1 Nuko inkuru y’ivyabaye ishikira abami bose bo mu burengero bwa Yorodani, mu karere k’imisozi miremire, mu biyaya no ku nkengera z’Ikiyaga Mediterane, gushika i Libani: abami b’Abaheti, ab’Abamori, ab’Abanyakanani, ab’Abaperizi, ab’Abahiwi hamwe n’ab’Abayebusi. 2 Bose baca barakorana kugira ngo batere Yosuwa n’Abisirayeli.

3 Ariko abantu b’i Gibeyoni bumvise ivyo Yosuwa yakoreye Yeriko na Hayi, 4 baca bakoresha urwenge, barungikira intumwa Yosuwa, bazirungika ku ndogoba bashasheko imifuko yatabaguritse, babaha n’imikuza y’imishire imenaguritse. 5 Bambara ibirato bishaje kandi biteye ibiremo, n’impuzu zitabaguritse. Imikate batwaye yose yari yumye, iyindi yaraguye ifira. 6 Maze baja iyo Yosuwa ari mu mahema i Gilugali, bamubwira ari kumwe n’abandi Bisirayeli bati: "Tuje tuva mu gihugu ca kure cane, tuje gusaba ngo tugiriranire amasezerano y’amahoro."

7 Abisirayeli babwira abo Bahiwi bati: "Mbega twobwirwa n’iki ko mutari abo ngaha hafi yacu? Kuko nimba muri aba hafi, nta masezerano y’amahoro tugiriranira."

8 Bishura Yosuwa bati: "Turi abasavyi bawe." Yosuwa arababaza ati: "Muri ba nde? Muje muva he?"

9 Baramwishura bati: "Twebwe abasavyi banyu twaje tuva mu gihugu ca kure, kuko twumvise ingene Uhoraho Imana yanyu ahambaye, twumva n’ivyo yakoreye Egiputa. 10 Twarumvise kandi ivyo yakoreye abami babiri b’Abamori hakurya ya Yorodani, ari bo Sihoni umwami w’i Heshiboni na Ogi umwami w’i Bashani yaba i Ashitaroti. 11 None abakuru bacu n’ababa mu gihugu cacu bose batubwiye bati: Nimutekere ivyo muzorira mu rugendo, mugende mubashikire mubabwire muti: Turi abasavyi banyu, nimuze tugiriranire isezerano ry’amahoro. 12 Iyi mikate yari ishushe igihe twayitekera tuva i muhira. Ariko raba yarumye, yaramaze no kugwa ifira. 13 N’iyi mikuza yari yuzuye igihe twaza ariko ubu raba ingene imaze kumenagurika. Impuzu n’ibirato vyacu vyahereye ku nzira."

14 Maze Abisirayeli baca batangura gusuzuma ivyo bifungurwa baje bararira mu rugendo badasiguje Uhoraho. 15 Yosuwa aca abasezeranira isezerano ry’amahoro, abarongozi b’iryo hanga na bo nyene babishigikiza indahiro.

16 Haciye imisi itatu bagiriraniye iryo sezerano, Abisirayeli baca bumva ko Ab’i Gibiyoni ari ababanyi babo, ko babana hafi. 17 Abisirayeli baca bafata urugendo, mu misi itatu bashikira ibisagara vyabo: Gibeyoni, Kefira, Beroti hamwe na Kiriyati-Yeyarimu. 18 Ariko Abisirayeli ntibabaye bakibatera, kuko abarongozi b’ihanga ryabo bari babarahiye mw’izina ry’Uhoraho, Imana ya Isirayeli.

Maze ikoraniro ryose ryidodombera abarongozi, 19 ariko abarongozi bababwira bati: "Twabarahiye mw’izina ry’Uhoraho Imana ya Isirayeli none ubu ntidushobora kubakorako. 20 Iki ni co tuzobakorera: Tuzobareka babeho, kugira ngo uburake bw’Uhoraho ntibudutikize kuko twoba turenze indahiro twabarahiye." 21 Barabandanya bati: "Reka babeho mugabo bazobe abo kudusaturira inkwi no kuvomera amazi ihanga ryacu." Maze isezerano ry’abarongozi rica rirubahirizwa.

22 Yosuwa akoranya Ab’i Gibiyoni, ababwira ati: "Ni iki catumye muduhenda muti: ‘Turi abantu ba kure cane,’ kandi muba hafi yacu? 23 Muri musi y’umuvumo: Ntimuzigera na rimwe muva ku gikorwa co gusatura inkwi no kuvomera amazi inzu y’Imana yanje."

24 Na bo bishura Yosuwa bati: "Twebwe abasavyi bawe twabwiwe neza ingene Uhoraho Imana yanyu yari yategetse umusavyi wayo Mose ngo abahe iki gihugu cose ngo murandure abakibamwo bose. Natwe twaciye dutinya ko mwoturandura, ni co catumye dukora dutyo. 25 None rero turi mu biganza vyanyu, nimutugire uko mubona bibereye."

26 Nuko Yosuwa abakiza amaboko y’Abisirayeli, ntibabica. 27 Kuva uwo musi aca abagira abashenyi b’inkwi n’abavomyi b’amazi y’Abisirayeli, n’abajejwe kurondera ibikenewe vyose vy’igicaniro c’Uhoraho mu kibanza azohitamwo. Kandi ivyo baracabikora kugeza n’ubu.