemali ngaphansi kwako.”+
22 Ngaso leso sikhathi uJoshuwa wathuma izithunywa zagijima zaya etendeni, futhi, bheka! kwakufihlwe etendeni lakhe kanye nemali ngaphansi kwako.
23 Ngakho zakuthatha phakathi kwetende zakuletha kuJoshuwa nakubo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli zakuthulula phambi kukaJehova.
24 Manje uJoshuwa, no-Israyeli wonke kanye naye, bamthatha u-Akhani+ indodana kaZera nesiliva nesembatho sezikhulu nesigaxa segolide+ namadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe nenkomo yakhe nembongolo yakhe nomhlambi wakhe wezimvu nezimbuzi netende lakhe nakho konke okwakungokwakhe bakuyisa ethafeni eliphansi lase-Akori.+
25 Khona-ke uJoshuwa wathi: “Usiletheleleni isigcwagcwa?+ UJehova uzokulethela isigcwagcwa namuhla.” Ngalokho wonke u-Israyeli wamshaya ngamatshe,+ okwathi ngemva kwalokho wabashisa ngomlilo.+ Kanjalo wabakhanda ngamatshe.
26 Babeka phezu kwakhe inqwaba enkulu yamatshe, isekhona kuze kube yilolu suku.+ Ngenxa yalokhu uJehova waphenduka entukuthelweni yakhe evuthayo.+ Yingakho igama laleyo ndawo kuye kwathiwa iThafa Eliphansi lase-Akori+ kuze kube yilolu suku.
