Umambo bwa madzinza 10 ya Jirayeri, budakhala na wamambo azinji, ndipo Akabe akhali m’bodzi wa wamambo wakuipa kwene-kwene. Iye adalowola Jezabeli, mkazi wakuipa kwene-kwene omwe akhambanamata Baala, mulungu wakunama. Akabe na mkazaceyo adacitisa kuti wanthu wense wa mu Jirayeri ambanamatembo Baalayo, aciphambo apolofeta wa Yahova. Kodi Yahova adacita ciyani na bzimwebzo? Iye adatumiza mpolofeta Eliya kuti akadziwise mambo Akabe cinthu comwe cingadacitika.

Eliya adauza mambo Akabe kuti nvula ingadagwa lini mu dziko la Jirayeri thangwe ra bzakuipa bzace. Ndipo kwa magole matatu na meya, kulibedi kumera cakudya ndipo wanthu adatsautsika na njala. Tsono Yahova adadzatumiza Eliya kwa mambo Akabe. Pomwe Akabe adawona Eliyayo, iye adati: ‘Bzensenebzi ndiwepo!’ Tsono Eliya adamutawira kuti: ‘Ndine lini omwe ndanyosa ciralaci. Ndimwepo mwacinyosa thangwe ra kunamata kwanu Baala. Konkhanisani Ajirayeri wense pabodzi na apolofeta wa Baala pa phiri la Karimelo. Ndipo tin’dzawona kuti mbani omwe ni Mulungu wacadidi.’

Wanthuwo adakonkhanisidwadi pa phiripo. Ndipo Eliya adati: ‘Sankhulani cinthu cibodzi. Penu Yahova ni Mulungu wacadidi, m’tewereni. Tsono penu Baala ndiye mulungu wacadidi, m’tewerenimbo iye. Mbaticiteni tenepayu: Apolofeta 450 wa Baala mbakonzekere nsembe yawo, acikumbira kuti mulungu wawo atumize moto kuti udzanyekese nsembeyo. Ndipo inepano ndin’konzekerambo nsembe yangu, ndicikumbira kuti Yahova atumizembo moto. Omwe atumize motoyo, umweyo ndiye Mulungu wacadidi.’ Ndipo wanthuwo adabverana nabzo.

Apolofeta wa Baala adakonzekera nsembe yawo. Iwo adayambira ku macibese mpaka ku maulo, acimbakumbira mulungu wawoyo kuti: ‘Nandi Baala, titawire kani!’ Tsono pakuti Baalayo akhatawira lini, Eliya akhawaseka, aciwauza kuti: ‘Kuwani mwa mphanvu. Pinango iye akugona, ndipo an’funa kumusidwa.’ Apolofeta wa Baalawo akhapitiriza basi kumbam’cemera, koma iye ne na kundowatawirako.

Tenepo, Eliya adakonzekerambo nsembe yace, aciikha madzi m’phepete mwa mphatso yomwe ikhana nsembeyo. Patsogolo pace, iye adapemba kuti: ‘Nandi Yahova, nditawireni kuti wanthuwa adziwe kuti imwepo ndimwe Mulungu wacadidi.’ Pa nthawe ibodzi-bodziyo, Yahova adatumiza moto kucokera kudzulu, ucidzanyekesa nsembeyo. Ndipo wanthu wensewo adakuwa, aciti: ‘Yahova ndiye Mulungu wacadidi!’ Eliya adalewa kuti: ‘Lekani kulekerera kuti apolofeta wa Baalawa athawe.’ Ndipo pa nsiku imweyo, adaphedwa apolofeta 450 wa Baala.

Pomwe kadawoneka kamtambo kang’ono padzulu pa nyanza, Eliya adauza mambo Akabe kuti: ‘Kukubwera cinvula. Pakirani ngolo yanu mwakamfulumize, muyende kumui.’ Kudzulu kudapswipa na mitambo, conzi cidayamba kumenya, kucibvumba cinvula camphanvu. Cirala cire cidadzamala tsapano! Ndipo Akabe adathamangisa ngolo yace ninga momwe angadakwanisiramo. Tsono na thandizo la Yahova, Eliya adathamanga kwene-kwene, acikwanisa kupitirira ngolo ya Akabe! Kodi, un’kumbuka kuti mabvuto ya Eliya yakhadamala? Mbatiwone kutsogoloku.

Jezabeli adabva bzomwe bzidacitikira apolofeta wa Baala, ndipo adakalipa kwene-kwene. Iye adatumiza mafala kuna Eliya, aciti: ‘Mangwana, iwepo uti uphedwembo ninga momwe udacitira na apolofeta wa Baala.’ Eliya atabva bzimwebzo, adabva mantha kwene-kwene, ndipo adathawa, aciyenda ku dambo. Iye adapemba kwa Yahova kuti: ‘Yahova, ndin’kwanisa lini pomwe kupirira bzimwebzi. Bziri bwino ndindofe.’ Eliya adaneta na kufamba, ndipo adagona pa tsinde la muti.

Ndipo anjo munango adamulamusa, acimuuza kuti: ‘Eliya, muka udye.’ Pomwe Eliya adamuka, adawona pau yakupsa na jaro ya madzi. Ndipo iye adadya, acigona pomwe. Tsono anjoyo adadzamulamusa pomwe, acimuuza kuti: ‘Dyaya pomwe pang’ono kuti ukwanise kupitiriza na ulendo bwako.’ Tenepo, Eliya adadyadi, acipitiriza na ulendo bwace. Iye adafamba nsiku 40, usiku na masikati mpaka kukafika pa phiri la Horebe. Ndipo iye adapita m’cimphako, acigona. Ndipo Yahova adalewalewa naye, aciti: ‘Unkucitanyi kuno Eliya?’ Eliya adatawira kuti: ‘Ajirayeri alibe kuteweza mpangano omwe adacita na imwepo. Iwo apfudza mphatso yanu, acipha apolofeta wanu. Ndipo tsapano an’funambo kupha inepano.’

Tenepo, Yahova adamuuza kuti: ‘Bula m’cimphakomo, uime pa phiripo.’ Patsogolo pace, Yahova adalatiza mphanvu zace kuna Eliya. Cakuyamba, iye adacitisa conzi ca mphanvu m’cimphakomo. Caciwiri, iye adacitisa citeke-teke, acitumizambo moto. Pakumalizira pace, Eliya adabva fala linkulewalewa naye mwa pansi-pansi. Iye adampsinkha nkhope na mkanjo wace, acicoka m’cimphakomo. Patsogolo pace, Yahova adamubvunza kuti: ‘Thangwe ranyi unkuthawa Eliya?’ Ndipo Eliya adatawira kuti: ‘Inepano ndinkuthawa thangwe kulibe pomwe munthu omwe ankukunamatani ku Jirayeri.’ Tsono Yahova adamuuza kuti: ‘Iwepo uli lini wekha. Kuna wanthu wakukwana 7.000 ku Jirayeri omwe akadandinamata. Ndoko, ndipo ukauze Elizeu kuti akhale mpolofeta m’mbuto mwako.’ Pa nthawe ibodzi-bodziyo Eliya adayenda kacitadi bzomwe Yahova akhadamuuzabzo. Kodi Yahova angakuthandizembo ukacita bzense bzomwe iye ambafuna? Inde, angakuthandize. Ndipopa mbatiwone bzomwe bzidacitika pa nthawe ya cirala ire.