2 Beresosɛm 15

1 Na Onyankopɔn honhom baa Oded babarima Asaria so,

Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded.

2 na opue kohyiaa ɔhene Asa a ofi akono reba no. Ɔteɛɛ mu guu Asa so se, “Tie me, Asa, Yudamanfo nyinaa ne Benyamin muntie. Mmere dodow a mo ne Awurade te no, ɔno nso ne mo bɛtena. Bere biara a mobɛhwehwɛ no no, mubehu no. Nanso sɛ mugyaw no a, ɔno nso begyaw mo.

So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.

3 Teteete no, na Israel nni nokware Nyankopɔn no, na wonni ɔsɔfo a ɔbɛkyerɛkyerɛ wɔn, na wonni Onyankopɔn mmara nso.

For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law.

4 Nanso bere biara a mobɛkɔ ahohia mu na mobɛkɔ Awurade Israel Nyankopɔn nkyɛn, na moahwehwɛ no no, muhuu no.

But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them.

5 Saa esum bere no mu, na akwantu yɛ hu. Na ɔhaw wɔ ɔman no afanan nyinaa.

In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts.

6 Akodi baa ɔman ne ɔman ntam, kuropɔn ne kuropɔn ntam, efisɛ Awurade maa ɔhaw ahorow bebree baa mo so.

Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity.

7 Na afei, mo Yuda mmarima, mo ho nyɛ den, munnya akokoduru, na mubenya mo adwumayɛ so akatua.”

But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”

8 Bere a Asa tee saa asɛm yi fii odiyifo Asaria nkyɛn no, onyaa akokoduru, yiyii ahoni a ɛwɔ Yuda asase so ne Benyamin nyinaa ne nkurow a wako afa a ɛwowɔ Efraim bepɔw nsase so no so. Osiesiee Awurade afɔremuka a na esi Awurade Asɔredan ntwironoo anim no.

When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

9 Afei, Asa frɛfrɛɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda ne Benyamin nyinaa. Ɔfrɛɛ nnipa a wofi Efraim, Manase ne Simeon a wɔabɛtena wɔn mu no nso. Bebree tutu kɔtenaa Yuda wɔ Ɔhene Asa bere so, efisɛ wohuu sɛ Awurade, ne Nyankopɔn, ka ne ho.

And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

10 Ɛrekɔ ɔsram a ɛto so abiɛsa awiei no mu a na Asa adi ade mfe dunum no, nnipa no boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ Yerusalem.

So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.

11 Saa da no, wɔde mmoa a wɔkyekyeree wɔn ɔko mu no bi bɔɔ Awurade afɔre. Na mmoa no dodow yɛ anantwi ahanson a nguan ne mmirekyi nso dodow yɛ mpem ason.

At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back.

12 Afei, wofi wɔn koma ne wɔn kra nyinaa mu yɛɛ apam sɛ wɔbɛhwehwɛ Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn.

Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul.

13 Wɔpenee so se, obiara a ɔbɛpo Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn no, wobekum no, sɛ onnyinii anaa wanyin, sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbarima anaa ɔbea.

And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.

14 Wɔhyɛn ntorobɛnto ne mmɛn denneennen, de dii Awurade nokwaredi ntam no ho adanse.

They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns.

15 Wɔn nyinaa ani gyee saa apam yi ho, efisɛ wofi wɔn koma nyinaa mu na ɛyɛe. Wɔpere hwehwɛɛ Onyankopɔn, na wohuu no. Na Awurade maa wɔn ahomegye fii wɔn atamfo a wɔwɔ afanan nyinaa nsam.

And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

16 Mpo ɔhene Asa tuu ne nena baa Maaka fii ahemmeagua no so, efisɛ osii Asera nnua a ɛyɛ atantanne. Otwaa dua no, bubuu mu, hyew no wɔ Kidron bon mu.

King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

17 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔantutu abosonsom nsɔre so no nyinaa amfi Israel de, nanso Asa de ne ho nyinaa maa Awurade ne nkwanna nyinaa.

The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days.

18 Ɔde dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ ne nneɛma ahorow a ɔne nʼagya de maa Awurade no baa Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no mu.

And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold articles that he and his father had dedicated.

19 Enti ɔko ansi bio kosii Asa adedi afe a ɛto so aduasa anum no so.

And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.