1 Ahemfo 18
1 Mfe abiɛsa akyi no, Awurade asɛm baa Elia nkyɛn se, “Fa wo ho kɔkyerɛ ɔhene Ahab na ka kyerɛ no se ɛrenkyɛ biara, mɛma osu atɔ asase no so.”
For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
2 Elia de ne ho kɔkyerɛɛ ɔhene Ahab. Na ɔkɔm no ano yɛɛ den yiye wɔ Samaria.
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 Ahab frɛɛ Obadia a na ɔhwɛ nʼahemfi so no. Na Obadia gye Awurade di yiye.
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 Bere a na Isebel rekunkum Awurade adiyifo no, Obadia faa adiyifo no ɔha de wɔn kosiee abodan abien mu a, wɔn mu aduonum biara da ɔbodan baako mu. Na ɔmaa wɔn aduan ne nsu.
One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
5 Ahab ka kyerɛɛ Obadia se, “Kɔ na kɔhwehwɛ asase no so mmura ne abon nyinaa sɛ ebia yebenya sare ama apɔnkɔ ne mfurum yi awe sɛnea wɔrenwuwu.”
[By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
6 Enti wɔkyɛɛ asase no mu maa wɔn ho. Ahab faa fa na Obadia nso faa fa.
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 Obadia nam no, Elia hyiaa no. Obadia huu no, kaee no nti, ɔkotow no wɔ fam kae se, “Enti wo ni, me wura Elia?”
While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
8 Elia buae se, “Yiw, kɔka kyerɛ wo wura se, ‘Elia wɔ ha.’”
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 Obadia bisae se, “Me wura, dɛn bɔne na mayɛ a enti woresoma me Ahab nkyɛn ama wɔakum me yi?
Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
10 Mmere dodow a Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn te ase yi, ɔman anaa ahemman biara nni hɔ a me wura nsomaa obi wɔ so sɛ ɔnhwehwɛ wo. Na ɔman anaa ahemman biara a wɔbɛka sɛ wunni so no, ɔma wɔka ntam, ka se wɔanhu wo.
Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
11 Na afei, woka kyerɛ me sɛ menkɔ me wura nkyɛn nkɔka nkyerɛ no se, ‘Elia wɔ ha.’
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Minnim baabi a sɛ migyaw wo hɔ kɔ a, Awurade honhom bɛpagyaw wo akosi. Sɛ mekɔka kyerɛ Ahab, na wanhu wo a, obekum me. Nanso me, wo somfo, masom Awurade fi me mmofraase.
But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
13 Me wura, wontee nea meyɛɛ bere a na Isebel rekunkum Awurade adiyifo no ana? Mede Awurade adiyifo no ɔha siee abodan abien mu a, na wɔn mu aduonum wɔ ɔbodan baako biara mu. Memaa wɔn aduan ne nsu nso.
My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
14 Na afei, woka kyerɛ me se menkɔ me wura nkyɛn nkɔka nkyerɛ no se, ‘Elia wɔ ha!’ Obekum me!”
Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
15 Elia kaa se, “Mmere dodow a Awurade a mesom no te ase yi, nea ɛbɛyɛ biara, mede me ho bɛma Ahab nnɛ.”
But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
16 Enti Obadia kohyiaa Ahab, ka kyerɛɛ no, na Ahab kohyiaa Elia.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 Ohuu Elia no, obisaa no se, “Wo ni, wo a wohaw Israelfo?”
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 Elia buae se, “Menhaw Israel ɔkwan biara so. Na mmom, wo ne wʼagya fifo na moahaw Israel. Moagyae Awurade mmara so di, akodi Baal akyi.
Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
19 Enti frɛ Israel nnipa nyinaa na wommehyia me Karmel bepɔw so. Na fa Baal adiyifo ahannan aduonum ne Asera adiyifo ahannan a wodidi Isebel didipon so no nso bra.”
So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
20 Na Ahab soma kɔɔ Israel nyinaa kɔboaboaa adiyifo no ano wɔ Karmel bepɔw so.
So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
21 Elia dii nnipa no anim kae se, “Moadwene bɛyɛ ntanta wɔ saa asɛm yi ho akosi da bɛn? Sɛ Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a, munni nʼakyi, na sɛ Baal nso yɛ Onyankopɔn a, munni nʼakyi.” Nanso nnipa no yɛɛ dinn.
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
22 Elia ka kyerɛɛ ɔman no se, “Me nko ara ne Awurade odiyifo a maka, nanso Baal wɔ adiyifo ahannan aduonum.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Momma yɛn anantwinini abien. Momma wonyi mu baako, na wontwitwa no asinasin mfa ngu nnyina so, nsɔ wɔn mu gya. Nantwinini baako a waka no, mɛyɛ ne ho adwuma de agu nnyina so a merento mu gya.
Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
24 Na mobɛfrɛ mo nyame na me nso mafrɛ Awurade. Onyame a ɔnam ogya so gye so no, ɔno ne Onyankopɔn.” Ɔmanfo no nyinaa penee so.
Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
25 Elia ka kyerɛɛ Baal adiyifo no se, “Momfa anantwinini no baako, na munni kan nsiesie no, efisɛ mo dɔɔso. Momfrɛ mo nyame a, monnto mu gya.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
26 Enti wɔfaa nantwinini a wɔkae se wɔmfa no no, siesiee no too afɔremuka no so. Afei, wɔfrɛɛ Baal, frɛɛ no, frɛɛ no fi anɔpa mu nyinaa se, “Ao, Baal! Tie yɛn oo!” Wɔteɛteɛɛ mu saa ara, nanso wɔannya mmuae biara! Afei wɔde anibere saw faa afɔremuka a wɔasi no ho hyiae.
So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
27 Eduu owigyinae no, Elia dii wɔn ho fɛw se, “Monteɛteɛ mu den! Ɔyɛ onyame! Ebia, ɔredwen biribi ho denneennen anaa ɔregye nʼahome, onyaa adagyew anaa watu kwan. Ebi nso a, na wada a ɛsɛ sɛ wonyan no.”
About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
28 Enti wɔteɛteɛ mu den, de afoa twitwaa wɔn ho wɔn ho, wowɔɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho peaw sɛnea wɔn amanne te, maa mogya pram wɔn.
So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
29 Owigyinae no twaa mu mpo no wɔtoaa wɔn nkɔmhyɛ no so, kosii anwummere afɔrebɔ bere no mu. Nanso mmuae biara amma. Wɔante obiara nne na obiara annye wɔn so.
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 Afei, Elia ka kyerɛɛ ɔmanfo no nyinaa se, “Mommra me nkyɛn ha.” Wɔkɔɔ ne nkyɛn, na osiesiee Awurade afɔremuka a na abubu no.
Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
31 Elia faa abo dumien a baako biara gyina hɔ ma Israel abusuakuw baako,
Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
32 na ɔde abo no san sii Awurade afɔremuka no. Na otwaa amoa a ne trɛw bɛyɛ anammɔn abiɛsa faa afɔremuka no ho hyiae.
With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
33 Ɔde nnyansin guu afɔremuka no so, twitwaa nantwinini no asinasin guu so. Afei ɔkae se, “Monhyɛ nhina akɛse no nsu ma ma, na munhwie ngu afɔrebɔde no ne nnyansin no so.” Wɔyɛɛ nea ɔkae no wiei no,
He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
34 ɔkae se, “Monyɛ saa ara bio!” Na wɔyɛɛ saa wiei no, ɔkae se, “Monyɛ saa ne mprɛnsa so.” Wɔyɛɛ sɛnea ɔkae no,
Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
35 maa nsu no sen faa afɔremuka no ho, maa mpo, ebu faa amoa no so.
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 Eduu bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ anwummere afɔre, sɛnea wɔn amanne kyerɛ no, odiyifo Elia kɔɔ afɔremuka no so, bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade, Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Nyankopɔn, kyerɛ nnɛ sɛ woyɛ Nyankopɔn wɔ Israel, na meyɛ wo somfo. Kyerɛ sɛ, nea mereyɛ yi nyinaa fi wo.
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
37 Awurade, tie me! Tie me na saa nnipa yi nyinaa nhu sɛ, Awurade, woyɛ Onyankopɔn a woatwe wɔn asan aba wo nkyɛn.”
Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
38 Nʼano sii pɛ, na ogya a efi Awurade nkyɛn tew fii soro bɛhyew nantwinini ba no, nnyansin no, abo no ne mfutuma no. Mpo, ɛyow amoa no mu nsu no nyinaa.
Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
39 Nnipa no hui no, wɔde wɔn anim butubutuw fam, teɛteɛɛ mu se, “Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn! Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn!”
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 Na Elia hyɛe se, “Monkyere Baal adiyifo no nyinaa. Mommma wɔn mu baako koraa nguan.” Enti ɔmanfo no kyekyeree wɔn nyinaa. Na Elia de wɔn kɔɔ Kison bon mu kokunkum wɔn wɔ hɔ.
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
41 Elia ka kyerɛɛ Ahab se, “Kɔ na kodi aduan pa, ma wo ho ntɔ wo! Na mate sɛ osu kɛse bi rebɛtɔ.”
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
42 Enti Ahab too pon. Na Elia foro kɔɔ Karmel bepɔw atifi, kobutuw fam, bɔɔ mpae.
So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
43 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ ne somfo se, “Kɔ na fa wʼani kyerɛ po so.” Ɔsomfo no kɔ kɔhwɛɛ hɔ, na ɔba bɛka kyerɛɛ Elia se, “Manhu hwee.” Elia kaa saa kyerɛɛ no mpɛn ason sɛ ɔmfa nʼani nkɔkyerɛ hɔ. Ɔno nso kɔɔ mpɛn ason.
Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
44 Ne mpɛn ason so no, ne somfo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mihuu omununkum bi a ɛte sɛ onipa abasa a apue afi po no so reforo.” Ɛhɔ ara na Elia teɛɛ mu se, “Ntɛm! Kɔ Ahab nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛ no. ‘Foro wo teaseɛnam no, na san kɔ fie. Sɛ woanka wo ho a, osu no besiw wo kwan.’”
But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
45 Ankyɛ biara na osu munaa tumm. Osuframa bɔe, na osu kɛse tɔe, na ntɛm so, Ahab kɔɔ Yesreel.
Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
46 Afei, Awurade maa Elia ahoɔden sononko bi. Ɔkekaa nʼatade hyɛɛ nʼabɔso mu, na odii Ahab teaseɛnam no kan ara kosii Yesreel kwan ano.
Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
