1 Kings 22
1 For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
Ɔko biara ansi Aram ne Israel ntam mfeɛ mmiɛnsa.
2 Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
Na mfeɛ mmiɛnsa no mu, ɔhene Yehosafat a ɔdi adeɛ Yuda kɔɔ Israelhene Ahab nkyɛn.
3 [While they were talking, ] Ahab said to his officials, “Do you realize that the Syrians are still occupying our city of Ramoth in [the] Gilead [region]? And we are doing nothing to retake that city!”
Na Ahab abisa ne mpanimfoɔ sɛ, “Moahunu sɛ Aramfoɔ da so te yɛn kuro Ramot Gilead mu? Nanso, yɛnyɛɛ ho hwee!”
4 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will your [army] join my [army] to fight against the people of Ramoth [and retake that city]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “[Certainly] I [will do whatever] you [want], and you may command my troops. You may take my horses into battle, also.”
Enti ɔbisaa Yehosafat sɛ, “Wobɛka me ho, na yɛako atia Ramot Gilead anaa?” Na Yehosafat buaa ɔhene Ahab sɛ, “Adɛn? Ɛyɛ asɛm a ɛda ne kwan mu. Wo ne me yɛ anuanom, na mʼakodɔm yɛ wo dea, sɛ wobɛka asɛm a wopɛ akyerɛ wɔn. Mpo, mʼapɔnkɔ da wo da.”
5 Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
Na Yehosafat ka kaa ho sɛ, “Deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, ma yɛmmisa Awurade hɔ afotuo.”
6 So Ahab summoned about 400 of his prophets together, and he asked them, “Should my [army] go to fight the people in Ramoth and retake that city, or not?” They answered, “Yes, go [and attack them], because God will enable your [army] to defeat them.”
Enti, ɔhene Ahab frɛɛ nʼadiyifoɔ a wɔn dodoɔ bɛyɛ ahanan no nyinaa, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Menkɔko ntia Ramot Gilead anaa mennkɔ?” Wɔn nyinaa buaa sɛ, “Kɔ so! Awurade bɛma woadi nkonim animuonyam so.”
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
Nanso, Yehosafat bisaa sɛ, “Enti, Awurade odiyifoɔ biara nso nni ha? Anka mepɛ sɛ mebisa no saa asɛm korɔ no ara.”
8 The King of Israel replied, “There is one man we can talk to. We can ask him if he can find out what Yahweh wants. His name is Micaiah; he is the son of Imlah. But I hate him, because when he (prophesies/tells what God says to him) he never says [that] anything good [will happen] to me. He always predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”
Ɔhene Ahab buaa sɛ, “Awurade odiyifoɔ baako da so wɔ ha, nanso metane no. Ɔnhyɛ nkɔm pa biara sɛ nkɔm bɔne, na ɔhyɛ fa me ho. Ne din de Mikaia a ɔyɛ Imla babarima.” Na Yehosafat kaa sɛ, “Nkasa saa. Momma yɛntie asɛm a ɔwɔ ka.”
9 So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
Enti, Israelhene frɛɛ ne mpanimfoɔ no mu baako, ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ka wo ho kɔfa Imla babarima Mikaia bra.”
10 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were wearing their (royal robes/robes that showed that they were kings). They were sitting on thrones at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of Ahab’s prophets were standing in front of the kings, (prophesying/predicting what was going to happen).
Israelhene Ahab ne Yudahene Yehosafat hyɛɛ wɔn ahemfo ntadeɛ, tenaa wɔn ahennwa mu wɔ aponnwa a ɛbɛn Samaria ɛkwan no ano. Saa ɛberɛ no, na Ahab adiyifoɔ no rehyɛ nkɔm wɔ wɔn anim.
11 One of them, whose name was Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron [something that resembled] horns of a bull. Then he proclaimed [to Ahab], “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns like these your [army] will keep attacking the Syrians [like a bull attacks another animal] [MET], until you completely destroy them!’”
Wɔn mu baako a wɔfrɛ no Sedekia a ɔyɛ Kenaana babarima yɛɛ dadeɛ mmɛn bi ka too dwa sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade ka nie: Mode saa mmɛn yi bɛwowɔ Aramfoɔ no akunkum wɔn.”
12 All the [other] prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you go up to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them!”
Adiyifoɔ a wɔwɔ hɔ no nyinaa penee so, kaa sɛ, “Aane, monkɔ Ramot-Gilead, na monkɔdi nkonim, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛma moadi nkonim.”
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are predicting that the king’s army will defeat the Syrians. So be sure that you agree with them and say (what will be favorable/that the king’s army will be successful).”
Na ɔbɔfoɔ a ɔkɔfaa Mikaia no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Tie, adiyifoɔ no nyinaa hyɛ nkonimdie ho nkɔm ma ɔhene. Hwɛ sɛ wo ne wɔn adwene bɛyɛ baako, na wo nso, wobɛhyɛ nkonimdie ho nkɔm.”
14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
Nanso, Mikaia kaa sɛ, “Mmerɛ dodoɔ a Awurade te aseɛ yi, deɛ Awurade aka akyerɛ me sɛ menka no na mɛka.”
15 When Micaiah came to Ahab, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to fight against [the people of] Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”
Ɛberɛ a Mikaia bɛduruu ahennimu no, Ahab bisaa no sɛ, “Mikaia, yɛnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead anaa yɛnnkɔ?” Na Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Monkɔ! Na Awurade bɛma ɔhene adi nkonim animuonyam so.”
16 But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was (lying/being sarcastic), so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you [RHQ] many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”
Nanso, ɔhene no sɔɔ so sɛ, “Mpɛn ahe na menka sɛ, ɛberɛ biara a wobɛkasa ama Awurade no, ɛsɛ sɛ woka nokorɛ?”
17 So Micaiah said to him, “[The truth is that] in a vision I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’”
Na Mikaia ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Anisoadehunu mu, mehunuu sɛ Israel abɔ apete mmepɔ no so, te sɛ nnwan a wɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ. Na Awurade kaa sɛ, ‘Wɔakum wɔn wura. Ma wɔnkɔ efie asomdwoeɛ mu.’”
18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you [RHQ] that he never predicts [that] anything good [will happen to me]! He [always] predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].”
Israelhene ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ, “Manka saa ankyerɛ wo? Ɛda biara saa na ɔyɛ. Ɔnhyɛ nkɔm pa biara sɛ nkɔntorɔ na ɔhyɛ fa me ho.”
19 But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! [In a vision] I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, on his right side and on his left side.
Mikaia toaa so sɛ, “Tie deɛ Awurade ka. Mehunuu Awurade sɛ ɔte nʼahennwa so a ne sorofoɔ akodɔm nyinaa atwa ne ho ahyia wɔ ne nifa ne ne benkum so.”
20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’ Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else.
Na Awurade bisaa sɛ, “Hwan na ɔbɛtumi adaadaa Ahab, ama wakɔ ɔko atia Ramot Gilead, a ɛbɛtumi aba sɛ wɔbɛkum no wɔ hɔ?” Wɔsusuu nsɛm ahodoɔ bebree ho wɔ hɔ,
21 Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
kɔsii sɛ ne korakora no, honhom bi kɔɔ Awurade nkyɛn kɔkaa sɛ, “Mɛtumi ayɛ!”
22 Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’ The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’
Awurade bisaa sɛ, “Ɛkwan bɛn so na wobɛfa ayɛ yei?” Na honhom no buaa sɛ, “Mɛkɔ akɔdaadaa Ahab adiyifoɔ, ama wɔadi atorɔ.” Awurade kaa sɛ, “Kɔ so yɛ, na wobɛdi nkonim.
23 So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused all of your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”
“Enti afei, Awurade de nkontompo honhom ahyɛ wʼadiyifoɔ anomu. Na Awurade adwene ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ ama wo.”
24 Then Zedekiah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?” [RHQ]
Ɛnna Kenaana babarima Sedekia kɔɔ Mikaia so, kɔbɔɔ nʼani so. Ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Da bɛn na Awurade honhom firii me mu, bɛkasa kyerɛɛ wo?”
25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken to] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian troops]!”
Na Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Ɛrenkyɛre biara, wobɛhunu nokorɛ no wɔ ɛberɛ a wobɛdwane akɔtɛ kɔkoam dan bi mu.”
26 King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
Israelhene Ahab hyɛɛ sɛ, “Monkyere Mikaia, na momfa no nkɔma Amon a ɔyɛ kuro no mu amrado, na momfa no nkɔ me babarima Yoas nkyɛn.
27 Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely from the battle!”
Monka saa nhyɛ a ɛfiri ɔhene nkyɛn nkyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Fa saa ɔbarima yi to afiase, na burodo ne nsuo nko na momfa mma no nni, kɔsi sɛ mɛsane afiri akono aba asomdwoeɛ mu.’”
28 Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, [it will be clear that] it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said [to all those who were standing there], “Do not forget what I have said [to King Ahab]!”
Nanso, Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Sɛ wosane ba asomdwoeɛ mu a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, Awurade amfa me so ankasa.” Na ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn a wɔgyinagyina hɔ, atwa ne ho ahyia no sɛ, “Saa asɛm a maka yi, monhyɛ no nso.”
29 So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
Na Israelhene ne Yudahene Yehosafat dii wɔn akodɔm anim, kɔto hyɛɛ Ramot-Gilead so.
30 King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will put on different clothes, [in order that no one will recognize that I am the king]. But you should wear your (royal robe/robe that shows that you are a king).” So Ahab disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.
Afei, ɔhene Ahab ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ, “Yɛrekɔ ɔko yi, mɛsakyera me ho, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, obiara renhunu me. Nanso, wo deɛ, hyɛ wʼahentadeɛ.” Enti, Ahab sakyeraa ne ho, na wɔkɔɔ ɔko no.
31 The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
Saa ɛberɛ no, na Aramhene ahyɛ ne nteaseɛnamkafoɔ aduasa mmienu no sɛ, “Monto nhyɛ Israelhene nko ara so!”
32 So when the men who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing (his royal robes/clothes that showed he was the king)], they pursued him. They shouted, “There is the king of Israel!” But when Jehoshaphat cried out,
Enti, ɛberɛ a Aramhene nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no hunuu Yehosafat sɛ ɔhyɛ nʼahentadeɛ no, wɔtaa no. Wɔteateaam sɛ, “Israelhene no ne no.” Nanso, ɛberɛ a Yehosafat teaam no,
33 they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no hunuu sɛ ɛnyɛ ɔno ne Israelhene no enti, wɔgyaa nʼakyidie.
34 But one [Syrian] soldier shot an arrow at Ahab, without knowing that it was Ahab. The arrow struck Ahab between the places where the parts of his armor joined together. Ahab told the driver of his chariot, “Turn the chariot around and take me out of here! I have been severely wounded!”
Aram sraani bi de anibiannasoɔ too agyan kyerɛɛ Israel asraafoɔ no so, ma ɛkɔwɔɔ Israelhene wɔ ne nkataboɔ ahyiaeɛ so. Ahab teaam kyerɛɛ ne teaseɛnamkafoɔ no sɛ, “Fa me firi ha ntɛm, na wɔapira me pa ara.”
35 The battle continued all the day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian troops. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of the chariot. And late in the afternoon he died.
Ɔko no kɔɔ so saa ara da mu no nyinaa, na wɔde Ahab tweree biribi wɔ ne teaseɛnam mu a nʼani kyerɛ Aramfoɔ no. Mogya tuu no firi nʼapirakuro no mu, guu teaseɛnam no mu, na onwunu dwoeɛ no, ɔwuiɛ.
36 Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
Onwunu reyɛ adwo no, wɔteateaam faa akodɔm no nyinaa mu sɛ: “Ɔko no aba awieeɛ. Monsane nkɔ efie!”
37 So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
Na ɔhene no wuiɛ no, wɔde nʼamu no kɔɔ Samaria, kɔsiee no wɔ hɔ.
38 They washed his chariot alongside the pool in Samaria, a pool where the prostitutes bathed. And dogs [came and] licked the king’s blood, just like Yahweh had predicted would happen.
Na wɔhoroo ne teaseɛnam no ho wɔ asubura bi a ɛwɔ Samaria a adwamanfoɔ dware hɔ, na nkraman bɛtaferee ɔhene no mogya no, sɛdeɛ Awurade aka ato hɔ no.
39 The account/record of the other things that happened while Ahab was ruling, and about the palace decorated with much ivory [that they built for him], and the cities that were built for him, was written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.
Nsɛm a ɛfa Ahab ahennie ho ne asonse ahemfie ho asɛm ne nkuro a ɔkyekyeree nyinaa no, wɔatwerɛ agu Israel Ahemfo Abakɔsɛm Nwoma no mu.
40 When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
Ɛberɛ a Ahab wuiɛ no, wɔsiee no wɔ nʼagyanom mu. Na ne babarima Ahasia dii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene.
41 Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
Asa babarima Yehosafat bɛdii Yuda so ɛberɛ a na Ahab adi adeɛ wɔ Israel ne mfeɛ ɛnan so no.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he started to rule, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Ɔdii adeɛ no, na wadi mfeɛ aduasa enum, na ɔdii adeɛ Yerusalem mfirinhyia aduonu enum. Na ne maame din de Asuba a ɔyɛ Silhi babaa.
43 Jehoshaphat was a good king, just like his father Asa had been. He did things that pleased Yahweh. But while he was king, he did not remove all the pagan altars [that the people had built] on the hilltops. So the people continued to offer sacrifices [to idols] on those altars and burned incense there.
Na Yehosafat yɛ ɔhene papa a ɔdii nʼagya Asa anammɔn akyi. Ɔyɛɛ adeɛ a ɛsɔ Awurade ani. Nanso, nʼahennie mu no, wantumi ammubu abosonnan enti, nnipa kɔɔ so bɔɔ afɔdeɛ, hyee aduhwam wɔ hɔ.
44 Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
Yehosafat ne Israelhene tenaa ase asomdwoeɛ mu.
45 All the other things that happened while Jehoshaphat was ruling, and the great things that he did and the victories his [troops] won, are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Judah’.
Nsɛm a ɛfa Yehosafat ahennie ho nkaeɛ no, faako a ne tumi kɔduruiɛ ne ako a ɔdiiɛ no nyinaa, wɔatwerɛ agu Yuda Ahemfo Abakɔsɛm Nwoma no mu.
46 Jehoshaphat’s father Asa [had tried to expel] the male prostitutes that stayed at the pagan shrines, but some of them were still there. Jehoshaphat got rid of them.
Ɔpamoo abosomfie so adwamanfoɔ a na wɔgu so bɔ adwaman, firi nʼagya Asa berɛ so no nyinaa.
47 At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
Saa ɛberɛ no, na ɔhene nni Edom gye kuro no sohwɛfoɔ nko.
48 Jehoshaphat [ordered some Israeli men to] build a fleet/group of ships to sail [south] to [the] Ophir [region] to get gold. But they were wrecked at Ezion-Geber/Elath, so the ships never sailed.
Yehosafat yɛɛ adwadihyɛn bebree sɛ ɛnkɔ Ofir nkɔpɛ sikakɔkɔɔ. Nanso, ahyɛn no antumi anyɛ adwuma, ɛsɛee wɔ Esion-Geber.
49 Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
Saa ɛberɛ no, Ahab babarima Ahasia susuu ho kyerɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ, “Ma me mmarima ne wo mmarima nkɔ ɛpo so akwan nsrahwɛ.” Nanso, Yehosafat ampene so.
50 When Jehoshaphat died, his [body] was buried where his ancestors were buried in [Jerusalem, ] the city where King David [had ruled]. Then Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king.
Yehosafat wuiɛ no, wɔsiee no nʼagyanom nkyɛn wɔ Dawid kurom. Ne babarima Yehoram na ɔdii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene.
51 Before King Jehoshaphat died, when he had been ruling in Judah for 17 years, Ahab’s son Ahaziah began to rule in Israel. Ahaziah ruled in Samaria for two years.
Ahab babarima Ahasia hyɛɛ aseɛ dii Israel so ɛberɛ a na Yehosafat adi adeɛ mfeɛ dunson wɔ Yuda. Ɔdii adeɛ Samaria mfeɛ mmienu.
52 He did many things that Yahweh considered to be evil, doing the [evil] things that his father and mother had done and the evil things that Jeroboam had done—the king who had led all the Israeli people to sin [by worshiping idols].
Na ɔfaa nʼagya ne ne maame ne Nebat babarima Yeroboam anammɔn so, somm ahoni, yɛɛ bɔne wɔ Awurade ani so.
53 Ahaziah bowed in front of Baal’s idol and worshiped it. That caused Yahweh, the God who was the true God of the Israeli people, to become very angry, just as Ahaziah’s father had caused Yahweh to become angry.
Ɔsomm Baal, sɔree no, nam so fuu Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, bo sɛdeɛ nʼagya yɛeɛ no.
