1 Madzimambo 20
1 Zvino Bheni-Hadhadhi mambo weAramu akaunganidza varwi vake vose. Achibatsirwa namadzimambo makumi matatu namaviri vaine mabhiza avo nengoro, akaenda akakomba Samaria akarirwisa.
Ben-hadad, king of Aram, called up his entire army. Together with thirty-two kings and their assembled horses and chariots, he marched to besiege Samaria, to fight against it.
2 Akatuma nhume muguta kuna Ahabhu mambo weIsraeri kundoti, “Zvanzi naBheni-Hadhadhi,
He sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, in the city to tell him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:
3 ‘Sirivha yako negoridhe ndezvangu, uye vakadzi vako navana vako vakanyanyisa kunaka ndevangu.’”
Your silver and gold belong to me now, and your best wives and children also belong to me!”
4 Mambo weIsraeri akapindura akati, “Sezvamataura, ishe wangu mambo. Ini nezvose zvandinazvo ndiri wenyu.”
“It's as you say, my lord the king,” the king of Israel replied. “I am yours, as well as everything that belongs to me.”
5 Nhumwa dzakauya zvakare ndokusvikoti, “Zvanzi naBheni-Hadhadhi, ‘Ndakatumira shoko rokuti ndinoda sirivha yako negoridhe, navakadzi vako navana vako.
The messengers returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: I have sent you a message demanding you give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6 Asi mangwana nenguva yakaita seino ndichatuma varanda vangu kuti vazotsvagisisa mumuzinda wako nomudzimba dzavaranda vako. Vachatora zvose zvaunokoshesa vagoenda nazvo.’”
But around this time tomorrow I'm going to send my men to search your palace and the homes of your officials. They will take and carry away everything you see as valuable.”
7 Mambo weIsraeri akadana vakuru vose venyika akati kwavari, “Tarisai muone kuti murume uyu ari kutsvaga muromo sei! Paakati ari kuda kutora vakadzi vangu navana vangu, nesirivha yangu negoridhe rangu, handina kurambira.”
The king of Israel called all the elders of the land and told them, “Look how this man is trying to cause trouble! When he demanded my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I didn't say no.”
8 Vakuru navanhu, vose vakapindura vakati, “Musateerera kwaari kana kubvumirana nezvaari kuda.”
All the elders and all the people present responded, “Don't listen to him. Don't agree to his demands.”
9 Naizvozvo akapindura nhume dzaBheni-Hadhadhi akati, “Udzai ishe wangu mambo kuti, ‘Muranda wenyu achaita zvose zvamakamukumbira pakutanga, asi chikumbiro ichi chazvino handigoni kuchizadzisa.’” Vakasimuka vakaenda nemhinduro kwavakanga vabva, kuna Bheni-Hadhadhi.
So the king told Ben-hadad's messengers, “Tell my lord the king: Everything you demanded at first your servant will do, but I cannot agree to this latest demand.” The messengers took the reply back to him.
10 Saka Bheni-Hadhadhi akatumira rimwe shoko kuna Ahabhu achiti, “Vamwari ngavaitewo kwandiri, vanyanyise kudaro, kana guruva ringakwana kupa mumwe nomumwe wamauto angu kuti azadze chanza chake rikasara muSamaria.”
Ben-hadad responded to him, “May the gods do as much to me and more if there remains enough dust in Samaria to give my subjects a handful each!”
11 Mambo weIsraeri akapindura akati, “Muudzei kuti, ‘Uyo anoshonga nhumbi dzokurwa ngaarege kuzvirumbidza souyo anodzibvisa.’”
The king of Israel replied, “Tell him this: A man putting on his armor should not brag like one who is taking it off.”
12 Bheni-Hadhadhi akanzwa shoko iri iye namadzimambo pavakanga vachinwa vari mumisasa, akabva arayira mauto ake akati, “Gadzirirai kundorwisa.” Saka vakagadzirira kundorwisa guta.
Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents. He immediately gave the order to his officers, “Get ready to attack!” So they prepared to attack the city.
13 Panguva iyoyo mumwe muprofita akauya kuna Ahabhu mambo weIsraeri, akati, “Zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Uri kuona hondo huru huru iyi here? Ndichaiisa muruoko rwako nhasi, ipapo uchaziva kuti ndini Jehovha.’”
At the same time a prophet came up to Ahab, king of Israel, and told him, “This is what the Lord says: You see this massive army? Just watch, because I will make you victorious today, and you will be convinced that I am the Lord.”
14 Ahabhu akabvunza akati, “Asi ndiani achaita izvi?” Muprofita akapindura akati, “Zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Majaya amachinda omumatunhu ndiwo achazviita.’” Akabvunza akati, “Zvino ndiani achatanga hondo yacho?” Muprofita akapindura akati, “Ndiwe uchaitanga.”
“But who's going to do this?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered, “This is what the Lord says: It will be the young officers under the district commanders.” “And who's going to start the battle?” he asked. The prophet replied, “You are!”
15 Saka Ahabhu akaunganidza majaya amachinda omumatunhu, varume vaikwana mazana maviri namakumi matatu navaviri. Mushure akaunganidza vamwe vaIsraeri, pamwe chete zviuru zvinomwe.
So Ahab called up the 232 young officers of the district commanders, and assembled the 7,000 soldiers that made up Israel's army.
16 Vakasimuka masikati, Bheni-Hadhadhi namadzimambo makumi matatu navaviri vaiva kudivi rake panguva yavakanga vari mumisasa yavo vachidhakwa.
They left at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings with him were busy getting drunk in their tents.
17 Majaya amachinda omumatunhu ndiwo akatanga kuenda. Zvino Bheni-Hadhadhi akanga atuma vasori uye vakamuudza kuti, “Kune varume vari kubva kuSamaria.”
The young officers of the district commanders took the lead. The scouts Ben-hadad had sent out came and reported to him, “Enemy soldiers are advancing from Samaria.”
18 Akati, “Kana vauya kuzotsvaga rugare, vabatei vari vapenyu; kana vauya kuzorwa, vabatei vari vapenyu.”
“If they're coming in peace, take them alive,” he ordered. “If they're coming to attack, take them alive.”
19 Majaya amachinda omumatunhu akafamba achibuda muguta varwi vari mumashure mavo
The young officers of the district commanders advanced from the city, followed by the army.
20 uye mumwe nomumwe wavo akauraya waakarwisana naye. VaAramu vakatiza, vaIsraeri vachivadzingirira. Asi Bheni-Hadhadhi mambo weAramu akatiza akatasva bhiza, navamwe vavarwi vake vaiva namabhiza.
Each man killed his opponent, and the Arameans ran away. The Israelites chased them, but Ben-hadad, king of Aram, escaped on horseback with his cavalry.
21 Mambo weIsraeri akabuda akakunda mabhiza nengoro, akauraya vaAramu vakawanda kwazvo.
Then the king of Israel came out and attacked the horses and chariots. He inflicted a great defeat on the Arameans.
22 Mushure maizvozvo, muprofita akauya kuna mambo weIsraeri akati, “Simbisa chinzvimbo chako ugoona zvinofanira kuitwa, nokuti muchirimo chiri kutevera mambo weAramu achakurwisa zvakare.”
Later on the prophet came to the king of Israel and told him, “Go and reinforce your defenses, and check what you need to do, because in the spring the king of Aram will come and attack you again.”
23 Panguva imwe cheteyo, varanda vamambo weAramu vakati kwaari, “Vamwari vavo ndavamwari vamakomo. Ndicho chikonzero vakatikurira. Asi tikarwa navo mumapani, zvirokwazvo tichavakurira.
In the meantime the king of Aram's officers told him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains. That's why they could defeat us. But if we fight them in the lowlands, we can beat them.
24 Itai izvi: Bvisai madzimambo ose panzvimbo dzavo dzokutonga mugovatsiva navamwe vabati.
You should do this: remove each of the kings from their positions and replace them with commanders.
25 Munofanirawo kuzviunganidzira hondo yakafanana neyamakarasikirwa nayo, bhiza nebhiza nengoro nengoro, kuitira kuti tikwanise kurwa navaIsraeri mumapani. Ipapo zvirokwazvo tichavakurira.” Akabvumirana navo akaita saizvozvo.
You also have to raise another army to replace the one you lost—horse for horse, chariot for chariot. Then we can fight them in the lowlands and we will definitely beat them.” Ben-hadad listened to their advice and did as they said.
26 Muchirimo chakatevera Bheni-Hadhadhi akaunganidza vaAramu akakwidza kuAfeki kundorwa neIsraeri.
When spring came Ben-hadad called up the Aramean army and went to attack Israel at Aphek.
27 VaIsraeri vakati vaunganidzwawo uye vapiwa zvose zvinodiwa pakurwa hondo, vakafamba vachienda kundosangana navo. VaIsraeri vakadzika musasa wavo vakatarisana navo, vachinge mapoka maduku maviri embudzi, ukuwo vaAramu vakazadza nyika.
The Israelite army was also called up and provided with supplies. They went to confront the Arameans. But when the Israelites set up their camp opposite the enemy they looked like couple of flocks of goats in comparison with the Aramean army that filled the whole land.
28 Munhu waMwari akauya akaudza mambo weIsraeri kuti, “Zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Nokuda kwokuti vaAramu vanofunga kuti Jehovha ndimwari wamakomo, uye kuti haasi mwari wemipata, ndichaisa hondo huru huru iyi mumaoko ako, uye uchaziva kuti ndini Jehovha.’”
Then the man of God came to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: Because the Arameans have said, ‘The Lord is only a god of the mountains and not of the valleys,’ I will make you victorious over the whole of this massive army. Then you will be convinced that I am the Lord.”
29 Kwamazuva manomwe vakagara pamisasa yavo vakatarisana, uye nezuva rechinomwe hondo yakatanga. VaIsraeri vakauraya zana rezviuru zvamauto etsoka avaAramu musi mumwe chete.
The armies camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle took place. The Israelites killed 100,000 of the Aramean infantry in one day.
30 Vakasara vakatizira kuguta reAfeki, uko kwakandowira rusvingo pamusoro pezviuru makumi maviri nezvinomwe zvavo. Uye Bheni-Hadhadhi akatizira kuguta akandohwanda muimba yomukati.
The rest ran away to the town of Aphek, where a wall collapsed on 27,000 of those that remained. Ben-hadad also ran to the town and hid in an inside room.
31 Varanda vake vakati kwaari, “Tarirai, takanzwa kuti madzimambo eimba yaIsraeri ane tsitsi. Ngatiendei kuna mambo weIsraeri takasungirira masaga muzviuno zvedu, uye takasunga misoro yedu netambo. Zvichida angakuregai muri mupenyu.”
Ben-hadad's officers said to him, “Look, we've heard that the Israelite kings are merciful. Let's surrender to the king of Israel, wearing sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads. Maybe he will let you live.”
32 Vakasungirira masaga muzviuno zvavo vakasunga misoro yavo netambo, vakabva vaenda kuna mambo weIsraeri vakasvikoti, “Muranda wenyu Bheni-Hadhadhi ati, ‘Ndapota, dai mangondirega ndararama.’” Mambo akapindura akati, “Achiri mupenyu nazvino? Ihama yangu.”
So wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads, they went and surrendered to the king of Israel, and told him, “Your servant Ben-hadad asks, ‘Please let me live.’” The king replied “Is he still alive? I think of him as my brother.”
33 Varume ava vakazviona sechiratidzo chakanaka ndokukurumidza kutevedzera zvaakanga areva. Vakati, “Hongu, hama yenyu Bheni-Hadhadhi!” Mambo akati, “Endai munomutora.” Bheni-Hadhadhi akati achibuda, Ahabhu akamukwidza mungoro yake.
The men thought this was a good sign and they immediately took the king at his word, saying, “Yes, Ben-hahad is your brother.” “Go and fetch him!” said the king. So Ben-hadad came out of hiding and surrendered to Ahab, who pulled him up into his chariot.
34 Bheni-Hadhadhi akati kwaari, “Ndichadzosera maguta akatorwa nababa vangu kuna baba vako. Unogonawo kuisa misika yako muDhamasiko, sezvakaitwa nababa vangu muSamaria.” Ahabhu akati, “Nokuda kwechibvumirano ichi, ndichakusunungura.” Saka akaita chibvumirano naye, akamurega achienda.
Ben-hadad said to him, “I will return the towns my father took from your father, and you can organize your own places for trade in Damascus, like my father did in Samaria.” “By making this agreement I set you free,” Ahab replied. He made a treaty with Ben-hadad and let him go.
35 Mumwe wavanakomana vavaprofita arayirwa naJehovha, akati kushamwari yake, “Ndirove!” asi murume uyu akaramba.
Following a message he received from the Lord, one of the sons of the prophets said to his colleague, “Please hit me.” But the man refused to hit him.
36 Naizvozvo muprofita akati, “Zvausina kuteerera Jehovha, uchingobva pano pandiri, uchaurayiwa neshumba.” Zvino murume uyu achangobva paakanga ari, shumba yakamuwana ikamuuraya.
So the prophet told him, “Since you have not done what the Lord said, once you leave me a lion is going to kill you.” When the man left, a lion came and killed him.
37 Muprofita akawana mumwe murume akati, “Ndapota, ndirove.” Naizvozvo murume uyu akamurova, akamukuvadza.
The prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me!” So the man hit him, wounding him.
38 Ipapo muprofita akaenda akandomirira mambo pamugwagwa. Akazviita somumwe munhu akakwevera pasi mucheka wake womusoro kuti uvharidzire maziso ake.
Then the prophet went and stood beside the road, waiting for the king. He had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 Mambo paakanga ava kupfuura nepo muprofita akadanidzira kwaari akati, “Muranda wenyu akaenda pakatikati pehondo payakanga ichirwiwa, mumwe munhu akauya kwandiri nomusungwa akati, ‘Chengeta murume uyu. Kana akashayikwa upenyu hwako huchatsiva hwake, kana kuti ucharipa netarenda resirivha.’
As the king was passing by, he shouted out to the king: “Your servant had gone out fighting right in the middle of the battle, when all of a sudden a man came over with a prisoner and told me, ‘Guard this man! If for any reason he escapes, you will pay for his life with your life, or you will be fined a talent of silver.’
40 Muranda wenyu paakanga ari mubishi rokuita basa pano nekoko, murume uya akanyangarika.” Mambo weIsraeri akati, “Iwoyo ndiwo mutongo wako. Ndiwe wautaura woga.”
But while your servant was busy with other things, the man got away.” “So that will be your punishment then,” the king of Israel told him. “You have sentenced yourself.”
41 Ipapo muprofita akakurumidza kubvisa mucheka pamaziso ake, mambo weIsraeri akabva amuziva kuti aiva mumwe wavaprofita.
Then the prophet quickly took off the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets.
42 Akati kuna mambo, “Zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Wakasunungura munhu wandakanga ndati anofanira kufa. Naizvozvo upenyu hwako huchatsiva hwake, vanhu vako vachatsiva vanhu vake.’”
He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: You have let go a man I had decided should die. Therefore you will pay for his life with your life, your people for his people.”
43 Mambo weIsraeri akaenda kumuzinda wake muSamaria aora mwoyo uye ashatirwa.
The king of Israel went home to Samaria, sulking and infuriated.
