1Ki 17 | NdeIBE | STEP | U-Elija umThishibi owayevela ngaseThishibi eGileyadi, wasesithi ku-Ahabi, “Njengoba uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, engimkhonzayo ephila, akuyikuba lamazolo njalo akuyikuba lezulu okweminyaka embalwa ezayo ngaphandle kokuba ngitsho.”

1 Kings 17

U-Elija Uphiwa Ukudla Ngamawabayi

1 U-Elija umThishibi owayevela ngaseThishibi eGileyadi, wasesithi ku-Ahabi, “Njengoba uJehova, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, engimkhonzayo ephila, akuyikuba lamazolo njalo akuyikuba lezulu okweminyaka embalwa ezayo ngaphandle kokuba ngitsho.”

2 Ngakho ilizwi likaJehova lafika ku-Elija lisithi: 3 “Suka lapho, khangela empumalanga uyecatsha eDongeni lwaseKherithi, empumalanga kweJodani. 4 Uzanatha amanzi avela kulesosifula, njalo sengilungise amawabayi ukuthi azabe ekulethela ukudla khonapho.”

5 Ngakho wenza lokho okwakutshiwo nguJehova. Waya eDongeni lwaseKherithi, empumalanga yeJodani, wafika wahlala khona.

6 Amawabayi amlethela ukudla, isinkwa lenyama ekuseni kwathi lantambama kwaba yisinkwa lenyama, amanzi wayenatha awalesosifula.

Umfelokazi waseZarefathi

7 Ngemva kwesikhathi amanzi atsha esifuleni ngoba kwakungelazulu elizweni. 8 Ngakho kwabuye kwafika kuye ilizwi likaJehova lisithi:

9 “Suka khathesi uye eZarefathi yeSidoni uyehlala khona. Sengilungisile khona ukuthi umfelokazi uzakulungisela abe ekupha ukudla.”

10 Wasesiya eZarefathi. Uthe efika esangweni ledolobho, kwakukhona umfelokazi ebutha incwathi. Wazibika kuye njalo ecela wathi, “Ungangilethela amanzi ngenkezo kenginathe na?” 11 Uthe esayathatha amanzi, wambiza njalo wathi, “Ngicela ungiphathele locezu lwesinkwa.”

12 Umfelokazi waphendula wathi, “Ngeqiniso lanjengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ephila, angilaso isinkwa – ngilengcosana nje yefulawa engcebethwini encane lamafutha angenganani ediweni. Ngidobha incwathi lezi nje ngiya lazo ngekhaya ukuze ngiyezigoqozela engingakudla mina lendodana yami, kube yikho esizakudla – anduba sife.”

13 U-Elija wathi kumfelokazi, “Ungesabi. Hamba uye ekhaya uyekwenza khonokho okutshoyo. Kodwa uqale ungiphekele iqebelengwana eliyisinkwa ngalokho olakho ube usuliletha lapha kimi, anduba uziphekele okwakho lendodana yakho. 14 Ngoba lokhu yikho uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akutshiloyo: ‘Impuphu esengcebethwini kayiyikuphela, lamafutha asediweni kawayikuphela, kuze kufike usuku uJehova azanisa ngalo izulu elizweni?’ ”

15 Wasuka lapho wayakwenza njengalokho ayekutshilo u-Elija. Ngakho kwahlala kulokudla kuka-Elija lomfelokazi labendlu yakhe okwezinsuku zonke. 16 Ngoba ifulawa elutshwana eyayisengcebethwini ayiphelanga, kanti njalo lamafutha agobhoza kokuphela kazaphela njengokutsho kukaJehova ku-Elija.

17 Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana yomfelokazi owayengumninindlu yagula. Wakhula umkhuhlane ngamandla, yaze yema ukuphefumula. 18 Umfelokazi wathi ku-Elija, “Kanti kuyini ongizondela khona, wena muntu kaNkulunkulu? Kambe ungabe ulande ukuzangikhumbuza ngesono sami ukuze ubulale indodana yami na?”

19 U-Elija waphendula wathi, “Nginika indodana yakho.” Wayiphatha ngezandla indodana, wakhwela layo waya endlini ephezulu ayehlala kuyo, wayilalisa embhedeni wakhe. 20 Wasecela ngamandla kuJehova esithi. “Yebo Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, wehlisele umonakalo lakulo umfelokazi engihlezi kuye na, ngokubangela ukufa kwendodana yakhe na?”

21 Wasezelula ecambalala phezu komfana kathathu ecela kuJehova, esithi, “Wena Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ake ubuyisele impilo yalumntwana!”

22 UJehova wakuzwa ukukhala kuka-Elija lakanye impilo yomfana yabuyela, wavuka waphila. 23 U-Elija wamphakamisa umntwana wamthwalela endlini ephansi. Wamqhubela unina wasesithi kunina, “Khangela ubone, indodana yakho iyaphila!”

24 Umfelokazi wasesithi ku-Elija, “Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu lokuthi ilizwi likaJehova elivela emlonyeni wakho liliqiniso.”