2 Ahemfo 17
1 Ela babarima Hosea hyɛɛ aseɛ dii ɔhene wɔ Israel no, na ɔhene Ahas nso adi ɔhene wɔ Yuda mfirinhyia dumienu. Ɔdii ɔhene wɔ Samaria mfeɛ nkron.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, the reign of Hoshea son of Elah began. He ruled in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
2 Ɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ Awurade ani so, nanso na ne bɔne no nnɔɔso sɛ Israel ahemfo a wɔdii adeɛ ansa na ɔrebɛdi adeɛ no.
He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3 Asiriahene Salmaneser kɔɔ ɔhene Hosea so, kɔdii ne so nkonim enti, ɔhyɛɛ Israel ma wɔtuaa apeatoɔ a emu yɛ duru maa Asiria.
Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his servant and brought him tribute.
4 Afei, ɔhene Hosea bisaa mmoa firii Misraimhene a wɔfrɛ no So nkyɛn, sɛ ɔmmoa no na ɔntete ne ho mfiri Asiriahene tumi ase. Ɔbɔɔ pɔ tiaa Asiriahene. Ɛberɛ a Asiriahene hunuu ɛpɔ bɔne a wabɔ no, ɔkyeree no de no too afiase wɔ nʼatuateɛ ho.
Then the king of Assyria realized that Hoshea had been plotting against him, for Hoshea had sent messengers to So king of Egypt; also, he offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. So the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
5 Na Asiriahene ko faa asasetam no nyinaa, na ɔtuaa Samaria mfeɛ mmiɛnsa.
Then the king of Assyria attacked throughout all the land, and attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years.
6 Akyire yi, ɔhene Hosea ahennie mfeɛ nkron mu no, Samaria hwee ase, ma wɔtwaa Israelfoɔ asuo kɔɔ Asiria. Wɔbɔɔ wɔn atenaseɛ wɔ Halah nkuro wɔ asuo Habor a ɛwɔ Gosan a ɛfra Media nkuropɔn no mu no so.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria. He put them in Halah, at the Habor River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 Saa amanehunu yi baa Israelman so, ɛfiri sɛ, nnipa no somm anyame foforɔ, yɛɛ bɔne tia Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn a ɔyii wɔn firii wɔn nkoasom mu wɔ Misraim.
This captivity happened because the people of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. The people had been worshiping other gods
8 Wɔsuasuaa abosonsom aman nneyɛɛ a enti Awurade pamoo wɔn firii asase a ɛda wɔn anim no so, ne ɔsom a Israel ahemfo de aba no.
and walking in the practices of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel, and in the practices of the kings of Israel that they had done.
9 Na Israelfoɔ no nso nam esum ase, ayɛ nneɛma pii a na ɛnsɔ Awurade wɔn Onyankopɔn ani. Wɔsisii abosonnan maa wɔn ho wɔ wɔn nkuro nyinaa so, ɛfiri wɔn nkuro akɛseɛ a wɔatwa afasuo afa ho, kɔsi nkuraaseɛ.
The people of Israel did secretly—against Yahweh their God—things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress.
10 Wɔsisii afadum kronkron ne Asera afɔrebukyia wɔ kokoɔ biara so ne dua biara a ɛyɛ frɔmm ase.
They also set up stone pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 Wɔhyee nnuhwam wɔ asɔreeɛ hɔ, te sɛ deɛ aman a Awurade apamo wɔn afiri asase a ɛda wɔn anim no so no yɛeɛ pɛ. Enti, Israelfoɔ yɛɛ bɔne bebree hyɛɛ Awurade abufuo.
There they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations had done, those whom Yahweh had carried away before them. The Israelites performed wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
12 Aane, Awurade kɔkɔbɔ pɔtee ne ne ntimu no nyinaa akyi, wɔsomm ahoni.
they worshiped idols, about which Yahweh had said to them, “You will not do this thing.”
13 Awurade somaa nʼadiyifoɔ ne ademuhunufoɔ ntoatoasoɔ ma wɔkɔbɔɔ Israel ne Yuda kɔkɔ sɛ, “Monnane mfiri mo akwammɔne nyinaa ho. Monyɛ ɔsetie mma mʼahyɛdeɛ ne me mmara, deɛ mehyɛɛ mo agyanom sɛ wɔnni so no nyinaa, deɛ menam mʼasomfoɔ adiyifoɔ no so de maa mo no.”
Yet Yahweh had testified to Israel and to Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, and be careful to keep all the law I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 Nanso, Israelfoɔ no antie. Na wɔyɛɛ asoɔden sɛ wɔn agyanom, na wɔannye Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn, anni.
But they would not listen; instead they were very stubborn like their fathers who did not trust in Yahweh their God.
15 Wɔpoo ne mmara ne nʼapam a ɔne wɔn agyanom yɛeɛ no. Na wɔamfa ne kɔkɔbɔ no anyɛ hwee. Wɔsomm abosomhuhuo, ma wɔdanee nnipa teta. Wɔhwɛɛ aman a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no nhwɛsoɔ so, nam so yɛɛ asoɔden maa Awurade nhyɛ a ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔnnsuasua wɔn no.
They rejected his statutes and the covenant that he had made with their ancestors, and the covenant decrees that he had given to them. They followed useless practices and they themselves became useless. They followed the pagan nations who were around them, those that Yahweh had commanded them not to imitate.
16 Wɔantie Awurade wɔn Onyankopɔn nhyɛ no nyinaa, na wɔyɛɛ nantwie mma mmienu ahoni a wɔaguo. Wɔsii Asera afɔrebukyia, somm Baal ne ewiem atumfoɔ nyinaa.
They ignored all the commandments of Yahweh their God. They made cast metal figures of two calves to worship. They made an Asherah pole, and they worshiped all the stars of the heavens and Baal.
17 Na mpo, wɔde wɔn ankasa mmammarima ne wɔn mmammaa bɔɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ ogya mu. Wɔkɔɔ abisa, wɔyɛɛ abayisɛm, nam so tɔn wɔn ho maa bɔne, de hyɛɛ Awurade abufuo.
They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire, they used divination and enchantments, they sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to anger.
18 Na ɛsiane sɛ Awurade bo fuiɛ enti, ɔpepaa wɔn firii nʼanim. Yuda abusuakuo nko ara na ɛkaa wɔn wɔ asase no so.
Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. There was no one left but the tribe of Judah alone.
19 Na mpo, nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda anni Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn, ahyɛdeɛ so. Wɔfaa ɛkwan bɔne a Israel faa so no so.
Even Judah did not keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, and they followed the practices that Israel had done.
20 Ɛno enti, Awurade poo Israel asefoɔ nyinaa. Ɔde wɔn maa wɔn atamfoɔ, nam so twee wɔn aso, kɔsii sɛ wɔsɛee wɔn.
So Yahweh rejected all the descendants of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hand of those who would take the possession as spoil, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 Na ɛberɛ a Awurade tee Israel firii Dawid ahemman ho no, wɔfaa Nebat babarima Yeroboam, de no dii wɔn so ɔhene. Na Yeroboam maa Israelfoɔ gyaee Awurade akyidie, ma wɔyɛɛ bɔne kɛseɛ.
He tore Israel from the royal line of David, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from following Yahweh and made them commit a great sin.
22 Na Israelfoɔ no kɔɔ so nantee Yeroboam akwammɔne no so. Wɔannyae ahonisom ho bɔneyɛ no,
The people of Israel followed all the sins of Jeroboam and they did not depart from them,
23 kɔsii sɛ, ne korakora, Awurade pepaa wɔn firii hɔ, sɛdeɛ nʼadiyifoɔ hyɛɛ ho nkɔm sɛ ɛbɛba no. Enti, wɔtwaa Israel asuo kɔɔ Asiria asase so baabi a wɔte bɛsi ɛnnɛ yi.
so Yahweh removed Israel from his sight, as he had said through all his servants the prophets that he would. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, and it is this way to this present day.
24 Na Asiriahene twee nnipa akuakuo firii Babilonia, Kuta ne Awa, Hamat ne Sefarwaim, de wɔn bɛduaa Samaria nkuro so, ma wɔsii Israelfoɔ ananmu. Enti Asiriafoɔ no faa Samaria ne Israel nkuro a ɛkeka ho no.
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon and from Kuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in place of the people of Israel. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.
25 Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ saa ahɔhoɔ atutenafoɔ yi ansom Awurade ɛberɛ a wɔduruu hɔ ara pɛ no enti, Awurade maa agyata kɔɔ wɔn mu, kɔkunkumm wɔn mu bi.
It happened at the beginning of their residence there that they did not honor Yahweh. So Yahweh sent lions among them which killed some of them.
26 Enti, wɔde nkra kɔmaa Asiriahene sɛ, “Nnipa a woabɔ wɔn atenaseɛ wɔ Israel nkuro so no nnim sɛdeɛ wɔsom asase no so Onyankopɔn. Wasoma agyata akɔ wɔn mu, akɔsɛe wɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔansom no anisɔ mu.”
So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the practices required by the god of the land. So he has sent lions among them, and, see, the lions are killing people there because they do not know the practices required by the god of the land.”
27 Ɛnna Asiriahene nso hyɛɛ sɛ, “Soma asɔfoɔ a wɔatwa wɔn asuo no mu baako firi Samaria, na ɔnsane nkɔ Israel. Ma ɔnkyerɛ ahɔhoɔ no ɛkwan a wɔfa so som asase no so Onyankopɔn.”
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take one of the priests there whom you brought from there, and let him go and live there, and let him teach them the practices required by the god of the land.”
28 Enti, asɔfoɔ a wɔatwa wɔn asuo afiri Samaria no mu baako sane kɔɔ Bet-El, kɔkyerɛɛ ahɔhoɔ no kwan a wɔfa so som Awurade.
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel; he taught them how they should honor Yahweh.
29 Nanso, saa ahɔhoɔ akuakuo ahodoɔ yi kɔɔ so somm wɔn ankasa anyame. Kuro biara a wɔtete mu no, wɔde wɔn ahoni kɔsisii abosonnan a Israelfoɔ no asisi no mu.
Every ethnic group made gods of their own, and put them in the high places that the Samaritans had made—every ethnic group in the cities where they lived.
30 Wɔn a wɔfiri Babilonia no somm wɔn nyame Sukot-Benot ahoni. Wɔn a wɔfiri Kut somm wɔn nyame Nergal. Na wɔn a wɔfiri Hamat somm Asima.
The people of Babylon made Succoth Benoth; the people of Kuthah made Nergal; the people of Hamath made Ashima;
31 Awifoɔ somm wɔn anyame Nibhas ne Tartak. Na mpo, nnipa a ɛfiri Sefarwain hyee wɔn ankasa mma sɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ, de maa Adramelek ne Anamelek.
the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of the Sepharvites.
32 Saa ahɔhoɔ yi somm Awurade deɛ, nanso wɔyii asɔfoɔ bi firii wɔn mu a, na wɔbɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ abosonnan mu.
They also honored Yahweh, and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the temples at the high places.
33 Na wɔsom Awurade deɛ, nanso wɔkɔɔ so faa amanneɛ kwan a wɔn aman a wɔfiri so fa so som no so.
They honored Yahweh and also worshiped their own gods, in the customs of the nations from among whom they had been taken away.
34 Na yei da so kɔ so wɔ wɔn mu de bɛsi ɛnnɛ. Na wɔda so yɛ kane nnebɔne no a anka ɛsɛ sɛ wɔsom Awurade, di ne mmara, ne nkyerɛkyerɛ ne ahyɛdeɛ a ɔde maa Yakob a ɔsesaa ne din ma ɛbɛyɛɛ Israel asefoɔ no so.
To this day they persist in their old customs. They neither honor Yahweh, nor do they follow the statutes, decrees, the law, or the commandments that Yahweh gave to the people of Jacob—whom he named Israel—
35 Nanso, na Awurade ne Yakob asefoɔ ayɛ apam, ahyɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monnsom anyame foforɔ, monnkoto wɔn, na monnsom wɔn, na mommmɔ afɔdeɛ mmma wɔn.
and with whom Yahweh had made a covenant and commanded them, “You will not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor worship them, nor sacrifice to them.
36 Awurade a ɔnam nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ akɛseɛ ne tumi so yii mo firii Misraim no nko ara na monsom no. Ɔno nko ara na ɛsɛ sɛ mosom no, na mokoto no, na mobɔ afɔdeɛ ma no.
But Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and a raised arm, is the one you must honor; it is to him that you will prostrate yourselves, and it is to him that you will sacrifice.
37 Monhwɛ yie, na monni mmara, nkyerɛkyerɛ ne ahyɛdeɛ a ɔtwerɛ maa mo no so. Ɛnsɛ sɛ mosom anyame foforɔ biara.
The statutes and the decrees, the law and the commandments that he wrote for you, you will keep them forever. So you must not fear other gods,
38 Mommma mo werɛ mfiri apam a me ne mo yɛeɛ no, na monnsom anyame foforɔ biara.
and the covenant that I have made with you, you will not forget; neither will you honor other gods.
39 Monsom Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn nko ara. Ɔno na ɔbɛgye mo afiri mo atamfoɔ nyinaa nsam.”
But Yahweh your God is who you will honor. He will rescue you from the might of your enemies.”
40 Nanso, nnipa no antie, kɔɔ so faa wɔn akwan dada no so.
They would not listen, because they continued to do what they had done in the past.
41 Enti, ɛberɛ a ahɔhoɔ yi resom Awurade no, berɛ korɔ no ara mu, na wɔresom wɔn ahoni. Na ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ, wɔn asefoɔ yɛ ade korɔ no ara.
So these nations feared Yahweh and they also worshiped their carved figures, and their children did the same—as did their children's children. They continue to do what their ancestors did, up to this day.
