Joshua 2
1 Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.
UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wasethumela inhloli ezimbili ngasese zisuka eShithima. Wathi kuzo, “Hambani liyehlola ilizwe lakhona, ikakhulu iJerikho.” Ngakho zahamba zayangena endlini yesifebe esithiwa nguRahabi, zahlala khona.
2 But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”
Inkosi yaseJerikho yatshelwa ukuthi “Khangela! Abanye abantu bako-Israyeli bafike lapha ebusuku ukuzohlola ilizwe lethu.”
3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”
Ngakho inkosi yaseJerikho yathumela ilizwi kuRahabi yathi, “Khupha amadoda angene endlini yakho, ngoba alande ukuzohlola ilizwe lonke.”
4 The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were from.
Kodwa owesifazane wayethethe amadoda womabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Liqiniso amadoda afikile kimi, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi.
5 They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”
Kusihlwa, sesifikile isikhathi sokuvala isango ledolobho, amadoda asuke azihambela. Kangikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Axhumeni masinyane. Engxenye lingawafica.”
6 (She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)
(Kodwa wayebakhweze phezu kophahla wabafihla ngaphansi kwezinqwaba zesikusha ayesichaye ophahleni).
7 The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.
Ngakho amadoda aphuma ijumo elandela inhloli emgwaqweni oya ezibukweni leJodani, njalo athi esanda kuphuma isango lavalwa.
8 Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.
Inhloli zathi zingakalali ngalobobusuku, wakhwela phezu kophahla
9 She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.
wasesithi kuzo, “Ngiyazi ukuthi uThixo uselinike lelilizwe lokuthi sonke sesehlelwe yikwesaba okukhulu ngenxa yenu, okwenza ukuthi bonke abahlala kulelilizwe babelomhedehede wokulesaba.
10 We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.
Sesizwile ukuthi uThixo walenzela amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu atsha ngesikhathi liphuma eGibhithe, lalokho elakwenza kuSihoni lo-Ogi amakhosi amabili ama-Amori empumalanga yeJodani elawatshaya lawaqothula.
11 When we heard all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and the earth below.
Sathi sikuzwa lokho inhliziyo zethu zahle zaphela amandla njalo wonke umuntu kazabe esaba lesibindi ngenxa yenu ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu ophezulu ezulwini laphansi emhlabeni.
12 So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,
Ngakho-ke ngicela ukuthi lifunge kimi ngoThixo ukuthi lizakuba lomusa emulini yami ngoba lami ngitshengise umusa kini.
13 that you will spare my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them from death.”
Nginikani isiqiniseko sokuthi lizaphephisa impilo kababa lomama, abanewethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, njalo lizasisindisa ekufeni.”
14 “Our lives for yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
Amadoda amthembisa athi, “Ukuphila kwethu yikuphila kwenu! Ungayekela ukuveza lokho esikwenzayo sizakwenzela umusa lokwethembeka lapho uThixo esesipha ilizwe.”
15 Then she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.
Ngakho-ke wabehlisela phansi ngentambo baphuma ngefasitela kalokho indlu ayehlala kuyo yayingumduli munye lalowo owawugombolozele idolobho.
16 “Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be on your way.”
Wayethe kubo, “Qondani emaqaqeni ukwenzela ukuthi abaxhuma umzila wenu bangaze balifica. Licatshe khonale okwensuku ezintathu baze baphenduke beseliqhubeka ngendlela yenu.”
17 The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,
Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize
18 unless when we enter this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.
ngaphandle kokuthi nxa sesingena kulelilizwe sifice ubophele leliqhele elibomvu ewindini osikhuphe ngalo, njalo usulethe uyihlo lonyoko, abafowenu lemuli yakho yonke endlini yakho.
19 If anyone leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.
Nxa umuntu angaphuma phandle kwendlu yakho abesesiya esitaladeni, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lakhe: kawusoze ube ngumlandu wethu. Kuye wonke oyabe ephakathi kwendlu kanye lawe, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lethu nxa angavele athintwe.
20 But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”
Kodwa ungavele uveze lokhu esikwenzayo, sizabe sesikhululiwe esifungweni osifungise sona.”
21 “I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.
Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.
22 They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.
Bathi besuka lapho baqonda emaqaqeni lapho abahlala khona okwensuku ezintathu ababebaxhuma baze badela ukubadinga emgwaqweni wonke, basebebuyela bengababonanga.
23 Then the two men started back. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him all that had happened to them.
Ngakho-ke amadoda womabili aphindela emuva. Ehla emaqaqeni, achapha umfula, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni amtshela konke okwakwenzakele kuwo.
24 “The Lord has placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”
Athi kuJoshuwa, “UThixo ngeqiniso uphe ilizwe lonke ezandleni zethu; bonke abantu bayathuthumela ngokwesaba, ngenxa yethu.”
