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.
Beni-Hadadi ye Mansa Ahabu boyinkaŋ
1 Saayiŋ Aramu mansa Beni-Hadadi ye a la kelediŋ kafoolu bee kafu ñoo ma aniŋ mansa taŋ saba niŋ fula niŋ ì la suwoolu niŋ keleraŋ sareetoolu*. A wulita ka taa Samariya kamma, aduŋ ì ye jee suki ka a boyinkaŋ. 2 A ye kiilaalu kii saatewo kono ka taa Ahabu kaŋ, Banisirayila mansa, ka a fo ko, “Beni-Hadadi ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, 3 i la kodiforoo niŋ sanoo, aniŋ i la musu ñiimaalu niŋ i diŋ kendoolu bee mu ate le taa ti.”
4 Bituŋ Mansa Ahabu ye kiilaalu jaabi ka a fo ì ye ko, “Komeŋ ali ye a fo ñaameŋ, ali a fo m maarii Mansa Beni-Hadadi ye ko, nte niŋ n na feŋolu bee mu ate le taa ti.”
5 Wo koolaa Beni-Hadadi ye kiilaalu murundi Ahabu kaŋ ka a fo a ye ko, “Beni-Hadadi ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, a ye kiilaalu kii le nuŋ ka i la kodiforoo niŋ sanoo kaniŋ, aniŋ i la musoolu niŋ i diŋolu. 6 Bari saama ñiŋ ñoŋ waatoo a be a la dookuulaalu kii la naŋ ne, aduŋ ì be i la mansasuwo kono kisikisi la, aniŋ i la dookuulaalu la buŋolu kono. Feŋ-wo-feŋ kummaayaata ì ñaa koto, ì be wo bee ñapinkaŋ na le ì ye a taa.”
7 Bituŋ Mansa Ahabu ye bankoo alifaalu bee kumandi, a ko ì ye ko, “Ali a juubee, ñiŋ kewo ka nambara kuwo ñini n ye ñaameŋ! A ye n na musoolu niŋ n diŋolu kaniŋ ne, n na kodiforoo niŋ sanoo, aduŋ m maŋ balaŋ a ma.”
8 Bituŋ alifaalu niŋ moolu bee ye a jaabi ko, “Kana a danku, aduŋ i kana soŋ a la kanindiroo la.”
9 Bituŋ Mansa Ahabu ye kiilaalu murundi Beni-Hadadi kaŋ ka a fo a ye ko, “I ye kiilaa foloolu niŋ kumoo meŋ kii n sonta wo la le, bari ñiŋ fulanjaŋo i ye meŋ lafaa a kaŋ, m maŋ soŋ wo la.” Ì taata, aduŋ ì ye ñiŋ jaabiroo sindi Beni-Hadadi ma.
10 Bituŋ Beni-Hadadi ye kumakaŋ doo kii Ahabu kaŋ ka a fo a ye ko, “Allamaa alloolu ye kuu jawu baa laa n kaŋ niŋ a ye a tara too tuta Samariya saatewo tumbuŋ noo to meŋ si n na kewolu bee buloo faa.”
11 Bituŋ Banisirayila mansa ye Beni-Hadadi jaabi ko, “Moo meŋ be a la keleraŋ feŋolu duŋ kaŋ ka taa keloo la, wo maŋ ñaŋ na kibiri la komeŋ moo meŋ taata keloo la, fo a naata a be i wura kaŋ.”
12 Ñiŋ kumoo futata Beni-Hadadi ma waatoo meŋ na, a ye a tara le a niŋ wo mansa taŋ saba niŋ fuloo be ì la dolo mindulaa jembereŋolu koto, ì be dolomiŋo la. Bituŋ a ko a la kewolu ye ko, “Ali paree ka keloo dati.” Wo to le ì pareeta ka keloo boyi saatewo ñiŋ kaŋ.
Ahabu ye Beni-Hadadi noo
13 Saayiŋ annabiyomoo doo naata taa Banisirayila mansa Ahabu kaŋ. A ko a ye ko, “Yaawe* ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, ‘Kana sila! I ye ñiŋ kelediŋ kafu baa meŋ je, m be ì duŋ na i buloo kono le bii, aduŋ i si a loŋ ko nte le mu Yaawe ti.’ ”
14 Ahabu ye annabiyomoo ñininkaa ka a fo a ye ko, “Ñiŋ kuwo be taamandi la ka bo niŋ jumaa le la?” Annabiyomoo ye a jaabi ko, “Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko kelediŋ fondinkewolu mennu be kumandaŋ banku kuntiyolu koto, wolu le be a ke la.”
Bituŋ Ahabu ye a ñininkaa ko, “Jumaa le be tambi la ñaato ka keloo dati?”
Annabiyomoo ko a ye ko, “Ite faŋo.” 15 Wo le to Ahabu ye kelediŋ fondinkewolu kumandi, mennu yaatewo mu kee keme fula aniŋ taŋ saba niŋ fula ti. Bituŋ a ye Banisirayila kelediŋ toomaalu bee bendi mennu yaatewo taata kaañaŋ wuli woorowula fee.
16 Ì wulita tilibuloo waatoo ka taa, wo tumoo Beni-Hadadi niŋ mansa taŋ saba niŋ fuloo mennu be laariŋ ñoo kaŋ be ì la dolo mindulaa jembereŋolu koto dolomiŋ baa la. 17 Kelediŋ fondinkewolu le foloo fintita ka tambi ñaato. Wo to le Beni-Hadadi la kelediŋ kantarilaalu ye ì je. Bituŋ ì taata kumoo ñiŋ sindi Beni-Hadadi ma, ì ko a ye ko, “Ŋà kelediŋolu je le, ì ka naa ka bo naŋ Samariya saatewo kono.” 18 A ko ì ye ko, “Niŋ a ye a tara ì ka naa kayira kuwo le la, ali ì kende muta, aduŋ niŋ ì ka naa keloo le la fanaa, ali ì kende muta.”
19 Bituŋ Banisirayila kelediŋ fondinkewolu bulata ñoo nooma ka finti naŋ saatewo ñiŋ kono, aduŋ kelediŋ kafoo tarata ì nooma. 20 Bituŋ meŋ-wo-meŋ ye a jawu kiliŋ muta ka a faa. Wo to le Aramunkoolu borita, aduŋ Banisirayilankoolu ye ì bayindi. Beni-Hadadi borita a seleta suwoo kaŋ, aduŋ a kanata, a niŋ a la suuborindilaa kelediŋo doolu. 21 Banisirayila mansa la nooroo kafuta, aduŋ ì ye Aramunkoolu faa baake, aniŋ ì ye ì la suwoolu niŋ keleraŋ sareetoolu muta.
22 Ñiŋ kuwo koolaa, annabiyomoo ñiŋ naata Ahabu kaŋ, a ko a ye ko, “I si feeroolu dadaa kuuke, i ye i la kelediŋolu kafu ñoo ma ka ì bambandi. Kaatu sanji foloo waatoo Aramu mansa be wuli la le ka naa boyi i kaŋ kotenke.”
23 Bituŋ ñiŋ kuwo koolaa, Aramu mansa Beni-Hadadi la mansakundaa alifaalu naata ka a yaamari. Ì ko a ye ko, “Banisirayilankoolu la jalaŋolu mu konko kaŋ jalaŋolu le ti. Wo le ye a tinna ì ye ǹ noo keloo la. Bari niŋ ŋà ì kele kene fanuŋo kono, a koyita le ko m̀ be ì noo la le. 24 Saayiŋ mansoolu bee bondi ì la kelediŋ kuntiiyaa palaasoo to, i ye kuntii doolu seyi ì noo to. 25 I foota kelediŋolu mennu la keledulaa, i si wo ñoŋ kelediŋ kafoo loo kotenke, ka taa suwoolu niŋ keleraŋ sareetoolu. Bituŋ ǹ si naa Banisirayilankoolu kele kene fanuŋo kono. Niŋ wo keta, m̀ be ì noo la keloo la le.” Bituŋ a ye ì la yaamaroo muta, aduŋ a ye wo le ke.
26 Sanji foloo waatoo la, Mansa Beni-Hadadi ye Aramunkoolu bendi, bituŋ ì taata Afeki ka Banisirayilankoolu kele. 27 Bituŋ Banisirayilankoolu fanaa benta, aduŋ ì ye feŋolu dii ì la ì suulata mennu la. Wo le to ì fintita ì niŋ ì benta. Banisirayilankoolu niŋ ì ye ì ñaa tiliŋ ñoo la. Banisirayila kelediŋolu ka munta le ko baa kooreeriŋ fula, bari Aramu kelediŋolu jurumoo tarata siyaariŋ kenoo karoo bee le la.
28 Wo to le annabiyomoo naata, a ko Banisirayila mansa ye ko, “Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, baawo Aramunkoolu ye a miira le ko ate mu konko kaŋ jalaŋo le ti, aduŋ a maŋ ke kene fanuŋ jalaŋo ti, wo to a be ì la kelediŋ kafu baa duŋ na ali bulu le, aduŋ ali be a loŋ na le ko ate le mu Yaawe ti.” 29 Bituŋ ì tarata daakaariŋ ka ì ñaa tiliŋ ñoo la fo tili woorowula, aduŋ tili woorowulanjaŋo, ì ye keloo wulindi ñoo kamma. Banisirayilankoolu ye Aramunkoolu la sinna kelediŋ wuli keme le faa tili kiliŋo kono. 30 Bituŋ toomaalu borita ka taa Afeki saatewo to, aduŋ jee to tata sansaŋo boyita ì moo wuli muwaŋ niŋ woorowula le fee. Bituŋ Beni-Hadadi fanaa borita a dunta tatoo kono ka maabo konoto buŋo kono.
31 Wo le to Beni-Hadadi la mansakundaa alifaalu ko a ye ko, “Ŋà a moyi le ko Banisirayilankoolu la mansoolu balafaa warata le. M̀ bula ŋà booto funtoolu duŋ ǹ tewolu la aniŋ ŋà juloolu bula ǹ kaŋo la, ŋà taa m̀ faŋ seyi Banisirayila mansa ma. Tumandoo a be i tu la jee le, aduŋ a te i faa la.”
32 Ì ye booto funtoolu duŋ ì tewolu la, aniŋ ì ye juloolu bula ì faŋolu kaŋo la. Ì taata Mansa Ahabu kaŋ, ì ko a ye ko, “I la dookuulaa Beni-Hadadi ko i ye yamfa a ye, i kana a faa.” Mansa Ahabu ko ì ye ko, “Fo a be baluuriŋ ne baŋ? Nte baadiŋo le mu a ti.” 33 Bari Mansa Beni-Hadadi la dookuulaalu tarata ì tuloolu loo kaŋ ne fo ì be kumakaŋ moyi la Ahabu daa, meŋ si a yitandi ì la ko a te Beni-Hadadi faa la. Ì tariyaata ka wo kumoo muta a daa, ì ko a ye ko, “Haa, Beni-Hadadi mu i baadiŋo le ti.” Wo to le a ko ì ye ko, “Ali taa a kamma naŋ.” Kabiriŋ Beni-Hadadi naata, Ahabu ye a selendi a faŋo fee a la keleraŋ sareetoo kaŋ.
34 Bituŋ Beni-Hadadi ko Mansa Ahabu ye ko, “M be saatewolu bee murundi la i kaŋ ne m faamaa ye mennu muta i faamaa bulu. Aduŋ i si safaari dulaalu loo i faŋo ye Damasiku saatewo kono, komeŋ m faamaa ye a ke Samariya saatewo kono ñaameŋ.” Bituŋ Ahabu ko a ye ko, “Niŋ i sonta wo la, wo koolaa le m be i bula la i ye taa.” Bituŋ a niŋ a ye kambeŋo siti, aduŋ a naata a bula a taata.
Annabiyomoo ye Ahabu jalayi
35 Bituŋ Yaawe la kumoo kaŋ, annabiyomoo meŋ bota annabiyomu kafoo kono, ko a mooñoo ye ko, “M busa i la dokoo la, dukaree.” Bari a balanta, a maŋ soŋ ka a busa. 36 Wo to le a ko a ye ko, “Baawo i balanta Yaawe la yaamaroo la, i be bo la jaŋ doroŋ, jatoo be i faa la.” Bituŋ kabiriŋ a bota jee a be taa siloo kaŋ doroŋ jatoo ñapita a kaŋ a ye a faa.
37 Bituŋ ate wo annabiyomu kiliŋo taata, a ye kee doo je. A ko a ye ko, “Dukaree, m busa.” Bituŋ wo ye a busa teŋ ne, aduŋ a ye a barama a ñaadaa to. 38 Wo le to annabiyomoo ñiŋ ye funtoo taa a ye a miniŋ a faŋo ñaadaa la ka a faŋo muluŋo filindi. A taata loo sila daala ka mansa batu. 39 Bituŋ kabiriŋ mansa be tambi kaŋ a ko a ye ko, “M maarii mansa, nte mu i la dookuulaa le ti, aduŋ n tarata nuŋ keledulaa le, wo tumoo keloo be kandiriŋ. Moo doo le ye moo kiliŋ muta ǹ jawoolu kono, aduŋ a ye a samba naŋ a ko n ye ko, ‘Ñiŋ kewo kanta, a kana kana. Niŋ a kanata, i niyo niŋ a niyo le be laariŋ, waraŋ niŋ wo nte i be kodiforo kuntoo kilo taŋ saba niŋ naani le joo la.’ 40 Bituŋ n tarata a kunna ka a kanta, bari n naata tara kuu doolu kunna fo n hakiloo bota a la, a kanata.” Wo to le mansa ko a ye ko, “Ite ye i faŋo la boyidaa le yitandi, aniŋ kiitiyo meŋ ñanta laa la i kaŋ.”
41 Wo loodulaa to, annabiyomoo ye funtoo bondi a ñaadaa kaŋ, mansa naata a suutee ko, annabiyomoo le mu meŋ bota annabiyomu kafoo kono. 42 Bituŋ annabiyomoo ñiŋ ko mansa ye ko, “Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, baawo ite ye kewo ñiŋ bula le a ko i si meŋ faa, wo kamma la i be faa la a noo to le, aduŋ i la moolu be faa la a la moolu noo to le.” 43 Bituŋ mansa seyita a la suwo kono Samariya saatewo kono, a niikuyaatoo niŋ a kamfaariŋo.
