Eyokuqala EyamaKhosi
17 U-Elija*+ umThishibi owayehlala eGiliyadi+ wathi ku-Ahabi: “Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu ophilayo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli engimkhonzayo,* akusoze kune izulu loba kube lamazolo okweminyaka yonke le, mina ngize ngitsho!”+
2 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kuye lathi: 3 “Suka lapha uqonde empumalanga uyecatsha esigodini seKherithi, empumalanga komfula uJodani. 4 Uzabe unatha esifuleni esilapho futhi ngizabe ngithuma amawabayi azokunika ukudla.”+ 5 Ngakho u-Elija wahle wasuka wahamba, wenza lokho uJehova ayemtshele khona. Waya esigodini seKherithi wahlala khona, ngasempumalanga komfula uJodani. 6 Amawabayi ayemphathela isinkwa lenyama ekuseni, aphinde amphathele futhi isinkwa lenyama ntambama. Amanzi wayenatha esifuleni.+ 7 Kodwa ngemva kwesikhathi isifula satsha+ ngenxa yokuthi izulu lalingasani elizweni.
8 Ilizwi likaJehova laselifika ku-Elija lathi: 9 “Suka uye eZarefathi yeSidoni ufike uhlale khona. Ngizatshela omunye umfelokazi ohlala kuleyondawo ukuthi abe ekunika ukudla.”+ 10 Ngakho wasuka waya eZarefathi. Wathi efika egedini ledolobho wabona owesifazana ongumfelokazi etheza inkuni wasembiza, wathi kuye: “Ngicela ungiphathele amanzi amalutshwana ngenkomitsho nginathe.”+ 11 Umfelokazi uthe esesiyawathatha, u-Elija wathi kuye: “Ngicela ungiphathele locezu lwesinkwa.” 12 Umfelokazi wasemphendula wathi: “Ngifunga ngoJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, uNkulunkulu ophilayo, angilasinkwa kodwa ngilefulawa encane esembizeni enkulu lamafutha amancane embizeni encane.+ Khathesi ngisadobhadobha okuzinkuni, ngingaqeda ngizakuya endlini ngifike ngilungise ukudla, ngidle lendodana yami. Kuzakuba yikudla kwethu kokucina besesisifa.”
13 U-Elija wasesithi kuye: “Ungesabi. Hamba endlini uyekwenza okutshoyo, kodwa uqale ungiphekele isinkwa esincane ngefulawa ekhona ubususiletha kimi. Ngemva kwalokho usungazilungisela okwakho ukudla lendodana yakho. 14 Nanku okutshiwo nguJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: ‘Ifulawa esembizeni enkulu ayisoze iphele, lamafutha asembizeni encane awasoze aphele, lize lifike ilanga uJehova azakwenza ukuthi izulu line elizweni.’”+ 15 Ngakho umfelokazi wahamba wayakwenza lokho u-Elija ayekutshilo. Yena lemuli yakhe kanye lo-Elija abazange baswele ukudla okwensuku ezinengi ezalandelayo.+ 16 Ifulawa eyayisembizeni enkulu ayizange iphele, lamafutha ayesembizeni encane awazange aphele, njengoba nje uJehova wayetshilo esebenzisa u-Elija.
17 Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu, indodana yomfelokazi lo owayengumnikazi womuzi yagula. Umkhuhlane waba mubi kakhulu yaze yacina isifa.+ 18 Yikho wathi ku-Elija: “Ngoneni kuwe muntu kaNkulunkulu weqiniso? Kanti uze lapha ukuzongikhumbuza izono zami lokuzobulala indodana yami?”+ 19 Kodwa u-Elija wathi kuye: “Letha lapha indodana yakho.” Waseyithatha ezandleni zikanina wayithwala waqansa layo waya endlini ephezulu ayehlala kuyo, wafika wayilalisa embhedeni wakhe.+ 20 Wathandaza kuJehova wathi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wami,+ kambe usungaze umehlisele usizi olungaka umfelokazi lo engihlala emzini wakhe, ubulale indodana yakhe?” 21 U-Elija wakhothama phezu komntwana kathathu, wasethandaza kuJehova wathi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ngicela umntwana lo avuke aphinde aphile.” 22 UJehova wasilalela isicelo sika-Elija,+ umntwana wavuka waphila.+ 23 U-Elija wathatha umntwana wehla laye endlini ephezulu waya laye endlini ephansi, wafika wamnika unina wathi: “Khangela indodana yakho iyaphila.”+ 24 Owesifazana wasesithi ku-Elija: “Khathesi sengikwazi sibili ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu+ lokuthi ilizwi likaJehova olikhulumileyo liliqiniso.”