1 Amakhosi 22
1 Bahlala-ke iminyaka emithathu kungekho impi phakathi kweSiriya loIsrayeli.
Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
2 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wesithathu uJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda wehlela enkosini yakoIsrayeli.
However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel,
3 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi encekwini zayo: Liyazi yini ukuthi iRamothi-Gileyadi ingeyethu? Kodwa sithule, singayithathi esandleni senkosi yeSiriya.
who said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”
4 Yasisithi kuJehoshafathi: Uzahamba lami empini eRamothi-Gileyadi yini? UJehoshafathi wasesithi enkosini yakoIsrayeli: Nginjengawe, njengabantu bami banjalo abantu bakho, njengamabhiza ami anjalo amabhiza akho.
So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
5 UJehoshafathi wasesithi enkosini yakoIsrayeli: Akubuze lamuhla ilizwi leNkosi.
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
6 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasibuthanisa abaprofethi abangaba ngamadoda angamakhulu amane, yathi kubo: Ngihambe yini ukuyamelana leRamothi-Gileyadi empini kumbe ngiyekele? Basebesithi: Yenyuka, ngoba iNkosi izayinikela esandleni senkosi.
So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
7 UJehoshafathi wasesithi: Kakusekho yini lapha umprofethi weNkosi esingambuza?
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
8 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi kuJehoshafathi: Kusekhona indoda eyodwa, uMikhaya indodana kaImla, esingabuza ngaye eNkosini, kodwa mina ngiyamzonda, ngoba kaprofethi okuhle ngami, kodwa okubi. UJehoshafathi wasesithi: Inkosi ingatsho njalo.
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasibiza induna yathi: Landa masinyane uMikhaya indodana kaImla.
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli loJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda babehlezi, ngulowo lalowo esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi, begqoke izembatho zabo, besebaleni lokubhulela ekungeneni kwesango leSamariya, njalo bonke abaprofethi babeprofetha phambi kwabo.
Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
11 UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenahana wasezenzela izimpondo zensimbi, wathi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngalezi uzahlaba amaSiriya uze uwaqede.
Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
12 Labo bonke abaprofethi baprofetha njalo, besithi: Yenyukela eRamothi-Gileyadi, uphumelele; ngoba uJehova uzayinikela esandleni senkosi.
And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
13 Isithunywa esasiyebiza uMikhaya sakhuluma laye sathi: Khangela-ke, amazwi abaprofethi ngamlomo munye mahle enkosini; ake ilizwi lakho lifanane lelizwi lomunye wabo, ukhulume okuhle.
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
14 Kodwa uMikhaya wathi: Kuphila kukaJehova, lokho iNkosi ekutshoyo kimi lokho ngizakukhuluma.
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”
15 Esefikile enkosini, inkosi yathi kuye: Mikhaya, siye eRamothi-Gileyadi empini kumbe siyekele? Wasesithi kuyo: Yenyuka, uphumelele; ngoba uJehova uzayinikela esandleni senkosi.
When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”
16 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Ngizakufungisa kuze kube kangaki ukuthi ungangitsheli lutho ngaphandle kweqiniso ebizweni leNkosi?
But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”
17 Wasesithi: Ngabona uIsrayeli wonke ehlakazekile phezu kwezintaba njengezimvu ezingelamelusi; uJehova wathi: Laba kabalankosi, kababuyele, ngulowo lalowo endlini yakhe ngokuthula.
So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
18 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi kuJehoshafathi: Kangikutshelanga yini ukuthi kayikuprofetha okuhle ngami kodwa okubi?
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
19 Wasesithi: Ngakho zwana ilizwi leNkosi: Ngibone iNkosi ihlezi esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, lamabutho wonke amazulu emi phansi kwayo ngakwesokunene sayo langakwesokhohlo sayo.
Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
20 INkosi yasisithi: Ngubani ozahuga uAhabi ukuthi enyuke ayewela eRamothi-Gileyadi? Omunye-ke watsho njalo, lomunye watsho njalo.
And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
21 Kwasekuphuma umoya, wema phambi kweNkosi wathi: Mina ngizamhuga.
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
22 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Ngani? Wasesithi: Ngizaphuma ngibe ngumoya wamanga emlonyeni wabo bonke abaprofethi bakhe. Yasisithi: Uzamhuga, njalo uzaphumelela; phuma wenze njalo.
And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
23 Ngakho-ke, khangela, iNkosi ifake umoya wamanga emlonyeni walababaprofethi bakho bonke, njalo iNkosi ikhulume okubi ngawe.
So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
24 UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenahana wasesondela, watshaya uMikhaya esihlathini, wathi: UMoya weNkosi wedlula ngani esuka kimi ukuyakhuluma lawe?
Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
25 UMikhaya wasesithi: Khangela, uzakubona mhlalokho lapho uzangena ekamelweni elingaphakathi ukuyacatsha.
Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
26 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi: Thatha uMikhaya, mbuyisele kuAmoni umbusi womuzi lakuJowashi indodana yenkosi,
And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
27 uthi: Itsho njalo inkosi: Fakani lo entolongweni, limdlise isinkwa sohlupho lamanzi ohlupho ngize ngibuye ngokuthula.
and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
28 UMikhaya wasesithi: Uba uphenduka isibili ngokuthula, iNkosi kayikhulumanga ngami. Wasesithi: Zwanini, bantu, lina lonke.
But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
29 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli loJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda basebesenyukela eRamothi-Gileyadi.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasisithi kuJehoshafathi: Ngizazifihla isimo, ngingene empini, kodwa wena gqoka izembatho zakho. Inkosi yakoIsrayeli yasizifihla isimo, yangena empini.
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Inkosi yeSiriya yayilaye induna zezinqola ezingamatshumi amathathu lambili ayelazo, esithi: Lingalwi lomncinyane loba lomkhulu, kodwa lenkosi yakoIsrayeli kuphela.
Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
32 Kwasekusithi induna zezinqola zibona uJehoshafathi zona zathi: Isibili yiyo inkosi yakoIsrayeli. Zaseziphambuka ukulwa zimelene layo; uJehoshafathi waseklabalala.
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 Kwasekusithi induna zezinqola zibona ukuthi kwakungeyisiyo inkosi yakoIsrayeli, zaphenduka ekuyilandeleni.
And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34 Umuntu othile wasedonsa idandili lakhe engananzeleli, wahlaba inkosi yakoIsrayeli phakathi kwenhlangano lebhatshi lensimbi; yasisithi kumtshayeli wenqola yayo: Phendula isandla sakho, ungikhuphe phakathi kwebutho, ngoba ngilimele kakhulu.
However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
35 Impi yasikhula mhlalokho; njalo inkosi yayisekelwe enqoleni yayo iqondene lamaSiriya, yafa ntambama; igazi lenxeba lagelezela ngaphansi kwenqola.
The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
36 Ekutshoneni kwelanga kwadabula isimemezelo ebuthweni sisithi: Wonke kaye emzini wakibo, laye wonke elizweni lakibo.
As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”
37 Ngakho inkosi yafa, yalethwa eSamariya; basebeyingcwaba inkosi eSamariya.
So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.
38 Omunye wasegezisa inqola echibini leSamariya, lezinja zakhotha igazi layo, lapho amawule ayegeza khona, njengokwelizwi leNkosi eyalikhulumayo.
And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken.
39 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaAhabi, lakho konke akwenzayo, lendlu yempondo zendlovu ayakhayo, lemizi yonke ayakhayo, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoIsrayeli?
As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
40 UAhabi waselala laboyise. UAhaziya indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.
41 UJehoshafathi indodana kaAsa waba-ke yinkosi phezu kukaJuda ngomnyaka wesine kaAhabi inkosi yakoIsrayeli.
In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah.
42 Njalo uJehoshafathi wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanhlanu lapho esiba yinkosi; wabusa eJerusalema iminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu. Lebizo likanina lalinguAzuba indodakazi kaShilehi.
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43 Njalo wahamba ngayo yonke indlela kaAsa uyise, kaphambukanga kuyo, ukwenza okulungileyo emehlweni eNkosi. Loba kunjalo indawo eziphakemeyo kazisuswanga; abantu babelokhu benikela imihlatshelo, betshisa impepha endaweni eziphakemeyo.
And Jehoshaphat walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them, but did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
44 UJehoshafathi wasesenza ukuthula lenkosi yakoIsrayeli.
Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaJehoshafathi, lobuqhawe abenzayo, lokuthi walwa njani, kakubhalwanga yini egwalweni lwemilando yamakhosi akoJuda?
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
46 Lensali yezinkotshana ezazisele ensukwini zikaAsa uyise wayikhupha elizweni.
He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa.
47 Njalo eEdoma kwakungelankosi, umbambeli wayeyinkosi.
And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
48 UJehoshafathi wenza imikhumbi yeThashishi ukuya eOfiri ukulanda igolide; kodwa kayiyanga, ngoba imikhumbi yephukela eEziyoni-Geberi.
Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
49 Ngalesosikhathi uAhaziya indodana kaAhabi wathi kuJehoshafathi: Inceku zami kazihambe lenceku zakho emikhunjini. Kodwa uJehoshafathi kafunanga.
At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 UJehoshafathi waselala laboyise, wangcwatshelwa kuboyise emzini kaDavida uyise. UJoramu indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place.
51 UAhaziya indodana kaAhabi waba yinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli eSamariya ngomnyaka wetshumi lesikhombisa kaJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda; wabusa phezu kukaIsrayeli iminyaka emibili.
In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years.
52 Wasesenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, wahamba ngendlela kayise, langendlela kanina, langendlela kaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati owenza uIsrayeli one.
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.
53 Wasekhonza uBhali, wakhothamela kuye, wayithukuthelisa iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, njengakho konke ayekwenzile uyise.
Ahaziah served and worshiped Baal, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.
