Yosua 22

1 Afei, Yosua frɛɛ Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo ne Manase abusuakuo fa no nyinaa.

At that time Joshua called the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

2 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moayɛ sɛdeɛ Mose, Awurade ɔsomfoɔ hyɛɛ mo sɛ monyɛ no na moadi ɔhyɛ asɛm biara a mehyɛ maa mo no so.

He said to them, “You have done everything that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you. You have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.

3 Ɛwom sɛ dwumadie no agye berɛ tenten bi deɛ, nanso moampa mmusuakuo a aka no akyi. Moato mo bo ase adi mmara a Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn hyɛ maa mo no so de abɛsi ɛnnɛ.

You have not deserted your brothers these many days, down to this present day, and you have fulfilled the duties required by the commandments of Yahweh your God.

4 Na seesei Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn ama mmusuakuo a aka no ahomegyeɛ sɛdeɛ ɔhyɛɛ wɔn bɔ no. Enti, monkɔ mo nkyi wɔ asase a Mose, Awurade ɔsomfoɔ no de maa mo wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam no so.

Now Yahweh your God has given rest to your brothers, just as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land you own, which Moses the servant of Yahweh gave you on the other side of the Jordan.

5 Monhwɛ yie na monni mmara a Mose hyɛ maa mo no so. Monnɔ Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn. Monnante nʼakwan nyinaa so, monni nʼahyɛdeɛ so, monni no nokorɛ na momfa mo akoma nyinaa ne mo kra nyinaa nsom no.”

Just be very careful to observe the commandments and the law that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded you, to love Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to cling to him and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Na Yosua hyiraa wɔn, gyaa wɔn kwan ma wɔkɔɔ fie.

So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went back to their tents.

7 Mose de Basan asase a ɛwɔ Yordan apueeɛ fam no maa Manase abusuakuo fa no. Abusuakuo no fa a aka no nso, wɔde asase no fa a ɛda Yordan atɔeɛ fam no maa wɔn. Yosua regya wɔn kwan no, ɔhyiraa wɔn,

Now to one-half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given an inheritance in Bashan, but to the other half Joshua gave an inheritance beside their brothers in the land west of the Jordan. Joshua sent them away to their tents; he blessed them

8 kaa sɛ, “Agyapadeɛ bebrebe a moanya afiri mo atamfoɔ nkyɛn no, mo ne mo abusuafoɔ a wɔwɔ fie no nkyɛ. Anantwie dodoɔ ne nnwan bebrebe no, mo dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, mo kɔbere mfrafraeɛ, dadeɛ ne aduradeɛ no nyinaa, mo ne wɔn nkyɛ.”

and said to them, “Return to your tents with much money, and with very much livestock, and with silver and gold, and with bronze and iron, and with very many garments. Divide the plunder from your enemies with your brothers.”

9 Enti, Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no gyaa Israelfoɔ nkaeɛ no hɔ wɔ Silo a ɛwɔ Kanaan asase so. Wɔhyɛɛ wɔn akwantuo ase sɛ wɔresane akɔ wɔn ankasa asase a ɛwɔ Gilead, asase a na ɛyɛ wɔn dea dada a Awurade hyɛɛ Mose ma ɔde maa wɔn no so.

So the descendants of Reuben, the descendants of Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh returned home, leaving the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan. They left to go to the region of Gilead, to their own land, which they themselves possessed, in obedience to the commandment of Yahweh, by the hand of Moses.

10 Wɔda so wɔ Kanaan no, ansa na wɔbɛtwa Asubɔnten Yordan no, Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no sii afɔrebukyia kɛseɛ bi wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan nkyɛn, wɔ faako a wɔfrɛ hɔ Gelilot no.

When they came to the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh built an altar beside the Jordan, a very large and prominent altar.

11 Israelfoɔ a wɔaka no tee sɛ wɔasi afɔrebukyia wɔ Gelilot wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan atɔeɛ fam, wɔ Kanaan asase so no,

The people of Israel heard about this and said, “Look! The people of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the front of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth, in the region near the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.”

12 wɔn nyinaa boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ Silo, siesiee wɔn ho sɛ wɔrekɔko atia wɔn nuanom.

When the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go up to make war against them.

13 Deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, wɔtuu nnipa a ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima Pinehas tua wɔn ano kɔɔ Gilead. Wɔtwaa asubɔnten no sɛ wɔne Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no rekɔkasa.

Then the people of Israel sent messengers to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead. They also sent Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest,

14 Nnipa a wɔtuu wɔn no yɛ mpanimfoɔ edu a obiara gyina hɔ ma Israel mmusuakuo edu no mu baako, na ɔsane yɛ ɔkandifoɔ ma Israel mmusua no mu baako.

and with him ten leaders, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, and every one of them was the head of a family among the clan of Israel.

15 Na wɔduruu Gilead asase so no, wɔka kyerɛɛ Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no sɛ,

They came to the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they spoke to them:

16 “Awurade asafokuo nyinaa pɛ sɛ wɔhunu deɛ enti a moredi Israel Onyankopɔn no hwammɔ. Adɛn enti na motumi dane mo ho firi Awurade ho, kɔsi afɔrebukyia de tia no?

“The whole assembly of Yahweh says this, 'What is this unfaithfulness that you have committed against the God of Israel, by turning this day from following Yahweh by building yourself an altar this day in rebellion against Yahweh?

17 Bɔne a yɛyɛɛ no Peor no nnɔɔso mmaa yɛn anaa? Yɛnnwiraa yɛn ho mfirii ho, ɔyaredɔm a ɛbɛtɔɔ Awurade asafokuo no nyinaa so akyi no mpo.

Was our sin at Peor not enough for us? Yet we have not even now cleansed ourselves from it. For that sin there came a plague on the assembly of Yahweh.

18 Nanso ɛnnɛ yi, moretwe mo ho afiri Awurade ho sɛ morenni nʼakyi? “‘Sɛ mosɔre tia Awurade ɛnnɛ a, ɔkyena ne bo bɛfu yɛn nyinaa.

Must you also turn away from following Yahweh at this present day? If you also rebel against Yahweh today, tomorrow he will be angry with the whole assembly of Israel.

19 Sɛ mosusu sɛ efi aka mo asase enti afɔrebukyia ho hia mo a, ɛnneɛ mommɛka yɛn ho wɔ asuogya ha wɔ faako a Awurade ne yɛn te wɔ nʼAsɔrefie na yɛne mo bɛkyɛ yɛn asase mu. Na monnsɔre nntia Awurade na mommfa afɔrebukyia foforɔ a moasi ama mo ho so ntwe yɛn nkɔ atuateɛ mu. Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn nokorɛ afɔrebukyia yɛ baako pɛ.

If the land that you possess is defiled, then you should pass over into the land where Yahweh's tabernacle stands and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against Yahweh, nor rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves other than the altar of Yahweh our God.

20 Ɛberɛ a Akan a ɔfiri Serah abusua mu nam korɔno a ɔbɔɔ wɔ nneɛma a wɔayi asi hɔ ama Awurade, nam so yɛɛ bɔne no, Onyankopɔn antwe Israel manfoɔ nyinaa aso? Ɛnyɛ ɔno nko ara na ɛsiane bɔne no enti ɔwuiɛ.’”

Did not Achan son of Zerah break faith in the matter of those things that had been reserved for God? Did not wrath fall on all the people of Israel? That man did not perish alone for his iniquity.'”

21 Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no buaa mpanimfoɔ no sɛ,

Then the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh replied in answer to the heads of the clans of Israel:

22 “Awurade nko ara ne Onyankopɔn! Awurade nko ara ne Onyankopɔn! Yɛansi afɔrebukyia no sɛ yɛde retia Awurade. Sɛ saa na yɛayɛ a, ɛnnɛ, momfa yɛn ho nkyɛ yɛn. Nanso Awurade nim na Israel nyinaa nso nhunu sɛ,

“The Mighty One, God, Yahweh! The Mighty One, God, Yahweh!—He knows, and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against Yahweh, do not spare us on this day

23 yɛnnsii afɔrebukyia mmaa yɛn ho sɛ yɛrefiri Awurade nkyɛn. Na yɛremmɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ ne aduane afɔdeɛ anaa asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ so nso. Sɛ yei enti na yɛsii afɔrebukyia no a, Awurade no ankasa ntwe yɛn aso.

for having built an altar to turn ourselves away from following Yahweh. If we built that altar in order to offer on it burnt offerings, grain offerings, or peace offerings, then let Yahweh make us pay for it.

24 “Yɛasi saa afɔrebukyia yi, ɛfiri sɛ yɛsuro sɛ daakye bi mo asefoɔ bɛbisa yɛn asefoɔ sɛ, ‘Tumi bɛn na mowɔ sɛ mobɛsom Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn?

No! We did it for fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with Yahweh, the God of Israel?

25 Awurade de Asubɔnten Yordan ato yɛn nkurɔfoɔ ne ne nkurɔfoɔ ntam ɛhyeɛ. Monni kyɛfa wɔ Awurade mu!’ Enti, mo asefoɔ bɛma yɛn asefoɔ agyae Awurade som.

For Yahweh has made the Jordan a border between us and you. You people of Reuben and people of Gad, you have nothing to do with Yahweh.' So your children might make our children cease to worship Yahweh.

26 “Ɛno enti yɛyɛɛ yɛn adwene sɛ yɛbɛsi afɔrebukyia, na ɛnyɛ sɛ yɛbɛbɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ so,

So we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offerings nor for any sacrifices,

27 na mmom sɛ nkaeɛdum. Ɛbɛbɔ yɛn asefoɔ ne mo asefoɔ nkaeɛ sɛ, yɛn nso, yɛwɔ ho kwan sɛ yɛbɛsom Awurade wɔ ne kronkronbea, abɔ yɛn ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ, aduane afɔdeɛ ne asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ. Na daakye bi no, mo asefoɔ rentumi nka nkyerɛ yɛn asefoɔ no sɛ, ‘Monni kyɛfa wɔ Awurade mu.’

but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we will perform the service of Yahweh before him, with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your children will never say to our children in time to come, “You have no share in Yahweh.”'

28 “Sɛ wɔka sei a, yɛn asefoɔ bɛtumi aka sɛ, ‘Monhwɛ Awurade afɔrebukyia sɛso a yɛn agyanom siiɛ. Wɔansi amma ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔ anaa afɔrebɔ, na mmom, ɛyɛ nkae adeɛ a ɛkyerɛ ayɔnkofa a yɛn nyinaa wɔ wɔ Awurade mu.’

So we said, 'If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we would say, “Look! This is a copy of the altar of Yahweh, which our ancestors made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.”

29 “Ɛmpare yɛn sɛ yɛbɛsɔre atia Awurade, anaasɛ yɛbɛtwe yɛn ho afiri ne ho akɔsi yɛn ankasa afɔrebukyia ama ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ, aduane afɔdeɛ anaa afɔrebɔ. Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn afɔrebukyia a ɛsi ne Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan anim no so na wɔdi saa dwuma no.”

May it be far from us that we should rebel against Yahweh, and today turn away from following him by building an altar for burnt offering, for grain offering, or for sacrifice, other than the altar of Yahweh our God that is before his tabernacle.'”

30 Ɔsɔfoɔ Pinehas ne mpanimfoɔ edu no tee nsɛm yi firii Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo ne Manase abusuakuo fa hɔ no, wɔn bo tɔɔ wɔn yam.

When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the people, that is, the heads of the clans of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh said, that it was good in their eyes.

31 Ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima Pinehas buaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ yɛahunu sɛ Awurade wɔ yɛn ntam, ɛfiri sɛ, monyɛɛ bɔne ntiaa Awurade sɛdeɛ yɛsusuiɛ no, mmom moagye Israel nkwa afiri ɔsɛeɛ a anka Awurade de reba wɔn so.”

Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that Yahweh is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against him. Now you have rescued the people of Israel out of the hand of Yahweh.”

32 Afei, Pinehas, ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima ne mpanimfoɔ edu no firii Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo no nkyɛn wɔ Gilead sane kɔɔ Kanaan asase so kɔbɔɔ Israelfoɔ no amaneɛ.

Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, and the leaders returned from the Reubenites and the Gadites, out of the land of Gilead, back to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them.

33 Na Israelfoɔ no nyinaa bo tɔɔ wɔn yam, wɔyii Onyankopɔn ayɛ na wɔanka ɔko a wɔbɛko atia Ruben ne Gad ho asɛm bio.

Their report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. The people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more about making war against the Reubenites and the Gadites, in order to destroy the land where they had settled.

34 Na Rubenfoɔ ne Gadfoɔ too afɔrebukyia no edin sɛ “Ɔdanseni,” ɔyɛ ɔdanseni wɔ yɛne wɔn ntam sɛ Awurade yɛ yɛn nso Onyankopɔn.

The Reubenites and the Gadites named the altar “Witness,” for they said, “It is a witness between us that Yahweh is God.”