2 Beresosɛm 15
1 Na Onyankopɔn honhom baa Oded babarima Asaria so,
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
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.
Azariah went to talk with Asa, and said to him, “Asa and all [you men of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin, listen to me. Yahweh is with you whenever you are trusting in him. If you request him [to help you], he will help you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
3 Teteete no, na Israel nni nokware Nyankopɔn no, na wonni ɔsɔfo a ɔbɛkyerɛkyerɛ wɔn, na wonni Onyankopɔn mmara nso.
For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
4 Nanso bere biara a mobɛkɔ ahohia mu na mobɛkɔ Awurade Israel Nyankopɔn nkyɛn, na moahwehwɛ no no, muhuu no.
But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
5 Saa esum bere no mu, na akwantu yɛ hu. Na ɔhaw wɔ ɔman no afanan nyinaa.
At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in the nearby countries were experiencing many difficulties.
6 Akodi baa ɔman ne ɔman ntam, kuropɔn ne kuropɔn ntam, efisɛ Awurade maa ɔhaw ahorow bebree baa mo so.
The people of various nations were thoroughly defeated by [armies of] other nations, and people in some cities were crushed by [armies from] other cities, because God was allowing them to experience many difficulties.
7 Na afei, mo Yuda mmarima, mo ho nyɛ den, munnya akokoduru, na mubenya mo adwumayɛ so akatua.”
But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because [God] will reward you for what you do [to please him.”]
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 what the prophet Azariah said, he was encouraged. He [commanded his workers to] remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in the land of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the towns that [his soldiers] had captured in the hills of the tribe of Ephraim. Asa’s workers repaired the altar [where people offered sacrifices] to Yahweh that was in front of the entrance to the temple [in Jerusalem].
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.
Then he gathered all [the people of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin and many people from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them. [He was able to do that] because many people from [those tribes in] Israel had come to me to Judah when they realized that Yahweh, the God that Asa [worshiped], was helping 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.
After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
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 Yahweh 700 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats, from the animals that they had captured [when they defeated the army of Ethiopia/Sudan].
12 Afei, wofi wɔn koma ne wɔn kra nyinaa mu yɛɛ apam sɛ wɔbɛhwehwɛ Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn.
They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
13 Wɔpenee so se, obiara a ɔbɛpo Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn no, wobekum no, sɛ onnyinii anaa wanyin, sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbarima anaa ɔbea.
They promised to execute all those who would not worship Yahweh, including those who were important and those who were not important, both men and women.
14 Wɔhyɛn ntorobɛnto ne mmɛn denneennen, de dii Awurade nokwaredi ntam no ho adanse.
They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
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.
All the people who were living in Judah were happy with the agreement because they had solemnly and very sincerely promised to keep it. They eagerly requested help from Yahweh, and he helped them. So he enabled them to have peace throughout their country.
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’s grandmother Maacah had made a disgusting pole for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah. So Asa [commanded his workers to] cut down that pole and chop it into pieces and burn it in the Kidron Valley. He then did not allow Maacah to continue [to influence the people because of her] being the mother of the previous king.
17 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔantutu abosonsom nsɔre so no nyinaa amfi Israel de, nanso Asa de ne ho nyinaa maa Awurade ne nkwanna nyinaa.
Although Asa’s [workers] did not get rid of the shrines on the hilltops in Israel, he was very determined to [do what] pleased Yahweh all his life.
18 Ɔde dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ ne nneɛma ahorow a ɔne nʼagya de maa Awurade no baa Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no mu.
He [ordered his workers to] bring into God’s temple all the silver and gold and other valuable items that he and his father had dedicated [to God].
19 Enti ɔko ansi bio kosii Asa adedi afe a ɛto so aduasa anum no so.
There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
