Syria Attacks Israel
1 King Benhadad of Syria called his army together. He was joined by 32 other kings with their horses and chariots, and together they marched to Samaria and attacked. 2 Benhadad sent a messenger to tell King Ahab of Israel, 3 “Ahab, give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your strongest sons!”
4 “Your Majesty,” Ahab replied, “everything I have is yours, including me.”
5 Later, Benhadad sent another messenger to say to Ahab, “I already told you to give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your children. 6 But tomorrow at this time, I will send my officials into your city to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will take everything else that you own.”
7 Ahab called a meeting with the leaders of Israel and said, “Benhadad is causing real trouble. He told me to give him my wives and children, as well as my silver and gold. And I agreed.”
8 “Don't listen to him!” they answered. “You don't have to do what he says.”
9 So Ahab sent someone to tell Benhadad, “Your Majesty, I'll give you my silver and gold, and even my wives and children. But I won't let you have anything else.”
When Benhadad got his answer, 10 he replied, “I'll completely destroy Samaria! There won't even be enough of it left for my soldiers to carry back in their hands. If I don't do it, I pray that the gods will punish me terribly.”
11 Ahab then answered, “Benhadad, don't brag before the fighting even begins. Wait and see if you live through it.”
12 Meanwhile, Benhadad and the other kings had been drinking in their tents. But when Ahab's reply came, he ordered his soldiers to prepare to attack Samaria, and they all got ready.
13 At that very moment, a prophet ran up to Ahab and said, “You can see that Benhadad's army is very strong. But the Lord has promised to help you defeat them today. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.”
14 “Who will fight the battle?” Ahab asked.
The prophet answered, “The young bodyguards who serve the district officials.”
“But who will lead them into battle?” Ahab asked.
“You will!” the prophet replied.
15 So Ahab called together the 232 young soldiers and the 7,000 troops in Israel's army, and he got them ready to fight the Syrians.
Israel Defeats the Syrians
16-17 At noon, King Ahab and his Israelite army marched out of Samaria, with the young soldiers in front.
King Benhadad of Syria and the 32 kings with him were drunk when the scouts he had sent out ran up to his tent, shouting, “We just now saw soldiers marching out of Samaria!”
18 “Take them alive!” Benhadad ordered. “I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender.”
19 The young soldiers led Israel's troops into battle, 20 and each of them attacked and killed an enemy soldier. The rest of the Syrian army turned and ran, and the Israelites went after them. Benhadad and some others escaped on horses, 21 but Ahab and his soldiers followed them and captured their horses and chariots.
Ahab and Israel's army crushed the Syrians.
22 Later, the prophet went back and warned Ahab, “Benhadad will attack you again next spring. Build up your troops and make sure you have some good plans.”
Syria Attacks Israel Again
23 Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained:
Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.
24 Here's what you should do. First, get rid of those 32 kings and put army commanders in their places. 25 Then get more soldiers, horses, and chariots, so your army will be as strong as it was before. We'll fight Israel's army on flat land and wipe them out.
Benhadad agreed and did what they suggested.
26 In the spring, Benhadad got his army together, and they marched to the town of Aphek to attack Israel. 27 The Israelites also prepared to fight. They marched out to meet the Syrians, and the two armies camped across from each other. The Syrians covered the whole area, but the Israelites looked like two little flocks of goats.
28 The prophet went to Ahab and said, “The Syrians think the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So he has promised to help you defeat their powerful army. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.”
29 For seven days the two armies stayed in their camps, facing each other. Then on the seventh day the fighting broke out, and before sunset the Israelites had killed 100,000 Syrian troops. 30 The rest of the Syrian army ran back to Aphek, but the town wall fell and crushed 27,000 of them.
Benhadad also escaped to Aphek and hid in the back room of a house. 31 His officials said, “Your Majesty, we've heard that Israel's kings keep their agreements. We will wrap sackcloth around our waists, put ropes around our heads, and ask Ahab to let you live.”
32 They dressed in sackcloth and put ropes on their heads, then they went to Ahab and said, “Your servant Benhadad asks you to let him live.”
“Is he still alive?” Ahab asked. “Benhadad is like a brother to me.”
33 Benhadad's officials were trying to figure out what Ahab was thinking, and when he said “brother,” they quickly replied, “You're right! You and Benhadad are like brothers.”
“Go get him,” Ahab said.
When Benhadad came out, Ahab had him climb up into his chariot.
34 Benhadad said, “I'll give back the towns my father took from your father. And you can have shops in Damascus, just as my father had in Samaria.”
Ahab replied, “If you do these things, I'll let you go free.” Then they signed a peace treaty, and Ahab let Benhadad go.
A Prophet Condemns Ahab
35 About this time the Lord commanded a prophet to say to a friend, “Hit me!” But the friend refused, 36 and the prophet told him, “You disobeyed the Lord, and as soon as you walk away, a lion will kill you.” The friend left, and suddenly a lion killed him.
37 The prophet found someone else and said, “Hit me!” So this man beat him up.
38 The prophet left and put a bandage over his face to disguise himself. Then he went and stood beside the road, waiting for Ahab to pass by.
39 When Ahab went by, the prophet shouted, “Your Majesty, right in the heat of battle, someone brought a prisoner to me and told me to guard him. He said if the prisoner got away, I would either be killed or forced to pay 3,000 pieces of silver. 40 But I got busy doing other things, and the prisoner escaped.”
Ahab answered, “You will be punished just as you have said.”
41 The man quickly tore the bandage off his face, and Ahab saw that he was one of the prophets. 42 The prophet said, “The Lord told you to kill Benhadad, but you let him go. Now you will die in his place, and your people will die in place of his people.”
43 Ahab went back to Samaria, angry and depressed.
Ovita pokati kooAhab na Benhadad
1 Benhadad, ombara ya Sirie, wa woronganisa ovimbumba vye avihe vyovita. Eye we rikuta kumwe nozombara zarwe omirongo vitatu na mbari, noukambe nomatemba wawo wovita. Eye wa ya na kakovera otjihuro tja Samaria ne ketjirwisa. 2 Eye wa hinda ovahindwa kotjihuro ku Ahab, ombara ya Israel, 3 okukemutjivisa nai: “Ombara Benhadad wa tja nai: ‘Osilveri nongoldo yoye ovyandje. Ovakazendu voye, imba ovawa tjinene, novanatje voye, imba ovanamasa, owo wina ovandje.’ ”
4 Ahab wa zira a tja: “Raera omuhona wandje, ombara Benhadad, kutja ami mba itavere kembo re. Eye nge ndji ise po owe na avihe mbi mbi na vyo.”
5 Kombunda yanao ovatumwa va Benhadad va kotoka rukwao ku Ahab nave tja nai: “Ami mbe ku hindire ombuze yokutja u ndji pe osilveri nongoldo yoye, novakazendu novanatje voye! 6 Nungwari nambano ami me hindi ovakarere vandje kutja ve hite mondjuwo yoye youhona na mozondjuwo zovakarere voye okupaha nawanawa nokutja ve toore ovihuze ovinanḓengu ngamwa avihe. Owo mave ya mbo mangara moruveze tjingero ndwi muhuka.”
7 Ombara Ahab wa isana ovanane avehe mehi na tja ku wo: “Eṋe mamu munu kutja omurumendu ngwi ma vanga okutunyona. Eye wa hinda ombuze ame ndji ṋiṋikiza kutja mbi mu pe ovakazendu novanatje vandje, nosilveri nongoldo yandje; nami mba itavera.”
8 Nungwari imba ovanane avehe notjiwaṋa atjihe va zira ave tja: “O puratene ku ye; panḓa!”
9 Nu Ahab opa zirira nai kovatumwa va Benhadad: “Karaereye komuhona wandje ombara kutja ami mba itavera komaningiriro we inga omatenga, nungwari hi nokuitavera ko ku inga oyetjavari.”
Imba ovatumwa va yaruka nave twara eziriro ndi ku Benhadad.
10 Benhadad ope mu tjivisira nai na tja: “Ami me eta ovarumendu, mba yenene okuyandeka otjihuro tjoye hi, nokutoora ovitekero vyatjo momake wawo. Oomukuru vovisenginina ngave ndji zepe, ami tji mbi ha tjitire nao.”
11 Ombara Ahab wa zira na tja: “Raera kombara Benhadad kutja omurwe wovita omusemba u rihiva ovita tji vya kapita, nungwari ke rihivi komurungu wavyo.”
12 Benhadad wa zuva eziriro ra Ahab, eye noverikutevakumwe na ye, inḓa ozombara zarwe ngunda ava haama mozondanda zawo pomanwino. Eye wa rakiza kovandu ve kutja ve rirongere okukarwisa otjihuro. Owo arire tji ve rituṋu okukakurama potuveze twawo.
13 Nu mokamanga omuprofete worive otje ya kombara Ahab na tja ku ye: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘O tira otjimbumba otjinene tjovita ho! Ndinondi ami me ku pe outoṋi kombanda yatjo. Nove otji mo tjiwa kutja ami owami ngu mbi ri Muhona.’ ”
14 Ahab wa pura na tja: “Owaṋi ngu ma hongorere otjirwa?”
Omuprofete wa zira a tja: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ovarwe omitanda mbe ri kehi yozongooneya zotukondwa ombu mave hongora.’ ”
Nombara ya pura rukwao nai tja: “Owaṋi ngu ma hongorere otjimbumba tjovita otjinamasa?”
Nomuprofete wa zira nai: “Oove omuini.”
15 Ahab opa tukira ovarwe omitanda mbe ri kehi yovanane ovanene wOtukondwa; avehe kumwe va ri omasere yevari nomirongo vitatu na vevari. Tjazumba otja tuka otjimbumba tjovarwe vOvaisrael, avehe kumwe ovarumendu omayovi hambombari.
16 Otjirwa tja uta mutenya, Benhadad noverikutevakumwe na ye, inḓa ozombara omirongo vitatu na mbari, ngunda ava ṱomavinu mozondanda zawo. 17 Ovarwe omitanda wovita va tenga po okuryama komurungu. Ozohoze, nda hindwa i Benhadad, za kotoka naze serekarere ku ye kutja otjimbumba tjovita tja sekama okuza kOsamaria. 18 Benhadad wa rakiza nai: “Ve kambureye nomuinyo, nangarire kutja mave yendere okurwa poo okuningira ohange.”
19 Ovarwe omitanda va hongorera otjirwa amave kongorerwa i otjimbumba tjOvaisrael tjovita, 20 nu auhe wa zepa omundu nguyave ru kumwe. Ovasirie va tupuka, nOvaisrael ve ve ramba nomasa. Nungwari Benhadad wa tupuka, a kavire kokasinokambe ke ama kongorerwa i ovakavire tjiva. 21 Ombara Ahab wa kumuka, a i mokuti, a kakambura oukambe nomatemba wovita na katjita omanyoneno omanene kOvasirie.
Ovita ovitjavari vyOvasirie
22 Nomuprofete wa ya kombara Ahab na katja nai ku ye: “Twende nu kaworonganise rukwao otjimbumba tjoye tjovita, nu kakengeze nawa, orondu ombara ya Sirie mai ku rwisa rukwao mokuṋi kwombura, ndji mai yende.” 23 Ovahongore ovanene vombara Benhadad va tja nai ku ye: “Oomukuru vOvaisrael oomukuru wozondundu, nOvaisrael opu va za okutuhavera. Nungwari eṱe, tjiri, matu ve havere, tji twe ve rwisire motutjandja. 24 Nambano isa mo inḓa ozombara omirongo vitatu na mbari mounane wazo, nu motuveze twazo twa mo ovahongore ovanene varwe. 25 Woronganisa otjimbumba otjinene tjovita tji tji ṱeki pu imbi ovitenga. Matu rwisire Ovaisrael motutjandja, nu otjikando hi matu ve havere.”
Ombara Benhadad wa itavera na zuu komaronga wawo. 26 Nu mokuṋi kwombura ndja kongorera ndjo, Benhadad wa woronganisa ovarumendu ve na kumuka puna wo kotjihuro Afek okukarwisa Ovaisrael. 27 Ovaisrael wina va tukwa nave rongerisiwa nonguta; owo va kumuka nave katona ozondanda movimbumba vivari ouhunga nOvasirie. Ovaisrael aave munika tjimuna otupanda tuvari otuṱiṱi twozongombo, tji mave sasanekwa nOvasirie mba tandavara mehi arihe.
28 Omuprofete wa ya na katja nai kombara Ahab: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ovasirie tjinga amave tja, ami owami omukuru wozondundu, nu kawami omukuru wotutjandja, ami otji me ku pe outoṋi kombanda yotjimbumba tjawo otjinene tjovita; nove notjiwaṋa tjoye otji mamu tjiwa kutja owami ngu mbi ri Muhona.’ ”
29 Oure womayuva hambombari Ovasirie nOvaisrael va kara mozondanda zawo ava hungamasana. Meyuva oritjahambombari otji va uta okurwa, nOvaisrael va zepa Ovasirie omayovi esere rimwe meyuva rimwe. 30 Nu imba mba hupa va tupuka nave kahita motjihuro Afek; norumbo rwotjihuro rwa wira kovandu omayovi omirongo vivari na hambombari vawo.
Benhadad wina wa tupuka na kahita motjihuro na kaṱara metuwo rondjuwo rokongotwe. 31 Ovahongore ve va ya ku ye nave katja nai: “Twa zuva kutja ozombara zOvaisrael ze notjari. Tu esa tu yende kombara yOvaisrael novipiriko pehuri, nozongoze mozosengo zetu. Ngahino ombara mai yama omuinyo woye.” 32 Owo otji ve rivaranga novipiriko vyawo pehuri, nozongoze mozosengo zawo, nave katja nai kombara Ahab: “Omukarere woye Benhadad we riyarikaṋene omuinyo we kove.”
Ahab wa zira nai: “Eye inga u nomuinyo are? Osemba! Eye u ri otja erumbi randje ku ami.”
33 Ovahongore va Benhadad ave undju otjiraisiro otjiwa; nu Ahab tja tja “erumbi”, owo otji va itavera nave tja: “otja pu mo hee, Benhadad eye erumbi roye!”
Ahab wa rakiza a tja: “Kemueteye ku ami!” Benhadad tje ya, Ahab we mu ṋanga kutja a ronde metemba rovita puna ye. 34 Benhadad wa tja nai ku ye: “Ami me ku kotorere ovihuro tate mbya huura ku iho, nove ritungira orupanda rwomarandero mOdamaskus tjimuna tate tja tjita mOsamaria.”
Nu Ahab wa zira na tja: “Momuano mbwi ami otji me ku kutura.” Eye otja tjita omakutasaneno na ye, ne mu esa kutja a yende.
Omuprofete worive ma pangura Ahab
35 Umwe wotjimbumba tjovaprofete wa tja nai komuprofete omukwao otja Muhona pe mu rakiza: “Ndji tona!” Nungwari omuprofete omukwao ngwi wa panḓa. 36 Neye opa tjera nai: “ove tjinga au ha karere nonḓuviro komarakiza wa Muhona, mo ṱongeyama kamanga tji wa zu pu ami mba.” Nu mokamanga eye tja ya, ongeyama otji ye ya nai mu zepa.
37 Tjazumba omuprofete tjingeye ngwi wa ya nai komurumendu warwe na katja nai: “Ndji tona!” Nomurumendu ngwi wa tjita nao; eye we mu tona tjinene nga tja hara ovirwaro. 38 Omuprofete we rimanga omurungu we nerapi okurihoreka, na kakurama posi yondjira ama undju ombara yOvaisrael tji mai kapita. 39 Ombara tji ya kapita, ingwi omuprofete wa ravaera ku yo na tja: “Muhona ombara, ami mba ri movita; nomurwe wovita worive wa eta omuhuurwa ku ami na tja: ‘Tjevera omurumendu ngwi; eye tja hene, ove mo sutu nomuinyo woye poo mo sutu osilveri yondjinda mangara omayovi yetatu.’ 40 Nungwari ami tji mba ri noviungura vyarwe, ingwi omurumendu otja hena.”
Nombara yOvaisrael ye mu zira nai tja: “Ove omuini wa tjivisa omberero yoye; nove mo i sutu.”
41 Omuprofete wa isa ko erapi nda ri komurungu we, nu kamanga ombara ye mu zemburuka kutja iumwe wovaprofete. 42 Nomuprofete arire tja tja nai kombara: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ove tjinga awa isa omurumendu okuhena ngu mba rakiza kutja nga ṱe, nu otji mo sutu nomuinyo woye, notjiwaṋa tjoye matji nyonwa moruveze rwotjiwaṋa tje.’ ”
43 Ombara ya yaruka koyayo kOsamaria, ai nongendo nomazenge.
