Joshua 10
1 Lapho u-Adoni Zedeki, inkosi yaseJerusalema, esezwile ukuthi uJoshuwa uyidle kanjani i-Ayi, wayishaya wayiqothula, wenza kuyo i-Ayi nenkosi yayo njengalokhu ayenzile kulo iJerikho nenkosi yalo, nokuthi izakhamuzi zaseGibheyoni zasenza kanjani isivumelwano sokuthula no-Israyeli, zahlala phakathi kwakhe;
2 wesaba kakhulu, ngokuba iGibheyoni yayingumuzi omkhulu njengomunye wemizi yamakhosi nokuthi futhi inkulu kune-Ayi, namadoda wonke akhona angamaqhawe.
3 Ngakho-ke u-Adoni Zedeki, inkosi yaseJerusalema, wathumela kuHohamu inkosi yaseHebhroni, nakuPhiramu inkosi yaseJarimuthi, nakuJafiya inkosi yaseLakhishi, nakuDebhiri inkosi yase-Egiloni, wathi:
4 “Khuphukani, nizongisiza, silihlasele iGibheyoni, ngokuba lenze isivumelwano sokuthula noJoshuwa nabantu bakwa-Israyeli.”
5 Ngalokho amakhosi ayisihlanu ama-Amori: inkosi yaseJerusalema, inkosi yaseHebhroni, inkosi yaseJarimuthi, inkosi yaseLakhishi, nenkosi yase-Egiloni, ahlanganisa amabutho awo, akhuphuka nayo yonke impi yawo, akanisa malungana neGibheyoni, alwa nalo.
6 AbaseGibheyoni bathumela kuJoshuwa enkanjini eGiligali, bathi: “Ungaziyekeleli izinceku zakho; woza kithi ngokushesha usisindise, usisize, ngokuba wonke amakhosi ama-Amori akhe kwelezintaba ayasihlanganyela.”
7 UJoshuwa wayesekhuphuka esuka eGiligali, nawo wonke amabutho anamandla.
8 USimakade wathi kuJoshuwa: “Ungabesabi, ngokuba ngibanikele esandleni sakho; akukho namunye kubo oyakuma phambi kwakho.”
9 UJoshuwa wabathelekela bengazelele; kwazise wayehambe ubusuku bonke esuka eGiligali.
10 USimakade wabathela ngokudideka phambi kuka-Israyeli, owacekela phansi abaningi eGibheyoni, wabaxosha ngendlela ekhuphukela eBhethi Horoni, wabacekela phansi ngenkemba kwaze kwaba se-Azeka naseMakheda.
11 Besabaleka phambi kuka-Israyeli besuka emehlelweni eBhethi Horoni, uSimakade wehlisela phezu kwabo amatshe amakhulu evela ezulwini, baze bayofika e-Azeka, bafa. Babebaningi kakhulu ababulawa yisichotho kunalabo ababulawa ngu-Israyeli ngenkemba.
12 Ngosuku uSimakade anikela ngalo ama-Amori ku-Israyeli, uJoshuwa wakhuluma noSimakade ephambi kwabantu bakwa-Israyeli wathi: “Langa, yima nse eGibheyoni, nawe nyanga, esigodini i-Ayijaloni.”
13 Lase lima ilanga, nenyanga yema, abantu baze baziphindiselela ezitheni zabo. Akulotshiwe yini lokho encwadini yolungileyo, na? Ilanga lema phakathi nomkhathi, alisheshanga ukushona kwangathi wusuku lonke.
14 Aluzange lube khona usuku olunjengalolo ngaphambi kwalo noma ngasemuva kwalo, lapho uSimakade alalela khona izwi lomuntu; wamlwela u-Israyeli.
15 UJoshuwa nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababenaye babuyela enkanjini eGiligali.
16 Lawo makhosi ayisihlanu abaleka, ayocasha emgedeni eMakheda.
17 Kwabikwa kuJoshuwa ukuthi: “Lawo makhosi ayisihlanu afunyaniswe ecashe emgedeni eMakheda.”
18 UJoshuwa wathi: “Gingqelani amatshe amakhulu emlonyeni womgede, nimise amadoda ngakuwo, awulinde,
19 kepha nina ningami lapho; zixosheni izitha zenu, nizihlasele ngasemuva, ningazivumeli ukuba zingene emizini yazo, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu uzinikele esandleni senu.”
20 Kwathi lapho uJoshuwa nabantu bakwa-Israyeli sebecekele phansi abaningi kakhulu baze babaqeda, insali yangena emizini ebiyelweyo.
21 Bonke abantu babuyela kuJoshuwa enkanjini eMakheda bephephile, akubanga bikho owake wakhuluma okubi ngo-Israyeli.
22 Wayesethi uJoshuwa: “Vulani umlomo womgede, niwalethe kimi lawo makhosi ayisihlanu asemgedeni.”
23 Benza kanjalo-ke; bawakhipha, bawaletha kuye lawo makhosi amahlanu ayesemgedeni: inkosi yaseJerusalema, inkosi yaseHebhroni, inkosi yaseJarimuthi, inkosi yaseLakhishi, nenkosi yase-Egiloni.
24 Lapho bewaletha lawo makhosi kuJoshuwa, uJoshuwa wabiza wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli wathi ezinduneni zamabutho ezazihambe naye: “Sondelani, nibeke izinyawo zenu ezintanyeni zalawa makhosi.” Zasondela-ke, zabeka izinyawo zazo ezintanyeni zawo.
25 UJoshuwa wathi kuzo: “Ningesabi, ningabi naluvalo; qinani, nime isibindi, ngokuba uSimakade uyakwenza kanjalo kuzo zonke izitha zenu enilwa nazo.”
26 Emveni kwalokho uJoshuwa wawagenca, wawabulala, wawaphanyeka ezihlahleni eziyisihlanu, alenga emithini kwaze kwahlwa.
27 Ekushoneni kwelanga uJoshuwa wayala, base beyawehlisa emithini, bawaphonsa emgedeni lapho ayekade ecashe khona, babeka amatshe amakhulu emlonyeni womgede; asekhona nanamuhla.
28 UJoshuwa wadla iMakheda ngalolo lusuku, walichitha ngenkemba nenkosi yalo, waqothula bonke abantu ababekulo, akashiyanga namunye. Wenza enkosini yaseMakheda njengoba ayenzile enkosini yaseJerikho.
29 UJoshuwa wasuka eMakheda nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eLibhina, balwa nalo.
30 USimakade wayinikela nayo nenkosi yayo esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli, wayichitha ngenkemba nabo bonke abantu ababekuyo, akashiyanga namunye. Wenza enkosini yaseMakheda njengoba ayenzile enkosini yaseJerikho.
31 UJoshuwa wasuka eLibhina nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eLakhishi, wakanisa malungana nayo, walwa nayo.
32 USimakade wayinikela iLakhishi esandleni sabakwa-Israyeli, balidla ngosuku lwesibili, balichitha ngenkemba nabo bonke abantu ababekulo njengoba babenzile eLibhina.
33 Kwase kukhuphuka uHoramu, inkosi yaseGezeri, ukuzosiza iLakhishi, kepha uJoshuwa wayibulala nabantu bayo, akashiyanga namunye kubo.
34 UJoshuwa wasuka eLakhishi, nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya e-Egiloni; bakanisa maqondana nalo, balwa nalo.
35 Balidla ngalolo lusuku, balichitha ngenkemba; nabo bonke abantu ababekulo, njengalokhu babenzile eLakhishi.
36 UJoshuwa wakhuphukela e-Egiloni nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli, baya eHebhroni, balwa nalo.
37 Balidla, balichitha ngenkemba, inkosi nayo yonke imizi yalo, nabo bonke abantu ababekulo; akashiyanga namunye, njengalokhu ayenzile e-Egiloni.
38 UJoshuwa wabuyela nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli eDebhiri, balihlasela;
39 walidla nenkosi yalo nayo yonke imizi yalo, balichitha ngenkemba, baqothula bonke abantu ababekulo, akashiyanga namunye; njengalokhu ayenzile eHebhroni, naseDebhiri nakuyo inkosi yalo, naseLibhina nakuyo inkosi yalo.
40 UJoshuwa walinqoba lonke izwe lezintaba, iNegevu, amathafa, imithambeka, namakhosi wonke alo; akashiyanga nayinye. Wakuqothula konke okuphefumulayo njengokuyala kukaSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
41 UJoshuwa wabanqoba kusukela eKadeshi Bharineya kuze kufike eGaza, nalo lonke iGosheni kuze kufike eGibheyoni.
42 UJoshuwa wawanqoba wonke lawo makhosi namazwe awo ngasikhathi sinye, ngokuba uSimakade uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wamlwela u-Israyeli.
43 UJoshuwa wabuyela enkanjini eGiligali, nabo bonke abakwa-Israyeli ababenaye.