Joshua 22
1 Emesịa, Joshua kpọkọtara ndị agha si nʼebo Ruben, na Gad, na ọkara Manase, gwa ha okwu sị:
Joshua then summoned the leaders of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh.
2 “Unu emeela ihe niile Mosis onyeozi Onyenwe anyị nyere unu nʼiwu. Unu egeela ntị nʼolu m, mee ihe niile m nyere unu nʼiwu.
He said to them, “You have done everything that Moses, who served Yahweh [well], told you to do. You have also done what I told you to do.
3 E, unu arụzuola ọrụ ahụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu nyere unu. Unu ahapụghị ụmụnna unu nʼọgbọ agha ogologo ụbọchị ndị a niile.
For a long time you have helped the other tribes [to defeat their enemies]. You have obeyed everything that Yahweh your God commanded you to do.
4 Ugbu a, Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu enyela ụmụnna unu mmeri. O meekwala ka ha zuru ike dịka o kwere nkwa na ọ ga-eme. Ugbu a, laghachinụ nʼụlọ unu, laghachikwanụ nʼala unu, ala ahụ Mosis onyeozi Onyenwe anyị nyere unu nʼofe ọzọ nke osimiri Jọdan.
He promised to give peace to us Israelis, and he has done what he promised. So now you may go back to your homes, to the land that Moses gave to you, on the east side of the Jordan [River].
5 Ma lezienụ anya nke ọma idebe iwu na ụkpụrụ niile nke Mosis onyeozi Onyenwe anyị nyere unu: nke bụ ịhụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu nʼanya, ịga ije nʼirube isi nye ya, irube isi nʼiwu ya niile, ịdabere na ya, na iji obi unu niile na mkpụrụobi unu niile fee ya ofufe.”
Moses also commanded you to love Yahweh your God and to obey his commands, and to continue to worship him and serve him by everything that you think and everything that you do.”
6 Ya mere, Joshua gọziri ha, zipụ ha, ha lakwara nʼụlọ nke aka ha.
Then Joshua blessed them and said goodbye to them, and they [prepared to] leave and return to their homes [on the east side of the Jordan River].
7 Ọkara ebo Manase ka Mosis nyere ihe nketa nke ha nʼime ala Bashan, ma ọkara ebo Manase nke ọzọ nwetara ihe nketa nke ha nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ osimiri Jọdan. Mgbe Joshua na-ezilaga ha nʼụlọ ha, ọ gọziri ha, gwa ha okwu sị,
Moses had given the Bashan region to half the tribe of Manasseh, and land on the west side of the Jordan [River] to the other half of the tribe. Before they left, he [asked God to] bless them.
8 “Werenụ ọtụtụ akụ unu lụtara nʼagha laa. Mgbe unu ruru, kenyenụ ndị ikwu unu ụfọdụ ihe site nʼime akụ ndị iro unu a.” Nʼihi na ihe ha kwatara nʼagha dị ukwuu: igwe anụ ụlọ, na ọlaọcha, na ọlaedo, na bronz, na igwe, na uwe dị iche iche.
He said, “Go back to your homes and to all the things that you have taken from your enemies—the many animals and silver and gold and [things made of] bronze and iron, and many beautiful clothes. But you should share some of those things with other people of your tribe.”
9 Ya mere, ndị agha Ruben na Gad, na ọkara ebo Manase, hapụrụ ndị agha Izrel na Shaịlo, nʼime ala Kenan, nʼofe osimiri Jọdan, laghachi nʼala nke ha dị na Gilead, nke ha nwetara dịka iwu Onyenwe anyị nyere Mosis si dị.
So the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh left the other Israelis at Shiloh in Canaan land, to return to their homes in the Gilead region. That was the area that belonged to them. It had been allotted to them by Moses as Yahweh had commanded.
10 Mgbe ha rutere Gelilọt dị nʼakụkụ Jọdan, nʼala ndị Kenan, ụmụ Ruben, ndị Gad na ọkara ebo Manase wuru ebe ịchụ aja dị ukwu nʼebe ahụ nʼakụkụ Jọdan.
The people from those three tribes arrived near the western side of the Jordan River, at a town called Geliloth. There they built a large altar. [Then they crossed the Jordan River to the Gilead region].
11 Mgbe ndị Izrel nụrụ na ha e wuola ebe ịchụ aja nʼoke ala Kenan, na Gelilọt, nʼebe dị nso Jọdan, nʼofe ala ndị Izrel,
But the other Israelis who were still at Shiloh heard about the altar that those men had built.
12 ọgbakọ Izrel niile zukọtara na Shaịlo, jikere ịga ibuso ụmụnna ha ahụ agha.
They became very angry with the men of those tribes, so they decided to fight them.
13 Ya mere, ụmụ Izrel zigara Finehaz, nwa Elieza, bụ onye nchụaja ka ọ ga nʼala Gilead, ya bụ ijekwuru ụmụ Ruben, na ụmụ Gad, na ọkara ebo Manase.
The Israelis sent Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar the Supreme Priest, to [talk with] the people of those three tribes.
14 Ndị so Finehaz nʼozi a bụ ndị ndu iri. Otu onyendu sitere nʼotu ebo, nʼime ebo iri nke ụmụ Izrel.
They also sent one leader from each of the ten tribes that were still at Shiloh. Each of them was a leader of his clan.
15 Mgbe ndị a rutere nʼala Gilead, ha kpọkọtara ụmụ Ruben, na ụmụ Gad, na ọkara ebo Manase gwa ha okwu sị,
Those leaders went to the Gilead region to talk to the people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. They said,
16 “Otu a ka ọgbakọ niile nke Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Olee ụdị njehie dị nke a, nke unu mere megide Chineke? Olee otu unu si wezuga onwe unu site nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ, gaa wuore onwe unu ebe ịchụ aja, si otu a nupu isi megide ya?
“All the other Israelis are asking, ‘Why have you rebelled against the God whom we Israelis [worship] by building an altar for yourselves?
17 Ọ pụtara na mmehie Peoa ezubereghị anyị? Ruo taa anyị asachapụbeghị onwe anyị site na mmehie ahụ, ọ bụ ezie nʼọrịa na-efe efe dakwasịrị nzukọ nke Onyenwe anyị.
Have you forgotten what happened at Peor, [when some Israelis sinned by worshiping the god that the Moab people-group worship]? Many Israelis became very sick and died because of that sin, and we are still suffering because of their sin.
18 Ugbu a, unu na-achọkwa isite nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ chigharịa. “‘Ọ bụrụ na unu enupu isi megide Onyenwe anyị taa, matakwanụ na echi ya, ọ ga-eweso nzukọ Izrel niile iwe.
Are you now turning away from obeying Yahweh and refusing to do what he wants? If you do not stop rebelling against Yahweh today, he will be angry with all of us Israelis tomorrow.’
19 Ọ bụrụ na unu wuru ebe ịchụ aja ahụ nʼihi na ala unu rụrụ arụ, bịakwutenụ anyị nʼakụkụ nke ọzọ, nke osimiri a, ebe Onyenwe anyị bi nʼetiti anyị, nʼime ụlọ nzute obibi ya. Anyị ga-ekenyekwa unu ala anyị. Ma unu enupula isi megide Onyenwe anyị site nʼiwu ebe ịchụ aja ọzọ, ebe ọ bụ na e nwere otu ebe bụ ezi ebe ịchụ aja nye Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị.
“If [you think that Yahweh considers] that your land here is not suitable for worshiping him, come back to our land where Yahweh’s Sacred Tent is. We can share our land with you. But do not rebel against Yahweh and against us by building another altar for Yahweh our God.
20 Mgbe Ekan, nwa Zera, zipụtara onwe ya dịka onye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi nʼihe metụtara ihe e doro nsọ, ọ bụ na nzukọ Izrel niile esoghị keta oke nʼahụhụ dakwasịrị ya? Ọ bụghị naanị ya nwụrụ nʼihi mmehie ahụ.’”
Do you remember what happened when Zerah’s son Achan refused to obey [Yahweh’s command to destroy everything in Jericho]? That one man disobeyed God’s command, but many [HYP] other Israelis were punished. Achan died because of his sin, but other Israelis also died.”
21 Nke a bụ nzaghachi ụmụ Ruben, na ụmụ Gad na ọkara ebo ụmụ Manase, nyere ndị ndu ụmụ Izrel niile;
The [leaders of the] tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh replied,
22 “Chineke onye kachasị chi niile, bụ Onyenwe anyị! Chineke onye kachasị chi niile, bụ Onyenwe anyị! Ya onwe ya maara, ka Izrel niile matakwa. A sị na nke a bụ nnupu isi, a sịkwarị na ọ bụ enweghị ntụkwasị obi nye Onyenwe anyị, unu ahapụla anyị ka anyị dịrị ndụ.
“Yahweh, the Almighty God, knows [why we did that], and we want you to know, too. If we have done something wrong [against Yahweh], you may kill us.
23 Ọ bụrụ na anyị sitere na nnupu isi wuo ebe ịchụ aja a maka ịchụ aja udo maọbụ aja mkpụrụ ọka, ka Onyenwe anyị nʼonwe ya taa anyị ahụhụ.
If we have disobeyed one of Yahweh’s laws, we request that he should punish us. We did not build that new altar to completely burn animals as sacrifices to Yahweh, or to offer on it sacrifices of grain or sacrifices to maintain fellowship with God.
24 “Ma nke ahụ abụghị ihe anyị bu nʼobi! Anyị wuru ya nʼihi na anyị tụrụ ụjọ na nʼoge dị nʼihu, ụmụ unu ga-agwa ụmụ anyị okwu sị, ‘Gịnị ka unu na Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel nwekọrọ?
“This is the reason that we built that altar: We were afraid/worried that some day your descendants would say that our descendants are not true Israelis. We were afraid that then they would say, ‘You are not allowed to worship Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship].
25 Onyenwe anyị e jirila osimiri Jọdan kpaa oke nʼetiti anyị na unu, unu ụmụ Ruben na Gad. Unu enweghị oke nʼime Onyenwe anyị!’ Nʼụzọ dị otu a, ụmụ unu nwere ike ime ụmụ anyị ka ha kwụsị ịtụ egwu Onyenwe anyị.
Yahweh caused the Jordan River to be a boundary between us and you people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. So you are not allowed to worship Yahweh.’ We were worried that your descendants would force our descendants to stop worshiping Yahweh.
26 “Ọ bụ nke a mere anyị ji kpebie sị, ‘Ka anyị jikere wuo ebe ịchụ aja, ma ọ bụghị ebe ịchụ aja nsure ọkụ maọbụ aja ndị ọzọ,’
“That is the reason that we decided to build that [new] altar. But it is not an altar for completely burning sacrifices of animals and [burning other] sacrifices.
27 Kama, ọ bụ ebe ịchụ aja ịhụba ama nʼetiti unu na anyị, nakwa ọgbọ ndị nke ga-esote anyị, na anyị ga-efe Onyenwe anyị ofufe nʼụlọnsọ ya, site na ịchụrụ ya aja nsure ọkụ, na aja udo. Mgbe ahụ, nʼoge dị nʼihu, ụmụ ụmụ unu agaghị asị ụmụ ụmụ anyị, ‘Unu enweghị oke nʼime Onyenwe anyị Chineke.’
We built that new altar to prove/show to you and to us and to all of our descendants that we worship Yahweh by completely burning animal sacrifices and offerings of grain and offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh [only at the place Yahweh chooses]. We do not want your descendants to say to our descendants, ‘You do not belong to Yahweh.’
28 “Echiche obi anyị bụ na ọ bụrụ na ụmụ ụmụ unu ekwuo ihe dị otu a, ụmụ anyị ga-azaghachi ha sị, ‘Lee ebe ịchụ aja nna anyị ha wuru, nke yiri ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị. E wughị ya maka ịchụ aja nsure ọkụ, kama e wuru ya dịka ihe ama na-egosi nnwekọ dị nʼetiti anyị na unu.’
“In the future, if your descendants say that, our descendants can say, ‘Look at the altar that our ancestors made! It is exactly like Yahweh’s altar [that our ancestors built], but we do not burn sacrifices on it. It only shows that we are Israelis!’
29 “Anyị agaghị enupu isi nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ; anyị agaghị esitekwa nʼiso Onyenwe anyị Chineke wezuga onwe anyị, site nʼiwuru onwe anyị ebe ịchụ aja nke aja nsure ọkụ, na aja mkpụrụ ọka maọbụ ụdị aja ọzọ dị iche iche. Ebe ịchụ aja anyị maara bụ ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị, nke guzo nʼihu ụlọ nzute ya.”
We certainly do not want to rebel against Yahweh or stop doing what he desires, by building an altar for completely burning some sacrifices and burning grain offerings and making [other] sacrifices. [We know that] there is only one true altar for Yahweh our God, and it is in front of the Sacred Tent [at Shiloh].”
30 Mgbe Finehaz onye nchụaja, na ndị ndu nzukọ ahụ, bụ ndịisi ezinaụlọ ndị Izrel nụrụ ihe ụmụ Ruben, na ụmụ Gad, na ụmụ Manase kwuru, ọ masịrị ha.
When Phinehas the priest and the other [ten] leaders heard what they said, they were pleased.
31 Ya mere, Finehaz nwa Elieza, bụ onye nchụaja, sịrị Ruben, na Gad, na Manase, “Taa ka anyị maara na Onyenwe anyị nọ nʼetiti anyị, nʼihi na unu emehieghị megide Onyenwe anyị dịka anyị chere. Ya mere, unu azọpụtala ndị Izrel site na mbibi gaara abịakwasị ha site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị.”
So Phinehas said to them, “Now we know that Yahweh is with all of us Israelis, and that you were not rebelling against him [when you built that altar]. And we know that Yahweh will not punish us Israelis [because of your having done that].”
32 Mgbe ahụ Finehaz, nwa Elieza, onye nchụaja, na ndị ndu ahụ laghachitere Kenan site na nzukọ ha na ụmụ Ruben na Gad na ọkara Manase mere nʼala Gilead kọọrọ Izrel ihe ha gatara.
Then Phinehas and the Israeli leaders left the people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad in the Gilead region, and returned to Canaan. There they told the other Israelis what had happened.
33 Okwu a tọrọ ụmụ Izrel ụtọ. Ha ṅụrịrị ọṅụ, too Chineke otuto. Ha ekwukwaghị okwu ibu agha megide ụmụ Ruben, ụmụ Gad na ụmụ Manase, banyere ibibi ala ha bi nʼime ya.
They were pleased, and they thanked God. And they did not talk any more about fighting against the people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and destroying everything in their land.
34 Ya mere, ụmụ Ruben na ụmụ Gad kpọrọ ebe ịchụ aja ha wuru, “Ebe ịchụ aja akaebe,” nʼihi na ha sịrị, “Ọ bụ ihe akaebe igosi mmadụ niile na Onyenwe anyị bụkwa Chineke anyị.”
The people of the tribes of Reuben and Gad named their new altar ‘A reminder to us all that Yahweh is God’.
