UJoshuwa 2
1 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.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. And they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay down there.
2 Inkosi yaseJerikho yatshelwa ukuthi “Khangela! Abanye abantu bako-Israyeli bafike lapha ebusuku ukuzohlola ilizwe lethu.”
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, men came in here tonight of the sons of Israel to search out the land.
3 Ngakho inkosi yaseJerikho yathumela ilizwi kuRahabi yathi, “Khupha amadoda angene endlini yakho, ngoba alande ukuzohlola ilizwe lonke.”
And the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men who came to thee, who have entered into thy house, for they have come to search out all the land.
4 Kodwa owesifazane wayethethe amadoda womabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Liqiniso amadoda afikile kimi, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi.
And the woman took the two men, and hid them. And she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know from where they were.
5 Kusihlwa, sesifikile isikhathi sokuvala isango ledolobho, amadoda asuke azihambela. Kangikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Axhumeni masinyane. Engxenye lingawafica.”
And it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I know not. Pursue after them quickly, for ye will overtake them.
6 (Kodwa wayebakhweze phezu kophahla wabafihla ngaphansi kwezinqwaba zesikusha ayesichaye ophahleni).
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 Ngakho amadoda aphuma ijumo elandela inhloli emgwaqweni oya ezibukweni leJodani, njalo athi esanda kuphuma isango lavalwa.
And the men pursued after them the way to the Jordan to the fords, and as soon as those who pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Inhloli zathi zingakalali ngalobobusuku, wakhwela phezu kophahla
And before they were laid down, she came up to them upon the roof.
9 wasesithi kuzo, “Ngiyazi ukuthi uThixo uselinike lelilizwe lokuthi sonke sesehlelwe yikwesaba okukhulu ngenxa yenu, okwenza ukuthi bonke abahlala kulelilizwe babelomhedehede wokulesaba.
And she said to the men, I know that Jehovah has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us. And that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
10 Sesizwile ukuthi uThixo walenzela amanzi oLwandle Olubomvu atsha ngesikhathi liphuma eGibhithe, lalokho elakwenza kuSihoni lo-Ogi amakhosi amabili ama-Amori empumalanga yeJodani elawatshaya lawaqothula.
For we have heard how Jehovah dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when ye came out of Egypt, and what ye did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.
11 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.
And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man because of you, for Jehovah your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
12 Ngakho-ke ngicela ukuthi lifunge kimi ngoThixo ukuthi lizakuba lomusa emulini yami ngoba lami ngitshengise umusa kini.
Now therefore, I pray you, swear to me by Jehovah, since I have dealt kindly with you, that ye also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token,
13 Nginikani isiqiniseko sokuthi lizaphephisa impilo kababa lomama, abanewethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, njalo lizasisindisa ekufeni.”
and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death.
14 Amadoda amthembisa athi, “Ukuphila kwethu yikuphila kwenu! Ungayekela ukuveza lokho esikwenzayo sizakwenzela umusa lokwethembeka lapho uThixo esesipha ilizwe.”
And the men said to her, Our life for yours if ye do not utter this our business. And it shall be, when Jehovah gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
15 Ngakho-ke wabehlisela phansi ngentambo baphuma ngefasitela kalokho indlu ayehlala kuyo yayingumduli munye lalowo owawugombolozele idolobho.
Then she let them down by a cord through the window, for her house was upon the side of the wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 Wayethe kubo, “Qondani emaqaqeni ukwenzela ukuthi abaxhuma umzila wenu bangaze balifica. Licatshe khonale okwensuku ezintathu baze baphenduke beseliqhubeka ngendlela yenu.”
And she said to them, Get you to the mountain lest the pursuers come upon you. And hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned, and afterward ye may go your way.
17 Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize
And the men said to her, We will be guiltless of this thine oath which thou have made us to swear.
18 ngaphandle kokuthi nxa sesingena kulelilizwe sifice ubophele leliqhele elibomvu ewindini osikhuphe ngalo, njalo usulethe uyihlo lonyoko, abafowenu lemuli yakho yonke endlini yakho.
Behold, when we come into the land, thou shall bind this line of scarlet cord in the window which thou let us down by. And thou shall gather to thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brothers, and all thy father's household.
19 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.
And it shall be, that whoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we shall be guiltless. And whoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head if any hand be upon him.
20 Kodwa ungavele uveze lokhu esikwenzayo, sizabe sesikhululiwe esifungweni osifungise sona.”
But if thou utter this our business, then we shall be guiltless of thine oath which thou have made us to swear.
21 Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.
And she said, According to your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet line in the window.
22 Bathi besuka lapho baqonda emaqaqeni lapho abahlala khona okwensuku ezintathu ababebaxhuma baze badela ukubadinga emgwaqweni wonke, basebebuyela bengababonanga.
And they went, and came to the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned. And the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but did not find them.
23 Ngakho-ke amadoda womabili aphindela emuva. Ehla emaqaqeni, achapha umfula, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni amtshela konke okwakwenzakele kuwo.
Then the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. And they told him all that had befallen them.
24 Athi kuJoshuwa, “UThixo ngeqiniso uphe ilizwe lonke ezandleni zethu; bonke abantu bayathuthumela ngokwesaba, ngenxa yethu.”
And they said to Joshua, Truly Jehovah has delivered into our hands all the land, and moreover all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.
