Joshua 18

1 Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,

1 Kusanyiko lote la Waisraeli likakusanyika huko Shilo na kusimamisha Hema la Kukutania. Nchi ikawa chini ya utawala wao,

2 there were still seven tribes of Israel who had not yet received their inheritance.

2 lakini palikuwa bado makabila saba ya Israeli ambayo yalikuwa hayajapokea urithi wao.

3 So Joshua said to the Israelites, “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?

3 Hivyo Yoshua akawaambia Waisraeli, “Je, mtasubiri hata lini ili kuingia kumiliki nchi ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, amewapa?

4 Appoint three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to survey the land and map it out, according to the inheritance of each. Then they will return to me

4 Chagueni watu watatu kutoka kwenye kila kabila. Nitawatuma hao watu kukagua hiyo nchi na kuniandikia mapendekezo ya mgawanyo wa urithi wa kila kabila. Nao watanirudia.

5 and divide the land into seven portions. Judah shall remain in their territory in the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory in the north.

5 Mtaigawanya hiyo nchi katika sehemu saba. Yuda atabaki katika eneo lake upande wa kusini na nyumba ya Yosefu katika nchi yake upande wa kaskazini.

6 When you have mapped out the seven portions of land and brought it to me, I will cast lots for you here in the presence of the LORD our God.

6 Baada ya kuandika maelezo ya hizo sehemu saba za nchi, yaleteni kwangu, nami nitawapigia kura kwa kura mbele za Bwana Mungu wetu.

7 The Levites, however, have no portion among you, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the LORD. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have already received the inheritance that Moses the servant of the LORD gave them beyond the Jordan to the east.”

7 Hata hivyo, Walawi hawatakuwa na sehemu miongoni mwenu, kwa maana huduma ya ukuhani kwa Bwana ndio urithi wao. Nao Gadi, Reubeni na nusu ya kabila la Manase wameshapata urithi wao upande wa mashariki mwa Yordani, ambako Mose mtumishi wa Bwana aliwapa.”

8 As the men got up to go out, Joshua commanded them to map out the land, saying, “Go and survey the land, map it out, and return to me. Then I will cast lots for you here in Shiloh in the presence of the LORD.”

8 Watu hao walipokuwa wanaondoka kwenda kuandika vizuri kuhusu hiyo nchi, Yoshua akawaagiza, “Nendeni mkakague hiyo nchi na mwandike maelezo kuihusu. Kisha mrudi kwangu, nami nitawapigia kura hapa Shilo mbele za Bwana.”

9 So the men departed and went throughout the land, mapping it city by city into seven portions. Then they returned with the document to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.

9 Ndipo hao watu walipoondoka na kupita katika ile nchi. Wakaandika maelezo yake kwenye kitabu, mji kwa mji, katika sehemu saba na kurudisha taarifa kwa Yoshua huko kambini Shilo.

10 And Joshua cast lots for them in the presence of the LORD at Shiloh, where he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their divisions.

10 Basi Yoshua akawapigia kura huko Shilo mbele za Bwana, na hapo akagawanya ile nchi kwa Waisraeli kufuatana na mgawanyo wa kabila zao.

11 The first lot came up for the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:

11 Kura iliangukia kabila la Benyamini, ukoo kwa ukoo. Eneo lao walilogawiwa lilikuwa kati ya kabila la Yuda na la Yosefu.

12 On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.

12 Upande wa kaskazini mpaka wao ulianzia pale Yordani, kupitia kaskazini ya mteremko wa Yeriko na kuendelea magharibi kuingia katika nchi ya vilima, ukitokea kwenye jangwa la Beth-Aveni.

13 From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.

13 Kutoka hapo ulikatiza kwenye mteremko wa kusini mwa Luzu (yaani Betheli) na kushuka hadi Ataroth-Adari katika kilima kusini mwa Beth-Horoni ya Chini.

14 On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the western side.

14 Kutoka kilima kinachotazamana na Beth-Horoni upande wa kusini mpaka ule ukazunguka kusini kufuatia upande wa magharibi, na ukatokezea Kiriath-Baali (yaani Kiriath-Yearimu), mji wa watu wa Yuda. Huu ndio uliokuwa upande wa magharibi.

15 On the south side the border began at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim and extended westward to the spring at the Waters of Nephtoah.

15 Upande wa kusini mpaka ulianzia kwenye viunga vya Kiriath-Yearimu kwa upande wa magharibi, nao ukatokeza kwenye chemchemi ya maji ya Neftoa.

16 Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Ben-hinnom at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim and ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the southern slope of the Jebusites and downward to En-rogel.

16 Mpaka ukateremka hadi shefela inayotazamana na Bonde la Ben-Hinomu, kaskazini mwa Bonde la Refaimu. Ukaendelea chini kwenye Bonde la Hinomu sambamba na mteremko wa kusini mwa mji mkubwa wa Wayebusi na kisha hadi En-Rogeli.

17 From there it curved northward and proceeded to En-shemesh and on to Geliloth facing the Ascent of Adummim, and continued down to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben.

17 Kisha ukapinda kuelekea kaskazini, ukaenda hadi En-Shemeshi na kuendelea mpaka Gelilothi, inayotazamana na Njia ya Adumimu, ukateremka hadi kwenye Jiwe la Bohani mwana wa Reubeni.

18 Then it went on to the northern slope of Beth-arabah and went down into the valley.

18 Ukaendelea upande wa mteremko wa kaskazini wa Beth-Araba ukateremka hadi Araba.

19 The border continued to the northern slope of Beth-hoglah and came out at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the mouth of the Jordan. This was the southern border.

19 Kisha ukaenda mpaka kwenye mteremko wa kaskazini wa Beth-Hogla na kujitokeza kwenye ghuba ya kaskazini ya Bahari ya Chumvi, kwenye maingilio ya Yordani upande wa kusini. Huo ulikuwa mpaka wa kusini.

20 On the east side the border was the Jordan. These were the borders around the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

20 Nayo Yordani ikawa ndio mpaka wa upande wa mashariki. Hii ilikuwa ndiyo mipaka iliyoonyesha urithi wa koo za Benyamini pande zote.

21 These were the cities of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz,

21 Kabila ya Benyamini, ukoo kwa ukoo, ilikuwa na miji mikubwa ifuatayo: Yeriko, Beth-Hogla, Emeki-Kesisi,

22 Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel,

22 Beth-Araba, Semaraimu, Betheli,

23 Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,

23 Avimu, Para na Ofra,

24 Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve cities, along with their villages.

24 Kefar-Amoni, Ofni, na Geba; miji kumi na miwili pamoja na vijiji vyake.

25 Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,

25 Gibeoni, Rama na Beerothi,

26 Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah,

26 Mispa, Kefira, Moza,

27 Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah,

27 Rekemu, Irpeeli, Tarala,

28 Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities, along with their villages. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

28 Zela, Elefu, mji wa Wayebusi (yaani Yerusalemu), Gibea na Kiriathi; miji kumi na minne pamoja na vijiji vyake. Huu ndio uliokuwa urithi wa Benyamini kwa ajili ya koo zake.