1 Ahemfo 20
1 Yeinom akyi, Aramhene Ben-Hadad boaboaa nʼakodɔm ano, a nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ a wɔyɛ ahemfo aboafoɔ aduasa mmienu dea ka ne ho. Wɔkɔtuaa Israel kuropɔn Samaria, to hyɛɛ so.
And Ben-Hadad king of Syria assembled all his host; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
2 Ben-Hadad somaa abɔfoɔ kɔɔ kuro no mu sɛ wɔnkɔka nkyerɛ ɔhene Ahab sɛ, “Ben-Hadad se,
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said to him, Thus says Ben-Hadad:
3 ‘Mo dwetɛ ne mo sikakɔkɔɔ yɛ me dea. Saa ara na mo yerenom ne mo mma mu papa no nso yɛ me dea.’”
Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, the goodliest, are mine.
4 Ahab buaa sɛ, “Mate, me wura! Deɛ mewɔ nyinaa yɛ wo dea.”
And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
5 Ankyɛre biara Ben-Hadad abɔfoɔ sane baa bio bɛkaa sɛ, “Ben-Hadad se, ‘Maka dada sɛ momfa mo dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, mo yerenom ne mo mma mma me.
And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaks Ben-Hadad saying: I sent to thee indeed, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6 Ɔkyena sɛsɛɛ, mɛsoma me mpanimfoɔ, na wɔabɛhwehwɛ mo ahemfie ne mo nkurɔfoɔ afie. Na biribiara a ɛsom bo ma mo no, wɔbɛfa de akɔ.’”
but to-morrow about this time I will send my servants to thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thy sight, they shall put in their hand and take away.
7 Na Ahab frɛɛ asase no so ntuanofoɔ no nyinaa, ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monhwɛ sɛdeɛ saa ɔbarima yi pɛ sɛ ɔde ɔhaw ba. Mapene so dada sɛ mede me yerenom, me mma, me dwetɛ ne me sikakɔkɔɔ bɛma no.”
And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this [man] seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8 Ntuanofoɔ ne nnipa no nyinaa kaa sɛ, “Sɛ ɔbisaa biribi foforɔ biara bio a, mfa mma no.”
And all the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not, nor consent.
9 Enti, Ahab ka kyerɛɛ abɔfoɔ a wɔfiri Ben-Hadad nkyɛn baeɛ no sɛ, “Monkɔka saa asɛm yi nkyerɛ me wura ɔhene sɛ, ‘Biribiara a ɔbisaa kane no deɛ, mede bɛma no. Na deɛ ɔbisaa no akyire no deɛ, merentumi mfa mma no.’” Enti, Ben-Hadad abɔfoɔ no sane kɔbɔɔ no amaneɛ.
And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do; but this thing I cannot do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10 Na Ben-Hadad soma kɔka kyerɛɛ Ahab sɛ, “Sɛ mansɛe Samaria pasaa, na emu mfuturo dodoɔ bi ka a ɛbɛboro asraafoɔ no mu biara nsabuo ma a, anyame no ntwe mʼaso denden so.”
And Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me!
11 Israelhene nso soma ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔkofoɔ kɛseɛ a ɔrefa nʼakofena akɔ akono, tu ne ho sɛ ɔkofoɔ kɛseɛ a wadi nkonim dada.”
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell [him], Let not him that girdeth on boast himself as he that putteth off!
12 Ahab mmuaeɛ yi duruu Ben-Hadad ne ahemfo a wɔaka no asom ɛberɛ a na wɔrenom nsã wɔ wɔn ntomadan mu. Ɔhyɛɛ ne mmarima no sɛ, “Monsiesie mo ho nkɔko.” Enti, wɔsiesiee wɔn ho sɛ wɔrekɔto ahyɛ kuropɔn no so.
And it came to pass when he heard this word, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the tents, that he said to his servants, Set yourselves. And they set themselves against the city.
13 Na odiyifoɔ bi bɛhunuu ɔhene Ahab ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie, ‘Wohunu saa atamfoɔ dɔm yi? Ɛnnɛ, mede wɔn bɛhyɛ wo nsa. Na wobɛhunu sɛ mene Awurade.’”
And behold, a prophet drew near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.
14 Ahab bisaa sɛ, “Na sɛn na ɔbɛyɛ no?” Na odiyifoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie, ‘Akodɔm asahene a wɔtuatua amansini ano no na wɔbɛyɛ.’” Ahab bisaa sɛ, “Enti, yɛnni ɛkan nto nhyɛ wɔn so?” Odiyifoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Aane.”
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he said, Thou.
15 Enti, Ahab boaboaa ɔmansin no asahene ahanu aduasa mmienu akodɔm ano. Afei, ɔfrɛɛ nʼakodɔm a wɔaka a wɔn dodoɔ yɛ mpem nson no.
And he numbered the servants of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he numbered all the people, all the children of Israel, seven thousand.
16 Ɛbɛyɛ owigyinaeɛ a Ben-Hadad ne nʼapamfoɔ ahemfo aduasa mmienu gu so reboro nsã wɔ wɔn ntomadan mu no,
And they went out at noon; and Ben-Hadad drank himself drunk in the tents, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings that helped him.
17 amansini asahene akodɔm no tuu nten, firii kuro no mu. Wɔrebɛn no, Ben-Hadad akwansrafoɔ ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Akodɔm bi firi Samaria reba.”
And the servants of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-Hadad sent out, and they told him saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
18 Ben-Hadad hyɛɛ sɛ, “Sɛ wɔbaa asomdwoeɛ anaa ɔko so a, monkyere wɔn anikann.”
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19 Nanso, saa ɛberɛ no, na Ahab amansini asahene no adi akodɔm no anim, kɔ ɔko no.
And these servants of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army that followed them.
20 Na Israel ɔsraani biara kumm ne ɔtamfoɔ Aram ɔsraani a ɔne no dii asie. Ɛno enti, amonom hɔ ara, Aram asraafoɔ no bɔɔ hu, dwaneeɛ. Israelfoɔ no taa wɔn, nanso ɔhene Ben-Hadad ne ne nkurɔfoɔ kakra bi deɛ, wɔtenaa apɔnkɔ so dwaneeɛ.
And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen.
21 Nanso wɔsɛee apɔnkɔ ne nteaseɛnam a ɛkaa hɔ no nyinaa, kunkumm Aramfoɔ no.
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 Akyire yi, odiyifoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ Ahab sɛ, “Siesie wo ho ma ɔko foforɔ na Aramhene bɛba osutɔberɛ mu.”
And the prophet drew near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen thyself, and understand, and see what thou shalt do; for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
23 Wɔdii Ben-Hadad so no, ne mpanimfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Israel anyame no yɛ mmepɔ anyame, na ɛno enti na ɛma wɔdii nkonim no. Na sɛ wɔduru tata so a, yɛbɛdi wɔn so nkonim a yɛremmrɛ ho koraa.
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?
24 Deɛ ɛho hia ara ne sɛ, saa ɛberɛ yi, ɛsɛ sɛ wode akono asahene sisi ahemfo no ananmu.
And do this: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
25 Momfa asraafoɔ foforɔ a wɔn dodoɔ te sɛ wɔn a wohweree wɔn no ara. Ma yɛn apɔnkɔ no dodoɔ, nteaseɛnam ne mmarima dodoɔ saa ara, na yɛbɛtumi ne wɔn adi asie wɔ tata so. Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ yɛbɛdi wɔn so.” Enti, ɔhene Ben-Hadad yɛɛ wɔn abisadeɛ maa wɔn.
and number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them on the plateau: shall we not be stronger than they? And he hearkened to their voice, and did so.
26 Na afe so no, ɔfrɛɛ Aram asraafoɔ, tuu nten kɔɔ Israelfoɔ so wɔ Afek sɛ wɔne wɔn rekɔko.
And it came to pass, at the return of the year, that Ben-Hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
27 Israel boaboaa nʼasraafoɔ ano, twaa sa, de wɔn ho hyɛɛ ɔko no mu. Na sɛ wɔde Israel akodɔm no toto Aram akodɔm no dodoɔ a wɔahyɛ hɔ ma no ho a, na Israel akodɔm no dodoɔ te sɛ mmirekyikuo nketewa mmienu bi.
And the children of Israel were numbered and victualled, and they went against them; and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats; but the Syrians filled the land.
28 Onyankopɔn onipa no kɔɔ Israelhene nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Aramfoɔ no aka sɛ, ‘Awurade yɛ mmepɔ Awurade na ɔnyɛ tata so Awurade. Enti, mɛboa wo ma woadi akodɔm buburugyaa yi so. Na ɛbɛma woahunu sɛ, mene Awurade no.’”
And the man of God drew near, and spoke to the king of Israel and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the mountains, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will give all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
29 Asraadɔm mmienu yi bobɔɔ wɔn atenaeɛ, ma ɛdii nhwɛanimu nnanson. Na nnanson so no, ɔko no hyɛɛ aseɛ. Ɛda no ara, Israelfoɔ no kunkumm Aram anammɔntwa asraafoɔ no ɔpeha.
And they encamped one over against the other seven days; and it came to pass that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel smote of the Syrians a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 Nkaeɛ no dwane kɔtɛɛ Afek ɔfasuo akyi, nanso ɔfasuo no bu guu wɔn so, kumm ɔpeduonu nson. Ben-Hadad dwane kɔtɛɛ kɔkoam dan bi mu wɔ kuro no mu.
And the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men of them that were left. And Ben-Hadad fled, and came into the city, [from] chamber to chamber.
31 Ben-Hadad mpanimfoɔ ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Owura, yɛate sɛ Israel ahemfo wɔ ahummɔborɔ. Ɛno enti, momma yɛmfira ayitoma, mfa ahoma mmɔ yɛn ti ase, mfa nkyerɛ ahobrɛaseɛ. Na ebia, ɔhene Ahab bɛma woatena ase.”
And his servants said to him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save thy life.
32 Enti, wɔfirafiraa ayitoma, de nhoma bobɔɔ wɔn ti, kɔɔ Israelhene nkyɛn kɔsrɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ɔsomfoɔ Ben-Hadad se, ‘Mesrɛ wo, ma me ntena nkwa mu.’” Israelhene no bisaa sɛ, “Ɔda so te ase anaa? Ɔyɛ me nuabarima!”
And they girded sackcloth on their loins, and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-Hadad says, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
33 Mmarima no yɛɛ ntɛm sɔɔ anidasoɔ a ɛnni nnyinasoɔ yi mu, buaa sɛ, “Aane, wo nua Ben-Hadad.” Israelhene no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monkɔfa no mmra.” Ɛberɛ a wɔde Ben-Hadad baeɛ no, Ahab ma ɔkɔtenaa ne teaseɛnam mu.
And the men took it as a good omen, and hastened to catch what came from him, and they said, Thy brother Ben-Hadad. ...And he said, Go, bring him. And Ben-Hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34 Ben-Hadad ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Mede nkuro a mʼagya gye firii wʼagya nsam no bɛsane ama wo, na woahyehyɛ adwadie wɔ Damasko, sɛdeɛ mʼagya yɛɛ wɔ Samaria no.” Na Ahab kaa sɛ, “Saa nhyehyɛeɛ yi so na mɛgyina na magyaa wo.” Enti, wɔyɛɛ apam, na wɔgyaa Ben-Hadad.
And [Ben-Hadad] said to him, The cities that my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thyself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. And I [said Ahab] will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35 Ɛberɛ no ara mu, Awurade see adiyifokuo no mu baako sɛ, ɔnka nkyerɛ ɔfoforɔ sɛ, “Fa wʼakodeɛ no bɔ me.” Nanso wanyɛ.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of Jehovah, Smite me, I pray thee. But the man refused to smite him.
36 Na saa odiyifoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ ɔfoforɔ no sɛ, “Sɛ woantie Awurade nne enti, sɛ wofiri ha ara pɛ a, gyata bɛkye wo, akum wo.” Ampa ara, ɔfirii hɔ ara pɛ na gyata kyeree no kumm no.
Then said he to him, Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, behold, when thou departest from me, the lion will slay thee. And when he had departed from him, the lion found him and slew him.
37 Na odiyifoɔ no kɔɔ ɔbarima foforɔ nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa wʼakodeɛ yi bɔ me.” Ɔno deɛ, ɔbɔɔ odiyifoɔ no, piraa no.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him violently, and wounded [him].
38 Odiyifoɔ no twɛn ɔhene no wɔ kwankyɛn a ɔde ntomaban akyekyere nʼani, de pɛɛ sɛ ɔsakyera ne ho.
And the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a sash over his eyes.
39 Ɔhene no retwam no, odiyifoɔ no frɛɛ no sɛ, “Owura, na mewɔ akono na ɔbarima bi de odeduani brɛɛ me. Ɔkaa sɛ, ‘Wɛn saa ɔbarima yi, na sɛ biribi enti ɔdwane a, wɔbɛkum wo anaasɛ wɔbɛbɔ wo ka dwetɛ kilogram aduasa nwɔtwe.’
And as the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me and said, Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
40 Na ɛberɛ a mʼani abere redi dwuma bi no, odeduani no dwaneeɛ. Na ɔhene no kaa sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ wʼankasa wo mfomsoɔ. Wo ara woabu wo ho atɛn.’”
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So [is] thy judgment: thyself hast decided [it].
41 Ɛhɔ ara na odiyifoɔ no sanee ntomaban no firii nʼani, na Israelhene no hunuu no sɛ ɔyɛ adiyifoɔ no mu baako.
Then he hastily took the sash away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him, that he was of the prophets.
42 Na odiyifoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Esiane sɛ woagyaa ɔbarima a mekaa sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum no no enti, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum wo seesei si nʼanan mu. Na anka ɛsɛ sɛ ne nkurɔfoɔ na mokunkum wɔn, na mmom, wo nkurɔfoɔ na wɔbɛkunkum wɔn.”
And he said to him, Thus saith Jehovah: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man that I had devoted to destruction, thy life shall be for his life, and thy people for his people.
43 Enti, Israelhene a ne bo afu ne ho no kɔɔ Samaria.
And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.
