Yoshua 8
1 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Usiogope, wala usivunjike moyo. Chukua jeshi lote la vita uende pamoja nalo kuishambulia Ai. Kwa kuwa nimeshamweka mikononi mwako mfalme wa Ai, pamoja na watu wake, mji wake na nchi yake.
Then the Lord said to Joshua: “You should not fear, and you should not dread. Take with you the entire multitude of fighters, and rising up, ascend to the town of Ai. Behold, I have delivered into your hand its king and people, and the city and the land.
2 Utafanya Ai na mfalme wake kama ulivyofanya kwa mji wa Yeriko na mfalme wake, isipokuwa mnaweza kuchukua mateka wake na mifugo wake, kwa ajili yenu. Weka waviziaji upande wa nyuma ya mji.”
And you shall do to the city of Ai, and to its king, just as you did to Jericho, and to its king. Yet truly, the spoils, and all the living things, you shall plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush against the city behind it.”
3 Basi Yoshua na jeshi lote wakainuka kushambulia Ai. Akachagua watu mashujaa elfu thelathini walio bora miongoni mwa wapiganaji wake, akawapeleka wakati wa usiku
And Joshua rose up, and the entire army of warriors with him, so that they might ascend against Ai. And he sent thirty thousand elect strong men in the night.
4 akiwaagiza: “Sikilizeni kwa makini. Mtavizia nyuma ya mji. Msiende mbali sana na mji. Wote kuweni macho.
And he instructed them, saying: “Set an ambush behind the city. You shall withdraw not far away, and let everyone be prepared.
5 Mimi na watu walio pamoja nami, tutaukabili mji, kisha itakuwa hapo watu watakapotoka nje kupigana nasi, kama walivyofanya hapo kwanza, sisi tutawakimbia.
But I and the remainder of the multitude that is with me will approach from the opposite side of the city. And when they come out against us, we will flee and turn our backs, just as we did before,
6 Watatufuatilia mpaka tutakapokuwa tumewavuta mbali na mji kwa kuwa watasema, ‘Wanatukimbia, kama walivyofanya hapo awali.’ Hivyo tutakapowakimbia,
until, pursuing us, they are drawn away from the city. For they will think that we are fleeing as before.
7 ninyi inawapasa mwinuke mtoke huko mafichoni na kuuteka mji. Bwana Mungu wenu atautia mkononi mwenu.
Then, while we are fleeing and they are pursuing, you shall rise up from the ambush, and you shall lay waste to the city. And the Lord your God will deliver it into your hands.
8 Mtakapokuwa mmeuteka mji, uteketezeni kwa moto. Fanyeni kama vile Bwana alivyoamuru. Angalieni, nimewaagiza.”
And when you have seized it, set it on fire. And you shall do all that I have ordered.”
9 Ndipo Yoshua akawatuma watu, nao wakaenda mahali pa kujificha, wakawa wanavizia kati ya Betheli na Ai, kuelekea upande wa magharibi wa Ai, lakini Yoshua akalala miongoni mwa watu usiku huo.
And he sent them away, and they traveled to the place of the ambush, and they settled between Bethel and Ai, toward the western region of the city of Ai. But Joshua remained for that night in the midst of the people.
10 Asubuhi na mapema siku iliyofuatia, Yoshua akawakutanisha watu wake, na yeye na viongozi wa Israeli wakawa mbele ya watu kwenda Ai.
And rising at first light, he reviewed his troops, and he went up, with the elders at the front of the army, surrounded by an auxiliary of fighters.
11 Watu wote wa vita waliokuwa pamoja naye walipanda, wakakaribia na kufika mbele ya mji. Wakapiga kambi kaskazini mwa Ai, pakiwa na bonde kati yao na huo mji.
And when they had arrived, and had ascended from the opposite side of the city, they stood toward the northern region of the city. And there was a valley in the middle, between them and the city.
12 Yoshua alikuwa amewachukua watu wapatao elfu tano, akawaweka katika uavizi kati ya Betheli na Ai, upande wa magharibi wa mji.
Now he had chosen five thousand men, and he had positioned them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, at the western part of the same city.
13 Wakawaweka askari katika maeneo yao: wale wote waliokuwa kambini wakawa kaskazini ya mji na wale waliokuwa wakivizia wakawa upande wa magharibi. Usiku huo Yoshua akaenda katika lile bonde.
Yet truly, all the remainder of the army was arranged in a line to the north, so that the very end of that multitude reached to the western region of the city. Then Joshua went out that night, and he stood in the middle of the valley.
14 Mfalme wa Ai alipoona jambo hili, yeye pamoja na watu wote wa mji wakatoka kwa haraka asubuhi na mapema, ili kukutana na Israeli katika vita mahali fulani panapotazamana na Araba. Lakini hakujua kwamba kulikuwa kumewekwa waviziaji dhidi yake nyuma ya mji.
And when the king of Ai had seen this, he hurried in the morning, and he went out with the entire army of the city. And he arranged them in a line opposite the desert, not knowing that an ambush lay hidden behind his back.
15 Yoshua na Israeli wote wakaruhusu kurudishwa nyuma mbele yao, na kuelekea jangwani.
Yet truly, Joshua, and all of Israel, withdrew from the place, pretending to be afraid, and fleeing along the way of the wilderness.
16 Watu wote wa Ai wakaitwa ili kuwafuatia, nao wakavutwa kumfuatia Yoshua mbali na mji.
And they pursued them, shouting together and encouraging one another. And when they had withdrawn from the city,
17 Hakuna hata mwanaume mmoja aliyebakia Ai wala Betheli ambaye hakufuatia Israeli. Wakauacha mji wazi na kuwafuatia Israeli.
and indeed not one remained in the city of Ai and of Bethel who did not pursue after Israel, (leaving the towns open after they had rushed out, )
18 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Inua huo mkuki ulio mkononi mwako kuuelekeza Ai, kwa kuwa nitautia huo mji mkononi mwako.” Hivyo Yoshua akauelekeza mkuki wake Ai.
the Lord said to Joshua: “Lift up the shield that is in your hand, toward the city of Ai. For I will deliver it to you.”
19 Mara tu alipofanya hivi, wale watu waliokuwa mavizioni wakaondoka upesi kutoka mahali pao na kukimbilia mbele. Wakaingia ndani ya mji, wakauteka na kuutia moto kwa haraka.
And when he had lifted up the shield toward the city, the ambush, which lay hidden, rose up quickly. And advancing to the city, they seized it, and set it on fire.
20 Watu wa Ai wakaangalia nyuma, wakauona moshi wa huo mji ukielekea angani lakini hawakuwa na nafasi ya kutoroka kwa upande wowote, kwa kuwa wale Waisraeli waliokuwa wanawakimbia kuelekea jangwani walikuwa wamegeuka nyuma kuwakabili wakimbizaji wao.
Now the men of the city who were pursuing Joshua, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rising up even to heaven, were no longer able to flee in one direction or another, especially since those who had pretended to flee, and who were heading toward the wilderness, had turned back very strongly against those who were pursuing them.
21 Basi Yoshua na Israeli wote walipoona kwamba waviziaji wameshauteka mji na moshi ulikuwa unapaa juu kutoka kwenye mji, wakawageukia watu wa Ai na kuwashambulia.
And Joshua, and all of Israel, seeing that the city had been captured, and that the smoke of the city was ascending, returned and struck down the men of Ai.
22 Wale waviziaji nao pia wakatoka nje ya mji dhidi yao, hivi kwamba wakashikiwa katikati, Waisraeli wakiwa pande zote mbili. Israeli wakawaua, bila kuwaachia yeyote aliyenusurika wala aliyetoroka.
Then too, those who had seized and set the city on fire, departing from the city toward their own men, began to strike the enemies in the middle. Therefore, since the adversaries were cut off from both sides, none of so great a multitude was saved.
23 Lakini wakamchukua mfalme wa Ai akiwa hai na kumleta kwa Yoshua.
Also, they apprehended the king of the city of Ai, alive, and they brought him before Joshua.
24 Israeli ilipomaliza kuwaua wanaume wote wa Ai katika mashamba na jangwani walipokuwa wamewafukuzia, na baada ya kila mmoja wao kuuawa kwa upanga, Waisraeli wote wakarudi Ai na kuwaua wale waliokuwa wamebakia mjini.
And so, after all were slain who had pursued Israel fleeing toward the wilderness, and after they fell by the sword in the same place, the sons of Israel returned and struck the city.
25 Watu kumi na mbili elfu, waume kwa wake, waliangamia siku ile, yaani watu wote wa Ai.
Now there were twelve thousand persons who had fallen on the same day, from man even to woman, the entire city of Ai.
26 Kwa maana Yoshua hakuurudisha ule mkono wake uliokuwa umeuinua mkuki hadi alipomaliza kuwaangamiza wote walioishi Ai.
Truly Joshua did not draw back his hand, which he had stretched out on high, keeping hold of the shield until all the inhabitants of Ai were put to death.
27 Lakini Israeli wakajichukulia mifugo na nyara za mji huu, kama vile Bwana alivyokuwa amemwagiza Yoshua.
Then the sons of Israel divided among themselves the cattle and the plunder of the city, just as the Lord had instructed Joshua.
28 Kwa hiyo Yoshua akauchoma moto mji wa Ai na kuufanya kuwa lundo la magofu la kudumu, mahali pa ukiwa hadi leo.
And he set fire to the city, and he caused it to be a perpetual tomb.
29 Akamwangika mfalme wa Ai kwenye mti na kumwacha hapo mpaka jioni. Wakati wa jua kutua, Yoshua akawaamuru wautoe mwili wake kwenye mti na kuutupa kwenye ingilio la lango la mji. Kisha wakalundika mawe makubwa mengi juu yake, ambayo yamesalia mpaka leo.
Also, he suspended the king on a gallows, until evening and the setting of the sun. And Joshua instructed, and they took down his dead body from the hanging tree. And they cast it at the very entrance of the city, gathering a great pile of stones upon it, which remains even to the present day.
30 Kisha Yoshua akajenga madhabahu ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, katika Mlima wa Ebali,
Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,
31 kama Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alivyokuwa amewaamuru Waisraeli. Akaijenga sawasawa na ilivyoandikwa katika Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose: madhabahu ya mawe yasiyochongwa, ambayo juu yake hakuna chombo cha chuma kilichotumika. Hapo juu yake wakamtolea Bwana sadaka za kuteketezwa na kutoa sadaka za amani.
just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had instructed to the sons of Israel, and this was written in the book of the law of Moses: truly, an altar of uncut stones, which iron has not touched. And he offered holocausts upon it to the Lord, and he immolated victims as peace-offerings.
32 Pale, mbele ya Waisraeli Yoshua akanakili juu ya hayo mawe sheria ya Mose, aliyokuwa ameiandika.
And he wrote on the stones, the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses, which he had set in order before the sons of Israel.
33 Israeli yote, wageni na wazawa sawasawa, wakiwa na wazee wao, maafisa na waamuzi, walikuwa wamesimama pande zote mbili za Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, wakiwaelekea wale waliokuwa wamelichukua, yaani makuhani, ambao ni Walawi. Nusu ya watu ilisimama mbele ya Mlima Gerizimu na nusu hiyo ingine ikasimama mbele ya Mlima Ebali, kama vile Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alivyokuwa ameamuru hapo mwanzo alipotoa maagizo ya kuwabariki watu wa Israeli.
Then all the people, and those greater by birth, and the commanders and judges were standing on both sides of the ark, in the sight of the priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, with both the new arrival and the native born, one half part of them beside Mount Gerizim, and one half beside Mount Ebal, just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had instructed. And first, certainly, he blessed the people of Israel.
34 Hatimaye, Yoshua akasoma maneno yote ya sheria, yaani baraka na laana, kama vile ilivyoandikwa katika Kitabu cha Sheria.
After this, he read all the words of the blessing and the cursing, and all the things that were written in the book of the law.
35 Hakuna neno lolote katika yale yote ambayo Mose alikuwa ameamuru ambalo Yoshua hakulisomea kusanyiko lote la Israeli, ikiwa ni pamoja na wanawake na watoto, na wageni walioishi miongoni mwao.
He left nothing untouched out of those things that Moses had ordered, and he repeated everything before the entire multitude of Israel, with the women and the little ones, and the new arrivals who were staying among them.
