4 Mose 14

1 Saa anadwo no, nnipa no nyinaa fii ase suu denneennen.

That night, all the Israeli people cried loudly.

2 Wɔde nne koro nwiinwii tiaa Mose ne Aaron. Wɔkae se, “Sɛ yewuwuu wɔ Misraim anaa sare so ha a, anka eye.

The next day they all complained to Aaron and Moses/me. All the men said, “We wish that we had died in Egypt, or in this desert!

3 Adɛn nti na Awurade de yɛn reba ha sɛ yɛmmɛtotɔ wɔ mfoa ano? Wɔbɛfow yɛn yerenom ne yɛn mma. So ennye mma yɛn sɛ yɛbɛsan akɔ Misraim ana?”

Why is Yahweh bringing us to this land, where we men will be killed with swords? And our wives and children will be taken away [to be slaves]. [Instead of going to Canaan]. It would be better for us to return to Egypt!”

4 Na wosisee wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛpaw ɔkannifo na yɛsan kɔ Misraim.”

Then [some of] them said to each other, “We should choose a leader who will take us back to Egypt!”

5 Afei, Mose ne Aaron de wɔn anim butubutuu fam wɔ Israelfo a wɔahyia hɔ no nyinaa anim.

Then Aaron and Moses/I bowed down [to pray] in front of all the Israeli people who had gathered there.

6 Akwansrafo no mu baanu, a wɔne Nun babarima Yosua ne Yefune babarima Kaleb sunsuan wɔn ntade mu

Joshua and Caleb, two of the men who had explored the land, tore their clothes [because they were very dismayed].

7 na wɔka kyerɛɛ Israelfo no nyinaa se, “Asase a yɛfaa mu no yɛ asase pa yiye.

They said to the Israeli people, “The land that we explored is very good.

8 Na sɛ yɛsɔ Awurade ani a, ɔde yɛn bedu asase no so dwoodwoo, asase bere a nufusu ne ɛwo sen wɔ so, na ɔde bɛma yɛn.

If Yahweh is pleased with us, he will lead us into that very fertile [IDM] land, and he will give it to us.

9 Monnyɛ dɔm ntia Awurade. Na munnsuro nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so no nso, efisɛ yɛbɛmemene wɔn. Wonni bammɔ, nanso Awurade ka yɛn ho. Munnsuro wɔn.”

So do not rebel against Yahweh! And do not be afraid of the people in that land! We will (gobble them up/completely destroy them) [MET]! They do not have anyone who will protect them, but Yahweh will be with us [and help us]. So do not be afraid of them!”

10 Nanso mmuae a nnipa no mae ara ne sɛ, wobesiw wɔn abo. Afei, Awurade anuonyam baa Ahyiae Ntamadan no mu kyerɛɛ Israelfo no nyinaa.

Then all the Israeli people talked about [killing Caleb and Joshua by] throwing stones at them. But [suddenly] Yahweh’s glory appeared to them at the Sacred Tent.

11 Awurade bisaa Mose se, “Nnipa yi bebu me animtiaa akosi da bɛn? Anwonwade dodow a mayɛ akyerɛ wɔn yi nyinaa akyi no, wonnye me nni ara?

Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “How long will these people reject me [RHQ]? I am tired of them not believing in what I [can do], in spite of all the miracles I have performed among them [RHQ]!

12 Mɛma ɔyaredɔm abeduru wɔn na asɛe wɔn, nanso mɛyɛ mo ɔman kɛse a ɛwɔ ahoɔden sen wɔn.”

So I will cause a (plague/widespread sickness) to strike them and get rid of them. But I will cause your [descendants] to become a great nation. They will be a nation that is much greater and stronger than these people are.”

13 Mose ka kyerɛɛ Awurade se, “Na Misraimfo no bɛte! Wonam wo tumi so yii saa nnipa yi fii wɔn mu.

But Moses/I replied to Yahweh, “[Please do not do that, because] the people of Egypt will hear about it! You brought these Israeli people from Egypt by your great power,

14 Wɔaka saa asɛm yi akyerɛ wɔn a wɔte asase yi so a wonim sɛ wowɔ Israel afa, na wo ne wɔn kasa anim ne anim. Wohu omununkum dum ne ogya sɛ egyina yɛn atifi, na wonim sɛ wudi yɛn anim bɔ yɛn ho ban awia ne anadwo.

and the people of Egypt will tell that to the [descendants of Canaan] who live in this land. Yahweh, they have already heard about you. They know that you have (been with/helped) these people and that they have seen you face-to-face. They have heard that your cloud is like a huge pillar that stays over them, and by using that cloud you lead them during the day, and the cloud becomes like a fire at night [to give them light].

15 Na sɛ wukum wo nkurɔfo yi nyinaa a, aman a wɔate wo din no bɛka se,

If you kill these people all at one time, the people-groups who have heard about your [power] will say,

16 ‘Awurade kum wɔn wɔ sare no so, efisɛ wantumi amfa wɔn ankodu asase a ɔkaa ho ntam sɛ ɔde bɛma wɔn no so.’

‘Yahweh was not able to bring them into the land that he promised to give to them, so he killed them in the desert.’

17 “Afei Awurade nna nʼahoɔden adi, sɛnea wahyɛ no:

“So Yahweh, now show that you are very powerful. You said,

18 ‘Awurade yɛ nyaa wɔ nʼabufuw mu, na ne dɔ ne bɔne ne atuatew so bɔnefakyɛ no boro so. Nanso onnyaw ɔfɔdifo a ɔntwe nʼaso; ɔtwe mma aso wɔ agyanom bɔne ho kosi awo ntoatoaso abiɛsa ne nan mu.’

‘I do not quickly become angry; instead, I love people very much, and I forgive people for having sinned and having disobeyed my laws. But I will always punish [LIT] people who are guilty of doing what is wrong. When parents sin, I will punish them, but I will also punish their children and their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren and their great-great-grandchildren.’

19 Wo dɔ kɛse no nti, fa saa nnipa yi bɔne kyɛ wɔn sɛnea wode akyɛ wɔn afi Misraim abesi saa bere yi.”

So, because you love people like that, forgive these people for the sins that they have committed, just like you have continued to forgive them ever since they left Egypt.”

20 Awurade kaa se, “Mede akyɛ wɔn sɛnea woabisa no.

Then Yahweh replied, “I have forgiven them, as you requested me to.

21 Nanso sɛ mete ase yi, na Awurade anuonyam ahyɛ asase nyinaa ma yi,

But, just as certainly as I live and that people all over the world [can see] my (glory/glorious power), [I solemnly declare this: ]

22 saa nnipa yi a wohuu mʼanuonyam ne anwonwade a meyɛɛ wɔ Misraim ne sare so no nanso wɔyɛɛ asoɔden de sɔɔ me hwɛɛ mpɛn du no,

All these people saw my glory and all the miracles that I performed in Egypt and in the desert, but they disobeyed me, and many times they tested [whether they could continue to do evil things without my punishing them].

23 wɔn mu biara renhu asase a mekaa ntam de hyɛɛ wɔn agyanom bɔ no. Wɔn a wobuu me animtiaa no mu biara renhu.

Because of that, not one of them will see the land that I promised their ancestors [that I would give to them]. No one who rejected me will see that land.

24 Nanso sɛnea ɛsono mʼakoa Kaleb honhom na ofi ne koma nyinaa mu di mʼakyi no nti mede no bɛkɔ asase a ɔkɔɔ so no so, na nʼasefo benya ɛhɔ mu kyɛfa.

But Caleb, who serves me [well], is different from the others. He obeys me completely. So I will bring him into that land that he has already seen, and his descendants will inherit/possess some of it.

25 Esiane sɛ Amalekfo na Kanaanfo tete abon mu no nti, ɔkyena, momfa mo ani nkyerɛ Po Kɔkɔɔ no nkɔ sare no so.”

So, since the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who are living in the valleys [in Canaan are very strong], when you leave here tomorrow, [instead of traveling toward Canaan], go back along the road through the desert towards the Red Sea.”

26 Awurade bisaa Mose ne Aaron se,

Then Yahweh said to Aaron and Moses/me,

27 “Enkosi da bɛn na saa nnipa bɔnefo yi benwiinwii atia me? Na mate saa Israelfo yi anwiinwiisɛm yi nyinaa.

“How long will the wicked people of this nation keep complaining about me [RHQ]? I have heard everything that they have grumbled/complained against me.

28 Enti ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Awurade na ose, sɛ mete ase yi, mɛyɛ nea metee sɛ moreka no ama mo.

So now tell them this: ‘Just as certainly as I, Yahweh, live, I will do exactly what you said would happen.

29 Mo nyinaa mubewuwu wɔ sare no so: Efi wɔn a wɔadi mfe aduonu rekɔ no a wɔkan wɔn bi na wɔka ho nwiinwii tiaa me no.

[I will cause] all of you to die here in this desert! Because you grumbled about me, none of you who are more than 20 years old and who were counted when Moses counted everyone

30 Mo mu biara renkɔ Bɔhyɛ Asase no so. Wɔn a wɔbɛkɔ hɔ ara ne Yefune babarima Kaleb ne Nun babarima Yosua.

will enter the land that I solemnly promised to give to you. Only Caleb and Joshua will enter that land.

31 Moka se mo mma bɛyɛ nnipa a wɔte asase no so no nkoa. Mede wɔn bɛkɔ asase no so dwoodwoo ama wɔakɔfa nea muse mompɛ no.

You said that your children would be taken from you [to become slaves], but I will take them into the land, and they will enjoy living in the land that you (rejected/said that you could not conquer).

32 Na mo de, mo amu na ɛbɛka sare so ha.

But as for you [adults], you will die here in this desert.

33 Wɔbɛhwɛ mo mma so wɔ ha mfe aduanan, na wɔahu amane wɔ mo gyidi a munni no nti; akosi sɛ onipa a otwa to no bewu atɔ sare so ha.

And like shepherds [wander around in the desert as they take care of their sheep], your children will wander around in this desert for 40 years. Because you adults were not loyal/faithful to me, your children will suffer until you all die in the desert.

34 Esiane sɛ akwansrafo no tenaa asase no so adaduanan no nti, ɛsɛ sɛ mo nso mukyinkyin sare no so mfe aduanan a afe biara gyina hɔ ma da koro a ɛyɛ mo bɔne so akatua, na moahu sɛnea ɛte sɛ mɛsɔre atia mo.’

You will suffer for your sins for 40 years. That will be one year for each of the 40 days that the twelve men explored Canaan land. And I will be like an enemy to you.’

35 Me, Awurade, na makasa, na nea ɛte biara no mɛyɛ eyinom atia saa nnipa bɔnefo yi a wayɛ dɔm atia me no. Wobehu wɔn awiei wɔ sare yi so; ɛha na wobewuwu.”

[This will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it! I will do these things to every one in this group who conspired against me. They (conspired against/decided together to reject) me here in the desert, and they will all die right here in this desert!”

36 Enti mmarima a Mose somaa wɔ ma wɔkɔsraa asase no so no, wɔn a wɔsan ba bɛbɔɔ amanneɛ bɔne a ɛnam so maa nnipa no nyinaa nwiinwii tiaa me no,

Then the ten men [who had explored Canaan and] who had urged the people to rebel against Yahweh by giving reports that discouraged the people

37 wɔde ɔyare bɔne kunkum saa mmarima a wɔde amanneɛ bɔne tenee wɔ Awurade anim no.

were immediately struck with a plague/disease that Yahweh sent, and they died.

38 Akwansrafo no nyinaa, Nun ba Yosua ne Yefune ba Kaleb nko ara na wɔtenaa ase.

Of the twelve men who had explored Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive.

39 Mose kɔkaa nsɛm a Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ nnipa no no, wɔn nyinaa werɛ howee yiye.

When Moses/I reported to the Israeli people what Yahweh had said, many of them were very sad.

40 Wɔsɔree anɔpahema sɛ wɔrekɔ Bɔhyɛ Asase no so. Wɔkae se, “Yɛahu sɛ yɛayɛ bɔne, nanso yɛasiesie yɛn ho sɛ yɛbɛkɔ asase a Awurade hyɛɛ yɛn ho bɔ no so.”

So the people got up early the next morning and started to go toward the hilly area in Canaan. They said, “[We know that] we have sinned, but now we [are ready to] enter the land that Yahweh promised to give to us.”

41 Nanso Mose kae se, “Adɛn na morebu Awurade ahyɛde so? Eyi renyɛ ye!

But Moses/I said, “Yahweh commanded you [to return to the desert, so] why are you now disobeying him [RHQ]? It will not (succeed/be possible).

42 Monsan, mo atamfo no bedi mo so nkonim, efisɛ Awurade nka mo ho.

Do not try to enter the land now! [If you try], your enemies will defeat you, because Yahweh will not (be with/help) you.

43 Amalekfo ne Kanaanfo no behyia mo wɔ hɔ wɔ hɔ? Esiane sɛ moapa Awurade nti, ɔrenka mo ho na mobɛtotɔ wɔ afoa no.”

When you begin to fight the descendants of Amalek and Canaan, they will slaughter you! Yahweh will abandon you, because you have abandoned him.”

44 Nanso wofii wɔn nsusuwii mu foro kɔɔ bepɔw no so a amfa wɔn ho sɛ Awurade Apam adaka no ne Mose mu biara antu amfi atenae hɔ bi.

But even though Moses/I did not leave the camp, and the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments was not taken from the camp, the people began to go towards the hilly area in Canaan.

45 Na Amalekfo ne Kanaanfo a wɔte bepɔw no so no sian ba bɛtow hyɛɛ wɔn so boroo wɔn ara kosii Horma.

Then the descendants of Amalek and Canaan who lived in that hilly area came down and attacked them and chased them as far [south] as [the town of] Hormah.