UJoshuwa 6
1 IJeriko yayivaliwe-ke ngci ngenxa yabantwana bakoIsrayeli. Kakho owaphumayo, njalo kakho owangenayo.
Zvino guta reJeriko rakanga rapfigwa zvakasimba kwazvo nokuda kwavaIsraeri. Hapana akabuda kunze uye hapana akapinda mukati.
2 INkosi yasisithi kuJoshuwa: Bona, nginikele esandleni sakho iJeriko lenkosi yayo lamaqhawe alamandla.
Zvino Jehovha akati kuna Joshua, “Tarira, ndaisa Jeriko mumaoko ako, pamwe chete namambo waro navarume varo vehondo.
3 Lizawubhoda-ke umuzi, wonke amadoda empi, awubhode umuzi kanye. Uzakwenza njalo insuku eziyisithupha.
Fambai mutenderere guta kamwe chete pamwe navarume vose vehondo. Muite izvi kwamazuva matanhatu.
4 Labapristi abayisikhombisa bazathwala impondo zenqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komtshokotsho; kuthi ngosuku lwesikhombisa lizawubhoda umuzi kasikhombisa, labapristi bevuthela impondo.
Ngapave navaprista vanomwe vanotakura hwamanda dzenyanga dzamakondobwe pamberi peareka. Pazuva rechinomwe fambai muchitenderera guta kanomwe, vaprista vachiridza hwamanda.
5 Kuzakuthi-ke lapho bekhalisa uphondo lwenqama isikhathi eside, nxa lisizwa ukukhala kophondo, abantu bonke bazamemeza ngokuklabalala okukhulu, lomduli womuzi uzadilikela phansi; labantu bazakwenyuka, ngulowo lalowo maqondana laye.
Kana mukazovanzwa varidza hwamanda kwenguva refu, vanhu vose vanofanira kudanidzira zvikuru; ipapo rusvingo rweguta ruchakoromoka, vanhu vagopinda, mumwe nomumwe pakanangana naye.”
6 Ngakho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi wathi kibo: Thwalani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano, labapristi abayisikhombisa bathwale impondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi.
Saka Joshua mwanakomana waNuni akadana vaprista akati kwavari, “Takurai areka yesungano yaJehovha uye vaprista vanomwe ngavatakure hwamanda pamberi pavo.”
7 Wasesithi ebantwini: Dlulani liwuzingelezele umuzi, lohlomileyo kadlule phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi.
Akarayira vanhu akati, “Endai mberi! Fambai muchipoterera guta, varume vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vaende mberi kweareka yaJehovha.”
8 Kwasekusithi uJoshuwa esekhulume ebantwini, abapristi abayisikhombisa bethwele impondo eziyisikhombisa zenqama bakhokhela phambi kweNkosi, bavuthela impondo, lomtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi wabalandela.
Joshua paakapedza kutaura navanhu, vaprista vanomwe vakatakura hwamanda nomwe pamberi paJehovha vakaenda pamberi, vachiridza hwamanda dzavo, areka yesungano yaJehovha ikavatevera.
9 Abahlomileyo basebehamba phambi kwabapristi ababevuthela izimpondo, lesigaba sasemuva salandela umtshokotsho, bahamba bevuthela izimpondo.
Vakanga vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vakafamba mberi kwavaprista vairidza hwamanda, navarindi veshure vakatevera areka. Nguva yose iyi hwamanda dzairira.
10 UJoshuwa wayelaye-ke abantu esithi: Lingamemezi, loba lizwakalise ilizwi lenu; kungaphumi lizwi emlonyeni wenu kuze kube lusuku engizalitshela ngalo ukuthi limemeze; beselimemeza.
Asi Joshua akanga arayira vanhu achiti, “Musadanidzira, musasimudzira manzwi enyu, musamboti bufu kusvikira zuva randinokuudzai kuti mudanidzire, ipapo ndipo pamunozodanidzira!”
11 Ngakho umtshokotsho weNkosi wawubhoda umuzi, uzingelezela kanye; basebesiza enkambeni, balala enkambeni ebusuku.
Naizvozvo akarayira kuti areka yaJehovha itakurwe ipoterere guta, iripoterere kamwe chete. Ipapo vanhu vakadzokera kumisasa vakararako.
12 UJoshuwa wasevuka ekuseni kakhulu, labapristi bathwala umtshokotsho weNkosi.
Joshua akamuka rungwanangwana zuva raitevera vaprista ndokutakura areka yaJehovha.
13 Labapristi abayisikhombisa bephethe impondo zezinqama eziyisikhombisa phambi komtshokotsho weNkosi baqhubeka behamba, bevuthela izimpondo, labahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabo, lesigaba sasemuva salandela umtshokotsho weNkosi, bahamba bevuthela izimpondo.
Vaprista vanomwe vakatakura hwamanda nomwe vakaenda pamberi, vakafamba pamberi peareka yaJehovha vachiridza hwamanda. Varume vakanga vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vakavatungamirira uye varindi veshure vakatevera areka yaJehovha, hwamanda dzichingoridzwa.
14 Langosuku lwesibili bawuzingelezela umuzi kanye, babuyela enkambeni. Benza njalo insuku eziyisithupha.
Naizvozvo pazuva rechipiri vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kamwe chete vakadzokera kumisasa. Vakaita izvi kwamazuva matanhatu.
15 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bavuka ngovivi emadabukakusa, bawubhoda umuzi kasikhombisa ngendlela efananayo. Kuphela ngalolosuku bawubhoda umuzi kasikhombisa.
Pazuva rechinomwe, vakamuka mambakwedza vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kanomwe nenzira imwe chete, asi musi uyu vakapoterera guta kanomwe.
16 Kwasekusithi ngesikhathi sesikhombisa, abapristi bavuthela impondo, uJoshuwa wasesithi ebantwini: Memezani, ngoba iNkosi ilinikile umuzi.
Panguva yechinomwe, vaprista pavakaridza hwamanda, Joshua akarayira vanhu achiti, “Danidzirai! Nokuti Jehovha akupai guta!
17 Kodwa umuzi wona lakho konke okukuwo kuzakwehlukaniselwa eNkosini; nguRahabi iwule kuphela ozaphila, yena labo bonke alabo endlini yakhe, ngoba wafihla izithunywa esazithumayo.
Guta nezvose zviri mariri rinofanira kupiwa kuna Jehovha. Asi Rahabhi chifeve bedzi navose vaainavo mumba make ndivo vachasiyiwa, nokuti akavanza vasori vatakatuma.
18 Kodwa lina sibili zigcineni kokuqalekisiweyo, hlezi lizenze abaqalekisiweyo nxa lithatha kokuqalekisiweyo, lenze inkamba yakoIsrayeli ibe yinto eqalekisiweyo, liyihluphe.
Asi imi musaswedera pazvinhu zvakatukwa, kuti murege kuzviunzira kuparara, nokutora kana chimwe chazvo. Dzimwe nguva mungaunza kuparara pamusasa weIsraeri mukaipinza padambudziko.
19 Kodwa sonke isiliva legolide, lezitsha zethusi lezensimbi, kungcwele eNkosini. Kuzakuza endlini yokuligugu kweNkosi.
Sirivha yose negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi zvakatsaurirwa Jehovha uye zvinofanira kuiswa munochengeterwa pfuma yake.”
20 Abantu basebememeza, kwavuthelwa izimpondo. Kwasekusithi abantu besizwa ukukhala kwempondo, abantu bamemeza ngokuklabalala okukhulu, umduli wadilikela phansi, labantu benyukela emzini, ngulowo lalowo maqondana laye, bawuthumba umuzi.
Hwamanda padzakarira, vanhu vakadanidzira, uye pakurira kwehwamanda, vanhu pavakadanidzira zvikuru, rusvingo rwakakoromoka; naizvozvo murume mumwe nomumwe akamhanya achipinda napakanga pakanangana naye, vachibva vatora guta.
21 Batshabalalisa konke okusemzini, kusukela kowesilisa kusiya kowesifazana, kusukela komutsha kusiya komdala, kuze kube senkabini lemvini lobabhemi, ngobukhali benkemba.
Vakapa guta kuna Jehovha kuti riparadzwe nomunondo, chipi nechipi chairarama mariri, varume navakadzi, vaduku navakuru, mombe, makwai nembongoro.
22 Lakulawomadoda amabili ayeyehlola ilizwe uJoshuwa wathi: Ngenani endlini yowesifazana oliwule, likhuphe kuyo owesifazana lakho konke alakho, njengokufunga kwenu kuye.
Joshua akati kuvarume vaviri vakanga vasora nyika, “Pindai mumba mechifeve mumubudise iye navose vokwake, sezvamakapika kwaari.”
23 Lamajaha izinhloli angena akhupha uRahabi loyise lonina labanewabo lakho konke ayelakho; akhupha zonke izihlobo zakhe, azibeka ngaphandle kwenkamba yakoIsrayeli.
Naizvozvo majaya akanga asora akapindamo akabudisa Rahabhi, baba vake namai vake nehanzvadzi dzake navose vokwake. Vakabudisa mhuri yose vakavaisa kunze kwomusasa weIsraeri.
24 Basebewutshisa umuzi ngomlilo lakho konke okwakukiwo; kuphela isiliva legolide lezitsha zethusi lezensimbi bakufaka kokuligugu kwendlu yeNkosi.
Ipapo vakabva vapisa guta rose nazvose zvaiva mariri, asi vakaisa sirivha negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi munochengeterwa pfuma yemba yaJehovha.
25 Ngakho uRahabi iwule, lendlu kayise, labo bonke ayelabo, uJoshuwa wabayekela bephila; wahlala phakathi koIsrayeli kuze kube lamuhla, ngoba wafihla izithunywa uJoshuwa ayezithume ukuhlola iJeriko.
Asi Joshua akasiya Rahabhi chifeve, nemhuri yake navose vokwake, nokuti akanga avanza varume vakatumwa naJoshua savasori kuJeriko, uye agere pakati pavaIsraeri nanhasi uno.
26 UJoshuwa wabafungisa esithi: Uqalekisiwe umuntu phambi kweNkosi osukuma akhe lumuzi iJeriko. Uzawusekela ngezibulo lakhe, amise amasango awo ngecinathunjana lakhe.
Panguva iyoyo Joshua akareva mhiko iyi achiti, “Ngaatukwe pamberi paJehovha munhu achazoedza kuvakazve guta iri Jeriko: “Acharasikirwa nomwanakomana wake wedangwe paachaisa nheyo dzaro; acharasikirwa negotwe rake paachamisa masuo aro.”
27 Ngokunjalo iNkosi yaba loJoshuwa, lodumo lwakhe lwaba selizweni lonke.
Naizvozvo Jehovha akava naJoshua, mbiri yake ikapararira nenyika yose.
