Yokuthoma YamaKhosi

18 Ngemva kwesikhathi esithileko, ngomnyaka wesithathu,+ ilizwi lakaJehova lafika ku-Eliya lathi: “Khamba uyoziveza ku-Arhabi, mina ngizokunisa izulu enarheni.”+ 2 Nje-ke u-Eliya wakhamba wayoziveza ku-Arhabi, ngesikhatheso indlala beyibhokile+ eSamariya.

3 Kusesenjalo, u-Arhabi wabiza u-Obadiya, obekamphathi wesigodlo. (U-Obadiya bekamsaba kwamambala uJehova, 4 begodu lokha uJezebheli+ abulala abaphorofidi bakaJehova, u-Obadiya wathatha abaphorofidi abali-100 wabafihla erholweni ngeenqhema zabama-50, abalethela uburotho namanzi.) 5 U-Arhabi wathi ku-Obadiya: “Khambakhamba enarheni uye kiyo yoke imithombo yamanzi nakiyo yoke imirhoba. Mhlamunye singafumanela iinjomani neemeyila utjani obaneleko bona ziphile, zingafi zoke iinlwana zethu.” 6 Nje-ke bazihlukanisela inarha abazoyikhamba. U-Arhabi wakhamba yedwa ngenye indlela no-Obadiya wakhamba ngenye indlela ayedwa.

7 U-Obadiya nakasendleleni, wafumana u-Eliya amlindile. Uthe nakambonako, waguqa wahloma ihloko phasi wathi: “Nguwe lo, kosami Eliya?”+ 8 Wathi kuye: “Iye ngimi. Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho uthi: ‘U-Eliya ukhona.’” 9 Kodwana wathi: “Kazi ngoneni engaka bona unganikela isisebenzi sakho ku-Arhabi bonyana angibulale? 10 Ikani uJehova uZimakho nakasaphilako, akunasitjhaba namkha umbuso ikosami engakathumeli bona uyokufunwa kiwo. Ngemva kokuthi isitjhaba namkha umbuso loyo uthe, ‘Akekho lapha,’ bekawenza ufunge ukuthi mbala awukakufumani.+ 11 Kodwana nje uthi, ‘Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho ukuthi: “U-Eliya ukhona.”’ 12 Nangihlukana nawe, ummoya kaJehova uzokusa+ endaweni engingayaziko bese kuthi nangitjela u-Arhabi begodu angakufumani, uzongibulala nokungibulala. Kodwana isisebenzi sakho besisolo sisaba uJehova kusukela ebutjheni baso. 13 Ikosami ayikezwa na ukuthi ngenzani lokha uJezebheli abulala abaphorofidi bakaJehova, ukuthi ngafihla abaphorofidi bakaJehova abali-100 erholweni, ngabafihla ngeenqhema zabama-50 begodu ngasolo ngibalethela uburotho namanzi?+ 14 Kodwana nje uthi, ‘Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho uthi: “U-Eliya ukhona.’” Uzongibulala nakanjani.” 15 Nanyana kunjalo, u-Eliya wathi: “Ikani uJehova wamabutho engimlotjhako nakasaphilako, namhlanjesi ngizoziveza kuye.”

16 Nje-ke u-Obadiya wakhamba wayokubikela u-Arhabi begodu u-Arhabi wakhamba wayokuhlangana no-Eliya.

17 Msinyana u-Arhabi nakabona u-Eliya, wathi kuye: “Nguwe lo, mlethi wesizi elikhulu* kwa-Israyeli?”

18 Wamphendula wathi: “Akusingimi olethe isizi kwa-Israyeli kodwana nguwe nendlu kayihlo enililethileko, ngokulahla imiyalo kaJehova nokulandela aboBhali.+ 19 Nje-ke tjela u-Israyeli woke ahlangane nami eNtabeni iKarameli,+ kuhlanganise nabaphorofidi bakaBhali abama-450 nabaphorofidi besigodo esicwengileko*+ abama-400, abadla etafuleni lakaJezebheli.” 20 Yeke u-Arhabi wathumela ilizwi kibo boke abantu bakwa-Israyeli begodu wabuthelela ndawonye abaphorofidi eNtabeni iKarameli.

21 Nje-ke u-Eliya watjhidela kibo boke abantu wathi: “Kuzabe kube nini nimabatha?+ Nangabe uJehova nguZimu weqiniso, landelani yena;+ kodwana nangabe nguBhali, landelani yena!” Abantu azange bamphendule. 22 U-Eliya wathi ebantwini: “Ngimi kwaphela umphorofidi kaJehova oseleko,+ kukulapho abaphorofidi bakaBhali bamadoda ama-450. 23 Abasinikele iinkunzana ezimbili bese bakhetha ikunzana yinye bayihlahlele, bayibeke phezu kweenkuni kodwana bangayitjhisi. Mina ngizokuhlahlela enye ikunzana, ngiyibeke phezu kweenkuni kodwana angekhe ngiyitjhise. 24 Ngemva kwalokho, kufuze nibize igama lakazimenu,+ nami ngizokubiza igama lakaJehova. UZimu ozokuphendula ngomlilo uzokutjengisa ukuthi unguZimu weqiniso.”+ Boke abantu bamphendula bathi: “Ukhulume kuhle.”

25 Nje-ke u-Eliya wathi ebaphorofidini bakaBhali: “Thomani qangi nikhethe ikunzana yinye bese niyayihlahlela ngombana ngini abanengi. Ngemva kwalokho, nibize igama lakazimenu kodwana ningayitjhisi.” 26 Nje-ke bathatha ikunzana abanikelwe yona, bayihlahlela, basolo babiza igama lakaBhali kusukela ekuseni bekwaba ngamadina, bathi: “Maye! Bhali, siphendula.” Kodwana bekunganalizwi namkha umuntu ophendulako.+ Basolo bagidagida magega ne-aldara abalenzileko. 27 Ngamadina u-Eliya wathoma ukubatshima wathi: “Rhuwelelani khulu! Phela unguzimu!+ Mhlamunye usazindla namkha usaye endlwaneni.* Namkha usalele utlhoga umuntu ongamvusa!” 28 Bebarhuwelela khulu, bazisika ngeensabula nangemikhonto, ngokuvumelana nesiko labo, bekwaba kulapho baphopha iingazi emzimbenabo woke. 29 Ngemva kwamadina, baragela phambili bavukwe madlharuma* bekwaba sikhathi sokwenziwa komnikelo weenthoro wantambama kodwana akunamuntu owaphendulako; akekho owabanakako.+

30 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside u-Eliya wathi kibo boke abantu: “Tjhidelani kimi.” Boke abantu batjhidela kuye. Walungisa i-aldara lakaJehova ebesele ligiriziwe.+ 31 U-Eliya wathatha amatje ali-12, alingana nesibalo seentjhaba zamadodana kaJakopo, loyo okwafika ilizwi lakaJehova kuye, lathi: “Igama lakho uzokuba ngu-Israyeli.”+ 32 Ngamatje lawo wakha i-aldara+ egameni lakaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, wenza umsele magega ne-aldara, indawo ekulu ngokwaneleko bona kungatjalwa imbewu eziinlinganiso ezimbili zeseya.* 33 Ngemva kwalokho, wabeka iinkuni kuhle, wahlahlela ikunzana wayibeka phezu kweenkuni.+ Nje-ke wathi: “Zalisani imijeka emine emikhulu ngamanzi begodu niwathele phezu komnikelo otjhiswako naphezu kweenkuni.” 34 Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Buyelelani godu.” Babuyelela. Godu wathi: “Buyelelani kwesithathu.” Babuyelela kwesithathu. 35 Amanzi ageleza magega ne-aldara, wazalisa nomsele ngamanzi.

36 Pheze ngesikhathi sokwenziwa komnikelo weenthoro wantambama,+ u-Eliya umphorofidi watjhidela e-aldareni, wathi: “Maye! Jehova Zimu ka-Abrahama,+ ka-Isaka+ noka-Israyeli, namhlanjesi kwenze kwaziwe bona unguZimu kwa-Israyeli nokuthi ngiyincekwakho begodu ngenze koke lokhu ngelizwi lakho.+ 37 Ngibawa ungiphendule Jehova! Ngiphendula bona abantwaba bazi ukuthi wena Jehova, unguZimu weqiniso nokuthi nguwe obangele bona babuyele kuwe.”+

38 Khonokho umlilo kaJehova wehla uvela phezulu, watjhisa umnikelo otjhiswako,+ iinkuni, amatje nethuli, wamunya namanzi emseleni.+ 39 Boke abantu nababona lokhu, msinyana baguqa bahloma iinhloko phasi, bathi: “UJehova unguZimu weqiniso! UJehova unguZimu weqiniso!” 40 Nje-ke u-Eliya wathi kibo: “Bambani abaphorofidi bakaBhali! Ningavumeli namunye wabo aphunyurhe!” Khonokho bababamba, u-Eliya wabasa emlanjaneni weKhitjhoni+ wababulalela lapho.+

41 U-Eliya wathi ku-Arhabi: “Khamba, uyokudla bewusele ngombana kunomdumo wezulu elikhulu.”+ 42 U-Arhabi wakhamba wayokudla bewasela, u-Eliya wakhuphukela esiqongolweni seKarameli waqondama ehlabathini, afake ubuso bakhe hlangana namadolwakhe.+ 43 Wathi emsizinakhe: “Ngibawa ukhuphuke uqale nca ngelwandle.” Nje-ke wakhamba waqala nca ngelwandle wathi: “Akunalitho.” U-Eliya wathi kuye amahlandla alikhomba, “Buyela.” 44 Ehlandleni lekhomba umsizakhe wathi: “Kunelifu elincani elinjengesandla somuntu likhuphuka ngelwandle.” Nje-ke wathi: “Khamba uyokutjela u-Arhabi uthi, ‘Bophela ikaranakho! Wehlele enzasi bona izulu lingakubambi!’” 45 Kwathi kusesenjalo, kwaba namafu anzima tshu, kwavunguza umoya, lathoma ukurhatjha ngamandla;+ u-Arhabi wagijima ngekarana, waya eJizriyela.+ 46 Kodwana uJehova wanikela u-Eliya amandla, wabopha isambatho sakhe edinini, wagijima phambi kwaka-Arhabi bewayokufika eJizriyela.