2 Ahemfo 11
1 Bere a Yudahene Ahasia, ne na Atalia tee sɛ ne babarima no awu no, ɔkɔe sɛ ɔrekɔsɛe adehyebusua a aka no.
When King Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she commanded that all the members of Ahaziah’s family [who might become king] must be executed.
2 Nanso Ahasia nuabea Yehoseba a na ɔyɛ ɔhene Yehoram babea no faa Ahasia ba abarimaa ketewa Yoas, yii no fii ɔhene no mma a anka wɔrebekunkum wɔn no mu. Yehoseba de Yoas ne ne gyigyefo kohintaw pia bi mu, sɛnea Atalia renhu no. Ɛno nti, wɔannya abofra no ankum no.
So Ahaziah’s sons were all about to be murdered. But Jehosheba, who was King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s half-sister, took Ahaziah’s [very young] son Joash and hid him and (his nursemaid/the woman who took care of him) in a bedroom [in the temple]. So he was not killed.
3 Yoas ne nea ogyigye no no hintaw wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu hɔ mfe asia, bere a na Atalia di ɔman no so no.
He stayed with Jehosheba for six years. All during that time, he remained hidden in the temple, while Athaliah ruled [Judah].
4 Atalia adedi mfe ason mu no, ɔsɔfo Yehoiada soma ma wɔkɔfaa Karifo asraafo apaafo ne awɛmfo baa Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ. Ɔne wɔn yɛɛ nhyehyɛe, na ɔma wɔkaa ntam sɛ wobedi nokware wɔ Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ. Afei, ɔde ɔhene babarima Yoas kyerɛɛ wɔn.
But during the next year, Jehoiada the Supreme Priest summoned the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards and the palace guards. He told them to come to the temple. There he required them to solemnly promise that they would do what he told them to do. And he showed King Ahaziah’s son Joash to them.
5 Yehoiada ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Nea ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ ni. Mo mu nkyɛmu abiɛsa mu baako a moyɛ adwuma homeda no bɛwɛn ahemfi no.
He gave them these instructions: “There are three groups of you guards. When one group finishes their work on the Sabbath day, [divide yourselves into] three smaller groups. One group must guard the palace.
6 Nkyɛmu abiɛsa mu baako nso, nwɛn wɔ Sur pon no ano. Na nkyɛmu abiɛsa mu baako a aka no nso, bɛwɛn ahemfi no akyi. Saa akuw abiɛsa yi nyinaa bɛwɛn ahemfi no.
Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.
7 Akuw abien a wɔamma adwuma homeda no nso bɛwɛn Awurade asɔredan no ama ɔhene no.
The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple [to protect little King Joash].
8 Mobɛyɛ ɔhene ho awɛmfo kuw, a mukurakura mo akode. Onipa biara a wɔmmaa no kwan a ɔbɛbɛn mo no, munkum no. Bere biara, mommɛn ɔhene no.”
You must stand around the king wherever he goes, with your weapons in your hands. You must kill anyone who comes near you.”
9 Na asahene no dii biribiara a ɔsɔfo Yehoiada hyɛɛ sɛ wɔnyɛ no so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Asahene no faa asraafo a wɔbaa adwuma homeda no ne wɔn a wɔakɔ adwuma da no no. Wɔde wɔn nyinaa baa ɔsɔfo Yehoiada anim.
The officers [who supervised the guards] did what Jehoiada told them to do. Each one brought to Jehoiada the guards that he supervised—the guards who were just finishing their work and those who were about to start their work on the Sabbath day.
10 Ɔmaa wɔn mpeaw ne nkatabo a na bere bi ɛyɛ ɔhene Dawid de a na wɔakora wɔ Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ no.
The priest distributed to the commanders of the guards the spears and shields that had belonged to King David, that were kept/stored in the temple.
11 Awɛmfo no gyinagyinaa ɔhene no ho hyiae a wokurakura wɔn akode. Wɔsaa so tee fii asɔredan no anafo fam, de kɔfaa atifi fam, ne afɔremuka no ho nyinaa.
Then he commanded all the guards to stand in their positions, each one with his sword in his hand, all around the young king.
12 Na Yehoiada de ɔhene babarima Yoas no pue hyɛɛ no ahenkyɛw. Ɔmaa Yoas Onyankopɔn apam no nhwɛso no bi, sii no ɔhene. Wɔsraa no, na nnipa no nyinaa bɔɔ wɔn nsam, teɛteɛɛ mu se, “Ɔhene nkwa so!”
Then he brought Joash out. He put the crown on his head and gave him a scroll on which were written the rules [that the kings needed to obey]. Then he poured some olive oil on Joash’s head and proclaimed that he was now the king. The people all clapped their hands and shouted, “We desire/hope that the king will live for many years!”
13 Atalia tee gyegyeegye no a awɛmfo no ne nnipa no reyɛ no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ, kɔhwɛɛ nea ɛrekɔ so.
When Athaliah heard the noise that was being made by the guards and the other people, she ran to the temple, where the people were gathered.
14 Ohuu sɛ ɔhene foforo no gyina beae bi a ɛkyerɛ ne tumi wɔ afadum no ho, sɛnea amanne kyerɛ wɔ ahensi mu no. Na mpanyimfo ne torobɛntohyɛnfo atwa ne ho ahyia. Na nnipa a wofi asase no so mmaa nyinaa redi ahurusi rehyɛn torobɛnto. Bere a Atalia huu eyinom nyinaa no, ɔde ahometew sunsuan ne ntade mu teɛteɛɛ mu sɛ, “Amammɔsɛm! Amammɔsɛm!”
She saw the new king standing there alongside one of the big pillars, which was the place at the temple where the kings usually stood. She saw that he was surrounded by the temple officers and men blowing trumpets, and that the people were shouting joyfully, and [some of] them were also blowing trumpets. She tore her clothes [to show her distress] and shouted, “You are traitors! You have tricked/deceived me!”
15 Na ɔsɔfo Yehoiada hyɛɛ asafohene a wɔhwɛ asraafo no so no sɛ, “Momfa no mfi asɔredan mu ha, na munkum obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ogye no. Munnkum no wɔ Awurade asɔredan mu ha.”
Jehoiada [immediately] said, “Kill her, but do not kill her here at the temple of Yahweh! Take her away between two rows of guards. And kill anyone who tries to rescue her!”
16 Enti wɔtwee no de no kɔɔ ɔkwan a apɔnkɔ fa so ba ahemfi hɔ no so, kum no wɔ hɔ.
[She tried to flee, but] the guards seized her and took her to the palace, to the place where horses enter the courtyard. They killed her there.
17 Na Yehoiada ne ɔhene no ne ɔmanfo no yɛɛ apam sɛ, wɔbɛyɛ Awurade nkurɔfo. Ɔsan yɛɛ apam too ɔhene no ne nnipa no ntam.
Then Jehoiada made a solemn agreement between the king and the people, that they would always (obey/be faithful to) Yahweh. He also made an agreement requiring the people to be loyal to Joash their king.
18 Na nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa kɔɔ Baal abosonnan mu, kobubu guu fam. Wobubuu afɔremuka ne ahoni ahorow no nyinaa asinasin, kum Baal kɔmfo Matan nso wɔ afɔremuka no anim. Ɔsɔfo Yehoiada maa awɛmfo wɛn Awurade asɔredan no.
Then all the people of Israel who were there went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the statues of Baal. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. Jehoiada stationed/put guards at the temple of Yahweh.
19 Na asahene, Karifo asraafo apaafo, awɛmfo no ne nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa dii ɔhene no akyi, de no pue fii Awurade asɔredan no mu. Wɔfaa awɛmfo no pon no ano, kɔɔ ahemfi hɔ, na ɔhene no kɔtenaa ahengua no so.
Then he and the officers of the temple, the officers who supervised the royal bodyguards, and the king’s bodyguards brought the king from the temple to the palace. All the people [followed them]. Joash entered the palace at the Guard Gate and sat down on the throne, [which showed that he was the new king].
20 Enti nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa dii ahurusi, na asomdwoe baa kuropɔn no mu, efisɛ wɔakum Atalia wɔ ahemfi.
All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.
21 Yoas bedii ade no, na wadi mfirihyia ason.
Joash was seven years old when he became the king [of Judah].
