< Josoa 8 >

1 Dia hoy Jehovah tamin’ i Josoa: Aza matahotra na mivadi-po ianao, ento miaraka aminao ny vahoaka rehetra mpanafika, ka miaingà, iakaro Ay; indro, efa natolotro eo an-tananao ny mpanjakan’ i Ay mbamin’ ny vahoakany sy ny tanànany ary ny taniny.
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.
2 Dia tahaka ny nataonao tamin’ i Jeriko sy ny mpanjakany no hataonao koa amin’ i Ay sy sy mpanjakany; nefa ny fananana rehetra sy ny biby fiompy ao dia halainareo ho babo ho anareo ihany; asio otrika eo ankoatry ny tanàna.
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.”
3 Dia niainga Josoa sy ny mpanafika rehetra hiakatra any Ay, ary nifidy lehilahy mahery telo alina Josoa ka nandefa ireo tamin’ ny alina.
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.
4 Dia nandidy azy izy ka nanao hoe: Indro, ianareo hanotrika eo ivohon’ ny tanàna hamely azy, ka aza manalavitra azy loatra, fa miomàna ianareo rehetra.
He ordered them, “You lie in ambush behind the town, not far away. All of you need to be ready.
5 Ary izaho sy ny vahoaka rehetra izay miaraka amiko kosa dia hanatona ny tanàna; ary rehefa mivoaka hamely anay tahaka ny teo ny olona, dia handositra eo anoloany izahay.
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.
6 Dia hivoaka hanenjika anay izy mandra-pitarikay azy hiala ao an-tanàna; fa izy hanao hoe: Mandositra eo anoloantsika tahaka ny teo izy; dia hanao tari-dositra eo anoloany izahay.
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.’
7 Ary dia hiroatra avy ao amin’ ny fanotrehana kosa ianareo, ka ho azonareo ny tanàna; fa atolotr’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrareo eo an-tananareo izy.
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.
8 Ary rehefa afakareo ny tanàna, dia dory amin’ ny afo; araka ny didin’ i Jehovah no hataonareo; indro, efa nandidy anareo aho.
Once you've captured the town, set it on fire, as the Lord has instructed. Now follow your orders.”
9 Dia nampandehanin’ i Josoa izy ireo, ary nandeha hanotrika ka nitoetra teo andrefan’ i Ay, teo anelanelan’ i Betela sy Ay; fa Josoa kosa nitoetra teo amin’ ny vahoaka ihany tamin’ izany alina izany.
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.
10 Dia nifoha maraina koa Josoa ka nandamina ny vahoaka, ary niakatra teo alohan’ ny vahoaka hankany Ay izy sy ny loholon’ ny Isiraely.
Early the next morning Joshua got up early and gathered the people and went up to attack Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.
11 Ary ny vahoaka rehetra mpanafika, izay niaraka tamin’ i Josoa, dia niakatra ka nanakaiky sy nanandrify ny tanàna; ary nitoby teo avaratr’ i Ay izy, ka ny lohasaha no teo anelanelan’ izy sy Ay.
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.
12 Dia naka olona tokony ho dimy arivo lahy izy ka nampanotrika azy teo anelanelan’ i Betela sy Ay, andrefan’ ny tanàna.
He took about five thousand men and had them lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the town.
13 Ary rehefa voalahatry ny vahoaka ny toby rehetra izay teo avaratry ny tanàna sy ny otrika teo andrefan’ ny tanàna, dia nandeha nankeo amin’ ny lohasaha Josoa tamin’ izany alina izany.
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.
14 Ary rehefa hitan’ ny mpanjakan’ i Ay izany, dia nifoha maraina koa ny olona tao an-tanàna ka nivoaka faingana hiady tamin’ ny Isiraely, teo amin’ ny tany nifamotoanany tandrifin’ ny tani-hay, dia ny mpanjaka sy ny vahoakany: fa tsy fantany ho nisy otrika hamely azy tao ankoatry ny tanàna.
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.
15 Ary Josoa sy ny Isiraely rehetra nody resy teo anoloany ka nanao tari-dositra tamin’ ny lalana mankany an-efitra.
Joshua and the Israelites allowed themselves to be driven back, and ran away in the direction of the wilderness.
16 Dia nifampiantso hanenjika azy ny vahoaka rehetra izay tao an-tanàna; ary nanenjika an’ i Josoa izy, ka dia voatarika ho tafavoaka ny tanàna.
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.
17 Ary tsy nisy lehilahy sisa, na tao Ay na tao Betela, izay tsy nivoaka hanenjika ny Isiraely; ary nilaozany mbola nivoha ny tanàna, ka lasa nanenjika ny Isiraely izy.
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.
18 Ary hoy Jehovah tamin’ i Josoa: Atondroy an’ i Ay ny lefona izay eny an-tananao; fa hatolotro eo an-tananao Ay. Dia natondron’ i Josoa ny tanàna ny lefona izay teny an-tànany.
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.
19 Dia niroatra faingana ny otrika avy tao amin’ ny nitoerany ka nihazakazaka, raha vao natondrony ny tànany; dia niditra tao an-tanàna izy ka nahafaka azy ary nandoro azy faingana tamin’ ny afo.
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.
20 Ary niherika ny mponina tao Ay, ka hitany fa, indro, ny setroky ny tanàna niakatra ho any an-danitra, sady tsy nisy handosirany akory, na ho etỳ, na ho erỳ; fa ny Isiraely izay nanao tari-dositra ho any an-efitra dia nifotitra namely ny mpanenjika kosa.
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.
21 Fa rehefa hitan’ i Josoa sy ny Isiraely rehetra fa efa azon’ ny otrika ny tanàna, ka niakatra ny setroky ny tanàna, dia nifotitra izy ka namely ny mponina tao Ay.
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.
22 Ary ireo tao an-tanàna nivoaka hamely azy, ka dia latsaka teo afovoan’ ny Isiraely ny olona, fa ny Isiraely sasany teo an-daniny iray, ary ny sasany teo an-daniny iray koa; dia nifandafaran’ ny Isiraely teo izy, ka tsy nasiany niangana na dia iray akory aza.
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.
23 Ary ny mpanjakan’ i Ay nataony sambo-belona ka nentiny teo amin’ i Josoa.
Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua.
24 Ary rehefa namono ny mponina rehetra tao Ay tany an-tsaha ny Isiraely, dia tany amin’ ny efitra nanenjehany azy, ka lavo tamin’ ny lelan-tsabatra avokoa izy rehetra mandra-pahalany ritrany, dia niverina tany Ay ny Isiraely rehetra ka namely azy tamin’ ny lelan-tsabatra.
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.
25 Ary izay rehetra maty tamin’ izany andro izany, na lehilahy na vehivavy, dia roa arivo amby iray alina, dia ny mponina rehetra tao Ay.
Those who were killed that day numbered twelve thousand, men and women—all the inhabitants of Ai.
26 Ary Josoa tsy nampihemotra ny tànany izay nanondro tamin’ ny lefona mandra-pandringana ny mponina rehetra tao Ay.
For Joshua had continued to hold up his spear until all the people of Ai had been destroyed.
27 Nefa ny biby fiompy mbamin’ ny fananana rehetra tao amin’ izany tanàna izany dia nalain’ ny Isiraely ho babony ihany, araka ny tenin’ i Jehovah izay nandidiany an’ i Josoa.
Only the livestock and plunder were taken from the town by the Israelites, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.
28 Ary Ay dia nodoran’ i Josoa ka nofoanany ho tanànaolo mandrakizay, dia toy izany mandraka androany izy.
So Joshua burned the town of Ai, making it permanently into a heap of ruins where no one lives to this very day.
29 Ary ny mpanjakan’ i Ay nahantony tamin’ ny hazo mandra-paharivan’ ny andro; ary rehefa tokony ho maty masoandro, dia nasain’ i Josoa nesorina tamin’ ny hazo ny fatiny ka nariana teo anoloan’ ny vavahadin’ ny tanàna ary notsindriany antontam-bato avo mandraka androany.
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.
30 Ary tamin’ izany Josoa dia nanorina alitara tao an-tendrombohitra Ebala ho an’ i Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely,
Then Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal for the Lord, the God of Israel.
31 araka izay nandidian’ i Mosesy mpanompon’ i Jehovah, ny Zanak’ Isiraely, dia araka ny voasoratra eo amin’ ny bokin’ ny lalàn’ i Mosesy dia alitara vato tsy voavoatra, izay tsy nopehim-by; ary dia nanatitra fanatitra dorana teo amboniny ho an’ i Jehovah izy sady namono zavatra hatao fanati-pihavanana.
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.
32 Dia nosoratany teo amin’ ny vato ny dikan’ ny lalàn’ i Mosesy, izay efa nosoratany teo anatrehan’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely.
There in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses.
33 Ary ny Isiraely rehetra sy ny loholony sy ny mpifehy azy ary ny mpitsara azy dia nitsangana teo an-daniny roa amin’ ny fiara, teo anatrehan’ ny Levita mpisorona, izay nitondra ny fiaran’ ny faneken’ i Jehovah, na olona hafa firenena, na Isiraely: ny antsasany nanandrify ny tendrombohitra Gerizima, ary ny antsasany nanandrify ny tendrombohitra Ebala, araka izay efa nandidian’ i Mosesy mpanompon’ i Jehovah fahiny, mba hitso-drano ny olona Isiraely.
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.
34 Ary rehefa afaka izany, dia namaky ny tenin’ ny lalàna rehetra izy, dia ny fitahiana sy ny fanozonana, araka izay rehetra voasoratra eo amin’ ny bokin’ ny lalàna.
Then Joshua read out the whole Law—all the blessings and curses recorded in the book of the Law.
35 Tsy nisy teny tamin’ izay rehetra nandidian’ i Mosesy, izay tsy novakin’ i Josoa teo anatrehan’ ny fiangonana, dia ny Isiraely rehetra, mbamin’ ny vehivavy sy ny ankizy madinika ary ny vahiny izay teo aminy.
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.

< Josoa 8 >