Yosua 9

1 Afei, ahemfo a wɔwɔ Yordan atɔe fam no nyinaa tee nsɛm a asisi. Eyinom ne Hetifo, Amorifo, Kanaanfo, Perisifo, Hewifo ne Yebusifo ahemfo a na wɔtete mmepɔw nsase a ɛwɔ atɔe fam mmepɔw no ase ne Po Kɛse no mpoano kosi Lebanon atifi fam mmepɔw no so tɔnn.

Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)—

2 Saa ahemfo yi boaa wɔn nsraadɔm ano ntɛm so sɛ wɔbɛko atia Yosua ne Israelfo.

they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

3 Nanso Gibeonfo tee asɛm a ato Yeriko ne Ai no,

But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

4 wɔfaa nnaadaa kwan so de gyee wɔn ho nkwa. Wɔsomaa ananmusifo kɔɔ Yosua nkyɛn. Wɔde nkotoku a atetew ne mmoa nhoma nsa nkotoku a ayɛ dedaw na wɔatetare mu soaa wɔn mfurum.

acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

5 Wɔhyehyɛɛ ntade dedaw ne mpaboa a akyɛ na wɔapempam. Afei wɔfaa brodo a abɔ ntuw sɛ wɔn aduan.

They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.

6 Woduu Israelfo atenae wɔ Gilgal no, wɔka kyerɛɛ Yosua ne Israel mmarima no se, “Yefi akyirikyiri man bi so na aba rebɛsrɛ mo sɛ mo ne yɛn nyɛ asomdwoe apam.”

They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”

7 Israelfo no buaa saa Hewifo yi sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛahu sɛ monnte mmɛn ha? Efisɛ sɛ ɛte saa a, yɛrentumi ne mo nnyɛ apam.”

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”

8 Wobuae se, “Yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfo.” Yosua bisaa wɔn se, “Moyɛ ɛhefo na mufi he?”

“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”

9 Wobuaa se, “Yefi akyirikyiri asase bi so. Yɛate Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no kɛseyɛ ne nea ɔyɛɛ wɔ Misraim nyinaa.

“Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt,

10 Afei yɛate nea ɔyɛɛ Amorifo ahemfo baanu wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apuei fam, Hesbonhene Sihon ne Basanhene Og (a ɔtenaa Astarot no).

and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

11 Ɛno nti, yɛn mpanyimfo ne ɔmanfo no ka kyerɛɛ yɛn ɔhyɛ so sɛ, ‘Munsiesie mo ho mma akwantu tenten. Munkohyia Israelfo na mompae mu nka se “Yɛn nkurɔfo bɛyɛ wɔn asomfo na mompere asomdwoe.”’

So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’

12 Yɛresi mu no, na brodo yi yɛ hyerehyere a efi fonoo mu. Nanso sɛnea muhu no, akyenkyen na abɔ ntuw.

This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy.

13 Saa mmoa nhoma nsa nkotoku yi, bere a yɛde nsa guu mu no na ɛyɛ foforo, nanso mprempren, apaapae ayɛ dedaw. Na yɛn ntade ne mpaboa nso, esiane akwantu tenten nti, atetew.”

These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”

14 Enti Israelfo no hwehwɛɛ wɔn brodo no ho nanso wɔammisa Awurade.

Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

15 Yosua kɔɔ so ne wɔn yɛɛ asomdwoe apam no na Israel mpanyimfo no kekaa ntam a emu yɛ den nam so gye too mu.

And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 Nnansa akyi no, nokware no daa adi sɛ saa nnipa a wɔyɛ Gibeonfo no te bɛn.

Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.

17 Enti Israelfo no anna so koraa na wɔyɛɛ sɛ wɔbɛyɛ nhwehwɛmu. Nnansa akyi no woduu wɔn nkurow no so. Saa nkurow no ne Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot ne Kiriat-Yearim.

So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

18 Nanso Israelfo no antow anhyɛ nkurow no so, efisɛ na wɔn mpanyimfo aka ntam akyerɛ Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn. Esiane Apam no nti, Israelfo no nwiinwii hyɛɛ wɔn mpanyimfo no.

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

19 Na mpanyimfo no buae se, “Yɛaka ntam wɔ Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn anim. Yɛrentumi mfa yɛn nsa nka wɔn.

All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

20 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛma wɔtena. Sɛ yebu yɛn ntam no so a, Onyankopɔn bo befuw yɛn.

This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

21 Momma wɔntena. Nanso, yɛbɛma wɔabu nnua, akɔ asu ama asafo no nyinaa.” Enti Israelfo no dii bɔ a wɔahyɛ Gibeonfo no so.

They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

22 Na Yosua frɛɛ Gibeonfo mpanyimfo no bisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na mutwaa atoro kyerɛɛ yɛn? Adɛn nti na mokaa se mote akyirikyiri asase so wɔ bere a mote yɛn mu pɛɛ?

Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

23 Nnome mmra mo so! Efi nnɛ rekɔ, mubebu nnua, atwe nsu de akɔ me Nyankopɔn fi.”

Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

24 Wobuaa Yosua se, “Yɛyɛɛ saa, efisɛ wɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn se, Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn hyɛɛ ne somfo Mose sɛ ɔmmɛko nni saa asase yi nyinaa so na ɔnsɛe nnipa a wɔte so nyinaa. Yesuroo sɛ mubekunkum yɛn. Ɛno nti na ɛma yɛyɛɛ saa.

The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this.

25 Mprempren yɛdan mo. Nea mususuw sɛ eye ma mo biara no, monyɛ.”

Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

26 Yosua amma Israelfo no ankum wɔn.

So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.

27 Na ɛda no, ɔmaa Gibeonfo no yɛɛ nnuabufo ne asukɔfo maa Israelfo ne Awurade afɔremuka no wɔ baabiara a Awurade bɛka sɛ wonsi no no. Saa nhyehyɛe no wɔ hɔ de besi nnɛ.

On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.