2 Ahemfo 23
1 Afei, ɔhene no frɛɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem mpanyimfo nyinaa.
And they reported to the king what she had said. And he sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him.
2 Na ɔhene no ne Yuda ne Yerusalem manfo ne asɔfo ne adiyifo a efi akumaa so kosi ɔkɛse so, foro kɔɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu. Ɛhɔ na ɔhene no kenkan Apam Nhoma a wɔahu wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu hɔ no nyinaa kyerɛɛ wɔn.
And the king ascended to the temple of the Lord. And with him were all the men of Judah and all who were living in Jerusalem: the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, from the small to the great. And in the hearing of everyone, he read all the words of the book of the covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord.
3 Ɔhene no tenaa beae bi a ɛkyerɛ ne tumi wɔ afadum no ho, hyɛɛ apam no mu den bio wɔ Awurade anim. Ɔhyɛɛ bɔ se, ofi ne koma ne ne kra nyinaa mu bedi Awurade mmara nsɛm, ahyɛde ne mmara nyinaa so. Ɔfaa saa ɔkwan yi so sii apam no mu nhyehyɛe ahorow a na wɔakyerɛw wɔ nhoma no mu no nyinaa so dua, maa nnipa no nyinaa hyɛɛ bɔ sɛ wobedi so.
And the king stood upon the step. And he struck a covenant before the Lord, so that they would walk after the Lord, and keep his precepts and testimonies and ceremonies, with all their heart and with all their soul, and so that they would carry out the words of this covenant, which had been written in that book. And the people agreed to the covenant.
4 Afei, ɔhene hyɛɛ ɔsɔfopanyin Hilkia ne asɔfo akunini ne asɔredan sohwɛfo no nyinaa sɛ, wonyiyi asɔredan no mu nneɛma a na wɔde som Baal ne Asera ne wim atumfo no nyinaa mfi hɔ. Ɔhene no ma wɔhyew ne nyinaa wɔ Kidron bon a ɛwɔ Yerusalem mfikyiri no mu, soaa ne nsõ de kɔɔ Bet-El.
And the king instructed Hilkiah, the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, so that they would cast out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels which had been made for Baal, and for the sacred grove, and for the entire army of heaven. And he burned them outside of Jerusalem, in the steep valley of Kidron. And he carried their dust into Bethel.
5 Ɔpam abosom akɔmfo a Yuda ahemfo a wodii kan no yii wɔn no nyinaa, efisɛ na wɔhyew nnuhuam wɔ Yuda abosomfi nyinaa mu a mpo, na ɛreyɛ akodu Yerusalem kurom. Wɔhyew nnuhuam maa Baal ne owia, ɔsram ne nsoromma ne wim atumfo.
And he destroyed the soothsayers, whom the kings of Judah had appointed to sacrifice in the high places throughout the cities of Judah, and all around Jerusalem, along with those who were burning incense to Baal, and to the Sun, and to the Moon, and to the twelve signs, and to the entire army of heaven.
6 Ɔhene no tuu Asera dua no fii Awurade asɔredan mu, de kɔɔ Yerusalem mfikyiri wɔ Kidron bon mu hɔ kɔhyew no. Afei, ɔyam dua no muhumuhu, kɔtow ne mfutuma no guu amusiei.
And he caused the sacred grove to be carried away from the house of the Lord, outside of Jerusalem, to the steep valley of Kidron. And he burned it there, and reduced it to dust. And he cast the dust over the graves of the common people.
7 Odwiriw nsɔree so nguamanfo adan a na ɛwɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu no, faako a na mmea no nwen nkatahotam, de kata Asera dua no ho no nyinaa gui.
Also, he destroyed the small places of the effeminate, which were in the house of the Lord, for which the women were weaving something like little houses in the sacred grove.
8 Yosia san de Awurade asɔfo no a na wɔtete Yuda nkurow afoforo so no nyinaa baa Yerusalem. Efi Geba kosi Beer-Seba, ɔsɛee ɛhɔ abosonnan no nyinaa. Saa beae no na na wɔhyew nnuhuam no. Obubuu abosonnan a ɛwɔ Yosua a na ɔyɛ Yerusalem amrado no pon ano no. Sɛ obi rewura kuropɔn no mu a obehu saa pon no wɔ kuropɔn pon no benkum so.
And he gathered together all the priests from the cities of Judah. And he defiled the high places, where the priests were sacrificing, from Geba as far as Beersheba. And he tore down the altars of the gates at the entrance to the gate of Joshua, the leader of the city, which was to the left of the gate of the city.
9 Asɔfo a na wɔsom wɔ abosonnan no mu no, na wɔmma wɔn kwan mma wɔnsom wɔ Awurade afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no so, nanso na wɔma wɔne asɔfo a aka no di brodo a mmɔkaw nni mu no.
Yet truly, the priests of the high places did not ascend to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem. For they would only eat from the unleavened bread in the midst of their brothers.
10 Afei, ɔhene no sɛee Tofet afɔremuka a na ɛwɔ Ben-Hinom bon no mu no nti, na obiara ntumi mfa ne babarima anaa ne babea mmɔ afɔre wɔ ogya mu wɔ so sɛ afɔrebɔde a wɔde ma Molek bio.
Also, he defiled Topheth, which is in the steep valley of the son of Hinnom, so that no one would consecrate his son or his daughter, through fire, to Molech.
11 Otutuu apɔnkɔ sɛso a wɔagu a esisi Awurade Asɔredan kwan no ano a Yuda ahemfo too din maa owia no nyinaa fii hɔ. Na ne nyinaa wowɔ adiwo a ɛbɛn piamni bi a wɔfrɛ no Natan-Malek dan ho. Yosia hyew nteaseɛnam a na wɔato din ama owia no.
Also, he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the Sun, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, beside the hallway of Nathan-melech, the eunuch, who was in Pharurim. And he burned the chariots of the Sun with fire.
12 Yosia bubuu afɔremuka a Yuda ahemfo sisii wɔ ahemfi no atifi wɔ Ahas dan apampam no nyinaa. Ɔhene no bubuu afɔremuka a Manase sisii wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no adiwo abien hɔ no nyinaa gui. Odwiriw no pasapasa, too ne afabo no petee Kidron bon no mu.
Also, the altars which were upon the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the temple of the Lord, the king destroyed. And he hurried from there, and he scattered their ashes into the torrent Kidron.
13 Ɔhene no san guu abosonnan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem apuei fam no ne nea ɛwɔ Ɔsɛe Bepɔw no anafo fam no. Saa beae no na Israelhene Salomo sisii abosonnan maa Astoret, a ɛyɛ Sidonfo bosom bɔne, ne Kemos, Moabfo bosom bɔne, ne Molek, Amonfo bosom bɔne.
Also, the high places which were in Jerusalem, to the right side of the Mount of Offense, which Solomon, the king of Israel, had built to Ashtoreth, the idol of the Sidonians, and to Chemosh, the offense of Moab, and to Milcom, the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled.
14 Yosia dwiriw afadum kronkron no nyinaa gui, bubuu Asera nnua no. Ɔde nnipa nnompe guguu ne nyinaa so.
And he crushed the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves. And he filled their places with the bones of the dead.
15 Ɔhene no san bubuu afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Bet-El abosonnan a Nebat babarima Yeroboam yɛe bere a odii Israel anim, de wɔn kɔɔ bɔne mu no. Yosia yam abo no, ma ɛdan mfutuma, hyew Asera dua no.
Then too, the altar which was in Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin, had made: both that altar and the high place he tore down, and burned, and reduced to dust. And then he also set fire to the sacred grove.
16 Bere a Yosia retoto nʼani no, ohuu nna pii wɔ koko no nkyɛn mu. Ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wontu nnompe no, na ɔhyew ne nyinaa wɔ afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Bet-El no so, de guu afɔremuka no ho fi. Eyi sii sɛnea Awurade nam Onyankopɔn nipa so hyɛe, bere a Yeroboam kogyinaa afɔremuka no ho wɔ afahyɛ da no. Afei Yosia dan ne ho hwɛɛ Onyankopɔn nipa a ɔhyɛɛ eyinom nyinaa ho nkɔm no da.
And in that place Josiah, turning, saw the sepulchers which were on the mount. And he sent and took the bones from the sepulchers. And he burned them upon the altar, and he defiled it in accord with the word of the Lord, which was spoken by the man of God, who had predicted these events.
17 Yosia bisae se, “Nkaedum bɛn na mihu no?” Na nnipa a wɔwɔ kurow no mu no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn nipa no a ofi Yuda a ɔhyɛɛ nkɔm faa dwuma a woadi mprempren wɔ afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Bet-El ho no ɔboda.”
And he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the citizens of that city responded to him: “It is the sepulcher of the man of God, who came from Judah, and who predicted these events, which you have carried out concerning the altar of Bethel.”
18 Yosia buae se, “Momma ɛnwɔ hɔ. Obiara mmfa ne nsa nka ne nnompe no.” Ɛno nti, wɔanhyew ɔne odiyifo akwakoraa a ofi Samaria no nnompe.
And he said: “Permit him. Let no one move his bones.” And his bones have remained untouched, with the bones of the prophet who had arrived from Samaria.
19 Na Yosia bubuu abosonnan no a ɛwɔ Samaria no, sɛnea ɔyɛɛ wɔ Bet-El no. Israel ahemfo ahorow bi na wosisi de hyɛɛ Awurade abufuw.
Then too, all the shrines of the high places, which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord, Josiah took away. And he acted toward them according to all the works that he had done in Bethel.
20 Okunkum nsɔree so akɔmfo no wɔ wɔn ankasa afɔremuka so, na ɔhyew nnipa nnompe wɔ afɔremuka ahorow no so, de guu ho fi. Akyiri no, ɔsan kɔɔ Yerusalem.
And all the priests of the high places, who were in that place, he killed upon the altars. And he burned the bones of the men upon them. And he returned to Jerusalem.
21 Ɔhene Yosia hyɛɛ nnipa no nyinaa se, “Ɛsɛ sɛ mudi Twam Afahyɛ ma Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, sɛnea wɔakyerɛw wɔ Apam Nhoma no mu no.”
And he instructed all the people, saying: “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, according to what has been written in the book of this covenant.”
22 Efi bere a atemmufo dii Israel so mfe bebree a atwa mu wɔ Israel ne Yuda ahemfo so no, wonnii Twam Afahyɛ no bi saa da.
Now no similar Passover was kept, from the days of the judges, who judged Israel, and from all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah,
23 Bere a ɔhene Yosia dii mfe dunwɔtwe wɔ akongua so no na wodii saa Twam Afahyɛ yi wɔ Yerusalem maa Awurade.
as this Passover, which was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem, in the eighteenth year of king Josiah.
24 Yosia tɔree samanfrɛfo ne adunsifo ne afi mu anyame ne ahonisom biara ase wɔ Yerusalem ne Yuda asase so baabiara. Ɔyɛɛ saa de dii mmara a wɔakyerɛw wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee a ɔsɔfo Hilkia kohuu wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu no so.
Then too, Josiah took away those who divined by spirits, and the soothsayers, and the images of the idols, and the defilements, and the abominations, which had been in the land of Judah and Jerusalem, so that he might establish the words of the law, which were written in the book, which Hilkiah, the priest, found in the temple of the Lord.
25 Ɔhene biara mmae a ɔte sɛ Yosia a ɔde ne koma, ne kra ne nʼahoɔden ama Awurade na ɔnam so adi Mose mmara nyinaa so. Na ɔhene biara nso mmae a ɔte sɛ ɔno.
There was no king before him similar to him, who returned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, in accord with the entire law of Moses. And after him, there rose up no one similar to him.
26 Nanso eyi nyinaa akyi no, Awurade abufuw no dɛw tiaa Yuda, esiane bɔne akɛse a Ɔhene Manase yɛe no. Ɛno nti, wanyi nʼabufuwhyew no amfi wɔn so.
Yet truly, the Lord did not turn away from the wrath of his great fury, his fury which was enraged against Judah because of the provocations by which Manasseh had provoked him.
27 Awurade kae se, “Mɛsɛe Yuda, sɛnea mesɛee Israel no. Mɛpam nnipa no afi mʼanim, na mapo me kuropɔn Yerusalem ne Asɔredan a anka ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛ me din anuonyam wɔ mu no.”
And so the Lord said: “And now I will remove Judah from my face, just as I removed Israel. And I will cast aside this city, Jerusalem, which I have chosen, and the house, about which I said: My name shall be there.”
28 Yosia ahenni ho asɛm nkae ne dwuma a odii nyinaa no, wɔankyerɛw angu Yuda Ahemfo Abakɔsɛm Nhoma no mu ana?
Now the rest of the words of Josiah, and all that he did, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?
29 Bere a Yosia di hene no, Misraimhene Farao Neko kɔɔ Asubɔnten Eufrate ho kɔboaa Asiriahene. Ɔhene Yosia de nʼakofo tuu sa, kɔko tiaa no, nanso bere a wohyiaa wɔ Megido no, ɔhene Neko kum no.
During his days, Pharaoh Neco, the king of Egypt, ascended against the king of the Assyrians to the river Euphrates. And king Josiah went out to meet him. And when he had seen him, he was killed at Megiddo.
30 Yosia asraafo mu mpanyimfo no de nʼamu no too teaseɛnam mu fii Megido, baa Yerusalem besiee no wɔ nʼankasa ɔboda mu. Na nnipa no sraa ne babarima Yehoahas ngo, sii no hene.
And his servants carried him dead from Megiddo. And they took him to Jerusalem, and they buried him in his own sepulcher. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah. And they anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.
31 Bere a Yehoahas dii hene no, na wadi mfe aduonu abiɛsa, na odii ade wɔ Yerusalem asram abiɛsa. Na ne na yɛ Yeremia a ofi Libna no babea a na ne din de Hamutal.
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah, from Libnah.
32 Ɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ Awurade ani so, sɛnea nʼagyanom yɛe no pɛpɛɛpɛ.
And he did evil before the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.
33 Farao Neko de Yehoahas too afiase wɔ Ribla wɔ Hamat asase so, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔrentumi nni hene wɔ Yerusalem. Afei, ɔhyɛɛ sɛ Yuda ntua tow dwetɛ tɔn abiɛsa ne fa ne sikakɔkɔɔ kilogram aduasa anan sɛ sonkahiri.
And Pharaoh Neco bound him at Riblah, which is in the land of Hamath, so that he would not reign in Jerusalem. And he imposed a penalty on the land: one hundred talents of silver, and one talent of gold.
34 Farao Neko de Eliakim a ɔyɛ Yosia babarima dii ade ma osii nʼagya anan mu. Ɔsesaa Eliakim din frɛɛ no Yehoiakim. Wɔde Yehoahas kɔɔ Misraim sɛ odeduani, na owui wɔ hɔ.
And Pharaoh Neco appointed Eliakim, the son of Josiah, as king in place of Josiah his father. And he changed his name to Jehoiakim. Then he took Jehoahaz away, and he brought him into Egypt, and there he died.
35 Sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a Yehoiakim benya dwetɛ ne sikakɔkɔɔ tow a Farao Neko regye no nti, otwitwaa tow maa Yudafo tuae. Obiara tuaa sɛnea nʼahonya te.
Now Jehoiakim gave silver and gold to Pharaoh, when he had taxed the land, according to each one who would contribute by the command of Pharaoh. And he exacted both silver and gold from the people of the land, from each one according to his ability, so that he would give to Pharaoh Neco.
36 Bere a Yehoiakim dii ade no, na wadi mfirihyia aduonu anum, na odii ade wɔ Yerusalem mfe dubaako. Na ne na din de Sebuda a ɔyɛ Pedaia a ofi Ruma babea.
Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Zebidah, the daughter of Pedaiah, from Rumah.
37 Ɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ Awurade ani so, sɛnea nʼagyanom yɛe no.
And he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all that his fathers had done.
