1 Athamaki 20
1 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.
Ben-hadad, king of Aram, called up his entire army. Together with thirty-two kings and their assembled horses and chariots, he marched to besiege Samaria, to fight against it.
2 Agĩtũma andũ mathiĩ itũũra rĩu inene kũrĩ Ahabu mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, makamwĩre atĩrĩ, “Beni-Hadadi ekuuga ũũ:
He sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, in the city to tell him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:
3 ‘Betha na thahabu ciaku nĩ ciakwa, nao atumia aku na ciana ciaku, arĩa ega mũno, nĩ akwa.’”
Your silver and gold belong to me now, and your best wives and children also belong to me!”
4 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.”
“It's as you say, my lord the king,” the king of Israel replied. “I am yours, as well as everything that belongs to me.”
5 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.
The messengers returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: I have sent you a message demanding you give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6 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.’”
But around this time tomorrow I'm going to send my men to search your palace and the homes of your officials. They will take and carry away everything you see as valuable.”
7 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.”
The king of Israel called all the elders of the land and told them, “Look how this man is trying to cause trouble! When he demanded my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I didn't say no.”
8 Athuuri na andũ othe makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Tiga kũmũthikĩrĩria, na ndũgetĩkĩre maũndũ macio mothe arenda.”
All the elders and all the people present responded, “Don't listen to him. Don't agree to his demands.”
9 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.
So the king told Ben-hadad's messengers, “Tell my lord the king: Everything you demanded at first your servant will do, but I cannot agree to this latest demand.” The messengers took the reply back to him.
10 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.”
Ben-hadad responded to him, “May the gods do as much to me and more if there remains enough dust in Samaria to give my subjects a handful each!”
11 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mwĩrei ũũ: ‘Mũndũ ũrĩa ũreyooha indo cia mbaara ndaagĩrĩirwo nĩ gwĩtĩĩa ta mũndũ ũrĩa ũraciruta.’”
The king of Israel replied, “Tell him this: A man putting on his armor should not brag like one who is taking it off.”
12 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.
Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents. He immediately gave the order to his officers, “Get ready to attack!” So they prepared to attack the city.
13 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.’”
At the same time a prophet came up to Ahab, king of Israel, and told him, “This is what the Lord says: You see this massive army? Just watch, because I will make you victorious today, and you will be convinced that I am the Lord.”
14 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.”
“But who's going to do this?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered, “This is what the Lord says: It will be the young officers under the district commanders.” “And who's going to start the battle?” he asked. The prophet replied, “You are!”
15 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.
So Ahab called up the 232 young officers of the district commanders, and assembled the 7,000 soldiers that made up Israel's army.
16 Nao makiumagara mĩaraho hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Beni-Hadadi na athamaki acio mĩrongo ĩtatũ na eerĩ arĩa maarĩ rũmwe nake, maanyuuaga njoohi marĩ hema-inĩ ciao.
They left at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings with him were busy getting drunk in their tents.
17 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.”
The young officers of the district commanders took the lead. The scouts Ben-hadad had sent out came and reported to him, “Enemy soldiers are advancing from Samaria.”
18 Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Angĩkorwo mokĩte na thayũ-rĩ, manyiitei marĩ muoyo; angĩkorwo nĩ mbaara ya marehe-rĩ, manyiitei marĩ muoyo.”
“If they're coming in peace, take them alive,” he ordered. “If they're coming to attack, take them alive.”
19 Anene acio ethĩ atongoria a mbũtũ cia bũrũri makiumagara kuuma itũũra-inĩ marũmĩrĩirwo nĩ mbũtũ ya ita,
The young officers of the district commanders advanced from the city, followed by the army.
20 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.
Each man killed his opponent, and the Arameans ran away. The Israelites chased them, but Ben-hadad, king of Aram, escaped on horseback with his cavalry.
21 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩmatindĩka na agĩtooria mbarathi na ngaari cia ita, akĩũraga Asuriata aingĩ mũno.
Then the king of Israel came out and attacked the horses and chariots. He inflicted a great defeat on the Arameans.
22 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.”
Later on the prophet came to the king of Israel and told him, “Go and reinforce your defenses, and check what you need to do, because in the spring the king of Aram will come and attack you again.”
23 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.
In the meantime the king of Aram's officers told him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains. That's why they could defeat us. But if we fight them in the lowlands, we can beat them.
24 Ĩka atĩrĩ: Eheria athamaki othe kuuma mbũtũ-inĩ ciao, na ũmakũũranie na anene angĩ.
You should do this: remove each of the kings from their positions and replace them with commanders.
25 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.
You also have to raise another army to replace the one you lost—horse for horse, chariot for chariot. Then we can fight them in the lowlands and we will definitely beat them.” Ben-hadad listened to their advice and did as they said.
26 Kĩmera kĩrĩa kĩarũmĩrĩire gĩakinya-rĩ, Beni-Hadadi agĩcookanĩrĩria Asuriata, magĩthiĩ Afeki makarũe na andũ a Isiraeli.
When spring came Ben-hadad called up the Aramean army and went to attack Israel at Aphek.
27 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.
The Israelite army was also called up and provided with supplies. They went to confront the Arameans. But when the Israelites set up their camp opposite the enemy they looked like couple of flocks of goats in comparison with the Aramean army that filled the whole land.
28 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.’”
Then the man of God came to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: Because the Arameans have said, ‘The Lord is only a god of the mountains and not of the valleys,’ I will make you victorious over the whole of this massive army. Then you will be convinced that I am the Lord.”
29 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.
The armies camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle took place. The Israelites killed 100,000 of the Aramean infantry in one day.
30 Acio angĩ makĩũrĩra itũũra inene rĩa Afeki, kũrĩa rũthingo rwagwĩrĩire andũ ao 27,000. Nake Beni-Hadadi akĩũrĩra itũũra inene akĩĩhitha kanyũmba ga thĩinĩ.
The rest ran away to the town of Aphek, where a wall collapsed on 27,000 of those that remained. Ben-hadad also ran to the town and hid in an inside room.
31 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.”
Ben-hadad's officers said to him, “Look, we've heard that the Israelite kings are merciful. Let's surrender to the king of Israel, wearing sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads. Maybe he will let you live.”
32 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.”
So wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads, they went and surrendered to the king of Israel, and told him, “Your servant Ben-hadad asks, ‘Please let me live.’” The king replied “Is he still alive? I think of him as my brother.”
33 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.
The men thought this was a good sign and they immediately took the king at his word, saying, “Yes, Ben-hahad is your brother.” “Go and fetch him!” said the king. So Ben-hadad came out of hiding and surrendered to Ahab, who pulled him up into his chariot.
34 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.
Ben-hadad said to him, “I will return the towns my father took from your father, and you can organize your own places for trade in Damascus, like my father did in Samaria.” “By making this agreement I set you free,” Ahab replied. He made a treaty with Ben-hadad and let him go.
35 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.
Following a message he received from the Lord, one of the sons of the prophets said to his colleague, “Please hit me.” But the man refused to hit him.
36 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.
So the prophet told him, “Since you have not done what the Lord said, once you leave me a lion is going to kill you.” When the man left, a lion came and killed him.
37 Ningĩ mũnabii akĩona mũndũ ũngĩ, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndagũthaitha ngũtha,” nake mũndũ ũcio akĩmũgũtha na akĩmũtiihia.
The prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me!” So the man hit him, wounding him.
38 Mũnabii agĩthiĩ, akĩrũgama mũkĩra-inĩ wa njĩra etereire mũthamaki. Ehumbĩrĩte maitho na gĩtambaya kĩa mũtwe nĩguo ndakamenyeke.
Then the prophet went and stood beside the road, waiting for the king. He had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 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.’
As the king was passing by, he shouted out to the king: “Your servant had gone out fighting right in the middle of the battle, when all of a sudden a man came over with a prisoner and told me, ‘Guard this man! If for any reason he escapes, you will pay for his life with your life, or you will be fined a talent of silver.’
40 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.”
But while your servant was busy with other things, the man got away.” “So that will be your punishment then,” the king of Israel told him. “You have sentenced yourself.”
41 Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũnabii akĩeheria gĩtambaya maitho-inĩ na ihenya, nake mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩmũmenya atĩ nĩ ũmwe wa anabii.
Then the prophet quickly took off the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets.
42 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.’”
He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: You have let go a man I had decided should die. Therefore you will pay for his life with your life, your people for his people.”
43 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩthiĩ Samaria nyũmba-inĩ yake ya ũthamaki athitĩtie gĩthiithi na arĩ mũrakaru.
The king of Israel went home to Samaria, sulking and infuriated.
