2 Ahemfo 11
1 Ɛberɛ a Yudahene Ahasia, ne maame Atalia tee sɛ ne babarima no awuo no, ɔkɔeɛ 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 nuabaa Yehoseba a na ɔyɛ ɔhene Yehoram babaa no faa Ahasia ba abarimaa ketewa Yoas, yii no firii ɔhene no mma a anka wɔrebɛkunkum wɔn no mu. Yehoseba de Yoas ne ne bagyegyefoɔ kɔhintaa pia bi mu, sɛdeɛ Atalia renhunu no. Ɛno enti, wɔannya abɔfra 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 deɛ ɔgyegye no no hintaaeɛ, wɔ Awurade asɔredan mu mfeɛ nsia, ɛberɛ a na Atalia di ɔhene wɔ asase 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 adedie mfeɛ nson mu no, ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada soma ma wɔkɔfaa Karifoɔ asraafoɔ apaafoɔ ne awɛmfoɔ baa Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ. Ɔne wɔn yɛɛ nhyehyɛeɛ, na ɔma wɔkaa ntam sɛ wɔbɛdi nokorɛ 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 sɛ, “Deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ nie. Mo mu nkyɛmu mmiɛnsa mu baako a moyɛ adwuma homeda no bɛwɛn ahemfie 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 mmiɛnsa mu baako nso, nnwɛn wɔ Sur ɛpono no ano. Na nkyɛmu mmiɛnsa mu baako a aka no nso, bɛwɛn ahemfie no akyi. Saa akuo mmiɛnsa yi nyinaa bɛwɛn ahemfie no.
Another group must guard at the Sur Gate. The other group must guard at the gate behind the other groups.
7 Akuo mmienu a wɔamma adwuma homeda no nso bɛwɛn ama ɔhene no wɔ Awurade asɔredan mu.
The two groups that are not working on the Sabbath day must guard the temple [to protect little King Joash].
8 Mobɛyɛ ɔhene ho awɛmfoɔ kuo, a mokurakura mo akodeɛ. Onipa biara a wɔmmaa no kwan a ɔbɛbɛn mo no, monkum no. Ɛberɛ 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 ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada hyɛɛ sɛ wɔnyɛ no so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Asahene no faa asraafoɔ a wɔbaa adwuma homeda no ne wɔn a wɔakɔ adwuma da no no. Wɔde wɔn nyinaa baa ɔsɔfoɔ 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 mpea ne akyɛm a na berɛ bi ɛyɛ ɔhene Dawid dea a na wɔakora no 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 Awɛmfoɔ no gyinagyinaa ɔhene no ho hyiaeɛ a wɔkurakura wɔn akodeɛ. Wɔsaa so tee firii asɔredan no anafoɔ fam, de kɔfaa atifi fam, ne afɔrebukyia 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 pueeɛ, hyɛɛ no ahenkyɛ. Ɔmaa Yoas Onyankopɔn apam no nhwɛsoɔ no bi, sii no ɔhene. Wɔsraa no, na nnipa no nyinaa bɔɔ wɔn nsam, teateaam sɛ, “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 awɛmfoɔ no ne nnipa no reyɛ no, ɔyɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Awurade asɔredan mu hɔ, kɔhwɛɛ deɛ 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 Ɔhunuu sɛ ɔhene foforɔ no gyina beaeɛ bi a ɛkyerɛ ne tumi wɔ afadum no ho, sɛdeɛ amanneɛ kyerɛ wɔ ahensie mu no. Na mpanimfoɔ ne totorobɛntohyɛnfoɔ atwa ne ho ahyia. Na nnipa a wɔfiri asase no so afanan nyinaa redi ahurisie rehyɛn totorobɛnto. Ɛberɛ a Atalia hunuu yeinom nyinaa no, ɔde ahometeɛ sunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu teateaam sɛ, “Amammɔeɛsɛm! Amammɔeɛsɛm!”
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 ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada hyɛɛ asafohene a wɔhwɛ nsraadɔm no so no sɛ, “Momfa no mfiri asɔredan mu ha, na monkum obiara a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔgye no. Monnkum 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, wɔkyeree no de no puee ɛpono no ano wɔ baabi a apɔnkɔ fa ba ahemfie hɔ no, kumm 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 yɛɛ apam de too Awurade ne ɔhene ne nnipa no ntam sɛ, wɔbɛyɛ Awurade nkurɔfoɔ. Ɔsane 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, kɔbubu guu fam. Wɔbubuu afɔrebukyia ne ahoni ahodoɔ nyinaa no asinasini, kumm Baal ɔbosomfoɔ Matan nso wɔ afɔrebukyia no anim. Ɔsɔfoɔ Yehoiada maa awɛmfoɔ wɛnee 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, Karifoɔ asraafoɔ apaafoɔ, awɛmfoɔ no ne nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so nyinaa dii ɔhene no akyi, de no pue firii Awurade asɔredan no mu. Wɔfaa awɛmfoɔ no ɛpono no ano, kɔɔ ahemfie hɔ, na ɔhene no kɔtenaa ahennwa 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 ahurisie, na asomdwoeɛ baa kuropɔn no mu, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔakum Atalia wɔ ahemfie.
All the people of Judah rejoiced. And because Athaliah had been killed, the city was quiet/calm.
21 Yoas bɛdii adeɛ no, na wadi mfirinhyia nson.
Joash was seven years old when he became the king [of Judah].
