U-Eliya uyabaleka
1U-Ahabi wamtshela u-Izebeli konke akwenzile u-Eliya, naphakathi kwalokho ukuthi ubulele bonke abaprofethi ngenkemba. 2U-Izebeli wayesethuma isithunywa ku-Eliya ngokuthi: “Mabenze njalo kimi onkulunkulu, benezele futhi, uma ngingakwenzi wena ube njengomunye wabo ngalesi sikhathi kusasa.”
3Esezwile lokho wasuka, wahamba ukuba asinde, waya eBeri Sheba elingelakwaJuda, washiya khona inceku yakhe. 4Kodwa yena wahamba ibanga losuku ehlane, waya wahlala phansi konwele, wacela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba afe, wathi: “Sekwanele; manje, Jehova, sale usuthatha umphefumulo wami, ngokuba angilungile kunawobaba.” 5Walala ubuthongo phansi konwele; bheka, kwamthinta ingelosi, yathi kuye: “Vuka udle.” 6Wabheka, nanto iqebelengwane ngasekhanda lakhe elenziwe ematsheni ashisayo, nophiso lwamanzi. Wadla, waphuza; wayesebuye walala phansi.
7Ingelosi kaJehova yabuye yamthinta ngokwesibili, yathi: “Vuka udle, ngokuba indlela yakho inde.” 8Wavuka, wadla, waphuza, wahamba ngamandla alokho kudla izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane, waya entabeni kaNkulunkulu iHorebe. 9Wangena khona emhumeni, walala khona.
Bheka, kwafika kuye izwi likaJehova; wathi kuye: “Wenzani lapha, Eliya, na?”
10Wathi: “Ngishisekele nokushisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli balahlile isivumelwano sakho, badilizile ama-altare akho, babulele abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, kusele mina ngedwa; sebefuna umphefumulo wami ukuba bawususe.”
11Wathi: “Phuma, ume entabeni phambi kukaJehova.” Bheka, uJehova wadlula, umoya omkhulu onamandla wadabula izintaba, waphahlaza amadwala phambi kukaJehova; kepha uJehova wayengekho emoyeni; emva komoya kwazamazama umhlaba; kepha uJehova wayengekho ekuzamazameni komhlaba; 12emva kokuzamazama komhlaba ngumlilo; kepha uJehova wayengekho emlilweni; emva komlilo yizwi elincane elihashazayo. 13U-Eliya esezwile lokho wagubuzela ubuso bakhe ngengubo yakhe, waphuma, wema emnyango womhume. Bheka, kwafika kuye izwi, lathi: “Wenzani lapha, Eliya, na?”
14Wathi: “Ngishisekele nokushisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli balahlile isivumelwano sakho, badilizile ama-altare akho, babulele abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, kusele mina ngedwa; sebefuna umphefumulo wami ukuba bawususe.”
Ukubizwa kuka-Elisha
15Wayesethi uJehova kuye: “Hamba, ubuye ngendlela yakho, uye ehlane laseDamaseku; usufikile khona uyakumgcoba uHazayeli abe yinkosi yase-Aramu; 16uyakumgcoba uJehu indodana kaNimishi abe yinkosi kwa-Israyeli, umgcobe u-Elisha indodana kaShafati wase-Abela Mehola abe ngumprofethi esikhundleni sakho. 17Kuyakuthi obalekela inkemba kaHazayeli abulawe nguJehu; obalekela inkemba kaJehu uyakubulawa ngu-Elisha. 18Kepha ngiyakushiya kwa-Israyeli izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, onke amadolo anganguqanga kuBali nayo yonke imilomo engamanganga.”
19Wayesesuka lapho, wamfumana u-Elisha indodana kaShafati; wayelima ngezinkabi ezingamabhangqa ayishumi nambili phambi kwakhe, yena esebhangqeni leshumi nambili; u-Eliya wadlulela kuye, waphonsa ingubo yakhe kuye. 20Wayeseshiya izinkabi, wagijima wamlandela u-Eliya, wathi: “Ake ngange ubaba nomame, bese ngikulandela.”
Wathi kuye: “Hamba, ubuyele emuva, ngokuba ngenzeni kuwe na?”
21Wabuya ekumlandeleni, wathatha izinkabi zombili, wazihlaba, wapheka inyama yazo ngempahla yezinkabi, wabapha abantu, badla. Wayesesuka, wamlandela u-Eliya, wamkhonza.
