Samuel 1 7

1 Ale Kiriat Yearimtɔwo va tsɔ Yehowa ƒe nubablaɖaka la yi ɖada ɖe Abinadab ƒe aƒe si le to dzi la me. Wokɔ via, Eleazar, ŋuti be wòakpɔ Yehowa ƒe nubablaɖaka la dzi.

Then the men of Kiriath-jearim arrived, and they led away the ark of the Lord. And they brought it into the house of Abinadab, in Gibeah. Then they sanctified Eleazar, his son, so that he might care for the ark of the Lord.

2 Nubablaɖaka la nɔ Kiriat Yearim ƒe blaeve. Israelviwo xa nu to ƒe siawo me elabena edze na wo abe ɖe Yehowa gblẽ wo ɖi ene.

And it happened that, from that day, the ark of the Lord remained in Kiriath-jearim. And the days were multiplied (for it was now the twentieth year) and all the house of Israel rested, following the Lord.

3 Samuel gblɔ na Israel ƒe aƒe blibo la be, “Ne mieɖo ta me kplikpaa be yewoatrɔ ayi Yehowa gbɔ la, ekema miɖe asi le miaƒe dzromawuwo kple Astarɔtwo ŋu. Miɖo ta me kplikpaa azɔ be miaɖo to Yehowa ɖeɖe ko ekema aɖe mi tso Filistitɔwo si me.”

Then Samuel spoke to the entire house of Israel, saying: “If you would return to the Lord with your whole heart, take away strange gods from among you, the Baals and Ashtaroth, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve him alone. And he will rescue you from the hand of the Philistines.”

4 Ale woɖe asi le Baal kple Astarɔtwo ŋuti eye wosubɔ Yehowa ɖeɖe ko.

Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.

5 Samuel gblɔ na wo be, “Mi katã miva Mizpa eye mado gbe ɖa na Yehowa ɖe mia ta.”

And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”

6 Wova kpe ta ɖe Mizpa, woku tsi tso vudo aɖe me kɔ ɖe anyigba le Yehowa ŋkume eye wotsi nu dɔ ŋkeke blibo ɖeka abe nuxaxa ɖe woƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta ene. Ale Samuel zu Israel ƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃la le Mizpa.

And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

7 Esi Filistitɔwo ƒe amegãwo se nya tso takpekpe gã si wowɔ le Mizpa ŋu la, woƒo woƒe aʋawɔlawo nu ƒu eye wolũ ɖe Israelviwo dzi. Vɔvɔ̃ ɖo Israelviwo ŋutɔ esi wose be Filistitɔwo gogo yewo.

And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.

8 Wogblɔ na Samuel be, “Mègadzudzɔ kokoƒoƒo na Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la ɖe mía ta o, ale be wòaɖe mí tso Filistitɔwo ƒe asi me.”

And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”

9 Ale Samuel tsɔ alẽvi aɖe sa numevɔ na Yehowa eye wòɖe kuku nɛ be wòave Israel nu. Edo ɣli na Yehowa ɖe Israel nu eye Yehowa se eƒe gbedodoɖa.

Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.

10 Esi Samuel nɔ numevɔ sam ko la, Filistitɔwo ƒo ɖe Israelviwo dzi bibibi hena aʋawɔwɔ. Ke Yehowa ɖe gbe kple dziɖegbe ƒe gbe ɖe Filistitɔwo dzi, ŋɔdzi lé wo eye wotɔtɔ. Israelviwo dze wo dzi, fiti wo.

Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.

11 Israel ŋutsuwo do go tso Mizpa heti Filistitɔwo yome kple du eye wonɔ wo wum le mɔ dzi va se ɖe Bet Kar ƒe anyigbe ke.

And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.

12 Samuel tsɔ kpe aɖe da ɖe Mizpa kple Sen dome eye wòna ŋkɔe be, “Ebenezer” si gɔme nye “Amenuvekpe” elabena egblɔ be, “Afi siae Yehowa ve mía nu va se ɖo!”

Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”

13 Ale wobɔbɔ Filistitɔwo ɖe anyi eye womegaho aʋa ɖe Israelviwo ŋu kpɔ o elabena Yehowa tsi tsitre ɖe wo ŋu le Samuel ƒe agbemeŋkeke mamlɛawo katã me.

And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.

14 Israelviwo gbugbɔ woƒe du siwo nɔ Ekron kple Gat dome eye wonɔ Filistitɔwo si me la xɔ. Israel ɖe nuto siwo ƒo xlã wo la hã tso Filistitɔwo ƒe asi me. Ale ŋutifafa nɔ Israel kple Amoritɔwo dome.

And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 Samuel yi eƒe dɔ dzi abe Israel ƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃la ene le eƒe agbemeŋkekewo katã me.

And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 Etsana ƒe sia ƒe drɔ̃a ʋɔnu gbã le Betel, emegbe le Gilgal eye le eya yome la, le Mizpa. Ale wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu na Israel le teƒe siawo katã.

And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.

17 Egatrɔna vaa Rama elabena afi mae nye eƒe nɔƒe eye wògadrɔ̃a ʋɔnu le afi sia hã. Eɖi vɔsamlekpui na Yehowa ɖe Rama.

And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.