Yosua 22

1 Afei, Yosua frɛɛ Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo ne Manase abusuakuo fa no nyinaa.

In the same time, Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the one half tribe of Manasseh.

2 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moayɛ sɛdeɛ Mose, Awurade ɔsomfoɔ hyɛɛ mo sɛ monyɛ no na moadi ɔhyɛ asɛm biara a mehyɛ maa mo no so.

And he said to them: “You have done all that Moses, the servant of the Lord, instructed you. You have also obeyed me in all things.

3 Ɛwom sɛ dwumadie no agye berɛ tenten bi deɛ, nanso moampa mmusuakuo a aka no akyi. Moato mo bo ase adi mmara a Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn hyɛ maa mo no so de abɛsi ɛnnɛ.

Neither have you forsaken your brothers during this long time, even to the present day, keeping the orders of the Lord your God.

4 Na seesei Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn ama mmusuakuo a aka no ahomegyeɛ sɛdeɛ ɔhyɛɛ wɔn bɔ no. Enti, monkɔ mo nkyi wɔ asase a Mose, Awurade ɔsomfoɔ no de maa mo wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam no so.

Therefore, since the Lord your God has given your brothers peace and quiet, just as he promised: return, and go into your tents and into the land of your possession, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, delivered to you beyond the Jordan.

5 Monhwɛ yie na monni mmara a Mose hyɛ maa mo no so. Monnɔ Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn. Monnante nʼakwan nyinaa so, monni nʼahyɛdeɛ so, monni no nokorɛ na momfa mo akoma nyinaa ne mo kra nyinaa nsom no.”

And may you continue to observe attentively, and to work to fulfill, the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the Lord, instructed to you, so that you may love the Lord your God, and walk in all his ways, and keep all his commandments, and cling to him, and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

6 Na Yosua hyiraa wɔn, gyaa wɔn kwan ma wɔkɔɔ fie.

And Joshua blessed them, and he sent them away. And they returned to their tents.

7 Mose de Basan asase a ɛwɔ Yordan apueeɛ fam no maa Manase abusuakuo fa no. Abusuakuo no fa a aka no nso, wɔde asase no fa a ɛda Yordan atɔeɛ fam no maa wɔn. Yosua regya wɔn kwan no, ɔhyiraa wɔn,

Now to the one half tribe of Manasseh, Moses had given a possession in Bashan. And therefore, to the one half that was left over, Joshua gave a lot among the remainder of their brothers across the Jordan, in the western region. And when he had blessed them and dismissed them to their tents,

8 kaa sɛ, “Agyapadeɛ bebrebe a moanya afiri mo atamfoɔ nkyɛn no, mo ne mo abusuafoɔ a wɔwɔ fie no nkyɛ. Anantwie dodoɔ ne nnwan bebrebe no, mo dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ, mo kɔbere mfrafraeɛ, dadeɛ ne aduradeɛ no nyinaa, mo ne wɔn nkyɛ.”

he said to them: “Return to your settlements with much substance and wealth, with silver and gold, brass and iron, and a multitude of garments. Divide the spoils of your enemies with your brothers.”

9 Enti, Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no gyaa Israelfoɔ nkaeɛ no hɔ wɔ Silo a ɛwɔ Kanaan asase so. Wɔhyɛɛ wɔn akwantuo ase sɛ wɔresane akɔ wɔn ankasa asase a ɛwɔ Gilead, asase a na ɛyɛ wɔn dea dada a Awurade hyɛɛ Mose ma ɔde maa wɔn no so.

And the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the one half tribe of Manasseh returned, and they went away from the sons of Israel at Shiloh, which is situated in Canaan, so that they might enter into Gilead, the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the order of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.

10 Wɔda so wɔ Kanaan no, ansa na wɔbɛtwa Asubɔnten Yordan no, Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no sii afɔrebukyia kɛseɛ bi wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan nkyɛn, wɔ faako a wɔfrɛ hɔ Gelilot no.

And when they had arrived at the hills of the Jordan in the land of Canaan, they built an altar of immense magnitude beside the Jordan.

11 Israelfoɔ a wɔaka no tee sɛ wɔasi afɔrebukyia wɔ Gelilot wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan atɔeɛ fam, wɔ Kanaan asase so no,

And when the sons of Israel had heard of it, and certain messengers had reported to them that the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh had built an altar in the land of Canaan, upon the hills of the Jordan, facing the sons of Israel,

12 wɔn nyinaa boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ Silo, siesiee wɔn ho sɛ wɔrekɔko atia wɔn nuanom.

they all assembled at Shiloh, so that they might go up and battle against them.

13 Deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, wɔtuu nnipa a ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima Pinehas tua wɔn ano kɔɔ Gilead. Wɔtwaa asubɔnten no sɛ wɔne Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no rekɔkasa.

And in the interim, they sent to them, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the priest,

14 Nnipa a wɔtuu wɔn no yɛ mpanimfoɔ edu a obiara gyina hɔ ma Israel mmusuakuo edu no mu baako, na ɔsane yɛ ɔkandifoɔ ma Israel mmusua no mu baako.

and ten leaders with him, one from each tribe.

15 Na wɔduruu Gilead asase so no, wɔka kyerɛɛ Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no sɛ,

And they went to the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them:

16 “Awurade asafokuo nyinaa pɛ sɛ wɔhunu deɛ enti a moredi Israel Onyankopɔn no hwammɔ. Adɛn enti na motumi dane mo ho firi Awurade ho, kɔsi afɔrebukyia de tia no?

“All the people of the Lord declare this: What is this transgression? Why have you forsaken the Lord, the God of Israel, by building a sacrilegious altar, and by withdrawing from the worship of him?

17 Bɔne a yɛyɛɛ no Peor no nnɔɔso mmaa yɛn anaa? Yɛnnwiraa yɛn ho mfirii ho, ɔyaredɔm a ɛbɛtɔɔ Awurade asafokuo no nyinaa so akyi no mpo.

Is it a small thing to you that you have sinned with Baal of Peor, and that the stain of that crime continues among us, even to the present day? And many of the people have fallen.

18 Nanso ɛnnɛ yi, moretwe mo ho afiri Awurade ho sɛ morenni nʼakyi? “‘Sɛ mosɔre tia Awurade ɛnnɛ a, ɔkyena ne bo bɛfu yɛn nyinaa.

And yet you have forsaken the Lord today, and tomorrow his wrath will rage against all of Israel.

19 Sɛ mosusu sɛ efi aka mo asase enti afɔrebukyia ho hia mo a, ɛnneɛ mommɛka yɛn ho wɔ asuogya ha wɔ faako a Awurade ne yɛn te wɔ nʼAsɔrefie na yɛne mo bɛkyɛ yɛn asase mu. Na monnsɔre nntia Awurade na mommfa afɔrebukyia foforɔ a moasi ama mo ho so ntwe yɛn nkɔ atuateɛ mu. Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn nokorɛ afɔrebukyia yɛ baako pɛ.

But if you consider the land of your possession to be unclean, cross over to the land in which is the tabernacle of the Lord, and live among us. But do not withdraw from the Lord, and from our fellowship, by building an altar contrary to the altar of the Lord our God.

20 Ɛberɛ a Akan a ɔfiri Serah abusua mu nam korɔno a ɔbɔɔ wɔ nneɛma a wɔayi asi hɔ ama Awurade, nam so yɛɛ bɔne no, Onyankopɔn antwe Israel manfoɔ nyinaa aso? Ɛnyɛ ɔno nko ara na ɛsiane bɔne no enti ɔwuiɛ.’”

Did not Achan, the son of Zerah, go against the commandment of the Lord, and so his wrath was laid over all the people of Israel? And he was only one man. If only he had perished in his wickedness alone!”

21 Rubenfoɔ, Gadfoɔ ne Manase abusuakuo fa no buaa mpanimfoɔ no sɛ,

And the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh responded to the leaders of the delegation from Israel:

22 “Awurade nko ara ne Onyankopɔn! Awurade nko ara ne Onyankopɔn! Yɛansi afɔrebukyia no sɛ yɛde retia Awurade. Sɛ saa na yɛayɛ a, ɛnnɛ, momfa yɛn ho nkyɛ yɛn. Nanso Awurade nim na Israel nyinaa nso nhunu sɛ,

“The Lord, the almighty God, the Lord, the almighty God, he knows, and also Israel will understand: If we have constructed this altar with intent of transgression, let him not preserve us, but instead punish us immediately.

23 yɛnnsii afɔrebukyia mmaa yɛn ho sɛ yɛrefiri Awurade nkyɛn. Na yɛremmɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ ne aduane afɔdeɛ anaa asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ so nso. Sɛ yei enti na yɛsii afɔrebukyia no a, Awurade no ankasa ntwe yɛn aso.

And if we have acted with a mind so that we might present upon it holocausts, and sacrifice, and victims of peace offerings, let him inquire and judge.

24 “Yɛasi saa afɔrebukyia yi, ɛfiri sɛ yɛsuro sɛ daakye bi mo asefoɔ bɛbisa yɛn asefoɔ sɛ, ‘Tumi bɛn na mowɔ sɛ mobɛsom Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn?

Instead, we have acted with this greater thought and design, that we would say: Tomorrow your sons will say to our sons: ‘What is there between you and the Lord, the God of Israel?

25 Awurade de Asubɔnten Yordan ato yɛn nkurɔfoɔ ne ne nkurɔfoɔ ntam ɛhyeɛ. Monni kyɛfa wɔ Awurade mu!’ Enti, mo asefoɔ bɛma yɛn asefoɔ agyae Awurade som.

The Lord has stationed the river Jordan as the border between us and you, O sons of Reuben, O sons of Gad. And therefore, you have no part in the Lord.’ And by this occasion, your sons would turn away our sons from the fear of the Lord. And so we sought something better,

26 “Ɛno enti yɛyɛɛ yɛn adwene sɛ yɛbɛsi afɔrebukyia, na ɛnyɛ sɛ yɛbɛbɔ ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ wɔ so,

and we said: Let us build us an altar, not for holocausts, and not to offer victims,

27 na mmom sɛ nkaeɛdum. Ɛbɛbɔ yɛn asefoɔ ne mo asefoɔ nkaeɛ sɛ, yɛn nso, yɛwɔ ho kwan sɛ yɛbɛsom Awurade wɔ ne kronkronbea, abɔ yɛn ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ, aduane afɔdeɛ ne asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ. Na daakye bi no, mo asefoɔ rentumi nka nkyerɛ yɛn asefoɔ no sɛ, ‘Monni kyɛfa wɔ Awurade mu.’

but as a testimony between us and you, and between our descendants and your progeny, so that we may serve the Lord, and so that it may be our right to offer holocausts, and victims, and peace offerings, and so that tomorrow your sons may not say to our sons: ‘You have no part in the Lord.’

28 “Sɛ wɔka sei a, yɛn asefoɔ bɛtumi aka sɛ, ‘Monhwɛ Awurade afɔrebukyia sɛso a yɛn agyanom siiɛ. Wɔansi amma ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔ anaa afɔrebɔ, na mmom, ɛyɛ nkae adeɛ a ɛkyerɛ ayɔnkofa a yɛn nyinaa wɔ wɔ Awurade mu.’

And if they decide to say this, they shall respond to them: ‘Behold, the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for holocausts, and not for sacrifice, but instead as a testimony between us and you.’

29 “Ɛmpare yɛn sɛ yɛbɛsɔre atia Awurade, anaasɛ yɛbɛtwe yɛn ho afiri ne ho akɔsi yɛn ankasa afɔrebukyia ama ɔhyeɛ afɔdeɛ, aduane afɔdeɛ anaa afɔrebɔ. Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn afɔrebukyia a ɛsi ne Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan anim no so na wɔdi saa dwuma no.”

May this wickedness be far from us, such that we would withdraw from the Lord, and would forsake his paths, by constructing an altar to offer holocausts, and sacrifices, and victims, contrary to the altar of the Lord our God, which was built before his tabernacle.”

30 Ɔsɔfoɔ Pinehas ne mpanimfoɔ edu no tee nsɛm yi firii Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo ne Manase abusuakuo fa hɔ no, wɔn bo tɔɔ wɔn yam.

And when Phinehas, the priest, and the leaders of the delegation who were with him, had heard this, they were pleased. And they accepted very willingly the words of the sons of Reuben, and of Gad, and of the one half tribe of Manasseh.

31 Ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima Pinehas buaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ yɛahunu sɛ Awurade wɔ yɛn ntam, ɛfiri sɛ, monyɛɛ bɔne ntiaa Awurade sɛdeɛ yɛsusuiɛ no, mmom moagye Israel nkwa afiri ɔsɛeɛ a anka Awurade de reba wɔn so.”

And Phinehas, the priest, the son of Eleazar, said to them: “Now we know that the Lord is with us. For you are a stranger to this transgression. And so you have freed the sons of Israel from the hand of the Lord.”

32 Afei, Pinehas, ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima ne mpanimfoɔ edu no firii Ruben ne Gad mmusuakuo no nkyɛn wɔ Gilead sane kɔɔ Kanaan asase so kɔbɔɔ Israelfoɔ no amaneɛ.

And he returned with the leaders, from the sons of Reuben and of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, into the parts of Canaan, to the sons of Israel. And he reported to them.

33 Na Israelfoɔ no nyinaa bo tɔɔ wɔn yam, wɔyii Onyankopɔn ayɛ na wɔanka ɔko a wɔbɛko atia Ruben ne Gad ho asɛm bio.

And the word pleased all who heard it. And the sons of Israel praised God, and they no longer said that they would go up against them, and fight, and destroy the land of their possession.

34 Na Rubenfoɔ ne Gadfoɔ too afɔrebukyia no edin sɛ “Ɔdanseni,” ɔyɛ ɔdanseni wɔ yɛne wɔn ntam sɛ Awurade yɛ yɛn nso Onyankopɔn.

And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar that they had built: Our testimony that the Lord himself is God.