The People of Gibeon Trick Israel
1All the kings who ruled west of the Jordan River heard about the battles Israel had won. That included the kings who ruled in the central hill country and the western hills. It also included those who ruled along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Lebanon. They were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 2They brought their armies together to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3The people of Gibeon heard about what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai. 4So they decided to trick the Israelites. They packed supplies as if they were going on a long trip. They loaded their donkeys with old sacks and old wineskins. The wineskins were cracked but had been mended. 5They put worn-out sandals on their feet. The sandals had been patched. They also wore old clothes. All the bread they took along was dry and moldy. 6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal. They spoke to him and the Israelites. They said, “We’ve come from a country that’s far away. Make a peace treaty with us.”
7The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But suppose you live close to us. If you do, we can’t make a peace treaty with you.”
8“We’ll serve you,” they said to Joshua.
But Joshua asked, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9They answered, “We’ve come from a country that’s very far away. We’ve come because the Lord your God is famous. We’ve heard reports about him. We’ve heard about everything he did in Egypt. 10We’ve heard about everything he did to Sihon and Og. They were the two kings of the Amorites. They ruled east of the Jordan River. Sihon was the king of Heshbon. Og was the king of Bashan. He ruled in Ashtaroth. 11Our elders and all the people living in our country spoke to us. They said, ‘Take supplies for your trip. Go and meet the Israelites. Say to them, “We’ll serve you. Make a peace treaty with us.” ’ 12Look at our bread. It was warm when we packed it. We packed it at home the day we left to come and see you. But look at how dry and moldy it is now. 13When we filled these wineskins, they were new. But look at how cracked they are now. And our clothes and sandals are worn out because we’ve traveled so far.”
14The Israelites looked over the supplies those people had brought. But they didn’t ask the Lord what they should do. 15Joshua made a peace treaty with the people who had come. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community gave their word that they agreed with the treaty.
16So the Israelites made a peace treaty with the people of Gibeon. But three days later they heard that the people of Gibeon lived close to them. 17So the Israelites started out to go to the cities of those people. On the third day they came to Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18But they didn’t attack those cities. That’s because the leaders of the community had given their word and made a peace treaty with them. They had given their word in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
The whole community told the leaders they weren’t happy with them. 19But all the leaders answered, “We’ve made a peace treaty with them. We’ve given our word in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. So we can’t touch them now. 20But here is what we’ll do to them. We’ll let them live. Then the Lord won’t be angry with us because we didn’t keep our promise.” 21They continued, “Let them live. But make them cut wood and carry water to serve the whole community.” So the leaders kept their promise to them.
22Joshua sent for the people of Gibeon. He said to them, “Why did you trick us? You said, ‘We live far away from you.’ But in fact you live close to us. 23So now you are under a curse. You will always serve us. You will always cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.”
24They answered Joshua, “We were clearly told what the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to do. He commanded him to give you the whole land. He also ordered him to wipe out all its people to make room for you. So we were afraid you would kill us. That’s why we tricked you. 25We are now under your control. Do to us what you think is good and right.”
26So Joshua saved the people of Gibeon. He didn’t let the Israelites kill them. 27That day he made them cut wood and carry water. They had to serve the community of Israel. They also had to do work connected with the altar of the Lord. The altar would be at the place the Lord would choose. And they still serve the Israelites to this day.
Chinyengo cha Agibiyoni
1Mafumu onse okhala kumadzulo kwa Yorodani atamva zimenezi pamodzi ndi mafumu okhala ku mayiko a ku mapiri, mu zigwa, mʼmbali mwa Nyanja yayikulu mpaka ku Lebanoni (mafumu a Ahiti, Aamori, Akanaani, Aperezi, Ahivi, ndi Ayebusi), 2anapangana kuti achite nkhondo ndi Yoswa ndi Israeli.
3Koma Ahivi ena a ku Gibiyoni atamva zomwe Yoswa anachitira mizinda ya Yeriko ndi Ai, 4anaganiza zochita zachinyengo. Anapita nasenzetsa abulu awo chakudya mʼmatumba akalekale ndiponso matumba a vinyo achikopa ongʼambikangʼambika. 5Anthuwa anavala nsapato zakutha ndi zazigamba ndiponso anavala sanza. Buledi wawo yense anali wowuma ndi wowola. 6Ndipo anapita kwa Yoswa ku msasa ku Giligala ndikumuwuza kuti, pamodzi ndi Aisraeli onse, “Ife tachokera ku dziko lakutali, ndipo tikufuna kuti muchite mgwirizano ndi ife.”
7Koma Aisraeli anayankha Ahiviwo kuti, “Mwinatu inu mukukhala pafupi ndi ife. Tsono ife tingachite bwanji mgwirizano ndi inu?”
8Iwo anati kwa Yoswa, “Ife ndife akapolo anu.”
Tsono Yoswa anawafunsa kuti, “Inu ndinu yani ndipo mukuchokera kuti?”
9Iwo anayankha kuti, “Akapolo anufe tachokera ku dziko lakutali chifukwa tamva za Yehova Mulungu wanu. Tamva mbiri yonse ya zimene Iye anachita ku Igupto, 10ndi zonse zimene anachita kwa mafumu awiri a Aamori kummawa kwa Yorodani, mfumu Sihoni ya Hesiboni ndi Ogi mfumu ya Basani amene amalamulira ku Asiteroti. 11Tsono akuluakulu athu ndi onse amene akukhala mʼdziko lathu anati kwa ife. Tengani chakudya cha pa ulendo wanu. Pitani mukakumane nawo ndipo mukati kwa iwo, ‘Ife ndife akapolo anu, ndipo tikufuna kuti mugwirizane nafe za mtendere.’ ” 12Buledi wathuyu anali wotentha pamene timanyamuka ku mudzi kubwera kwa inu. Koma tsopano taonani ali gwaa ndiponso wawola. 13Zikopa zimene tinathiramo vinyozi zinali zatsopano, koma taonani zathetheka. Zovala zathu ndi nsapato zathu zatha chifukwa cha kutalika kwa ulendo.
14Aisraeli anatengako chakudya chawo koma sanafunse kwa Yehova. 15Choncho Yoswa anapangana nawo za mtendere kuti sadzawapha, ndipo atsogoleri a gulu anavomereza pochita lumbiro.
16Patatha masiku atatu atachita mgwirizano wa mtendere ndi Agibiyoni, Aisraeli anamva kuti anali anansi awo, anthu amene amakhala nawo pafupi. 17Tsono Aisraeli ananyamuka ulendo ndipo tsiku lachitatu anafika ku mizinda ya Gibiyoni, Kefira, Beeroti ndi Kiriati-Yearimu. 18Koma Aisraeli sanawaphe anthuwo chifukwa atsogoleri awo anali atalonjeza mʼdzina la Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli za Agibiyoniwo.
Koma anthu onse anatsutsana ndi atsogoleriwo. 19Koma atsogoleriwo anayankha kuti, “Ife tinawalonjeza mʼdzina la Yehova, Mulungu wa Israeli, ndipo tsopano sitingawaphe. 20Chimene tidzachita nawo ndi ichi: Tidzawasiya akhale ndi moyo kuti mkwiyo wa Yehova usatigwere chifukwa chophwanya lonjezo limene tinawalonjeza.” 21Anapitiriza kunena kuti “Asiyeni akhale ndi moyo, komabe akhale otidulira mitengo ndi kutitungira madzi ogwiritsa ntchito pa chipembedzo.” Lonjezo la atsogoleriwo linasungidwa.
22Kenaka Yoswa anayitanitsa Agibiyoni aja nawafunsa kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani inu munatinyenga ponena kuti mumachokera kutali pamene zoona zake nʼzoti mumakhala pafupi pomwe pano? 23Tsopano popeza mwachita izi, Mulungu wakutembererani ndipo palibe wina mwa inu amene akhale mfulu. Nthawi zonse inu muzidzatidulira nkhuni ndi kutitungira madzi ku Nyumba ya Yehova.”
24Iwo anayankha Yoswa kuti, “Ife akapolo anufe tinachita zimenezi chifukwa tinamva bwino lomwe kuti Yehova Mulungu wanu analamula Mose mtumiki wake kuti adzakupatsani dziko lonseli ndi kuti anthu onse okhalamo adzaphedwe. Tsono ife tinachita mantha aakulu ndipo tinachita zimenezi pofuna kupulumutsa miyoyo yathu. 25Tsopanotu ife tili mʼmanja mwanu, ndipo inu chitani nafe monga kukukomerani.”
26Tsono Yoswa anawapulumutsa mʼmanja mwa Aisraeli ndipo sanawaphe. 27Kuyambira tsiku limenelo Agibiyoni aja anasanduka odula nkhuni zaguwa lansembe la Yehova ndiponso otunga madzi. Mpaka lero lino iwo akuchitabe zimenezi kulikonse kumene Yehova anasankha.
