Yosua 22

1 Azɔ la, Yosua yɔ Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe to la ƒe afã la ƒo ƒui.

In the same time, Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the one half tribe of Manasseh.

2 Egblɔ na wo be, “Miewɔ nu sia nu si Mose, Yehowa ƒe dɔla ɖo na mi be miawɔ, eye miewɔ nye sewo katã hã dzi.

And he said to them: “You have done all that Moses, the servant of the Lord, instructed you. You have also obeyed me in all things.

3 Miegblẽ mia nɔvi Israelvi bubuawo ɖi kpɔ gbeɖe o togbɔ be aʋa la xɔ ɣeyiɣi didi aɖe alea hã.

Neither have you forsaken your brothers during this long time, even to the present day, keeping the orders of the Lord your God.

4 Azɔ la, Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la na dziɖuɖu kple dzudzɔ mí abe ale si wòdo ŋugbe ene, eya ta miyi miaƒe anyigba si Mose, Yehowa ƒe dɔla na mi le Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe akpa kemɛ la dzi azɔ.

Therefore, since the Lord your God has given your brothers peace and quiet, just as he promised: return, and go into your tents and into the land of your possession, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, delivered to you beyond the Jordan.

5 Mikpɔ egbɔ be mieyi se siwo Mose de na mi la wɔwɔ dzi, milɔ̃ Yehowa, eye mizɔ ɖe ɖoɖo siwo wòwɔ ɖe miaƒe agbenɔnɔ ŋu la nu. Milé ɖe Yehowa miaƒe Mawu ŋu, eye miasubɔe kple miaƒe dzi blibo kple miaƒe luʋɔ blibo.”

And may you continue to observe attentively, and to work to fulfill, the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the Lord, instructed to you, so that you may love the Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, and keep all his commandments, and cling to him, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Le esia megbe la, Yosua yra wo, eye wòɖo wo ɖe woƒe anyigbawo dzi.

And Joshua blessed them, and he sent them away. And they returned to their tents.

7 Mose tsɔ anyigba na Manase ƒe to afã la ɖe Basan, eye Yosua na anyigba to la ƒe afã la ɖe Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe ɣetoɖoƒekpa dzi kple wo nɔviŋutsuwo. Esi Yosua ɖo wo ɖe aƒe me la, edo mɔ wo kple yayranya siawo

Now to the one half tribe of Manasseh, Moses had given a possession in Bashan. And therefore, to the one half that was left over, Joshua gave a lot among the remainder of their brothers across the Jordan, in the western region. And when he had blessed them and dismissed them to their tents,

8 be: “Migbugbɔ yi míaƒe aƒewo me kple miaƒe kesinɔnu gbogboawo, lãha gãwo, klosalo, sika, akɔbli kple gayibɔ kple nudodo gbogboawo, eye mima afunyinu siwo mieha le míaƒe futɔwo si la kple mia nɔviŋutsuwo.”

he said to them: “Return to your settlements with much substance and wealth, with silver and gold, brass and iron, and a multitude of garments. Divide the spoils of your enemies with your brothers.”

9 Ale Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe viwo ƒe afã la dzo le Israelviwo ƒe aʋakɔ la me le Silo, le Kanaanyigba dzi. Wotso tɔsisi la heyi woƒe anyigba dzi le Gilead.

And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the one half tribe of Manasseh returned, and they went away from the sons of Israel at Shiloh, which is situated in Canaan, so that they might enter into Gilead, the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the order of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.

10 Ke hafi woatso Yɔdan adzo le Kanaanyigba dzi la, wotu ŋkuɖodzikpe gã aɖe abe vɔsamlekpui ene be ame sia ame nakpɔ.

And when they had arrived at the hills of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, they built an altar of immense magnitude beside the Jordan.

11 Ke esi Israelvi bubuawo se nu si wowɔ la,

And when the sons of Israel had heard of it, and certain messengers had reported to them that the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh had built an altar in the land of Canaan, upon the hills of the Jordan, facing the sons of Israel,

12 woƒo ƒu aʋawɔla aɖewo nu le Silo be yewoawɔ aʋa kple yewo nɔvi Israel ƒe to eve kple afã ma me tɔwo.

they all assembled at Shiloh, so that they might go up and battle against them.

13 Gbã la, Israelviwo na Finehas, nunɔla Eleazar ƒe vi, kplɔ ame dɔdɔ aɖewo tso tɔsisi la, eye woƒo nu kple wo nɔvi Ruben ƒe viwo, Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe viwo ƒe afã la.

And in the interim, they sent to them, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the priest,

14 Ame dɔdɔawo nye Israel ƒe amegãwo; ame ɖeka tso to ewoawo dometɔ ɖeka ɖe sia ɖe me, eye wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe nye hlɔ̃ aɖe ƒe kplɔla.

and ten leaders with him, one from each tribe.

15 Esi woɖo Gilead la, wogblɔ na Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe viwo ƒe afã bena,

And they went to the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them:

16 “Yehowa ƒe ameha blibo la di be yeanya nu si ta miele nu vɔ̃ wɔm ɖe Israel ƒe Mawu la ŋu, mietrɔ le eyome hetu vɔsamlekpui, eye miedze aglã ɖe Yehowa ŋu.

“All the people of the Lord declare this: What is this transgression? Why have you forsaken the Lord, the God of Israel, by building a sacrilegious altar, and by withdrawing from the worship of him?

17 “Ɖe nu vɔ̃ si míewɔ le Peor mesɔ gbɔ na mi oa? Míekɔ mía ɖokui ŋuti tso nu vɔ̃ ma ŋu haɖe va se ɖe egbe o, togbɔ be dɔvɔ̃ va dze Yehowa ƒe amewo dzi hã.

Is it a small thing to you that you have sinned with Baal of Peor, and that the stain of that crime continues among us, even to the present day? And many of the people have fallen.

18 Ɖe miegale tɔtrɔm le Yehowa yome xoxoa? Elabena mienya be ne yewodze aglã ɖe Yehowa ŋu egbe la, ado dɔmedzoe ɖe mí katã ŋu etsɔ si gbɔna.

And yet you have forsaken the Lord today, and tomorrow his wrath will rage against all of Israel.

19 Ne miehiã vɔsamlekpui, elabena wogblẽ kɔ ɖo na miaƒe anyigba ta la, ekema miva kpe mí le míaƒe nɔƒe le tɔsisi la godo, afi si Yehowa le mía dome le, le eƒe Agbadɔ la me, eye míama míaƒe anyigba na mi. Ke migadze aglã ɖe Yehowa ŋu to vɔsamlekpui bubu tutu me kpe ɖe míaƒe Mawu ƒe vɔsamlekpui vavã ɖeka la ŋu o.

But if you consider the land of your possession to be unclean, cross over to the land in which is the tabernacle of the Lord, and live among us. But do not withdraw from the Lord, and from our fellowship, by building an altar contrary to the altar of the Lord our God.

20 Ɖe mieɖo ŋku edzi be esime Akan, Zera ƒe vi, wɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe Yehowa ŋu la, wohe to na dukɔ blibo la, kpe ɖe ame ɖeka ma si wɔ nu vɔ̃ ŋu o mahã?”

Did not Achan, the son of Zerah, go against the commandment of the Lord, and so his wrath was laid over all the people of Israel? And he was only one man. If only he had perished in his wickedness alone!”

21 Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe viwo ƒe afã ɖo eŋu na Israelviwo ƒe tatɔwo be,

And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh responded to the leaders of the delegation from Israel:

22 “Ŋusẽtɔ lae nye Yehowa, mawuwo dzi Mawu lae nya nu si ta míetu vɔsamlekpui la, eye míedi be miawo hã mianya! Ne míedze aglã, eye míewɔ nuteƒe na Yehowa o la, ekema migana míanɔ agbe o!

“The Lord, the almighty God, the Lord, the almighty God, he knows, and also Israel will understand: If we have constructed this altar with intent of transgression, let him not preserve us, but instead punish us immediately.

23 Ne míeda le Yehowa ƒe se dzi, eye míetu míawo ŋutɔ ƒe vɔsamlekpui be míasa numevɔ alo nuɖuvɔ loo alo ŋutifafavɔ le edzi la, ekema Yehowa ŋutɔ nahe to na mí.

And if we have acted with a mind so that we might present upon it holocausts, and sacrifice, and victims of peace offerings, let him inquire and judge.

24 Míewɔ nu sia, elabena míevɔ̃ be mia viwo agblɔ na mía viwo be, ‘Mɔ ka miekpɔ asubɔ Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu la?

Instead, we have acted with this greater thought and design, that we would say: Tomorrow your sons will say to our sons: ‘What is there between you and the Lord, the God of Israel?

25 Yehowa wɔ Yɔdan tɔsisi la wònye liƒo le míawo kple mi Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo dome, kadodo aɖeke mele miawo kple Yehowa dome o.’ Ekema miaƒe dzidzimeviwo ana míaƒe dzidzimeviwo nadzudzɔ Yehowa subɔsubɔ,

The Lord has stationed the river Jordan as the border between us and you, O sons of Reuben, O sons of Gad. And therefore, you have no part in the Lord.’ And by this occasion, your sons would turn away our sons from the fear of the Lord. And so we sought something better,

26 eya tae míetu vɔsamlekpui aɖe, menye hena numevɔsawo alo akpedavɔsawo o,

and we said: Let us build us an altar, not for holocausts, and not to offer victims,

27 ke boŋ be wòanye dzesi anɔ míawo kple miawo siaa dome kple dzesi na dzidzime siwo ava kplɔ mí ɖo la be míesubɔa Yehowa le agbadɔ kɔkɔe sia ŋgɔ kple míaƒe nunanawo hena numevɔsawo kple ŋutifafavɔsawo. Míewɔ esia ale be miaƒe dzidzimeviwo magblɔ na míaƒe dzidzimeviwo be, ‘Kadodo aɖeke mele miawo kple Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la dome o.’

but as a testimony between us and you, and between our descendants and your progeny, so that we may serve the Lord, and so that it may be our right to offer holocausts, and victims, and peace offerings, and so that tomorrow your sons may not say to our sons: ‘You have no part in the Lord.’

28 Ne woagblɔ alea la, mía viwo ate ŋu aɖe wo ɖokuiwo nu be, ‘Mikpɔ Yehowa ƒe vɔsamlekpui si mía fofowo tu ɖa! Wotui ɖe Yehowa ƒe vɔsamlekpui la ƒe nɔnɔme nu. Wometui na numevɔsa kple vɔsa bubuawo o, ke boŋ wotui be wòanye kadodo anɔ míawo kple miawo dome, eye wòaganye Yehowa ƒe dzesi.’

And if they decide to say this, they shall respond to them: ‘Behold, the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for holocausts, and not for sacrifice, but instead as a testimony between us and you.’

29 “Nede megbe xaa tso mía gbɔ be, míagbugbɔ le Yehowa yome alo atsi tsitre ɖe eŋu to vɔsamlekpuiɖiɖi me na mía ɖokui hena numevɔsa kple nuɖuvɔsa kple vɔsa bubuawo. Vɔsamlekpui si le Agbadɔ la ŋkume ko ŋu dɔ míawɔ na vɔsasa.”

May this wickedness be far from us, such that we would withdraw from the Lord, and would forsake his paths, by constructing an altar to offer holocausts, and sacrifices, and victims, contrary to the altar of the Lord our God, which was built before his tabernacle.”

30 Esi Finehas, nunɔla la kple Israelviwo ƒe tatɔwo se nya siawo tso Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo kple Manase ƒe viwo ƒe afã la nu la, wokpɔ dzidzɔ ŋutɔ.

And when Phinehas, the priest, and the leaders of the delegation who were with him, had heard this, they were pleased. And they accepted very willingly the words of the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh.

31 Finehas si nye Eleaza vi gblɔ na wo be, “Míenya egbe be, Yehowa le mía dome, elabena míewɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe Yehowa ŋu abe ale si míebu ene o, ke boŋ mieɖe mí tso tsɔtsrɔ̃ me!”

And Phinehas, the priest, the son of Eleazar, said to them: “Now we know that the Lord is with us. For you are a stranger to this transgression. And so you have freed the sons of Israel from the hand of the Lord.”

32 Finehas kple ame dɔdɔ ewoawo trɔ yi Israelvi bubuawo gbɔ, eye woɖe nu si dzɔ la me na wo.

And he returned with the leaders, from the sons of Reuben and of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, into the parts of Canaan, to the sons of Israel. And he reported to them.

33 Tete Israel blibo la tso aseye, kafu Mawu, eye womegagblɔ nya aɖeke tso aʋawɔwɔ kple Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo ŋu o.

And the word pleased all who heard it. And the sons of Israel praised God, and they no longer said that they would go up against them, and fight, and destroy the land of their possession.

34 Ruben ƒe viwo kple Gad ƒe viwo na ŋkɔ vɔsamlekpui la be, “Ɖaseɖiɖi ƒe Vɔsamlekpui,” elabena wogblɔ be, “Vɔsamlekpui la nye ɖaseɖiɖi le míawo kple woawo dome be Yehowae nye míaƒe Mawu.”

And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar that they had built: Our testimony that the Lord himself is God.