< 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.
Then Ioshua the sonne of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spie secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and also Iericho: and they went, and came into an harlots house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
2 Inkosi yaseJerikho yatshelwa ukuthi “Khangela! Abanye abantu bako-Israyeli bafike lapha ebusuku ukuzohlola ilizwe lethu.”
Then report was made to the King of Iericho, saying, Beholde, there came men hither to night, of the children of Israel, to spie out the countrey.
3 Ngakho inkosi yaseJerikho yathumela ilizwi kuRahabi yathi, “Khupha amadoda angene endlini yakho, ngoba alande ukuzohlola ilizwe lonke.”
And the King of Iericho sent vnto Rahab, saying, Bring foorth the men that are come to thee, and which are entred into thine house: for they be come to search out all the land.
4 Kodwa owesifazane wayethethe amadoda womabili wawafihla. Wasesithi, “Liqiniso amadoda afikile kimi, kodwa bengingazi ukuthi abevela ngaphi.
(But ye woman had taken the two men, and hid them) Therefore saide she thus, There came men vnto me, but I wist not whence they were.
5 Kusihlwa, sesifikile isikhathi sokuvala isango ledolobho, amadoda asuke azihambela. Kangikwazi ukuthi aqonde ngaphi. Axhumeni masinyane. Engxenye lingawafica.”
And when they shut the gate in the darke, the men went out, whither the men went I wote not: follow ye after them quickly, for ye shall ouertake them.
6 (Kodwa wayebakhweze phezu kophahla wabafihla ngaphansi kwezinqwaba zesikusha ayesichaye ophahleni).
(But she had brought them vp to the roofe of the house, and hidde them with the stalkes of flaxe, which she had spread abroad vpon the roofe)
7 Ngakho amadoda aphuma ijumo elandela inhloli emgwaqweni oya ezibukweni leJodani, njalo athi esanda kuphuma isango lavalwa.
And certaine men pursued after them, the way to Iorden, vnto the foordes, and as soone as they which pursued after them, were gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Inhloli zathi zingakalali ngalobobusuku, wakhwela phezu kophahla
And before they were a sleepe, she came vp vnto them vpon the roofe,
9 wasesithi kuzo, “Ngiyazi ukuthi uThixo uselinike lelilizwe lokuthi sonke sesehlelwe yikwesaba okukhulu ngenxa yenu, okwenza ukuthi bonke abahlala kulelilizwe babelomhedehede wokulesaba.
And saide vnto the men, I knowe that the Lord hath giuen you the land, and that the feare of you is fallen vpon vs, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of 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 haue heard, howe the Lord dried vp the water of the redde Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt, and what you did vnto the two Kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Iorden, vnto Sihon and to Og, whom ye vtterly 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 when wee heard it, our heartes did faint, and there remained no more courage in any because of you: for the Lord your God, he is the God in heauen aboue, and in 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, sweare vnto me by the Lord; that as I haue shewed you mercie, ye will also shewe mercie vnto my fathers house, and giue me a true token,
13 Nginikani isiqiniseko sokuthi lizaphephisa impilo kababa lomama, abanewethu labodadewethu labo bonke abangababo, njalo lizasisindisa ekufeni.”
And that yee will saue aliue my father and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they haue: and that yee will deliuer our soules from death.
14 Amadoda amthembisa athi, “Ukuphila kwethu yikuphila kwenu! Ungayekela ukuveza lokho esikwenzayo sizakwenzela umusa lokwethembeka lapho uThixo esesipha ilizwe.”
And the men answered her, Our life for you to die, if ye vtter not this our businesse: and when the Lord hath giuen vs the lande, we will deale mercifully and truely with thee.
15 Ngakho-ke wabehlisela phansi ngentambo baphuma ngefasitela kalokho indlu ayehlala kuyo yayingumduli munye lalowo owawugombolozele idolobho.
Then she let them downe by a corde thorowe the windowe: for her house was vpon the towne wall, and she dwelt vpon 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 vnto them, Goe you into the mountaine, least the pursuers meete with you, and hide your selues there three dayes, vntill the pursuers be returned: then afterwarde may yee goe your way.
17 Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize
And the men said vnto her, We will be blamelesse of this thine othe, which thou hast made vs sweare.
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 shalt bind this cord of red threde in the window, whereby thou lettest vs downe, and thou shalt bring thy father and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy fathers houshold home to thee.
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 whosoeuer then doeth goe out at the doores of thine house into the streete, his blood shalbe vpon his head, and we will be giltlesse: but whosoeuer shall be with thee in the house, his blood shalbe on our head, if any hande touch him:
20 Kodwa ungavele uveze lokhu esikwenzayo, sizabe sesikhululiwe esifungweni osifungise sona.”
And if thou vtter this our matter, we will be quite of thine othe, which thou hast made vs sweare.
21 Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.
And she answered, According vnto your wordes, so be it: then she sent them away, and they departed, and she bound the red cord in ye window.
22 Bathi besuka lapho baqonda emaqaqeni lapho abahlala khona okwensuku ezintathu ababebaxhuma baze badela ukubadinga emgwaqweni wonke, basebebuyela bengababonanga.
And they departed, and came into the mountaine, and there abode three dayes, vntil the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but founde them not.
23 Ngakho-ke amadoda womabili aphindela emuva. Ehla emaqaqeni, achapha umfula, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni amtshela konke okwakwenzakele kuwo.
So the two men returned, and descended from the mountaine, and passed ouer, and came to Ioshua the sonne of Nun, and tolde him all things that came vnto them.
24 Athi kuJoshuwa, “UThixo ngeqiniso uphe ilizwe lonke ezandleni zethu; bonke abantu bayathuthumela ngokwesaba, ngenxa yethu.”
Also they saide vnto Ioshua, Surely the Lord hath deliuered into our handes all the lande: for euen all the inhabitants of the countrey faint because of vs.

< UJoshuwa 2 >