1 Amakhosi 20
1 UBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu waqoqa ibutho lakhe lonke. Wayephelekezelwa ngamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lamabili ngezinqola zawo zempi lamabhiza, wasuka wayahanqa iSamariya wayihlasela.
Now Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got all his army together, and thirty-two kings with him, and horses and carriages of war; he went up and made war on Samaria, shutting it in.
2 Wathuma izithunywa edolobheni ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli, esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguBheni-Hadadi:
And he sent representatives into the town to Ahab, king of Israel;
3 Isiliva legolide lakho ngokwami, abafazi benu abahle kakhulu labantwana ngabami.”
And they said to him, Ben-hadad says, Your silver and your gold are mine; and your wives and children are mine.
4 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Kunjalo nkosi mbusi wami. Mina lakho konke engilakho ngokwakho.”
And the king of Israel sent him an answer saying, As you say, my lord king, I am yours with all I have.
5 Izithunywa zaphenduka njalo zisithi, “UBheni-Hadadi uthi: ‘Ngathumela ngathi ngifuna isiliva legolide lakho, abafazi labantwabakho.
Then the representatives came back again, and said, These are the words of Ben-hadad: I sent to you saying, Give up to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children;
6 Kodwa ngasolesi isikhathi kusasa ngizathumela izikhulu zami ukuzakhuthuza isigodlo sakho lezindlu zezikhulu zakho. Zizabutha yonke into eligugu kuwe zikuthathele.’”
But I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, to make a search through your house and the houses of your people, and everything which is pleasing in your eyes they will take away in their hands.
7 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibiza bonke abadala belizwe yathi kubo, “Ake libone lindoda edinga uhlupho! Ithe isithi ifuna abafazi bami labantwabami, isiliva legolide lami, angizange ngale.”
Then the king of Israel sent for all the responsible men of the land, and said, Now will you take note and see the evil purpose of this man: he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, and I did not keep them back.
8 Abadala kanye labantu bonke bathi, “Ungalaleli njalo ungamniki lokho akufunayo.”
And all the responsible men and the people said to him, Do not give attention to him or do what he says.
9 Yasitshela izithunywa zikaBheni-Hadadi ukuthi, “Tshelani inkosi umbusi wami ukuthi, ‘Inceku yakho izagcwalisa isicelo sakuqala kodwa lesi hayi ayenelisi.’” Zasuka izithunywa zabuyisela impendulo kuBheni-Hadadi.
So he said to the representatives of Ben-hadad, Say to my lord the king, All the orders you sent the first time I will do; but this thing I may not do. And the representatives went back with this answer.
10 Ngakho uBheni-Hadadi wakhupha ilizwi njalo lisiya ku-Ahabi, wathi: “Kabangihlanekele onkulunkulu, loba kungaba lobunzima obunganani, nxa kuzasala ubhuqu olulingana ukufunjathwa ngamadoda wonke aseSamariya.”
Then Ben-hadad sent to him, saying, May the gods' punishment be on me if there is enough of the dust of Samaria for all the people at my feet to take some in their hands.
11 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaphendula yathi, “Mtsheleni lithi: ‘Lowo ohloma ngezempi angabokloloda njengongahlomanga.’”
And the king of Israel said in answer, Say to him, The time for loud talk is not when a man is putting on his arms, but when he is taking them off.
12 UBheni-Hadadi wemukela lelilizwi ezinathela lamanye amakhosi emathenteni awo, wahle walawula amabutho akhe esithi: “Hlomelani ukuhlasela.” Basebelungisela ukuhlasela idolobho.
Now when this answer was given to Ben-hadad, he was drinking with the kings in the tents, and he said to his men, Take up your positions. So they put themselves in position for attacking the town.
13 Kusenjalo kweza umphrofethi ku-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli owafika wabika esithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Uyalibona na ibutho elikhulu kangaka? Ngizalinikela ezandleni zakho lamuhla nje, ukuze wazi ukuba nginguThixo.’”
Then a prophet came up to Ahab, king of Israel, and said, The Lord says, Have you seen all this great army? See, I will give it into your hands today, and you will see that I am the Lord.
14 U-Ahabi wabuza wathi, “Kodwa ngubani ozakwenza lokhu?” Umphrofethi waphendula wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Lokhu kuzakwenziwa ngabalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abayintanga yabatsha.’” Yena wabuza njalo ukuthi, “Pho ngubani ozayiqalisa impi?” Umphrofethi wamphendula wathi, “Nguwe.”
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, The Lord says, By the servants of the chiefs who are over the divisions of the land. Then he said, By whom is the fighting to be started? And he made answer, By you.
15 Ngakho u-Ahabi wamema abalawuli bamabutho abentanga yabatsha ezabelweni, abangamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amathathu lambili. Waseqoqa labo bonke abanye abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa ndawonye.
Then he got together the servants of all the chiefs who were over the divisions of the land, two hundred and thirty-two of them; and after them, he got together all the people, all the children of Israel, seven thousand.
16 Basuka emini enkulu ngesikhathi uBheni-Hadadi lamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili ayezomhlomulela belokhu besazinathela bedakwa emathenteni abo.
And in the middle of the day they went out. But Ben-hadad was drinking in the tents with the thirty-two kings who were helping him.
17 Abalawuli bezabelweni bentanga yabatsha basuka kuqala. UBheni-Hadadi wayethumele inhloli, ezabika ukuthi, “Kulamadoda ezayo evela eSamariya.”
And the servants of the chiefs who were over the divisions of the land went forward first; and when Ben-hadad sent out, they gave him the news, saying, Men have come out from Samaria.
18 Yena wathi, “Nxa esiza ngokuthula, athumbeni ephila; nxa ezohlasela, athumbeni ephila.”
And he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living.
19 Abalawuli bamabutho ezabelweni abentanga yabatsha baphuma edolobheni belandelwa libutho
So the servants of the chiefs of the divisions of the land went out of the town, with the army coming after them.
20 njalo ngamunye wabo wabulala lowo ayeqondene laye. Ebona lokhu, ama-Aramu abaleka, ama-Israyeli axotshana lawo. Kodwa uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yama-Aramu wabaleka ngebhiza lamanye amabutho ayesilwa ngamabhiza.
And every one of them put his man to death, and the Aramaeans went in flight with Israel after them; and Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got away safely on a horse with his horsemen.
21 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yaqhubeka yakhulela abamabhiza kanye labezinqola zempi yatshaya yabhuqa ama-Aramu amanengi kakhulu.
And the king of Israel went out and took the horses and the war-carriages, and made great destruction among the Aramaeans.
22 Ngemva kwalokho, umphrofethi waya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Hloma uphelele ubone ukuthi ungenzani, ngoba entwasa inkosi yama-Aramu iyeza izokuhlasela futhi.”
Then the prophet came up to the king of Israel, and said to him, Now make yourself strong, and take care what you do, or a year from now the king of Aram will come up against you again.
23 Kusenjalo, izikhulu zenkosi yase-Aramu zayicebisa zathi, “Onkulunkulu babo ngonkulunkulu bezintabeni. Yikho besikhulele. Kodwa singalwela emagcekeni, ngempela sizabakhulela.
Then the king of Aram's servants said to him, Their god is a god of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we: but if we make an attack on them in the lowlands, we will certainly be stronger than they.
24 Wena yenza kanje: Susa wonke amakhosi ekulawuleni kwawo ufake abanye abalawuli esikhundleni sawo.
This is what you have to do: take away the kings from their positions, and put captains in their places;
25 Njalo kumele uqoqe amanye amabutho anjengala anqotshwayo, kulingane amabhiza kanye lezinqola zempi ukuze silwele emagcekeni labako-Israyeli. Ngalokho akulakuthandabuza ukuthi sizabe silamandla kulabo.” Wavumelana labo wenza njengokutsho kwabo.
And get together another army like the one which came to destruction, horse for horse, and carriage for carriage; and let us make war on them in the lowlands, and certainly we will be stronger than they. And he gave ear to what they said, and did so.
26 Ngesikhathi sentwasa uBheni-Hadadi waqoqa ama-Aramu wasesiya e-Afekhi ukuze alwe labako-Israyeli.
So, a year later, Ben-hadad got the Aramaeans together and went up to Aphek to make war on Israel.
27 Ama-Israyeli ayeseqoqene, anikwa lemiphako, asuka ayawahlangabeza. Ama-Israyeli amisa maqondana lawo kungathi yimihlanjana yembuzi emibili, kanti ama-Aramu ayegcwele indawana yonke.
And the children of Israel got themselves together, and food was made ready and they went against them; the tents of the children of Israel were like two little flocks of goats before them, but all the country was full of the Aramaeans.
28 Umphrofethi kaNkulunkulu wasesiya enkosini yako-Israyeli wafika wathi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Njengoba ama-Aramu esithi uThixo ngunkulunkulu wezintaba hatshi uNkulunkulu wezigodi, ngizanikela wonke amabutho awo amanengi kangaka ezandleni zakho, ukuze wazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo.’”
And a man of God came up and said to the king of Israel, The Lord says, Because the Aramaeans have said, The Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys; I will give all this great army into your hands, and you will see that I am the Lord.
29 Bajamelana okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, kwathi ngosuku lwesikhombisa bahlaselana. Ama-Israyeli abulala abazinkulungwane ezilikhulu phakathi kwamabutho ama-Aramu ahamba ngezinyawo ngosuku olulodwa.
Now the two armies kept their positions facing one another for seven days. And on the seventh day the fight was started; and the children of Israel put to the sword a hundred thousand Aramaean footmen in one day.
30 Amanye amabutho abalekela edolobheni lase-Afekhi, lapho adilikelwa khona ngumduli owabulala izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa. Kwathi uBheni-Hadadi wabalekela edolobheni lapho afika wacatsha endlini ephakathi.
But the rest went in flight to Aphek, into the town, where a wall came down on the twenty-seven thousand who were still living. And Ben-hadad went in flight into the town, into an inner room.
31 Izikhulu zakhe zathi kuye, “Khangela, sesizwile ukuthi amakhosi ako-Israyeli ngamakhosi alomusa. Asihambeni enkosini yako-Israyeli sembethe amasaka okhalweni njalo sibophe amakhanda ngentambo. Mhlawumbe izakuxolela ingakubulali.”
Then his servants said to him, It is said that the kings of Israel are full of mercy: let us then put on haircloth, and cords on our heads, and go to the king of Israel; it may be that he will give you your life.
32 Basuka bethandele amasaka ezinkalweni zabo, bebophe amakhanda ngentambo, baya enkosini yako-Israyeli bafika bathi, “Inceku yakho uBheni-Hadadi ithi, ‘Ngicela ungiyekele ngiphile.’” Inkosi yathi, “Ulokhu esaphila? Ngumfowethu lowo.”
So they put on haircloth, and cords on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, Let me now keep my life. And he said, Is he still living? he is my brother.
33 Amadoda lawo abona lokhu kukhomba ubuhle alithathela phezulu lelilizwi athi, “Ye, umfowenu uBheni-Hadadi!” Inkosi yathi, “Hambani liyemthatha.” Lakanye uBheni-Hadadi uthe efika, u-Ahabi wathi kakhwele enqoleni yakhe yempi.
Now the men took it as a sign, and quickly took up his words; and they said, Ben-hadad is your brother. Then he said, Go and get him. So Ben-hadad came out to him and he made him get up into his carriage.
34 UBheni-Hadadi wazibika esithi, “Ngizabuyisela wonke amadolobho athunjwa ngubaba kuyihlo. Ungazilungisela izindawo zokuthengiselana eDamaseko, njengoba ubaba laye wayelazo eSamariya.” U-Ahabi wathi, “Ngesivumelwano ngizakukhulula.” Wasesenza isivumelwano laye wamkhulula.
And Ben-hadad said to him, The towns my father took from your father I will give back; and you may make streets for yourself in Damascus as my father did in Samaria. And as for me, at the price of this agreement you will let me go. So he made an agreement with him and let him go.
35 Ngelizwi likaThixo omunye wamadodana abaphrofethi wathi komunye, “Ake ungitshaye ngesikhali sakho,” kodwa wala.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of the Lord, Give me a wound. But the man would not.
36 Ngakho umphrofethi wasesithi, “Njengoba ungalalelanga ilizwi likaThixo, uzakuthi usuka kimi ubulawe yisilwane.” Ngemva kokusuka kwakhe, wafunyanwa yisilwane sambulala.
Then he said to him, Because you have not given ear to the voice of the Lord, straight away when you have gone from me a lion will put you to death. And when he had gone, straight away a lion came rushing at him and put him to death.
37 Umphrofethi wafumana enye njalo indoda wathi kuyo, “Ake ungigwaze.” Yamgwaza leyondoda yamlimaza.
Then he came across another man, and said, Give me a wound. And the man gave him a blow wounding him.
38 Umphrofethi wasuka wayamelela inkosi endleleni. Wazifihla ubuso bakhe ngeqhiye.
So the prophet went away, and pulling his head-band over his eyes to keep his face covered, took his place by the road waiting for the king.
39 Kuthe inkosi isedlula khonapho, umphrofethi wayimemeza esithi, “Inceku yakho ibe iphakathi kwempi etshisayo, kwathi omunye weza kimi lothunjiweyo wathi, ‘Linda lumuntu. Nxa engabaleka, uzamfela wena, loba uhlawule ngethalenta lesiliva.’
And when the king went by, crying out to him he said, Your servant went out into the fight; and a man came out to me with another man and said, Keep this man: if by any chance he gets away, your life will be the price of his life, or you will have to give a talent of silver in payment.
40 Kuthe inceku yakho isaphathekile lapha lalaphaya, umuntu lowo wanyamalala.” Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi, “Leso yiso isigwebo sakho. Usuvele wasiqamba wena ngokwakho.”
But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself.
41 Umphrofethi waphanga wembula ubuso bakhe, inkosi yako-Israyeli yabona ukuthi ngomunye wabaphrofethi.
Then he quickly took the head-band from his eyes; and the king of Israel saw that he was one of the prophets.
42 Wathi enkosini, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Usukhulule umuntu ebengithe kumele afe. Kutsho ukuthi usuzamfela wena, labantu bakho bazafela abantu bakhe.’”
And he said to him, These are the words of the Lord: Because you have let go from your hands the man whom I had put to the curse, your life will be taken for his life, and your people for his people.
43 Ngokuhlulukelwa langokuzonda, inkosi yako-Israyeli yasuka yabuyela esigodlweni sayo eSamariya.
Then the king of Israel went back to his house, bitter and angry, and came to Samaria.
