< Joshua 2 >

1 Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim. “Go and explore the land, especially around Jericho,” he told them. So they went, and stayed at the house of woman named Rahab, a prostitute. There they spent the night.
Afei, Yosua somaa akwansrafoɔ baanu wɔ kɔkoam firii Israelfoɔ atenaeɛ a ɛwɔ Sitim. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monkɔsra asase a ɛda Yordan agya no, ne titire ne deɛ atwa Yeriko ho ahyia no.” Enti, mmarima baanu no sii mu kɔduruu odwamanfoɔ bi a ne din de Rahab fie na wɔtenaa hɔ anadwo no.
2 But the king of Jericho was told, “Look, some Israelites have come here this evening to spy out the land.”
Obi kɔka kyerɛɛ Yerikohene sɛ, “Anadwo yi ara, Israelfoɔ no bi aba ha a wɔrebɛsra asase yi.”
3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, telling her, “Hand over the men who came to visit you and stay in your house, for they've come to spy out our whole country.”
Enti Yerikohene soma kɔɔ Rahab nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa mmarima a wɔabɛsoɛ wo no ma yɛn. Wɔyɛ akwansrafoɔ a wɔrebɛsra yɛn asase yi ahwehwɛ ɛkwan a wɔbɛfa so ato ahyɛ yɛn so.”
4 The woman had taken the two men and had hidden them. She told the king's messengers, “Yes, it's true—the men did come to visit me, but I didn't know where they were from.
Rahab a na ɔde mmarima baanu no asie no buaa sɛ, “Mmarima no baa me ha deɛ, nanso mennim baabi a wɔfiri baeɛ.
5 They left at sundown, just as the city gate was closing. I've no idea where they went. If you're quick, you can chase after them and maybe catch up with them.”
Adeɛ reyɛ asa a wɔrebɛtoto kuropɔn no apono mu no na wɔkɔeɛ, nso manhunu baabi a wɔfaeɛ. Sɛ moyɛ ntɛm ti wɔn a, ebia, mobɛto wɔn.”
6 (She had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under some bundles of flax that she had lying there.)
(Nanso, na ɔde wɔn akɔhyɛ ɛdan atifi, akɔhinta ɔkyɛnkyɛn a waboa ano akuakuo ase.)
7 The king's messengers went chasing after the men down the road that leads to the Jordan River fords. As soon as the pursuers had left, the city gate was shut behind them.
Enti, ɔhene asomafoɔ no sii mu sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ akwansrafoɔ no wɔ ɛkwan a ɛkɔ Asubɔnten Yordan atwareeɛ hɔ. Asomafoɔ no firii hɔ ara pɛ na wɔtotoo kuropɔn no apono mu.
8 Before the spies went to sleep, Rachel came up to the roof to talk to them.
Ansa na akwansrafoɔ no rebɛda anadwo no, Rahab kɔɔ ɛdan no atifi ne wɔn kɔkasaeɛ sɛ,
9 She told them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you. We're all terrified of you. Everyone who lives here is dying of fright since you people arrived.
“Menim sɛ Awurade de saa asase yi ama mo. Yɛn nyinaa suro mo. Yɛn mu biara abɔ huboa.
10 We've heard how the Lord dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you completely destroyed.
Yɛate sɛdeɛ Awurade maa Ɛpo Kɔkɔɔ no weeɛ ma monyaa ɛkwan faa mu ɛberɛ a mofirii Misraim no. Na yɛnim sɛdeɛ moyɛɛ Sihon ne Og a na wɔyɛ Amorifoɔ ahemfo wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam no ne sɛdeɛ mosɛee wɔn nkurɔfoɔ pasaa no.
11 When we heard all this, our courage melted away. Nobody had any fighting spirit left because of you. For the Lord your God is God of heaven above and the earth below.
Ɛnyɛ nwanwa sɛ yɛn akoma atu na yɛabɔ huboa. Obiara nni akokoɔduru a sɛ ɔte nsɛm a ɛte sei a, ɔbɛko. Na Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn no, ne otumfoɔ Onyankopɔn a ɔwɔ sorosoro ne asase ase.
12 So now promise me in the name of the Lord that because I have acted in good faith to you, then you will do the same for my family. Give me some sign that I can trust you,
“Enti momfa Awurade nka ntam nkyerɛ me sɛ, ɛsiane sɛ maboa mo enti, mobɛyɛ me ne mʼabusuafoɔ adom. Momfa biribi nsi mo bɔhyɛ so sɛ,
13 that you will spare my father and mother and brothers and sisters—and all who are part of their families—that you will save them from death.”
moko fa Yeriko a, morenkum me ne mʼagya ne me maame, me nuammarima ne nuammaa ne wɔn mʼabusuafoɔ nyinaa.”
14 “Our lives for yours!” the men told her. “If you don't tell anyone about this, we will treat you honestly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”
Mmarima no penee so kaa sɛ, “Yɛde yɛn nkwa si yɛn bɔhyɛ so. Sɛ woanyi yɛn amma na sɛ Awurade de asase no ma yɛn a, yɛbɛdi yɛn bɔhyɛ so.”
15 Then she lowered them down by a rope through the window since the house where she lived was built into the outside of the city wall.
Esiane sɛ wɔsii Rahab fie sii kuro no ɔfasuo so enti, ɔde ahoma sianee wɔn faa mpomma mu ma wɔsii fam.
16 “Run to the hills,” she told them. “That way those searching for you won't find you. Stay there three days until they've gone home, and then you can be on your way.”
Afei ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monnwane mfa bepɔ so ɔman no so. Momfa mo ho nsie nnansa kɔsi sɛ atifoɔ no a wɔrehwehwɛ mo no bɛsane wɔn akyi ansa na moakɔ mo kwan.”
17 The men had told her, “We will be freed from the promise you made us swear,
Ansa na mmarima no bɛkɔ no, wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yɛbɛbɔ mo nkwa ho ban
18 unless when we enter this land, you hang a scarlet cord in the window through which you lowered us. You must gather together in the house your father and mother and brothers—all the family.
na mmom, gya ahoma kɔkɔɔ a ɛsɛn wo mpomma ano no na ma wʼabusuafoɔ a ɛyɛ wʼagya, wo maame, wo nuammarima ne wɔn mmusuafoɔ nyinaa mmɛhyɛ efie no mu a wɔnnkɔ baabiara.
19 If anyone leaves your house and is killed, that's their fault—we're not responsible for their death. But if anyone lays a hand on someone who is inside your house, we take full responsibility for their death.
Sɛ wɔpue si abɔntene a, wɔbɛkum wɔn nyinaa na obi rentumi mmɔ yɛn soboɔ sɛ yɛabu yɛn ntam so. Na yɛka ntam sɛ, obiara a ɔhyɛ efie yi mu no, wɔrenkum no. Obiara nso rentene ne nsa wɔ wɔn so.
20 But if you tell anyone about this then we will be freed from the promise you made us swear.”
Na sɛ wodi yɛn hwammɔ deɛ a, ntam yi renkyekyere yɛn wɔ ɛkwan biara so.”
21 “I agree—may it be as you say,” she replied. She sent them off, and hung a scarlet cord in the window.
Ɔbaa no buaa sɛ, “Mepene mo nhyehyɛeɛ no nyinaa so.” Ɔgyaa wɔn ɛkwan wɔ ɛberɛ a ahoma kɔkɔɔ no sɛne efie no mpomma no ano.
22 They went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men searching for them looked all along the road, but couldn't find them, so they returned home.
Akwansrafoɔ no kɔɔ bepɔ asase no so kɔtenaa hɔ nnansa. Atifoɔ no hwehwɛɛ ɛkwan no so baabiara, sane kɔɔ wɔn kurom a wɔanhunu akwansrafoɔ no wɔ baabiara.
23 Then the two men started back. They came down from the hill country and crossed over the Jordan. They went to Joshua and explained to him all that had happened to them.
Afei akwansrafoɔ baanu no siane firii bepɔ asase no so twaa Asubɔnten Yordan bɛkaa nsɛm a ɛtoo wɔn nyinaa kyerɛɛ Yosua.
24 “The Lord has placed this land in our hands,” they assured him. “All the people who live there are scared to death of us!”
Wɔkaa sɛ, “Ampa ara Awurade de asase no nyinaa bɛma yɛn, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛn ho hu atɔ nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa so.”

< Joshua 2 >