1 Kings 20
1 Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, gathered all his army, and he persuaded 32 other kings to join him with their armies and horses and chariots. They marched to Samaria [city, the capital of Israel], and surrounded it, and [prepared to] attack it.
Na rĩrĩ, Beni-Hadadi mũthamaki wa Suriata agĩcookanĩrĩria mbũtũ ciake ciothe cia ita, agĩtwarana hamwe na athamaki mĩrongo ĩtatũ na eerĩ, marĩ na mbarathi na ngaari cia ita, akĩambata akĩrigiicĩria itũũra rĩa Samaria na akĩrĩtharĩkĩra.
2 Ben-Hadad sent messengers into the city to King Ahab, to say this to him: “This is what King Ben-Hadad says:
Agĩtũma andũ mathiĩ itũũra rĩu inene kũrĩ Ahabu mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, makamwĩre atĩrĩ, “Beni-Hadadi ekuuga ũũ:
3 ‘[You must give to] me all your silver and gold, your (good-looking/most beautiful) wives/women and strongest children.’”
‘Betha na thahabu ciaku nĩ ciakwa, nao atumia aku na ciana ciaku, arĩa ega mũno, nĩ akwa.’”
4 The king of Israel replied to them, “Tell this to King Ben-Hadad: ‘I agree to do what you requested. You can have me and everything that I own.’”
Nake mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “O ũguo uugĩte, wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa-rĩ, niĩ mwene ndĩ waku, na kĩrĩa gĩothe ndĩ nakĩo nĩ gĩaku.”
5 [The messengers told that to] Ben-Hadad, and he [sent them back with] another message: “I sent a message to you saying that you must give me all your silver and gold and your wives and your children.
Nao andũ acio maatũmĩtwo magĩcooka rĩngĩ makiuga atĩrĩ, “Beni-Hadadi ekuuga ũũ: ‘Ndaatũmanire ngĩenda betha ciaku, na thahabu, na atumia aku, o na ciana ciaku.
6 But [in addition to that], about this time tomorrow, I will send some of my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials, and to bring to me everything that pleases them.”
No ihinda ta rĩĩrĩ rũciũ nĩngatũma anene akwa moke moiruurie nyũmba ya ũthamaki na nyũmba cia anene aku. Nĩmagataha indo ciothe iria cia bata, macikuue.’”
7 King Ahab summoned all the leaders of Israel, and said to them, “You can see/realize for yourselves that this man is trying to cause much trouble. He sent me a message insisting that I must give him my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I agreed to do that.”
Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩĩta athuuri othe a bũrũri ũcio, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtirona atĩ mũndũ ũyũ nĩ haaro aracaria! Rĩrĩa aatũmanire agĩĩtia atumia akwa na ciana ciakwa, na betha na thahabu ciakwa-rĩ, niĩ ndiamũgiririe.”
8 The leaders and all the other people said to him, “Do not pay any attention to him! Do not do what he is requesting!”
Athuuri na andũ othe makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Tiga kũmũthikĩrĩria, na ndũgetĩkĩre maũndũ macio mothe arenda.”
9 So Ahab said to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell the king that I agree to give him the things that he first requested, but I do not agree to allow his officials to take anything that they want from my palace and from the houses of my officials.” So the messengers [reported that to King Ben-Hadad, and they] returned with another message from Ben-Hadad.
Nake agĩcookeria andũ acio maatũmĩtwo nĩ Beni-Hadadi, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ĩrai mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa atĩrĩ, ndungata yaku nĩĩgwĩka maũndũ marĩa woririe rĩa mbere, no ũndũ ũyũ ũrenda rĩu ndingĩwĩĩtĩkĩra.” Magĩthiĩ magĩcookeria Beni-Hadadi ũhoro ũcio.
10 In that message he said, “[We will destroy] your city [completely, with the result that] there will not be enough dust and rubble left for each of my soldiers to have one handful! I hope/wish that the gods will strike me dead if we do not do that!”
Ningĩ Beni-Hadadi agĩtũma ũhoro rĩngĩ kũrĩ Ahabu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ngai iroothũũra na ikĩrĩrĩrie gũthũũra, kũngĩtigara rũkũngũ Samaria rũiganu rwa kũhe andũ akwa o mũndũ ngundi ĩmwe.”
11 King Ahab replied [to the messengers], “Tell King Ben-Hadad that a soldier who is putting on his armor [preparing to fight a battle] [MTY] should not boast at that time; he [should wait until] after he wins the battle.”
Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mwĩrei ũũ: ‘Mũndũ ũrĩa ũreyooha indo cia mbaara ndaagĩrĩirwo nĩ gwĩtĩĩa ta mũndũ ũrĩa ũraciruta.’”
12 Ben-Hadad heard that message while he and the other rulers were drinking [wine] in their temporary shelters. He told his men to prepare to attack [MTY] the city. So his men did that.
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Beni-Hadadi aiguire ũhoro ũcio rĩrĩa we na athamaki acio manyuuaga me hema-inĩ ciao, agĩatha andũ ake akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Mwĩhaarĩriei gũtharĩkĩra Samaria.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩĩhaarĩria gũtharĩkĩra itũũra rĩu inene.
13 At that moment, a prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘[Do not be at all afraid of] [RHQ] the large enemy army that you see! I will enable your army to defeat them today, and you will know that it is I, Yahweh, [who have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
Ihinda rĩu mũnabii agĩũka kũrĩ Ahabu mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Jehova ekuuga ũũ: ‘Nĩũrona ita rĩĩrĩ inene ũũ? Nĩngũrĩneana moko-inĩ maku ũmũthĩ, nĩgeetha ũmenye atĩ niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova.’”
14 Ahab asked, “What group [of our army] will defeat them?” The prophet replied, “The young soldiers who are commanded by the district governors will do it.” The king asked, “Who should lead the attack?” The prophet replied, “You should!”
Nake Ahabu akĩũria atĩrĩ, “No nũũ ũgwĩka ũguo?” Nake mũnabii ũcio akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Jehova ekuuga ũũ: Anene ethĩ arĩa matongoragia mbũtũ cia bũrũri nĩo megwĩka ũguo.” Ningĩ akĩũria atĩrĩ, “Na nũũ ũkaambĩrĩria mbaara?” Nake mũnabii akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Nĩwe ũkaamĩambĩrĩria.”
15 So Ahab gathered the young soldiers who were commanded by the district governors. There were 232 of those men. Then he also summoned all the Israeli army. There were [only] 7,000 soldiers.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ahabu agĩĩta anene arĩa ethĩ 232 arĩa maatongoragia mbũtũ cia bũrũri. Ningĩ agĩcookanĩrĩria andũ acio angĩ a andũ a Isiraeli othe maarĩ 7,000.
16 They started to attack at noon, while Ben-Hadad and the other rulers were getting drunk in their temporary shelters.
Nao makiumagara mĩaraho hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Beni-Hadadi na athamaki acio mĩrongo ĩtatũ na eerĩ arĩa maarĩ rũmwe nake, maanyuuaga njoohi marĩ hema-inĩ ciao.
17 The young soldiers advanced first. Some scouts who had been sent out by Ben-Hadad reported to him, “There are men coming out of Samaria [city]”!
Anene acio ethĩ maatongoragia mbũtũ cia bũrũri nĩo maathiire mbere. Hĩndĩ ĩyo Beni-Hadadi nĩatũmĩte andũ a gũthigaana, nao makĩmũrehere ũhoro atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kũrĩ na andũ marooka moimĩte Samaria.”
18 He said, “It does not matter whether they are coming to fight against us or to ask for peace. Capture them, but do not kill them
Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Angĩkorwo mokĩte na thayũ-rĩ, manyiitei marĩ muoyo; angĩkorwo nĩ mbaara ya marehe-rĩ, manyiitei marĩ muoyo.”
19 The young Israeli soldiers went out of the city to attack [the Syrian army], and the other soldiers in the Israeli army followed them.
Anene acio ethĩ atongoria a mbũtũ cia bũrũri makiumagara kuuma itũũra-inĩ marũmĩrĩirwo nĩ mbũtũ ya ita,
20 Each [Israeli soldier] killed a [Syrian] soldier. The rest of the Syrian army then ran away, and the Israeli soldiers pursued them. But King Ben-Hadad escaped riding his horse, along with some other men riding horses.
na o mũndũ akĩũraga thũ yake. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Asuriata makĩũra maingatithĩtio nĩ andũ a Isiraeli. No Beni-Hadadi mũthamaki wa Suriata akĩũra ahaicĩte mbarathi me na andũ amwe ake arĩa ahaici a mbarathi.
21 Then the king of Israel went out [of the city], and he and his soldiers captured [all] the [other Syrian] horses and chariots, and also killed a large number of Syrian soldiers.
Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩmatindĩka na agĩtooria mbarathi na ngaari cia ita, akĩũraga Asuriata aingĩ mũno.
22 Then that same prophet went to King Ahab and said to him, “Go back and prepare your soldiers, and think carefully about what will be necessary for you to do, because the king of Syria with attack with his army again in the springtime of next year.”
Thuutha ũcio mũnabii agĩkora mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩhaarĩrie wega, na wone ũrĩa kwagĩrĩire nĩ gwĩkwo, tondũ kĩmera kĩrĩa gĩgũũka mũthamaki wa Suriata nĩagagũtharĩkĩra rĩngĩ.”
23 [After the Syrian army was defeated, ] Ben-Hadad’s officials said to him, “The gods that the Israelis [worship] are gods [who live] in the hills. [Samaria is built on a hill, and] that is why their soldiers were able to defeat us. But if we fight against them in the plains/lowlands, we certainly will be able to defeat them.
Ihinda-inĩ rĩu anene a mũthamaki wa Suriata makĩmũtaara atĩrĩ, “Ngai cia andũ a Isiraeli nĩ ngai cia irĩma-inĩ. Kĩu nĩkĩo gĩatũmire matũkĩrie hinya. No tũngĩhũũrana nao werũ-inĩ, ti-itherũ nĩtũkamakĩria hinya.
24 So, this is what you should do: You must remove the 32 kings [who are leading your troops] and replace them with army commanders.
Ĩka atĩrĩ: Eheria athamaki othe kuuma mbũtũ-inĩ ciao, na ũmakũũranie na anene angĩ.
25 Then gather an army like the army that was defeated. Gather an army that has as many horses and chariots as the first army had. Then we will fight the Israelis in the plains/lowlands, and we will surely defeat them.” Ben-Hadad agreed with them, and he did what they suggested.
No nginya warahũre ita ta rĩrĩa wateire, mbarathi o harĩ mbarathi, na ngaari ya ita harĩ o ngaari ya ita, nĩgeetha tũhote kũrũa na Isiraeli werũ-inĩ. Ti-itherũ hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩ tũgaakorwo tũrĩ na hinya kũmakĩra.” Mũthamaki agĩĩtĩkania nao na agĩĩka o ũguo.
26 In the spring of the following year, he gathered his soldiers and marched [with them] to Aphek [city east of Galilee Lake], to fight against the Israeli army.
Kĩmera kĩrĩa kĩarũmĩrĩire gĩakinya-rĩ, Beni-Hadadi agĩcookanĩrĩria Asuriata, magĩthiĩ Afeki makarũe na andũ a Isiraeli.
27 The Israeli army was also gathered together, and they were equipped with the things that they needed [for the battle]. Then they marched out and formed two groups facing the Syrian army. Their army was very small; they resembled two small flocks of goats, whereas the Syrian army [was very large and] spread all over the countryside.
Rĩrĩa andũ a Isiraeli o nao maacookanĩrĩirio na makĩneo indo ciothe, makiumagara magatũngane nao. Andũ a Isiraeli makĩamba hema ciao ingʼethanĩire nao matariĩ ta tũrũũru twĩrĩ twa mbũri. Hĩndĩ ĩyo Asuriata maiyũrĩte bũrũri ũcio wothe.
28 A prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘The Syrians say that I am a god who lives in the hills, and that I am not a god who lives in the valleys. So I will [show that they are wrong by] enabling your men to defeat this huge army [IDM] [in the valley], and you will know that I, Yahweh, [have done it].’”
Mũndũ wa Ngai agĩũka, akĩĩra mũthamaki wa Isiraeli atĩrĩ, “Jehova ekuuga ũũ: ‘Tondũ Asuriata mareciiria Jehova nĩ ngai wa irĩma-inĩ na ti ngai wa ituamba-inĩ-rĩ, nĩngũneana mbũtũ ĩno nene ũũ moko-inĩ maku, nawe ũmenye atĩ niĩ nĩ niĩ Jehova.’”
29 The two armies stayed in their tents for seven days, in groups that faced each other. Then, on the seventh day, they started fighting. The Israeli army killed 100,000 Syrian soldiers.
Ihinda rĩa mĩthenya mũgwanja maikarire mambĩte hema ciao mangʼethanĩire, na mũthenya wa mũgwanja makĩambĩrĩria mbaara. Andũ a Isiraeli makĩũraga thigari 100,000 cia magũrũ cia Asuriata, mũthenya ũmwe.
30 The other Syrian soldiers ran away into Aphek City. Then the wall of the city collapsed and killed 27,000 more Syrian soldiers. Ben-Hadad also escaped into the city, and hid in the back room of a house.
Acio angĩ makĩũrĩra itũũra inene rĩa Afeki, kũrĩa rũthingo rwagwĩrĩire andũ ao 27,000. Nake Beni-Hadadi akĩũrĩra itũũra inene akĩĩhitha kanyũmba ga thĩinĩ.
31 His officials went to him and said, “We have heard a report that the Israelis act mercifully. So allow us to go to the king of Israel, wearing coarse sacks around our waists and ropes on our heads/necks [to indicate that we will be his slaves]. Perhaps [if we do that, ] he will allow you to remain alive.”
Anene ake makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ta rora, nĩtũiguĩte atĩ athamaki a nyũmba ya Isiraeli nĩ marĩ tha. Twĩtĩkĩrie tũthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Isiraeli twĩhotorete nguo cia makũnia njohero na twĩrigiicĩirie mĩhĩndo mĩtwe iitũ. No gũkorwo nĩagetĩkĩra kũhonokia muoyo waku.”
32 [The king permitted them to do that, ] so they wrapped coarse sacks around their waists and put ropes on their heads/necks, and they went to the king of Israel and said to him, “Ben-Hadad, who greatly respects you, says, ‘Please do not kill me.’” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is like a brother to me!”
Makĩĩhotora nguo cia makũnia njohero, na makĩrigiicĩria mĩhĩndo mĩtwe yao, magĩthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndungata yaku Beni-Hadadi egũkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ndagũthaitha reke ndũũre muoyo.’” Nake mũthamaki akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Arĩ o muoyo? Ũcio-rĩ, nĩ mũrũ wa baba.”
33 Ben-Hadad’s officials were trying to find out if Ahab would act mercifully, and when Ahab said “brother,” they (were optimistic/thought that Ahab would be merciful). So they replied, “Yes, he is like your brother!” Ahab said, “Go and bring him to me.” So they [went and] brought Ben-Hadad to him. [When Ben-Hadad arrived, ] Ahab told him to get in his chariot [and sit with him].
Andũ acio makĩigua ũguo meerwo taarĩ kĩmenyithia kĩega, makĩgwatĩria kiugo gĩake, makiuga atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ nĩguo, Beni-Hadadi nĩ mũrũ wa thoguo.” Mũthamaki akiuga atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi mũmũrehe.” Rĩrĩa Beni-Hadadi oimĩrire, Ahabu akĩmũingĩria ngaari-inĩ yake ya ita.
34 Ben-Hadad said to him, “I will give back to you the towns that my father’s army took from your father. And I will allow you to set up market areas for your merchants in Damascus [my capital], just as my father did in Samaria [your capital].” Ahab replied, “Because you agree to do that, I will not execute you.” So Ahab made an agreement with Ben-Hadad, and allowed him to go home.
Beni-Hadadi akĩĩra Mũthamaki Ahabu atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũgũcookeria matũũra marĩa baba aatunyire thoguo, nawe ũthondeke kũndũ kwa wonjoria thĩinĩ wa Dameski, o ta ũrĩa baba eekĩte Samaria.” Nake Ahabu akiuga atĩrĩ, “Kũngĩgĩa na kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa ũiguano witũ nawe, nĩngũrekereria ũthiĩ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthondeka kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa ũiguano, akĩmwĩtĩkĩria athiĩ.
35 Then Yahweh spoke to a member of a group of prophets and said to him, “Ask one of your fellow prophets to strike and wound you.” [So he did what Yahweh told him to do]. [He said to one of his fellow prophets, ‘Strike me and wound me].’ But that man refused to do it.
Na ũndũ wa kiugo kĩa Jehova, mũndũ ũmwe wa ariũ a anabii nĩerire mũndũ wa thiritũ yake atĩrĩ, “Ngũtha na mũtĩ waku wa mbaara,” no mũndũ ũcio akĩrega.
36 So the prophet said to him, “Because you refused to obey what Yahweh told you to do, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.” And as soon as he left that prophet, a lion suddenly pounced on him and killed him.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũnabii akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Tondũ ndũnathĩkĩra Jehova-rĩ, wathiĩ wandiga o ũguo nĩũkũũragwo nĩ mũrũũthi.” Na thuutha wa mũndũ ũcio gũthiĩ-rĩ, agĩkorwo nĩ mũrũũthi, ũkĩmũũraga.
37 Then the prophet found another prophet, and said to him, “Strike me!” So that man hit him [very hard] and injured him.
Ningĩ mũnabii akĩona mũndũ ũngĩ, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndagũthaitha ngũtha,” nake mũndũ ũcio akĩmũgũtha na akĩmũtiihia.
38 Then the prophet put a large bandage/cloth over his face so that no one would recognize him. Then he went and stood alongside the road, waiting for the king to come by.
Mũnabii agĩthiĩ, akĩrũgama mũkĩra-inĩ wa njĩra etereire mũthamaki. Ehumbĩrĩte maitho na gĩtambaya kĩa mũtwe nĩguo ndakamenyeke.
39 When the king passed by, the prophet cried out to him, saying “Your majesty, [after I was wounded] while I was fighting in a battle, a soldier brought to me one of our enemies that he had captured, and said to me, ‘Guard this man! If he escapes, you must pay me 3,000 pieces of silver, and if you do not pay that, you will be executed!’
Na rĩrĩa mũthamaki aahĩtũkaga-rĩ, mũnabii ũcio akĩmwĩta, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndungata yaku ndĩrathiĩte harĩa mbaara ĩneneheire, nake mũndũ ũmwe arooka kũrĩ niĩ arĩ na mũndũ mũtahe, aranjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Rangĩra mũndũ ũyũ, na angĩũra, wee nĩwe ũkooragwo handũ hake, kana ũrĩhe taranda ĩmwe ya betha.’
40 But while I was busy doing other things, the man escaped!” The king of Israel said to him, “That is your problem! You yourself have said that you deserve to be punished.”
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndungata yaku yagĩire na mĩhangʼo ya haha na harĩa mũndũ ũcio akĩũra.” Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akiuga atĩrĩ, “Rĩu nĩrĩo ituĩro rĩaku, o ta ũguo wee mwene woiga.”
41 The prophet immediately took off the bandage, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũnabii akĩeheria gĩtambaya maitho-inĩ na ihenya, nake mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩmũmenya atĩ nĩ ũmwe wa anabii.
42 And the prophet said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You have allowed that man [Ben-Hadad] to escape after I commanded you to be sure to execute him! Since you did not do that, you will be killed instead. And your army will be destroyed because you allowed [some of] his army to escape!’”
Akĩĩra mũthamaki atĩrĩ, “Jehova ekuuga ũũ: ‘Nĩũrekereirie mũndũ ũrĩa niĩ ndĩratuĩte atĩ no nginya akue. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio wee nĩwe ũgũkua handũ hake, nao andũ aku mooragwo handũ ha andũ ake.’”
43 The king went back home to Samaria, very angry and depressed/dejected.
Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩthiĩ Samaria nyũmba-inĩ yake ya ũthamaki athitĩtie gĩthiithi na arĩ mũrakaru.
