Atemmufoɔ 10

1 Abimelek wuo akyi no, Pua a ɔyɛ Dodo aseni no babarima Tola ba bɛgyee Israel. Na ɔfiri Isakar abusuakuo mu, nanso ɔtenaa Samir a ɛwɔ Efraim bepɔ asase so.

After Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo became the leader to rescue the Israeli people [from their enemies]. He belonged to the tribe of Issachar, but he lived in Shamir [city] in the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim live.

2 Ɔyɛɛ Israel so ɔtemmufoɔ mfeɛ aduonu mmiɛnsa. Ɔwuiɛ no wɔsiee no wɔ Samir.

He ruled the Israeli people for 23 years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.

3 Tola wuo akyi no, Yair a ɔfiri Gilead bɛyɛɛ Israel so ɔtemmufoɔ mfeɛ aduonu mmienu.

After Tola died, Jair, from [the] Gilead [region], became the Israelis’ leader, and he ruled them for 22 years.

4 Ne mmammarima aduasa tena wɔn mfunumu so kyinkyini, na wɔdi nkuro aduasa so wɔ Gilead asase so, a ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ wɔfrɛ hɔ Yair Nkuro.

He had thirty sons, and each of them had his own donkey to ride on. They each controlled a different town in [the] Gilead [region]. That region is still named ‘The Towns of Jair’.

5 Yair wuiɛ na wɔsiee no Kamon.

When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon [city].

6 Bio, Israelfoɔ yɛɛ Awurade ani so bɔne. Wɔsomm Baal ne Astoret ahoni ne Aram, Sidon, Moab, Amon ne Filistia anyame. Wɔtwee wɔn ho firii Awurade ho a wɔansom no koraa.

Again the Israelis did things that Yahweh said were wrong/evil. They worshiped [the idols of their god] Baal and [their goddess] Astarte. They also worshiped the gods of the Aram, Sidon, Moab, and Ammon people-groups, and the gods of the Philistia people-group. They abandoned Yahweh and stopped worshiping him.

7 Enti Awurade bo fuu Israelfoɔ, na ɔde wɔn hyɛɛ Filistifoɔ ne Amorifoɔ nsa,

So Yahweh was very angry with them, and he allowed the Philistia and Ammon people-groups to defeat [IDM] the Israelis.

8 na wɔfirii aseɛ hyɛɛ wɔn so saa afe no. Wɔhyɛɛ Israelfoɔ a wɔwɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam wɔ Amorifoɔ (wɔ Gilead) asase no so mfeɛ dunwɔtwe.

In that same year, those people started to oppress the Israelis who lived in [the] Gilead [region] on the east side of the Jordan [River]. That was where the Amor people-group also lived. were They caused the Israelis who lived in that region to suffer for 18 years.

9 Amorifoɔ no nso twaa Yordan kɔɔ atɔeɛ fam kɔto hyɛɛ Yuda, Benyamin ne Efraim so, Israelfoɔ kɔɔ ahokyere kɛseɛ mu.

Then the people of the Ammon people-group crossed the Jordan [River] to fight against the people of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. They caused the Israelis’ lives to be very miserable.

10 Afei Israelfoɔ su frɛɛ Awurade sɛ, “Yɛayɛ bɔne atia wo, ɛfiri sɛ yɛatwe yɛn ho afiri yɛn Onyankopɔn ho na yɛasom Baal ahoni.”

So the Israelis cried out to Yahweh, saying “We have sinned against you. We have abandoned you, and we have been worshiping [the idols of their god] Baal.”

11 Awurade buaa sɛ, “Mannye mo amfiri Misraimfoɔ, Amorifoɔ, Amonfoɔ, Filistifoɔ

Yahweh answered them, saying, “When the people of Egypt, and the Amor and Ammon and Philistia people-groups

12 Sidonfoɔ, Amalekfoɔ ne Maonfoɔ nsam? Ɛberɛ a wɔhyɛɛ mo so no, mosu frɛɛ me na megyee mo.

and the Sidon and Amalek and Maon people-groups were cruel to you, you cried out to me, and then I rescued you.

13 Nanso, moagya me akɔsom anyame foforɔ. Ɛno enti, merennye mo bio.

But now you have abandoned me again, and you have been worshiping other gods. So I will not rescue you again.

14 Monkɔsu nkyerɛ anyame a moafa wɔn no. Momma wɔnnye mo ɛberɛ a morehunu amaneɛ yi.”

You have chosen those gods [to be the ones that you worship]. So call to them to help you. Allow them to rescue you when you have a lot of trouble!”

15 Nanso, Israelfoɔ no kɔɔ so srɛɛ Awurade sɛ, “Yɛayɛ bɔne. Twe yɛn aso sɛdeɛ ɛfata. Nanso, gye yɛn firi yɛn atamfoɔ nsam ɛnnɛ.”

But the Israeli people said to Yahweh, “Truly we have sinned. Punish us in whatever way you wish to, but please rescue us now!”

16 Na Israelfoɔ no too ananafoɔ anyame no guu nkyɛn bɛsom Awurade. Na Awurade ho yeraa no wɔ wɔn ahokyere no ho.

Then the Israelis threw away the [idols of the] gods that belonged to other people-groups, and they worshiped Yahweh again. He saw that they were suffering very much, and he felt sorry [IDM] for them.

17 Saa ɛberɛ no na Amonfoɔ asraadɔm aboa wɔn ho ano wɔ Gilead, sɛ wɔrekɔto ahyɛ Israel akodɔm so wɔ Mispa.

The Ammon people-group gathered to fight [against the Israelis], and they set up their tents in [the] Gilead [region]. The Israeli men also gathered and set up their tents at Mizpah, [which was a city in Gilead].

18 Na Gilead ntuanofoɔ no keka kyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Obiara a ɔbɛdi ɛkan ato ahyɛ Amonfoɔ so no, bɛyɛ deɛ ɔbɛdi Gileadfoɔ nyinaa so.”

The Israeli leaders said, “Who will lead our soldiers to attack the Ammon people-group? The one who will lead us will become the leader of all us who live in this Gilead [region].”