2 Meʻa Hokohoko 18
1 Pea ko eni naʻe lahi ʻaupito ʻae koloa mo e nāunau ʻa Sihosafate, pea naʻe hoko ia ʻo kau taha mo ʻEhapi.
Jehoshaphat became very wealthy and was greatly honored. But then he arranged for one of his family to marry someone from the family of King Ahab [of Israel].
2 Pea hili ʻae ngaahi taʻu naʻe ʻalu hifo ia kia ʻEhapi ki Samēlia. Pea naʻe tāmateʻi ʻe ʻEhapi ʻae fanga sipi mo e fanga pulu ʻo lahi ʻaupito, ko hono tali, pea maʻae kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, ʻo ne fakalotoʻi ia ke ʻalu hake mo ia ki Lemoti-Kiliati.
Several years later, he went down [from Jerusalem] to Samaria to visit Ahab. Ahab welcomed him and the people who had come with him by slaughtering many sheep and cattle [for a feast].
3 Pea pehē ʻe ʻEhapi ko e tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli kia Sihosafate ko e tuʻi ʻo Siuta, “Te ke fie ʻalu mo au ki Lemoti-Kiliati?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate ia, “ʻOku ou loto fakataha mo koe, pea ʻoku tatau hoku kakai mo hoʻo kakai: pea te mau ʻiate koe ʻi he tau.”
Then he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you [and your army] go with my army to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “My soldiers and I will go to the battle when you tell us to go.”
4 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihosafate ki he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli, “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke fehuʻi ʻi he folofola ʻa Sihova he ʻaho ni.”
Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
5 Ko ia naʻe tānaki ʻo fakataha ai ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli mei he kau palōfita ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko fāngeau, ʻo ne pehē kiate kinautolu, “Te mau ʻalu ki Lemoti-Kiliati ki he tau, pe te u taʻofi?” Pea naʻa nau pehē, “ʻAlu hake: he koeʻuhi ʻe tuku mai ia ʻe he ʻOtua ki he nima ʻoe tuʻi.”
So the king of Israel gathered all his 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go to attack the people of Ramoth [city], or should we not do that?” They replied, “Yes, go [and attack them] because God will enable your army to defeat them.”
6 Ka naʻe pehē ʻe Sihosafate, “ʻOku ʻikai ʻi heni ha palōfita ʻa Sihova ʻoku toe, koeʻuhi ke tau fehuʻi ai kiate ia?”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
7 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli kia Sihosafate, “ʻOku kei toe ʻae tangata ʻe tokotaha, ʻaia ke tau fehuʻi ai kia Sihova: ka ʻoku ou fehiʻa kiate ia: he ʻoku ʻikai siʻi fakahā ʻe ia ha lelei kiate au, ka ko e kovi maʻuaipē: ko Mikaia ia ko e foha ʻo Imila.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihosafate, “Ke ʻoua naʻa lea pehē ʻe he tuʻi.”
The king of Israel replied, “There is still one man here, whom we can ask to find out what Yahweh wants, his name is Micaiah, the son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never says anything good about me. He always predicts [that] bad [things will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”
8 Pea naʻe ui ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli ki heʻene tangata talifekau, ʻo ne pehē, ʻAlu ʻo ʻomi ke vave ʻa Mikaia ko e foha ʻo Imila.
So the king of Israel told one of his officials to summon Micaiah immediately.
9 Pea ko e tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli, mo Sihosafate ko e tuʻi ʻo Siuta naʻa na nofo taki taha ʻi hono nofoʻa fakatuʻi kuo teunga ʻaki hona pulupulu, pea na nonofo ʻi he malaʻe ʻi he hūʻanga ki he matapā ʻo Samēlia: pea naʻe kikite ʻe he kau palōfita kotoa pē ʻi hona ʻao.
The king of Israel and the king of Judah were sitting there on their thrones, wearing their royal robes. They were at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of [Ahab’s] prophets were standing in front of them, predicting what was going to happen.
10 Pea naʻe ngaohi ʻe Setikia ko e foha ʻo Kinana ʻae ongo nifo ukamea maʻana, ʻo ne pehē, ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova, “Te ke tekeʻi ʻa Silia ʻaki ʻae meʻa ni ʻo fai ai pe ke nau ʻauha.”
[One of them whose name was] Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron something that resembled the horns of a bull. He proclaimed to Ahab, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns [like these], your [army] will keep attacking the army of Syria [like a bull attacks another animal], until you completely destroy them.’”
11 Pea naʻe kikite pehē pe ʻae kau palōfita kotoa pē, ʻo pehē, “ʻAlu hake ki Lemoti-Kiliati, pea ke monūʻia: koeʻuhi ʻe tuku mai ia ʻe Sihova ki he nima ʻoe tuʻi.”
All the other prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them.”
12 Pea naʻe lea ʻae tangata fekau ʻaia naʻe ʻalu ke ui ʻa Mikaia, ʻo ne pehē kiate ia, “Vakai, ko e ngaahi lea ʻae kau palōfita ʻoku fakahā pe ʻae lelei ki he tuʻi: ko ia, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, tuku ke pehē pe hoʻo lea, ke hangē ha taha ʻokinautolu, pea ke lea lelei koe.”
The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are unitedly predicting that the king will be successful [in the battle]. So be sure to agree with them and say that the king’s army will be successful!”
13 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Mikaia, “ʻI he moʻui ʻa Sihova, ko ia ʻoku tala kiate au ʻe hoku ʻOtua, ko ia pe te u lea ʻaki.”
But Micaiah said, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell the king only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
14 Pea ʻi heʻene hoko ia ki he tuʻi, naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kiate ia, “Te mau ʻalu ki Lemoti-Kiliati ke tau, pe te u taʻofi?” Pea pehē ʻe ia, “Mou ʻalu hake, mo monūʻia, pea ʻe tuku mai ʻakinautolu kotoa pē ki homou nima.”
When Micaiah arrived, the king [of Israel] asked him, “Should we go to attack Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”
15 Pea pehē ʻe he tuʻi kiate ia, “ʻE liunga fiha ʻeku fakafuakavaʻi koe ke ʻoua naʻa ke lea ki ha meʻa ka ke tala ʻae moʻoni kiate au ʻi he huafa ʻo Sihova?”
But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was lying, so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”
16 Pea toki pehē ʻe ia, “Naʻaku mamata ki ʻIsileli kotoa pē naʻe movetevete ʻi he ngaahi moʻunga, ʻo hangē ko e fanga sipi ʻoku ʻikai hanau tauhi: pea pehē ʻe Sihova, ‘Ko kinautolu ni, ʻoku ʻikai hanau ʻeiki: ko ia, tuku ke nau liu mai taki taha ki hono fale ʻi he fiemālie.’”
Then Micaiah replied, “[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.’”
17 Pea pehē ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli kia Sihosafate, “ʻIkai naʻaku tala kiate koe ʻe ʻikai te ne tala ha lelei kiate au, ka ko e kovi pe?”
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you that he never predicts that anything good will happen to me! He [always] predicts that bad things will happen to me.”
18 Pea toe pehē ʻe ia, “Ko ia fanongo ki he folofola ʻa Sihova: Naʻaku mamata kia Sihova ʻoku nofo ʻi hono ʻafioʻanga, pea naʻe tuʻu ʻae kakai kotoa pē ʻoe langi ʻi hono nima toʻomataʻu mo hono toʻohema.
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 [standing around him], on his right side and on his left side.
19 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova, ‘Ko hai ʻe faʻa fakalotoʻi ʻa ʻEhapi ko e tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli, koeʻuhi ke ʻalu hake ia ʻo tō ʻi Lemoti-Kiliati? Pea naʻe lea ʻe he tokotaha ʻo pehē, ʻe pehē pe ia, pea lea ʻe he taha kehe ʻo pehē, ʻe pehē na ia.
And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab, the king of Israel, 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.
20 Pea naʻe toki haʻu kituʻa ʻae laumālie ʻe taha, pea tuʻu ia ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova, ʻo ne pehē, ‘Te u fakalotoʻi ia.’ Pea pehē ʻe Sihova, ‘ʻAki ʻae hā?’
“Finally one spirit, [having received a message from Satan], came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’ “Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’
21 Pea pehē ʻe ia, ‘Te u ʻalu atu, pea u hoko ko e laumālie loi ʻi he ngutu ʻo ʻene kau palōfita kotoa pē.’ Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova, ‘Te ke faʻa fakalotoʻi ia, pea ke lavaʻi ia foki: ʻalu atu, pea ke fai ia.’”
“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!’
22 Pea ko eni, “Vakai, kuo tuku ʻe Sihova ʻae laumālie loi ʻi he ngutu ʻo ho kau palōfita ni, pea kuo folofola ʻa Sihova ʻaki ʻae kovi kiate koe.”
“So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”
23 Pea naʻe ʻunuʻunu ʻo ofi ʻa Setikia ko e foha ʻo Kinana, ʻo ne taaʻi ʻa Mikaia ʻi he kouʻahe, ʻo ne pehē, “Ko e fē ʻae hala naʻe fou ai ʻae Laumālie ʻo Sihova meiate au ke lea kiate koe?”
Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah 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?”
24 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Mikaia, “Vakai, te ke mamata ʻi he ʻaho ko ia ʻaia te ke hū ai ki he loki ʻi loto ke fufū koe.”
Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [to which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian soldiers]!”
25 Pea pehē ai ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli, “Mou puke ʻa Mikaia, pea toe ʻave ia kia ʻAmoni ko e pule ʻoe kolo, pea kia Soasi ko e foha ʻoe tuʻi:
King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
26 pea ke pehē, ‘ʻOku pehē mai ʻae tuʻi, Fakahū ʻae siana ni ki he fale fakapōpula, pea fafanga ia ʻaki ʻae mā ʻoe mamahi mo e vai ʻoe mamahi, ʻo aʻu ki heʻeku liu mai ʻi he fiemālie.’”
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]!”
27 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Mikaia, “Kapau te ke liu mai moʻoni ʻi he fiemālie, pea tā naʻe ʻikai folofola ʻa Sihova ʻiate au.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia, “ʻAe kakai kotoa pē, mou tokanga.”
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]!”
28 Ko ia, naʻe ʻalu hake ki Lemoti-Kiliati ʻae tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli mo Sihosafate ko e tuʻi ʻo Siuta.
So the king of Israel and the king of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
29 Pea pehē ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli kia Sihosafate, “Te u fakapuli au, pea u ʻalu ki he tau: ka ke ʻai ʻe koe ʻa ho ngaahi pulupulu teunga.” Ko ia naʻe fakapuli ia ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli; pea naʻa na ō ki he tau.
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.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.
30 Pea ko eni naʻe ʻosi hono fekau ʻe he tuʻi ʻo Silia ki he ngaahi ʻeiki pule ʻo ʻene ngaahi saliote ʻaia naʻe ʻiate ia, ʻo pehē, “ʻOua naʻa mou tau ki he siʻi pe ki he lahi, ka ki he tuʻi pe ʻo ʻIsileli.”
The King of Syria told his soldiers who were driving the chariots, “Attack only the king of Israel!”
31 Pea naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi he mamata ʻae kau ʻeiki pule ʻoe ngaahi saliote kia Sihosafate, naʻa nau pehē, “Ko e tuʻi ia ʻo ʻIsileli.” Ko ia naʻa nau tuʻu takatakai ʻiate ia ke tau: ka naʻe tangi kalanga ʻa Sihosafate, pea naʻe tokoni ia ʻe Sihova: pea naʻe fakalotoʻi ʻakinautolu ʻe he ʻOtua ke nau ʻalu ʻiate ia.
So when the soldiers who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing the royal robes], they thought “He must be the king of Israel!”
32 He naʻe hoko ʻo pehē, ʻi he mamata ʻe he houʻeiki pule ʻoe ngaahi saliote ʻo ʻilo ʻoku ʻikai ko e tuʻi ia ʻo ʻIsileli, naʻa nau foki ki mui mei he tuli kiate ia.
So they turned to attack him. But when Jehoshaphat cried out, Yahweh helped him, and they realized that he was not the king of Israel. And God caused them to stop pursuing him.
33 Pea ko e tangata ʻe taha naʻe teke ʻae kau fana ʻo fana noa pe, pea naʻe tau ia ki he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe hokoʻanga ʻoe kofu tau: ko ia naʻa ne pehē ai ki heʻene tangata saliote, “Tafoki ho nima, koeʻuhi ke ke ʻave au kituʻa mei he tau he kuo u lavea.”
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!”
34 Pea naʻe tupu mālohi ʻae tau ʻi he ʻaho ko ia: ka naʻe poupou hake ia ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli ʻi heʻene saliote ʻo tauʻi ʻae kakai Silia ʻo aʻu ki he efiafi, pea naʻe pekia ia ʻo feʻunga mo e ʻalu hifo ʻae laʻā.
The battle continued all that day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian soldiers. And late in the afternoon, when the sun was setting, he died.
