2 Beresosɛm 18
1 Yehosafat yɛɛ ɔdefo a na nʼanuonyam nso korɔn. Ɔhyehyɛ maa ne babarima waree Israelhene Ahab babea.
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.
2 Mfe kakraa bi akyi no, ɔkɔɔ Samaria kɔsraa Ahab. Ahab too pon kɛse bi maa ɔne ne mpanyimfo. Wokunkum nguan ne anantwi bebree de too pon no. Na Ahab srɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ ɔmmɛboa no, na ɔnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead.
And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.
3 Ahab bisaa no se, “Wobɛboa me na mako atia Ramot-Gilead ana?” Na Yehosafat bua se, “Me ne wo yɛ pɛ na me nkurɔfo te sɛ wo nkurɔfo, Yɛbɛboa wo, ama woako.”
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
4 Na Yehosafat ka kaa ho se, “Nea edi kan no, ma yemmisa Awurade hɔ afotu.”
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
5 Enti ɔhene Ahab frɛɛ nʼadiyifo a wɔn dodow bɛyɛ ahannan no nyinaa, bisaa wɔn se, “Menkɔko ntia Ramot Gilead anaa mennkɔ?” Wɔn nyinaa buae se, “Kɔ so! Awurade bɛma woadi nkonim anuonyam so.”
So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
6 Nanso Yehosafat bisae se, “Enti Awurade odiyifo biara nso nni ha? Anka mepɛ sɛ mibisa no saa asɛm koro no ara.”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
7 Ɔhene Ahab buae se, “Ɔbaako da so wɔ ha nanso, mikyi no. Ɔnhyɛ nkɔm biara sɛ nsɛm a enye na ɔka kyerɛ me. Ne din de Mikaia. Imla babarima ne no.” Yehosafat kae se, “Nkasa saa. Ma yentie asɛm a ɔwɔ ka.”
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
8 Enti Israelhene frɛɛ ne mpanyimfo no baako ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Yɛ ntɛm kɔfrɛ Imla babarima Mikaia brɛ me.”
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
9 Israelhene Ahab ne Yudahene Yehosafat hyɛɛ wɔn ahemfo ntade, tenaa wɔn ahengua mu wɔ apongua a ɛbɛn Samaria kwan no ano. Saa bere no, na Ahab adiyifo no rehyɛ nkɔm wɔ wɔn anim.
Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
10 Na wɔn mu baako a ɔyɛ Kenaana babarima Sedekia de nnade yɛɛ mmɛn, na ɔdaa no adi se, “Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Mode saa mmɛn yi bɛwowɔ Aramfo yi ama wɔawuwu!”
Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
11 Adiyifo a wɔwɔ hɔ no nyinaa penee so kae se, “Yiw, monkɔ Ramot-Gilead, na munkodi nkonim, efisɛ Awurade bɛma moadi nkonim.”
And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
12 Ɔbɔfo a ɔkɔfrɛɛ Mikaia no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Hwɛ, adiyifo no nyinaa hyɛ ɔhene no bɔ sɛ obedi nkonim. Hwɛ sɛ wone wɔn bɛyɛ adwene, na hyɛ nkonimdi ho bɔ.”
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 Nanso Mikaia buae se, “Sɛ Awurade te ase yi, nea me Nyankopɔn aka akyerɛ me sɛ menka no, ɛno na mɛka.”
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”
14 Bere a Mikaia beduu ɔhene Ahab anim no, obisaa no se, “Mikaia, yɛnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead anaa yɛnkɔ?” Mikaia buae se, “Monkɔko! Ɛbɛyɛ nkonimdi a ɛho wɔ nyam.”
When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15 Ɔhene amma nʼano ansi, na obuaa no se, “Mpɛn ahe na menka nkyerɛ wo se, sɛ worekasa ama Awurade a, ka nokwasɛm?”
But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”
16 Na Mikaia ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Anisoadehu mu no, mihuu sɛ Israel nyinaa abɔ apete wɔ mmepɔw no so sɛ nguan a wonni hwɛfo. Na Awurade kae se, ‘Wɔakum wɔn wura. Fa wɔn kɔ fie asomdwoe mu.’”
So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”
17 Israelhene ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat se, “Manka saa ankyerɛ wo ana? Da biara saa na ɔyɛ. Ɔnhyɛ nkɔm pa biara sɛ atoro nkɔm na ɔhyɛ fa me ho.”
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
18 Mikaia toaa so se, “Tie nea Awurade ka. Mihuu Awurade sɛ ɔte nʼahengua so a ne ɔsorofo asraafo nyinaa atwa ne ho ahyia wɔ ne nifa ne ne benkum so.
Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
19 Na Awurade bisae se, ‘Hena na obetumi adaadaa Israelhene Ahab ama wakotu Ramot-Gilead so sa na wɔakum no wɔ hɔ?’ “Adwenkyerɛ bebree baa ho,
And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
20 kosii sɛ ne koraa no, honhom bi bɛnee Awurade kae se, ‘Metumi ayɛ!’” Awurade bisae se, “‘Ɔkwan bɛn so na wobɛfa ayɛ eyi.’”
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
21 Na honhom no buae se, “Mɛkɔ akɔdaadaa Ahab adiyifo, ama wɔadi atoro.” Awurade kae se, “Kɔ so yɛ, na wubedi nkonim.
And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
22 “Enti woahu sɛ Awurade de nkontompo honhom ahyɛ wʼadiyifo no anom. Awurade adwene sɛ ɔde amanehunu bɛba wo so.”
So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
23 Na Kenaana babarima Sedekia kɔɔ Mikaia so, kɔbɔɔ no sotɔre bisae se, “Da bɛn na Awurade honhom fii me so bɛkasa kyerɛɛ wo?”
Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
24 Na Mikaia buae se, “Ɛrenkyɛ biara, wubehu nokware no, bere a wubeguan akɔtetɛw kokoa mu dan bi mu.”
Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
25 Israelhene Ahab hyɛe se, “Monkyere Mikaia, na momfa no nkɔma Amon a ɔyɛ kurow no mu amrado, na momfa no nkɔ me babarima Yoas nkyɛn.
And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
26 Monka saa asɛm a efi ɔhene nkyɛn yi nkyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Fa saa ɔbarima yi to afiase. Mommma no aduan biara sɛ brodo ne nsu, kosi sɛ mefi akono bɛba asomdwoe mu.’”
and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
27 Nanso Mikaia buae se, “Sɛ wosan ba asomdwoe mu a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, Awurade amfa me so ankasa.” Na ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn a wogyinagyina hɔ, atwa ne ho ahyia no se, “Saa asɛm a maka yi, monhyɛ no nsow.”
But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
28 Enti Israelhene ne Yudahene Yehosafat dii wɔn asraafo anim, tuu Ramot-Gilead so sa.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
29 Afei, ɔhene Ahab ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat se, “Yɛrekɔ ɔko yi, mɛsakra me ho sɛnea obiara nhu me, nanso wo de, wobɛhyɛ wʼahentade.” Enti Ahab sesaa ne ho, na wɔkɔɔ ɔko no.
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
30 Saa bere no, na Aramhene aka akyerɛ ne nteaseɛnamkafo no se, “Monkɔtow nhyɛ Israelhene nko ara so.”
Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
31 Enti bere a Aramhene nteaseɛnamkafo no huu Yehosafat sɛ ɔhyɛ nʼahentade no, wɔtaa no. Wɔteɛteɛɛ mu se, “Israelhene no ne no.” Nanso, Yehosafat teɛɛ mu frɛɛ Awurade sɛ ommegye no nkwa. Na Awurade yii nkurɔfo no ani fii ne so, de gyee no nkwa.
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.
32 Bere a nteaseɛnamkafo no huu sɛ ɔnyɛ Israelhene no, wogyaee no taa.
And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
33 Na Aram sraani bi de anibiannaso totow nʼagyan guu Israel asraafo no mu, maa bɛmma no bi kɔwɔɔ Israelhene nkatabo ahyiae wɔ ne mmotuam. Ahab teɛɛ mu kyerɛɛ nteaseɛnamkafo no se, “Momfa me mfi ha, na wɔapira me pira bɔne.”
However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
34 Ɔko no kɔɔ so da mu no nyinaa. Ahab kotwerii ne teaseɛnam mu a nʼani kyerɛ Aramfo no de kosii anwummere. Na ɛyɛɛ sɛnea owia rekɔtɔ no, owui.
The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died.
