1 U-Adoni-Zedekhi inkosi yaseJerusalema wezwa ukuthi uJoshuwa wayesethumbe i-Ayi wayitshabalalisa, njengalokho akwenza eJerikho lenkosini yayo, lokuthi abantu baseGibhiyoni babenze isivumelwano sokuthula labako-Israyeli njalo sebehlala labo. 2 Yena labantu bakhe besaba kakhulu ngalokhu, ngenxa yokuthi iGibhiyoni kwakulidolobho eliqakatheke kakhulu, njengelinye lamadolobho esikhosini; lalilikhulu kule-Ayi, njalo amadoda alo wonke ayezingwazi ezilamandla. 3 Ngakho u-Adoni-Zedekhi inkosi yaseJerusalema wakhalaza kuHohamu inkosi yaseHebhroni, kuPhiramu inkosi yaseJamuthi, kuJafiya inkosi yaseLakhishi lakuDebhiri inkosi yase-Egiloni. 4 Wathi kubo, “Wozani lizongincedisa ukuhlasela iGibhiyoni ngenxa yokuthi yenze isivumelwano sokuthula loJoshuwa labako-Israyeli.”

5 Ngakho amakhosi womahlanu ama-Amori, aseJerusalema, eHebhroni, eJamuthi, eLakhishi lase-Egiloni abambana. Aphuma lamabutho awo wonke ayihonqolozela iGibhiyoni ayihlasela.

6 AmaGibhiyoni athumela ilizwi kuJoshuwa ezihonqweni zaseGiligali athi: “Ungalahli izinceku zakho. Woza ngapha kithi ngokuphangisa uzosisiza! Sincede, ngoba wonke amakhosi ama-Amori abusa emazweni asemaqaqeni asebambene ukuze alwisane lathi.”

7 Ngakho uJoshuwa wasuka eGiligali, wenyuka kanye lebutho lakhe lonke, elaligoqela wonke amadoda ayekwazi ukulwa. 8  UThixo wathi kuJoshuwa, “Ungabesabi; sengibanikele esandleni sakho. Kakho loyedwa ozakwenelisa ukumelana lawe.”

9 Ngemva kokuhamba okobusuku bonke besuka eGiligali, uJoshuwa wabajuma. 10  UThixo wenza ukuthi basanganiseke phambi kuka-Israyeli, wabehlula ngokunqoba okukhulu eGibhiyoni. Abako-Israyeli baxotshana labo emgwaqweni oya eBhethi-Horoni, baxhumana labo baze bayafika e-Azekha leMakheda. 11 Lapho bebalekela abako-Israyeli emgwaqweni osuka eBhethi-Horoni usiya e-Azekha, uThixo wehlisa isiqhotho esikhulu sivela emkhathini, njalo inengi labo lafa libulawa yisiqhotho ukwedlula ababulawa zinkemba zabako-Israyeli.

12 Ngalelolanga uThixo wanikela ngalo ama-Amori kwabako-Israyeli, uJoshuwa wathi kuThixo phambi kwabako-Israyeli:

Ilanga lema phakathi laphakathi kwesibhakabhaka laphuza ukutshona okosuku lonke. 14 Kakuzange kube losuku olwafana lalo ngaphambili kumbe kuze kube lamhlanje, usuku lapho uThixo alalela khona umuntu. Ngeqiniso uThixo wayelwela u-Israyeli!

15 Ngakho uJoshuwa waphindela labo bonke abako-Israyeli ezihonqweni zaseGiligali.

16 Amakhosi lawo womahlanu abaleka ayacatsha ebhalwini lwaseMakheda. 17 Kwathi uJoshuwa esetshelwe ukuthi amakhosi womahlanu ayetholakale ecatshile ebhalwini lweMakheda, 18 wathi, “Giqani amatshe amakhulu liwafake emlonyeni wobhalu, beselisithi amanye amadoda alinde. 19 Kodwa lingemi! Xotshani izitha zenu, lingazivumeli ukuthi zifike emadolobheni azo, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu esezinikele ezandleni zenu.”

20 Ngakho uJoshuwa labako-Israyeli bababhubhisa baphosa baphela bonke kodwa abalutshwana abasalayo banelisa ukufika emadolobheni abo ayezinqaba. 21 Ibutho lonke lenelisa ukuphenduka ngokuthula kuJoshuwa esihonqweni seMakheda, njalo kakho owake wakhuluma okubi ngabako-Israyeli.

22 UJoshuwa wathi, “Vulani umlomo wobhalu beseliletha amakhosi womahlanu eze kimi.” 23 Ngakho bakhupha amakhosi womahlanu ebhalwini, inkosi yaseJerusalema, eyeHebhroni, yeJamuthi, eyeLakhishi kanye leyase-Egiloni. 24 Bathi sebelethe amakhosi la kuJoshuwa, wabiza wonke amadoda ako-Israyeli wasesithi kubo bonke abalawuli bamabutho ababeze laye, “Wozani lapha lizofaka inyawo zenu entanyeni zala amakhosi.” Ngakho beza phambili basebefaka inyawo zabo entanyeni zawo.

25 UJoshuwa wathi kubo, “Lingesabi; lingadangali qinani libe lezibindi. Lokhu yikho okuzakwenziwa nguThixo kuzozonke izitha elizalwisana lazo.” 26 Ngakho uJoshuwa wawabulala amakhosi la wawalengisa ensikeni ezinhlanu, alenga lapho kwaze kwahlwa.

27 Ekutshoneni kwelanga uJoshuwa walaya ukuthi bawethule bawaphose ebhalwini lapho ayekade ecatshe khona. Emlonyeni wobhalu bafaka amatshe amakhulu alokhu ekhona lanamhlanje.

28 Ngalelolanga uJoshuwa wathumba iMakheda. Wahlasela idolobho kanye lenkosi yalo ngenkemba, wabhubhisa wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo. Kakho owatshiywa ephila. Wenza enkosini yeMakheda lokho ayekwenze enkosini yaseJerikho.

29 Ngakho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli ababelaye basuka eMakheda baya eLibhina balihlasela. 30  UThixo waphinda wanikela lelodolobho lenkosi yalo esandleni sika-Israyeli. UJoshuwa wahlasela ngenkemba idolobho laye wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo. Kakho owatshiywa ephila lapho. Wenza enkosini yalo lokho ayekwenze enkosini yeJerikho.

31 Ngakho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli ayelabo bahamba besuka eLibhina besiya eLakhishi; balihanqa basebelihlasela. 32  UThixo wanikela iLakhishi ku-Israyeli, uJoshuwa wayithatha ngelanga lesibili. Idolobho laye wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo wakuhlasela ngenkemba, njengalokho ayekwenze eLibhina. 33 Kunjalo-nje uHoramu inkosi yaseGezeri yayize ukuzoncedisa iLakhishi kodwa uJoshuwa wayehlula ndawonye lebutho layo, kakho owatshiywa ephila.

34 Ngakho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli ababelaye basuka eLakhishi baya edolobheni le-Egiloni; basebelihanqa balihlasela. 35 Balithumba ngalelolanga, balihlakaza ngenkemba basebebhubhisa wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo, njengalokho ababekwenze eLakhishi.

36 Ngakho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli ababelaye bahamba besuka e-Egiloni baya eHebhroni bayihlasela. 37 Balithumba lelodolobho ngenkemba ndawonye lamakhosi alo, imizana yalo laye wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo, kakho owatshiywa ephila. Njengalokho abakwenza e-Egiloni, balitshabalalisa laye wonke umuntu owayephakathi kwalo.

38 Ngakho uJoshuwa labo bonke abako-Israyeli ayelabo baphenduka bahlasela iDebhiri. 39 Bathumba lelidolobho, inkosi lemizi yalo, bayihlasela ngenkemba. Bonke abantu ababephakathi kwalo babhujiswa baphela. Kakho owatshiywa ephila. Benza eDebhiri lenkosini yakhona lokho abakwenza eLibhina lenkosini yakhona kanye leHebhroni.

40 Ngakho uJoshuwa wasinqoba sonke isabelo, okugoqela ilizwe lamaqaqa, iNegebi, emawatheni ezintaba entshonalanga lemithezukweni yezintaba ndawonye lamakhosi alapho wonke. Kakho owatshiywa ephila. Wabhubhisa bonke abebephefumula, njengoba uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wayebalayile. 41 UJoshuwa wabanqoba kusukela eKhadeshi Bhaneya kusiya eGaza lakuso sonke isabelo seGosheni kusiya eGibhiyoni. 42 Wonke amakhosi la lamazwe awo athunjwa nguJoshuwa ekuhlaseleni kunye, ngenxa yokuthi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, walwela u-Israyeli.

43 Ngakho uJoshuwa waphindela laye wonke u-Israyeli ezihonqweni zaseGiligali.