1 Ndị Eze 22
1 Agha ọzọ adaghị nʼetiti Aram na Izrel afọ atọ.
For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
2 Ma nʼafọ nke atọ, Jehoshafat, eze Juda, gara ileta Ehab eze Izrel.
Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
3 Eze Izrel sịrị ndị ozi ya, “Unu amaghị na ala Ramọt Gilead bụ nke anyị, ma lee na anyị gbara nkịtị ịga napụta ya site nʼaka eze Aram?”
[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 Ya mere, ọ jụrụ Jehoshafat, “Ị ga-eso m gaa buso Ramọt Gilead agha?” Jehoshafat zaghachiri eze Izrel, sị, “Otu m dị ka gị onwe gị dị, ndị m bụkwa ndị gị, ịnyịnya m bụkwa nke gị.”
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 Ma Jehoshafat gwakwara eze Izrel, sị, “Buru ụzọ chọpụta ihe bụ ntụziaka Onyenwe anyị.”
Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
6 Ya mere, eze Izrel kpọkọtara ndị amụma, ọnụọgụgụ ha ruru narị ndị ikom anọ, jụọ ha sị, “Ọ bụ m gaa buso Ramọt Gilead agha, ka ọ bụ m hapụ ịga?” Ha zara, “Gaa, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-enyefe ha nʼaka eze.”
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 Ma Jehoshafat jụrụ, “Ọ bụ na e nwekwaghị onye amụma Onyenwe anyị nọ nʼebe a, onye anyị nwere ike ịjụta ase nʼaka ya?”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
8 Eze Izrel zaghachiri Jehoshafat, sị, “A ka nwere otu onye amụma, onye anyị nwere ike isite nʼaka ya jụọ Onyenwe anyị ase, ọ bụ Maikaya nwa Imla, ma akpọrọ m ya asị, nʼihi na o nweghị oge ọ na-ebu amụma ihe ọma nʼebe m nọ, kama ọ bụ naanị nke ọjọọ.” Jehoshafat sịrị, “Eze ekwesighị ikwu okwu dị otu a.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, eze Izrel kpọrọ otu onye na-ejere ya ozi sị ya, “Mee ọsịịsọ kpọta Maikaya nwa Imla nʼebe a.”
So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
10 Ehab eze Izrel na Jehoshafat eze Juda, onye ọbụla yi uwe eze ya, na-anọkwasị nʼocheeze ya nʼebe ịzọcha ọka nʼọnụ ụzọ ama e si abata obodo Sameria. Ndị amụma ahụ niile nọkwa na-ebu amụma nʼihu ha.
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 Zedekaya nwa Kenaana, mere mpi igwe, ọ kwupụtara sị, “Nke a bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, ‘Ihe ndị a ka ị ga-eji sọgide ndị Aram, ruo mgbe a ga-ala ha nʼiyi.’”
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 Ndị amụma ndị ọzọ niile na-ebu otu ihe ahụ nʼamụma, na-asị, “Gaa, busoo Ramọt Gilead agha, ị ga-enwekwa mmeri, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-enyefe ya nʼaka eze.”
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 Onyeozi ahụ nke gara ịkpọ Maikaya sịrị ya, “Lee, ndị amụma ndị ọzọ na-agụpụghị onye ọbụla na-ebu amụma ọganihu nye eze. Mee ka okwu gị na ha dakọta. Kwuokwa ihe ga-adị eze mma.”
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 Ma Maikaya sịrị, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, aga m agwa ya naanị ihe Onyenwe anyị gwara m.”
But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
15 Mgbe ọ bịarutere, eze jụrụ ya, “Maikaya, ọ bụ anyị gaa buso Ramọt Gilead agha, ka ọ bụ anyị hapụ?” Ọ zara, “Gaa, ma nwekwa mmeri, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ga-enyefe ya nʼaka eze.”
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 Eze sịrị ya, “Ugboro ole ka m ga-eme ka ị ṅụọ iyi na ị gaghị agwa m ihe ọzọ, karịa naanị eziokwu nʼaha Onyenwe anyị?”
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 Mgbe ahụ Mikaya zara, “Ahụrụ m Izrel niile ka ha gbasasịrị nʼelu ọtụtụ ugwu dịka atụrụ na-enweghị onye ọzụzụ atụrụ, ma Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Ndị a enweghị onyendu. Ka onye ọbụla laghachi nʼụlọ ya nʼudo.’”
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 Eze Izrel, sịrị Jehoshafat, “Ọ bụ na m agwaghị gị na ọ dịghị mgbe ọ na-ebu amụma ihe ọma banyere m, kama naanị ihe ọjọọ?”
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 gara nʼihu, sị, “Ya mere, nụrụnụ okwu Onyenwe anyị. Ahụrụ m Onyenwe anyị ka ọ nọkwasịrị nʼocheeze ya, hụkwa usuu nke eluigwe ka ha na-eguzo nʼakụkụ ya, nʼaka nri ya nakwa nʼaka ekpe ya.
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 Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Onye ga-aga rafuo Ehab ka ọ gaa buso Ramọt Gilead agha, gaa nwụọ nʼebe ahụ?’ “Otu onye tụpụtara aro nke a, ebe onye ọzọ tụpụtara nke ọzọ.
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 Nʼikpeazụ otu mmụọ pụtara, guzo nʼihu Onyenwe anyị sị, ‘Mụ onwe m ga-arafu ya.’
Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
22 “‘Onyenwe anyị jụrụ sị, Olee otu ị ga-esi mee nke a?’ “‘Aga m apụ gaa bụrụ mmụọ nrafu nʼọnụ ndị amụma ya niile,’ ka ọ zara. “Onyenwe anyị sịrị, ‘Ị ga-enwe ike ịrafu ya. Gaa mee otu a.’
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 “Ma ugbu a, Onyenwe anyị etinyela mmụọ okwu ụgha nʼọnụ ndị amụma gị niile ndị a. Onyenwe anyị ekwubiela nʼihe ọjọọ ga-adakwasị gị.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Zedekaya nwa Kenaana, gara nso, maa Maikaya aka na nti, jụọ ya, “Olee ụzọ ka mmụọ ahụ sitere na Onyenwe anyị gara, mgbe ọ hapụrụ m bịa ịgwa gị okwu?”
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 Maikaya zaghachiri, “Ị ga-achọpụta nke a nʼụbọchị ị ga-agbaba nʼime ime ụlọ izo onwe gị.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, eze Izrel nyere iwu sị, “Jidenụ Maikaya kpụgara ya Amọn onye na-achị obodo a, na Joash nwa eze
King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
27 ị ga-asịkwa, ‘Otu a ka eze sịrị: Tinye nwoke a nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, nye ya naanị achịcha na mmiri ọṅụṅụ tutu ruo mgbe m lọghachiri nʼudo.’”
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 Maikaya kwupụtara sị, “Ọ bụrụ na ị lọghachi nʼudo, ọ pụtara na ọ bụghị Onyenwe anyị si nʼọnụ m kwuo okwu.” O kwukwara sị, “Unu niile hụbakwanụ okwu m ndị a niile ama!”
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 Ya mere, eze Izrel na Jehoshafat eze Juda, pụrụ gawa Ramọt Gilead.
So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
30 Eze Izrel gwara Jehoshafat, sị, “Aga m ejikere onwe m dịka m bụ onye ọzọ banye nʼọgbọ agha, ma gị onwe gị yiri uwe eze gị.” Ya mere, eze Izrel nwogharịrị onwe ya ka onye ọzọ baa nʼọgbọ agha.
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 Ma eze Aram enyelarị ndị ọchịagha ndị na-agba ụgbọ agha, ọnụọgụgụ ha dị iri atọ na abụọ, iwu sị, “Unu ebusola onye ọbụla agha, maọbụ onye ukwu maọbụ onye nta, karịakwa naanị eze Izrel.”
The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
32 Mgbe ndị ọchịagha, na-achị ụgbọ agha hụrụ Jehoshafat, ha chere nʼobi ha, “Nʼezie, onye a bụ eze Izrel.” Nʼihi ya ha tụgharịrị ibuso ya agha, ma Jehoshafat tiri mkpu,
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 ndị ọchịagha, na-achị ndị na-agba ụgbọ agha hụrụ na ọ bụghị eze Izrel, ma kwụsị ịchụso ya.
they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
34 Ma otu onye dọrọ ụta ya gbapụ ya na-ebughị onye ọbụla nʼobi, gbata ya eze Izrel nʼetiti njikọ nke uwe agha ya. Eze gwara onye ọkwọ ụgbọ agha ya, sị, “Tụgharịa, si nʼebe a bupụ m, nʼihi na emerụọla m ahụ.”
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 Agha ahụ siri ike nʼụbọchị ahụ niile, e ji ihe mee ka eze kwụrụ ọtọ nʼime ụgbọ agha ya na-eche ndị Aram ihu. Ọbara si nʼọnya ahụ sọjuru nʼala ụgbọ agha ahụ, ọ nwụrụ nʼuhuruchi ụbọchị ahụ.
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 Mgbe anyanwụ na-ada, e tiri mkpu nke gazuru nʼọgbọ agha ndị Izrel, sị, “Nwoke ọbụla laa nʼobodo ya, onye ọbụla laakwa nʼala nke aka ya!”
Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
37 Ya mere, eze nwụrụ, e buta ozu ya nʼobodo Sameria, ebe a nọ lie ya.
So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
38 Ha sachara ụgbọ agha ya nʼọdọ mmiri dị na Sameria (ebe ndị akwụna na-asa ahụ). Ụmụ nkịta rachara ọbara ya, dịka okwu Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
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 Ma banyere ihe ndị ọzọ niile mere nʼoge ọchịchị Ehab na ihe niile o mere, ụlọeze o wuru nke o ji ọdụ chọọ mma, na obodo niile o wusiri ike, ọ bụ na e deghị ha nʼakwụkwọ akụkọ ihe mere nʼoge ndị eze Izrel?
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 Ehab sooro ndị nna nna ya ha dina nʼọnwụ. Ahazaya nwa ya ghọrọ eze nʼọnọdụ.
When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
41 Jehoshafat nwa Asa ghọrọ eze Juda, nʼafọ nke anọ, nke ọchịchị Ehab eze Izrel.
Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
42 Jehoshafat gbara iri afọ atọ na ise mgbe ọ malitere ịbụ eze. Ọ chịrị iri afọ abụọ na ise na Jerusalem. Aha nne ya bụ Azuba, nwa Shilhi.
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 Nʼihe niile o jere ije nʼụzọ Asa bụ nna ya, o sitekwaghị nʼime ha wezuga onwe ya, o mekwara ihe ziri ezi nʼanya Onyenwe anyị. Naanị na o wezugaghị ebe dị elu niile, nke mere na ndị mmadụ gara nʼihu na-achụ aja, na-esurekwa ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ nʼebe ahụ niile.
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 Jehoshafat mere ka udo dị nʼetiti ya na eze Izrel.
Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
45 Ma banyere ihe ndị ọzọ niile mere nʼoge ọchịchị Jehoshafat, ihe niile ndị ọ rụpụtara, ike ọ kpara nʼọtụtụ agha nke o buru, ọ bụ na e deghị ha nʼakwụkwọ akụkọ ihe mere nʼoge ndị eze 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 O kpochapụrụ ndị ikom akwụna ụlọ arụsị, bụ ndị nke fọdụrụ, mgbe nna ya bụ Asa chịchara ọchịchị.
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 Nʼoge a, eze adịghị nʼala Edọm, kama ọ bụ onye nnọchite anya eze bụ onye na-achị.
At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
48 Jehoshafat wuuru ọtụtụ ụgbọ mmiri eji azụ ahịa, maka ije nʼala Ọfịa ịga bute ọlaedo ma ụgbọ mmiri ndị a agaghị ebe ọbụla, nʼihi na ha mikpuru nʼEziọn Geba.
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 Nʼoge ahụ, Ahazaya nwa Ehab sịrị Jehoshafat, “Kwere ka ndị ikom m soro ndị ọrụ gị nʼụgbọ gị,” ma Jehoshafat ekweghị.
Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Mgbe ahụ, Jehoshafat sooro nna nna ya ha dina nʼọnwụ, e lie ya nʼebe e liri ha nʼobodo Devid, nna ya. Jehoram nwa ya ghọrọ eze nʼọnọdụ ya.
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 Ahazaya nwa Ehab, malitere ịbụ eze Izrel na Sameria, nʼafọ iri na asaa nke ọchịchị Jehoshafat, eze Juda. Ma ọ chịrị Izrel naanị afọ abụọ.
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 O mere ihe dị njọ nʼanya Onyenwe anyị, nʼihi na o sooro ụzọ ọjọọ niile nke nna na nne ya, na ụzọ ọjọọ nke Jeroboam nwa Nebat, onye mere ka Izrel mee mmehie.
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 Ọ fekwara arụsị Baal ofufe, kpọọkwa isiala nye ya, si otu a kpasuo Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel iwe, dịka nna ya mere.
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.
