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, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.
2 Kwatshelwa inkosi yeJeriko kwathiwa: Khangela, kufike lapha ebusuku amadoda abantwana bakoIsrayeli ukuhlola ilizwe.
But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”
3 Inkosi yeJeriko yasithumela kuRahabi isithi: Khupha lawo amadoda afikele kuwe, angena endlini yakho, ngoba azehlola ilizwe lonke.
So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”
4 Kodwa owesifazana wayethethe lawomadoda amabili, wawafihla, wakhuluma kanje: Afikile kimi amadoda, kodwa bengingazi lapha avela khona.
The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were from.
5 Kwasekusithi sekuzavalwa isango lapho sekumnyama amadoda aphuma. Kangikwazi lapho amadoda aye khona; axhumeni ngokuphangisa liwalandele, ngoba lizawafica.
They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”
6 Kodwa yena wayewenyusele ephahleni, wawafihla phakathi kwamahlanga efilakisi ayechayelwe yena ephahleni.
(She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)
7 Amadoda asewaxhuma ngendlela yeJordani aze afika emazibukweni; bavala amasango emva kokuphuma kwabawaxhumayo bewalandela.
The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.
8 Kwathi wona engakalali, yena wenyukela kuwo ephahleni;
Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.
9 wasesithi emadodeni: Ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi ilinikile ilizwe, lokuthi ukwesabeka kwenu kuwele phezu kwethu, lokuthi bonke abakhileyo elizweni bayancibilika ngenxa yobukhona benu.
She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.
10 Ngoba sizwile ukuthi iNkosi yomisa amanzi oLwandle oluBomvu phambi kwenu ekuphumeni kwenu eGibhithe, lalokho elakwenza emakhosini amabili amaAmori ayengaphetsheya kweJordani, uSihoni loOgi elabatshabalalisayo.
We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.
11 Sathi sikuzwa lokho inhliziyo yethu yancibilika, kakusekho isibindi emuntwini ngenxa yenu. Ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, nguye uNkulunkulu emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi.
When we heard all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and the earth below.
12 Ngakho-ke ake lifunge kimi ngeNkosi, ngoba ngilenzele umusa, lani-ke lizayenzela umusa indlu kababa, linginike isiboniso esiqinileyo,
So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,
13 ukuthi ligcine bephila ubaba lomama, labanewethu labodadewethu, lakho konke abalakho, likhulule impilo yethu ekufeni.
that you will spare my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them from death.”
14 Lamadoda athi kuye: Umphefumulo wethu ufe esikhundleni senu, uba ungavezi obala loludaba lwethu. Njalo kuzakuthi lapho iNkosi isisinikile ilizwe, sizakwenzela umusa leqiniso.
“Our lives for yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
15 Wasewehlisa ngentambo ewindini, ngoba indlu yakhe yayisemdulini womuzi, wayehlala phezu komduli.
Then she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.
16 Wasesithi kuwo: Yanini entabeni, hlezi abaxhumi bahlangane lani, licatshe khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuye abaxhumi, lemva kwalokho lihambe ngendlela yenu.
“Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be on your way.”
17 Amadoda asesithi kuye: Thina sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho lesi osifungise sona.
The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,
18 Khangela, ekufikeni kwethu elizweni uzabophela lintambo yomnxeba obomvu ewindini osehlise ngalo, njalo uzibuthanisele endlini yakho oyihlo lonyoko labanewenu lendlu yonke kayihlo.
unless when we enter this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.
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.
If anyone leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.
20 Kodwa uba uluveza obala loludaba lwethu, sizakhululeka esifungweni sakho osifungise sona.
But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”
21 Wasesithi: Njengamazwi enu, kakube njalo. Wasewayekela ehamba, ahamba, wabophela intambo ebomvu ewindini.
“I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.
22 Asehamba afika entabeni, ahlala khona insuku ezintathu, baze babuya abaxhumi, ngoba abaxhumi bawadinga endleleni yonke, kodwa kabawatholanga.
They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.
23 Ngakho amadoda womabili aphenduka asesehla entabeni, achapha, afika kuJoshuwa indodana kaNuni, amtshela konke okuwehleleyo.
Then the two men started back. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him all that had happened to them.
24 Athi kuJoshuwa: Isibili iNkosi ilinikele esandleni sethu ilizwe lonke, futhi-ke bonke abakhileyo belizwe bancibilikile ngenxa yobukhona bethu.
“The Lord has placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”
