Eyokuqala YaMakhosi
19 U-Ahabi + watshela uJezebeli + ngakho konke u-Eliya ayekwenzile nangendlela ayebulale ngayo bonke abaprofethi ngenkemba. + 2 UJezebeli wathumela isithunywa ku-Eliya, wathi: “Kwangathi onkulunkulu bangangijezisa kanzima uma ngalesi sikhathi kusasa ngingakwenzi ube njengabaprofethi obabulele!” 3 Lapho ezwa lokho wesaba, ngakho wasuka wabaleka esindisa ukuphila* kwakhe. + Wafika eBheri-sheba + kwaJuda, + washiya isikhonzi sakhe lapho. 4 Wathatha uhambo losuku oluya ehlane wafike wahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla sonwele, wayesecela ukuba afe. Wathi: “Sekwanele manje, Jehova! Ngibulale, + ngoba angingcono kunokhokho bami.”
5 Ngemva kwalokho walala wazumeka ngaphansi kwesihlahla sonwele. Kodwa kungazelelwe ingelosi yamthinta + yathi kuye: “Vuka, udle.” + 6 Lapho ebheka ngasekhanda lakhe kwakukhona isinkwa esiyindilinga phezu kwamatshe ashisayo nojeke wamanzi. Wadla waphuza, waphinde walala. 7 Kamuva ingelosi kaJehova yabuya okwesibili yamthinta yathi: “Vuka, udle, ngoba yinde le ndlela ozoyihamba.” 8 Ngakho wavuka wadla waphuza, waqhubeka ehamba ngamandla alokho kudla izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40 waze wafika entabeni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, iHorebe. +
9 Wafika lapho wangena emgedeni, + walala khona; izwi likaJehova lafika kuye, lathi: “Ubekwa yini lapha, Eliya?” 10 Wathi: “Bengishisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho; + ngoba ama-Israyeli asishiyile isivumelwano sakho, + adilize ama-altare akho, abulala nabaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, + sekusele mina kuphela. Manje sebefuna ukungibulala nami.” + 11 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi: “Phuma, ume phezu kwentaba phambi kukaJehova.” UJehova wayedlula, + umoya omkhulu nonamandla wawudabula izintaba uqhekeza amadwala phambi kukaJehova, + kodwa uJehova wayengekho kulowo moya. Ngemva komoya kwaba nokuzamazama komhlaba, + kodwa uJehova wayengekho kulokho kuzamazama komhlaba. 12 Ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba kwaba nomlilo, + kodwa uJehova wayengekho kulowo mlilo. Ngemva komlilo, kwaba khona izwi eliphansi elizolile. + 13 Kwathi nje lapho u-Eliya elizwa, wamboza ubuso bakhe ngesembatho sakhe esikhethekile + waphuma wama emlonyeni womgede. Izwi lambuza lathi: “Ubekwa yini lapha, Eliya?” 14 Wathi: “Bengishisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho; ngoba ama-Israyeli asishiyile isivumelwano sakho, + adilize ama-altare akho, abulala nabaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, sekusele mina kuphela. Manje sebefuna ukungibulala nami.” +
15 UJehova wathi kuye: “Buyela emuva, uye ehlane laseDamaseku. Uma ufika, ugcobe uHazayeli + abe yinkosi phezu kweSiriya. 16 Kufanele ugcobe uJehu + umzukulu kaNimishi abe yinkosi phezu kuka-Israyeli, ugcobe no-Elisha* indodana kaShafati wase-Abela-mehola abe umprofethi esikhundleni sakho. + 17 Kuyothi ophunyuka enkembeni kaHazayeli, + uJehu ambulale; + nophunyuka enkembeni kaJehu, u-Elisha ambulale. + 18 Ngaphezu kwalokho ngisenabantu abangu-7 000 abasele kwa-Israyeli, + abangazange baguqe kuBhali, + nabangazange bamqabule.” +
19 Ngakho wasuka lapho wahamba wathola u-Elisha indodana kaShafati elima, kunezipani ezingu-12 zezinkabi* phambi kwakhe, yena elima ngesipani sika-12. Ngakho u-Eliya waya kuye wamphonsela isembatho sakhe esikhethekile. + 20 Khona-ke washiya izinkabi* wagijima walandela u-Eliya wathi: “Ngicela ungivumele ngiyovalelisa* kubaba nomama. Ngemva kwalokho ngizokulandela.” Wamphendula wathi: “Hamba, buyela emuva angikuvimbi.” 21 Ngakho wabuyela emuva wathatha isipani sezinkunzi wenza umhlatshelo, wabasa umlilo ngamajoka wapheka inyama wayeseyinika abantu, badla. Ngemva kwalokho wasuka walandela u-Eliya waba yisikhonzi sakhe. +