1 Ahemfo 18
1 Mfeɛ mmiɛnsa akyi, Awurade asɛm baa Elia nkyɛn sɛ, “Fa wo ho kɔkyerɛ ɔhene Ahab na ka kyerɛ no sɛ ɛnkyɛre biara, mɛma osuo atɔ asase no so.”
After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”
2 Elia de ne ho kɔkyerɛɛ ɔhene Ahab. Na ɛkɔm no ano yɛɛ den yie wɔ Samaria.
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,
3 Ahab frɛɛ Obadia a na ɔhwɛ nʼahemfie so no. Na Obadia gye Awurade di yie.
and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,
4 Ɛberɛ a na Isebel rekunkum Awurade adiyifoɔ no, Obadia faa adiyifoɔ no ɔha de wɔn kɔsiee abodan mmienu mu a, wɔn mu aduonum biara da ɔbodan baako mu. Na ɔmaa wɔn aduane ne nsuo.
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
5 Ahab ka kyerɛɛ Obadia sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛhwehwɛ asase no so nsuwa ne bɔnhwa nyinaa sɛ ebia yɛbɛnya ɛserɛ ama apɔnkɔ ne mfunumu yi awe sɛdeɛ wɔrenwu.”
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
6 Enti, wɔkyɛɛ asase no mu maa wɔn ho. Ahab faa ɛfa na Obadia nso faa ɛfa.
So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 Obadia nam, nam no, Elia hyiaa no. Obadia hunuu no, kaee no enti, ɔkotoo no wɔ fam kaa sɛ, “Enti, wo nie, me wura Elia?”
Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 Elia buaa sɛ, “Aane, kɔka kyerɛ wo wura sɛ, ‘Elia wɔ ha.’”
“It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”
9 Obadia bisaa sɛ, “Me wura, ɛdeɛn bɔne na mayɛ a enti woresoma me Ahab nkyɛn ama wɔakum me?
But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
10 Mmerɛ dodoɔ a Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn te ase yi, ɔman anaa ahemman biara nni hɔ a me wura nsomaa obi wɔ so sɛ ɔnhwehwɛ wo. Na ɔman anaa ahemman biara a wɔbɛka sɛ wonni soɔ no, ɔma wɔka ntam, ka sɛ wɔanhunu wo.
As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.
11 Na afei, woka kyerɛ me sɛ menkɔ me wura nkyɛn nkɔka nkyerɛ no sɛ, ‘Elia wɔ ha.’
And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Mennim baabi a sɛ megya wo hɔ kɔ a, Awurade honhom bɛpagya wo akɔsi. Sɛ mekɔka kyerɛ Ahab, na wanhunu wo a, ɔbɛkum me. Nanso, me, wo ɔsomfoɔ, masom Awurade firi me mmɔfraase.
I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
13 Me wura, wontee deɛ meyɛɛ ɛberɛ a na Isebel rekunkum Awurade adiyifoɔ no anaa? Mede Awurade adiyifoɔ no ɔha siee abodan mmienu mu a, na wɔn mu aduonum wɔ ɔbodan baako biara mu. Memaa wɔn aduane ne nsuo nso.
Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.
14 Na afei, woka kyerɛ me sɛ menkɔ me wura nkyɛn nkɔka nkyerɛ no sɛ, ‘Elia wɔ ha!’ Ɔbɛkum me!”
And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”
15 Elia kaa sɛ, “Mmerɛ dodoɔ a Awurade a mesom no te ase yi, deɛ ɛbɛyɛ biara, mede me ho bɛma Ahab ɛnnɛ.”
Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”
16 Enti, Obadia kɔhyiaa Ahab, ka kyerɛɛ no, na Ahab kɔhyiaa Elia.
So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah.
17 Ɔhunuu Elia no, ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wo nie, wo a woha Israelfoɔ?”
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
18 Elia buaa sɛ, “Menhaa Israel ɛkwan biara so. Na mmom, wo ne wʼagya fiefoɔ na moaha Israel. Moagyae Awurade mmara so die, akɔdi Baal akyi.
“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.
19 Enti, frɛ Israel nnipa nyinaa na wɔmmɛhyia me Karmel bepɔ so. Na fa Baal adiyifoɔ ahanan aduonum ne Asera adiyifoɔ ahanan a wɔdidi Isebel didipono so no nso bra.”
Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 Na Ahab soma kɔɔ Israel nyinaa kɔboaboaa adiyifoɔ no ano wɔ Karmel bepɔ so.
So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
21 Elia dii nnipa no anim kaa sɛ, “Moadwene bɛyɛ ntanta wɔ saa asɛm yi ho akɔsi da bɛn? Sɛ Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a, monni nʼakyi, na sɛ Baal nso yɛ Onyankopɔn a, monni nʼakyi.” Nanso, nnipa no yɛɛ dinn.
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
22 Elia ka kyerɛɛ ɔman no sɛ, “Me nko ara ne Awurade odiyifoɔ a maka, nanso Baal wɔ adiyifoɔ ahanan aduonum.
Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
23 Momma yɛn anantwinini mmienu. Momma wɔnyi mu baako, na wɔntwitwa no asinasini mfa ngu gyenyina so, nsɔ wɔn mu ogya. Nantwinini baako a aka no, mɛyɛ ne ho adwuma, de agu gyenyina so a merento mu ogya.
Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
24 Na mobɛfrɛ mo nyame na me nso mafrɛ Awurade. Onyame a ɔnam ogya so gye so no, ɔno ne Onyankopɔn.” Ɔmanfoɔ no nyinaa penee so.
Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”
25 Elia ka kyerɛɛ Baal adiyifoɔ no sɛ, “Momfa anantwinini no baako, na monni ɛkan nsiesie no, ɛfiri sɛ, mo dɔɔso. Momfrɛ mo nyame a monnto mu ogya.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”
26 Enti, wɔfaa nantwinini a wɔkaa sɛ wɔmfa no no, siesiee no too afɔrebukyia no so. Afei, wɔfrɛɛ Baal, frɛɛ no, frɛɛ no firi anɔpa mu nyinaa sɛ, “Ao, Baal! Tie yɛn oo!” Wɔteateaam saa ara, nanso wɔannya mmuaeɛ biara! Afei wɔde anibereɛ sa faa afɔrebukyia a wɔasi no ho hyiaeɛ.
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.
27 Ɛduruu owigyinaeɛ no, Elia dii wɔn ho fɛ sɛ, “Monteateam den! Ɔyɛ onyame! Ebia, ɔredwene biribi ho dendeenden anaa ɔregye nʼahome, ɔnnyaa adagyeɛ anaa watu ɛkwan. Ebi nso a, wada a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔnyane no.”
At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”
28 Enti, wɔteateaam den, de asekan twitwaa wɔn ho wɔn ho, wowɔɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho pea sɛdeɛ wɔn amanneɛ teɛ, maa mogya pram wɔn.
So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.
29 Owigyinaeɛ no twaa mu mpo no wɔtoaa wɔn nkɔmhyɛ no so, kɔsii anwummerɛ afɔrebɔ berɛ no mu. Nanso, mmuaeɛ biara amma. Wɔante obiara nne na obiara annye wɔn so.
Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 Afei, Elia ka kyerɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no nyinaa sɛ, “Mommra me nkyɛn ha.” Wɔkɔɔ ne nkyɛn, na ɔsiesiee Awurade afɔrebukyia a na abubuo no.
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
31 Elia faa aboɔ dumienu a baako biara gyina hɔ ma Israel abusuakuo baako,
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 na ɔde aboɔ no sane sii Awurade afɔrebukyia no. Na ɔtwaa amena a ne tɛtrɛtɛ bɛyɛ anammɔn mmiɛnsa faa afɔrebukyia no ho hyiaeɛ.
And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 Ɔde nnyensin guu afɔrebukyia no so, twitwaa nantwinini no asinasini guu so. Afei, ɔkaa sɛ, “Monhyɛ pɔre akɛseɛ no nsuo ma ma, na monhwie ngu afɔrebɔdeɛ no ne nnyensin no so.” Wɔyɛɛ deɛ ɔkaeɛ no wieeɛ no,
Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,
34 ɔkaa sɛ, “Monyɛ saa ara bio!” Na wɔyɛɛ saa wieeɛ no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Monyɛ saa ne mprɛnsa so.” Wɔyɛɛ sɛdeɛ ɔkaeɛ no,
and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.
35 maa nsuo no tene faa afɔrebukyia no ho, maa mpo, ɛbu faa amena no so.
So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 Ɛduruu ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ anwummerɛ afɔdeɛ, sɛdeɛ wɔn amanneɛ kyerɛ no, odiyifoɔ Elia kɔɔ afɔrebukyia no so, bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Ao, Awurade, Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Onyankopɔn, kyerɛ ɛnnɛ sɛ woyɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ Israel, na meyɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ. Kyerɛ sɛ, deɛ mereyɛ yi nyinaa firi wo.
At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.
37 Ao, Awurade, tie me! Tie me na saa nnipa yi nyinaa nhunu sɛ, Ao, Awurade, woyɛ Onyankopɔn a woatwe wɔn asane aba wo nkyɛn.”
Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”
38 Nʼano siiɛ pɛ, na ogya a ɛfiri Awurade nkyɛn te firii soro bɛhyee nantwinini ba no, nnyensin no, aboɔ no ne mfuturo no. Mpo, ɛwee amena no mu nsuo no nyinaa.
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
39 Nnipa no hunuiɛ no, wɔde wɔn anim butubutuu fam, teateaam sɛ, “Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn! Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn!”
When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
40 Na Elia hyɛɛ sɛ, “Monkyere Baal adiyifoɔ no nyinaa. Mommma wɔn mu baako koraa nnwane.” Enti, ɔmanfoɔ no kyekyeree wɔn nyinaa. Na Elia de wɔn kɔɔ Kison bɔnhwa mu kɔkunkumm wɔn wɔ hɔ.
Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
41 Elia ka kyerɛɛ Ahab sɛ, “Kɔ na kɔdi aduane pa, ma wo ho ntɔ wo! Na mate sɛ osu kɛseɛ bi rebɛtɔ.”
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
42 Enti, Ahab too ɛpono. Na Elia foro kɔɔ Karmel bepɔ atifi, kɔbutuu fam, bɔɔ mpaeɛ.
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.
43 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ sɛ, “Kɔ na fa wʼani kyerɛ ɛpo so.” Ɔsomfoɔ no kɔ kɔhwɛɛ hɔ, na ɔba bɛka kyerɛɛ Elia sɛ, “Manhunu hwee.” Elia kaa saa kyerɛɛ no mprɛnson sɛ ɔmfa nʼani nkɔkyerɛ hɔ. Ɔno nso kɔɔ mprɛnson.
“Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 Ne mprɛnson so no, ne ɔsomfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Mehunuu omununkum bi a ɛte sɛ onipa abasa a, apue afiri ɛpo no so reforo.” Ɛhɔ ara na Elia teaam sɛ, “Ntɛm! Kɔ Ahab nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛ no. ‘Foro wo teaseɛnam no, na sane kɔ efie. Sɛ woanka wo ho a, osuo no bɛsi wo ɛkwan.’”
On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Ankyɛre biara na osuo munaa tumm. Osuframa bɔeɛ, na osu kɛseɛ tɔeɛ, na ntɛm so, Ahab kɔɔ Yesreel.
Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
46 Afei, Awurade maa Elia ahoɔden sononko bi. Ɔkekaa nʼatadeɛ hyɛɛ nʼabɔsoɔ mu, na ɔdii Ahab teaseɛnam no ɛkan ara kɔsii Yesreel ɛkwan ano.
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
