1 Samuel 4
1 Saa bere no, na Israelfo ne Filistifo reko. Israelfo nsraadɔm kyeree nsraban wɔ Ebeneser, na Filistifo nso kyeree nsraban wɔ Afek.
and Samuel's words were communicated to all the Israelites. The Israelites marched out to confront the Philistines in battle. They set up camp at Ebenezer, while the Philistines set up camp at Aphek.
2 Filistifo no tow hyɛɛ Israelfo nsraadɔm no so, dii wɔn so nkonim, na wokum nnipa mpem anan.
The Philistines attacked the Israelites in formation, and when the battle spread, the Philistines defeated the Israelites, killing 4,000 of them on the battlefield.
3 Ɔko no baa awiei, na Israel nsraadɔm no san kɔɔ wɔn nsraban mu hɔ no, Israel mpanyimfo no bisae se, “Adɛn nti na Awurade ama yɛadi nkogu nnɛ yi wɔ Filistifo anim yi? Momma yɛnkɔfa Awurade Apam Adaka no mfi Silo. Sɛ yɛde kɔ ɔsa a, ebegye yɛn afi yɛn atamfo nsam.”
When the Israelite army returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord defeat us before Philistines today? Let's go and get the Ark of the Lord's Agreement from Shiloh, so that he can accompany us and save us from our enemies.”
4 Enti nnipa no somaa mmarima kɔɔ Silo, na wɔde Asafo Awurade a ɔte kerubim ntam Apam Adaka no bae. Saa bere no na Eli mmabarima baanu Hofni ne Pinehas ka wɔn a wɔsoaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ akono hɔ no ho.
So the army sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the Ark of the Lord Almighty's Agreement, he who sits on his throne between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the Ark of the God's Agreement.
5 Bere a Israelfo no huu sɛ wɔde Awurade Apam Adaka no reba nsraban no mu no, wɔn nyinaa bɔɔ ose maa asase wosowee.
When the Ark of the Lord's Agreement arrived in the camp, all the Israelites gave such a loud shout it made the ground shake.
6 Filistifo no bisae se, “Dɛn na ɛrekɔ so yi? Dɛn osebɔ na ɛwɔ Hebrifo nsraban mu hɔ yi?” Wɔtee sɛ Awurade Apam Adaka no na abedu nsraban mu hɔ no,
When the Philistines heard all the shouting, they asked, “What's the meaning of this shouting in the Israelite camp?” When they found out that the Ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp,
7 wosuroe. Na wɔkae se, “Anyame no aba wɔn nsraban mu hɔ. Ɛno de, asɛm ato yɛn! Yenhyiaa asɛm a ɛte sɛɛ bi da.
the Philistines were afraid. “A god has arrived in the camp,” they said. “We're in trouble, for nothing like this has happened before.
8 Hena na obegye yɛn afi saa Israel anyame atumfo yi nsam? Wɔne anyame a wɔde owu ɔyare ahorow nyinaa bi sɛee Misraimfo, bere a Israelfo wɔ sare so hɔ no.
This is disaster for us! Who will save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9 Monyere mo ho, Filistifo! Munnyina sɛ mmarima; anyɛ saa a, Hebrifo no bɛfa mo nkoa sɛnea wɔyɛɛ yɛn nkoa no.”
Be brave, and fight like real men, Philistines! Otherwise you'll end up as slaves to the Israelites, just as they were your slaves. Now be real men and fight!”
10 Enti Filistifo no koe anibere so, dii Israelfo no so bio. Wɔn a wokunkum wɔn no dɔɔso. Israelfo mpem aduasa na wokunkum wɔn da no. Wɔn a wonyaa wɔn ti didii mu no guan kɔɔ wɔn ntamadan mu.
So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated—every man ran away home. The death toll was very large: thirty thousand of the Israelite infantry were killed.
11 Wɔfaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na wokunkum Eli mmabarima baanu no, Hofni ne Pinehas.
The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, Eli's two sons, died.
12 Da no ara, ɔbarima bi fi Benyamin abusua mu guan fii akono hɔ beduu Silo. Na watetew ne ntade mu, de mfutuma ahura ne ti mu, de kyerɛ nʼawerɛhow.
A man from the tribe of Benjamin ran from the battle that day all the way to Shiloh. His clothes were torn and he had dirt on his head.
13 Na Eli retwɛn wɔ kwankyɛn baabi, pɛ sɛ ɔte ɔko no mu nsɛm, efisɛ na ne bo ntɔ ne yam koraa wɔ Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho. Ɔbɔfo no ba bɛkaa asɛm a asi no, wɔtee nteɛteɛmu bi wɔ kurow no mu nyinaa.
When he arrived, Eli was sitting there on his chair by the road, watching out for news because he was worried about the Ark of God. When the man came into town and gave his report, the whole town cried out loud.
14 Eli bisae se, “Saa nteɛteɛmu yi ase ne dɛn?” Ɔbɔfo no yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Eli,
Eli heard the crying and asked, “What's all this noise?” The man rushed over to Eli and told him what had happened.
15 a na wadi mfe aduɔkron awotwe na nʼani afura no nkyɛn.
Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed because he couldn't see.
16 Ɔka kyerɛɛ Eli se, “Mprempren ara na mifi akono hɔ bae. Nnɛ yi ara, na mewɔ hɔ.” Eli bisae se, “Na ekosii dɛn?”
“I've just come from the battle,” the man said. “I ran away from it today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.
17 Ɔbɔfo no buae se, “Israelfo adi nkogu. Israel nsraadɔm no mpem mpem atotɔ wɔ akono hɔ. Afei, wo mmabarima baanu a ɛyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no nso awuwu, na Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no nso, wɔafa.”
“Israel ran away from the Philistines—we were badly defeated,” the messenger replied. “Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed, and the Ark of God has been captured.”
18 Ɔbɔfo no kaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho asɛm ara pɛ, Eli fi akongua a ɔte so mu wɔ abɔntenpon ho no te hwee nʼakyi. Ne kɔn mu bui, efisɛ na wabɔ akwakoraa a ne mu nso yɛ duru. Na wadi Israel anim mfirihyia aduanan.
As soon as the Ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the town gate. Since he was old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. Eli had been Israel's leader for forty years.
19 Saa bere no na nʼasebea a ɔyɛ Pinehas yere anyinsɛn a ɔreyɛ awo. Ɔtee sɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na nʼase ne ne kunu awuwu no, awo kaa no amono mu hɔ ara.
His daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the Ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but her labor pains were too strong.
20 Owuu wɔ awoko mu, nanso ansa na ɔrebewu no, mmea a wɔregye no awo no kae se, “Mpa abaw; woawo abarimaa.” Nanso wammua wɔn na wankasa wɔn ho nso.
Just before she died, the women caring for her said, “Don't give up—you have given birth to a son!” But she didn't answer or give any response.
21 Ɔbesebesee nʼano too abarimaa no din Ikabod, “Anuonyam no wɔ he, Israel anuonyam no asa,” efisɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no na nʼase ne ne kunu nso awuwu.
She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has left Israel,” because Ark of God had been captured, and her father-in-law and her husband had died.
22 Ɔkae se, “Anuonyam afi Israel mu, efisɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no.”
She said, “The glory has left Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”
