< Joshua 8 >

1 The Lord said to Joshua, “Don't be afraid or downhearted! Take all the fighting men with you and attack Ai, for I'm handing over to you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.
Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị sịrị Joshua, “Atụla egwu, adakwala mba. Chịrị ndị agha gị niile gaa Ai, nʼihi na ugbu a, unu onwe unu ga-emeri ha. Aga m eme ka i merie eze ndị Ai, na ndị ya na obodo ya, na ala ya.
2 You will do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. However, this time you may keep for yourselves the plunder and the livestock. Set up an ambush behind the town.”
Ị ga-emekwa obodo Ai na eze ya ihe i mere Jeriko na eze ya. Ma ihe dị iche na nke a bụ na unu ga-edebere onwe unu ihe niile unu kwatara nʼagha, ya bụ anụ ụlọ niile na ngwongwo obodo ahụ niile. Jikerenụ ibuso ha agha. Ọ bụkwa nʼazụ obodo ha ka unu ga-esi lụso ha agha.”
3 So Joshua and all the people got ready to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.
Mgbe ahụ, Joshua na ndị agha ya niile, biliri gaa ibuso Ai agha. Joshua họpụtara iri puku ndị agha atọ zipụ ha nʼabalị
4 He ordered them, “You lie in ambush behind the town, not far away. All of you need to be ready.
o nyere ha iwu a, “Lee! Unu ga-aga zoo onwe unu nʼọhịa dị nʼazụ obodo Ai. Unu ezola onwe unu nʼebe dị anya site nʼobodo ahụ, kama nọọnụ nso, nọọkwanụ na njikere.
5 When I and the rest of the men with me approach the town, the defenders will run out to attack us just like before, and we'll run away from them.
Mụ na ndị niile so m ga-abịaru obodo ahụ nso. Mgbe ha ga-apụta ịlụso anyị ọgụ dịka ha mere na mbụ, anyị ga-agbakwa ọsọ nʼihu ha,
6 They'll chase after us as we draw them away from the town, because they'll say to each other, ‘They're running away from us just like before.’
Ha ga-achụ anyị ọsọ, tutu ruo mgbe anyị mere ka ha niile hapụ nʼobodo ha pụta. Nʼihi nʼuche ha, ha ga-asị, ‘Ha na-agbara anyị ọsọ dịka ha mere na mbụ, bịanụ ka anyị chụọ ha ọsọ gbuo ha.’ Ya mere, dịka anyị na-agbapụ site nʼebe ha nọ,
7 While we're running away from them, you will get up from your ambush positions and take the town for the Lord God will hand it over to you.
unu ga-esite nʼebe unu zoro onwe unu bilie, nweta obodo ahụ, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu ga-enyefe ya nʼaka unu.
8 Once you've captured the town, set it on fire, as the Lord has instructed. Now follow your orders.”
Mgbe unu weere obodo ahụ, unu ga-esunye obodo ahụ ọkụ. Meenụ ihe Onyenwe anyị nyere nʼiwu. Hụnụ na unu mezuru ihe ndị a m nyere unu nʼiwu.”
9 Joshua sent them out, and they went to lie in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But that night Joshua stayed with the people in the camp.
Mgbe Joshua nyesịrị ha iwu ndị a, o zipụrụ ha. Ha hapụkwara nʼabalị ahụ gaa zoo onwe ha nʼọhịa dị nʼetiti Betel na ọdịda anyanwụ Ai. Ma Joshua na ndị agha ndị ọzọ fọdụrụ nọdụrụ nʼabalị ahụ nʼetiti ndị Izrel.
10 Early the next morning Joshua got up early and gathered the people and went up to attack Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.
Nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, Joshua chịkọtara ndị agha ya, ya na ndị ndu Izrel gara nʼihu ha, ruo Ai.
11 All the fighting men who were with him approached the front of the town, and camped there on the north side, with a valley between them and Ai.
Ndị agha niile ha na ya so, chere ihu ha gaa nso obodo ruo nʼihu ya. Ha mara ụlọ ikwu ha nʼakụkụ ugwu obodo Ai, ndagwurugwu bụ ihe kewara ha na obodo ahụ.
12 He took about five thousand men and had them lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the town.
Joshua chịịrị ihe ruru puku ndị agha ise, zoo ha nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ obodo ahụ, nʼetiti Betel na Ai.
13 So the army took up their positions—the main army to the north of the town, and the ambush to the west. Joshua went that night to the valley.
Ya mere, ndị agha were ọnọdụ ha nʼusoro, ndị ga-ebu agha nọ nʼakụkụ ugwu, ndị niile zoro onwe ha nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ nke obodo ahụ. Ma nʼabalị ahụ, Joshua gara nọdụ na ndagwurugwu ahụ.
14 As soon as the king of Ai saw the situation, he and all his men rushed out early in the morning to attack the Israelites where they had before, at a place overlooking the Jordan valley. He didn't know about the ambush waiting on the other side of the town.
Mgbe eze Ai hụrụ nke a, ya na ndị ikom obodo ahụ niile mere ngwangwa pụọ nʼisi ụtụtụ izute ndị Izrel nʼotu ebe, nke chere ihu nʼAraba. Ma ọ mataghị na o nwere ndị agha zubere imegide ya ndị zoro onwe ha nʼọhịa dị nʼazụ obodo.
15 Joshua and the Israelites allowed themselves to be driven back, and ran away in the direction of the wilderness.
Joshua na ndị Izrel niile mere ka ha chụghachi ha azụ site nʼihu ha, ha gbara ọsọ na-aga akụkụ ọzara ahụ niile dịka ndị e meriri emeri.
16 All the men of the town were called out to chase after them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn father from the town.
Nʼihi nke a, a kpọkuru ndị ikom niile nọ nʼime obodo Ai sị ha pụta bịa chụọ ụmụ Izrel ọsọ, ha chụrụ Joshua na-aga, e si otu a rapụta ha nʼebe dị anya site nʼobodo ahụ.
17 There wasn't a man left in Ai and Bethel who didn't go out to chase the Israelites. They left the town wide open as they pursued the Israelites.
Ọ dịkwaghị otu onye nwoke nke fọdụrụ na Ai maọbụ na Betel. Ha hapụkwara obodo ahụ ka o ghere oghe, gaa ịchụ ndị Izrel ọsọ.
18 Then the Lord told Joshua, “Hold up the spear in your hand and point it at Ai, because I'm giving it to you.” So Joshua held up the spear in his hand and pointed it at the town.
Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ Joshua sị ya, “Setịpụ ùbe dị gị nʼaka nʼụzọ Ai, nʼihi na aga m enye gị obodo a.” Joshua mere dịka Onyenwe anyị gwara ya.
19 As soon as they saw this signal the men lying in ambush got up and rushed into the town. They captured it, and quickly set it on fire.
Mgbe ndị agha ahụ zoro onwe ha nʼime ọhịa lere anya hụ na Joshua setịrị aka ya, ngwangwa, ha wụpụtara site nʼebe ha zoro onwe ha, gbara ọsọ gbaba nʼobodo Ai, merie ya, mụnye ya ọkụ.
20 When the men of Ai looked back they saw the smoke rising up into the sky from the town. They had nowhere to run to, because the Israelites who had been running away towards the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.
Ma mgbe ndị agha Ai lere anya nʼazụ, hụ ka anwụrụ ọkụ si nʼobodo ha na-alali elu, ha dara mba nʼime onwe ha. Ohere ọbụla adịghịkwa nye ha ịgbalaga gaa otu ụzọ maọbụ ụzọ ọzọ. Nʼihi na ndị Izrel ahụ buuru ụzọ gbaa ọsọ, ndị ahụ gbara na-aga nʼọzara, chigharịrị bido ịlụso ndị agha Ai ahụ na-achụ ha ọsọ ọgụ.
21 For when Joshua and the Israelites saw that the ambush group had captured the town, and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai.
Nʼihi na mgbe Joshua na ndị agha Izrel so ya lepụrụ anya hụ ka anwụrụ ọkụ si nʼobodo Ai na-arịgo elu, ha matara na ndị ha zoro onwe ha nʼọhịa abanyela obodo Ai, lụgbuo ya. Ya mere, Joshua na ndị agha so ya tụgharịrị bido igbu ndị agha obodo Ai.
22 The men from the ambush also came from the town and attacked them, so they were caught on the middle, with the Israelites on both sides. The Israelites cut them down—not a single man survived or got away.
Ndị agha Izrel ahụ gara kpọọ obodo ahụ ọkụ pụtakwara, site nʼobodo ahụ, bido ịlụso ndị agha Ai ọgụ. Nke a mere ka ndị agha Ai nọdụ nʼetiti ụzọ ndị agha Izrel abụọ. Otu nʼihu ha, ndị nke ọzọ nʼazụ ha. Ya mere, ndị agha Izrel menyụrụ ha anya, gbuo ha, ruo na ọ dịkwaghị otu onye fọdụrụ nʼime ha, maọbụ onye gbapụrụ agbapụ.
23 Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua.
Naanị eze Ai ka e jidere na ndụ. A kpọtakwara ya bịaruo nʼebe Joshua nọ.
24 When the Israelites had finished killing the men of Ai who had chased them towards the wilderness—once they had all been cut down by the sword—the whole Israelite army returned to the town and killed everyone living there.
Mgbe ndị agha Izrel gbusịrị ndị agha Ai niile nọ nʼọhịa na nʼọzara, ha lọghachiri azụ gbuo ndị niile fọdụrụ nʼime obodo ahụ.
25 Those who were killed that day numbered twelve thousand, men and women—all the inhabitants of Ai.
Ndị niile e gburu nʼụbọchị ahụ, ma nwoke ma nwanyị dị puku iri na abụọ. Ọ bụkwa ndị niile nọ nʼobodo ahụ ka e gburu.
26 For Joshua had continued to hold up his spear until all the people of Ai had been destroyed.
Nʼihi na Joshua nọgidere setịpụ ùbe o ji nʼaka ya, megide obodo Ai, tutu e bibie ndị niile nọ nʼobodo ahụ kpamkpam.
27 Only the livestock and plunder were taken from the town by the Israelites, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.
Ma ndị Izrel kwaara anụ ụlọ, na ihe nkwata nʼagha nke obodo ahụ, dịka okwu Onyenwe anyị nyere Joshua nʼiwu si dị.
28 So Joshua burned the town of Ai, making it permanently into a heap of ruins where no one lives to this very day.
Ya mere, Joshua kpọrọ obodo Ai ọkụ, mee ya ka ọ ghọọ mkpọmkpọ ebe nke tọgbọrọ nʼefu ruo taa.
29 He killed the king of Ai and hung his body on a tree until evening. When the sun went down Joshua ordered the body taken down. They threw it down in front of the entrance to the town gate and piled a heap of rocks over it which is still there today.
Ma Joshua kwụbara eze ndị Ai nʼelu osisi site nʼụtụtụ ruo nʼanyasị. Mgbe anyanwụ dara, Joshua nyere iwu ka e wedata ozu eze Ai site nʼosisi ahụ, tụsa ya nʼihu ọnụ ụzọ e si abata obodo ahụ. Emesịa, ha tụkọtara ọtụtụ nkume nʼelu ya. Nkume ahụ ha tụkọtara dịkwa nʼebe ahụ ruo taa.
30 Then Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal for the Lord, the God of Israel.
Mgbe ahụ, Joshua wuuru Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel ebe ịchụ aja nʼelu ugwu Ebal,
31 He did what Moses, the servant of the Lord, had told the Israelites to do, as recorded in the book of the Law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones which no one has worked with iron tools. On the altar they made burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
dịka Mosis onyeozi Onyenwe anyị nyere ndị Izrel nʼiwu. O wuru ya dịka ihe e dere nʼakwụkwọ iwu Mosis si dị, ebe ịchụ aja a na-ejighị nkume a wara awa wuo, nkume a na-ejighị ngwa ọrụ igwe waa. Nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja a ka ha chụụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja nsure ọkụ na aja udo.
32 There in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses.
Ma mgbe ndị Izrel nọ na-ele anya, Joshua depụtara iwu ndị ahụ Mosis nyere ha nʼelu nkume.
33 All the Israelites, the elders, the officers, and the judges stood in two groups facing each other with the priests, the Levites, and the Ark of the Lord's Agreement between them. (Included were the foreigners as well as the native born.) Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim, and half in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses had ordered, for the blessing of the people this first time.
Izrel niile, ha na ndị okenye ha, na ndị ọchịagha ha, na ndị ikpe ha, guzo nʼakụkụ abụọ nke igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Onyenwe anyị, na ncherita ihu ndị nchụaja, bụ ndị Livayị ndị na-ebu ya. Ma ndị ọbịa bi nʼetiti ha, ma ndị amụrụ nʼala ahụ nọ nʼebe ahụ. Ọkara nʼime ha gara guzo nʼakụkụ ugwu Gerizim, ọkara ndị ọzọ guzoro nʼakụkụ ugwu Ebal, dịka Mosis onyeozi Onyenwe anyị nyere nʼiwu na mbụ, na ha ga-agọzi ndị Izrel.
34 Then Joshua read out the whole Law—all the blessings and curses recorded in the book of the Law.
Emesịa, Joshua gụpụtara na ntị ha, okwu niile nke iwu ahụ, ya na ngọzị na ọbụbụ ọnụ so ya, dịka ihe niile e dere nʼAkwụkwọ Iwu si dị.
35 Joshua read out every word of Moses' instruction to the whole Israelite assembly, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
Iwu niile Mosis nyere ha ka Joshua gụpụtara na ntị ndị Izrel niile. Ndị inyom na ụmụntakịrị, na ndị ọbịa niile bi nʼetiti ụmụ Izrel so nọkọọ nʼoge a ndị Izrel niile zukọrọ.

< Joshua 8 >