UJoshuwa 2

1 UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wasethuma eseShithimi amadoda amabili aba zinhloli ensitha, esithi: Hambani libone ilizwe, leJeriko. Asehamba, ayafikela endlini yomfazi, iwule, obizo lakhe lalinguRahabi, alala khona.

Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim secretly, with the purpose of searching out the land, and Jericho. So they went and came to the house of a loose woman of the town, named Rahab, where they took their rest for the night.

2 Kwatshelwa inkosi yeJeriko kwathiwa: Khangela, kufike lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuhlola ilizwe.

And it was said to the king of Jericho, See, some men have come here tonight from the children of Israel with the purpose of searching out the land.

3 Inkosi yeJeriko yasithumela kuRahabi isithi: Khupha lawo amadoda afikele kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngoba azehlola ilizwe lonke.

Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Send out the men who have come to you and are in your house; for they have come with the purpose of searching out all the land.

4 Kodwa owesifazana wayethethe lawomadoda amabili, wawafihla, wakhuluma kanje: Afikile kimi amadoda, kodwa bengingazi lapha avela khona.

And the woman took the two men and put them in a secret place; then she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I had no idea where they came from;

5 Kwasekusithi sekuzavalwa isango lapho sekumnyama amadoda aphuma. Kangikwazi lapho amadoda aye khona; axhumeni ngokuphangisa liwalandele, ngoba lizawafica.

And when it was the time for shutting the doors at dark, they went out; I have no idea where the men went: but if you go after them quickly, you will overtake them.

6 Kodwa yena wayewenyusele ephahleni, wawafihla phakathi kwamahlanga efilakisi ayechayelwe yena ephahleni.

But she had taken them up to the roof, covering them with the stems of flax which she had put out in order there.

7 Amadoda asewaxhuma ngendlela yeJordani aze afika emazibukweni; bavala amasango emva kokuphuma kwabawaxhumayo bewalandela.

So the men went after them on the road to Jordan as far as the river-crossing: and when they had gone out after them, the door into the town was shut.

8 Kwathi wona engakalali, yena wenyukela kuwo ephahleni;

And before the men went to rest, she came up to them on the roof,

9 wasesithi emadodeni: Ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi ilinikile ilizwe, lokuthi ukwesabeka kwenu kuwele phezu kwethu, lokuthi bonke abakhileyo elizweni bayancibilika ngenxa yobukhona benu.

And said to them, It is clear to me that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has come on us;

10 Ngoba sizwile ukuthi iNkosi yomisa amanzi oLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithe, lalokho elakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni loOgi elabatshabalalisayo.

For we have had news of how the Lord made the Red Sea dry before you when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, on the other side of Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you gave up to the curse.

11 Sathi sikuzwa lokho inhliziyo yethu yancibilika, kakusekho isibindi emuntwini ngenxa yenu. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, nguye uNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi.

And because of this news, our hearts became like water, and there was no more spirit in any of us because of you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven on high and here on earth.

12 Ngakho-ke ake lifunge kimi ngeNkosi, ngoba ngilenzele umusa, lani-ke lizayenzela umusa indlu kababa, linginike isiboniso esiqinileyo,

So now, will you give me your oath by the Lord, that, because I have been kind to you, you will be kind to my father's house,

13 ukuthi ligcine bephila ubaba lomama, labanewethu labodadewethu, lakho konke abalakho, likhulule impilo yethu ekufeni.

And that you will keep safe my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and all they have, so that death may not come on us?

14 Lamadoda athi kuye: Umphefumulo wethu ufe esikhundleni senu, uba ungavezi obala loludaba lwethu. Njalo kuzakuthi lapho iNkosi isisinikile ilizwe, sizakwenzela umusa leqiniso.

And the men said to her, Our life for yours if you keep our business secret; and when the Lord has given us the land, we will keep faith and be kind to you.

15 Wasewehlisa ngentambo ewindini, ngoba indlu yakhe yayisemdulini womuzi, wayehlala phezu komduli.

Then she let them down from the window by a cord, for the house where she was living was on the town wall.

16 Wasesithi kuwo: Yanini entabeni, hlezi abaxhumi bahlangane lani, licatshe khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuye abaxhumi, lemva kwalokho lihambe ngendlela yenu.

And she said to them, Get away into the hill-country, or the men who have gone after you will overtake you; keep yourselves safe there for three days, till the searchers have come back, and then go on your way.

17 Amadoda asesithi kuye: Thina sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho lesi osifungise sona.

And the men said to her, We will only be responsible for this oath which you have made us take,

18 Khangela, ekufikeni kwethu elizweni uzabophela lintambo yomnxeba obomvu ewindini osehlise ngalo, njalo uzibuthanisele endlini yakho oyihlo lonyoko labanewenu lendlu yonke kayihlo.

If, when we come into the land, you put this cord of bright red thread in the window from which you let us down; and get your father and mother and your brothers and all your family into the house;

19 Kuzakuthi-ke, loba ngubani ophumela phandle kweminyango yendlu yakho, igazi lakhe lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakhe, thina-ke sizakuba singelacala. Njalo loba ngubani ozakuba lawe endlini, igazi lakhe lizakuba sekhanda lethu, uba isandla sisiba phezu kwakhe.

Then if anyone goes out of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, we will not be responsible; but if any damage comes to anyone in the house, his blood will be on our heads.

20 Kodwa uba uluveza obala loludaba lwethu, sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho osifungise sona.

But if you say anything about our business here, then we will be free from the oath you have made us take.

21 Wasesithi: Njengamazwi enu, kakube njalo. Wasewayekela ehamba, ahamba, wabophela intambo ebomvu ewindini.

And she said, Let it be as you say. Then she sent them away, and they went; and she put the bright red cord in the window.

22 Asehamba afika entabeni, ahlala khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuya abaxhumi, ngoba abaxhumi bawadinga endleleni yonke, kodwa kabawatholanga.

And they went into the hill-country and were there three days, till the men who had gone after them had come back; and those who went after them were searching for them everywhere without coming across them.

23 Ngakho amadoda womabili aphenduka asesehla entabeni, achapha, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo.

Then the two men came down from the hill-country and went over and came back to Joshua, the son of Nun; and they gave him a complete account of what had taken place.

24 Athi kuJoshuwa: Isibili iNkosi ilinikele esandleni sethu ilizwe lonke, futhi-ke bonke abakhileyo belizwe bancibilikile ngenxa yobukhona bethu.

And they said to Joshua, Truly, the Lord has given all the land into our hands; and all the people of the land have become like water because of us.