1 Kings 20
1 Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.
UBenihadadi inkosi yeSiriya wasebutha ibutho lakhe lonke, elamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili, lamabhiza lezinqola. Wenyuka wayavimbezela iSamariya, walwa layo.
2 Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
Wathuma izithunywa kuAhabi inkosi yakoIsrayeli, emzini, wathi kuye: Utsho njalo uBenihadadi:
3 saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”
Isiliva sakho legolide lakho ngokwami, labafazi bakho labantwana bakho abahle ngabami.
4 And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphendula yathi: Njengokwelizwi lakho, nkosi yami, nkosi, ngingowakho, lakho konke engilakho.
5 The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
Izithunywa zasezibuyela zathi: Utsho njalo uBenihadadi uthi: Lanxa ngithumele kuwe ngisithi: Isiliva sakho legolide lakho labafazi bakho labantwana bakho, kunike mina;
6 But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’”
kube kanti phose ngalesisikhathi kusasa ngizathuma kuwe izinceku zami, zizaguduza indlu yakho lezindlu zezinceku zakho; kuzakuthi-ke, yonke into ethandekayo emehlweni akho, zizayifaka esandleni sazo ziyithathe.
7 Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
Ngakho inkosi yakoIsrayeli yabiza bonke abadala belizwe yathi: Ake linanzelele libone ukuthi lo udinga ububi, ngoba uthumele kimi ngabafazi bami langabantwana bami langesiliva sami langegolide lami, njalo kangimalelanga.
8 And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”
Bonke abadala labo bonke abantu basebesithi kuyo: Ungalaleli, njalo ungavumi.
9 So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.
Wasesithi kuzo izithunywa zikaBenihadadi: Tshelani inkosi yami, inkosi ukuthi: Konke eyakuthumela encekwini yayo kuqala ngizakwenza; kodwa linto kangilamandla okuyenza. Izithunywa zasezihamba, zayibuyisela ilizwi.
10 Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
UBenihadadi wasethumela kuye wathi: Kabenze njalo onkulunkulu kimi, bengezelele njalo, uba ubhuqu lweSamariya lungenela izandla ezigcweleyo zabo bonke abantu abangilandelayo.
11 And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphendula yathi: Mtsheleni: Lowo obhinca izikhali kangaziqakisi njengozikhululayo.
12 Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.
Kwasekusithi esizwa lelilizwi esanatha, yena lamakhosi emadumbeni, wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Zimiseni! Zasezizimisa ukumelana lomuzi.
13 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
Khangela-ke, umprofethi othile wasondela kuAhabi inkosi yakoIsrayeli, wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uyalibona lelixuku lonke elikhulu yini? Khangela, ngizalinikela esandleni sakho lamuhla, njalo uzakwazi ukuthi mina ngiyiNkosi.
14 “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.
UAhabi wasesithi: Ngobani? Wasesithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngamajaha abaphathi bezabelo. Wasesithi: Ngubani ozaqalisa impi? Wasesithi: Wena.
15 So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.
Wasebala amajaha abaphathi bezabelo, ayengamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amathathu lambili; lemva kwawo wabala bonke abantu, bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa.
16 They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
Basebephuma emini, uBenihadadi esenathe wadakwa emadumbeni, yena lamakhosi, amakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili ayemsiza.
17 And the young officers of the district governors marched out first. Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”
Amajaha abaphathi bezabelo asephuma kuqala. UBenihadadi wasethuma, basebemtshela besithi: Kuphume amadoda eSamariya.
18 “If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
Wasesithi: Loba ephumele ukuthula, abambeni ephila; loba-ke ephumele impi, abambeni ephila.
19 Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,
Lala aphuma emzini, amajaha abaphathi bezabelo, lebutho elawalandelayo.
20 and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.
Babulala, ngulowo lalowo umuntu wakhe. AmaSamariya asebaleka, uIsrayeli wasexotshana lawo, kodwa uBenihadadi inkosi yeSiriya waphunyuka ngebhiza kanye labagadi bamabhiza.
21 Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphuma, yatshaya amabhiza lenqola, yatshaya phakathi kwamaSiriya ngokubulala okukhulu.
22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
Lowomprofethi wasesondela enkosini yakoIsrayeli wathi kuyo: Hamba, uziqinise, unanzelele njalo ubone okwenzayo; ngoba ekuthwaseni komnyaka inkosi yeSiriya izakwenyuka imelane lawe.
23 Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.
Lezinceku zenkosi yeSiriya zathi kuyo: Onkulunkulu babo bangonkulunkulu bezintaba, yikho belamandla kulathi; kube kanti asilwe labo emagcekeni, sibili sizabehlula.
24 So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
Ngakho yenza linto: Susa amakhosi, ngulowo lalowo endaweni yakhe, ubeke izinduna esikhundleni sawo;
25 And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.” And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.
njalo wena zibalele ibutho njengebutho eliwileyo kuwe, lebhiza njengebhiza, lenqola njengenqola; njalo sizakulwa labo emagcekeni, isibili sizabehlula. Yasilalela ilizwi labo, yenza njalo.
26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
Kwasekusithi ekuthwaseni komnyaka uBenihadadi wabala amaSiriya, wenyukela eAfeki ekulweni loIsrayeli.
27 The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
Abantwana bakoIsrayeli babalwa-ke, banikwa imiphako, basebephuma ukumelana lawo; abantwana bakoIsrayeli bamisa inkamba phambi kwawo njengemihlanjana yembuzi emibili, kodwa amaSiriya agcwala ilizwe.
28 Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
Kwasekusondela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wakhuluma enkosini yakoIsrayeli wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yokuthi amaSiriya athe: INkosi inguNkulunkulu wezintaba, kodwa kayisuye uNkulunkulu wezihotsha, ngakho ngizanikela esandleni sakho lelixuku lonke elikhulu, njalo lizakwazi ukuthi mina ngiyiNkosi.
29 For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.
Basebemisa inkamba, enye iqondene lenye, insuku eziyisikhombisa. Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesikhombisa impi yadibana; abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebetshaya ngosuku lunye amaSiriya azinkulungwane ezilikhulu ahamba ngenyawo.
30 The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
Labaseleyo babalekela eAfeki emzini; lomduli wawela phezu kwamadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa ayesele. UBenihadadi laye wabaleka, wangena emzini ekamelweni elingaphakathi.
31 Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
Lezinceku zakhe zathi kuye: Khangela-ke, sizwile ukuthi amakhosi endlu yakoIsrayeli angamakhosi alesihawu; ake sifake amasaka enkalweni zethu, lamagoda emakhanda ethu, siphumele enkosini yakoIsrayeli; mhlawumbe izagcina umphefumulo wakho uphile.
32 So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
Basebethandela amasaka enkalweni zabo, lamagoda emakhanda abo, bafika enkosini yakoIsrayeli, bathi: Inceku yakho uBenihadadi ithi: Ake ungiyekele ngiphile. Yasisithi: Usaphila yini? Ungumfowethu.
33 Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
Lamadoda aqaphela ngokukhuthala aphangisa ukukuhluthuna kuyo, athi: Umfowenu uBenihadadi. Yasisithi: Hambani liyemthatha. UBenihadadi wasephumela kuyo, yamkhweza enqoleni.
34 Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” “By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.
Wasesithi kuyo: Imizi ubaba ayithatha kuyihlo ngizayibuyisela; futhi ungazenzela izitalada eDamaseko njengokwenza kukababa eSamariya. Khona uAhabi wathi: Mina ngizakuyekela uhambe ngalesisivumelwano. Yasisenza laye isivumelwano yamyekela ehamba.
35 Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.
Umuntu othile wamadodana abaprofethi wasesithi kumakhelwane wakhe ngelizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu: Ake ungitshaye. Kodwa lowomuntu wala ukumtshaya.
36 Then the prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you depart from me a lion will kill you.” And when he left, a lion found him and killed him.
Wasesithi kuye: Ngenxa yokuthi ungalilalelanga ilizwi leNkosi, khangela, ekusukeni kwakho kimi isilwane sizakutshaya. Wasesuka kuye, lesilwane samfica, sambulala.
37 Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
Wasethola omunye umuntu wathi: Ake ungitshaye. Lalowomuntu wamtshaya lokumtshaya emlimaza.
38 and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
Ngakho umprofethi wasuka, wamelela inkosi endleleni, ezifihle isimo ngelembu emehlweni.
39 As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.’
Kwasekusithi inkosi idlula, yena wamemeza enkosini wathi: Inceku yakho yaphuma phakathi kwempi; khangela-ke, umuntu waphambuka, waletha umuntu kimi, wathi: Londoloza lumuntu; uba elahleka lokulahleka, khona impilo yakho izakuba sesikhundleni sempilo yakhe, kumbe uhlawule ngethalenta lesiliva.
40 But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”
Kwasekusithi inceku yakho isaphathekile lapha lalaphaya, yena wayengekho. Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi kuye: Sinjalo isahlulelo sakho, ususiqumile wena.
41 Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
Wasephangisa walisusa ilembu emehlweni akhe. Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasimazi ukuthi ungowabaprofethi.
42 And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’”
Wasesithi kuyo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngoba umyekele ukuthi aphume esandleni umuntu engimmisele ukumtshabalalisa, ngakho impilo yakho izakuba sesikhundleni sempilo yakhe, labantu bakho esikhundleni sabantu bakhe.
43 Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisiya endlini yayo inyukumele, ithukuthele, yafika eSamariya.
