Elija nebaphrofethi baBhali
1Emvakwesikhatsi lesidze, emnyakeni wesitsatfu wesomiso, livi laSimakadze lefika ku-Elija, latsi: “Hamba uyekutiveta ku-Ahabi, ngitawutfumela imvula eveni.” 2Ngako Elija wahamba wayakutiveta ku-Ahabi.
Ngaleso sikhatsi bekunendlala lenkhulu eveni laseSamariya, 3na-Ahabi abesabite Obadiya, labephetse sigodlo sakhe. Obadiya abelikholwa lelalesaba Simakadze kakhulu. 4Kwatsi ngesikhatsi Jezebeli abulala baphrofethi baSimakadze, Obadiya wafihla labalikhulu emigedzeni, baba ngema-50 kulowo nakulowo mgedze, abebapha kudla, abanatsise nemanti. 5Ahabi abekhulume ku-Obadiya, watsi: “Asihambe sidzabule live ekhatsi, siye kuyo yonkhe imitfombo netihosha. Mhlawumbe kukhona lapho singatfola khona tjani bekondla emahhashi neminyuzi, kuze singabikho sidzingo sekutibulala letifuyo tetfu.” 6Ngako base behlukaniselana lelive bebatakulidzabudzabula, Ahabi wacondza ngale, kwatsi Obadiya wacondza ngale nganhlanye.
7Watsi Obadiya asahamba, wahlangana na-Elija. Obadiya wambona wamfanisa, wabe sewuyamkhotsamela, wakhuluma kuye watsi: “Nguwe ngempela yini, nkhosi yami Elija?”
8Wamphendvula watsi: “Yebo, hamba uyewutjela inkhosi yakho utsi: ‘Elija sewulapha.’ ”
9Obadiya wabuta watsi: “Ngoneni kodvwa kutsi ungaze unginikele esandleni sa-Ahabi kutsi angibulale? 10Ngifunga kuphila kwaSimakadze Nkulunkulu wakho kutsi inkhosi yami kute umbuso lapho ingakaze yatfumela khona umuntfu kutsi ayekukufuna. Bekutsi sive nome umbuso nawukulandvula utsi awukho, awufungise kutsi vele ungeke utfolakale lapho kuwo. 11Kodvwa manje sewungitjela kutsi angihambe ngiye enkhosini yami, ngifike ngitsi: ‘Elija sewulapha.’ 12Angati kutsi Moya waSimakadze utakwetfwala akuyisephi, mine nangisuka lapha kuwe. Nangingahamba ngiyewutjela Ahabi, afike lapho angasakukhandzi, utangibulala. Noko mine, nceku yakho, Simakadze ngimkhonte kusukela ebusheni bami. 13Ingabe wena, nkhosi yami, awukaze uve yini kutsi mine ngentani ngesikhatsi Jezebeli abulala baphrofethi baSimakadze? Ngabhacisa baphrofethi labalikhulu emigedzeni lemibili, baba ngema-50 kulowo nalowo mgedze, ngangibapha kudla ngibanatsise nemanti. 14Manje sewungitjela kutsi ngiye enkhosini yami, ngifike ngitsi: ‘Elija sewulapha.’ Ahabi utangibulala.”
15Kodvwa Elija wakhuluma kuye, watsi: “Mine ngifunga kuphila kwaSimakadze Somandla lengimkhontako kutsi ngitatinikela ku-Ahabi lamuhla.”
16Ngako Obadiya wahamba wayawuhlangabeta Ahabi, wafike wamtjela, na-Ahabi wahamba kuyawuhlangabeta Elija. 17Watsi kube abone Elija, wakhuluma kuye watsi: “Nguwe yini lowo, lohlupha sive saka-Israyeli?”
18Elija waphendvula watsi: “Kute lengimhluphe ngako Israyeli, kodvwa nguwe nemndeni weyihlo. Uyiyekele imiyalo yaSimakadze, wabe sewulandzela boBhali. 19Bita sonkhe sive eveni lonkhe laka-Israyeli kuyewuhlanganelwa eNtsabeni iKhameli. Letsa labaphrofethi baBhali labangema-450 kanye nebaphrofethi ba-Ashera labangema-400, labadla naJezebeli etafuleni lakhe.”
20Ngako Ahabi watfumela livi kulo lonkhe laka-Israyeli, wahlanganisa baphrofethi eNtsabeni iKhameli. 21Elija wasondzela embikwesive, wafike watsi: “Kuyawuze kube ngunini solomane nindziyatela emkhatsini wemicondvo lemibili? Nangabe Simakadze anguNkulunkulu, landzelani yena; kodvwa nangabe Bhali anguNkulunkulu, landzelani yena.”
Kodvwa sive asizange sikhulume.
22Elija wakhuluma kubo watsi: “Ngimi ngedvwa losele emkhatsini webaphrofethi baSimakadze, kodvwa Bhali unebaphrofethi labangema-450. 23Siletseleni tinkunzi letimbili. Abatikhetsele ibe yinye, bayicobe ibe ngemacatsa, bese bawabeka etikwetinkhuni, kodvwa umlilo bangawokheli. Nami ngitawulungisa lena lenye inkunzi ngiyibeke etikwetinkhuni, kodvwa umlilo ngingawokheli. 24Nine nitawube senibita libito lalonkulunkulu wenu, nami ngibite libito laSimakadze. Lonkulunkulu loyawuphendvula ngemlilo, nguyena anguNkulunkulu sibili.”
Bonkhe bantfu baphendvula, batsi: “Loko lokushoko kulungile.”
25Elija wakhuluma kubaphrofethi baBhali, watsi: “Khetsani lenye yaletinkunzi, bese niyilungisa nine kucala, njengobe naku nine nibanyenti kangaka nje. Bitani libito lankulunkulu wenu, kodvwa ningawokheli umlilo.”
26Ngako batsatsa lenkunzi lababenikwe yona, bayilungisa.
Base babita libito laBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba ngusemini. Bamemeta batsi: “Hhawu, Bhali, siphendvule!” Kodvwa kwabate imphendvulo; kute lowaphendvula. Bagidza batungeleta lelilati lababelakhile.
27Emini Elija wacala wabaphukuta atsi: “Memetani kakhulu! Impela ungunkulunkulu. Mhlawumbe ujulile uyacabanga, nome uyasebenta, nome useluhambeni. Mhlawumbe ulele, ngako kufanele avuswe.” 28Ngako baphrofethi bathandaza bamemeta kakhulu, batisika ngemikhwa nangetinkemba njengekwelisiko labo, baze bopha ingati. 29Yendlula imini, bachubeka nemadlingozi abo ekuphrofetha, kwaze kwashaya sikhatsi semhlatjelo wakusihlwa. Kodvwa kwabate imphendvulo, kute lowaphendvula, kute nalowanaka.
30Elija wabe sewukhuluma kuso sonkhe sive, watsi: “Wotani lapha kimi.” Beta kuye, wabe sewulungisa lilati laSimakadze lelase libhidlikile. 31Elija watsatsa ematje lali-12, lilinye limele leso naleso sive lesasivela emadvodzaneni aJakobe, lapho kwefika khona livi laSimakadze kuye, mhlazana atsi: “Libito lakho kuyawuba ngu-Israyeli.” 32Ngalamatje wakha lilati egameni laSimakadze, wemba umsele lowawulitungeleta, waba mkhulu kangangekutsi bekungangena emanti langemalitha labengaba li-15. 33Wabeka letinkhuni etikwalo, wacoba lenkunzi wayibeka etikwaletinkhuni. Wabe sewukhuluma kubo utsi: “Gcwalisani timbita letine ngemanti, bese niwatsela etikwalomnikelo kanye naletinkhuni.”
34Wakhuluma kubo watsi: “Phindzani futsi,” nabo baphindza bawatsela.
Waphindza wakhuluma kubo kwesitsatfu, watsi: “Phindzani futsi kwesitsatfu,” baphindza bawatsela kwesitsatfu futsi. 35Emanti ageleta atungeleta lilati, aze agcwala lomsele.
36Kwase kutsi ngesikhatsi semhlatjelo wakusihlwa Elija wasondzela ngaselatini wathandaza watsi: “Awu, Simakadze, Nkulunkulu wa-Abrahama, na-Isaka, na-Israyeli, akwatiwe lamuhla lapha kutsi wena unguNkulunkulu wema-Israyeli nekutsi mine ngiyinceku yakho, nekutsi tonkhe letintfo ngitente ngekuyalwa nguwe. 37Ngiphendvule, Simakadze, ngiphendvule, kuze kutsi labantfu batekwati kutsi wena, Simakadze, unguNkulunkulu nekutsi tinhlitiyo tabo uyatigucula.”
38Umlilo waSimakadze wehlela etikwalomhlatjelo, wawushisa wawucedza kanye netinkhuni, nematje, nemhlabatsi, wakhotsisisa onkhe emanti labelapho emseleni.
39Batsi kube bantfu bakubone loko, baguca phansi bakhotsama, bakhala, batsi: “Simakadze unguNkulunkulu! Simakadze unguNkulunkulu!”
40Elija wakhuluma kubo, watsi: “Bambani labaphrofethi baBhali. Kungaphunyuli ngisho namunye wabo!” Babanjwa, Elija watsi abehliselwe emfudlaneni iKhishoni; babulawelwa khona lapho.
Kuphela kwesomiso
41Elija wakhuluma ku-Ahabi, watsi: “Hamba, uyekudla unatse, ngobe kukhona umsindvo wemvula lenkhulu.” 42Ngako Ahabi wahamba wayakudla wanatsa, kodvwa Elija wekhwela etulu esicongweni seNtsaba iKhameli, wagobondzela, wafaka buso bakhe emkhatsini wemadvolo akhe.
43Wakhuluma encekwini yakhe, watsi: “Hamba uyewubuka ngaselwandle.” Lenceku yahamba yayawubuka, yabuya yatsi: “Akunalutfo lapho.” Elija wakhuluma kulenceku emahlandla lasikhombisa solomane atsi: “Ncandzeka.”
44Kuloku kwesikhombisa lenceku yabuya yabika yatsi: “Ngibone lifu lelincane lelingangesandla semuntfu bukhulu balo, liphuma elwandle.”
Ngako Elija wakhuluma watsi: “Hamba uyewutjela Ahabi kutsi akaphutfume agibele ahambe imvula isengakamvimbeteli.”
45Ngasona leso sikhatsi litulu lacungutela letfwala laba nemafu lamnyama, kwahhusha umoya, latsela lenkhulu imvula, Ahabi wakhwela incola yakhe, wahamba waya eJezreyeli. 46Emandla aSimakadze ehlela ku-Elija, wakhwicela ingubo yakhe ebhandeni lelaliselukhalo yacina, wagijima washiya Ahabi yonkhe indlela leya eJezreyeli.
