Eyokuqala EyamaKhosi

18 Kwathi sekwedlule isikhathi, sekungumnyaka wesithathu,+ ilizwi likaJehova lafika ku-Elija lathi: “Hamba uyeziveza ku-Ahabi, mina ngizakwenza izulu line elizweni.”+ 2 Ngakho u-Elija wahamba wayaziveza ku-Ahabi. Ngalesosikhathi kwakulendlala enzima+ eSamariya.

3 U-Ahabi wabiza u-Obhadiya owayekhangela indlu yenkosi. (U-Obhadiya wayemesaba kakhulu uJehova. 4 Ngesikhathi uJezebheli+ ebulala abaphrofethi bakaJehova, u-Obhadiya wathatha abaphrofethi abangu-100 wayabafihla. Wafihla abangu-50 ebhalwini olulodwa, kwathi abanye abangu-50 wabafaka kolunye ubhalu futhi wayebanika ukudla* lamanzi.) 5 U-Ahabi wathi ku-Obhadiya: “Bhoda ilizwe uye kuzo zonke izindawo ezilemithombo lakuzo zonke izigodi. Mhlawumbe singathola utshani bokupha amabhiza lezimbongolo* zethu ukuze singafelwa yizifuyo zonke.” 6 Yikho behlukaniselana izindawo ababezakuya kuzo. U-Ahabi wahamba yedwa ngenye indlela, u-Obhadiya laye wahamba yedwa ngenye indlela.

7 U-Obhadiya wathi esendleleni kwathutsha u-Elija emhlangabeza. U-Obhadiya wathi embona waguqa wakhangela phansi wathi: “Nguwe yini nkosi yami Elija?”+ 8 U-Elija wamphendula wathi: “Ye yimi. Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi ngikhona.” 9 U-Obhadiya wasesithi: “Kanti inceku yakho ikoneleni ukuthi usungaze uyinikele ku-Ahabi ukuthi ayibulale? 10 Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, uNkulunkulu ophilayo, akulasizwe loba umbuso inkosi yami engazange ikudinge kuwo. Bekusithi abantu balesosizwe loba balowombuso bangathi awukho, yona ithi abafunge ukuthi bakudinge bakuswela.+ 11 Kodwa khathesi wena uthi ngihambe ngiyetshela inkosi yami ukuthi ukhona. 12 Ngizathi ngisuka lapha umoya kaJehova ukuthwale+ ukuse endaweni engingayaziyo. Nxa u-Ahabi ngingamtshela abesekudinga akuswele, uzangibulala loba sekutheni. Kodwa inceku yakho yona ibimesaba uJehova kusukela isesemutsha. 13 Kanti awukuzwanga yini nkosi yami engakwenzayo ngesikhathi uJezebheli ebulala abaphrofethi bakaJehova? Awukuzwanga yini ukuthi ngafihla abaphrofethi bakaJehova abangu-100? Ngafaka abangu-50 ebhalwini olulodwa, kwathi abanye abangu-50 ngabafaka kolunye ubhalu futhi ngaqhubeka ngibanika ukudla* lamanzi.+ 14 Kodwa khathesi uthi ngihambe ngiyetshela inkosi yami ukuthi wena ukhona. Izangibulala sibili.” 15 U-Elija wamphendula wathi: “Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo, uNkulunkulu wamabutho engimkhonzayo,* lamuhla ngizaziveza ku-Ahabi.”

16 Ngakho u-Obhadiya wahamba wayahlangana lo-Ahabi wasemtshela, u-Ahabi wasesuka wayabonana lo-Elija.

17 U-Ahabi wathi ebona u-Elija wathi kuye: “Kanti nguwe wena? Udale uhlupho olukhulu ko-Israyeli!”

18 U-Elija wamphendula wathi: “Ayisimi engidalele abako-Israyeli uhlupho kodwa nguwe lendlu kayihlo ngoba litshiye imilayo kaJehova lalandela oBhali.+ 19 Khathesi tshela bonke abantu bako-Israyeli ukuthi babuye entabeni iKhameli,+ ubize labaphrofethi bakaBhali abangu-450 kanye labaphrofethi abangu-400 abakhonza isigodo sika-Ashera,*+ abaphiwa ukudla nguJezebheli.” 20 Ngakho u-Ahabi wathumela ilizwi kubo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli waqoqa abaphrofethi wababuthanisa entabeni iKhameli.

21 U-Elija wasesiya ebantwini wathi kubo: “Kuzaze kube nini lilokhu linhliziyombili?+ Nxa uJehova enguye uNkulunkulu weqiniso, mlandeleni;+ nxa kunguBhali, landelani yena!” Kodwa abantu abazange bamphendule. 22 U-Elija wasesithi ebantwini: “Yimi ngedwa umphrofethi kaJehova oseleyo,+ kodwa abaphrofethi bakaBhali bangu-450. 23 Abantu kabalethe amajongosi amabili, abaphrofethi bakaBhali besebekhetha elilodwa baliqumaqume libe yiziqa balifake phezu kwenkuni. Kodwa akumelanga balumathise umlilo. Lami ngizaqumaquma elinye ijongosi ngilifake phezu kwenkuni, kodwa angisoze ngilumathise umlilo. 24 Ngemva kwalokho lizabiza ibizo likankulunkulu wenu,+ lami ngibize ibizo likaJehova. UNkulunkulu ozaphendula ngokuthumela umlilo nguye uNkulunkulu weqiniso.”+ Abantu bathi besizwa lokho bathi: “Okutshoyo kuqondile.”

25 U-Elija wasesithi kubaphrofethi bakaBhali: “Khethani ijongosi elilodwa lililungise, yini elizaqala ngoba libanengi. Nxa selililungisile, libize ibizo likankulunkulu wenu kodwa lingalumathisi umlilo.” 26 Yikho bathatha ijongosi ababeliphiwe balilungisa, baqhubeka bebiza ibizo likaBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini besithi: “Awu Bhali, siphendule!” Kodwa akulalizwi elazwakalayo njalo akulamuntu owabaphendulayo.+ Babelokhu beseqa bebhoda i-alithare ababelenzile. 27 Ngezikhathi zemini enkulu u-Elija waqalisa ukubachothoza esithi: “Memezani kakhulu! Angithi ungunkulunkulu!+ Mhlawumbe ujule emcabangweni kumbe uye ngaphandle.* Mhlawumbe ulele, sekumele omunye ayemvusa!” 28 Babememeza beklabalala, bezisika ngezingqamu njalo bezigwaza ngemikhonto, njengoba kwakungumkhuba wabo. Bacina sebevuza igazi yonke indawo. 29 Imini enkulu yadlula, baqhubeka bexokozela angathi baphambene* kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sokunikela umnikelo wamabele wakusihlwa, kodwa akulalizwi elazwakalayo njalo akulankulunkulu owabaphendulayo. Kakho owayebezwa.+

30 Ngemva kwesikhathi u-Elija wathi ebantwini bonke: “Sondelani kimi.” Ngakho abantu basondela kuye, waselungisa i-alithare likaJehova elaselidilikile.+ 31 U-Elija wathatha amatshe angu-12 ayelingana lenani lezizwana zamadodana kaJakhobe, lowo uJehova ayekhulume laye wathi: “Ibizo lakho lizakuba ngu-Israyeli.”+ 32 Amatshe la wawasebenzisa ukwakha i-alithare+ lokudumisa ibizo likaJehova. Wagebha umgelo owawugombolozela i-alithare kanye lendawo eyayibanzi okokuthi kwakungahlanyelwa kuyo inhlanyelo egcwala izilinganiso ezimbili zamaseya.* 33 Ngemva kwalokho wabeka kuhle inkuni, waqumaquma ijongosi laba yiziqa walibeka phezu kwenkuni.+ Wasesithi: “Gcwalisani imbiza ezinkulu ezine ngamanzi, libe seliwathela phezu komhlatshelo wokutshiswa laphezu kwenkuni.” 34 Ngemva kwalokho wathi: “Phindani.” Ngakho benza njalo. Wasesithi kubo: “Phindani okwesithathu.” Yikho bakwenza okwesithathu, 35 amanzi agcwala aze ageleza kuwo wonke amacele e-alithare. Wagcwalisa lomgelo ngamanzi.

36 Kwathi sekuyisikhathi okwakunikelwa ngaso umnikelo wamabele wakusihlwa,+ u-Elija umphrofethi wasondela phambili wasesithi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Abrahama+ lo-Isaka+ lo-Israyeli, lamuhla kwenze kwaziwe ukuthi wena nguwe uNkulunkulu ko-Israyeli lokuthi mina ngiyinceku yakho njalo konke engikwenzileyo ngikwenze ngilandela ilizwi lakho.+ 37 Awu Jehova, ngicela ungiphendule ukuze abantu laba bazi ukuthi wena Jehova nguwe uNkulunkulu weqiniso lokuthi usuguqulela izinhliziyo zabo kuwe.”+

38 Ngalesosikhathi kwehla umlilo kaJehova uvela ezulwini watshisa umhlatshelo wokutshiswa,+ lenkuni, lamatshe, lenhlabathi, waqeda lamanzi ayesemgelweni.+ 39 Abantu bonke bathi bekubona lokho bazilahla phansi bathi mbo ngobuso basebesithi: “UJehova nguNkulunkulu weqiniso! UJehova nguNkulunkulu weqiniso!” 40 U-Elija wasesithi ebantwini: “Bambani abaphrofethi bakaBhali! Lingavumeli ngitsho loyedwa wabo aphunyuke!” Bahle bababamba, u-Elija wasehamba labo emfuleni uKhishoni+ wababulalela khona.+

41 Ngemva kwalokho u-Elija wathi ku-Ahabi: “Hamba uyekudla unathe ngoba kuzwakala umsindo wezulu elikhulu.”+ 42 U-Ahabi wahamba wayakudla wanatha, u-Elija yena waqansa intaba iKhameli waya phezulu, wafika waguqa wafaka ikhanda emadolweni.+ 43 Wathi encekwini yakhe: “Ngicela uqanse ukhangele ngaselwandle.” Ngakho inceku yakhe yahamba yayakhangela yathi: “Akulalutho.” Kwaze kwaba kasikhombisa u-Elija elokhu esithi kuyo, “Buyela.” 44 Inceku yakhe yathi isiphenduka okwesikhombisa yathi: “Kulokuliyezi okuncane okungangesandla somuntu okuphakamayo kusuka elwandle.” U-Elija wasesithi: “Hamba uyetshela u-Ahabi uthi, ‘Bopha inqola uhambe ukuze izulu lingakuvimbezeli!’” 45 Ngesikhatshana nje isibhakabhaka saba mnyama tshu ngamayezi, kwavunguza umoya kwasekusina izulu elikhulu.+ U-Ahabi waqhubeka egade inqola esiya eJeziriyeli.+ 46 UJehova wanika u-Elija amandla,* wabophela isembatho sakhe ekhalweni, wagijima phambi kuka-Ahabi waze wayafika eJeziriyeli.