1 Kings 18

U-Elija lo-Obhadiya

1Ngemva kwesikhathi eside, ngomnyaka wesithathu, ilizwi likaJehova lezwakala ku-Elija lisithi: “Hamba uyezibika ku-Ahabi, ngizanisa izulu elizweni.” 2Lakanye u-Elija wahamba wayazibika ku-Ahabi. Ngalesosikhathi indlala yayinkulu kakhulu eSamariya, 3njalo u-Ahabi wayenxuse u-Obhadiya, owayengumlindi wesigodlo sakhe. (U-Obhadiya wayekholwa kakhulu kuJehova.

4Lapho uJezebeli wayebulala abaphrofethi bakaJehova, u-Obhadiya wayethethe abalikhulu wayabafihla ezimbalwini ezimbili, bengamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini lunye, wabathumela ukudla lamanzi.) 5U-Ahabi wayethe ku-Obhadiya, “Ngena elizweni lonke emaxhaphozini lasezihotsheni. Mhlawumbe singafumana khona utshani bokupha amabhiza lezimbongolo zethu ukuze singabulali leyodwa yezinyamazana zethu.” 6Ngakho behlukaniselana isigaba somhlaba ababezawuhlola. UAhabi wakhangela le kwathi lo-Obhadiya laye waya le.

7Kwathi u-Obhadiya ezihambela nje, wahlangabezwa ngu-Elija. U-Obhadiya wamnanzelela, wakhothamela phansi emhlabathini, wasesithi, “Kambe nguwe sibili, nkosi yami Elija?”

8U-Elija waphendula wathi, “Yebo. Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi, ‘U-Elija ulapha.’ ”

9U-Obhadiya wabuza wathi, “Ngoneni kanti okwenza unikele inceku yakho ezandleni zika-Ahabi ukuba ibulawe? 10Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu ephila, akukho sizwe loba umbuso lapho inkosi yami ingazange ithume izigijimi ukuba zikudinge khona. Kuthe laloba isizwe loba umbuso ulandula ukuba awukho khonale, ubenze bafunga ukuthi abangeke bakufumane. 11Kodwa khathesi usungithuma ukuthi ngiye enkosini ngiyeyitshela ukuthi, ‘UElija ulapha.’ 12Angikwazi ukuthi uMoya kaJehova uzakusa ngaphi mhla ngakutshiyayo. Nxa ngingayatshela u-Ahabi akudinge akuswele, uzangibulala. Kunjalo nje mina nceku yakho ngimkhonzile uJehova kusukela ebutsheni bami. 13Awukezwa yini, nkosi yami, engakwenzayo uJezebeli ebulala abaphrofethi bakaJehova na? Ngafihla abalikhulu ezimbalwini ezimbili, bengamatshumi amahlanu kolulodwa, ngabapha ukudla lamanzi. 14Pho khathesi usungithuma ukuba ngiye enkosini yami ngiyeyitshela ngithi, ‘UElija ulapha.’ Kusobala ukuthi izangibulala!”

15U-Elija wathi, “Njengoba uJehova uSomandla engimkhonzayo ekhona, ngizazinikela ngempela ku-Ahabi lamuhla.”

U-Elija Entabeni iKhameli

16Ngakho u-Obhadiya wahlangabeza u-Ahabi wayamtshela, u-Ahabi wayahlangabeza u-Elija. 17Uthe ebona u-Elija, wathi kuye, “Nguwe wena, wena oluhlupho ko-Israyeli?”

18U-Elija waphendula wathi, “Angibanganga hlupho ko-Israyeli. Kodwa nguwe labendlu kayi-hlo abalubangileyo. Selitshiye imilayo kaJehova lalandela oBhali. 19Mema abantu kulo lonke elako-Israyeli ngiyehlangana labo eNtabeni iKhameli. Njalo letha bonke abaphrofethi bakaBhali abangamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu labaka-Ashera abangamakhulu amane, abadlela etafuleni kaJezebeli.”

20U-Ahabi wakhupha ilizwi kulo lonke elako-Israyeli wahlanganisa abaphrofethi labo eNtabeni iKhameli. 21U-Elija wema phambi kwabantu wathi, “Lizathandabuza kuze kube nini ngeminakano emibili le na? Nxa uJehova enguNkulunkulu mlandeleni kodwa nxa uBhali enguNkulunkulu, mlandeleni.” Kodwa abantu abazange batsho lutho.

22Ngakho u-Elija wasesithi kubo, “Yimi ngedwa umphrofethi kaJehova oseleyo kodwa uBhali ulabangamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu. 23Sidingeleni izinkunzi ezimbili. Libanike bazikhethele abayifunayo bayihlabe bayiqume amaqatha bayifake phezu kwezinkuni kodwa bangabasi umlilo. Lami ngizahlinza eyinye yazo ngiyiqobaqobe ngiyifake phezu kwezinkuni kodwa angiyikubasa umlilo. 24Libe selibiza igama likankulunkulu wenu mina ngizacela ebizweni likaJehova. Unkulunkulu ozaphendula ngomlilo – nguyeke uNkulunkulu.” Ngakho abantu bonke bathi, “Lokho okutshoyo kulungile.”

25U-Elija wathi kubaphrofethi bakaBhali, “Khethani inkunzi eyodwa njalo liqale lina ukuyilungiselela, njengoba lina libanengi kangaka. Memezani unkulunkulu wenu ngegama lakhe, kodwa lingalumathisi umlilo.”

26Bayithatha inkunzi ababeyiphiwe bayilungisa. Basebebiza ibizo likaBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini enkulu. Baklabalala besithi, “We Bhali, sabela bo!” Kodwa akubanga lampendulo; kakho owaphendulayo. Bagida bezingelezela i-alithare ababelakhile.

27Kwathi emini enkulu u-Elija waqalisa ukubahoza esithi, “Klabalalani ngamandla! Ngempela angithi ungunkulunkulu! Mhlawumbe ujule eminakanweni, engxenye ubambekile, loba engxenye uphakathi kohambo. Engxenye ulele ngakho ufuna ukuvuswa.” 28Ngakho baklabalala ngamandla baziklaya ngezingqamu langezinkemba, njengoba kwakungumkhuba wabo, kwaze kwajuluka igazi. 29Yedlula imini enkulu, bona baqhubeka ngokuphithizela bephrofetha kwaze kwaba yisikhathi somhlatshelo wakusihlwa. Kodwa akubanga lalutho, akubanga lampendulo, kakho owazihlupha ngakho.

30Ngakho u-Elija wathi ebantwini, “Wozani ngapha engikhona.” Basondela kuye, yena walungilungisa i-alithare likaJehova elaselibhidlikile.

31U-Elija wathatha amatshe alitshumi lambili, yilelo limele isizwana sosendo lukaJakhobe, yena owayemukele ilizwi likaJehova elathi kuye, “Uzabizwa ngokuthi ungu-Israyeli.” 32Wakha i-alithare ngebizo likaJehova ngalawo matshe, wagebha umgelo ozingelezela i-alithare okungangena kuwo igokoko lamabele.

33Walungisa inkuni, wasika inyama yenkunzi wenza amaqatha, waseyibeka phezu kwenkuni. Wasesithi kubo, “Gcwalisani imigqomo emine emikhulu ngamanzi libe seliwathela phezu komhlatshelo laphezu kwenkuni.”

34Wathi, “Kwenzeni futhi,” bakwenza lokho njalo. Wathi, “Kwenzeni okwesithathu,” lakanye bakwenza bephinda okwesithathu. 35Amanzi agcwala aze agcwala lasemgelweni owawugombolozele i-alithare.

36Kuthe ngesikhathi somhlatshelo, u-Elija umphrofethi wasondela wakhuleka esithi, “O Jehova, Nkulunkulu ka-Abhrahama, lo-Isaka lo-Israyeli, veza obala lamuhla ukuthi wena unguNkulunkulu ko-Israyeli kanye lokuthi mina ngiyinceku yakho, lokuthi zonke lezizinto ngizenza ngokulaya kwakho. 37Akungiphendule O Jehova, akungiphendule ukuze lababantu bakwazi ukuthi wena Jehova, unguNkulunkulu, lokuthi njalo uguqula izinhliziyo zabo.”

38Khonokho umlilo kaJehova wehla watshisa umhlatshelo, inkuni, amatshe lomhlabathi, kwaze kwatsha lamanzi ayesemgelweni.

39Abantu bonke bekubona lokhu, bazilahla phansi bakhala bathi, “UJehova – nguye uNkulunkulu! UJehova – nguye uNkulunkulu!”

40U-Elija wasebalaya wathi, “Bambani abaphrofethi bakaBhali. Akungaphunyuki lamunye!” Bababamba, u-Elija wathi kabasiwe eSigodini saseKhishoni, babulawelwa khona.

41Ngakho u-Elija wasesithi ku-Ahabi, “Hamba, udle unathe, ngoba kuzwakala umdumo wezulu elikhulu.” 42Ngalokho u-Ahabi wasuka wayakudla njalo wanatha, kodwa u-Elija wakhwela phezu kwentaba yaseKhameli, wagebisa ikhanda lakhe walifaka phakathi kwamadolo akhe.

43Wathuma isisebenzi sakhe wathi: “Hamba uyephosa amehlo akho olwandle.” Lakanye isisebenzi sahamba sayakhangela. Sathi, “Akulalutho laphaya.” U-Elija watsho kwaze kwaba kasikhombisa esithi, “Buyela.”

44Ngehlandla lesikhombisa isisebenzi sabika sathi, “Iyezana elincinyane ngangesandla somuntu likhanya liqubuka lisuka olwandle.” Ngakho u-Elija wasesithi, “Hamba uyetshela u-Ahabi uthi, ‘Bopha inqola yakho yempi usuke lapho ungakavalelwa lizulu.’ ”

45Ngalesosikhathi, kwaba mnyama emkhathini ngamayezi, kwaqubuka umoya, kwana izulu elikhulu njalo u-Ahabi wasuka ngenqola waya eJezireli. 46Amandla kaJehova ehlela ku-Elija, njalo uthe ukuba akhwicele isambatho sakhe ebhantini wagijima phambi kuka-Ahabi indlela yonke esiya eJezireli.