1
Kisha malaika wa Bwana alikwea juu kutoka Gilgali kwenda Bokimu. Akasema, Mimi nimewaleta ninyi mkwee juu kutoka nchi ya Misri, nami nimewaleta hata nchi niliyowaapia baba zenu; nami nilisema, Mimi milele sitalivunja hilo agano langu nililoagana nanyi;
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,
2
nanyi msifanye agano lo lote na hawa wenyeji wa nchi hii; zipomosheni nchi madhabahu zao; lakini hamkuisikia sauti yangu; je! Mmefanya haya kwa sababu gani?
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
3
Basi kwa ajili ya hayo mimi nilisema zaidi, Mimi sitawafukuza watoke mbele zenu; lakini watakuwa kama miiba mbavuni mwenu, na miungu yao itakuwa ni tanzi kwenu.
So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
4
Ikawa, hapo huyo malaika wa Bwana alipoyanena maneno haya, kuwaambia wana wa Israeli wote, ndipo hao watu wakainua sauti zao na kulia.
When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5
Nao wakaliita jina la mahali pale Bokimu; nao wakamchinjia Bwana sadaka huko.
So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.
6
Basi hapo Yoshua alipowapa watu ruhusa waende zao, wana wa Israeli wakaenda kila mtu kuuendea urithi wake, ili kuimiliki hiyo nchi.
After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
7
Watu hao wakamtumikia Bwana siku zote za Yoshua, na siku zote za hao wazee walioendelea siku zao baada ya Yoshua, hao waliokuwa wameiona hiyo kazi kubwa ya Bwana yote, aliyokuwa ameitenda kwa ajili ya Israeli.
And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
8
Kisha Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, mtumishi wa Bwana, akafa, naye alipata umri wa miaka mia na kumi.
And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110.
9
Nao wakamzika katika mpaka wa urithi wake katika Timnath-heresi, katika nchi ya vilima vilima ya Efraimu, upande wa kaskazini wa mlima wa Gaashi.
They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10
Tena watu wote wa kizazi hicho nao walikusanywa waende kwa baba zao; kikainuka kizazi kingine nyuma yao, ambacho hakikumjua Bwana, wala hawakuijua hiyo kazi ambayo alikuwa ameitenda kwa ajili ya Israeli.
After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
11
Wana wa Israeli walifanya yaliyokuwa ni maovu mbele za macho ya Bwana, nao wakawatumikia Mabaali.
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
12
Wakamwacha Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao, aliyewaleta kutoka katika nchi ya Misri, wakafuata miungu mingine, baadhi ya miungu ya watu wale waliokaa karibu nao pande zote, wakajiinamisha mbele yao; wakamkasirisha Bwana, akaghadhibika.
Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
13
Wakamwacha Bwana, wakamtumikia Baali na Maashtorethi.
for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14
Hasira ya Bwana ikawaka juu ya Israeli, naye akawatia katika mikono ya watu waliowateka nyara, akawauza na kuwatia katika mikono ya adui zao pande zote; hata wasiweze tena kusimama mbele ya adui zao.
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
15
Kila walikokwenda mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa juu yao kuwatenda mabaya, kama Bwana alivyosema, na kama Bwana alivyowaapia; nao wakafadhaika sana.
Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.
16
Kisha Bwana akawainua waamuzi, waliowaokoa na mikono ya watu hao waliowateka nyara.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
17
Lakini hawakuwasikiliza hao waamuzi wao, maana walifanya uasherati kwa kuifuata miungu mingine, wakajiinamisha mbele yao; wakageuka upesi, na kuiacha njia ile waliyoiendea baba zao, waliozitii amri za Bwana bali wao hawakufanya hivyo.
Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
18
Na wakati Bwana alipowainulia waamuzi, ndipo Bwana alikuwa pamoja na mwamuzi huyo, akawaokoa na mikono ya adui zao siku zote za mwamuzi huyo; maana Bwana alighairi kwa ajili ya kuugua kwao kwa sababu ya watu wale waliowaonea na kuwasumbua.
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.
19
Lakini ikawa, wakati alipokufa mwamuzi huyo, wakarudi nyuma wakafanya maovu kuliko baba zao, kwa kuifuata miungu mingine ili kuitumikia, na kuinama mbele yao; hawakuacha matendo yao, wala njia zao za ukaidi.
But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20
Basi hasira ya Bwana ikawaka juu ya Israeli, naye akasema, Kwa kuwa taifa hili wamelihalifu agano langu nililowaamuru baba zao, wala hawakuisikiliza sauti yangu;
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice,
21
mimi nami tokea sasa sitalifukuza taifa mojawapo la hayo aliyoyaacha Yoshua alipokufa;
I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
22
ili kwa njia ya hayo nipate kuwajaribu Israeli, kwamba wataishika njia ya Bwana kwenda katika njia hiyo, au sivyo.
In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
23
Basi Bwana akawaacha mataifa yale, wala hakuwafukuza kwa upesi, wala hakuwatia katika mikono ya Yoshua. </p>
That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.