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 an harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay 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, there came men in hither to-night of the children 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 unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered 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.
And the woman took the two men, and hid them; and she said, Yea, the men came unto 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 it came to pass about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall 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 Jordan unto the fords: and as soon 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 laid down, she came up unto 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 unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is 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 the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, unto 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 did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the LORD 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 unto me by the LORD, 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 brethren, 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 unto her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business; and it shall be, when the LORD giveth 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 town 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 unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers light upon you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
17 Amadoda athi kuye, “Isifungo osifungise sona sizakuba yize
And the men said unto her, We will be guiltless of this thine oath which thou hast 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 shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt gather unto thee into the house thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, 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 whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever 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 will be guiltless of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.
21 Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyavuma, kakube njengokutsho kwenu.” Ngakho wavalelisana labo basebezihambela. Wasebophela iqhele elibomvu ewindini.
And she said, According unto 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 unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
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 unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away before us.
