Yoshua 21

1 Basi viongozi wa jamaa ya Walawi, wakamwendea kuhani Eleazari, Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na viongozi wa jamaa nyingine za makabila ya Israeli

While Eleazar the Supreme Priest and Joshua and the leaders of all the Israeli tribes were at Shiloh, the leaders of the clans of the tribe of Levi went to them and said, “Yahweh commanded Moses that you should give us towns where we can have pasture/fields/grassland for our animals, [but you have not done these things yet].”

2 huko Shilo katika Kanaani na kuwaambia, “Bwana aliamuru kupitia Mose kuwa mtupe miji ya kuishi yenye sehemu za malisho kwa mifugo yetu.”

3 Hivyo kama vile Bwana alivyoamuru, Waisraeli wakawapa Walawi miji ifuatayo pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho kutoka urithi wao wenyewe.

So the Israeli leaders obeyed this command from Yahweh. They agreed to give towns and pasturelands to the tribe of Levi.

4 Kura ya kwanza ikaangukia Wakohathi, ukoo kwa ukoo. Walawi waliokuwa wazao wa kuhani Aroni walipewa miji kumi na mitatu kutoka makabila ya Yuda, Simeoni na Benyamini.

[First] they allotted some cities to the Kohath clans, who belonged to the tribe of Levi. To those who were descendants of the first Supreme Priest Aaron, they allotted 13 towns in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

5 Wazao wengine waliobaki wa Wakohathi walipewa miji kumi kutoka koo za makabila ya Efraimu, Dani na nusu ya Manase.

To the other members of the Kohath clan they allotted ten cities in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the part of the tribe of Manasseh [that lives on the west side of the Jordan River].

6 Wazao wa Gershoni walipewa miji kumi na mitatu kutoka koo za makabila ya Isakari, Asheri, Naftali na nusu ya Manase huko Bashani.

The people from the Gershon clans were allotted 13 cities in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the part of the tribe of Manasseh that lives on the east side of the Jordan [River].

7 Wazao wa Merari, ukoo kwa ukoo, walipewa miji kumi na miwili kutoka makabila ya Reubeni, Gadi na Zabuloni.

The people from the Merari clans were allotted twelve cities in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

8 Kwa hiyo Waisraeli wakawapa Walawi miji hii pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, kama vile Bwana alivyokuwa ameamuru kupitia kwa Mose.

So the Israeli leaders gave cities and pastureland to the tribe of Levi, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses that they should do.

9 Kutoka makabila ya Yuda na Simeoni waligawa miji ifuatayo kwa majina

These are the names of the cities and surrounding pasturelands that were allotted to them, that were in the areas where the tribes of Judah and Simeon lived.

10 (miji hii walipewa wazao wa Aroni ambao walitokana na koo za Wakohathi wa Walawi, kwa sababu kura ya kwanza iliwaangukia):

First, they allotted cities to the members of the Kohath clans.

11 Waliwapa Kiriath-Arba (yaani Hebroni), pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho zilizoizunguka, katika nchi ya vilima ya Yuda. (Arba alikuwa baba wa Anaki.)

They allotted to them Kiriath-Arba (which is [now named] Hebron), in the hilly area of Judah. Arba received its name because Arba was the ancestor of [the giants of] the Anak people-group.

12 Lakini mashamba na vijiji vilivyozunguka mji mkubwa walikuwa wamempa Kalebu mwana wa Yefune kuwa milki yake.

But the fields and villages surrounding Arba had already been allotted to Caleb.

13 Kwa hiyo wazao wa kuhani Aroni wakapewa Hebroni (mji mkuu wa makimbilio kwa ajili ya yeyote aliyeshtakiwa kwa mauaji), Libna,

They allotted to them Hebron, which was one of the cities to which people could run/escape to be safe/protected. They also allotted to the Kohath clan the cities of Libnah,

14 Yatiri, Eshtemoa,

Jattir, Eshtemoa,

15 Holoni, Debiri,

Holon, Debir,

16 Aini, Yuta na Beth-Shemeshi, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji tisa kutoka kwa makabila haya mawili.

Ain, Juttah, and Beth-Shemesh. Altogether they were allotted those nine cities which were located in the areas that had been allotted to the tribes of Judah and Simeon.

17 Kutoka kabila la Benyamini wakawapa Gibeoni, Geba,

The Kohath clan was also allotted these four cities: Gibeon, Geba,

18 Anathothi na Almoni, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne.

Anathoth, and Almon. Those cities were in the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Benjamin.

19 Miji yote waliyopewa makuhani, wazao wa Aroni, ilikuwa kumi na mitatu, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho.

Altogether those 13 towns and surrounding pastureland were allotted to the priests who were descended from Aaron.

20 Koo nyingine za Wakohathi, ambao pia ni Walawi, walipewa miji kutoka kabila la Efraimu:

The other members the Kohath clan were allotted four cities and the surrounding pastureland in the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Ephraim.

21 Katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu walipewa Shekemu (mji mkubwa wa makimbilio kwa yeyote anayeshtakiwa kwa mauaji) na Gezeri,

Those cities were Shechem (which was one of the cities to which people could run/escape to be safe/protected), Gezer,

22 Kibsaimu na Beth-Horoni, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne.

Kibzaim, and Beth-Horon.

23 Pia kutoka kabila la Dani wakapokea Elteke, Gibethoni,

They were also allotted four cities and surrounding pastureland in the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Dan. Those cities were Eltekeh, Gibbethon,

24 Aiyaloni na Gath-Rimoni pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne

Aijalon, and Gath-Rimmon.

25 Kutoka nusu ya kabila la Manase, wakapokea Taanaki na Gath-Rimoni pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji miwili.

They were also allotted two towns and surrounding pastureland that had been allotted to [the] part of the tribe of Manasseh [that lived on the west side of the Jordan River]. Those cities were Taanach and Gath-Rimmon.

26 Miji yote hii kumi pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho ilipewa koo za Wakohathi zilizobaki.

Those were the ten cities and surrounding pastureland that were allotted to the other members of the Kohath clan.

27 Koo za Walawi za Wagershoni walipewa: kutoka nusu ya kabila la Manase, Golani katika Bashani (mji mkuu wa makimbilio kwa yeyote aliyeshtakiwa kwa mauaji) na Beeshtera, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji miwili;

They also allotted towns and the surrounding pastureland to the Gershon clans. Those clans were also descended from Levi. They were allotted two cities from the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Manasseh [that is on the east side of the Jordan River]. Those cities were Golan in the Bashan region, which was one of the cities to which people could run/escape to be safe/protected, and Be-Eshtarah.

28 kutoka kabila la Isakari walipewa, Kishioni, Daberathi,

From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Issachar they were allotted four cities. Those cities were Kishion, Daberath,

29 Yarmuthi na En-Ganimu, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne

Jarmuth, and En-Gannim.

30 kutoka kabila la Asheri walipewa, Mishali, Abdoni,

From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Asher they were allotted four cities. Those cities were Mishal, Abdon,

31 Helkathi na Rehobu, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne.

Helkath, and Rehob.

32 Kutoka kabila la Naftali walipewa, Kedeshi katika Galilaya (mji wa makimbilio kwa ajili ya yeyote anayeshtakiwa kwa mauaji), Hamoth-Dori na Kartani, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji mitano.

From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Naphtali they were allotted three cities. Those cities were Kedesh in the Galilee region (it was one of the cities to which people could run/escape to be safe/protected), Hammoth-Dor, and Kartan.

33 Miji yote ya koo za Wagershoni ilikuwa kumi na mitatu, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho.

So altogether the Gershon clans were allotted 13 cities and the surrounding pasturelands.

34 Koo za Wamerari (Walawi waliobaki) walipewa: kutoka kabila la Zabuloni, Yokneamu, Karta,

The other descendants of Levi, the ones who belonged to the Merari clans, were also allotted towns and their surrounding pasturelands. From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Zebulun they were allotted four cities. They were Jokneam, Kartah,

35 Dimna na Nahalali, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne;

Dimnah, and Nahalal.

36 kutoka kabila la Reubeni walipewa Bezeri, Yahasa,

From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Reuben they were allotted four cities. They were Bezer, Jahaz,

37 Kedemothi na Mefaathi, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne;

Kedemoth, and Mephaath.

38 kutoka kabila la Gadi walipewa, Ramothi katika Gileadi (mji wa makimbilio kwa ajili ya yeyote anayeshtakiwa kwa ajili ya mauaji), Mahanaimu,

From the area that had been allotted to the tribe of Gad they were allotted four cities. They were Ramoth, which was one of the cities in the Gilead region to which people could run/escape to be safe/protected, Mahanaim,

39 Heshboni na Yazeri, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho, ilikuwa miji minne.

Heshbon, and Jazer.

40 Miji yote waliyopewa koo za Wamerari, waliokuwa mabaki ya Walawi, ilikuwa ni kumi na miwili.

Altogether twelve cities were allotted to the Merari clans.

41 Miji yote ya Walawi katika eneo lililoshikwa na Waisraeli lilikuwa arobaini na minane, pamoja na sehemu zake za malisho.

So altogether 48 cities were allotted to the tribe of Levi,

42 Kila mmoja wa miji hii ulikuwa na sehemu ya malisho kuuzunguka; ndivyo ilivyokuwa kwa miji hii yote.

and each city had surrounding pastureland.

43 Kwa hiyo Bwana akawapa Israeli nchi yote aliyokuwa ameapa kuwapa baba zao, nao wakaimiliki na kukaa humo.

In that way Yahweh allotted to the Israeli people all the land that he had promised to give to their/our ancestors. The Israeli people took control of [most of] those areas and started to live there.

44 Bwana akawapa pumziko kila upande, kama vile alivyokuwa amewaapia baba zao, hakuna hata mmoja wa adui zao aliyeweza kusimama mbele yao, Bwana akawatia adui zao wote mikononi mwao.

Just like he had promised our ancestors, Yahweh allowed them/us to have peace with the enemies that surrounded them/us. Yahweh enabled the Israelis/us to defeat their/our enemies.

45 Hakuna hata mojawapo ya ahadi nzuri ya Bwana kwa nyumba ya Israeli ambayo haikutimia; kila moja ilitimia.

Yahweh did all the things that he had promised to the Israeli people/us. Everything that he said would happen did happen.