Joshua 6
1 Zvino guta reJeriko rakanga rapfigwa zvakasimba kwazvo nokuda kwavaIsraeri. Hapana akabuda kunze uye hapana akapinda mukati.
IJerikho yayivalwe ngci ngenxa yabako-Israyeli. Akulamuntu owayephuma loba owayengena.
2 Zvino Jehovha akati kuna Joshua, “Tarira, ndaisa Jeriko mumaoko ako, pamwe chete namambo waro navarume varo vehondo.
Ngakho uThixo wathi kuJoshuwa, “Khangela, senginikele iJerikho, inkosi yayo kanye lamabutho ayo ezandleni zakho.
3 Fambai mutenderere guta kamwe chete pamwe navarume vose vehondo. Muite izvi kwamazuva matanhatu.
Hambani libhode idolobho kanye lamadoda wonke ahlomileyo. Kwenzeni lokhu okwensuku eziyisithupha.
4 Ngapave navaprista vanomwe vanotakura hwamanda dzenyanga dzamakondobwe pamberi peareka. Pazuva rechinomwe fambai muchitenderera guta kanomwe, vaprista vachiridza hwamanda.
Abaphristi abayisikhombisa kabathwale amacilongo enziwe ngempondo zenqama phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano. Ngosuku lwesikhombisa libhode idolobho kasikhombisa, abaphristi bevuthela amacilongo.
5 Kana mukazovanzwa varidza hwamanda kwenguva refu, vanhu vose vanofanira kudanidzira zvikuru; ipapo rusvingo rweguta ruchakoromoka, vanhu vagopinda, mumwe nomumwe pakanangana naye.”
Nxa lingabezwa sebetshaya amacilongo bedonsa, abantu bonke kabahlabe umkhosi; umduli wedolobho uzadilika abantu bahle bangene, yilowo lalowo aqonde phambili.”
6 Saka Joshua mwanakomana waNuni akadana vaprista akati kwavari, “Takurai areka yesungano yaJehovha uye vaprista vanomwe ngavatakure hwamanda pamberi pavo.”
Ngakho uJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abaphristi wathi kubo, “Thathani umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo kuthi abaphristi abayisikhombisa bahambe phambi kwawo bethwele amacilongo.”
7 Akarayira vanhu akati, “Endai mberi! Fambai muchipoterera guta, varume vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vaende mberi kweareka yaJehovha.”
Waselaya abantu esithi, “Akuhanjwe! Hambani libhode idolobho, amabutho ahlomileyo ehamba phambi komtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo.”
8 Joshua paakapedza kutaura navanhu, vaprista vanomwe vakatakura hwamanda nomwe pamberi paJehovha vakaenda pamberi, vachiridza hwamanda dzavo, areka yesungano yaJehovha ikavatevera.
Kwathi uJoshuwa esekhulume labantu, abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa phambi kukaThixo bahamba phambili bevuthela amacilongo, njalo umtshokotsho wesivumelwano ubalandela.
9 Vakanga vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vakafamba mberi kwavaprista vairidza hwamanda, navarindi veshure vakatevera areka. Nguva yose iyi hwamanda dzairira.
Amabutho ayehlomile ahamba phambi kwabaphristi ababevuthela amacilongo, njalo amabutho angemuva ayelandela umtshokotsho. Ngasosonke lesisikhathi amacilongo ayekhala.
10 Asi Joshua akanga arayira vanhu achiti, “Musadanidzira, musasimudzira manzwi enyu, musamboti bufu kusvikira zuva randinokuudzai kuti mudanidzire, ipapo ndipo pamunozodanidzira!”
Kodwa uJoshuwa wayelaye abantu wathi, “Lingaze lahlaba umkhosi wempini, lingakhwezi amazwi enu, lingakhulumi lutho kuze kufike isikhathi engizalitshela ngaso ukuthi limemeze. Beselihlaba-ke umkhosi.”
11 Naizvozvo akarayira kuti areka yaJehovha itakurwe ipoterere guta, iripoterere kamwe chete. Ipapo vanhu vakadzokera kumisasa vakararako.
Ngakho umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo bawuthwala babhoda lawo idolobho kanye. Abantu babuyela ezihonqweni bayalala.
12 Joshua akamuka rungwanangwana zuva raitevera vaprista ndokutakura areka yaJehovha.
UJoshuwa wavuka kusesele ngelanga elilandelayo njalo abaphristi bathwala umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo.
13 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.
Abaphristi abayisikhombisa ababethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa bahamba phambili bekhokhele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo, bevuthela amacilongo. Amadoda ayehlomile ayehamba phambi kwabo njalo amabutho angemuva ayelandela umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaThixo, kukanti-ke amacilongo aqhubeka ekhala.
14 Naizvozvo pazuva rechipiri vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kamwe chete vakadzokera kumisasa. Vakaita izvi kwamazuva matanhatu.
Ngosuku lwesibili babhoda idolobho kanye basebebuyela ezihonqweni. Bakwenza lokhu okwensuku eziyisithupha.
15 Pazuva rechinomwe, vakamuka mambakwedza vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kanomwe nenzira imwe chete, asi musi uyu vakapoterera guta kanomwe.
Ngelanga lesikhombisa bavuka emadabukakusa babhoda idolobho kasikhombisa ngendlela efanayo, ngaphandle kokuthi ngalelolanga babhoda kasikhombisa.
16 Panguva yechinomwe, vaprista pavakaridza hwamanda, Joshua akarayira vanhu achiti, “Danidzirai! Nokuti Jehovha akupai guta!
Ngokwesikhombisa, kwathi abaphristi bekhalisa amacilongo, uJoshuwa walaya abantu wathi, “Memezani! Ngoba uThixo useliphile idolobho.
17 Guta nezvose zviri mariri rinofanira kupiwa kuna Jehovha. Asi Rahabhi chifeve bedzi navose vaainavo mumba make ndivo vachasiyiwa, nokuti akavanza vasori vatakatuma.
Idolobho lakho konke okukulo kuzakwahlukaniselwa uThixo. URahabi isifebe lalabo ahlala labo endlini yakhe yibo abazasindiswa ngenxa yokuthi wafihla inhloli esazithumayo.
18 Asi imi musaswedera pazvinhu zvakatukwa, kuti murege kuzviunzira kuparara, nokutora kana chimwe chazvo. Dzimwe nguva mungaunza kuparara pamusasa weIsraeri mukaipinza padambudziko.
Kodwa xwayani izinto ezahlukaniselwe ukubhujiswa, ukwenzela ukuthi lingazehliseli ukubhujiswa ngokuthatha okunye kwalezozinto. Lokho kungenza ukuthi izihonqo zako-Israyeli zehlelwe luhlupho njalo zitshabalaliswe.
19 Sirivha yose negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi zvakatsaurirwa Jehovha uye zvinofanira kuiswa munochengeterwa pfuma yake.”
Sonke isiliva, igolide lezinto zonke ezenziwe ngethusi langensimbi ezingcwele ziletheni kuThixo njalo kumele zifakwe esiphaleni sakhe sengcebo.”
20 Hwamanda padzakarira, vanhu vakadanidzira, uye pakurira kwehwamanda, vanhu pavakadanidzira zvikuru, rusvingo rwakakoromoka; naizvozvo murume mumwe nomumwe akamhanya achipinda napakanga pakanangana naye, vachibva vatora guta.
Kwathi amacilongo ekhala abantu bahlaba umkhosi; ekukhaleni kwecilongo, abantu sebehlaba umkhosi omkhulu, umduli wabhidlika, ngakho wonke umuntu wangena phakathi balithatha idolobho.
21 Vakapa guta kuna Jehovha kuti riparadzwe nomunondo, chipi nechipi chairarama mariri, varume navakadzi, vaduku navakuru, mombe, makwai nembongoro.
Idolobho balehlukanisela uThixo basebecakaza ngenkemba yonke into ephilayo eyayihlala kulo, amadoda labesifazane, abatsha labadala, inkomo, izimvu labobabhemi.
22 Joshua akati kuvarume vaviri vakanga vasora nyika, “Pindai mumba mechifeve mumubudise iye navose vokwake, sezvamakapika kwaari.”
UJoshuwa wakhuluma emadodeni amabili ayeke athunywa njengezinhloli zelizwe wathi, “Yanini endlini yesifebe liyesikhupha lezihlobo zaso zonke ligcwalise isifungo elasenza kuso.”
23 Naizvozvo majaya akanga asora akapindamo akabudisa Rahabhi, baba vake namai vake nehanzvadzi dzake navose vokwake. Vakabudisa mhuri yose vakavaisa kunze kwomusasa weIsraeri.
Ngakho amadoda ayahambe ukuyahlola angena akhupha uRahabi, uyise lonina labanewabo lazozonke izihlobo zakhe. Bakhupha imuli yonke bayifaka endaweni eyayingaphandle kwezihonqo zako-Israyeli.
24 Ipapo vakabva vapisa guta rose nazvose zvaiva mariri, asi vakaisa sirivha negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi munochengeterwa pfuma yemba yaJehovha.
Basebetshisa idolobho lonke lakho konke okwakuphakathi kwalo, kodwa befake isiliva legolide lezinto ezilungiswe ngethusi lensimbi esiphaleni sengcebo yendlu kaThixo.
25 Asi Joshua akasiya Rahabhi chifeve, nemhuri yake navose vokwake, nokuti akanga avanza varume vakatumwa naJoshua savasori kuJeriko, uye agere pakati pavaIsraeri nanhasi uno.
Kodwa uJoshuwa waphephisa uRahabi isifebe lemuli yakhe labo bonke abangabakhe ngenxa yokuthi wafihla amadoda ayethunywe nguJoshuwa ukuba zinhloli eJerikho, futhi ulokhu ehlala phakathi kwabako-Israyeli kuze kube lamhlanje.
26 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.”
Ngalesosikhathi uJoshuwa wenza isifungo esiqinileyo esithi, “Iqalekisiwe phambi kukaThixo indoda ezimisela ukwakha kutsha lelidolobho laseJerikho: Ngempilo yezibulo lakhe lendodana uzakwenza izisekelo; ngempilo yecinathunjana uzalungisa amasango alo.”
27 Naizvozvo Jehovha akava naJoshua, mbiri yake ikapararira nenyika yose.
UThixo wayeloJoshuwa, udumo lwakhe lwanda elizweni lonke.
