Hohua 24

1 Na ka whakaemia e Hohua nga iwi katoa o Iharaira ki Hekeme, a ka karangatia e ia nga kaumatua o Iharaira, o ratou ariki, o ratou kaiwhakawa, o ratou rangatira; a tu ana ratou i te aroaro o te Atua.

[Many years later], Joshua summoned representatives of all the tribes of Israel. He gathered together the elders, the leaders, the judges, and the other officials at Shechem [city]. He told them to listen to what God wanted to tell them.

2 Na ka mea a Hohua ki te iwi katoa, Ko te korero tenei a Ihowa, a te Atua o Iharaira, I noho o koutou matua i mua i tawahi o te awa, a Teraha matua o Aperahama, matua hoki o Nahora: i mahi ano hoki ki nga atua ke.

Joshua said to all of them, “This is what Yahweh, the God we Israeli people worship, is saying: ‘Long ago, your ancestors, including Abraham’s father Terah and Abraham’s younger brother Nahor, lived on the east side of the Euphrates River.

3 Na tangohia ana e ahau to koutou matua, a Aperahama i tawahi o te awa, a arahina ana a puta noa i te whenua o Kanaana, a whakanuia ana tona uri e ahau; i hoatu hoki a Ihaka ki a ia.

But I took your ancestor Abraham from that land east of the Euphrates River, and I led him as he lived in various places in this land of Canaan, and I enabled him to have many descendants. First, I enabled him to have a son, Isaac.

4 A hoatu ana e ahau a Hakopa raua ko Ehau ki a Ihaka: a hoatu ana e ahau a Maunga Heira ki a Ehau, hei kainga; ko Hakopa ia ratou ko ana tama i heke ki Ihipa.

When Isaac grew up, I enabled him to have twin sons, Jacob and Esau. I enabled Esau to live in the hilly area in Seir region, but many years later Jacob and his sons and their families went down to live in Egypt.

5 I tonoa ano e ahau a Mohi raua ko Arona, a patua iho e ahau a Ihipa, peratia ana me taku i mea ai i waenganui i a ratou: a muri iho ka whakaputaina mai koutou e ahau.

“[Many years later], I sent Moses and his older brother Aaron to help your people, and I caused [the people of] Egypt to suffer very much because of what I did there. Then I enabled your ancestors to leave Egypt.

6 A whakaputaina mai ana e ahau o koutou matua i Ihipa: a ka tae koutou ki te moana; na ka whai mai nga Ihipiana i muri i o koutou matua ki te Moana Whero, me nga hariata, me nga hoia eke hoiho.

When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, they came to the Red Sea. The Egyptian army pursued them, some riding in chariots and others on horses, and they also arrived at the Red Sea.

7 A, e ta ratou karangatanga ki a Ihowa, tukua iho ana e ia he pouri ki waenganui o koutou, o nga Ihipiana, a kawea mai ana e ia te moana ki runga ki a ratou, taupokina ana ratou: a i kite o koutou kanohi i nga mea i mea ai ahau ki Ihipa: a he maha nga ra i noho ai koutou i te koraha.

Then [your ancestors] pleaded with me to help them. So he caused (darkness/a very dark cloud) to come between your ancestors and the Egyptian army, so that the Egyptian army could not see your ancestors. I separated the water in the Red Sea so that your ancestors could cross it, but when the Egyptian army tried to cross in the same way to pursue them, I caused the water to come back and cover them, and the Egyptian soldiers all drowned, as your ancestors watched and were amazed [IDM]. But after that, you lived in the desert for many years.

8 Na kawea ana koutou e ahau ki te whenua o nga Amori, i noho ra i tawahi o Horano; a whawhai ana ratou ki a koutou: a tukua ana ratou e ahau ki o koutou ringa, na riro ana to ratou oneone i a koutou; a huna iho ratou e ahau i to koutou aroaro.

“Then I brought your [ancestors] to the area where the groups who were descendants of Amor lived, east of the Jordan River. They fought against you, but I enabled you to defeat them [IDM]. I [enabled you to] destroy them so that you could live in their land [IDM].

9 Na ka whakatika a Paraka tama a Tipora kingi o Moapa, kei te whawhai ki a Iharaira; a tikina ana e ia a Paraama tama a Peoro, hei kanga mo koutou:

Then, Zippor’s son Balak, the King of Moab, (decided that his army would fight against/opposed) the Israelis. He summoned Beor’s son Balaam and asked him to curse you.

10 Otiia kihai ahau i pai kia rongo ki a Paraama; na, ko te manaakitanga i manaaki ai ia i a koutou: a whakaorangia ake koutou e ahau i tona ringa.

But I would not do what Balaam asked, so he (blessed/said that I would do great things for) you four times, and I did not enable the army of Moab to defeat you [IDM].

11 Na ka whiti mai koutou i Horano, a ka tae ki Heriko: a whawhai ana nga tangata o Heriko ki a koutou, nga Amori, nga Perihi, nga Kanaani, nga Hiti, nga Kirikahi, nga Hiwi, me nga Iepuhi; a tukua ana ratou e ahau ki to koutou ringa.

“Then you all crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho. The people of Jericho prepared to fight against you, [and the armies of] the descendants of Amor, Periz, Canaan, Heth, Girgash, Hiv, and Jebus [all prepared to do the same thing] but I enabled you to defeat [IDM] them all.

12 A tonoa atu ana e ahau te horonete ki mua i a koutou, a nana ratou i pei i to koutou aroaro, ara nga kingi tokorua o nga Amori; ehara i te mea na tau hoari, na tau kopere ranei.

I am the one who caused them to panic as you advanced and enabled you to defeat them, as I had enabled you to do earlier to the two kings of the groups who were descendants of Amor. You did not defeat them by using your own bows and arrows and swords; [it was I who defeated them].

13 A hoatu ana e ahau ki a koutou he whenua kihai nei koutou i mahi, he pa hoki kihai i hanga e koutou, a noho ana koutou i reira; ehara i te mea whakato na koutou nga mara waina, mara oriwa ranei, e kainga nei e koutou.

So I gave you a land that you had not tilled/planted, and I gave you cities that you did not build. [Now] you live in those [cities] and you eat the grapes from the grapevines that you did not plant, and you eat olives from trees that you did not plant.’”

14 Na kona kia wehi i a Ihowa, mahi atu hoki ki a ia i runga i te tika, i runga i te pono: whakarerea atu hoki nga atua i mahi na o koutou matua ki a ratou i tawahi o te awa, i Ihipa hoki; a mahi atu ki a Ihowa.

[Then Joshua said to the people], “[Because of all that] Yahweh [has done for you], revere him, and serve/worship him very faithfully. Throw away the idols that your ancestors worshiped on the east/other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve only Yahweh.

15 A, ki te mea he kino ki to koutou whakaaro te mahi ki a Ihowa, ma koutou e whiriwhiri i tenei ra ko wai ta koutou e mahi ai; ki nga atua ranei i mahi ra o koutou matua ki a ratou i tawahi o te awa, ki nga atua ranei o nga Amori, e noho nei kouto u ki to ratou oneone: ko ahau ia me toku whare, ka mahi matou ki a Ihowa.

But if you do not want to serve/worship Yahweh, you should decide today what [gods] you will serve/worship. You should decide whether you will serve/worship the gods that your ancestors who lived on the other/east side of the Euphrates River served, or whether you will serve/worship the gods that the descendants of Amor, who previously lived in the land where you are now living, [serve/worship]. But as for me and my family [MTY], we will serve/worship Yahweh!”

16 Na ka whakautua e te iwi, ka mea, Aue, kia whakarere koia matou i a Ihowa, kia mahi ki nga atua ke!

The Israeli people answered, “We will never quit [serving/worshiping] Yahweh! We would never [think of] [IDM] serving/worshiping other gods!

17 Ko Ihowa hoki, ko to tatou Atua, nana tatou me o tatou matua i whakaputa mai: te whenua o Ihipa, i te whare pononga, nana hoki aua tohu nunui i mahi ki to tatou aroaro, a nana tatou i tiaki i te huarahi katoa i haere ra tatou i roto hoki i nga i wi katoa, i haere mai ra tatou ra waenganui i a ratou:

It was our God, Yahweh, who brought our parents and grandparents up out of Egypt. [He rescued them] from that land where they were slaves. As he rescued them, they saw him perform great miracles. He protected them all the time when they were traveling. He protected them from all the people-groups through whose territory they traveled.

18 Na Ihowa ano i pei i to tatou aroaro nga iwi katoa, ara nga Amori, i noho nei i tenei whenua: ina, ka mahi matou ki a Ihowa; ko ia hoki to tatou Atua.

As our forefathers advanced, Yahweh expelled the descendants of Amor and the other people-groups who lived in this land. Yahweh is our God, so [we are saying that] we also will serve/worship him.”

19 Na ka mea a Hohua ki te iwi, E kore e ahei i a koutou te mahi ki a Ihowa: he Atua tapu hoki ia; he Atua hae ia; e kore e tukua noatia e ia a koutou mahi tutu, o koutou hara.

Joshua replied to the people, “[I think that] you are not able to serve/worship Yahweh, because he is a holy God. He will not forgive your sinning and rebelling [against him]. He demands that you serve/worship only him [IDM].

20 Ki te whakarere koutou i a Ihowa, a ka mahi ki nga atua ke, na ka tahuri mai ia ka whakawhiu i a koutou, ka huna hoki i a koutou, i muri iho i tana mahi pai ki a koutou.

He has been good to you [in the past], but if you turn away from him and serve/worship foreign/other gods, he will turn [against you] and he will cause you to experience disasters. He will punish [IDM] you severely!”

21 Na ka mea te iwi ki a Hohua, Kahore; engari ka mahi matou ki a Ihowa.

But the people replied to Joshua, “No, [we will not turn away from worshiping/serving Yahweh] We will serve/worship Yahweh!”

22 Na ka mea a Hohua ki te iwi, Hei kaiwhakaatu koutou ki a koutou ano mo ta koutou whiriwhiri a Ihowa, kia mahi ki a ia. A ka mea ratou, Ae, hei kaiwhakaatu matou.

Then Joshua said, “You yourselves are saying that you have decided to serve/worship Yahweh.” They replied, “Yes, we are saying that.”

23 Na reira, e ai ki tana, whakarerea atu nga atua ke i waenganui i a koutou na, ka whakatahuri i o koutou ngakau ki a Ihowa, ki te Atua o Iharaira.

Then Joshua said, “Since [you have decided] that, you must throw away all the other gods/idols that you have among you. You must also promise that you will wholeheartedly give yourselves to Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [serve/worship].”

24 Katahi ka mea te iwi ki a Hohua, Ka mahi matou ki a Ihowa, ki to tatou Atua, ko tona reo hoki ta matou e whakarongo ai.

The people replied, “We will serve/worship Yahweh, our God, and obey him.”

25 A whakaritea iho e Hohua he kawenata ki te iwi i taua rangi ano, a hoatu ana e ia ki a ratou tetahi tikanga me tetahi ritenga i Hekeme.

That day, Joshua established an agreement between the people and Yahweh. He wrote for them all the laws that they were required to obey.

26 A tuhituhia ana e Hohua enei kupu ki te pukapuka o te ture a te Atua; a ka tango ia i tetahi kohatu nui, whakaarahia ake ana i reira i raro i te oki, i te taha o te whare tapu o Ihowa.

He wrote all those laws on a scroll. He called it ‘The laws of God’. Then he [told some men to] set up a large stone there at Shechem, under the [large] oak tree near the place where [they worshiped] Yahweh.

27 A ka mea a Hohua ki te iwi katoa, Nana, ko tenei kohatu hei kaiwhakaatu ki a tatou; kua rongo hoki ia i nga kupu katoa a Ihowa i korerotia e ia ki a tatou: na hei kaiwhakaatu ia ki a koutou, kei whakakahore ki to koutou Atua.

He said to all the people, “Look! [It is as though] this stone has heard everything that Yahweh said to you [and that you promised Yahweh]. It will serve as a witness against you if you rebel against your God!”

28 Heoi tukua ana e Hohua te iwi kia haere, tena tangata, tena ki tona wahi ake.

Then Joshua sent the people away, and all of them returned to their own areas/homes.

29 A, muri iho i enei mea, na ka mate a Hohua tama a Nunu, te pononga a Ihowa, a kotahi rau kotahi tekau ona tau i ora ai.

Some time after that, Nun’s son Joshua, the faithful servant of Yahweh, died. He was 110 years old when he died.

30 A tanumia iho ia e ratou ki te rohe o tona kainga, ki Timenata Hera, ki te whenua pukepuke o Eparaima, ki te taha ki te raki o Maunga Kaaha.

The Israeli people buried his body on his own property in Timnath-Serah [town] town. It is north of Gaash Mountain in the hilly area of the tribe who were descendants of Ephraim.

31 A i mahi a Iharaira ki a Ihowa i nga ra katoa o Hohua, i nga ra katoa ano o nga kaumatua i hipa ake o ratou ra i o Hohua, i mohio hoki ki nga mahi katoa a Ihowa i mahi ai mo Iharaira.

The Israeli people served/worshiped Yahweh as long as Joshua was alive. After Joshua died, they continued serving/worshiping Yahweh while the elders who had experienced everything that Yahweh had done for the Israeli people were still alive.

32 A ko nga wheua o Hohepa, i maua mai e nga tama a Iharaira i Ihipa, i tanumia e ratou ki Hekeme, ki te wahi o te mara i hokona e Hakopa i nga tama a Hamora matua o Hekeme ki nga moni kotahi rau: na riro ana taua wahi i nga tama a Hohepa hei kaing a tupu.

Joseph’s bones, which the Israeli people had brought with them from Egypt, were also buried at Shechem. The people buried them in the piece of land that Jacob had bought long ago for 100 pieces of silver from Hamor, the father of Shechem. That piece of land was in the area that was given to the people who were descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, Joseph’s sons.

33 Na ka mate a Ereatara tama a Arona; a tanumia ana ki te pukepuke o tana tama, o Pinehaha, i homai ki a ia i te whenua pukepuke o Eparaima.

Eleazar, the Supreme Priest, the son of Aaron, also died. They buried his body at Gibeah, in the area that had been given to Eleazar’s son Phinehas, in the hilly area that belonged to the people who were descendants of Ephraim.