Incwadzi Yekucala YemaKhosi

18 Ngemuva kwesikhatsi, emnyakeni wesitsatfu+ livi laJehova lefika ku-Elija latsi: “Hamba uye ku-Ahabi futsi mine ngitawunisa imvula emhlabeni.”+ 2 Ngako Elija wahamba waya ku-Ahabi ngesikhatsi somiso sibhokile+ eSamariya.

3 Ngesikhatsi lesifanako, Ahabi wabita Obadiya lobekengamele sigodlo. (Obadiya bekamhlonipha kakhulu Jehova, 4 futsi ngesikhatsi Jezebeli+ abulala* baphrofethi baJehova, Obadiya watsatsa labangu-100 babo wabafihla. Labangu-50 wabafihla kulomunye umgedze, labangu-50 wabafaka kulomunye futsi wabanika tinkhwa nemanti.) 5 Ahabi wabese utsi ku-Obadiya: “Hamba lonkhe lelive, uye kuyo yonkhe imitfombo yemanti nakuto tonkhe tihosha. Mhlawumbe kungenteka sitfole tjani lobenele bekondla emahhashi neminyuzi kuze ingafi yonkhe imfuyo yetfu.” 6 Ngako behlukaniselana lelive lebebatawuhamba ekhatsi kulo. Ahabi wahamba ngalenye indlela na-Obadiya wahamba ngalenye.

7 Ngesikhatsi Obadiya asasendleleni, Elija wahlangana naye. Watsi nje Obadiya nakabona Elija, wavele waguca watsintsa ngebuso phansi wase utsi: “Nguwe yini lona nkhosi yami Elija?”+ 8 Wamphendvula watsi: “Yebo ngimi. Hamba uyotjela inkhosi yakho utsi: ‘Elija sewukhona.’” 9 Kodvwa Obadiya watsi: “Ngoneni kangaka kutsi ungaze unikele inceku yakho ku-Ahabi lotangibulala? 10 Ngifunga Jehova Nkulunkulu wakho lophilako ngitsi, kute sive noma umbuso lapho inkhosi yami ingakatfumeli khona bantfu kutsi bayokufuna. Ngemuva kwekutsi batsi, ‘Akekho,’ inkhosi ifungise lombuso nalesive kutsi angeke basakutfola.+ 11 Nyalo wena utsi, ‘Hamba uyotjela inkhosi yakho utsi: “Elija sewukhona.”’ 12 Nangisuka lakuwe, umoya waJehova utakuhambisa+ ukuyise endzaweni lengingayati futsi nangitjela Ahabi ngawe bese akasakutfoli, utangibulala nakanjani kodvwa inceku yakho beyesaba Jehova kusukela iseyinsha. 13 Inkhosi yami ayikeva yini kutsi ngentani ngesikhatsi Jezebeli abulala baphrofethi baJehova, kutsi ngafihla baphrofethi baJehova labangu-100, ngabehlukanisa baba ngemacembu lamabili, ngafaka labangu-50 emgedzeni ngamunye futsi ngachubeka ngibapha tinkhwa nemanti?+ 14 Kodvwa nyalo utsi kimi, ‘Hamba uyotjela inkhosi yakho utsi: “Elija sewukhona.”’ Utangibulala nakanjani.” 15 Elija waphendvula watsi: “Ngifunga Jehova Nkulunkulu wemabutfo lophilako futsi lengimkhontako* ngitsi, lamuhla ngitatiyela mine matfupha ku-Ahabi.”

16 Ngako Obadiya waya ku-Ahabi wafike wamtjela lendzaba, futsi Ahabi wahamba wayohlangana na-Elija.

17 Ngekushesha nje Ahabi nakabona Elija watsi kuye: “Nguwe yini lona losiletsela inhlupheko lenkhulu kangaka ka-Israyeli?”

18 Yena waphendvula watsi: “Mine angikayiletsi inhlupheko ka-Israyeli kodvwa iletfwe nguwe nendlu yababe wakho, ngekushiya imiyalo yaJehova nangekulandzela boBhali.+ 19 Nyalo ngicela ubitele onkhe ema-Israyeli eNtsabeni iKhameli,+ lokufaka ekhatsi baphrofethi labangu-450 baBhali nalabangu-400 bensika lengcwele,*+ labadla etafuleni laJezebeli.” 20 Ngako Ahabi watfumela livi kubo bonkhe bantfu baka-Israyeli futsi kwalandvwa bonkhe labaphrofethi babutsana eNtsabeni iKhameli.

21 Elija wabese ukhuluma nalabantfu watsi: “Kuyawuze kube ngunini solo ningasitsatsi sincumo?*+ Nangabe Jehova anguNkulunkulu weliciniso, landzelani yena kodvwa nangabe kunguBhali, landzelani yena!”+ Kodvwa labantfu abamphendvulanga. 22 Elija wabese utsi kulabantfu: “Ngimi ngedvwa umphrofethi waJehova losele,+ kantsi baphrofethi baBhali bangu-450. 23 Akuletfwe tinkunzi letimbili letisetincane, futsi labaphrofethi abakhetse yinye bayibulale bayicobe ibe ticucu bayibeke etikwetinkhuni, kodvwa akukafaneli bayokhele ngemlilo. Nami ngitawubulala lena lenye inkunzi, ngiyibeke etikwetinkhuni kodvwa angeke ngiyokhele ngemlilo. 24 Kufanele nibese nibita libito lankulunkulu wenu,+ mine ngitawubita libito laJehova. Nkulunkulu lotawuphendvula ngekwehlisa umlilo utawukhombisa kutsi nguye longuNkulunkulu weliciniso.”+ Bonkhe labantfu baphendvula batsi: “Loku lokushoko kukahle.”

25 Elija wabese utsi kulabaphrofethi baBhali: “Khetsani kucala inkunzi leseyincane futsi niyibulale ngobe nine nibanyenti. Ngemuva kwaloko nibobita libito lankulunkulu wenu, kodvwa akukafaneli niyokhele ngemlilo.” 26 Ngako labaphrofethi baBhali batsatsa lenkunzi lencane lebebanikwe yona bayibulala, futsi bachubeka bamemeta Bhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini, batsi: “Bhali siphendvule!” Kodvwa abevanga livi futsi kute lowabaphendvula.+ Bebasolo bagcumagcuma batungeleta leli-al’thare lebebalentile. 27 Kwatsi nasekusemini, Elija wacala kuhlekisa ngabo watsi: “Memetani kakhulu! Phela ungunkulunkulu!+ Mhlawumbe ujulile ngemicabango nobe usayotikhulula.* Nobe mhlawumbe ulele futsi kudzingeka kube khona lomvusako!” 28 Bebamemeta kakhulu, batisika ngemikhwa nangetinkemba njengobe bekulisiko labo, baze bavova ingati yonkhe indzawo. 29 Imini yendlula futsi bachubeka benta njengebaphrofethi kwaze kwaba sikhatsi sekwenta umnikelo walokutinhlavu wakusihlwa. Kodvwa bekute livi noma imphendvulo; kute lobekabanakile.+

30 Ngemuva kwesikhatsi lesidze, Elija watsi kubo bonkhe labantfu: “Buyani lapha kimi.” Ngako bonkhe labantfu beta kuye. Ngemuva kwaloko walungisa li-al’thare laJehova lebelibhidlitiwe.+ 31 Elija wabese utsatsa ematje langu-12, lalingana nenombolo yetive temadvodzana aJakobe, loyo livi laJehova lelafika kuye latsi: “Ligama lakho kutawuba ngu-Israyeli.”+ 32 Elija wasebentisa lamatje wakha li-al’thare+ egameni laJehova. Wabese wenta umsele lotungeleta leli-al’thare, indzawo lebeyiyinkhulu kangangekutsi kungahlanyelwa inhlanyelo lengemaseya* lamabili. 33 Ngemuva kwaloko, watibeka kahle letinkhuni, wacoba lenkunzi lencane yaba ticucu wayibeka etikwaletinkhuni.+ Wabese utsi: “Gcwalisani imigcoma lemikhulu lemine ngemanti bese nitsela lomnikelo wekushiswa naletinkhuni.” 34 Elija wabese utsi: “Phindzani futsi.” Ngako baphindze bawatsela. Waphindze watsi: “Watseleni kwesitsatfu.” Bawatsela kwesitsatfu. 35 Lamanti agcwala lonkhe leli-al’thare futsi wagcwalisa nalomsele ngemanti.

36 Kwatsi ngesikhatsi sekwenta umnikelo walokutinhlavu wakusihlwa,+ Elija umphrofethi wasondzela embili wase utsi: “Awu Jehova Nkulunkulu wa-Abrahama,+ wa-Isaka+ newa-Israyeli, lamuhla akwatiwe kutsi unguNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli futsi mine ngiyinceku yakho, nekutsi ngilalele livi lakho ngekwenta tonkhe letintfo.+ 37 Ngicela ungiphendvule Jehova! Ngicela ungiphendvule kuze labantfu bati kutsi wena Jehova unguNkulunkulu weliciniso nekutsi ubuyisela tinhlitiyo tabo kuwe.”+

38 Ngemuva kwaloko, umlilo lovela kuJehova wehla washwabadzela wonkhe lomnikelo wekushiswa,+ letinkhuni, lamatje nemhlabatsi futsi wawakhotsa onkhe lamanti lebekakulomsele.+ 39 Ngesikhatsi bonkhe labantfu bakubona loko bavele baguca batsintsa ngebuso phansi, base batsi: “Jehova unguNkulunkulu weliciniso! Jehova unguNkulunkulu weliciniso!” 40 Elija wabese utsi: “Bambani labaphrofethi baBhali! Ningavumeli ngisho namunye kutsi aphunyule!” Bavele bababamba, Elija wase wehlela nabo esihosheni saseKhishoni+ wababulalela lapho.+

41 Elija wabese utsi ku-Ahabi: “Khuphuka uyokudla uphindze unatse ngobe kunemsindvo wemvula lenkhulu.”+ 42 Ngako Ahabi wakhuphuka wayokudla futsi wanatsa ngesikhatsi Elija akhuphukela esicongweni seKhameli lapho afike waguca khona, buso bakhe wabufaka emkhatsini wematsanga.+ 43 Ngemuva kwaloko, Elija watsi encekwini yakhe: “Ngicela ukhuphuke uyobuka ngaselwandle.” Lenceku yakhuphuka yabuka ngaselwandle yase itsi: “Akunalutfo kwasanhlobo.” Elija wakhuluma nayo tikhatsi letingu-7 watsi: “Buyela emuva.” 44 Lenceku yabuyela kwesi-7, nayibuya yatsi: “Ngibona lifu lelincane lelingangesandla semuntfu likhuphuka elwandle.” Elija wabese utsi: “Hamba uye ku-Ahabi ufike utsi: ‘Bophela incola yakho wewuke kuze ungavinjetelwa ngulemvula!’” 45 Ngaleso sikhatsi, sibhakabhaka sagcwala emafu lamnyama, kwahhusha umoya yase iyayitsela imvula;+ Ahabi wachubeka ngencola yakhe alibhekise eJezreyeli.+ 46 Kodvwa sandla saJehova saba na-Elija futsi wabophela ingubo yakhe etingculwini wagijima wendlula Ahabi waze wayofika eJezreyeli.