Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
1Ben-Hadad brought his whole army together. He was king of Aram. He went up to Samaria. He took 32 kings and their horses and chariots with him. All of them surrounded Samaria and attacked it. 2Ben-Hadad sent messengers into the city. They spoke to Ahab, the king of Israel. They told him, “Ben-Hadad says, 3‘Your silver and gold belong to me. The best of your wives and children also belong to me.’ ”
4The king of Israel replied, “What you say is true. You are my king and master. I belong to you. And everything I have belongs to you.”
5The messengers came again. They told Ahab, “Ben-Hadad says, ‘I commanded you to give me your silver and gold. I also commanded you to give me your wives and children. 6But now I’m going to send my officials to you. They will come about this time tomorrow. They’ll search your palace. They’ll search the houses of your officials. They’ll take everything you value. And they’ll carry it all away.’ ”
7The king of Israel sent for all the elders of the land. He said to them, “This man is really looking for trouble! He sent for my wives and children. He sent for my silver and gold. And I agreed to give them to him.”
8All the elders and people answered, “Don’t listen to him. Don’t agree to give him what he wants.”
9So Ahab replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers. He said, “Tell my king and master, ‘I will do everything you commanded me to do the first time. But this time, I can’t do what you want me to do.’ ” They took Ahab’s answer back to Ben-Hadad.
10Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab. Ben-Hadad said, “There won’t be enough dust left in Samaria to give each of my followers even a handful. If there is, may the gods punish me greatly.”
11The king of Israel replied. He said, “Tell him, ‘Someone who puts his armor on shouldn’t brag like someone who takes it off.’ ”
12Ben-Hadad and the kings were in their tents drinking. That’s when he heard the message. He ordered his men, “Get ready to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.
Ahab Wins the Battle Over Ben-Hadad
13During that time a prophet came to Ahab, the king of Israel. He announced, “The Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
14“But who will do it?” Ahab asked.
The prophet answered, “The Lord says, ‘The junior officers who are under the area commanders will do it.’ ”
“And who will start the battle?” Ahab asked.
The prophet answered, “You will.”
15So Ahab sent for the junior officers who were under the area commanders. The total number of officers was 232. Ahab gathered together the rest of the Israelites. The total number of them was 7,000. 16They started out at noon. At that time Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings helping him were in their tents. They were getting drunk. 17The junior officers who were under Ahab’s area commanders marched out first.
Ben-Hadad had sent out scouts. They came back and reported, “Men are marching against us from Samaria.”
18Ben-Hadad said, “They might be coming to make peace. If they are, take them alive. Or they might be coming to make war. If they are, take them alive.”
19The junior officers marched out of the city. The army was right behind them. 20Each man struck down the one fighting against him. When that happened, the army of Aram ran away. The Israelites chased them. But Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, escaped on a horse. Some of his horsemen escaped with him. 21The king of Israel attacked them. He overpowered the horses and chariots. Large numbers of the men of Aram were wounded or killed.
22After that, the prophet came to the king of Israel again. The prophet said, “Make your position stronger. Do what needs to be done. Next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.”
23During that time, the officials of the king of Aram gave him advice. They said, “The gods of Israel are gods of the hills. That’s why they were too strong for us. But suppose we fight them on the plains. Then we’ll certainly be stronger than they are. 24Here’s what you should do. Don’t let any of the kings continue as military leaders. Have other officers take their places. 25You must also put another army together. It should be just like the one you lost. It should have the same number of horses and chariots. Then we’ll be able to fight against Israel on the plains. And we’ll certainly be stronger than they are.” Ben-Hadad agreed with their advice. He did what they suggested.
26The next spring Ben-Hadad brought together the men of Aram. They went up to the city of Aphek to fight against Israel. 27The Israelites were also brought together. They were given supplies. They marched out to fight against their enemies. Israel’s army camped across from Aram’s army. The Israelites looked like two small flocks of goats that had become separated from the others. But the men of Aram covered the countryside.
28The man of God came up to the king of Israel again. He told him, “The Lord says, ‘The men of Aram think the Lord is a god of the hills. They do not think he is a god of the valleys. So I, the Lord, will hand their huge army over to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
29For seven days the two armies camped across from each other. On the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites wounded or killed 100,000 Aramean soldiers who were on foot. That happened in a single day. 30The rest of the men of Aram escaped to the city of Aphek. Its wall fell down on 27,000 of them. Ben-Hadad ran to the city. He hid in a secret room.
31His officials said to him, “Look, we’ve heard that the kings of Israel often show mercy. So let’s go to the king of Israel. Let’s wear the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. Let’s tie ropes around our heads. Perhaps Ahab will spare your life.”
32So they wore rough clothing. They tied ropes around their heads. Then they went to the king of Israel. They told him, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ”
The king answered, “Is he still alive? He used to be my friend.”
33The men thought that was good news. So they quickly used the word Ahab had used. “Yes! Your friend Ben-Hadad!” they said.
“Go and get him,” the king said. Ben-Hadad came out of the secret room. Then Ahab had him get into his chariot.
34“I’ll return the cities my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad offered. “You can set up your own market areas in Damascus. That’s what my father did in Samaria.”
Ahab said, “If we sign a peace treaty, I’ll set you free.” So Ben-Hadad made a treaty with him. Then Ahab let him go.
A Prophet Accuses Ahab
35There was a group of people called the group of the prophets. A message from the Lord came to one of their members. He said to his companion, “Strike me down with your weapon.” But he wouldn’t do it.
36The prophet said, “You haven’t obeyed the Lord. So as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” The companion went away. And a lion found him and killed him.
37The prophet found another man. He said, “Please strike me down.” So the man struck him down and wounded him. 38Then the prophet went and stood by the road. He waited for the king to come by. He pulled his headband down over his eyes so no one would recognize him. 39The king passed by. Then the prophet called out to him. He said, “I went into the middle of the battle. Someone came to me with a prisoner. He said, ‘Guard this man. Don’t let him get away. If he does, you will pay for his life with yours. Or you can pay 75 pounds of silver.’ 40While I was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”
The king of Israel spoke to him. He told him, “What you’ve just said is what will happen to you.”
41Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42He told the king, “The Lord says, ‘You have set a man free. But I had said he should be set apart to the Lord in a special way to be destroyed. So you must pay for his life with yours. You must pay for his people’s lives with the lives of your people.’ ” 43The king of Israel was angry. He was in a bad mood. He went back to his palace in Samaria.
Benikadadi Alumba Samaliya
120:1 1Bk 15:18; 22:31; 2Bk 6:24Awo Benikadadi kabaka w’e Busuuli n’akuŋŋaanya eggye lye lyonna wamu ne bakabaka amakumi asatu mu babiri n’embalaasi n’amagaali gaabwe, bonna ne bambuka okuzingiza Samaliya n’okulwana nakyo. 2N’atuma ababaka mu kibuga eri Akabu kabaka wa Isirayiri ng’agamba nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Benikadadi nti, 3‘Effeeza yo ne zaabu yo byange ate era ne bakyala bo abasinga obulungi n’abaana bo nabo bange.’ ”
4Kabaka wa Isirayiri n’addamu nti, “Nga bw’ogambye, mukama wange kabaka, nze ne bye nnina byonna bibyo.” 5Ababaka ne baddayo ewa Akabu nate ne bamugamba nti, “Kino Benikadadi ky’agamba nti, ‘Natuma nga njagala ffeeza yo ne zaabu yo, n’abakyala bo n’abaana bo. 6Naye olunaku lw’enkya essaawa nga zino nzija kuweereza abakungu bange banoonyeemu mu lubiri lwo ne mu nnyumba z’abakungu bo, era bajja kutwala ebibyo byonna eby’omuwendo.’ ”
720:7 2Bk 5:7Awo kabaka wa Isirayiri n’ayita abakadde bonna ab’ensi, n’abagamba nti, “Mulabe omusajja ono bw’anoonya emitawaana! Bwe yatumya bakyala bange n’abaana bange wamu ne ffeeza yange ne zaabu yange, sabimumma.”
8Abakadde n’abantu bonna ne bamuddamu nti, “Tomuwuliriza wadde okukkiriziganya naye.”
9Awo kabaka n’addamu ababaka ba Benikadadi nti, “Mutegeeze mukama wange kabaka nti, ‘Omuddu wo nzija kukola byonna bye walagidde ku ntandikwa, naye kino eky’oluvannyuma siyinza kukikola.’ ”
1020:10 2Sa 22:43; 1Bk 19:2Awo Benikadadi n’aweereza obubaka obulala eri Akabu nti, “Bakatonda bankole bwe batyo n’okukirawo, enfuufu ya Samaliya bwe teebune mu bibatu by’abasajja bonna abangoberera.”
1120:11 Nge 27:1; Yer 9:23Kabaka wa Isirayiri n’amuddamu nti, “Mumugambe nti, ‘Eyeesiba ebyokulwanyisa aleme okwenyumiriza ng’oyo abyesumulula.’ ”
1220:12 nny 16; 1Bk 16:9Benikadadi bwe yawulira obubaka obwo, ng’ali mu kutamiira ne bakabaka abalala mu weema zaabwe, n’alagira abasajja be nti, “Mweteeketeeke okulumba.” Ne beeteekateeka okulumba ekibuga.
Akabu Awangula Benikadadi
1320:13 nny 28; Kuv 6:7Mu kiseera ekyo ne wabaawo nnabbi eyajja eri Akabu kabaka wa Isirayiri n’alangirira nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Olaba eggye lino eddene? Nzija kulikuwa mu mukono gwo leero, otegeere nga nze Mukama.’ ”
1420:14 Bal 1:1Akabu n’abuuza nti, “Anakikola atya?” Nnabbi n’addamu nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Abavubuka bo ab’abaduumizi b’amasaza, bajja kukubeera.’ ”
Akabu ne yeeyongera okubuuza nti, “Ani anasooka okulumba?”
Nnabbi n’addamu nti, “Ggwe.”
15Awo Akabu n’ayita abavubuka ab’abaduumizi b’amasaza, ne bawera ebikumi bibiri mu asatu mu babiri (232). Era n’akuŋŋaanya ne Isirayiri yenna, bonna awamu ne baba kasanvu (7,000). 1620:16 nny 12; 1Bk 16:9Ne batabaala mu ttuntu nga Benikadadi ne bakabaka amakumi asatu mu ababiri be yali alagaanye nabo bali mu kutamiira. 17Abavubuka b’abaduumizi b’amasaza be baasooka okulumba.
Naye Benikadadi yali atumye ababaka okuketta, ne bamutegeeza nti, “Waliwo abasajja abajja nga bava Samaliya.”
18N’ayogera nti, “Bwe baba bazze na mirembe, mubawambe, ne bwe baba nga baze ku lutalo, era mubawambe.” 19Abavubuka b’abaduumizi b’amasaza ne bafuluma ne balumba okuva mu kibuga, nga n’eggye libagoberera. 20Buli omu ku bo n’atta gwe yayolekera. Abasuuli ne badduka, nga n’Abayisirayiri bwe babagoba, naye Benikadadi kabaka w’e Busuuli n’awonera ku mbalaasi n’abamu ku basajjabe abeebagala embalaasi. 21Awo kabaka wa Isirayiri n’abagobera ddala era n’awamba embalaasi n’amagaali, era Abasuuli bangi ne bafa.
2220:22 a nny 13 b nny 26; 2Sa 11:1Awo ebyo nga biwedde, nnabbi n’agenda eri kabaka wa Isirayiri n’amugamba nti, “Weenyweze, olabe ekiteekwa okukolebwa, kubanga omwaka ogunaddirira kabaka w’e Busuuli ajja kukulumba nate.” 2320:23 1Bk 14:23; Bar 1:21-23Mu kiseera ekyo, abakungu ba kabaka w’e Busuuli ne bamuwa amagezi nti, “Bakatonda b’Abayisirayiri bakatonda ba nsozi, era kyebavudde batusinza amaanyi. Naye bwe tunaabalwanyisizza mu lusenyi, mazima ddala tunaabasinza amaanyi. 24Kola bw’oti, ggyawo bakabaka bonna mu bifo byabwe eby’okuduumira, osseewo abaduumizi abalala. 25Oteekwa okufuna eggye ery’enkana liri lye wafiirwa, embalaasi edde mu kifo ky’embalaasi, n’eggaali mu kifo ky’eggaali, tulyoke tulwane nabo mu lusenyi, olwo tunaabasinzizza ddala amaanyi.” N’abawuliriza era n’akola bw’atyo.
2620:26 a nny 22 b 2Bk 13:17Omwaka ogwaddirira Benikadadi n’akuŋŋaanya Abasuuli, n’ayambuka mu Afeki okulwana ne Isirayiri. 2720:27 Bal 6:6; 1Sa 13:6Awo abantu ba Isirayiri nabo ne bakuŋŋaana ne baweebwa entanda yaabwe, ne bagenda okubasisinkana. Abayisirayiri ne basiisira okuboolekera ne bafaanana ng’ebisibo bibiri ebitono eby’embuzi, naye Abasuuli ne babuna ensi yonna. 2820:28 a nny 23 b nny 13Awo omusajja wa Katonda n’asembera, n’agamba kabaka wa Isirayiri nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Olw’okuba Abasuuli balowooza nga Mukama Katonda wa ku nsozi so si Katonda wa mu biwonvu, ndigabula eggye lino eddene mu mukono gwo, otegeere nga nze Mukama.’ ”
29Ne basiisira nga boolekaganye okumala ennaku musanvu, ku lunaku olw’omusanvu ne balumbagana. Abayisirayiri ne batta abaserikale ab’ebigere Abasuuli emitwalo kkumi mu lunaku lumu. 3020:30 a nny 26 b 1Bk 22:25; 2By 18:24Abalala ne baddukira mu kibuga Afeki, era eyo bbugwe w’ekibuga ekyo gye yagwira ku bantu emitwalo musanvu ku baali bawonyeewo.
Akabu Asaasira Benikadadi
Benikadadi naye nadduka ne yeekweka mu kibuga mu kimu ku bisenge eby’omunda. 3120:31 Lub 37:34Abakungu be ne bamugamba nti, “Laba, tuwulidde nti bakabaka b’ennyumba ya Isirayiri, ba kisa, twesibe ebibukutu mu biwato byaffe, tuzingirire emige ku mitwe gyaffe tugende ewa kabaka wa Isirayiri, oboolyawo anaakusaasira.”
32Ne beesiba ebibukutu mu biwato byabwe, ne bazingirira emige ku mitwe gyabwe, ne balaga ewa kabaka wa Isirayiri, ne bamugamba nti, “Omuddu wo Benikadadi agamba nti, ‘Nkwegayiridde tonzita.’ ” Kabaka n’ababuuza nti, “Akyali mulamu? Oyo muganda wange.”
33Abasajja ne balowooza nti ako kabonero kalungi, era ne banguwa okwogera nti, “Weewaawo, muganda wo Benikadadi.” Kabaka n’ayogera nti, “Mugende mumuleete.” Benikadadi bwe yavaayo, Akabu n’amuleetera mu gaali lye.
3420:34 a 1Bk 15:20 b Yer 49:23-27 c Kuv 23:32Awo Benikadadi n’agamba nti, “Ndikuddiza ebibuga kitange bye yawamba ku kitaawo, era olyessizaawo obutale obubwo ggwe mu Ddamasiko, nga kitange bwe yakola mu Samaliya.” Akabu n’addamu nti, “Nzija kukuleka ogende nga tukoze endagaano.” Era ne bakola endagaano, n’amuleka n’agenda.
Nnabbi Anenya Akabu
3520:35 1Bk 13:21; 2Bk 2:3-7Omu ku batabani ba bannabbi n’agamba munne nti, “Katonda alagidde onfumite n’ekyokulwanyisa kyo,” naye munne oyo n’agaana.
3620:36 1Bk 13:24Mutabani wa nnabbi n’ayogera nti, “Olw’obutagondera ddoboozi lya Mukama, bw’onooba wakava wano, empologoma eneekutta.” Awo bwe baali kyebajje baawukane, n’asanga empologoma era n’emutta.
37Mutabani wa nnabbi n’asanga omusajja omulala, n’amugamba nti, “Nfumita, nkwegayiridde.” Omusajja n’amufumita n’amuleetako ekiwundu. 38Awo n’agenda n’alindirira kabaka mu kkubo, ne yeebuzaabuza ng’abisse ekiremba kye ku maaso ge. 3920:39 2Bk 10:24Kabaka bwe yali ng’ayitawo, mutabani wa nnabbi n’amukoowoola ng’agamba nti, “Omuddu wo yagenze wakati mu lutalo, ne wabaawo omuserikale eyandetedde omusibe n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Kuuma omusajja ono. Bw’anaabula ggw’onottibwa mu kifo kye, oba si kyo oteekwa okusasula kilo amakumi asatu mu nnya eza ffeeza.’ 40Omuddu wo bwe yali ng’atawaana erudda n’erudda, laba omusajja n’abula.”
Kabaka wa Isirayiri n’amuddamu nti, “Ogwo musango gwo, era ogwesalidde.”
41Awo mutabani wa nnabbi n’ayanguwa, okuggya ekiremba ku maaso ge, kabaka wa Isirayiri n’amutegeera nga y’omu ku bannabbi. 4220:42 a Yer 48:10 b nny 39; Yos 2:14; 1Bk 22:31-37N’agamba kabaka nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Otadde omusajja gwe namaliridde okutta. Noolwekyo ggw’ojja okufa mu kifo kye, n’abantu bo bafe mu kifo ky’abantu be.’ ” 4320:43 1Bk 21:4Kabaka wa Isirayiri n’alaga mu lubiri lwe e Samaliya ng’aswakidde era nga munyiivu.
