Iinkoro ezilitjhumi zombuso wakwa-Israyeli zaba namakhosi amambi, kodwana u-Arhabi bekakhohlakele khulu. Watjhada nomfazi okhohlakeleko olotjha uBhali. Ibizo lakhe bekunguJezebheli. U-Arhabi noJezebheli bazalisa inarha ngokulotjha uBhali, babulala nabaphorofidi bakaJehova. Wenzani uJehova? Wathumela umphorofidi u-Eliya bona adlulisele u-Arhabi umlayezo.

U-Eliya watjela iKosi u-Arhabi ukuthi ngebanga lezinto ezimbi ezenzileko, angekhe kube nezulu kwa-Israyeli. Kwadlula neminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu yoke kungamili iintjalo begodu abantu bafa yindlala. UJehova wathumela u-Eliya ku-Arhabi godu. Ikosi yathi: ‘Umraro nguwe! Zibangelwa nguwe zoke izintwezi.’ U-Eliya waphendula: ‘Angikabangeli isomiso. Sibangelwe nguwe ngokulotjha uBhali. Kuzokufuze senze okuthileko. Buthelela isitjhaba soke kunye nabaphorofidi bakaBhali, kutjhingwe eNtabeni iKarameli.’

Abantu bahlangana entabeni. U-Eliya wathi: ‘Khenithatheni isiqunto. Nangabe uJehova unguZimu wamambala landelani yena. NakunguBhali landelani yena. Naku esizokwenza, abaphorofidi bakaBhali abama-450 bazakulungiselela umhlatjelo bese babiza uzimabo, nami ngizakulungiselela umhlatjelo ngibize uJehova. Ozokuphendula ngomlilo nguye uZimu wamambala.’ Abantu bavuma.

Abaphorofidi bakaBhali balungiselela umhlatjelo. Ilanga loke babizana nozimabo bathi: ‘Maye, khusiphendule Bhali!’ Njengombana uBhali angaphenduli, u-Eliya wahlekisa ngabo. Wathi: ‘Mrhweleleni. Mhlamunye ulele begodu omunye kufuze ayomvusa.’ Labe latjhinga solo abaphorofidi bakaBhali barhuwelela. Kodwana akhenge abaphendule.

U-Eliya wabeka umhlatjelwakhe phezu kwe-aldara begodu wathela namanzi phezu kwawo. Ngemva kwalokho wathandaza wathi: ‘Jehova, ngiyabawa, khutjengise abantwaba ukuthi unguZimu wamambala.’ Khonokho uJehova wathumela umlilo usuka ezulwini watjhisa umhlatjelo. Abantu barhuwelela bathi: ‘UJehova unguZimu wamambala!’ U-Eliya wathi: ‘Ningabalisi abaphorofidi bakaBhali bona babaleke!’ Ngelangelo, abaphorofidi bakaBhali abama-450 babulawa.

Kuthe nakuvela ilifu elincani phezu kwelwandle, u-Eliya wathi ku-Arhabi: ‘Isiwuruwuru siyeza. Bophela ikaranakho, ubuyele ekhaya.’ Kwaba namafu anzima tshu, kwaba nzima, kwavunguza nomoya, lathoma lathela. Emaswapheleni isomiso saphela. U-Arhabi wagijimisa ikaranakhe ngendlela angakghona ngayo. Ngesizo lakaJehova u-Eliya wagijima wabe wadlula ikarana leyo! Kghani imiraro ka-Eliya besele iphelile? Akhesibone.

UJezebheli wezwa ngalokho okwenzeke ebaphorofidini bakaBhali, begodu bekakwate azele ipoto. Wathumela u-Eliya umlayezo othi: ‘Kusasa uzokufa njengabaphorofidi bakaBhali.’ U-Eliya warhidlwa livalo wabalekela emmangweni. Wathandaza wathi: ‘Sekwanele, Jehova. Ngivumela ngife.’ Aphelelwe mamandla, u-Eliya walala ubuthongo ngaphasi komuthi.

Ingilozi yamvusa, ngomusa yathi: ‘Vuka udle.’ U-Eliya wabona uburotho ematjeni atjhisako nomjeka wamanzi. Wadla wasela, wabuyela walala godu. Ingilozi yamvusa godu yathi: ‘Yidla. Utlhoga amandla ekhambweni lakho.’ Yeke u-Eliya wadla godu. Ngemva kwalokho wakhamba amalanga nobusuku obuma-40, wabe wayokufika eNtabeni iRhorebe. Lapho, u-Eliya wangena ngemrhobeni walala. Kodwana uJehova wakhuluma naye. Wathi: ‘Wenzani lapho Eliya?’ U-Eliya wathi: ‘Ama-Israyeli asiphulile isivumelwano asenze kuwe. Atshidlhe ama-aldara abulala nabaphorofidi bakho. Nje-ke afuna ukubulala nami.’

UJehova wathi ku-Eliya: ‘Khamba uyokujama entabeni.’ Kwathoma kwavunguza umoya onamandla emrhobeni. Ngokulandelako, kwaba nokusikinyeka kwephasi, kwaba nomlilo. Ekugcineni, u-Eliya wezwa iphimbo eliphasi. Wagubuzesa ubuso bakhe ngejasi wajama ngaphandle komrhoba. UJehova wambuza bona ubalekeleni. U-Eliya wathi: ‘Kusele mina ngedwa.’ Kodwana uJehova wathi: ‘Akusuwe wedwa. Kunama-Israyeli azii-7 000 asangilotjhako. Khamba, ufike wenze u-Elitjha abe mphorofidi esikhundleni sakho.’ Khonokho, u-Eliya wenza lokho uJehova amtjele khona. Kghani ucabanga bona uJehova nawe angakusiza nawenza lokho afuna bona ukwenze? Iye, uzokusiza. Akhesizwe ukuthi kwenzekani hlangana nesikhathi sesomiso.