UMUTWENZI uratambitse mu kiyaya gikikuje Yeriko, Rahabu akaba ariko ararabira mw’idirisha. Muri ico kiyaya hakoraniye igitero c’ingabo, zikaba ari ingabo za Isirayeli. Izo ngabo zirasubira kuzunguruka ico gisagara, umukungugu ukagenda uratuma aho ziciye, ijwi ry’inzamba zabo na ryo rigasubira gusamirana.

I Yeriko ni ho Rahabu aba, akaba azi amabarabara yaho, amazu yaho hamwe n’amasoko yaho be n’amaduka yaho vyahuriramwo abantu benshi. Ariko abantu baho ni bo azi neza kuruta. Arabona ingene ubwoba bafise buguma bwongerekana uko imisi irengana, Abisirayeli na bo bakabandanya ico kintu gisiga ubwenge bakora co kuzunguruka ico gisagara rimwe ku musi. Ariko rero, uko ijwi ry’inzamba zabo ryumvikana mu mabarabara y’i Yeriko no mu bibanza vyaho bihuriramwo abantu benshi, Rahabu wewe ntagira ubwoba canke ngo yihebure nk’abandi.

Kuri uwo musi ugira indwi, Rahabu aritegereza izo ngabo igihe zitangura kuzunguruka kare mu gitondo. Hagati mu basoda ba Isirayeli, arabona abaherezi bagenda baravuza inzamba bareruye n’isandugu ryeranda rigereranya ko Yehova Imana yabo ari kumwe na bo. Nubone mu bwenge Rahabu afashe umugozi w’agahama urekera kw’idirisha ryiwe riri ku ruhome amahero rw’igisagara ca Yeriko. Uwo mugozi uributsa Rahabu icizigiro afise c’uko we n’umuryango wiwe bazokira ico gisagara nicasangangurwa. Rahabu yoba none ari icitso? Yehova si ko abibona. Abona ko ari umugore afise ukwizera kudasanzwe. Iyo nkuru ya Rahabu reka tuyihere ku ntango, turabe ico twomwigirako.

Rahabu yari umumaraya. Ico kintu carateye ubuyega abasobanuzi bamwebamwe b’ivya Bibiliya muri kahise ku buryo bavuga gusa ko Rahabu yari afise inzu y’indaro y’abahita. Ariko Bibiliya yo iratomora neza ico kintu idahisha. (Yosuwa 2:1; Abaheburayo 11:31; Yakobo 2:25) Mu mico y’Abanyakanani, umwuga wa Rahabu ushobora kuba utari ugayitse cane. Ariko rero, imico kama ntiyama ibuza ijwi ryacu ryo mu mutima gukora, iryo na ryo rikaba ari ubushobozi Yehova yaduhaye twese bwo kumenya ikibereye n’ikitabereye. (Abaroma 2:14, 15) Rahabu ashobora kuba yarabona ko uburyo abayeho atari bwiza. Cokimwe n’abantu benshi bo muri iki gihe babayeho gutyo, Rahabu ashobora kuba yarumva ko ameze nk’uwuboshwe, ko ata kundi yari bubigenze kugira ngo atunge umuryango.

Nta gukeka ko Rahabu yipfuza cane kubaho mu buryo bubereye. Aho yaba hari huzuye ubugizi bwa nabi n’ugutituka kw’inyifato runtu, harimwo n’ukugoka be n’ukuryamana n’ibikoko. (Abalewi 18:3, 6, 21-24) Ubwo bubi bwari bukwiragiye mu gihugu bwari bufitaniye isano cane n’uburyo bwabo bwo gusenga. Mu nsengero barahakorera ubumaraya mu buryo bw’imigenzo, kandi mu gusenga imana z’ikinyoma nka Bayali na Moleki, baratanga abana babo ngo babe ibimazi bagaturirwa mu muriro ari bazima.

Yehova yarabona ivyariko birabera i Kanani. Nkako, ibibi vyinshi vyakorwa n’Abanyakanani vyatumye Yehova avuga ati: “Igihugu [kira]humanye, kandi nzogihanira ikosa ryaco, kandi kizodahwa abakibamwo.” (Abalewi 18:25) None ni mu buryo ki Abanyakanani ‘bohaniwe ikosa ryabo?’ Muri rusangi,  Imana yari yasezeraniye Abisirayeli iti: “Yehova Imana yawe ata gukeka azohinda ayo mahanga agende arava imbere yawe buhorobuhoro.” (Gusubira mu vyagezwe 7:22) Ibinjana nka bingahe imbere y’aho, Yehova yari yarasezeraniye ico gihugu umuryango wa Aburahamu, tukaba tuzi ko “Imana idashobora kubesha.”—Tito 1:2; Itanguriro 12:7.

Ariko rero, Yehova yari yaravuze kandi yuko imigwi imwimwe y’abantu bo muri ico gihugu yategerezwa guherengetezwa. (Gusubira mu vyagezwe 7:1, 2) Kubera ari “Umucamanza w’isi yose” agororotse, yari yarabonye ibiri mu mitima y’abo bantu bose, aramenya ukuntu ububi bwabo n’ukwononekara kwabo vyari vyaramaze gutsimbatara. (Itanguriro 18:25; 1 Ngoma 28:9) Rahabu yumva amerewe gute kuba yaba muri ico gisagara cari caraciriwe urubanza? Turashobora kwiyumvira ingene yamererwa yumvise amakuru yerekeye Isirayeli. Yaramenye yuko Imana ya Isirayeli yatumye abantu bayo bari mu gacinyizo k’ubuja baronka intsinzi igihe yanesha inteko z’Abanyamisiri zari zikomeye kuruta izindi zose zariho ico gihe. Isirayeli yari yiteguriye gutera Yeriko! Yamara, abanyagihugu bo muri ico gisagara barabandanije ububi bwabo. Duca dutahura igituma Bibiliya ivuga yuko Abanyakanani bo mu gihugu ca Rahabu “bagambaraye.”—Abaheburayo 11:31.

Rahabu yari atandukanye na bo. Uko imyaka yarengana, ashobora kuba yarazirikana ku makuru yumva ku vyerekeye Abisirayeli n’Imana yabo Yehova. Iyo Mana nta ho yasa isana n’imana z’Abanyakanani! Yararwanira abasavyi bayo aho kubagirira nabi, igatuma abayisenga bagira inyifato runtu iri hejuru aho kuyititura. Iyo Mana yaraha agaciro abakenyezi; ntiyababona nk’ibikoresho vyo kwimarirako inambu y’umubiri vyogurwa, bikagurishwa, bikongera bigakoreshwa mu buryo bubitesha agaciro mu gusenga guteye isoni. Igihe Rahabu yamenya ko Isirayeli ikambitse hakurya ya Yorodani, yiteguriye kugaba igitero, ategerezwa kuba yarahagaritse umutima ku bijanye n’abantu bo mu gisagara c’iwabo. Yehova yoba yarabona Rahabu, agaha agaciro iciza yamubonamwo?

Muri kino gihe, hariho abantu benshi bameze nka Rahabu. Bumva bameze nk’ababoshwe, bakaguma babayeho mu buryo bubatesha agaciro bukababuza n’umunezero, bakumva ko ata wubababaye kandi ko ata co bamaze. Inkuru ya Rahabu iraduhumuriza ikatwibutsa yuko ata n’umwe muri twebwe Imana itababaye. Naho twoba twumva ko ata co tumaze, Imana itubwira ko “itari kure y’umwe wese muri twebwe.” (Ivyakozwe 17:27) Iri hafi y’abo bose bayizera, ikaba yiteguriye kandi ishashaye kubaha icizigiro. None Rahabu yoba yarayizera?

Umusi umwe, imbere y’uko Abisirayeli batangura kuzunguruka Yeriko, hari abagabo babiri Rahabu atazi baje iwe. Abo bagabo bari bizigiye ko ata wubabona, ariko kubera ko muri ico gisagara abantu bari bahagaritse umutima, benshi bari barikanuye kugira ngo ntihagire umutasi w’Umwisirayeli yobaca mu ryahumye. Rahabu ashobora kuba yababonye nk’ejo, aca aramenya abo ari bo. Rahabu yari asanzwe amenyereye kwakira iwe abagabo atazi, ariko abo bagabo babiri bobo barondera indaro gusa, ntibari bazanywe no kurondera uwo maraya.

 Nkako, abo bagabo babiri bari abatasi bavuye mw’ikambi ya Isirayeli. Yosuwa kizigenza wabo yari yabarungitse ngo baje gutata Yeriko bamenye aho ico gisagara gikomeye n’aho kigoyagoya. Ni co gisagara ca mbere Abisirayeli bari gutera mu gihugu ca Kanani, kikaba kandi ari co gishobora kuba cari gikomeye kuruta ibindi vyose. Yosuwa yashaka kumenya ingene abohanganye na bo bameze. Nta gukeka ko hariho icatumye abo batasi bahitamwo inzu ya Rahabu. Mu nzu zose zari zihari, ku mumaraya ni ho honyene bari kuja ntihagire n’uwubica n’ikanda. Kumbure abo batasi bari bizigiye no kuhumvira ibiyago vy’abantu ata co bicura, bigatuma baronka amakuru yobafasha.

Bibiliya ivuga yuko Rahabu ‘yakiriye neza izo ntumwa.’ (Yakobo 2:25) Yarabakiriye mu nzu yiwe naho mbere yari yiketse abo ari bo n’icabagenza, arabaha indaro. Kumbure yari yizigiye kuhamenyera vyinshi ku bijanye n’Imana yabo Yehova.

Ariko rero, intumwa zivuye ku mwami w’i Yeriko zaciye zihashika bidatevye! Hari hakwiragiye inkuru y’uko hari abatasi b’Abisirayeli bari kwa Rahabu. None Rahabu yari gukora iki? Ubwo aramutse akingiye abo bagabo babiri batazwi, ntiyari kuba yishize mu kaga we n’umuryango wiwe wose? Ubwo abantu b’i Yeriko ntibari kubica bose baramutse bamenye ko yahaye indaro abo bansi? Ku rundi ruhande, Rahabu yari yamenye neza abo bantu abo ari bo. Nimba yari amaze kumenya ko Yehova ari Imana ata ho ihuriye n’imana yiwe, ubwo ako ntikari akaryo aronse ko kuja ku ruhande rwa Yehova?

Rahabu ntiyaronse umwanya munini wo kwiyumvira, ariko yaciye abona ico yokora, aca aragikora ubwo nyene. Yaciye anyegeza abo batasi hejuru mu duti tw’ilino twari twanikiye hejuru ku gisenge kibase c’inzu yiwe. Yaciye rero abwira intumwa z’umwami ati: “Egome, abo bagabo baje koko iwanje, mugabo sinari nzi iyo bava. Igihe co kwugara irembo kigeze, buhwibiriye, nya bagabo baciye basohoka. Ni ukuri sinzi iyo abo bagabo bagiye. Nimubome inyuma ningoga, kuko muza kubahamvya.” (Yosuwa 2:4, 5) Iyumvire Rahabu ariko aritegereza mu maso h’izo ntumwa z’umwami. Yoba yaribajije ko bahava babona ko umutima wiwe uriko urasimba?

Yarabahenze birakunda! Izo ntumwa z’umwami zaciye ziboma inyuma zigana ivyambu vya Yorodani. (Yosuwa 2:7) Rahabu ategerezwa kuba yariruhukije. Akoresheje amayeri asanzwe, yarayobeje abo bagabo b’abicanyi batari bakwiye kumenya ukuri, aba akijije abasavyi b’Imana y’ukuri Yehova.

Rahabu yaciye anyarukira kuri ca gisenge, abwira ba batasi babiri ivyo yari akoze. Yarababwiye n’ikindi kintu gihambaye, yuko abantu bo mu gisagara barandutse umutima kandi ko batekewe n’ubwoba kubera ingabo z’Abisirayeli zari zaje gutera. Ako gace yari aciriye abo batasi gategerezwa kuba karabaryoheye cane. Ubushobozi bw’Imana y’Abisirayeli Yehova, bwaratera ubwoba abo Banyakanani b’abanyakibi! Rahabu yaciye ahishura ikintu mbere gihambaye cane kuri twebwe. Yavuze ati: “Yehova Imana yanyu [ni] Imana mu majuru hejuru no kw’isi hasi.” (Yosuwa  2:11) Ivyo yari yarumvise ku vyerekeye Yehova vyaratumye atahura n’imiburiburi ko vyari bikwiye ko yizigira Imana y’Abisirayeli. Yarizeye Yehova.

Rahabu ntiyakekeranya ko Yehova yohaye intsinzi abasavyi biwe. Yaciye asaba kugirirwa ubuntu, asaba ko we n’umuryango wiwe bozigurizwa. Abo batasi barabimwemereye, ariko bamusaba kubagumiriza ibanga no kubohera umugozi w’agahama kw’idirisha ryiwe riri ku ruhome rw’igisagara kugira ngo abasoda baze bashobore kumukiza we n’umuryango wiwe.—Yosuwa 2:12-14, 18.

Twoshobora kwigira kuri Rahabu ikintu gihambaye cerekeye ukwizera. Nk’uko Bibiliya ibivuga, “ukwizera . . . kuva ku co umuntu yumvise.” (Abaroma 10:17) Yarumvise amakuru yo kwizigirwa yerekeye ububasha bwa Yehova Imana n’ubutungane bwiwe, bituma amwizera yongera aramwizigira. Tugereranije n’ico gihe, ubu turashobora kumenya vyinshi cane ku vyerekeye Yehova. Twoba none tuzorondera kumumenya no kumwizera twisunze ivyo twiga mw’Ijambo ryiwe Bibiliya?

Ba batasi babiri barakurikiye impanuro ya Rahabu, bururuka ku ruhome bifashishije umugozi yari yaboheye kw’idirisha ryiwe, maze baca baranyororomba bagana mu misozi. Ku misozi ihanamye yo mu buraruko bw’i Yeriko, hariho amasenga menshi abo batasi bari gushobora kwinyegezamwo gushika babonye ko bashobora gusubira mw’ikambi y’Abisirayeli ata nkomanzi, bajanye inkuru nziza bakuye kwa Rahabu.

Mu nyuma, abantu b’i Yeriko bategerezwa kuba baratekewe n’ubwoba igihe bamenya ko Yehova yatumye Uruzi Yorodani ruhagarara ku gitangaro, bigatuma Abisirayeli bashobora kujabuka baciye ku butaka bwumutse. (Yosuwa 3:14-17) Ariko kuri Rahabu, iyo nkuru yatumye arushiriza kubona ko yari afise imvo zumvikana zo kwizera Yehova.

Abisirayeli baciye batangura kuzunguruka Yeriko, babigira imisi itandatu, rimwerimwe ku musi. Ng’uyo umusi w’indwi urashitse. Ivyabaye kuri uwo musi vyari bitandukanye n’ivyabaye ku yindi misi. Nk’uko vyavuzwe mu ntangamarara y’iki kiganiro, izo ngabo zatanguye kuzunguruka umutwenzi utambitse, kandi zimaze kuzunguruka rimwe, zaciye zizunguruka Yeriko zisubiriza. (Yosuwa 6:15) None abo Bisirayeli bashaka gushika ku ki?

Ingabo zimaze kuzunguruka incuro igira indwi kuri uwo musi, zaciye zihagarika kuzunguruka no kuvuza inzamba. Haciye haba agacerere. Mu gisagara, abantu imitima yari mu mutwe. Yosuwa atanze ikimenyetso, ingabo z’Abisirayeli zaciye zumvikanisha amajwi yazo ari bwo bwa mbere, zirasemerera. Abarinzi bari hejuru ku ruhome rwa Yeriko boba bariyumviriye yuko kwiha ako karuru ari uburyo butabaho bwo kugaba igitero? Nimba bariyumviriye gutyo, ico ciyumviro camaze akanya urume rumara. Rwa ruhome amahero rwaciye rutangura kunyiganyiga. Rwaragigimye, rurasaduka, amaherezo ruragwa, ruhomvokera hasi! Mugabo uko umukungugu watera ugabanuka, haciye haboneka agace kamwe k’uruhome kagumye gahagaze. Inzu ya Rahabu ni yo yonyene yari igihagaze, bivuye ku kwizera kwiwe. Iyumvire ukuntu yumvise amerewe abonye ingene Yehova yamukingiye! * Umuryango wiwe na wo nyene waradora!—Yosuwa 6:10, 16, 20, 21.

Abasavyi ba Yehova na bo nyene baragaragarije icubahiro Rahabu bivuye ku kwizera kwiwe. Babonye uruhome rwose rwahomvokeye hasi hagasigara inzu imwe gusa yari ifatanye na rwo, baciye bamenya yuko Yehova yari kumwe n’uwo mugore. We n’umuryango wiwe bararusimvye igihe ico gisagara kibi catikizwa. Ico gitero kirangiye, Rahabu yaremerewe kuba hafi y’aho Abisirayeli bari bakambitse. Haheze igihe, Rahabu yarabaye uwo mu gisata c’Abisirayeli. Yarubakanye n’umugabo yitwa Salumoni. Umuhungu wabo Bowazi yahavuye aba umuntu afise ukwizera kudasanzwe. Yubakanye na Rusi Umunyamowabukazi. * (Rusi 4:13, 22) Uwo muryango wagaragaje ukwizera kudasanzwe ni wo wakomotsemwo Umwami Dawidi, mu nyuma urahava ukomokamwo Mesiya ubwiwe, ari we Yezu Kristu.—Yosuwa 6:22-25; Matayo 1:5, 6, 16.

Inkuru ya Rahabu irerekana yuko ata n’umwe muri twebwe Yehova adaha agaciro. Aratubona twese, akabona ibiri mu mitima yacu, kandi arahimbarwa igihe atubonyemwo ukwizera na gukeyi nk’ukwo yabonye mu mutima wa Rahabu. Ukwizera kwiwe kwatumye agira ico akoze. Nk’uko Bibiliya ibivuga, Rahabu “[yiswe] umugororotsi bivuye ku bikorwa.” (Yakobo 2:25) Ese ingene vyoba biranga ubukerebutsi twiganye ukwizera kwiwe!