1 Ahemfo 20
1 Aramhene Ben-Hadad boaboaa nʼakofo nyinaa ano, a nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ a wɔyɛ ahemfo aboafo aduasa abien de ka ne ho. Wokotuaa Israel kuropɔn Samaria ano, tow hyɛɛ so.
And Ben-Hadad king of Syria assembled all his host; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
2 Ben-Hadad somaa abɔfo kɔɔ kurow no mu, sɛ wɔnkɔka nkyerɛ ɔhene Ahab se, “Ben-Hadad se,
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said to him, Thus says Ben-Hadad:
3 ‘Mo dwetɛ ne mo sikakɔkɔɔ yɛ me de. Saa ara na mo yerenom ne mo mma mu apapa no nso yɛ me de.’”
Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, the goodliest, are mine.
4 Ahab buae se, “Mate, me wura! Nea mewɔ nyinaa yɛ wo de.”
And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
5 Ankyɛ biara Ben-Hadad abɔfo san baa bio bɛkae se, “Ben-Hadad se, ‘Maka dedaw sɛ momfa mo dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, mo yerenom ne mo mma mma me.
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Ben-Hadad saying: I sent to thee indeed, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6 Ɔkyena sesɛɛ, mɛsoma me mpanyimfo, na wɔabɛhwehwɛ mo ahemfi ne mo nkurɔfo afi. Na biribiara a ɛsom bo ma mo no, wɔbɛfa de akɔ.’”
but to-morrow about this time I will send my servants to thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thy sight, they shall put in their hand and take away.
7 Na Ahab frɛɛ asase no so ntuanofo no nyinaa, ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monhwɛ sɛnea saa ɔbarima yi pɛ sɛ ɔde ɔhaw ba. Mapene so dedaw sɛ mede me yerenom, me mma, me dwetɛ ne me sikakɔkɔɔ bɛma no.”
And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this [man] seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8 Ntuanofo ne nnipa no nyinaa kae se, “Ntie no, na nnye nʼabisade no nto mu.”
And all the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not, nor consent.
9 Enti Ahab ka kyerɛɛ abɔfo a wofi Ben-Hadad nkyɛn bae no se, “Monkɔka saa asɛm yi nkyerɛ me wura ɔhene se, ‘Biribiara a obisaa kan no de, mede bɛma no. Na nea obisaa no akyiri yi de, merentumi mfa mma no.’” Enti Ben-Hadad abɔfo no san kɔbɔɔ no amanneɛ.
And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do; but this thing I cannot do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10 Na Ben-Hadad soma kɔka kyerɛɛ Ahab se, “Sɛ mansɛe Samaria pasaa, na emu mfutuma dodow bi ka a ɛbɛboro asraafo no mu biara nsa ma a, anyame no ntwe mʼaso nea ɛyɛ den.”
And Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me!
11 Israelhene nso soma ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔkofo kɛse a ɔrefa nʼafoa akɔ akono tu ne ho sɛ ɔkofo kɛse a wadi nkonim dedaw.”
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell [him], Let not him that girdeth on boast himself as he that putteth off!
12 Ahab mmuae yi duu Ben-Hadad ne ahemfo a wɔaka no asom bere a na wɔrenom nsa wɔ wɔn ntamadan mu. Ɔhyɛɛ ne mmarima no se, “Munsiesie mo ho nkɔko.” Enti wosiesiee wɔn ho sɛ wɔrekɔtow ahyɛ kuropɔn no so.
And it came to pass when he heard this word, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the tents, that he said to his servants, Set yourselves. And they set themselves against the city.
13 Na odiyifo bi behuu ɔhene Ahab ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛnea Awurade se ni, ‘Wuhu saa atamfo dɔm yi? Nnɛ, mede wɔn bɛhyɛ wo nsa. Na wubehu sɛ mene Awurade.’”
And behold, a prophet drew near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.
14 Ahab bisae se, “Na dɛn na ɔbɛyɛ no?” Na odiyifo no buae se, “Sɛnea Awurade se ni, ‘Asraafo so asahene a wotuatua amansin ano no na wɔbɛyɛ.’” Ahab bisae se, “Enti yenni kan ntow nhyɛ wɔn so ana?” Odiyifo no buae se, “Yiw.”
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he said, Thou.
15 Enti Ahab boaboaa asraafo so asahene nkumaa ahannu aduasa abien wɔhyehyɛ amansin asahene ase ano. Afei, ɔfrɛɛ Israel akofo a wɔaka a wɔn nyinaa dodow yɛ mpem ason no.
And he numbered the servants of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he numbered all the people, all the children of Israel, seven thousand.
16 Ɛbɛyɛ owigyinae a Ben-Hadad ne nʼapamfo ahemfo aduasa abien gu so rebow nsa wɔ wɔn ntamadan mu no,
And they went out at noon; and Ben-Hadad drank himself drunk in the tents, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings that helped him.
17 amansin asahene asraafo no tuu teɛe, fii kurow no mu. Wɔrebɛn no, Ben-Hadad akwansrafo ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Asraafo dɔm bi fi Samaria reba.”
And the servants of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-Hadad sent out, and they told him saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
18 Ben-Hadad hyɛe se, “Sɛ wɔbaa asomdwoe anaa ɔko so a, monkyere wɔn anikann.”
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19 Nanso saa bere no, na Ahab amansin asahene nkumaa no adi kan a asraafo no bɔ wɔn kyidɔm
And these servants of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army that followed them.
20 a Israel ɔsraani biara kum ne tamfo Aram ɔsraani a ɔne no dii asi. Ɛno nti, amono mu hɔ ara, Aram asraafo no bɔɔ hu, guanee. Israelfo no taa wɔn, nanso ɔhene Ben-Hadad ne ne nkurɔfo kakra bi de, wɔtenaa apɔnkɔ so guanee.
And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen.
21 Nanso wɔsɛee apɔnkɔ ne nteaseɛnam a ɛkaa hɔ no nyinaa, kunkum Aramfo no.
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 Akyiri no, odiyifo no ka kyerɛɛ Ahab se, “Siesie wo ho ma ɔko foforo na Aramhene bɛba asusowbere mu.”
And the prophet drew near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen thyself, and understand, and see what thou shalt do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
23 Wodii Ben-Hadad so no, ne mpanyimfo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Israel anyame no yɛ mmepɔw anyame, na ɛno nti na ɛma wodii nkonim no. Na sɛ wodu tataw so a, yebedi wɔn so nkonim a yɛremmrɛ ho koraa.
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?
24 Nea ɛho hia ara ne sɛ, saa bere yi, ɛsɛ sɛ wode akono asahene sisi ahemfo no anan mu.
And do this: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
25 Momfa asraafo foforo a wɔn dodow te sɛ wɔn a wohweree wɔn no ara. Ma yɛn apɔnkɔ no dodow, nteaseɛnam ne mmarima dodow saa ara, na yebetumi ne wɔn adi asi wɔ tataw so. Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ yebedi wɔn so.” Enti ɔhene Ben-Hadad yɛɛ wɔn abisade maa wɔn.
and number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them on the plateau: shall we not be stronger than they? And he hearkened to their voice, and did so.
26 Na afe so no, ɔfrɛɛ Aram asraafo, tuu teɛ kɔɔ Israelfo so wɔ Afek sɛ wɔne wɔn rekɔko.
And it came to pass, at the return of the year, that Ben-Hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27 Israel boaboaa nʼasraafo ano, twaa sa, de wɔn ho hyɛɛ ɔko no mu. Na sɛ wɔde Israel asraafo no toto Aram asraafo no dodow a wɔahyɛ hɔ ma no ho a, na Israel asraafo no dodow te sɛ mmirekyikuw nketewa abien bi.
And the children of Israel were numbered and victualled, and they went against them; and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats; but the Syrians filled the land.
28 Onyankopɔn nipa no kɔɔ Israelhene nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Aramfo no aka se, ‘Awurade yɛ mmepɔw Awurade na ɔnyɛ tataw so Awurade. Enti mɛboa wo ama woadi asraafo buburugyaa yi so. Na ɛbɛma woahu sɛ, mene Awurade no.’”
And the man of God drew near, and spoke to the king of Israel and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the mountains, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will give all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
29 Asraafo dɔm abien yi bobɔɔ wɔn atenae, ma edii nhwɛanim nnanson. Na nnanson so no, ɔko no hyɛɛ ase. Da no ara, Israelfo no kunkum Aram anammɔnmufo asraafo no mpem ɔha.
And they encamped one over against the other seven days; and it came to pass that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel smote of the Syrians a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 Nkae no guan kɔtɛw Afek fasu akyi, nanso ɔfasu no bu guu wɔn so, kum mpem aduonu ason. Ben-Hadad guan kɔtɛw kokoa mu dan bi mu wɔ kurow no mu.
And the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men of them that were left. And Ben-Hadad fled, and came into the city, [from] chamber to chamber.
31 Ben-Hadad mpanyimfo ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Owura, yɛate sɛ Israel ahemfo wɔ ahummɔbɔ. Ɛno nti, momma yemfura atweaatam, mfa hama mmɔ yɛn ti ase mfa nkyerɛ ahobrɛase. Na ebia, ɔhene Ahab bɛma woatena ase.”
And his servants said to him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save thy life.
32 Enti wofurafuraa atweaatam, de ahama bobɔɔ wɔn ti, kɔɔ Israelhene nkyɛn kɔsrɛɛ no se, “Wo somfo Ben-Hadad se, ‘Mesrɛ wo, ma me ntena nkwa mu.’” Israelhene no bisae se, “Ɔda so te ase ana? Ɔyɛ me nuabarima!”
And they girded sackcloth on their loins, and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-Hadad says, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
33 Mmarima no yɛɛ ntɛm soo anidaso a enni nnyinaso yi mu, buae se, “Yiw, wo nua Ben-Hadad.” Israelhene no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monkɔfa no mmra.” Bere a wɔde Ben-Hadad bae no, Ahab ma ɔkɔtenaa ne teaseɛnam mu.
And the men took it as a good omen, and hastened to catch what came from him, and they said, Thy brother Ben-Hadad. ...And he said, Go, bring him. And Ben-Hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34 Ben-Hadad ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Mede nkurow a mʼagya gye fii wʼagya nsam no bɛsan ama wo, na woahyehyɛ aguadi wɔ Damasko, sɛnea mʼagya yɛɛ wɔ Samaria no.” Na Ahab kae se, “Saa nhyehyɛe yi so na megyina na magyaa wo.” Enti, wɔyɛɛ apam, na wogyaa Ben-Hadad.
And [Ben-Hadad] said to him, The cities that my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thyself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. And I [said Ahab] will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35 Bere no ara mu, Awurade see adiyifokuw no mu baako se, ɔnka nkyerɛ ɔfoforo se, “Fa wʼakode no bɔ me.” Nanso wanyɛ.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of Jehovah, Smite me, I pray thee. But the man refused to smite him.
36 Na saa odiyifo no ka kyerɛɛ ɔfoforo no se, “Sɛ woantie Awurade nne nti, sɛ wufi ha ara pɛ a, gyata bekum wo.” Ampa ara, ofii hɔ ara pɛ na gyata huu no kum no.
Then said he to him, Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, behold, when thou departest from me, the lion will slay thee. And when he had departed from him, the lion found him and slew him.
37 Na odiyifo no kɔɔ ɔbarima foforo nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Fa wʼakode yi bɔ me.” Ɔno de, ɔbɔɔ odiyifo no, piraa no.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him violently, and wounded [him].
38 Odiyifo no twɛn ɔhene no wɔ ɔkwankyɛn a ɔde ntamabamma akyekyere nʼani, de pɛɛ sɛ ɔsakra ne ho.
And the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a sash over his eyes.
39 Ɔhene no retwa mu no, odiyifo no frɛɛ no se, “Owura, na mewɔ akono na ɔbarima bi de odeduani brɛɛ me. Ɔkae se, ‘Wɛn saa ɔbarima yi, na sɛ biribi nti oguan a, wobekum wo anaasɛ wɔbɛbɔ wo ka dwetɛ kilogram aduasa awotwe.’
And as the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me and said, Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40 Na bere a mʼani abere redi dwuma bi no, odeduani no guanee. Na ɔhene no kae se, ‘Ɛyɛ wʼankasa wo mfomso. Wo ara woabu wo ho atɛn.’”
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So [is] thy judgment: thyself hast decided [it].
41 Ɛhɔ ara na odiyifo no san ntamabamma no fii nʼani, na Israelhene no huu no sɛ ɔyɛ adiyifo no mu baako.
Then he hastily took the sash away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him, that he was of the prophets.
42 Na odiyifo no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Esiane sɛ woagyaa ɔbarima a mekae se, ɛsɛ sɛ wokum no no nti, ɛsɛ sɛ wokum wo mprempren si nʼanan mu. Na anka ɛsɛ sɛ ne nkurɔfo na mukunkum wɔn, na mmom, wo nkurɔfo na wobekunkum wɔn.”
And he said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man that I had devoted to destruction, thy life shall be for his life, and thy people for his people.
43 Israelhene no de abufuw kɔɔ nʼahemfi wɔ Samaria.
And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.
