Joshua 24
1 Joshua mah Israel acaengnawk to Shekem vangpui ah amkhuengsak boih; kacoehtanawk, zaehoikungnawk, lokcaekkungnawk hoi ukkungnawk to a kawk moe, Angraeng hmaa ah amkhueng o.
[Many years later], Joshua summoned representatives of all the tribes of Israel. He gathered together the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the other officials at Shechem [city]. He told them to listen to what God wanted to tell them.
2 Joshua mah kaminawk boih khaeah, Israel Angraeng Sithaw mah hae tiah thuih; Canghniah Abraham hoi Nahor ampa Terah hoi nangcae ih amsaenawk loe, vapui yaeh ah khosak o moe, kalah prae kaminawk ih sithawnawk to a bok o.
Joshua said to all of them, “This is what Yahweh, the God we Israeli people worship, is saying: ‘Long ago, your ancestors, including Abraham’s father Terah and Abraham’s younger brother Nahor, lived on the east side of the Euphrates River.
3 Toe nam pa Abraham to vapui yaeh hoiah ka lak moe, Kanaan prae thung boih ah ka zaeh; anih ih atii to ka pungsak moe, anih hanah Issak to ka paek.
But I took your ancestor Abraham from that land east of the Euphrates River, and I led him as he lived in various places in this land of Canaan, and I enabled him to have many descendants. First, I enabled him to have a son, Isaac.
4 Issak hanah Jakob hoi Esau to ka paek; Esau mah qawk ah toep hanah Seir maeto ka paek, toe Jakob hoi a caanawk loe Izip prae ah caeh o tathuk.
When Isaac grew up, I enabled him to have twin sons, Jacob and Esau. I enabled Esau to live in the hilly area in Seir region, but many years later Jacob and his sons and their families went down to live in Egypt.
5 To pacoengah Mosi hoi Aaron to ka patoeh; Izip kaminawk mah sak o ih hmuen baktih toengah, Izip prae to raihaih ka paek; to pacoengah nangcae to kang hoih o.
“[Many years later], I sent Moses and his older brother Aaron to help your people, and I caused [the people of] Egypt to suffer very much because of what I did there. Then I enabled your ancestors to leave Egypt.
6 Nam panawk to Izip prae thung hoi ka zaeh naah, tuipui to a phak o; to naah Izip kaminawk mah nam panawk to hrang lakok hoiah hrang angthueng kaminawk mah tuipui kathim khoek to patom o.
When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, they came to the Red Sea. The Egyptian army pursued them, some riding in chariots and others on horses, and they also arrived at the Red Sea.
7 Toe nihcae mah Angraeng khaeah hangh o naah, anih mah nangcae hoi Izip kaminawk salakah vinghaih to phaksak moe, nihcae to tui uemsak boih; Izip prae ah ka sak ih hmuen to na hnuk o boeh; to pacoengah nangcae loe praezaek ah saning kasawkah na oh o.
Then [your ancestors] pleaded with me to help them. So he caused (darkness/a very dark cloud) to come between your ancestors and the Egyptian army, so that the Egyptian army could not see your ancestors. I separated the water in the Red Sea so that your ancestors could cross it, but when the Egyptian army tried to cross in the same way to pursue them, I caused the water to come back and cover them, and the Egyptian soldiers all drowned, as your ancestors watched and were amazed [IDM]. But after that, you lived in the desert for many years.
8 Jordan vapui yaeh ah kaom, Amor kaminawk ih prae ah kang caeh o haih; nihcae mah ang tuk o naah, nihcae to nangcae ban ah kang paek moe, nihcae ih prae to na lak o; nihcae to nangcae hmaa roe ah kam rosak.
“Then I brought your [ancestors] to the area where the groups who were descendants of Amor lived, east of the Jordan River. They fought against you, but I enabled you to defeat them [IDM]. I [enabled you to] destroy them so that you could live in their land [IDM].
9 Moab siangpahrang, Zippor capa Balak mah angthawk moe, Israel kaminawk tuk naah, nangcae tangoengsak hanah Beor capa Balaam to a kawksak;
Then, Zippor’s son Balak, the King of Moab, (decided that his army would fight against/opposed) the Israelis. He summoned Beor’s son Balaam and asked him to curse you.
10 toe Baalam ih lok to ka tahngai pae ai; anih mah tahamhoihaih ang paek o; to pongah anih ban thung hoiah nangcae to kang pahlong o.
But I would not do what Balaam asked, so he (blessed/said that I would do great things for) you four times, and I did not enable the army of Moab to defeat you [IDM].
11 To pacoengah Jordan vapui to nang kaat o moe, Jeriko na phak o naah, Jeriko kaminawk, Amor kaminawk, Periz kaminawk, Kanaan kaminawk, Hit kaminawk, Girgash kaminawk, Hiv kaminawk hoi Jebus kaminawk mah ang tuk o; toe nihcae to nangcae ban ah kang paek.
“Then you all crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho. The people of Jericho prepared to fight against you, [and the armies of] the descendants of Amor, Periz, Canaan, Heth, Girgash, Hiv, and Jebus [all prepared to do the same thing] but I enabled you to defeat [IDM] them all.
12 Nangcae loe sumsen hoi kalii to na sin o ai, nangcae hmaa ah khoi to ka patoeh moe, Amor siangpahrang hnetto nangcae hmaa ah kang haek pae.
I am the one who caused them to panic as you advanced and enabled you to defeat them, as I had enabled you to do earlier to the two kings of the groups who were descendants of Amor. You did not defeat them by using your own bows and arrows and swords; [it was I who defeated them].
13 To pongah na sak o ai ih lawk hoi na sak o ai ih vangpuinawk to kang paek o moe, athung ah na oh o; nangcae mah na tling o ai ih, misur thaih hoi olive thaih to na caak o, tiah a thuih.
So I gave you a land that you had not tilled/planted, and I gave you cities that you did not build. [Now] you live in those [cities] and you eat the grapes from the grapevines that you did not plant, and you eat olives from trees that you did not plant.’”
14 To pongah Angraeng to zii oh loe, loktang hoi oepthohhaih hoiah a tok to sah oh; nam saenawk mah Izip prae hoi vapui yaeh ah bok o ih sithawnawk to pahnawt oh loe, Angraeng ih tok to sah oh.
[Then Joshua said to the people], “[Because of all that] Yahweh [has done for you], revere him, and serve/worship him very faithfully. Throw away the idols that your ancestors worshiped on the east/other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve only Yahweh.
15 Toe Angraeng ih toksak loe hoih ai, tiah na poek o moe, vapui yaeh ah nam panawk mah bok o ih sithawnawk ih tok, to tih ai boeh loe vaihi na oh o haih Amor prae kaminawk mah bok o ih sithawnawk ih tok to na sak o han maw? Vaihniah qoi oh! Toe kai hoi ka imthung takoh loe, Sithaw tok ni ka sak o han, tiah a naa.
But if you do not want to serve/worship Yahweh, you should decide today what [gods] you will serve/worship. You should decide whether you will serve/worship the gods that your ancestors who lived on the other/east side of the Euphrates River served, or whether you will serve/worship the gods that the descendants of Amor, who previously lived in the land where you are now living, [serve/worship]. But as for me and my family [MTY], we will serve/worship Yahweh!”
16 To naah kaminawk mah, Kalah sithawnawk ih toksak hanah, Angraeng to ka pahnawt o mak ai;
The Israeli people answered, “We will never quit [serving/worshiping] Yahweh! We would never [think of] [IDM] serving/worshiping other gods!
17 aicae Angraeng Sithaw, Anih mah ni aicae hoi aicae ampanawk to misong ah ohhaih, Izip prae thung hoiah zaeh moe, aicae mikhnuk ah kalen parai angmathaihnawk to sak; a caeh o haih ahmuen kruek, prae kaminawk salakah a caeh o naah doeh, anih mah ni ang pakaa.
It was our God, Yahweh, who brought our parents and grandparents up out of Egypt. [He rescued them] from that land where they were slaves. As he rescued them, they saw him perform great miracles. He protected them all the time when they were traveling. He protected them from all the people-groups through whose territory they traveled.
18 Angraeng mah prae kaminawk to aicae hmaa hoiah haek; hae prae thungah kaom Amor kaminawk doeh a haek; anih loe kaicae ih Sithaw ah oh pongah, Angraeng ih tok ni ka sak o han, tiah a naa o.
As our forefathers advanced, Yahweh expelled the descendants of Amor and the other people-groups who lived in this land. Yahweh is our God, so [we are saying that] we also will serve/worship him.”
19 Joshua mah kaminawk khaeah, Angraeng ih tok na sah o thai mak ai; anih loe ciimcai Sithaw ah oh moe, ut panoek Sithaw ah oh; anih mah na sak o pazae ih zaehaihnawk to tahmen mak ai.
Joshua replied to the people, “[I think that] you are not able to serve/worship Yahweh, because he is a holy God. He will not forgive your sinning and rebelling [against him]. He demands that you serve/worship only him [IDM].
20 Anih loe nangcae nuiah kahoih hmuen to sak, toe Angraeng to na pahnawt o moe, prae kalah sithawnawk ih tok to na sak o taak ving nahaeloe, nangcae to angqoi taak ueloe, nangcae nuiah amrohaih phaksak pacoengah, nangcae to tamit boih tih, tiah a naa.
He has been good to you [in the past], but if you turn away from him and serve/worship foreign/other gods, he will turn [against you] and he will cause you to experience disasters. He will punish [IDM] you severely!”
21 Toe kaminawk mah Joshua khaeah, To tih na ai ni! Angraeng ih tok ni ka sak o han, tiah a naa o.
But the people replied to Joshua, “No, [we will not turn away from worshiping/serving Yahweh] We will serve/worship Yahweh!”
22 To naah Joshua mah kaminawk khaeah, Angraeng toksak han na qoih o boeh pongah, nangmacae roe to hnukung ah na oh o boeh, tiah a naa. Nihcae mah, Kaimacae hae hnukung ah ka oh o boeh, tiah a naa o.
Then Joshua said, “You yourselves are saying that you have decided to serve/worship Yahweh.” They replied, “Yes, we are saying that.”
23 To naah Joshua mah, To tih nahaeloe nangcae salakah kaom prae kalah kaminawk ih sithawnawk to vaihi va o boih loe, Israel Angraeng Sithaw bangah na poekhaih palungthin to suem oh, tiah a naa.
Then Joshua said, “Since [you have decided] that, you must throw away all the other gods/idols that you have among you. You must also promise that you will wholeheartedly give yourselves to Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [serve/worship].”
24 Kaminawk mah Joshua khaeah, Ka Angraeng Sithaw ih tok to ka sak o moe, a lok ka tahngaih pae o han, tiah a naa o.
The people replied, “We will serve/worship Yahweh, our God, and obey him.”
25 To pongah to na niah, Joshua mah kaminawk hoi lokmaihaih to sak moe, Shekem vangpui ah nihcae han lokmaihhaih daan hoi toksakhaih atawk to a sak pae.
That day, Joshua established an agreement between the people and Yahweh. He wrote for them all the laws that they were required to obey.
26 Joshua mah hae ih loknawk hae Angraeng ih kaalok cabu thungah tarik pae; to pacoengah kalen parai thlung to lak moe, Angraeng ih hmuenciim taengah kaom, thing kamtak thing tlim ah a suek.
He wrote all those laws on a scroll. He called it ‘The laws of God’. Then he [told some men to] set up a large stone there at Shechem, under the [large] oak tree near the place where [they worshiped] Yahweh.
27 Kaminawk boih khaeah, Khen oh, hae thlung loe aicae hnukung ah om tih; Angraeng mah aicae khaeah thuih ih loknawk boih hae thlung mah thaih boeh; na Angraeng Sithaw na pahnawt o moeng han ai ah, hae thlung hae nangcae hnukung ah om tih, tiah a naa.
He said to all the people, “Look! [It is as though] this stone has heard everything that Yahweh said to you [and that you promised Yahweh]. It will serve as a witness against you if you rebel against your God!”
28 To pacoengah Joshua mah kaminawk boih angmacae qawktoep ih ahmuen ah amlaemsak let.
Then Joshua sent the people away, and all of them returned to their own areas/homes.
29 Hae hmuennawk boih oh pacoengah, Angraeng ih tamna, Nun capa Joshua loe saning cumvai, hato phak naah duek.
Some time after that, Nun’s son Joshua, the faithful servant of Yahweh, died. He was 110 years old when he died.
30 Anih loe angmah toep ih prae, Gaash mae aluek bangah kaom, Ephraim mae nui ih, Timnath-Serah ahmuen ah aphum o.
The Israeli people buried his body on his own property in Timnath-Serah [town] town. It is north of Gaash Mountain in the hilly area of the tribe who were descendants of Ephraim.
31 Israel kaminawk loe Joshua hing thung, Joshua pong saning kasawk kue ah kahing kacoehtanawk hing o nathung, Angraeng mah Israel kaminawk hanah sak pae ih hmuennawk boih panoek kaminawk hing o nathung, Angraeng ih tok to sak o.
The Israeli people served/worshiped Yahweh as long as Joshua was alive. After Joshua died, they continued serving/worshiping Yahweh while the elders who had experienced everything that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people were still alive.
32 Israel kaminawk mah Izip prae thung hoi sinh o ih Joseph ih ahuhnawk to, Jakob mah Shekem ampa Hamor ih caanawk khaeah, phoisa cumvaito hoiah qan ih Shekem vangpui taeng ih ahmuen ah aphum o; toe to long ahmuen loe Joseph ih caanawk mah qawk ah toep o ih ahmuen ah oh.
Joseph’s bones, which the Israeli people had brought with them from Egypt, were also buried at Shechem. The people buried them in the piece of land that Jacob had bought long ago for 100 pieces of silver from Hamor, the father of Shechem. That piece of land was in the area that was given to the people who were descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons.
33 Aaron capa Eleazar doeh duek; anih loe a capa Phinehas khaeah paek ih, Ephraim mae nuiah aphum o.
Eleazar, the Supreme Priest, the son of Aaron, also died. They buried his body at Gibeah, in the area that had been given to Eleazar’s son Phinehas, in the hilly area that belonged to the people who were descendants of Ephraim.
