¹ IJeriko lalivalile amasango alo ngenxa ya bantwana bakwa -Israyeli; kwakungaphumi muntu, kungangeni muntu. ² UJehova wathi kuJoshuwa : Bheka, nginikele esandleni sakho iJeriko , nenkosi yalo, namaqhawe anamandla. ³ Niyakuhaqa umuzi , onke amadoda empi , niwuzungeze umuzi kanye . Uyakwenze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. ⁴ Abapristi abayisikhombisa bayakuthwala amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo ; ngosuku lwesikhombisa niyakuwuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa, abapristi babethe amacilongo. ⁵ Kuyakuthi lapho bekhalisa kade uphondo lwejubili nalapho nil izwa izwi lecilongo, bonke abantu bakhamuluke ngokukhamuluka okukhulu , ugange lomuzi luwele phansi endaweni yalo , abantu bakhuphuke , yilowo nalowo aqonde phambili nje. ⁶ UJoshuwa indodana kaNuni wabiza abapristi , wathi kubo : Phakamisani umphongolo wesivumelwano, abapristi abayisikhombisa bathwale amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo kaJehova. ⁷ Kubantu wathi: Dlulani, niwuzungeze umuzi, abahlomileyo badlule phambi komphongolo kaJehova. ⁸ Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa esekhulumile kubantu , abapristi abay isikhombisa bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi kukaJehova badlula , babetha amacilongo, umphongolo wesivumelwano sikaJehova wabalandela. ⁹ Abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabapristi ababetha amacilongo , nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo, bebetha amacilongo besahamba. ¹⁰ UJoshuwa wayala abantu, wathi: Aniyikukhamuluka; ningalizwakalisi izwi lenu, kungaphumi gama emlonyeni wenu , kuze kufike usuku engiyakuthi ngalo kini: Khamulukani! Bese nikhamuluka. ¹¹ Wayesenza ukuba umphongolo kaJehova uzunge ze umuzi , wawuhaqa kanye; base befika ekamu, balala ubusuku ekamu. ¹² UJoshuwa wavuka ekuseni kakhulu , abapristi bathatha umphongolo kaJehova. ¹³ Abapristi abayisikhombisa , bethwele amacilongo ayisikhombisa ejubili phambi komphongolo kaJehova , bahamba njalo bewabetha amacilongo ; abahlomileyo bahamba phambi kwabo , nesigaba sasemuva sawulandela umphongolo kaJehova, bebetha amacilongo besahamba. ¹⁴ Ngosuku lwesibili bawuzungeza umuzi kanye, babuyela ekamu; benze njalo izinsuku eziyisithupha. ¹⁵ Kwathi ngosuku lwes ikhombisa bavuka ukuntwela kokusa , bawuzungeza umuzi ngandlelanye kasikhombisa; ngalolo suku kuphela bawuzungeza umuzi kasikhombisa. ¹⁶ Kwathi ngokwesikhombisa abapristi sebebethile amacilongo, uJoshuwa wathi kubantu: Khamulukani, ngokuba uJehova uninikile umuzi. ¹⁷ Umuzi uyakwahlukaniselwa uJehova , wona nakho konke okukuwo ; uRahabi isifebe kuphela uyakusinda , yena nabo bonke abakuye endlini , ngokuba wazithukusa izithunywa esazithumayo. ¹⁸ Kodwa zigcineni nina kukho okuqalekisiweyo , funa lapho senikuqalekisile nithathe kukho okuqalekisiweyo , nilenze ikamu libe ngeliqalekisiweyo , nilihluphe. ¹⁹ Kepha lonke isiliva , negolide, nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi kungcwele kuJehova; kuyakungena endlini yengcebo kaJehova. ²⁰ Abantu base bekhamuluka , amacilongo abethwa ; kwathi lapho abantu bezwe ukukhala kwecilongo , abantu bakhamuluka ngokukhamuluka okukhulu, ugange lwawela phansi endaweni yalo , abantu benyukela emzini , yilowo nalowo waqonda phambili nje, bawuthatha umuzi. ²¹ Baqalekisa konke okusemzini , isilisa nesifazane , abasha nabadala , nezinkabi, nezimvu, nezimbongolo, ngosiko lwenkemba. ²² UJoshuwa wathi kulawo madoda amabili ayelihlolile izwe: Ngenani endlini yesifebe, nikhiphe kuyo owesifazane nabo bonke anabo , njengalokho namfungela. ²³ Izinsizwa ezaziyizinhloli zangen a, zamkhipha uRahabi , noyise, nonina, nabafowabo, nabo bonke anabo , zakhipha bonke abomuzi wakhe , zababeka ngaphandle kwekamu lakwa-Israyeli. ²⁴ Bawushisa umuzi ngomlilo , nakho konke okukuwo ; isiliva kuphela , negolide, nezitsha zethusi nezensimbi bakufaka e ndlini yengcebo endlini kaJehova. ²⁵ Kepha uRahabi isifebe , nabendlu kayise , nabo bonke anabo , uJoshuwa wabasindisa; uhlala phakathi kuka-Israyeli kuze kube namuhla , lokhu wathukusa izithunywa uJoshuwa azithuma ukuba zihlole iJeriko. ²⁶ UJoshuwa wabafungisa ngaleso sikhathi , wathi: Makaqalekiswe phambi kukaJehova umuntu osuka akhe lo muzi waseJeriko ; uyakubeka isisekelo sawo ngokulahlekelwa yizibulo lakhe, amise amasango awo ngokulahlekelwa ngomncinyane wakhe. ²⁷ UJehova wayenaye uJoshuwa; udumo lwakhe lwalukhona ezweni lonke.