1 Ahemfo 12

1 Rehoboam kɔɔ Sekem, ɛfiri sɛ, na Israelfoɔ nyinaa akɔ hɔ sɛ wɔrekɔsi no ɔhene.

And Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 Ɛberɛ a Nebat babarima Yeroboam tee sɛ Salomo awuo no, ɔfiri Misraim baeɛ, ɛfiri sɛ ɔdwane firii ɔhene Salomo nsam kɔtenaa Misraim.

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it — for he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt,

3 Enti, Israel mpanimfoɔ soma ma wɔkɔfaa Yeroboam, na Israel nnipadɔm no nyinaa kɔɔ Rehoboam nkyɛn, ne no kɔkasaeɛ sɛ,

and they sent and called him — that Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehoboam, saying:

4 “Wʼagya hyɛɛ yɛn ma yɛyɛɛ adwumaden. Yɛsrɛ wo, te saa adwumaden ne apeatoɔ adesoa duruduru a wʼagya de soaa yɛn no so. Woyɛ saa a, yɛbɛsom wo nokorɛ mu.”

'Thy father made our yoke grievous; now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.'

5 Rehoboam buaa sɛ, “Momma me nnansa na menwene mo asɛm yi ho. Ɛno akyi, mommra mmɛgye me mmuaeɛ.” Enti, nnipa no sane kɔeɛ.

And he said unto them: 'Depart yet for three days, then come again to me.' And the people departed.

6 Na ɔhene Rehoboam ne ne mpanimfoɔ a wɔsom nʼagya Salomo ɛberɛ a ɔte ase no tuu asɛm no ho agyina. Ɔbisaa mpanimfoɔ no sɛ, “Moka asɛm no ho ɛdeɛn? Mmuaeɛ bɛn na memfa mma saa nnipa yi?”

And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying: 'What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?'

7 Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Sɛ ɛnnɛ yi, wopɛ sɛ woyɛ ɔsomfoɔ ma saa nnipa yi, na woma wɔn mmuaeɛ pa a, ɛnneɛ, daa wɔbɛsom wo nokorɛ mu.”

And they spoke unto him, saying: 'If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.'

8 Nanso Rehoboam amfa afotuo a mpanimfoɔ no tuu no no. Mmom, ɔkɔɔ nʼatipɛnfoɔ mmabunu bi a ɔne wɔn sii so a na wɔtu no fo no nkyɛn.

But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.

9 Ɔbisaa wɔn sɛ, “Mo nso mo adwene ne sɛn? Mmuaeɛ bɛn na memfa nkɔma nnipa a wɔpɛ sɛ mete adesoa a mʼagya de soaa wɔn no so?”

And he said unto them: 'What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying: Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter?'

10 Nʼatipɛnfoɔ mmabunu buaa no sɛ, “Ka kyerɛ wɔn a wɔnwiinwii no sɛ, ‘Me kɔkorɔbɛto mu pi sene mʼagya asene; sɛ modwene sɛ ɔhyɛɛ mo so dodo a, montwɛn na monhwɛ sɛdeɛ mɛyɛ.’

And the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him, saying: 'Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spoke unto thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them: My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11 Aane, mʼagya yɛɛ den wɔ mo so, na mɛyɛ aboro saa. Mʼagya kaa mo mpire a, me deɛ mede anyanyankyerɛ bɛkeka mo.”

And now whereas my father did burden you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'

12 Nnansa akyi, Yeroboam ne nnipa no nyinaa sane baa sɛ wɔrebɛtie Rehoboam mmuaeɛ, sɛdeɛ ɔkaeɛ no.

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying: 'Come to me again the third day.'

13 Ɔhene no buaa nnipa no abufuo so. Wamfa mpanimfoɔ no afotuo no;

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him;

14 ɔfaa mmabunu no afotuo. Ɔka kyerɛɛ nnipa no sɛ, “Mʼagya yɛɛ den wɔ mo so, na mɛyɛ aboro saa. Mʼagya hwee mo mpire na me deɛ mede anyanyankyerɛ bɛkeka mo.”

and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying: 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'

15 Enti, ɔhene no antie nnipa no adesrɛ. Sɛdeɛ nneɛma mu daneeɛ no nyinaa firi Awurade, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛmaa asɛm a Awurade nam Ahiya a ɔfiri Silo so ka kyerɛɛ Nebat babarima Yeroboam no baa mu.

So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was a thing brought about of the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 Ɛberɛ a Israel nyinaa hunuu sɛ ɔhene anyɛ wɔn abisadeɛ amma wɔn no, wɔteateaam sɛ, “Yɛne Dawid nni hwee yɛ! Yɛne Yisai babarima no nni hwee yɛ! Israel, momma yɛnkɔ yɛn nkyi! Dawid, hwɛ wʼankasa wo fie so!” Enti, Israelfoɔ no sane kɔɔ wɔn fie.

And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying: 'What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to thine own house, David.' So Israel departed unto their tents.

17 Na Rehoboam toaa so dii Israelfoɔ a wɔtenaa Yuda nkuro so no nyinaa so ɔhene.

But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Na ɔhene Rehoboam somaa Adoram a na ɔtua adwumayɛfoɔ ano no sɛ ɔnkɔhwɛ, na asomdwoeɛ mmra, nanso Israel nyinaa sii no aboɔ, kumm no. Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Rehoboam tee saa asɛm yi no, ntɛm ara, ɔhuri tenaa ne teaseɛnam mu, dwane kɔɔ Yerusalem.

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; and all Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 Israel mmusuakuo a wɔwɔ atifi fam no ampene sɛ Dawid aseni bɛdi wɔn so, de bɛsi ɛnnɛ.

So Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day.

20 Ɛberɛ a Israelfoɔ tee sɛ Yeroboam firi Misraim asane aba no, wɔyɛɛ nhyiamu, sii no ɔhene wɔ Israel nyinaa so. Enti, Yuda abusuakuo no nko ara na wɔkaeɛ, somm Dawid fie nokorɛ mu.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel; there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 Ɛberɛ a Rehoboam duruu Yerusalem no, ɔboaboaa Yuda ne Benyamin akodɔm ano. Ɔyii akofoɔ mpem ɔha ne aduɔwɔtwe, sɛ wɔrekɔko atia Israel akodɔm, na wɔafa ahemman no adi so.

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, be assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men that were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 Nanso, Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Semaia, Onyankopɔn onipa no sɛ,

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying:

23 “Ka kyerɛ Salomo babarima Rehoboam, Yudahene ne nnipa a wɔfiri Yuda ne Benyamin sɛ,

'Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying:

24 ‘Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie, Mo ne mo nuanom Israelfoɔ nntwa mo ho nko. Monsane nkɔ mo akyi, na deɛ asi no nyinaa firi me!’” Enti, wɔtiee Awurade asɛm no, sane kɔɔ wɔn fie sɛdeɛ Awurade hyɛeɛ no.

Thus saith the LORD: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel; return every man to his house; for this thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.

25 Yeroboam kyekyeree Sekem kuro wɔ Efraim bepɔ asase so, ma ɛbɛyɛɛ ne kuropɔn. Akyire yi, ɔkɔkyekyeree kuro Penuel.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.

26 Yeroboam dwenee ho dinn, see nʼakomam sɛ, “Sɛ manhwɛ yie a, ahemman no bɛsane akɔ Dawid fiefoɔ adedifoɔ nsam.

And Jeroboam said in his heart: 'Now will the kingdom return to the house of David.

27 Na sɛ wɔkɔ Yerusalem, kɔbɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu nso a, wɔbɛsom Yudahene Rehoboam. Ɛba saa a, wɔbɛkum me, de ɔno mmom asi wɔn so ɔhene.”

If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn back unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.'

28 Enti, ɔtiee deɛ nʼafotufoɔ ka, na ɔyɛɛ sikakɔkɔɔ anantwie mma mmienu. Ɔka kyerɛɛ nnipa no sɛ, “Ɛyɛ ɔbrɛ bebree sɛ mobɛforo akɔ Yerusalem akɔsom. Ɛno enti, Israel, yeinom ne anyame a wɔyii mo firii Misraim!”

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them: 'Ye have gone up long enough to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'

29 Ɔde nantwie mma ahoni yi sisii Israel anafoɔ ne atifi, wɔ Bet-El ne Dan.

And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

30 Yei bɛyɛɛ bɔne kɛseɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, nnipa no somm ahoni no, a na mpo wɔtwa ɛkwan kɔ Dan.

And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

31 Yeroboam sisii abosonnan wɔ nkokoɔ so, na ɔpaa asɔfoɔ firii nnipa no mu a na wɔmfiri Lewi asɔfoɔ abusua mu.

And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi.

32 Yeroboam hyehyɛɛ nyamesom dapɔnna wɔ Bet-El a na wɔdi saa nna no Bul bosome (bɛyɛ Ahinime) mu a na ɛte sɛ Yuda Dwanekɔbea Afahyɛ no ara. Bet-El hɔ na ɔno ankasa bɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa anantwie mma ahoni a wayɛ no. Na Bet-El hɔ ara nso, na ɔpaa asɔfoɔ, maa abosomfie a ɔsisiiɛ no.

And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, to sacrifice unto the calves that he had made; and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made.

33 Na ɔno ankasa yii da bi too hɔ, Bul bosome (bɛyɛ Ɔsannaa) mfimfini mu hɔ, na Yeroboam kɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ afɔrebukyia so wɔ Bet-El. Ɔhyɛɛ anyamesom afahyɛ ase maa Israel, na ɔforo kɔɔ afɔrebukyia no so kɔhyee aduhwam.

And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to offer.