1 Madzimambo 22
1 Kwamakore matatu pakati peAramu neIsraeri pakanga pasina hondo.
For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
2 Asi mugore rechitatu, Jehoshafati mambo weJudha akaburuka zasi kundoona mambo weIsraeri.
Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
3 Mambo weIsraeri akanga ati kuvaranda vake, “Hamuzivi here kuti Ramoti Gireadhi ndeyedu asi hapana chatiri kuita kuti tiitore zvakare kubva kuna mambo weAramu?”
[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 Uye akakumbira Jehoshafati akati, “Uchaenda neni here kundorwa neRamoti Gireadhi?” Jehoshafati akapindura mambo weIsraeri achiti, “Ini ndakangofanana newe, vanhu vangu vakafanana nevako, mabhiza angu samabhiza ako.”
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 Asi Jehoshafati akatiwo kuna mambo weIsraeri, “Tanga watsvaga zvinorayirwa naJehovha.”
Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
6 Saka mambo weIsraeri akaunganidza pamwe chete, vaprofita, vangangoita varume mazana mana, akavabvunza akati, “Ndoenda here kundorwa neRamoti Gireadhi, kana kuti ndoregera?” Vakapindura vakati, “Endai nokuti Jehovha achaiisa muruoko rwamambo.”
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 Asi Jehoshafati akabvunza achiti, “Hapana here mumwe muprofita waJehovha pano watingabvunza?”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
8 Mambo weIsraeri akapindura Jehoshafati akati, “Pachine murume mumwe chete watinogona kubvunza Jehovha naye, asi ndinomuvenga nokuti haamboprofiti chinhu chakanaka pamusoro pangu asi zvakaipa nguva dzose. NdiMikaya, mwanakomana waImura.” Jehoshafati akapindura akati, “Mambo haafaniri kutaura kudaro.”
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 Saka mambo weIsraeri akadana mumwe wavaranda vake akati, “Uyisa Mikaya mwanakomana waImura izvozvi.”
So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
10 Mambo weIsraeri naJehoshafati, mambo weJudha, vakanga vakagara pazvigaro zvavo vakapfeka nguo dzavo dzoumambo vari paburiro, pedyo nesuo reSamaria, vaprofita vose vachiprofita pamberi pavo.
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 Zvino Zedhekia mwanakomana waKenaana akanga agadzira nyanga dzesimbi, akati, “Zvanzi naJehovha: ‘Nedzidzi muchatunga vaAramu kusvikira vaparara!’”
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 Vamwe vaprofita vose vakanga vachiprofita zvimwe chetezvo. Vakati, “Rwisai Ramoti Gireadhi mukunde, nokuti Jehovha achariisa muruoko rwamambo.”
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 Nhume yakanga yaenda kundodana Mikaya yakati kwaari, “Tarirai, somunhu mumwe chete, vamwe vaprofita vari kutaura kuti mambo vachabudirira. Shoko renyu ngaribvumirane neravo, uye mutaurewo zvakanaka.”
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 Asi Mikaya akati, “NaJehovha mupenyu, ndinogona chete kumuudza zvandinoudzwa naJehovha.”
But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
15 Paakasvika, mambo akamubvunza akati, “Mikaya, toenda here kundorwa neRamoti Gireadhi, kana kuti torega?” Akapindura akati, “Rwisai mukunde nokuti Jehovha achariisa muruoko rwamambo.”
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 Mambo akati kwaari, “Ndinofanira kukupikisa kangani kuti undiudze chokwadi pasina chimwe chinhu muzita raJehovha?”
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 Ipapo Mikaya akapindura akati, “Ndakaona Israeri yose yakapararira pamakomo samakwai asina mufudzi, uye Jehovha akati, ‘Vanhu ava havana tenzi. Mumwe nomumwe wavo ngaaende kumba norugare.’”
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 Mambo weIsraeri akati kuna Jehoshafati, “Handina kukuudza here kuti haamboprofiti chinhu chakanaka pamusoro pangu, asi zvakaipa chete?”
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 akaenderera mberi akati, “Naizvozvo chinzwai shoko raJehovha: Ndakaona Jehovha akagara pachigaro chake choushe, uye hondo dzose dzokudenga dzakamira dzakamupoteredza kurudyi nokuruboshwe kwake.
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 Zvino Jehovha akati, ‘Ndiani achaenda kundokwezva Ahabhu kuti arwise Ramoti Gireadhi agoenda kundofira ikoko?’ “Mumwe akataura izvi, mumwe akataura izvo.
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 Pakupedzisira, mumwe mweya wakauya ukamira pamberi paJehovha ukati, ‘Ndichandomukwezva ini.’
Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
22 “Jehovha akabvunza akati, ‘Nenzira ipi?’ “Iwo wakati, ‘Ndichaenda ndonova mweya unoreva nhema mumiromo yavaprofita vake vose.’ “Jehovha akati, ‘Uchabudirira mukumukwezva. Enda undozviita.’
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 “Saka iye zvino Jehovha aisa mweya unoreva nhema mumiromo yavaprofita venyu vose ava. Jehovha atema kuti muchawira mudambudziko guru kwazvo.”
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 Ipapo Zedhekia mwanakomana waKenaana akaenda kwaari akarova Mikaya nembama. Akamubvunza achiti, “Mweya waJehovha wakafamba nenzira ipiko uchibva kwandiri kuti uzotaura kwauri?”
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 Mikaya akapindura akati, “Uchazviziva musi wauchaenda kundohwanda muimba yomukati.”
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 Ipapo mambo weIsraeri akarayira akati, “Torai Mikaya mumudzosere kuna Amoni mutongi weguta nokuna Joashi mwanakomana wamambo
King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
27 muti, ‘Zvanzi namambo: Isai munhu uyu mutorongo murege kumupa chimwe chinhu kunze kwechingwa nemvura kusvikira ndadzoka norugare.’”
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 Mikaya akati, “Kana zvikaitika kuti madzoka norugare, Jehovha haana kutaura neni.” Ipapo akatizve, “Inzwai mashoko angu imi vanhu mose!”
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 Saka mambo weIsraeri naJehoshafati mambo weJudha vakaenda kuRamoti Gireadhi.
So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
30 Mambo weIsraeri akati kuna Jehoshafati, “Ndichapinda muhondo iyi ndichinge mumwe munhu, asi iwe pfeka mbatya dzako dzoumambo.” Saka mambo weIsraeri akazviita somumwe munhu akaenda kundorwa.
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 Zvino mambo weAramu akanga arayira vatungamiri vake vengoro makumi matatu navaviri achiti, “Musarwa nomunhu upi zvake, muduku kana mukuru, kunze kwamambo weIsraeri.”
The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
32 Vatungamiri vengoro pavakaona Jehoshafati, vakafunga kuti, “Zvirokwazvo uyu ndiye mambo weIsraeri.” Naizvozvo vakatendeuka kuti vamurwise, asi Jehoshafati paakaridza mhere,
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 vatungamiri vengoro vakaona kuti akanga asiriye mambo weIsraeri ndokubva varega kumutevera.
they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
34 Asi mumwe murume akapfura museve wake chipfurepfure akabva abaya mambo weIsraeri paisangana zvipenga zvembatya dzake dzehondo. Mambo akati kumuchairi wengoro yake, “Tendeutsa ngoro undibvise pano pari kurwiwa. Ndakuvadzwa.”
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 Hondo yakarwiwa zuva rose, uye mambo akaita zvokutsigirwa mungoro yake akatarisa vaAramu. Ropa rakabva paronda rake rakaerera rikaenda mukati mengoro, uye manheru iwayo akabva afa.
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 Zuva parakanga rava kuvira, kwakadaidzirwa kuhondo yose kuti, “Munhu wose kuguta rake; munhu wose kunyika yake!”
Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
37 Naizvozvo mambo akafa, akauyiswa kuSamaria, akavigwa ikoko.
So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
38 Vakasuka ngoro padziva reSamaria (panova ndipo paishambira zvifeve), imbwa dzikananzva ropa rake, sezvakanga zvarehwa neshoko raJehovha.
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 Kana zviri zvimwe zvakaitika panguva yokutonga kwaAhabhu, zvichisanganisira zvose zvaakaita, muzinda waakavaka nenyanga dzenzou, namaguta aakavaka, hazvina kunyorwa here mubhuku renhoroondo dzegore negore dzamadzimambo eIsraeri?
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 Ahabhu akazorora namadzibaba ake. Ipapo Ahazia mwanakomana wake akamutevera paumambo.
When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
41 Jehoshafati mwanakomana waAsa akava mambo weJudha mugore rechina raAhabhu, mambo weIsraeri.
Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
42 Jehoshafati akanga ane makore makumi matatu namashanu okuberekwa paakava mambo, uye akatonga muJerusarema kwamakore makumi maviri namashanu. Zita ramai vake raiva Azubha, mwanasikana waShirihi.
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 Pazvinhu zvose akafamba munzira dzababa vake Asa uye haana kurasika achibva padziri; akaita zvakanga zvakanaka pamberi paJehovha. Zvisinei, nzvimbo dzakakwirira hadzina kubviswa, uye vanhu vakaramba vachipa zvibayiro uye vachipisa zvinonhuhwira ikoko.
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 Jehoshafati akanga ane rugarewo namambo weIsraeri.
Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
45 Kana zviri zvimwe zvakaitika panguva yokutonga kwaJehoshafati, zvinhu zvaakaita nehondo dzaakarwa, hazvina kunyorwa here mubhuku renhoroondo dzegore negore dzamadzimambo eJudha?
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 Akabvisa panyika zvifeve zvavarume zvakanga zvasara kunyange mushure menguva yokutonga kwababa vake Asa.
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 Panguva iyoyo muEdhomu makanga musina mambo; maitongwa nejinda.
At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
48 Zvino Jehoshafati akavaka chitsama chezvikepe chokutakurisa zvinhu zvokutengesa kuti zviende kuOfiri kundotora goridhe, asi hazvina kuenda nokuti zvakaparara paEzioni Gebheri.
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 Panguva iyoyo Ahazia mwanakomana waAhabhu akati kuna Jehoshafati, “Regai varanda vangu vaende navaranda venyu nezvikepe zvenyu.” Asi Jehoshafati akaramba.
Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Ipapo Jehoshafati akazorora namadzibaba ake akavigwa pavakavigwa muguta raDhavhidhi baba vake. Ipapo Jehoramu mwanakomana wake akamutevera paumambo.
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 Ahazia mwanakomana waAhabhu akava mambo weIsraeri muSamaria mugore regumi namanomwe raJehoshafati mambo weJudha, uye akatonga Israeri kwamakore maviri.
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 Akaita zvakaipa pamberi paJehovha nokuti akafamba munzira dzababa namai vake nomunzira dzaJerobhoamu mwanakomana waNebhati, akaita kuti Israeri iite chivi.
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 Akashandira uye akanamata Bhaari, akaita kuti Jehovha, Mwari weIsraeri atsamwe, sezvakanga zvaitwa nababa vake.
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.
