< 4 Mose 31 >

1 Afei, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ,
Yahweh spoke to Moses/me and said,
2 “Esiane sɛ Midianfoɔ daadaa mo de mo kɔɔ abosonsom mu no enti, tɔ wɔn so awere. Yei akyi no wɔbɛwu na wɔakɔ wɔn agyanom nkyɛn.”
“Before you die, [tell the] Israeli people that they should (pay back/get revenge on) the Midian people-group for what they did to you.”
3 Mose ka kyerɛɛ nkurɔfoɔ no sɛ, “Monyi mmarima no mu bi na wɔnkɔ Awurade aweretɔ sa a ɔde tia Midianfoɔ no.
So Moses/I said to the people, “Get some men prepared for battle. Yahweh will enable them to (pay back/get revenge on) the Midian people-group [for what they did to us].
4 Momfa Israel abusua biara mu nnipa apem nkɔ ɔsa no.”
Select 1,000 men from each tribe to fight.”
5 Wɔyɛɛ saa nyaa mmarima mpem dumienu siesie wɔn maa ɔko no.
So 12,000 men prepared for fighting in the battle, 1,000 from each tribe.
6 Afei Mose ma wɔkɔeɛ, nnipa apem baako a wɔfiri abusuakuo biara mu. Ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa babarima Pinehas na ɔdii wɔn anim kɔɔ ɔko no. Wɔrekɔ no, wɔde kronkronneɛ a ɛwɔ kronkronbea hɔ ne totorobɛnto a wɔbɛhyɛn akanyane akodɔm no kɔeɛ.
When Moses/I sent them to the battle, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, went with them. He took with him some of the things from the Sacred Tent and the trumpets that would be blown to give the signal [to start the battle].
7 Na sɛdeɛ Awurade hyɛeɛ no, wɔkumm Midian mmarima nyinaa wɔ ɔko no mu.
The Israeli men fought the soldiers from the Midian people-group, as Yahweh had told Moses/me to tell them to do, and they killed every man from the Midian people-group.
8 Wɔn a wɔkumm wɔn no bi ne Midian ahemfo baanum a wɔn edin de Ewi, Rekem, Sur, Hur ne Reba. Beor babarima Balaam nso, wɔkumm no.
Among those whom they killed were the five kings of the Midian people-group—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. They also killed with a sword Balaam, the son of Beor.
9 Afei, Israel asraafoɔ no kyekyeree Midian mmaa ne mmɔfra nyinaa ne wɔn anantwie ne wɔn nnwan fom nneɛma pii kaa ho.
They captured all the women and children of the Midian people-group and took away their cattle, their flocks of sheep, and herds of goats, and all their other possessions.
10 Wɔtoo Midian nkuro ne nkuraa nyinaa mu ogya, hyee no pasaa.
Then they burned down all the houses in the towns and villages where the people of the Midian people-group lived,
11 Wɔfaa asadeɛ ne afodeɛ a nnipa no ne mmoa ka ho.
but they took home with them all the women and children and animals and possessions.
12 Wɔde nneduafoɔ no ne ɔko no mu nneɛma a wɔnyaeɛ no nyinaa brɛɛ Mose, ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa ne Israelfoɔ a na wɔabɔ wɔn atenaseɛ wɔ Moab bepɔ so baabi a na ɛbɛn Asubɔnten Yordan a wɔtwa firi Yeriko ba hɔ no.
They brought all these to Eliezer and Moses/me, and to the rest of the Israeli people who were at their/our camp on the plains where the Moab people-group lived, near the Jordan River, across from Jericho.
13 Mose ne ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa ne mpanimfoɔ a wɔtuatua nnipa no ano no kɔhyiaa nkonimdifoɔ no ɛkwan.
Eleazar and all the leaders of the people and Moses/I went outside the camp to greet/meet with them.
14 Nanso, Mose bo fuu mpanimfoɔ a wɔtuatua akodɔm no ano no.
But Moses/I was angry with some of the men who had returned from the battle. He/I was angry with the army officers and the men who were commanders of 1,000 men and those who were commanders of 100 men.
15 Ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moankunkum mmaa no?
He/I asked them, “Why did you allow the women to live [RHQ]?
16 Yeinom ara ne nnipa no a wɔtie Balaam enti wɔmaa Israelfoɔ gyaa Awurade kɔsom abosom wɔ bepɔ Peor so a enti ɛmaa ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ bebree baa yɛn so bɛsɛee yɛn no.
They are the ones who did what Balaam suggested and urged/persuaded our people to worship Baal [instead of Yahweh]. As a result, Yahweh caused a plague to strike his people while they were at Peor.
17 Monkunkum mmarimaa no nyinaa. Afei, monkunkum mmaa a wɔne mmarima adeda no nyinaa.
So, now you must kill all the boys of the Midian people-group, and also kill all the women who have had sex [EUP] with any man.
18 Mommfa mo nsa nka mmaayewa nketewa no. Wɔn deɛ, momfa wɔn na mo ne wɔn nkɔtena.
Spare only the girls who are virgins [EUP]. You can keep them to be your [wives or your slaves].
19 “Afei, momfiri atenaeɛ ha nkɔtena baabi nnanson, ɛfiri sɛ, mo nyinaa moakum nnipa anaa mode mo nsa aka efunu. Monnwira mo ho ne mo nneduafoɔ ne nnansa ne ne nnanson so.
All of you who have killed someone or touched the corpse of someone who was killed [in the battle] must stay outside the camp for seven days. On the third day and on the seventh day, you must [perform the ritual to] cause you and those whom you have captured to become acceptable to God again.
20 Monkae na monnwira mo ntadeɛ ne biribiara a wɔde aboa nwoma, abirekyie nwi anaa dua ayɛ.”
You must also wash your clothes and anything [that you took to the battle] that is made of leather or goat’s hair or wood.”
21 Afei, ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa ka kyerɛɛ mmarima a wɔkɔɔ ɔko no sɛ, “Yei ne mmara a Awurade ahyɛ a waka akyerɛ Mose.
Then Eleazar said to the soldiers who had returned from the battle, “This is what Yahweh has instructed Moses:
22 Biribiara a ɛtumi gyinaa ogya ano te sɛ sikakɔkɔɔ, dwetɛ, kɔbere, dadeɛ, sanya anaa sumpii no,
You must put into a fire any gold or silver or bronze or iron or tin or lead things [that you brought back from the battle].
23 ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde ka ogya sɛdeɛ ɛho bɛte. Yei akyi, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde ahodwira nsuo dwira ho ma ɛho te. Nanso, biribiara a ɛrentumi nnyina ogya ano no deɛ, wɔmfa nsuo nnwira ho.
Put everything that will not burn into the fire, and then they will be acceptable for you to use. But also sprinkle those things with the water that causes things and people to become acceptable to God. The things that would burn [if you put them] in a fire, sprinkle them with that water.
24 Nnanson so, ɛsɛ sɛ mosi mo ntadeɛ na modwira mo ho ansa na moasane aba atenaeɛ hɔ.”
On the seventh day, wash your clothes, and then you will become acceptable to God again. After you do that, you may return to the camp.”
25 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ,
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
26 “Ɛsɛ sɛ wo ne ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa ne mmusua no mpanimfoɔ nyinaa twerɛ afodeɛ a nnipa ne mmoa ka ho a monyaa no ɔko no mu.
“Tell Eleazar and the leaders of the family groups that they must write down a list of all the goods, the women, and the animals that were captured [in the battle].
27 Afei, monkyɛ afodeɛ no mu mmienu. Momfa ɛfa mma mmarima a wɔkɔɔ ɔko no na momfa ɛfa a aka no mma nnipa a aka no.
Then they must divide all those things, half given to the men who fought in the battle and the other half given to the rest of the people.
28 Nanso, deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, ɛsɛ sɛ Awurade nya kyɛfa a ɛyɛ nneduafoɔ, anantwie, mfunumu, ne nnwan a ɛfiri akofoɔ no kyɛfa mu. Awurade kyɛfa no bɛyɛ ahanum biara mu baako.
From the men who fought in the battle, take one from every 500 people and from every 500 cattle and donkeys and sheep, to be a tax for me.
29 Fa saa kyɛfa yi ma ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa na ɔnhim no afɔrebukyia no anim mfa mma Awurade.
Take these things to Eleazar to (be my share/belong to me).
30 Afei Israelfoɔ a wɔaka no kyɛfa no, monyi aduonum biara mu baako. Momfa yei mma Lewifoɔ a wɔhwɛ Awurade Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan no so no.”
And from the half that belongs to the ordinary people, take one item from every 50. That includes people, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give those things to the descendants of Levi who take care of my Sacred Tent.”
31 Enti, Mose ne ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa yɛɛ deɛ Awurade hyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no.
So Eleazar and Moses/I did what Yahweh commanded.
32 Afodeɛ a ɛkaeɛ a akofoɔ no faeɛ no dodoɔ yɛ nnwan mpem ahansia aduɔson enum;
There were 675,000 sheep, 72,000 cattle, 61,000 donkeys, and 32,000 virgins that they had captured from the Midian people-group.
33 anantwie mpem aduɔson mmienu;
34 mfunumu mpem aduosia baako;
35 ne mmaayewa mpem aduasa mmienu.
36 Nneɛma no fa a wɔde maa asraafoɔ no dodoɔ nie: Nnwan mpem ahasa aduasa nson ne ahanum
The men who fought in the battle took 337,000 sheep [from the battle],
37 a wɔde mu ahansia aduɔson enum maa Awurade;
and they gave 675 of them to Yahweh.
38 Anantwie mpem aduasa nsia a wɔde mu aduɔson mmienu maa Awurade;
They took 36,000 cattle and gave 72 of them to Yahweh.
39 mfunumu mpem aduasa ne ahanum a emu aduosia baako yɛ Awurade kyɛfa;
They took 30,500 donkeys, and they gave 61 of them to Yahweh.
40 mmaayewa mpem dunsia; wɔde wɔn mu aduasa mmienu maa Awurade.
They took 16,000 virgins, and they dedicated 32 of them to Yahweh.
41 Wɔde Awurade kyɛfa no nyinaa maa ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa sɛdeɛ Awurade kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ ɔnyɛ no ara pɛ.
Moses/I gave to Eleazar all [the animals] that had been given to Yahweh, as Yahweh had commanded.
42 Afodeɛ no a Israelfoɔ no nyaa no na ɛdidi soɔ yi:
Moses/I separated what those who had fought in the battle received from what the other people received. The people had taken 337,500 sheep, 36,000 cattle, 30,500 donkeys, and 16,000 virgins,
43 nnwan mpem ahasa aduasa nson ne ahanum,
44 anantwie mpem aduasa nsia,
45 mfunumu Mpem aduasa ne ahanum ne
46 mmaayewa mpem dunsia.
47 Nnipa no kyɛfa a wɔnyaeɛ no, Mose yiyii nneduafoɔ ne mmoa aduonum biara mu baako de maa Lewifoɔ a wɔhwɛ Awurade Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan so no. Wɔyɛɛ yei nyinaa sɛdeɛ Awurade hyɛɛ Mose no.
From what the people received, Moses/I took one from every 50 items and dedicated them to Yahweh. That included animals and people. As Yahweh commanded, he/I gave them all to the descendants of Levi who took care of the Sacred Tent.
48 Afei, asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ baa Mose nkyɛn bɛka kyerɛɛ no sɛ,
Then the army officers and those who commanded 1,000 men and those who commanded 100 men came to Moses/me.
49 “Owura yɛabu nnipa a yɛde wɔn kɔɔ ɔko no nyinaa ano akyerɛ wo na yɛn mu baako koraa anyera.
They said, “We, who are your servants, have counted the soldiers whom we command, and [we found that] none of them (is missing/has been killed).
50 Ɛno enti, yɛfiri deɛ yɛnyaa no ɔko no mu no bi mu rebɛda Awurade ase. Yɛn asedadeɛ no yɛ sika adwinneɛ, nkapo, nkawa, nsonkawa ne kɔnmuadeɛ. Yeinom bɛyɛ mpatadeɛ ama yɛn kra wɔ Awurade anim.”
So [to thank Yahweh for that], we have brought to him a gift of the gold items that we found [after the battle]: Gold arm bands and bracelets and rings and earrings and necklaces. This will enable us to be forgiven for our sins.”
51 Mose ne ɔsɔfoɔ Eleasa gyee saa akyɛdeɛ yi a ɛyɛ sikakɔkɔɔ ne adwinneɛ firii asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ no nkyɛn.
So Eleazar and Moses/I accepted the gold items that they brought.
52 Ne nyinaa mu sikakɔkɔɔ a asahene no de baeɛ sɛ akyɛdeɛ a wɔde rebrɛ Awurade no ano si nkariboɔ kilogram ɔha ne aduɔkron.
The total of it weighed about (420 pounds/190 kg.).
53 Na asraafoɔ no afa ɔko no mu nneɛma a wɔnyaeɛ no bi.
Each soldier had taken these things for himself.
54 Enti Mose ne Eleasa gyee akyɛdeɛ no firii asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ no hɔ, na wɔde sikakɔkɔɔ no baa Ahyiaeɛ Ntomadan no mu sɛ ɛnyɛ nkaeɛ adeɛ mma Awurade sɛ Israelfoɔ yɛ ne dea.
Eleazar and Moses/I accepted these gold items from these commanders and put them in the Sacred Tent to remind the Israeli people about how Yahweh [had helped them defeat the Midian people-group].

< 4 Mose 31 >