Joshua 9
1 Mgbe eze ndị niile bi nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ osimiri Jọdan, nụrụ banyere ihe ndị a, ya bụ, ndị niile bi nʼala ugwu ugwu nʼọdịda anyanwụ ndagwurugwu, na ndị bi ogologo akụkụ osimiri Mediterenịa ruo Lebanọn, eze ndị Het na nke ndị Amọrait na nke ndị Kenan na nke ndị Periz na nke ndị Hiv na nke ndị Jebus,
Then all the kings who lived beyond the Jordan in the hill country, and in the lowlands along the shore of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites—
2 ha niile zukọtara ibu agha megide Joshua na ụmụ Izrel.
these joined together under one command, to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 Ma mgbe ndị Gibiọn nụrụ ihe Joshua mere Jeriko na Ai,
When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4 ha sitere nʼaghụghọ chọọ ụzọ ha ga-esi zọpụta onwe ha. Ha zipụrụ ndị ozi, ndị bokwasịrị ịnyịnya ibu ha akpa mere ochie, na karama akpụkpọ mere ochie, nke a duchiri ebe dị iche iche nʼahụ ha.
they acted with a cunning plan. They went as messengers. They took worn-out sacks and put them on their donkeys. They also took old wineskins that were worn, torn, and had been repaired.
5 Ndị ahụ yikwasịrị nʼụkwụ ha akpụkpọụkwụ kara nka nke a kwachiri akwachi, na uwe mere nnọọ ochie. Achịcha niile ha ji bụ nri ha, kpọrọ nkụ maakwa ebu.
They put old and patched sandals on their feet, and dressed in old, worn-out clothing. All the bread in their food supply was dry and moldy.
6 Mgbe ha bịaruru nʼebe ndị Izrel mara ụlọ ikwu ha na Gilgal, ha jekwuuru Joshua, gwa ya na ndị Izrel okwu sị ha, “Anyị si nʼala dị anya bịa. Ugbu a, biko anyị chọrọ ka anyị na unu gbaa ndụ.”
Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have traveled from a very far country, so now make a covenant with us.”
7 Ndị ikom Izrel zaghachiri sị ndị Hiv ahụ, “Olee otu anyị si amata na unu ebighị anyị nso? Ma eleghị anya unu bi anyị nso, anyị na unu ọ ga-esi aṅaa gbaa ndụ?”
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a covenant with you?”
8 Ha zara Joshua sị ya, “Anyị bụ ndị ohu unu.” Ma Joshua jụrụ ha ajụjụ sị, “Olee ndị unu bụ? Ebee ka unu si bịa?”
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where did you come from?”
9 Ha zara ya sị, “Ala anyị, ebe ndị ohu gị si bịa dị anya nke ukwuu. Anyị bịara nʼihi na anyị anụla akụkọ banyere Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu, na ihe niile o mere nʼIjipt.
They said to him, “Your servants have come here from a land very far away, because of the name of Yahweh your God. We have heard a report about him and about everything that he did in Egypt—
10 Anyị anụkwala ihe niile o mere eze abụọ ndị Amọrait, ndị nọ nʼọwụwa anyanwụ Jọdan, Saịhọn eze Heshbọn, na Ọg eze Bashan, onye chịrị nʼAshtarọt.
and everything that he did to the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.
11 Ndị okenye anyị na ndị niile bi nʼala anyị sịrị anyị, ‘Werenụ ihe unu ji aga njem, jekwurunụ ndị Izrel sị ha, “Anyị bụ ndị ohu unu, kwerenụ ka anyị na unu gbaa ndụ.”’
Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey. Go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Make a treaty with us.”
12 Lee achịcha ndị a bụ nke anyị ji mgbe anyị hapụrụ ala anyị. Ha dị ọkụ mgbe anyị hapụrụ ụlọ anyị ịbịa njem a, nʼihi na e si nʼebe a na-eghe ya wepụta ya, ma ugbu a, dịka unu hụrụ, ha akpọọla nkụ, bidokwa ịma ebu.
This is our bread, it was still warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come to you. But now, see, it is dry and moldy.
13 A gbajuru karama akpụkpọ anyị ndị a mmanya ọhụrụ mgbe anyị hapụrụ, ma ugbu a, karama ndị a adọwaala. Uwe anyị, na akpụkpọụkwụ anyị, emeela ochie nʼihi ịga ije dị anya.”
These wineskins were new when we filled them, and look, now they are leaking. Our garments and our sandals are worn-out from a very long journey.'”
14 Ndị ikom Izrel ritụrụ ụfọdụ nʼime ihe oriri ha ji bịa, ma ha ajụtaghị ihe bụ uche Onyenwe anyị.
So the Israelites took some of their provisions, but they did not consult with Yahweh for guidance.
15 Mgbe ahụ, Joshua na ndị ahụ gbara ndụ udo ikwe ka ha dị ndụ. Ndịisi nzukọ Izrel mesiri ọgbụgba ndụ ahụ ike site nʼịṅụ iyi.
Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the people also made a vow to them.
16 Mgbe ụbọchị atọ gasịrị site na mgbe ụmụ Izrel na ndị Gibiọn gbara ndụ, ndị Izrel nụrụ na ndị Gibiọn bụ ndị agbataobi ha, ndị bi ha nso.
Three days after the Israelites made this covenant with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and that they lived nearby.
17 Ya mere, ndị Izrel buliri ije gaa ịchọpụta ebe ndị a si bịa, si otu a bịaruo obodo ha niile nʼụbọchị nke atọ. Aha obodo ha bụ Gibiọn, Kefira, Beerọt na Kiriat Jearim.
Then the people of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18 Ma ndị Izrel ebusoghị ha agha nʼihi na ndịisi nzukọ Izrel ejirila aha Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel ṅụọ iyi idebe ha ndụ. Ma nzukọ Izrel niile tamuru ntamu megide ndịisi ha nʼihi ọgbụgba ndụ a.
The people of Israel did not attack them because their leaders had taken an oath about them before Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the Israelites were grumbling against their leaders.
19 Ma ndịisi Izrel kwuru sị, “Anyị aṅụọla iyi nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel sị, na anyị agaghị emetụ ha aka, ugbu a kwa anyị agaghị eme ha ihe ọbụla.
But all the leaders said to all the people, “We have taken an oath concerning them by Yahweh, the God of Israel, and now we cannot harm them.
20 Ma nke a ka anyị ga-eme. Anyị ga-ekwe ka ha dị ndụ, nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na anyị emezughị iyi anyị ṅụrụ, iwe Onyenwe anyị ga-adakwasị anyị niile.”
This is what we will do to them: To avoid any wrath that may come on us because of the oath we swore to them, we will let them live.”
21 Ya mere, ndịisi kwukwara sị, “Anyị ga-ahapụ ha ka ha dịrị ndụ, kama ha ga-aghọ ohu ndị Izrel, ndị ga na-awara anyị nkụ na ndị ga na-ekutere anyị mmiri.” Nʼụzọ dị otu a, e mere ka ha dịrị ndụ.
The leaders said to their people, “Let them live.” So, the Gibeonites became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the Israelites, just as the leaders said about them.
22 Emesịa, Joshua ziri ozi kpọọ ndịisi obodo Gibiọn jụọ ha ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị mere unu ji ghọgbuo anyị site nʼịgwa anyị, ‘Anyị bi nʼebe dịpụrụ anya, site nʼebe unu bi,’ ebe ọ bụ na unu bi anyị nso?
Joshua called for them and said, “Why did you deceive us when you said, 'We are very far from you', when you live right here among us?
23 Ugbu a, unu ga-abụ ndị a bụrụ ọnụ. Site nʼụbọchị taa gaa nʼihu, unu aghọọla ndị ohu anyị, ndị ga na-awara anyị nkụ mgbe niile, na ndị ga na-ekutere anyị mmiri nke anyị ga-eji rụọ ọrụ nʼụlọnsọ Chineke m.”
Now, because of this, you are cursed and some of you will always be slaves, those who cut wood and draw water for the house of my God.”
24 Ha zara Joshua sị, “Anyị mere nke a nʼihi na agwala anyị na Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị nyere Mosis iwu sị ya merie ala ndị a niile, ma kpochapụ ndị niile bi nʼime ya. Ọ bụ nke a mere ụjọ ji tụọ anyị. Ọ bụkwa ya mere anyị ji mee ihe dị otu a, nʼihi ichebe ndụ anyị.
They answered Joshua and said, “Because it was told to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you—so we were very afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we did this thing.
25 Ma ugbu a, anyị dị unu nʼaka. Unu nwere ike ime anyị ihe dị unu mma.”
Now, look, you hold us in your power. Whatever seems good and right for you to do to us, do it.”
26 Nʼihi nke a, Joshua ekweghị ka ndị Izrel gbuo ha.
So Joshua did this for them: He delivered them out of the control of the people of Israel, so that the Israelites did not kill them.
27 Joshua mere ha ndị ọwa nkụ na ndị ose mmiri nye ụmụ Izrel, na ịhụkwa banyere ihe ndị dị mkpa nʼebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị, nʼebe ahụ Onyenwe anyị ga-ahọpụta. Ọ bụkwa nke a ka ha bụ ruo taa.
That day Joshua made the Gibeonites cutters of wood and drawers of water for the community, and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that Yahweh chooses.
