Judges 11
1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.
Gileadni Yefta yɛ ɔkofoɔ kɛseɛ. Nʼagya din de Gilead. Nanso ne maame yɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ.
2 And Gilead’s wife bore him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you are the son of another woman.”
Gilead yere woo mmammarima bebree, na saa mmammarima no nyinyiniiɛ no, wɔpamoo Yefta firii asase no so. Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Worennya yɛn agya agyapadeɛ biara, ɛfiri sɛ, woyɛ ɔbaa dwamanfoɔ bi ba.”
3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.
Enti Yefta dwane firii ne nuanom nkyɛn kɔtenaa Tob asase so. Ankyɛre, ɔnyaa atuatefoɔ bebree bɛdii nʼakyi.
4 Some time later, when the Ammonites fought against Israel
Ɛberɛ korɔ yi ara, Amonfoɔ de ɔko bɛkaa Israel.
5 and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.
Ɛberɛ a Amonfoɔ to hyɛɛ Israelfoɔ so, Gilead mpanimfoɔ soma kɔfaa Yefta firii Tob asase so baeɛ. Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ,
6 “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”
“Bra na bɛyɛ yɛn so ɔsahene! Boa yɛn ma yɛne Amonfoɔ nko.”
7 Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and expel me from my father’s house? Why then have you come to me now, when you are in distress?”
Yefta bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ mo na motane me, pamoo me firii mʼagya fie no? Adɛn enti na afei a mowɔ ɔhaw mu no, morebɛfrɛ me?”
8 They answered Jephthah, “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”
Gilead mpanimfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ Yefta sɛ, “Wo ho hia yɛn. Sɛ wodi yɛn anim ma yɛko tia Amonfoɔ a, yɛbɛyɛ wo Gileadfoɔ nyinaa sodifoɔ.”
9 But Jephthah asked them, “If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?”
Yefta buaa sɛ, “Sɛ me ne mo kɔ na Awurade ma medi Amonfoɔ so nkonim a, ampa ara sɛ mode me bɛyɛ nnipa no nyinaa sodifoɔ anaa?”
10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”
Gilead ntuanofoɔ no buaa no sɛ, “Awurade ne yɛn danseni. Yɛbɛyɛ sɛdeɛ woka biara.”
11 So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.
Enti, Yefta ne ntuanofoɔ no kɔɔ Gilead. Na wɔde no yɛɛ wɔn sodifoɔ ne ɔsahene. Na Yefta tii nsɛm no nyinaa mu wɔ Mispa wɔ Awurade anim.
12 Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come to fight against my land?”
Afei, Yefta somaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Amonfoɔ ɔhene nkyɛn sɛ wɔnkɔbisa no deɛ enti a ɔrebɛto ahyɛ Israel so.
13 The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”
Amonfoɔ ɔhene buaa Yefta abɔfoɔ no sɛ, “Ɛberɛ a Israel firii Misraim baeɛ no, wɔfaa mʼasase a ɛfiri Asubɔnten Arnon de kɔsi Asubɔnten Yabok, toaso kɔsi Yordan. Enti, sane fa mʼadeɛ ma me asomdwoeɛ mu.”
14 Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites
Na Yefta sane somaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Amonfoɔ ɔhene hɔ sɛ,
15 to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.
“Sɛdeɛ Yefta seɛ nie: Israel amfa Moab asase anaa Amonfoɔ asase biara.
16 But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh.
Ɛberɛ a Israelfoɔ tuu kwan firii Misraim, twaa Ɛpo Kɔkɔɔ na wɔduruu Kades no,
17 Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel stayed in Kadesh.
wɔsomaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Edomhene hɔ sɛ ɔmma wɔn ɛkwan na wɔmfa nʼasase no so. Nanso Edomhene ampene. Wɔsoma ma wɔkɔɔ Moabhene hɔ, nanso ɔno nso ampene. Enti, Israelfoɔ tenaa Kades.
18 Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
“Ne korakora ne sɛ, wɔnam ɛserɛ so twa faa Edom ne Moab ho hyiaeɛ. Wɔfaa Edom apueeɛ fam hyeɛ so kyeree sraban wɔ Asubɔnten Arnon fa hɔ. Nanso, wɔantwa Asubɔnten Arnon ankɔ Moab asase so.
19 And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own place.’
“Afei, Israelfoɔ somaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Amorifoɔhene Sihon a ɔdii adeɛ firi Hesbon na wɔbisaa ɛkwan sɛ wɔpɛ sɛ wɔfa nʼasase so kɔ baabi a wɔrekɔ.
20 But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.
Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ na ɔhene Sihon nni Israelfoɔ mu gyidie enti ɔboaboaa ne dɔm ano wɔ Yahas maa wɔto hyɛɛ wɔn so.
21 Then the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, who defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who inhabited that country,
“Na Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, maa ne nkurɔfoɔ dii ɔhene Sihon so. Enti, Israelfoɔ faa Amorifoɔ asase a na wɔte so wɔ ɔmantam no mu
22 seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
firi Asubɔnten Arnon de kɔsi Asubɔnten Yabok, firi ɛserɛ no so de kɔsi Yordan nyinaa dii so.
23 Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?
“Enti, moahunu, ɛyɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn na ɔgyee asase no firii Amorifoɔ nsam na ɔde maa Israel. Enti, adɛn na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛde ma mo?
24 Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
Deɛ mo nyame Kemos de maa mo no momfa, na yɛn nso, deɛ Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn de maa yɛn biara no yɛafa.
25 Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or fight against them?
Mosene Sipor babarima Balak a na ɔyɛ Moabhene no? Ɔne Israel twee asase bi so manso anaa? Ɔkɔɔ ɔko anaa? Dabi.
26 For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time?
Na afei, mfeɛ ahasa akyi, na woama saa asɛm yi so? Israel atena ha saa ɛberɛ tenten yi, wɔatrɛ afiri Hesbon asase so, akɔsi Aroer ne nkuro no nyinaa so, akɔfa Asubɔnten Arnon ano. Adɛn enti na dadaada yi moanyɛ mo adwene sɛ mobɛgye asase yi?
27 I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
Menyɛɛ mo bɔne. Mmom, mo na moayɛ me bɔne sɛ moto hyɛɛ me so. Momma Awurade a ɔyɛ ɔtemmufoɔ no mmua ɛnnɛ, sɛ yɛn mu hwan na nʼasɛm yɛ dɛ? Israel anaa Amon.”
28 But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah sent him.
Nanso, Amonhene amfa Yefta asɛm no asɛmhia.
29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
Saa ɛberɛ no, Awurade Honhom baa Yefta so ma ɔkɔɔ Gilead ne Manase nsase nyinaa so a, Mispa a ɛwɔ Gilead ka ho. Na ɔdii akodɔm anim to hyɛɛ Amonfoɔ so.
30 Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites into my hand,
Na Yefta hyɛɛ Awurade bɔ. Ɔkaa sɛ, “Sɛ woma medi Amonfoɔ so a,
31 then whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
mede adeɛ a ɛbɛdi ɛkan afiri me fie abɛhyia me ɛberɛ a mede nkonimdie reba no, bɛma Awurade. Mede bɛma no sɛ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ.”
32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD delivered them into his hand.
Ɛnna Yefta dii nʼakodɔm anim tiaa Amonfoɔ, na Awurade ma ɔdii nkonim.
33 With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
Ɔdii Amonfoɔ so pasaa, sɛee nkuro bɛyɛ aduonu, firii Aroer de kɔsii baabi a ɛbɛn Minit, kɔeɛ ara kɔsii Abel-Keramim. Saa ɛkwan yi na Israelfoɔ faa so kaa Amonfoɔ hyɛeɛ.
34 And when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
Ɛberɛ a Yefta firi akono kɔɔ ne fie wɔ Mispa no, ne babaa, a ɔyɛ ne ba korɔ no, tuu mmirika bɛhyiaa no a ɔrebɔ akasaeɛ, na anigyeɛ enti, ɔresa.
35 As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.”
Yefta hunuu no no, ɔde awerɛhoɔ sunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu, teaam sɛ, “Ao, me ba, mʼakoma rete! Ɛdeɛn ahometesɛm sɛ woaba, rebɛhyia me. Na maka Awurade ntam na merentumi mmu so.”
36 “My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.”
Ne babaa no buaa sɛ, “Mʼagya, woahyɛ Awurade bɔ. Yɛ me sɛdeɛ woahyɛ bɔ no, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade ama woadi wʼatamfoɔ a wɔyɛ Amonfoɔ no so nkonim.
37 She also said to her father, “Let me do this one thing: Let me wander for two months through the mountains with my friends and mourn my virginity.”
Nanso, deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, ma memforo mmepɔ nkɔkyinkyini so na me ne me nnamfonom nsu abosome mmienu, ɛfiri sɛ, mɛwu sɛ ababaawa a menhunuu ɔbarima da.”
38 “Go,” he said. And he sent her away for two months. So she left with her friends and mourned her virginity upon the mountains.
Yefta ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wotumi kɔ.” Enti, ɔmaa no kɔ kɔdii abosome mmienu. Ɔne ne nnamfonom kɔɔ mmepɔ no so kɔsuiɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔrennya mma.
39 After two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she had never had relations with a man. So it has become a custom in Israel
Ɛberɛ a ɔsane baa fie no, nʼagya dii ne bɔhyɛ so. Enti ɔwuu sɛ ababaawa a ɔnhunuu ɔbarima da. Yei abɛyɛ amanneɛ wɔ Israel
40 that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
ama Israel mmaabunu sɛ afe biara wɔbɛkɔ baabi akɔdi nna ɛnan na wɔakɔsu Yefta babaa no nkrabea.
