1 Athamaki 22
1 Na rĩrĩ, kwa ihinda rĩa mĩaka ĩtatũ gũtiarĩ na mbaara gatagatĩ ga Suriata na Isiraeli.
For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
2 No mwaka-inĩ wa gatatũ, Jehoshafatu mũthamaki wa Juda agĩikũrũka, agĩthiĩ gũceerera mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.
Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
3 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli nĩakoretwo eera anene ake atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtiũĩ atĩ Ramothu-Gileadi nĩ itũũra riitũ, na gũtirĩ ũndũ tũreka wa kũrĩoya rĩngĩ kuuma kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Suriata?”
[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!”
4 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩũria Jehoshafatu atĩrĩ, “Nĩũgũthiĩ na niĩ tũkahũũranĩre itũũra rĩa Ramothu-Gileadi?” Nake Jehoshafatu agĩcookeria mũthamaki wa Isiraeli atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nawe tũrĩ ũndũ ũmwe, andũ akwa no ta andũ aku, na mbarathi ciakwa no ta mbarathi ciaku.”
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.”
5 No Jehoshafatu agĩcooka akĩĩra mũthamaki wa Isiraeli atĩrĩ, “Amba ũtuĩrie na ũmenye ũtaaro wa Jehova.”
Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
6 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩcookanĩrĩria anabii hamwe, nao maarĩ anabii ta magana mana, akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ngahũũranĩre itũũra rĩa Ramothu-Gileadi, kana ndigathiĩ?” Makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ, nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩekũneana itũũra rĩu moko-inĩ ma mũthamaki.”
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.”
7 Nowe Jehoshafatu akĩũria atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ gũkũ gũtarĩ mũnabii wa Jehova ũrĩa tũngĩtuĩria ũhoro kuuma kũrĩ we?”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
8 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩcookeria Jehoshafatu atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kũrĩ mũndũ ũmwe ũrĩa ũngĩtũtuĩrĩria ũhoro kuuma kũrĩ Jehova, no nĩndĩmũthũire tondũ gũtirĩ hĩndĩ andathagĩra ũndũ mwega, no maũndũ mooru hĩndĩ ciothe. Nake nĩwe Mikaya mũrũ wa Imula.” No Jehoshafatu agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki ndagĩrĩirwo nĩ kuuga ũguo.”
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!”
9 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩĩta ũmwe wa anene ake, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndehera Mikaya mũrũ wa Imula narua.”
So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
10 Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki wa Isiraeli na Jehoshafatu mũthamaki wa Juda mehumbĩte nguo ciao cia ũthamaki na magaikarĩra itĩ ciao cia ũnene hau kĩhuhĩro-inĩ kĩa ngano, itoonyero-inĩ rĩa kĩhingo gĩa itũũra rĩa Samaria, nao anabii othe maarĩ ho makĩratha me mbere yao.
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).
11 Na rĩrĩ, Zedekia mũrũ wa Kenaana nĩathondekete hĩa cia kĩgera, nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova ekuuga ũũ: ‘Ici nĩcio mũgatheeca Asuriata nacio nginya mũmaniine.’”
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!’”
12 Nao anabii acio angĩ othe maarathaga o ũndũ ũmwe, makoiga atĩrĩ, “Tharĩkĩra Ramothu-Gileadi na nĩũgũtooria, tondũ Jehova nĩekũrĩneana moko-inĩ ma mũthamaki.”
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!”
13 Mũndũ ũrĩa watũmĩtwo ageete Mikaya akĩmwĩra ũũ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, anabii arĩa angĩ othe maarĩtie o ta mũndũ ũmwe, nao mararathĩra mũthamaki ũhootani. Reke kiugo gĩaku gĩĩtĩkanie na kĩao, na warie ũndũ mwega.”
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).”
14 Nowe Mikaya akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, niĩ ngũmwĩra o ũrĩa Jehova ekũnjĩĩra.”
But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
15 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa aakinyire-rĩ, mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Mikaya, tũthiĩ tũkahũũranĩre itũũra rĩa Ramothu-Gileadi, kana tũtigaathiĩ?” Nake Mikaya akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Rĩtharĩkĩre na ũhootane, tondũ Jehova nĩekũrĩneana moko-inĩ ma mũthamaki.”
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!”
16 Mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ maita maigana ngũtũũra ngwĩhĩtithagia ndũkae kũnjĩĩra ũhoro ũngĩ, tiga ũhoro wa ma thĩinĩ wa rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova?”
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]!”
17 Nake Mikaya akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ndĩronire andũ a Isiraeli othe mahurunjũkĩire irĩma-inĩ ta ngʼondu itarĩ na mũrĩithi, nake Jehova aroiga atĩrĩ, ‘Andũ aya matirĩ na mwathi. O mũndũ nĩarekwo ainũke gwake na thayũ.’”
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.’”
18 Nake mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩĩra Jehoshafatu atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndikwĩrire atĩ ndarĩ hĩndĩ angĩndathĩra ũhoro mwega, tiga o ũrĩa mũũru?”
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].”
19 Mikaya agĩthiĩ na mbere, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio thikĩrĩria kiugo kĩa Jehova: Ndĩronire Jehova aikarĩire gĩtĩ gĩake kĩa ũnene arĩ na mbũtũ yothe ya igũrũ ĩrũgamĩte ĩmũthiũrũkĩirie mwena wa ũrĩo na wa ũmotho.
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.
20 Nake Jehova akĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Nũũ ũkũheenereria Ahabu nĩguo atharĩkĩre Ramothu-Gileadi, nĩgeetha athiĩ agakuĩre kuo?’ “Ũmwe akiuga ũũ, na ũrĩa ũngĩ ũũ.
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.
21 Marigĩrĩrio-inĩ roho ũmwe ũkiumĩra, ũkĩrũgama mbere ya Jehova, ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ niĩ ngũmũheenereria.’
Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
22 “Jehova akĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Ũkũmũheenereria atĩa?’ “Naguo ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩgũthiĩ ngũthiĩ nduĩke roho wa maheeni tũnua-inĩ twa anabii ake othe.’ “Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩũkũhota kũmũheenereria. Thiĩ ũgeeke ũguo.’
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!’
23 “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehova nĩekĩrĩte roho wa maheeni tũnua-inĩ twa anabii aya aku othe. Jehova nĩagwathĩrĩirie mwanangĩko.”
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.”
24 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Zedekia mũrũ wa Kenaana agĩkuhĩrĩria na akĩgũtha Mikaya rũhĩ rwa ũthiũ. Akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ roho wa Jehova aragereire kũ rĩrĩa aroimire kũrĩ niĩ, nĩguo aarie nawe?”
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]
25 Mikaya agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Nĩũkamenya mũthenya ũrĩa ũgaathiĩ kwĩhitha kanyũmba ka na thĩinĩ.”
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]!”
26 Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩathana, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Oyai Mikaya mũmũcookie kũrĩ Amoni mwathi wa itũũra inene, na kũrĩ Joashu mũrũ wa mũthamaki,
King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
27 na muge atĩrĩ, ‘Mũthamaki ekuuga ũũ: Mũndũ ũyũ nĩaikio njeera na ndakaheo kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩa tiga mũgate na maaĩ, nginya rĩrĩa ngaacooka na thayũ.’”
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!”
28 Mikaya akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩgaacooka na thayũ-rĩ, no gũtuĩkire atĩ Jehova ndaarĩtie na niĩ.” Agĩcooka akiuga atĩrĩ, “Iguai ũhoro wakwa, inyuĩ andũ aya inyuothe!”
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]!”
29 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli na Jehoshafatu mũthamaki wa Juda makĩambata nginya Ramothu-Gileadi.
So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
30 Nake mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩĩra Jehoshafatu atĩrĩ, “Nĩngũtoonya mbaara-inĩ ndĩĩgarũrĩte ndikamenyeke, no wee wĩkĩre nguo cia ũthamaki.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli akĩĩgarũra ndakamenyeke na agĩtoonya mbaara-inĩ.
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.
31 Na rĩrĩ, mũthamaki wa Suriata nĩathĩte anene ake mĩrongo ĩtatũ na eerĩ a ngaari cia ita, akoiga atĩrĩ, “Mũtikarũe na mũndũ o na ũmwe, mũnene kana mũnini, tiga o mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.”
The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
32 Rĩrĩa anene a mbũtũ cia ngaari cia ita moonire Jehoshafatu magĩĩciiria atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ ũyũ nĩwe mũthamaki wa Isiraeli” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩgarũrũka mamũtharĩkĩre, no rĩrĩa Jehoshafatu aakaire-rĩ,
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,
33 anene acio a ngaari cia ita makĩona atĩ ũcio ti mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, magĩtiga kũmũingatithia.
they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
34 No mũndũ ũmwe akĩgeeta ũta wake, agĩikia mũguĩ o ro ũguo, naguo ũkĩratha mũthamaki wa Isiraeli o gatagatĩ-inĩ ka magathĩkanĩrio ma nguo yake ya mbaara. Nake mũthamaki akĩĩra mũtwarithia wa ngaari yake ya ita atĩrĩ, “Garũra ngaari ũndute mbaara-inĩ. Nĩndagurario.”
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!”
35 Nayo mbaara ĩkĩneneha, ĩgĩthiĩ na mbere mũthenya wothe, nake mũthamaki agĩikara anyiitĩrĩirwo ngaari-inĩ yake ya ita angʼetheire Asuriata. Nayo thakame ĩkiura kuuma kĩronda gĩake hau aagurarĩtio, ĩgĩitĩka ngaari-inĩ ya ita, na hwaĩ-inĩ ũcio agĩkua.
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.
36 Riũa rĩgĩthũa, gũkĩanĩrĩrwo kũrĩ mbũtũ cia ita, ikĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “O mũndũ nĩainũke itũũra rĩake; o mũndũ nĩacooke bũrũri wake!”
Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
37 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩkua na agĩtwarwo Samaria, makĩmũthika kuo.
So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
38 Nao magĩthambĩria ngaari ĩyo ya ita karia-inĩ ga Samaria, (harĩa maraya meethambagĩra), nacio ngui igĩcũna thakame yake, o ta ũrĩa kiugo kĩa Jehova kĩoigĩte.
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.
39 Namo maũndũ marĩa mangĩ makoniĩ wathani wa Ahabu, hamwe na maũndũ marĩa we eekire, na nyũmba ya ũthamaki ĩrĩa aakithirie na ĩkĩgemio na mĩguongo, o na matũũra marĩa airigire na thingo cia hinya, githĩ maũndũ macio matiandĩkĩtwo ibuku-inĩ rĩa maũndũ ma athamaki a Isiraeli?
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’.
40 Ahabu akĩhurũka hamwe na maithe make. Nake mũriũ Ahazia agĩtuĩka mũthamaki ithenya rĩake.
When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
41 Jehoshafatu mũrũ wa Asa aatuĩkire mũthamaki wa Juda mwaka-inĩ wa ĩna wa Ahabu mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.
Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
42 Jehoshafatu aarĩ na ũkũrũ wa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩtatũ na ĩtano rĩrĩa aatuĩkire mũthamaki, na agĩthamaka arĩ Jerusalemu mĩaka mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ na ĩtano. Nyina eetagwo Azuba mwarĩ wa Shilihi.
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.
43 No maũndũ-inĩ mothe, aarũmĩrĩire mĩthiĩre ya ithe Asa na ndarĩ hĩndĩ aatiganire nayo; nĩekire maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire maitho-inĩ ma Jehova. O na kũrĩ ũguo-rĩ, kũndũ kũrĩa gũtũũgĩru gũtieheririo, nao andũ magĩthiĩ na mbere kũrutĩra magongona na gũcinĩra ũbumba kuo.
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.
44 Ningĩ Jehoshafatu magĩikara marĩ na thayũ na mũthamaki wa Isiraeli.
Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
45 Maũndũ marĩa mangĩ makoniĩ wathani wa Jehoshafatu, na maũndũ marĩa aahingirie, o na ũhootani wake mbaara-inĩ, githĩ matiandĩkĩtwo ibuku-inĩ rĩa maũndũ ma athamaki a Juda?
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’.
46 Nake akĩniina bũrũri-inĩ arũme arĩa maahũũraga ũmaraya na arũme arĩa angĩ mahooero-inĩ, arĩa maatigaire kuo kuuma hĩndĩ ya ũthamaki wa ithe Asa.
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.
47 Hĩndĩ ĩyo gũtiarĩ mũthamaki Edomu; mũnini wa mũthamaki nĩwe waathanaga.
At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
48 Nake Jehoshafatu nĩaakire marikabu nyingĩ cia wonjoria, cia gũthiĩ kũgĩĩra thahabu Ofiri, no itiigana gũthiĩ, tondũ nĩcioinĩkangĩire kũu Ezioni-Geberi.
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.
49 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Ahazia mũrũ wa Ahabu akĩĩra Jehoshafatu atĩrĩ, “Ĩtĩkĩria andũ akwa matherere hamwe na andũ aku,” nowe Jehoshafatu akĩrega.
Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Nake Jehoshafatu akĩhurũka hamwe na maithe make, agĩthikwo hamwe nao itũũra-inĩ rĩa ithe Daudi. Nake mũriũ Jehoramu agĩthamaka ithenya rĩake.
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.
51 Ahazia mũrũ wa Ahabu aatuĩkire mũthamaki wa Isiraeli kũu Samaria mwaka-inĩ wa ikũmi na mũgwanja wa Jehoshafatu, mũthamaki wa Juda, nake agĩthamakĩra Isiraeli mĩaka ĩĩrĩ.
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.
52 Nake agĩĩka maũndũ mooru maitho-inĩ ma Jehova, tondũ nĩarũmĩrĩire mĩthiĩre ya ithe na nyina na mĩthiĩre ya Jeroboamu mũrũ wa Nebati, ũrĩa watũmire Isiraeli mehie.
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].
53 Nake agĩtungatĩra Baali, akĩmĩinamĩrĩra akĩmĩhooya, na akĩrakaria Jehova Ngai wa Isiraeli o ta ũrĩa ithe eekĩte.
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.
