1 Amakhosi 20
1 UBenihadadi inkosi yeSiriya wasebutha ibutho lakhe lonke, elamakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili, lamabhiza lezinqola. Wenyuka wayavimbezela iSamariya, walwa layo.
Ben Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army together. There were thirty-two lesser kings with him, and horses and chariots. He went up, besieged Samaria and fought against it.
2 Wathuma izithunywa kuAhabi inkosi yakoIsrayeli, emzini, wathi kuye: Utsho njalo uBenihadadi:
He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Ben Hadad says this:
3 Isiliva sakho legolide lakho ngokwami, labafazi bakho labantwana bakho abahle ngabami.
'Your silver and your gold are mine. Also your wives and children, the best ones, are now mine.'”
4 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphendula yathi: Njengokwelizwi lakho, nkosi yami, nkosi, ngingowakho, lakho konke engilakho.
The king of Israel answered and said, “It is as you say, my master, king. I and all that I have are yours.”
5 Izithunywa zasezibuyela zathi: Utsho njalo uBenihadadi uthi: Lanxa ngithumele kuwe ngisithi: Isiliva sakho legolide lakho labafazi bakho labantwana bakho, kunike mina;
The messengers came again and said, “Ben Hadad says this, 'I sent word to you saying that you must give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6 kube kanti phose ngalesisikhathi kusasa ngizathuma kuwe izinceku zami, zizaguduza indlu yakho lezindlu zezinceku zakho; kuzakuthi-ke, yonke into ethandekayo emehlweni akho, zizayifaka esandleni sazo ziyithathe.
But I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house and your servants' houses. They will seize with their own hands and take away whatever pleases their eyes.'”
7 Ngakho inkosi yakoIsrayeli yabiza bonke abadala belizwe yathi: Ake linanzelele libone ukuthi lo udinga ububi, ngoba uthumele kimi ngabafazi bami langabantwana bami langesiliva sami langegolide lami, njalo kangimalelanga.
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land together and said, “Please take note and see how this man seeks trouble. He has sent word to me in order to take my wives, children, and silver and gold, and I have not refused him.”
8 Bonke abadala labo bonke abantu basebesithi kuyo: Ungalaleli, njalo ungavumi.
All the elders and all the people said to Ahab, “Do not listen to him or consent to his demands.”
9 Wasesithi kuzo izithunywa zikaBenihadadi: Tshelani inkosi yami, inkosi ukuthi: Konke eyakuthumela encekwini yayo kuqala ngizakwenza; kodwa linto kangilamandla okuyenza. Izithunywa zasezihamba, zayibuyisela ilizwi.
So Ahab said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Tell my master the king, 'I agree to everything that you sent your servant to do the first time, but I cannot accept this second demand.'” So the messengers left and took this response to Ben Hadad.
10 UBenihadadi wasethumela kuye wathi: Kabenze njalo onkulunkulu kimi, bengezelele njalo, uba ubhuqu lweSamariya lungenela izandla ezigcweleyo zabo bonke abantu abangilandelayo.
Then Ben Hadad sent his reply to Ahab, and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if even the ashes of Samaria will be enough for all the people who follow me to have a handful each.”
11 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphendula yathi: Mtsheleni: Lowo obhinca izikhali kangaziqakisi njengozikhululayo.
The king of Israel answered and said, “Tell Ben Hadad, 'No one who is just putting on his armor, should boast as if he were taking it off.'”
12 Kwasekusithi esizwa lelilizwi esanatha, yena lamakhosi emadumbeni, wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Zimiseni! Zasezizimisa ukumelana lomuzi.
Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings under him who were in their tents. Ben Hadad commanded his men, “Line yourselves up in position for battle.” So they prepared themselves in position of battle to attack the city.
13 Khangela-ke, umprofethi othile wasondela kuAhabi inkosi yakoIsrayeli, wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uyalibona lelixuku lonke elikhulu yini? Khangela, ngizalinikela esandleni sakho lamuhla, njalo uzakwazi ukuthi mina ngiyiNkosi.
Then behold, a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says, 'Have you seen this great army? Look, I will place it into your hand today, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
14 UAhabi wasesithi: Ngobani? Wasesithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngamajaha abaphathi bezabelo. Wasesithi: Ngubani ozaqalisa impi? Wasesithi: Wena.
Ahab replied, “By whom?” Yahweh replied and said, “By the young officers who serve the governors of the districts.” Then Ahab said, “Who will begin the battle?” Yahweh answered, “You.”
15 Wasebala amajaha abaphathi bezabelo, ayengamakhulu amabili lamatshumi amathathu lambili; lemva kwawo wabala bonke abantu, bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa.
Then Ahab mustered the young officers who served the governors of the districts. They numbered 232. After them he mustered all the soldiers, all the army of Israel; seven thousand in number.
16 Basebephuma emini, uBenihadadi esenathe wadakwa emadumbeni, yena lamakhosi, amakhosi angamatshumi amathathu lambili ayemsiza.
They went out at noon. Ben Hadad had been drinking himself drunk in his tent, he and the thirty-two lesser kings who were supporting him.
17 Amajaha abaphathi bezabelo asephuma kuqala. UBenihadadi wasethuma, basebemtshela besithi: Kuphume amadoda eSamariya.
The young officers who served the governors of the districts went forward first. Then Ben Hadad was informed by scouts that he had sent out, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”
18 Wasesithi: Loba ephumele ukuthula, abambeni ephila; loba-ke ephumele impi, abambeni ephila.
Ben Hadad said, “Whether they have come out for peace or war, take them alive.”
19 Lala aphuma emzini, amajaha abaphathi bezabelo, lebutho elawalandelayo.
So the young officers who served the governors of the districts went out of the city and the army followed them.
20 Babulala, ngulowo lalowo umuntu wakhe. AmaSamariya asebaleka, uIsrayeli wasexotshana lawo, kodwa uBenihadadi inkosi yeSiriya waphunyuka ngebhiza kanye labagadi bamabhiza.
Each man killed his opponent. The Arameans fled and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse along with some horsemen.
21 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasiphuma, yatshaya amabhiza lenqola, yatshaya phakathi kwamaSiriya ngokubulala okukhulu.
Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.
22 Lowomprofethi wasesondela enkosini yakoIsrayeli wathi kuyo: Hamba, uziqinise, unanzelele njalo ubone okwenzayo; ngoba ekuthwaseni komnyaka inkosi yeSiriya izakwenyuka imelane lawe.
So the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and understand and plan what you are doing, because at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against you again.”
23 Lezinceku zenkosi yeSiriya zathi kuyo: Onkulunkulu babo bangonkulunkulu bezintaba, yikho belamandla kulathi; kube kanti asilwe labo emagcekeni, sibili sizabehlula.
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. But now let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they are.
24 Ngakho yenza linto: Susa amakhosi, ngulowo lalowo endaweni yakhe, ubeke izinduna esikhundleni sawo;
So you must do this: Remove all the kings from their positions of authority and replace them with military commanders.
25 njalo wena zibalele ibutho njengebutho eliwileyo kuwe, lebhiza njengebhiza, lenqola njengenqola; njalo sizakulwa labo emagcekeni, isibili sizabehlula. Yasilalela ilizwi labo, yenza njalo.
Raise up an army like the army you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight them in the plain. Then surely we will be stronger than they are.” So Ben Hadad listened to their advice and did what they advised.
26 Kwasekusithi ekuthwaseni komnyaka uBenihadadi wabala amaSiriya, wenyukela eAfeki ekulweni loIsrayeli.
After the beginning of the new year, Ben Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli babalwa-ke, banikwa imiphako, basebephuma ukumelana lawo; abantwana bakoIsrayeli bamisa inkamba phambi kwawo njengemihlanjana yembuzi emibili, kodwa amaSiriya agcwala ilizwe.
The people of Israel were mustered and supplied to fight against them. The people of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the countryside.
28 Kwasekusondela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, wakhuluma enkosini yakoIsrayeli wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngenxa yokuthi amaSiriya athe: INkosi inguNkulunkulu wezintaba, kodwa kayisuye uNkulunkulu wezihotsha, ngakho ngizanikela esandleni sakho lelixuku lonke elikhulu, njalo lizakwazi ukuthi mina ngiyiNkosi.
Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says: 'Because the Arameans have said that Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will place this great army into your hand, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
29 Basebemisa inkamba, enye iqondene lenye, insuku eziyisikhombisa. Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesikhombisa impi yadibana; abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebetshaya ngosuku lunye amaSiriya azinkulungwane ezilikhulu ahamba ngenyawo.
So the armies camped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle started. The people of Israel killed 100,000 Aramean footmen in one day.
30 Labaseleyo babalekela eAfeki emzini; lomduli wawela phezu kwamadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa ayesele. UBenihadadi laye wabaleka, wangena emzini ekamelweni elingaphakathi.
The rest fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner room.
31 Lezinceku zakhe zathi kuye: Khangela-ke, sizwile ukuthi amakhosi endlu yakoIsrayeli angamakhosi alesihawu; ake sifake amasaka enkalweni zethu, lamagoda emakhanda ethu, siphumele enkosini yakoIsrayeli; mhlawumbe izagcina umphefumulo wakho uphile.
Ben Hadad's servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32 Basebethandela amasaka enkalweni zabo, lamagoda emakhanda abo, bafika enkosini yakoIsrayeli, bathi: Inceku yakho uBenihadadi ithi: Ake ungiyekele ngiphile. Yasisithi: Usaphila yini? Ungumfowethu.
So they put sackcloth on their waists and ropes around their heads and then went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben Hadad said, 'Please let me live.'” Ahab said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33 Lamadoda aqaphela ngokukhuthala aphangisa ukukuhluthuna kuyo, athi: Umfowenu uBenihadadi. Yasisithi: Hambani liyemthatha. UBenihadadi wasephumela kuyo, yamkhweza enqoleni.
Now the men were listening for any sign from Ahab, so they quickly answered him, “Yes, your brother Ben Hadad is alive.” Then Ahab said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came to him, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34 Wasesithi kuyo: Imizi ubaba ayithatha kuyihlo ngizayibuyisela; futhi ungazenzela izitalada eDamaseko njengokwenza kukababa eSamariya. Khona uAhabi wathi: Mina ngizakuyekela uhambe ngalesisivumelwano. Yasisenza laye isivumelwano yamyekela ehamba.
Ben Hadad said to Ahab, “I will restore to you the cities that my father took from your father, and you may make markets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab replied, “I will let you go with this covenant.” So Ahab made a covenant with him and then let him go.
35 Umuntu othile wamadodana abaprofethi wasesithi kumakhelwane wakhe ngelizwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu: Ake ungitshaye. Kodwa lowomuntu wala ukumtshaya.
A certain man, one of the sons of the prophets, said to one of his fellow prophets by the word of Yahweh, “Please hit me.” But the man refused to hit him.
36 Wasesithi kuye: Ngenxa yokuthi ungalilalelanga ilizwi leNkosi, khangela, ekusukeni kwakho kimi isilwane sizakutshaya. Wasesuka kuye, lesilwane samfica, sambulala.
Then the prophet said to his fellow prophet, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” As soon as that man had left him, a lion came upon him and killed him.
37 Wasethola omunye umuntu wathi: Ake ungitshaye. Lalowomuntu wamtshaya lokumtshaya emlimaza.
Then the prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me.” So the man hit him and wounded him.
38 Ngakho umprofethi wasuka, wamelela inkosi endleleni, ezifihle isimo ngelembu emehlweni.
Then the prophet left and waited for the king by the road; he had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 Kwasekusithi inkosi idlula, yena wamemeza enkosini wathi: Inceku yakho yaphuma phakathi kwempi; khangela-ke, umuntu waphambuka, waletha umuntu kimi, wathi: Londoloza lumuntu; uba elahleka lokulahleka, khona impilo yakho izakuba sesikhundleni sempilo yakhe, kumbe uhlawule ngethalenta lesiliva.
As the king passed by, the prophet cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and a soldier stopped and brought a man to me and said, 'Watch this man. If by any means he goes missing, your life will be given for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'
40 Kwasekusithi inceku yakho isaphathekile lapha lalaphaya, yena wayengekho. Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi kuye: Sinjalo isahlulelo sakho, ususiqumile wena.
But because your servant was busy going here and there, the man escaped.” Then the king of Israel said to him, “This is what your punishment will be—you yourself have decided it.”
41 Wasephangisa walisusa ilembu emehlweni akhe. Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasimazi ukuthi ungowabaprofethi.
Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
42 Wasesithi kuyo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngoba umyekele ukuthi aphume esandleni umuntu engimmisele ukumtshabalalisa, ngakho impilo yakho izakuba sesikhundleni sempilo yakhe, labantu bakho esikhundleni sabantu bakhe.
The prophet said to the king, “Yahweh says, 'Because you have let go from your hand the man whom I had sentenced to death, your life will take the place of his life, and your people for his people.'”
43 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisiya endlini yayo inyukumele, ithukuthele, yafika eSamariya.
So the king of Israel went to his house resentful and angry, and arrived in Samaria.
