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, the king of Syria, gathered all his army, and he persuaded 32 other kings to join him with their armies and horses and chariots. They marched to Samaria [city, the capital of Israel], and surrounded it, and [prepared to] attack it.
2 Mgbe ahụ, eze ndị Siria zigaara Ehab, eze Izrel ozi nʼime obodo sị ya, “otu a ka Ben-Hadad sịrị,
Ben-Hadad sent messengers into the city to King Ahab, to say this to him: “This is what King 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.’”
‘[You must give to] me all your silver and gold, your (good-looking/most beautiful) wives/women and strongest children.’”
4 Ehab eze Izrel, zighachiri ozi sị, “Ọ dị mma, onyenwe m, mụ onwe m, na ihe niile m nwere bụ nke gị.”
The king of Israel replied to them, “Tell this to King Ben-Hadad: ‘I agree to do what you requested. You can have me and everything that I own.’”
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 told that to] Ben-Hadad, and he [sent them back with] another message: “I sent a message to you saying that you must give me all your silver and gold and 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 [in addition to that], about this time tomorrow, I will send some of my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials, and to bring to me everything that pleases them.”
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.”
King Ahab summoned all the leaders of Israel, and said to them, “You can see/realize for yourselves that this man is trying to cause much trouble. He sent me a message insisting that I must give him my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I agreed to do that.”
8 Ndị okenye na ndị Izrel zara sị ya, “Aṅala ya ntị! Enyela ya ihe ọbụla.”
The leaders and all the other people said to him, “Do not pay any attention to him! Do not do what he is requesting!”
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 Ahab said to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell the king that I agree to give him the things that he first requested, but I do not agree to allow his officials to take anything that they want from my palace and from the houses of my officials.” So the messengers [reported that to King Ben-Hadad, and they] returned with another message from Ben-Hadad.
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.”
In that message he said, “[We will destroy] your city [completely, with the result that] there will not be enough dust and rubble left for each of my soldiers to have one handful! I hope/wish that the gods will strike me dead if we do not do that!”
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.’”
King Ahab replied [to the messengers], “Tell King Ben-Hadad that a soldier who is putting on his armor [preparing to fight a battle] [MTY] should not boast at that time; he [should wait until] after he wins the battle.”
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 heard that message while he and the other rulers were drinking [wine] in their temporary shelters. He told his men to prepare to attack [MTY] the city. So his men did that.
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 that moment, a prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘[Do not be at all afraid of] [RHQ] the large enemy army that you see! I will enable your army to defeat them today, and you will know that it is I, Yahweh, [who have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
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.”
Ahab asked, “What group [of our army] will defeat them?” The prophet replied, “The young soldiers who are commanded by the district governors will do it.” The king asked, “Who should lead the attack?” The prophet replied, “You should!”
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 gathered the young soldiers who were commanded by the district governors. There were 232 of those men. Then he also summoned all the Israeli army. There were [only] 7,000 soldiers.
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 started to attack at noon, while Ben-Hadad and the other rulers were getting drunk in their temporary shelters.
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 soldiers advanced first. Some scouts who had been sent out by Ben-Hadad reported to him, “There are men coming out of Samaria [city]”!
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!”
He said, “It does not matter whether they are coming to fight against us or to ask for peace. Capture them, but do not kill them
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 Israeli soldiers went out of the city to attack [the Syrian army], and the other soldiers in the Israeli army followed them.
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 [Israeli soldier] killed a [Syrian] soldier. The rest of the Syrian army then ran away, and the Israeli soldiers pursued them. But King Ben-Hadad escaped riding his horse, along with some other men riding horses.
21 Ma eze ndị Izrel pụkwuru ya, nwude ọtụtụ ịnyịnya na ụgbọ agha, butere ndị Aram ọghọm dị ukwuu.
Then the king of Israel went out [of the city], and he and his soldiers captured [all] the [other Syrian] horses and chariots, and also killed a large number of Syrian soldiers.
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.”
Then that same prophet went to King Ahab and said to him, “Go back and prepare your soldiers, and think carefully about what will be necessary for you to do, because the king of Syria with attack with his army again in the springtime of next year.”
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.
[After the Syrian army was defeated, ] Ben-Hadad’s officials said to him, “The gods that the Israelis [worship] are gods [who live] in the hills. [Samaria is built on a hill, and] that is why their soldiers were able to defeat us. But if we fight against them in the plains/lowlands, we certainly will be able to defeat them.
24 Mee ihe a, wepụ ndị eze a niile site nʼebe ha nọ, jiri ndị na-achị ala gbanwee ha.
So, this is what you should do: You must remove the 32 kings [who are leading your troops] and replace them with army 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.
Then gather an army like the army that was defeated. Gather an army that has as many horses and chariots as the first army had. Then we will fight the Israelis in the plains/lowlands, and we will surely defeat them.” Ben-Hadad agreed with them, and he did what they suggested.
26 Mgbe otu afọ gasịrị, Ben-Hadad chịkọtakwara ndị Aram niile duru ha gaa Afek ibuso Izrel agha.
In the spring of the following year, he gathered his soldiers and marched [with them] to Aphek [city east of Galilee Lake], to fight against the Israeli army.
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 Israeli army was also gathered together, and they were equipped with the things that they needed [for the battle]. Then they marched out and formed two groups facing the Syrian army. Their army was very small; they resembled two small flocks of goats, whereas the Syrian army [was very large and] spread all over the countryside.
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.’”
A prophet came to King Ahab and said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘The Syrians say that I am a god who lives in the hills, and that I am not a god who lives in the valleys. So I will [show that they are wrong by] enabling your men to defeat this huge army [IDM] [in the valley], and you will know that I, Yahweh, [have done it].’”
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 two armies stayed in their tents for seven days, in groups that faced each other. Then, on the seventh day, they started fighting. The Israeli army killed 100,000 Syrian soldiers.
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 other Syrian soldiers ran away into Aphek City. Then the wall of the city collapsed and killed 27,000 more Syrian soldiers. Ben-Hadad also escaped into the city, and hid in the back room of a house.
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.”
His officials went to him and said, “We have heard a report that the Israelis act mercifully. So allow us to go to the king of Israel, wearing coarse sacks around our waists and ropes on our heads/necks [to indicate that we will be his slaves]. Perhaps [if we do that, ] he will allow you to remain alive.”
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.”
[The king permitted them to do that, ] so they wrapped coarse sacks around their waists and put ropes on their heads/necks, and they went to the king of Israel and said to him, “Ben-Hadad, who greatly respects you, says, ‘Please do not kill me.’” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is like a brother to me!”
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.
Ben-Hadad’s officials were trying to find out if Ahab would act mercifully, and when Ahab said “brother,” they (were optimistic/thought that Ahab would be merciful). So they replied, “Yes, he is like your brother!” Ahab said, “Go and bring him to me.” So they [went and] brought Ben-Hadad to him. [When Ben-Hadad arrived, ] Ahab told him to get in his chariot [and sit with him].
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 give back to you the towns that my father’s army took from your father. And I will allow you to set up market areas for your merchants in Damascus [my capital], just as my father did in Samaria [your capital].” Ahab replied, “Because you agree to do that, I will not execute you.” So Ahab made an agreement with Ben-Hadad, and allowed him to go home.
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.
Then Yahweh spoke to a member of a group of prophets and said to him, “Ask one of your fellow prophets to strike and wound you.” [So he did what Yahweh told him to do]. [He said to one of his fellow prophets, ‘Strike me and wound me].’ But that man refused to do it.
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 said to him, “Because you refused to obey what Yahweh told you to do, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.” And as soon as he left that prophet, a lion suddenly pounced on him 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.
Then the prophet found another prophet, and said to him, “Strike me!” So that man hit him [very hard] and injured 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 put a large bandage/cloth over his face so that no one would recognize him. Then he went and stood alongside the road, waiting for the king to come by.
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.’
When the king passed by, the prophet cried out to him, saying “Your majesty, [after I was wounded] while I was fighting in a battle, a soldier brought to me one of our enemies that he had captured, and said to me, ‘Guard this man! If he escapes, you must pay me 3,000 pieces of silver, and if you do not pay that, you will be executed!’
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 I was busy doing other things, the man escaped!” The king of Israel said to him, “That is your problem! You yourself have said that you deserve to be punished.”
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.
The prophet immediately took off the bandage, and the king of Israel recognized that 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.’”
And the prophet said to him, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You have allowed that man [Ben-Hadad] to escape after I commanded you to be sure to execute him! Since you did not do that, you will be killed instead. And your army will be destroyed because you allowed [some of] his army to escape!’”
43 Nʼihi okwu a, eze Izrel ji iwe na ihu mgbarụ laa nʼụlọ ya dị na Sameria.
The king went back home to Samaria, very angry and depressed/dejected.
