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 so Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim to explore in secret. And he said to them, “Go and consider the land and the city of Jericho.” And while traveling, they entered into the house of a harlot woman named Rahab, and they rested with her.
2 Inkosi yaseJerikho yatshelwa ukuthi “Khangela! Abanye abantu bako-Israyeli bafike lapha ebusuku ukuzohlola ilizwe lethu.”
And it was reported to the king of Jericho, and it was said: “Behold, men have entered to this place in the night, from the sons of Israel, so that they might explore 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 out the men who came to you, and who entered into your house. For certainly they are spies, and they have arrived to consider the entire land.”
4 Kodwa owesifazane wayethethe amadoda womabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Liqiniso amadoda afikile kimi, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi.
And the woman, taking the men, hid them. And she said: “I admit that they came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
5 Kusihlwa, sesifikile isikhathi sokuvala isango ledolobho, amadoda asuke azihambela. Kangikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Axhumeni masinyane. Engxenye lingawafica.”
And when the gate was closed, they went out together in the darkness. I do not know where they have gone. Pursue them quickly, and you will overtake them.”
6 (Kodwa wayebakhweze phezu kophahla wabafihla ngaphansi kwezinqwaba zesikusha ayesichaye ophahleni).
But she caused the men to ascend to the roof of her house, and she covered them with the stalks of flax that were there.
7 Ngakho amadoda aphuma ijumo elandela inhloli emgwaqweni oya ezibukweni leJodani, njalo athi esanda kuphuma isango lavalwa.
But those who had been sent pursued after them along the way that leads to the ford of the Jordan. And as soon as they went out, the gate was closed.
8 Inhloli zathi zingakalali ngalobobusuku, wakhwela phezu kophahla
Those who were hiding had not yet fallen asleep, and behold, the woman went up to them, and she said:
9 wasesithi kuzo, “Ngiyazi ukuthi uThixo uselinike lelilizwe lokuthi sonke sesehlelwe yikwesaba okukhulu ngenxa yenu, okwenza ukuthi bonke abahlala kulelilizwe babelomhedehede wokulesaba.
“I know that the Lord has given this land to you. For the terror of you has fallen upon us, and all the inhabitants of the land have languished.
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.
We have heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea upon your arrival, when you were departing from Egypt, and we heard of the things that you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put to death.
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 upon hearing these things, we were very afraid, and our heart languished. Neither did there remain in us any spirit at your arrival. For the Lord your God is the very God in heaven above and on earth below.
12 Ngakho-ke ngicela ukuthi lifunge kimi ngoThixo ukuthi lizakuba lomusa emulini yami ngoba lami ngitshengise umusa kini.
Now, therefore, swear to me by the Lord that in the same way that I have acted with mercy toward you, so also shall you act toward the house of my father. And may you give me a true sign
13 Nginikani isiqiniseko sokuthi lizaphephisa impilo kababa lomama, abanewethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, njalo lizasisindisa ekufeni.”
that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all that is theirs, and that you may rescue our souls from death.”
14 Amadoda amthembisa athi, “Ukuphila kwethu yikuphila kwenu! Ungayekela ukuveza lokho esikwenzayo sizakwenzela umusa lokwethembeka lapho uThixo esesipha ilizwe.”
They responded to her: “May our lives be yours unto death, if only you do not betray us. And when the Lord will have delivered the land to us, we will act toward you with mercy and truth.”
15 Ngakho-ke wabehlisela phansi ngentambo baphuma ngefasitela kalokho indlu ayehlala kuyo yayingumduli munye lalowo owawugombolozele idolobho.
Therefore, she sent them down from a window with a rope. For her house was joined to 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: “Climb up to the mountains; otherwise, they may meet you as they are returning. And lay hidden there for three days, until they return. And then you will go on your way.”
17 Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize
And they said to her: “We shall be innocent of this oath, to which you have sworn us,
18 ngaphandle kokuthi nxa sesingena kulelilizwe sifice ubophele leliqhele elibomvu ewindini osikhuphe ngalo, njalo usulethe uyihlo lonyoko, abafowenu lemuli yakho yonke endlini yakho.
if, when we enter into the land, this scarlet cord has been placed as a sign, and you have tied it at the window by which you let us down. And so, gather your father, and mother, and brothers, and all your family into your house.
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.
Whoever will have exited from the door of your house, his blood will be on his own head, and we will be uninvolved. But the blood of all who will be with you in the house shall fall back upon our own head, if anyone touches them.
20 Kodwa ungavele uveze lokhu esikwenzayo, sizabe sesikhululiwe esifungweni osifungise sona.”
But if you will have betrayed us, so that you spread this word in their midst, we will be free from this oath, to which you have sworn us.”
21 Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.
And she responded, “Just as you have spoken, so let it be done.” And sending them to travel on, she hung the scarlet cord at the window.
22 Bathi besuka lapho baqonda emaqaqeni lapho abahlala khona okwensuku ezintathu ababebaxhuma baze badela ukubadinga emgwaqweni wonke, basebebuyela bengababonanga.
And truly, walking on, they arrived at the mountains, and they stayed there for three days, until those who had been pursuing them returned. For having sought them along the entire way, they did not find them.
23 Ngakho-ke amadoda womabili aphindela emuva. Ehla emaqaqeni, achapha umfula, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni amtshela konke okwakwenzakele kuwo.
And when they returned and entered the city, the explorers descended from the mountain. And crossing the Jordan, they went to Joshua, the son of Nun, and they reported to him all that had happened to them.
24 Athi kuJoshuwa, “UThixo ngeqiniso uphe ilizwe lonke ezandleni zethu; bonke abantu bayathuthumela ngokwesaba, ngenxa yethu.”
And they said, “The Lord has delivered this entire land into our hands, and all its inhabitants have been struck down by fear.”
