1 Zvino guta reJeriko rakanga rapfigwa zvakasimba kwazvo nokuda kwavaIsraeri. Hapana akabuda kunze uye hapana akapinda mukati.

2 Zvino Jehovha akati kuna Joshua, “Tarira, ndaisa Jeriko mumaoko ako, pamwe chete namambo waro navarume varo vehondo. 3 Fambai mutenderere guta kamwe chete pamwe navarume vose vehondo. Muite izvi kwamazuva matanhatu. 4 Ngapave navaprista vanomwe vanotakura hwamanda dzenyanga dzamakondobwe pamberi peareka. Pazuva rechinomwe fambai muchitenderera guta kanomwe, vaprista vachiridza hwamanda. 5 Kana mukazovanzwa varidza hwamanda kwenguva refu, vanhu vose vanofanira kudanidzira zvikuru; ipapo rusvingo rweguta ruchakoromoka, vanhu vagopinda, mumwe nomumwe pakanangana naye.”

6 Saka Joshua mwanakomana waNuni akadana vaprista akati kwavari, “Takurai areka yesungano yaJehovha uye vaprista vanomwe ngavatakure hwamanda pamberi pavo.” 7 Akarayira vanhu akati, “Endai mberi! Fambai muchipoterera guta, varume vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vaende mberi kweareka yaJehovha.”

8 Joshua paakapedza kutaura navanhu, vaprista vanomwe vakatakura hwamanda nomwe pamberi paJehovha vakaenda pamberi, vachiridza hwamanda dzavo, areka yesungano yaJehovha ikavatevera. 9 Vakanga vakatakura zvombo zvokurwa nazvo vakafamba mberi kwavaprista vairidza hwamanda, navarindi veshure vakatevera areka. Nguva yose iyi hwamanda dzairira. 10 Asi Joshua akanga arayira vanhu achiti, “Musadanidzira, musasimudzira manzwi enyu, musamboti bufu kusvikira zuva randinokuudzai kuti mudanidzire, ipapo ndipo pamunozodanidzira!” 11 Naizvozvo akarayira kuti areka yaJehovha itakurwe ipoterere guta, iripoterere kamwe chete. Ipapo vanhu vakadzokera kumisasa vakararako.

12 Joshua akamuka rungwanangwana zuva raitevera vaprista ndokutakura areka yaJehovha. 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. 14 Naizvozvo pazuva rechipiri vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kamwe chete vakadzokera kumisasa. Vakaita izvi kwamazuva matanhatu.

15 Pazuva rechinomwe, vakamuka mambakwedza vakafamba vachipoteredza guta kanomwe nenzira imwe chete, asi musi uyu vakapoterera guta kanomwe. 16 Panguva yechinomwe, vaprista pavakaridza hwamanda, Joshua akarayira vanhu achiti, “Danidzirai! Nokuti Jehovha akupai guta! 17 Guta nezvose zviri mariri rinofanira kupiwa kuna Jehovha. Asi Rahabhi chifeve bedzi navose vaainavo mumba make ndivo vachasiyiwa, nokuti akavanza vasori vatakatuma. 18 Asi imi musaswedera pazvinhu zvakatukwa, kuti murege kuzviunzira kuparara, nokutora kana chimwe chazvo. Dzimwe nguva mungaunza kuparara pamusasa weIsraeri mukaipinza padambudziko. 19 Sirivha yose negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi zvakatsaurirwa Jehovha uye zvinofanira kuiswa munochengeterwa pfuma yake.”

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. 21 Vakapa guta kuna Jehovha kuti riparadzwe nomunondo, chipi nechipi chairarama mariri, varume navakadzi, vaduku navakuru, mombe, makwai nembongoro.

22 Joshua akati kuvarume vaviri vakanga vasora nyika, “Pindai mumba mechifeve mumubudise iye navose vokwake, sezvamakapika kwaari.” 23 Naizvozvo majaya akanga asora akapindamo akabudisa Rahabhi, baba vake namai vake nehanzvadzi dzake navose vokwake. Vakabudisa mhuri yose vakavaisa kunze kwomusasa weIsraeri.

24 Ipapo vakabva vapisa guta rose nazvose zvaiva mariri, asi vakaisa sirivha negoridhe nemidziyo yendarira neyesimbi munochengeterwa pfuma yemba yaJehovha. 25 Asi Joshua akasiya Rahabhi chifeve, nemhuri yake navose vokwake, nokuti akanga avanza varume vakatumwa naJoshua savasori kuJeriko, uye agere pakati pavaIsraeri nanhasi uno.

26 Panguva iyoyo Joshua akareva mhiko iyi achiti, “Ngaatukwe pamberi paJehovha munhu achazoedza kuvakazve guta iri Jeriko: