1 Ndị Eze 20
1 Ugbu a, Ben-Hadad, bụ eze ndị Aram, chịkọtara ndị agha ya niile. Iri ndị eze atọ na abụọ sonyere ya, ha na ịnyịnya ha na ụgbọ agha ha. Ọ rịgooro nọchibido obodo Sameria buso ya agha.
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 Mgbe ahụ, eze ndị Siria zigaara Ehab, eze Izrel ozi nʼime obodo sị ya, “otu a ka Ben-Hadad sịrị,
He sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, in the city to tell him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:
3 ‘Ọlaọcha na ọlaedo gị, nkem ka ha bụ, ndị nwunye gị na ụmụ gị, bụ ndị dị mma karịsịa nke m ka ha bụ.’”
Your silver and gold belong to me now, and your best wives and children also belong to me!”
4 Ehab eze Izrel, zighachiri ozi sị, “Ọ dị mma, onyenwe m, mụ onwe m, na ihe niile m nwere bụ nke gị.”
“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 Ngwangwa ndị ozi Ben-Hadad bịaghachiri zie Ehab ozi ọzọ sị ya, “Otu a ka Ben-Hadad sịrị, ‘Ọ bụ ezie na m ziteere gị ozi, sị, ọlaọcha gị na ọlaedo gị na ndị nwunye gị na ụmụ gị ka ị ga-enye m.
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 Ma ugbu a, nʼoge dị ka nke a, echi, aga m ezite ndị ozi m ka ha bịa nyochaa ụlọ gị niile na ụlọ ndị ozi gị niile. Ihe ọbụla dị oke ọnụahịa nʼanya gị ka ha ga-ewere.’”
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 Eze Izrel kpọrọ ndị okenye niile nke ala ahụ, sị ha, “Leenụ ugbu a, hụkwanụ otu nwoke a si achọ nsogbu. Mgbe o zitere m ozi inye ya ndị nwunye m, na ụmụ, na ọlaọcha m na ọlaedo m, ekwenyere m ya inye ya ihe ndị a.”
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 Ndị okenye na ndị Izrel zara sị ya, “Aṅala ya ntị! Enyela ya ihe ọbụla.”
All the elders and all the people present responded, “Don't listen to him. Don't agree to his demands.”
9 Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị ndị ozi Ben-Hadad, “Gwanụ onyenwe m, bụ eze, ‘M bụ odibo gị jikeere ime ihe niile ị buru ụzọ kwuo na m ga-enye gị. Ma ekwenyeghị m nʼozi nke ugboro abụọ a.’” Ndị ozi ahụ laghachiri kọọrọ Ben-Hadad ihe niile Ehab kwuru.
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 Ma Ben-Hadad zigakwaara Ehab ozi ọzọ sị, “Ka chi ndị a mesoo m mmeso, otu ọbụla mmeso ahụ si dị njọ, ma ọ bụrụ na aja Sameria ga-afọdụ inye onye ọbụla nʼetiti ndị ikom m otu njuaka.”
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 Ma eze Izrel zaghachiri, “Gwa ya, ‘Onye na-ebu agha na-anya isi naanị mgbe a lụchara agha, ọ bụghị tupu a lụọ agha.’”
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 Ben-Hadad nụrụ ozi Ehab ziri mgbe ya na ndị eze ndị ọzọ ahụ nọ na-aṅụ mmanya nʼụlọ ikwu ha manyere nʼọgbọ agha ahụ. Ben-Hadad nyere ndị agha ya iwu sị ha, “Jikerenụ, buso ndị Izrel agha.” Ya mere, ha kwadoro ibuso obodo ahụ agha.
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 Nʼoge a, otu onye amụma bịakwutere Ehab, bụ eze Izrel sị, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Ị hụrụ oke igwe ndị agha a? Aga m enyefe ha nʼaka gị taa, mgbe ahụ ị ga-amatakwa na mụ onwe m bụ Onyenwe anyị.’”
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 Ma Ehab jụrụ sị, “Onye ga-eme nke a?” Onye amụma zara, “Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘Ọ bụ ụmụ okorobịa bụ ndịisi agha nọ nʼokpuru ndị ọchịagha na-achị akụkụ ala Izrel.’” Ehab jụkwara ọzọ, “Onye ga-amalite agha a?” Onye amụma ahụ zara, “Gị onwe gị.”
“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 Mgbe ahụ, Ehab kpọkọtara ụmụ okorobịa bụ ndịisi agha si nʼakụkụ obodo ya. Ọnụọgụgụ ha dị narị abụọ na iri atọ na mmadụ abụọ. Ọnụọgụgụ ndị agha Izrel ndị ọzọ dị puku asaa.
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 Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe Ben-Hadad na iri ndị eze atọ na abụọ ahụ, bụ ndị ahụ bịara inyere ya aka nọ na-aṅụ mmanya, na-aṅụbiga ya oke,
They left at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings with him were busy getting drunk in their tents.
17 ụmụ okorobịa, bụ ndị agha, ndị nọ nʼokpuru ndị ọchịagha na-achị akụkụ ala Izrel buru ụzọ pụọ ibu agha. Ma Ben-Hadad, nʼonwe ya ezipụlarị ndị nledo, ndị lọghachiri bịa gwa ya sị, “Ndị agha si Sameria na-abịa.”
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 Ọ sịrị, “Ọ bụrụ na ha abịa nʼihi udo, jidenụ ha na ndụ; ọ bụrụ na ha bịara maka ibu agha, jidenụ ha na ndụ!”
“If they're coming in peace, take them alive,” he ordered. “If they're coming to attack, take them alive.”
19 Ma ụmụ okorobịa ndị ọchịchị a bụ ndị nọ nʼokpuru ndịisi, na-achị akụkụ ala ahụ sitere nʼobodo zọlie ije ebe ndị agha so ha nʼazụ, pụọ ibu agha.
The young officers of the district commanders advanced from the city, followed by the army.
20 Onye ọbụla nʼime ha gburu onye agha Siria ọbụla lụsoro ya ọgụ. Nke a mere ka ndị agha Siria gbapụ ọsọ, ndị agha Izrel chụsokwara ha. Ma Ben-Hadad, eze Aram, na ndị agha na-agba ịnyịnya, sitekwara nʼihu ọgbọ agha ahụ gbapụkwa ọsọ.
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 Ma eze ndị Izrel pụkwuru ya, nwude ọtụtụ ịnyịnya na ụgbọ agha, butere ndị Aram ọghọm dị ukwuu.
Then the king of Israel came out and attacked the horses and chariots. He inflicted a great defeat on the Arameans.
22 Emesịa, onye amụma ahụ bịakwutere eze Izrel sị ya, “Mee onwe gị ka ị dị ike nke ọma, mara ihe e kwesiri ka e mee, nʼihi nʼetiti ọkọchị na udu mmiri nke afọ nʼabịa, eze Aram ga-abịa ibuso gị agha ọzọ.”
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 Ma otu ọ dị, ndịisi agha eze ndị Aram dụrụ ya ọdụ sị, “Chi ha bụ chi ugwu. Nʼihi ya ka ha ji dị ike karịa anyị. Ma ọ bụrụ na anyị ebuso ha agha nʼobosara ala dị larịị, anyị aghaghị ịdị ike karịa ha.
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 Mee ihe a, wepụ ndị eze a niile site nʼebe ha nọ, jiri ndị na-achị ala gbanwee ha.
You should do this: remove each of the kings from their positions and replace them with commanders.
25 Kpọkọtaakwa ndị agha ọzọ, ndị dị ukwuu nʼọnụọgụgụ, dịka ndị agha i du gaa agha na mbụ. Nyekwa anyị ịnyịnya na ụgbọ agha ga-ezuru anyị. Anyị ga-apụkwa buso ndị Izrel agha nʼobosara ala dị larịị. Ọ dịkwaghị ihe ga-egbochi anyị imeri ha nʼoge a.” Ben-Hadad, eze Aram, kwenyere, meere ha dịka ha rịọrọ ya.
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 Mgbe otu afọ gasịrị, Ben-Hadad chịkọtakwara ndị Aram niile duru ha gaa Afek ibuso Izrel agha.
When spring came Ben-hadad called up the Aramean army and went to attack Israel at Aphek.
27 Mgbe a kpọkọtara ndị agha niile nọ nʼIzrel nye ha ngwa agha, ha pụrụ izute ha. Ndị agha Izrel mara ụlọ ikwu ha na ncherita ihu ndị agha Siria, dịka igwe ewu nta abụọ, ebe ndị Aram jupụtara ala ahụ niile.
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 Onye nke Chineke bịara gwa eze ndị Izrel, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Nʼihi na ndị Aram na-eche na Onyenwe anyị bụ chi nke ugwu, na ọ bụghị chi ala ndagwurugwu, aga m arara igwe ndị agha a nyefee gị nʼaka, ka gị na ndị gị mata nʼeziokwu na m bụ Onyenwe anyị.’”
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 Ọ bụ ụbọchị asaa ka ha mara ụlọ ikwu ha na ncherita ihu ibe ha. Ma nʼụbọchị nke asaa ahụ, ndị agha malitere ibu agha. Ndị Izrel merụrụ narị puku ndị agha Aram ahụ nʼotu ụbọchị.
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 Ma ndị fọdụrụ nʼetiti ndị agha Aram gbapụrụ ọsọ gbalaga nʼobodo Afek. Ebe ahụ ka mgbidi obodo Afek nọ dagbuo iri puku ndị agha abụọ na asaa nʼime ha. Ma Ben-Hadad nʼonwe ya gbalagara, gbaba nʼime obodo ahụ, gaa zoo onwe ya nʼime ime otu ụlọ.
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 Mgbe ahụ, ndịisi agha ya bịakwutere ya sị ya, “Lee, anyị nụrụ na ndị eze Izrel bụ ndị obi ebere. Ka anyị yiri akwa mkpe nʼukwu anyị, kee ụdọ nʼolu anyị, gaa rịọọ eze Izrel. Ma eleghị anya ọ ga-edebe gị ndụ.”
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 Ya mere, ha yikwasịrị onwe ha akwa mkpe, nyarakwa ụdọ nʼolu ha, jekwuru eze Izrel sị ya, “Ohu gị bụ Ben-Hadad na-asị, ‘Biko, kwee ka m dịrị ndụ.’” Eze jụrụ ha sị, “Ọ bụ ezie na ọ ka dị ndụ ugbu a? Nwanne m ka ọ bụ.”
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 Okwu a mere ka ndị ozi eze Aram nwee olileanya. Ha mere ngwangwa kwugharịakwa ihe ahụ o kwuru. Ha sịrị, “E, Nwanne gị bụ Ben-Hadad.” Mgbe ahụ, eze Ehab nyere ha iwu sị, “Gaanụ kpọpụta ya, dutekwanụ ya nʼebe a.” Mgbe Ben-Hadad bịara, Ehab mere ka ọ rigota nʼụgbọ agha nke ya.
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 Mgbe ahụ, Ben-Hadad gwara Ehab sị, “Obodo niile nke nna m naara nna gị, ka m ga-enyeghachi gị. I nwere ike iwuru onwe gị ọdụ ahịa nʼama obodo Damaskọs dịka nna m wuru nʼime Sameria.” Ehab kwuru, “Ọ bụrụ na anyị agbaa ndụ, aga m eme ka i nwere onwe gị.” Ya mere, ha abụọ gbara ndụ. Ehab hapụkwara ya ka ọ laa nʼudo.
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 Emesịa, okwu Onyenwe anyị rutere otu onye nʼetiti ụmụ ndị amụma. Ọ gwara otu nwoke nʼime ụmụ ndị amụma ahụ nọ ya nso sị ya, “Jiri ngwa agha dị gị nʼaka tie m ihe.” Ma nwoke ahụ jụrụ ime ihe onye amụma ahụ kwuru.
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 Nʼihi nke a, onye amụma gwara nwoke ahụ okwu sị, “Ebe ọ bụ na ị jụrụ ime ihe Onyenwe anyị nyere nʼiwu, lee ihe ga-adakwasị gị. Mgbe i si nʼebe a na-ala nʼụlọ gị, ọdụm ga-ezute gị nʼụzọ dọgbuo gị.” Amụma a mezukwara, nʼihi na mgbe nwoke ahụ tụgharịrị si nʼebe ahụ na-ala, ọdụm lụsoro ya ọgụ nʼụzọ gbuo ya.
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 Onye amụma ahụ pụkwara chọta onye ọzọ sị ya, “Biko, tie m ihe.” Nwoke ahụ tiri ya ihe tihịa ya ahụ.
The prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me!” So the man hit him, wounding him.
38 Mgbe ahụ, onye amụma ahụ e tiri ihe jiri akwa kechie ihu ya, ka mmadụ ọbụla ghara ịmata onye ọ bụ. Ọ pụrụ gaa guzo nʼakụkụ ụzọ ebe eze Izrel ga-esi gafee.
Then the prophet went and stood beside the road, waiting for the king. He had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 Mgbe eze na-agafe, onye amụma ahụ tiri mkpu sị, “Onyenwe m, biko gee m ntị. Lee, otu onye agha bịakwutere m mgbe m nọ nʼihu agha sị m, ‘Lee nwoke a a dọtara nʼagha; chee ya nche. Ekwekwala ka ọ gbanarị gị. Nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na o site nʼaka gị gbapụ, ị ga-anwụ, maọbụ i jiri otu talenti ọlaọcha gbara isi gị.’
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 Ma mgbe m nọ na-arụ ọrụ ọzọ, nwoke ahụ a dọtara nʼagha gbapụrụ. Ahụkwaghị m ya anya ọzọ.” Mgbe ahụ, eze Izrel zara sị ya, “I jirila ọnụ gị maa onwe gị ikpe. Ị ghaghị ịnata ahụhụ dịrị gị.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, onye amụma ahụ mere ngwangwa wepụ akwa ahụ o ji kechie anya ya abụọ. Eze Izrel matakwara na ọ bụ otu onye nʼime ndị amụma.
Then the prophet quickly took off the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets.
42 Onye amụma ahụ gwara eze okwu sị ya, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘Ebe i mere ka nwoke a laa, bụ onye m nyere gị nʼaka ime ka ọ nwụọ, ugbu a, ị ghaghị ịnwụ nʼọnọdụ ya. A ga-alakwa ndị gị nʼiyi, nʼọnọdụ ndị nke ya.’”
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 Nʼihi okwu a, eze Izrel ji iwe na ihu mgbarụ laa nʼụlọ ya dị na Sameria.
The king of Israel went home to Samaria, sulking and infuriated.
