Israel Destroys the Town of Ai
1-2 The Lord told Joshua:
Don't be afraid, and don't be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, order part of the army to set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.
3-4 Joshua quickly got the army ready to attack Ai. He chose 30,000 of his best soldiers and gave them these orders:
Tonight, while it is dark, march to Ai and take up a position behind the town. Get as close to the town as you can without being seen, and be ready to attack.
5-6 The rest of the army will come with me and attack near the gate. When the people of Ai come out to fight, we'll run away and let them chase us. They will think we are running from them just like the first time. But when we've let them chase us far enough away, 7 you come out of hiding. The Lord our God will help you capture the town. 8 Then set it on fire, as the Lord has told us to do. Those are your orders, 9 now go!
The 30,000 soldiers went to a place on the west side of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, where they could hide and wait to attack.
That night, Joshua stayed in camp with the rest of the army. 10 Early the next morning he got his troops ready to move out, and he and the other leaders of Israel led them to Ai. 11 They set up camp in full view of the town, across the valley to the north. 12 Joshua had already sent 5,000 soldiers to the west side of the town to hide and wait to attack. 13 Now all his troops were in place. Part of the army was in the camp to the north of Ai, and the others were hiding to the west, ready to make a surprise attack. That night, Joshua went into the valley.
14-15 The king of Ai saw Joshua's army, so the king and his troops hurried out early the next morning to fight them. Joshua and his army pretended to be beaten, and they let the men of Ai chase them toward the desert. The king and his army were facing the Jordan valley as Joshua had planned.
The king did not realize that some Israelite soldiers were hiding behind the town. 16-17 So he called out every man in Ai to go after Joshua's troops. They all rushed out to chase the Israelite army, and they left the town gates wide open. Not one man was left in Ai or in Bethel.
Joshua let the men of Ai chase him and his army farther and farther away from Ai. 18 Finally, the Lord told Joshua, “Point your sword at the town of Ai, because now I am going to help you defeat it!”
As soon as Joshua pointed his sword at the town, 19 the soldiers who had been hiding jumped up and ran into the town. They captured it and set it on fire.
20-21 When Joshua and his troops saw smoke rising from the town, they knew that the other part of their army had captured it. So they turned and attacked.
The men of Ai looked back and saw smoke rising from their town. But they could not escape, because the soldiers they had been chasing had suddenly turned and started fighting. 22-24 Meanwhile, the other Israelite soldiers had come from the town and attacked the men of Ai from the rear. The Israelites captured the king of Ai and brought him to Joshua. They also chased the rest of the men of Ai into the desert and killed them.
The Israelite army went back to Ai and killed everyone there. 25-26 Joshua kept his sword pointed at the town of Ai until every last one of Ai's 12,000 people was dead. 27 But the Israelites took the animals and the other possessions of the people of Ai, because this was what the Lord had told Joshua to do.
28-29 Joshua made sure every building in Ai was burned to the ground. He told his men to kill the king of Ai and hang his body on a tree. Then at sunset he told the Israelites to take down the body, throw it in the gateway of the town, and cover it with a big pile of rocks. Those rocks are still there, and the town itself has never been rebuilt.
Joshua Reads the Blessings and Curses
(Deuteronomy 27.1-26)30-32 One day, Joshua led the people of Israel to Mount Ebal, where he told some of his men, “Build an altar for offering sacrifices to the Lord. And use stones that have never been cut with iron tools, because that is what Moses taught in The Book of the Law.”
Joshua offered sacrifices to please the Lord and to ask his blessing. Then with the Israelites still watching, he copied parts of The Book of the Law of Moses onto stones.
33-35 Moses had said that everyone in Israel was to go to the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, where they were to be blessed. So everyone went there, including the foreigners, the leaders, officials, and judges. Half of the people stood on one side of the valley, and half on the other side, with the priests from the Levi tribe standing in the middle with the sacred chest. Then in a loud voice, Joshua read the blessings and curses from The Book of the Law of Moses.
Yosuwa ye feeroo meŋ ke keloo kono
1 Bituŋ Yaawe* ko Yosuwa ye ko, “Kana sila, aduŋ i kana jikilateyi. I niŋ kelediŋolu bee ye taa, ali ye taa ka Ayi boyinkaŋ. Nte le ye Ayi mansa duŋ i buloo kono, a la moolu, a la saatewo, aniŋ a la bankoo. 2 I ye meŋ ke Yeriko niŋ a mansa la, i be wo le ke la Ayi fanaa la, aniŋ a mansa, fo kuu kiliŋ: ali si ì la feŋolu samba noo le, aniŋ ì la suukono beeyaŋolu ali faŋolu ye. I si kelediŋolu doolu kii ka deleŋo laa saatewo ñiŋ kooma la.”
3 Wo le to Yosuwa niŋ kelediŋolu bee wulita ka taa Ayi boyinkaŋ. A la kelediŋolu kono, a ye kelediŋ wuli taŋ saba le tomboŋ, a be jikiriŋ mennu la. A ye ì kii ka finti suutoo. 4 A ye ì yaamari ñiŋ ne la ko, “Ali ali hakiloo tu kendeke. Ali deleŋo laa saatewo kooma, bari ali kana jamfa a la baake. Ali bee ye tara pareeriŋ jee. 5 Bituŋ nte niŋ kelediŋolu mennu bee be n nooma, ntolu be saatewo ñiŋ waliŋ na le. Niŋ saatee moolu fintita naŋ ka ǹ kele, ko ì ye a ke nuŋ ñaameŋ foloo, m̀ be m̀ faŋ borindi la ì la le. 6 Ì be bula la ǹ nooma le, fo ŋà ì fintindi naŋ saatewo banta la. Ì be ñiŋ ne miira la ko, ntolu be bori kaŋ itolu le la, komeŋ a keta nuŋ folooto ñaameŋ. Bituŋ niŋ ŋà m̀ bori ì ñaato, 7 ali si finti naŋ ali la deleŋo to, ali ye saatewo taa. Yaawe ali la Alla le be a duŋ na ali buloo kono. 8 Niŋ ali ye saatewo ñiŋ taa, ali ye dimbaa duŋ a la. Ali a ke ko, Yaawe ye ali yaamari ñaameŋ. Ali a je ko, ali be n na kaŋo le nooma.”
9 Kabiriŋ Yosuwa ye ì kii, bituŋ ì naata deleŋo laa ka baturoo ke Beteli niŋ Ayi teema, Ayi tilijii karoo la. Bari Yosuwa niŋ a la moo doolu ye wo suutoo laa ñoo kaŋ ne.
10 Wo saamoo soomandaa, Yosuwa ye a la kelediŋolu bee bendi ñoo kaŋ, a niŋ Banisirayila ñaatonkoolu tambita ì ñaato ka taa Ayi. 11 A niŋ kelediŋ kafoo meŋ taata, ì bee taamata le ka Ayi saatewo waliŋ, aduŋ ì la futoo taata kaañaŋ saatewo ñiŋ faŋo ñaatiliŋo le la. Ì ye daakaa loo Ayi maraa karoo la, bituŋ wulumbaŋo doroŋ be ì niŋ saatewo teema. 12 Yosuwa ye kee wuli luulu ñoŋ ne tomboŋ ka deleŋo laa Beteli niŋ Ayi teema, saatewo tilijii karoo la. 13 Ì ye kelediŋolu londi ì la loodulaalu to teŋ ne: mennu bee be daakaa kono, wolu taata saatewo maraa karoo la, ì ye doolu bitiŋ-bitindi a tilijii karoo la. Wo suutoo la, Yosuwa faŋo taata wulumbaŋo kono.
14 Kabiriŋ Ayi mansa ye ñiŋ je, a niŋ kewolu mennu bee be saatewo kono, ì tariyaatoo fintita soomandaa juunoo, ì ye ì ñaa tiliŋ Araba* tundoo maafaŋo la ka taa Banisirayilankoolu benduŋ keloo la. Bari a maŋ a loŋ ko, kelediŋolu ye deleŋo le laa saatewo ñiŋ kooma, ì pareeriŋo. 15 Yosuwa niŋ Banisirayilankoolu bee ye ì faŋ ke le ko ñinnu le ye ì noo, bituŋ ì ye ì faŋ borindi keñewuloo* maafaŋo la.
16 Bituŋ ì ye saatewo kewolu bee kumandi ñoo la ka ì bayi. Ì la Yosuwa bayindoo ye a saabu, ì bee fintita ka bo saatewo kono. 17 Hani kee kiliŋ maŋ tu Ayi saatewo kono aniŋ Beteli, meŋ maŋ bula Banisirayilankoolu nooma. Ì ye saatewo kenseŋo fili jee ka Banisirayilankoolu bayindi.
Ayi la kasaaroo
18 Bituŋ Yaawe naata a fo Yosuwa ye ko, “I la hawusaroo* tiliŋ Ayi saatewo la. Ñiŋ hawusaroo be i buloo kono ñaameŋ, m be ñiŋ saatewo duŋ na i bulu wo le ñaama.” Kabiriŋ Yosuwa ye a la hawusaroo tiliŋ Ayi saatewo la doroŋ, 19 kewolu mennu ye deleŋo laa, ì bee tariyaatoo wulita naŋ ka bo ì bitidulaa. Bituŋ ì tariyaatoo tambita ñaato, ì dunta saatewo kono. Ì ye jee muta, kataba kiliŋ ì ye dimbaa duŋ a la.
20 Kabiriŋ Ayinkoolu ye ì kooma fele, ì ye siisii baa je minaayoo bala ka bo ì la saatewo kono, bari ì maŋ sila soto, ì si kana daameŋ, ñaato nte, kooma nte. Kaatu Banisirayilankoolu mennu be bori kaŋ ì ñaato ka taa keñewuloo maafaŋo la, naata muru ì kaŋ naŋ ne ka ì kele. 21 Kabiriŋ Yosuwa niŋ Banisirayilankoolu ye a je ko, mennu ye deleŋo laa, ì ye saatewo muta le, aduŋ siisiyo ka bo saatewo ñiŋ ne kono, ì muruta ì koo la ka Ayinkoolu kele. 22 Kewolu mennu tarata bitiriŋ nuŋ, wolu fanaa naata ka bo saatewo kono ka ì benduŋ. Bituŋ ì ye Ayi kewolu murubeŋ, ì tarata Banisirayilankoolu teema, ì be ì karoo bee la. Ì ye ì bee faa, hani moo kiliŋ ne maŋ kana, sako ka bori. 23 Bari ì maŋ Ayi mansa faa, ì ye ate muta, ì ye a samba Yosuwa ye.
24 Banisirayilankoolu ye Ayinkoolu bee baŋ faa la kenoolu to jee, ì be ì bayindi kaŋ nuŋ daameŋ. Kabiriŋ ì ye ì bee kiliŋ-kiliŋ faa hawusaroo la, Banisirayilankoolu bee muruta Ayi saatewo kono ka moolu faa, mennu be jee. 25 Moo wuli taŋ niŋ fula le faata wo luŋo la, kewolu niŋ musoolu. Moo-wo-moo niŋ a be Ayi le kono, wo faata le. 26 Yosuwa maŋ a buloo murundi, hawusaroo be meŋ kono, fo a ye moolu bee kasaara mennu be Ayi kono. 27 Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu ye saatewo beeyaŋolu niŋ saatewo la feŋ toomaalu bee taa, ko Yaawe ye Yosuwa yaamari ñaameŋ.
28 Yosuwa ye Ayi saatewo bee jani, a ye a ke tumbuŋo ti fo fawu. A maŋ ke noo saatee ti kotenke fo ka naa bula bii tiloo la. 29 A ye moolu bula ì ye Ayi mansa deŋ yiroo bala. Ì ye a bula jee fo wulaaroo. Bituŋ tiliboyoo la, Yosuwa ye kaŋo dii ì la ka a furewo jindi. Ì ye a fayi duuma saatewo dundaŋ daa* to jee. Ì ye beroolu laa a kaŋ. Wo bere tuŋo be jee le ka naa bula bii tiloo la.
Yosuwa ye Alla la Luwaa Kitaaboo karaŋ
30 Bituŋ Yosuwa naata sadaabodulaa* loo Yaawe ye, Banisirayila la Alla, Ebali Konkoo to, 31 ko Musa Yaawe la dookuulaa ye Banisirayilankoolu yaamari ñaameŋ. A ye a loo le, komeŋ a be safeeriŋ Musa la Luwaa* Kitaaboo kono ñaameŋ. Ì ye sadaabodulaa loo beroo meŋ na, nee jooraŋ maŋ maa a la ka a kuntu. Ì ye jani sadaa* bo Yaawe ye a kaŋ, bituŋ ì ye kayira sabatindiraŋ sadaa beeyaŋolu kanateyi jee.
32 Jee le to, Banisirayilankoolu bee ñaa la, a ye Musa la Luwaa safee beroolu bala, Musa ye meŋ safee nuŋ. 33 Banisirayilankoolu bee, ì niŋ ì la alifaalu, kuntiyolu aniŋ kiitindirilaalu loota Kambeŋ Kunewo* karoo bee la. Ì ye ì ñaa tiliŋ piriisoolu* la, mennu bota Lewi lasiloo kono, mennu ka Yaawe la Kambeŋ Kunewo samba, biriŋ Banisirayila diŋolu ka taa fo tumarankewolu. Talanteemoo loota Kerisimu Konkoo ñaatiliŋo la, talantee doo loota Ebali Konkoo to. Ì ye a ke le ko, Musa Yaawe la dookuulaa ye yaamaroo dii ì la ñaameŋ foloo-foloo, ka neema ke Banisirayilankoolu ma.
34 Wo koolaa, Yosuwa naata luwaa ñiŋ na kumakaŋolu bee karaŋ santo, neemoo aniŋ dankoo, ko a be safeeriŋ Luwaa Kitaaboo faŋo to ñaameŋ. 35 Kuma maŋ soto Musa la yaamaroo kono Yosuwa maŋ meŋ karaŋ Banisirayilankoolu bee ñaatiliŋo la, musoolu niŋ dindiŋolu bee ñaa la, aniŋ tumarankewolu, mennu be sabatiriŋ ì kono.
