1 Samuel 14
1 Da bi, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ aberante a ɔsoa nʼakode se, “Bra na yɛnkɔ baabi a Filistifo no apee so wɔ hɔ no.” Yonatan anka nʼadwene ankyerɛ nʼagya.
One day, Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Come with me; we will go over to where the Philistia soldiers have put up their tents.” [So they went], but Jonathan did not tell his father [what they were going to do].
2 Saa bere no na Saulo ne ne mmarima ahansia no akyere nsraban wɔ Gibea nkwantia wɔ atoaa dua a ɛwɔ Migron no ase.
On that day, Saul and the 600 soldiers who were with him were sitting around a pomegranate tree at a place where the people threshed grain, near Gibeah.
3 (Onipa a na ɔka Saulo mmarima no ho no ne Ahiya a ɔyɛ Awurade sɔfo a na ɔhyɛ sirikyi asɔfotade no. Na Ahiya yɛ Ahitub babarima a ɔyɛ Ikabod nua. Na saa Ahitub no nso yɛ Pinehas babarima a na ɔyɛ Eli nena nso. Na Eli yɛ Awurade sɔfo a na ɔsom wɔ Silo.) Na obiara nnim sɛ Yonatan afi Israel nsraban mu hɔ.
Ahijah the priest was also there. He was wearing the sacred vest. Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, who was a brother of Ichabod. Ichabod and Ahitub were the sons of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli, who had been Yahweh’s priest at Shiloh. No one knew that Jonathan had left [the Israeli camp].
4 Ansa na Yonatan beduu Filistifo nsraban mu no, na ɛsɛ sɛ osian fa abotan mmepɔw abien bi a wɔfrɛ no Boses ne Sene no ntam.
Jonathan planned that he and the young man would go through a narrow (pass/place between two cliffs) to get to where the Philistia army was. The cliff on one side of the pass was named Bozez, and the other cliff was named Seneh.
5 Ɔbotan a etweri hɔ a na ɛwɔ atifi fam no, na ɛkyerɛ Mikmas anim, na nea ɛwɔ anafo fam no nso ɛkyerɛ Geba anim.
One cliff faced north toward Micmash, and the cliff on the other side faced south toward Geba [town].
6 Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ aberante a ɔyɛ nʼakodekurafo no se, “Ma yentwa mu nkɔ abosonsomfo no nkyɛn. Ebia, Awurade bɛboa yɛn, efisɛ biribiara ntumi nsiw Awurade kwan. Obetumi adi ɔko mu nkonim a ɛmfa ho sɛ nʼakofo dɔɔso anaa wosua.”
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Come with me. We will go to where those (pagans/people who do not believe in Yahweh) [MTY] have set up their tents. Perhaps Yahweh will help us. It does not matter whether we are only two men or many people; nothing can hinder Yahweh from enabling us to defeat them.”
7 Aberante no kae se, “Yɛ nea wugye di sɛ eye biara. Gyinae biara a wubesi no, metaa wʼakyi pintinn.”
The young man who was carrying Jonathan’s weapons said, “Do what you think is the best thing for us to do. I will help you.”
8 Yonatan kae se, “Eye, yebetwa mu akɔ hɔ, na yɛama wɔahu yɛn.
Then Jonathan said, “Okay, come with me. We will cross the valley to where the Philistia army is, and allow them to see us.
9 Na sɛ wɔka se, ‘Munnyina faako a moadu hɔ ara na anyɛ saa a, yebekum mo’ a, ɛno de, yebegyina a yɛrenkɔ wɔn nkyɛn.
If they then say to us, ‘You two stay there until we come down to you,’ we will stay there and not go up to them.
10 Na sɛ wɔka se, ‘Momforo mmra mmɛko’ a, ɛno de, yɛbɛforo akɔ soro. Ɛbɛyɛ Awurade nsɛnkyerɛnne sɛ ɔbɛboa yɛn, ama yɛadi wɔn so nkonim.”
But if they say to us, ‘Come up here [and fight against] us,’ that will show us that Yahweh will enable us to defeat them. Then we will go up and fight them.”
11 Bere a Filistifo no huu sɛ wɔreba no, wɔteɛɛ mu se, “Monhwɛ o! Hebrifo no na wɔreweawea afi wɔn abon mu no!”
When the two of them crossed the valley, the Philistia soldiers saw them coming. They said, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes in which they have been hiding!”
12 Na wɔteɛɛ mu frɛɛ Yonatan se, “Foro bra ha na yɛnkyerɛ wo nyansa!” Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ nʼakodekurafo no se, “Bra; foro di mʼakyi na Awurade bɛboa yɛn, ama yɛadi wɔn so nkonim.”
Then the Philistia soldiers who were closest to Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons said, “Come up here, and we will teach you something [about how to fight] [IDM]!” Jonathan said to the young man who was with him, “Come behind me and climb up, because Yahweh is going to help us to defeat them!”
13 Enti wɔde wɔn nsa abien ne wɔn anan foroe, na Yonatan ne nʼakodekurafo no kunkum Filistifo no benkum ne nifa.
So Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and his feet [because it was very steep]. The young man climbed up following him. As Jonathan climbed, he struck and killed many Philistia soldiers, and the young man who was with him killed many more as he followed behind Jonathan.
14 Wokunkum mmarima bɛyɛ aduonu maa wɔn amu no dedaa asase a ne trɛw bɛyɛ sɛ eka fa so.
In that first battle the two of them killed about 20 Philistia soldiers in an area that was about half an acre.
15 Ɛhɔ ara, ehu bɔɔ Filistifo asraafo no wɔ nsraban no mu ne akono hɔ nyinaa, na ɛkaa afowfo no mpo. Ɛhɔ ara asase wosow maa obiara koma tui.
Then all the other Philistia soldiers, the ones in the camp and the ones who had been attacking the Israeli towns, ones who were out in the field much closer, panicked. Then God caused the ground to shake, and they all became terrified/very afraid.
16 Saulo awɛmfo a wɔwɔ Gibea no huu biribi a ɛyɛ wɔn nwonwa. Ɛno ara ne sɛ, Filistifo asraafo no abɔ ahwete mmaa nyinaa.
Saul’s (lookouts/men who were watching to see if enemies were coming) were in Gibeah [town] in the land of the tribe of Benjamin. They saw that the soldiers of the Philistia army were running away in all directions.
17 Afei, Saulo ka kyerɛɛ mmarima a wɔka ne ho no se, “Monhwɛ asraafo no mu nhwɛ sɛ obi nni hɔ ana.” Wɔhwehwɛ huu sɛ Yonatan ne nʼakodekurafo no na na wonni hɔ.
Saul [realized that some of his soldiers must have attacked the Philistia army. So he] said to the soldiers who were with him, “Check to see if any of our men are not here.” So they checked, and they found out that Jonathan and the man who carried his weapons were gone.
18 Saulo ka kyerɛɛ Ahiya se, “Kɔfa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no bra.” (Saa bere no na ɛwɔ Israelfo nkyɛn.)
So Saul said to Ahijah [the Supreme Priest], “Bring the sacred vest here [and find out what we should do].” On that day Ahijah was wearing the sacred vest, going in front of the Israelis.
19 Bere a Saulo rekasa akyerɛ ɔsɔfo no, na basabasa a asi Filistifo nsraban no mu no ano den ara na ɛreyɛ. Enti Saulo ka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfo no se, “Gyae! Ma yɛnkɔ.”
But while Saul was talking to the priest, [he saw that] the Philistia soldiers were becoming more panicked/confused. So Saul said to Ahijah, “Take your hand down [from the sacred vest. Do not waste any more time using the marked stones in the vest to find out what Yahweh wants us to do.”]
20 Afei, Saulo ne ne mmarima ahansia no kaa wɔn ho ntɛm so fii akono hɔ kohuu sɛ, Filistifo no atwa wɔn ho rekunkum wɔn ho wɔn ho. Na ɛhɔ nyinaa ayɛ kitikiti ne basabasa nko ara.
Then Saul gathered his men and they went toward the battle. They found that the Philistia soldiers were so confused that they were striking each other with their swords.
21 Mpo, Hebrifo a na wɔdɔm Filistifo asraafo no kɔdɔm Saulo, Yonatan ne Israelfo nkae no.
Before that, some of the Hebrew men had deserted their army and gone to join with the Philistia army. But now those men [revolted and] joined with Saul and Jonathan and the other Israeli soldiers.
22 Saa ara na mmarima a na wɔakɔtetɛw wɔ mmepɔw mu no huu sɛ Filistifo no reguan no, bɛkaa ho taa wɔn bi.
Some of the Israeli soldiers had previously run away and hidden in the mountains where the tribe of Ephraim lived. But when they heard that the Philistia soldiers were running away, they [came down and] joined the other Israeli soldiers and pursued the Philistia soldiers.
23 Enti Awurade gyee Israel da no. Na ɔko no kɔɔ so ara traa Bet-Awen.
So Yahweh rescued the Israelis on that day. The Israeli soldiers continued to pursue their enemies beyond Beth-Aven [town].
24 Afei, saa da no na Israelfo no abrɛbrɛ, efisɛ na Saulo ama wɔaka ntam se, “Nnome mmra obiara a obedidi ansa na onwini atɔ, anaasɛ ansa matɔ mʼatamfo no so were.” Enti obiara amfa hwee anka nʼano da mu no nyinaa,
Before Saul’s soldiers went to the battle, Saul declared to them solemnly, “I do not want any of you to eat any food before this evening, before we have defeated all our enemies. If anyone eats anything, [Yahweh] will curse/punish him.” So none of the Israeli soldiers ate any food, and they became faint/weak because they were very hungry.
25 ɛwɔ mu, wohuu sɛ ɛwo kyɛm da fam wɔ kwae no ase.
The Israeli army went into the forest, and they found honeycombs on the ground, but they did not eat any honey.
26 Wɔamfa wɔn nsa anso ɛwo no mu mpo, efisɛ na wɔn nyinaa suro ntam a wɔaka no.
They were afraid to eat any, because they had solemnly promised that they would not eat any food.
27 Nanso na Yonatan de, ɔntee nʼagya ntam no ho hwee. Ɔde abaa bi nuu ɛwo kyɛm no mu, dii ɛwo no bi. Odi wiee no, ne ho bae no.
But Jonathan did not hear what his father commanded [because he had left the camp very early in the morning]. So [when he saw] a honeycomb, he dipped the end of his walking stick into it and ate some honey. After he ate the honey, he felt stronger.
28 Nanso mmarima no mu baako huu no, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Wʼagya maa asraafo no kaa ntam a emu yɛ den sɛ, obiara a obedidi nnɛ no, nnome bɛba ne so. Ɛno nti, na obiara ahodwow no.”
But one of the Israeli soldiers saw him and said to him, “Your father solemnly declared to us that [Yahweh] would curse/punish anyone who ate any food today. So now we are [very tired and] weak from being hungry [because we obeyed him].”
29 Na Yonatan teɛɛ mu se, “Mʼagya de ɔhaw abɛto yɛn nyinaa so. Mmara a ɛte sɛɛ no pira yɛn. Monhwɛ sɛ ɛwo kakra a midii yi, me ho asisi me ho so.
Jonathan exclaimed, “My father has caused trouble for all of us! See how refreshed/strong I am after eating a little honey!
30 Sɛ mmarima no nyaa kwan dii nnuan a wohuu wɔ yɛn atamfo no nkyɛn a, anka mo ara mubehu wɔn dodow a yebekum aka ho.”
If he had permitted all of us to eat from the food we took from our enemies while we were pursuing them, we would have been able to kill many more of their soldiers!”
31 Nanso ɔkɔm no nyinaa akyi, wɔtaa Filistifo no da mu no nyinaa fi Mikmas, kosii Ayalon. Na afei, wɔbrɛbrɛɛ mmoroso.
The Israelis pursued and killed Philistia soldiers all that day, from Micmash [town west] to Aijalon. But they continued to become weaker from being hungry.
32 Anwummere no, wɔtow guu asade no so, faa nguan, anantwi ne anantwi mma. Wokunkum wɔn, wee wɔn nam ne wɔn mogya nyinaa frae.
They had taken [many] sheep and cattle that the Philistia soldiers had abandoned. Now, because they were extremely hungry, they butchered some of those animals and ate the meat without draining the blood from the animals.
33 Afei, obi ka kyerɛɛ Saulo se, “Hwɛ! Mmarima no reyɛ bɔne atia Awurade, efisɛ wɔrewe nam a mogya fra mu.” Na Saulo kae se, “Ɛyɛ bɔne pa ara. Mumpirew ɔbo kɛse bi mmɛto ha.
One of the soldiers told Saul, “Look! The men are sinning against Yahweh by eating meat that still has blood in it!” Saul replied [to the men who were near him], “They have disobeyed Yahweh! Roll a large stone over here!”
34 Na afei monkɔ mmarima no mu nkɔka nkyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Momfa anantwi no ne nguan no mmra ha mmekum wɔn na monsɔn wɔn mogya mfi wɔn mu. Monnnwe nam a mogya da so wɔ mu mmfa so nyɛ bɔne ntia Awurade.’” Enti anadwo no, asraafo no de wɔn anantwi bae, bekunkum wɔn wɔ hɔ.
After they did that, he said to those men, “Go and tell all the soldiers that each of them must bring an ox or a sheep to me, and kill it here on this stone, [and drain the blood] before he eats any of the meat. They should not sin against Yahweh by eating meat [from some animal] without draining its blood.” So that night all the soldiers brought animals and slaughtered them there. Then Saul built an altar to [worship] Yahweh.
35 Na Saulo sii afɔremuka wɔ hɔ, de maa Awurade, nea edi kan a osii.
That was the first [time that he built an] altar for Yahweh.
36 Na Saulo kae se, “Momma yɛnkɔ Filistifo no so anadwo yi, na yɛnkɔsɛe wɔn ara nkosi ahemadakye a yɛrennyaw wɔn mu baako koraa.” Na wobuae se, “Biribiara a wugye di sɛ eye no, yɛbɛyɛ.” Nanso ɔsɔfo no kae se, “Momma yenni kan mmisa Awurade ansa.”
Then Saul said [to the Israeli soldiers], “Let’s pursue the Philistia soldiers tonight. We can attack them all night. We will not allow any of them to escape alive.” The Israeli soldiers answered, “We will do whatever you think is the best thing for us to do.” But the priest said, “We should ask Yahweh [what he thinks we should do].”
37 Enti Saulo bisaa Awurade se, “Menkɔ so ntaa Filistifo no? Na wobɛboa yɛn ama yɛadi wɔn so ana?” Nanso Awurade amma wɔn mmuae biara saa da no.
So Saul asked God, “Should we pursue the Philistine soldiers? Will you enable us to defeat them?” But God did not answer Saul that day.
38 Enti Saulo ka kyerɛɛ ntuanofo no se, “Biribi atɔ kyima, enti mehwehwɛ mʼasahene nyinaa. Ɛsɛ sɛ yehu bɔne a yɛayɛ nnɛ.
Then Saul summoned all the leaders of his army. He said to them, “[I am sure that God has not answered me because] someone has sinned. We must find out what sin someone has committed.
39 Mede Awurade a oyii Israel din ka ntam sɛ nea wayɛ bɔne no bewu, mpo sɛ ɔyɛ me babarima Yonatan!” Na mmarima no mu baako mpo antumi anka hwee.
Yahweh has rescued us [from the Philistia army]. Just as certain as Yahweh lives, whoever has sinned must be executed. Even if it is my son Jonathan who has sinned, he must be executed.” [His men knew who was guilty], but none of them said anything [to Saul].
40 Afei, Saulo ka kyerɛɛ Israelfo no nyinaa se, “Munnyina nohɔ; me ne me babarima Yonatan nso begyina ha.” Nnipa no penee so.
Then Saul said to all the Israeli soldiers, “You stand on one side. My son Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.” His men replied, “Do whatever you think is best.”
41 Enti Saulo bɔɔ Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, mpae se, “Ao Awurade Israel Nyankopɔn, yɛsrɛ wo kyerɛ yɛn nea odi fɔ ne nea odi bem. Mene Yonatan di fɔ anaasɛ bɔne no wɔ nkurɔfo no mu? Mfomso no bɛtɔɔ Yonatan ne Saulo so, na nnipa no dii bem.”
Then Saul prayed to Yahweh, the Israelis’ God, “Tell me who is guilty and who is not guilty.” Then the priest (cast lots/threw the stones that were marked), and they indicated that it was [either] Jonathan or Saul who was the guilty one, and that the other men were not guilty.
42 Na Saulo kae se, “Mommɔ me ne me babarima Yonatan so ntonto.” Na ntonto no bɔɔ Yonatan sɛ odi fɔ.
Then Saul said to the priest, “Throw the stones again to indicate which of us two is guilty.” So he did, and the stones indicated that Jonathan was the guilty one.
43 Saulo bisaa Yonatan se, “Ka nea woayɛ kyerɛ me.” Yonatan gye too mu se, “Mede ɛwo kakra kaa mʼano. Ɛyɛ kakraa bi a na ɛwɔ abaa bi ti so. Na eyi yɛ owu asɛm?”
Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done [that was wrong].” Jonathan replied, “I ate a little bit of honey. It was only a little bit that was on the end of my stick. Do I [deserve to be] executed [because of doing that]?”
44 Saulo kae se, “Yiw, Yonatan, ɛsɛ sɛ wuwu. Sɛ woanwu wɔ saa asɛm yi ho a, Onyankopɔn nka me na minwu.”
Saul replied, “Yes, you must be executed! I hope/wish that God will strike me and kill me if you are not executed for having done that!”
45 Ɛhɔ ara na nnipa no sɔre teɛɛ mu ka kyerɛɛ Saulo se, “Enti ɛfata sɛ Yonatan a ogyee Israel nnɛ no wu ana? Onyame mpa ngu. Bere dodow no a Awurade te ase yi, ne tinwi baako koraa ho nka, efisɛ Onyankopɔn afa ne so ayɛ anwonwade nnɛ.” Enti nnipa no gyee Yonatan, na wɔankum no.
But the Israeli soldiers said to Saul, “Jonathan has won a great victory for all us Israelis. Should he be executed for eating some honey [RHQ]? Certainly not! Just as surely as Yahweh lives, we will not allow you to injure him in any manner [IDM], [because] today God helped Jonathan [to kill many soldiers of the Philistia army]!” So [by saying that] the Israeli soldiers rescued Jonathan, and he was not executed.
46 Na Saulo frɛɛ asraafo no sɛ wɔnntaa Filistifo no bio. Enti Filistifo no san kɔɔ fie.
Then Saul ordered his soldiers to stop pursuing the Philistia army, so the Philistia soldiers returned to their homes.
47 Saulo nyaa Israel ahengua no so tenae a ɔhaw biara mma no, ɔko tiaa nʼatamfo wɔ afanan nyinaa. Ɔko tiaa Moab, Amon, Edom Soba ne Filistifo ahemfo. Na baabiara a ɔkɔe no, odii nkonim.
After Saul became the ruler/king of the Israeli people, his army fought against their enemies in many areas. They fought against armies of the Moab people-group, the Ammon people-group, the Edom people-group, the kings of Zobah [city/area], and the Philistia people-group. Wherever the Israeli army fought, they defeated their enemies.
48 Ɔkoo mmarima so, dii Amalekfo so, gyee Israelfo fii wɔn afowfo nyinaa nsam.
Saul’s army fought bravely and defeated the [very tall] descendants of Amalek. His army rescued the Israelis from those who had (plundered/forcefully taken things from) them.
49 Na Saulo mmabarima ne Yonatan, Iswi ne Malki-Sua na ne mmabea baanu nso ne Merab a ɔyɛ panyin ne Mikal nso a ɔyɛ akumaa.
Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishbosheth, and Malchishua. He also had two daughters, Merab and her younger sister Michal.
50 Na Saulo yere din de Ahinoam a na ɔyɛ Ahimaas ba. Na ne sahene din de Abner a na ɔyɛ Saulo agya nua Ner babarima.
Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Saul’s army was Abner, who was the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.
51 Na Saulo agya Kis ne Abner agya Ner yɛ anuanom a wɔyɛ Abiel mma.
Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were both sons of Abiel.
52 Bere a Saulo dii ade nyinaa, na Filistifo taa ne Israelfo di ako. Enti bere biara a Saulo behu aberante biara a ne koko yɛ duru na ɔwɔ ahoɔden no, ɔtwe no de no fra nʼasraafo mu.
All the time that Saul was alive, his army fought against the Philistia army. And whenever Saul saw a young man who was (brave/not afraid to fight) and strong, he forced him to join his army.
