Eyokuqala YaMakhosi

18 Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, ngonyaka wesithathu wesomiso, + izwi likaJehova lafika ku-Eliya, lathi: “Hamba uye ku-Ahabi, ngizonisa imvula phezu komhlaba.” + 2 Ngakho u-Eliya wahamba waya ku-Ahabi, ngesikhathi indlala ibhokile + eSamariya.

3 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, u-Ahabi wabiza u-Obadiya, owayengamele indlu yenkosi. (U-Obadiya wayemesaba kakhulu uJehova, 4 lapho uJezebeli + ebulala* abaprofethi bakaJehova, u-Obadiya wathatha abaprofethi abangu-100 wabafihla emgedeni ngamashumi amahlanu, wabanika isinkwa namanzi.) 5 U-Ahabi wathi ku-Obadiya: “Hamba unqamule ezweni uye kuzo zonke iziphethu zamanzi nakuzo zonke izigodi.* Mhlawumbe singase sithole utshani obanele ukuze amahhashi neminyuzi kungafi, zingafi zonke izilwane zethu.” 6 Ngakho bahlukaniselana izwe ababezolihamba. U-Ahabi wahamba yedwa ngenye indlela no-Obadiya wahamba yedwa ngenye indlela.

7 Njengoba u-Obadiya ayesendleleni, kwaqhamuka u-Eliya ezomhlangabeza. Wavele wabona ukuthi nguye wabe esekhothama wathi: “Ingabe nguwe ngempela lona, nkosi yami Eliya?” + 8 Wamphendula wathi: “Yimi. Hamba uthi enkosini yakho: ‘Nangu u-Eliya.’ ” 9 Kodwa wathi: “Ngoneni ukuba ungaze unikele inceku yakho ku-Ahabi ukuba angibulale? 10 Ngifunga uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, akukho sizwe nambuso inkosi yami engazange ithumele ukuba uyofunwa khona. Ngemva kokuba bethe, ‘Akekho lapha,’ yayifungisa lowo mbuso naleso sizwe ukuthi asikutholi. + 11 Manje uthi, ‘Hamba uyotshela inkosi yakho ukuthi nangu u-Eliya.’ 12 Lapho ngisuka kuwe, umoya kaJehova uzokuthatha + ukuyise lapho ngingazi khona, lapho ngitshela u-Ahabi bese engakutholi, nakanjani uzongibulala. Nokho, inceku yakho ibilokhu imesaba uJehova kusukela ebusheni bayo. 13 Ayizange yini inkosi yami u-Eliya itshelwe ngalokho engakwenza lapho uJezebeli ebulala abaprofethi bakaJehova, indlela engabafihla ngayo abaprofethi bakaJehova abangu-100 ngamaqembu abangamashumi amahlanu emgedeni ngamunye, ngilokhu ngibanika isinkwa namanzi? + 14 Kodwa manje uthi, ‘Hamba, uthi enkosini yakho: “Nangu u-Eliya.” ’ Izongibulala nakanjani.” 15 Nokho, u-Eliya wathi: “Ngifunga uJehova wamabutho engimkhonzayo,* namuhla ngizoya kuye angibone.”

16 Ngakho u-Obadiya wahamba waya ku-Ahabi wafike wamtshela, u-Ahabi wahamba wayohlangana no-Eliya.

17 Kwathi nje lapho u-Ahabi ebona u-Eliya, wathi kuye: “Ingabe nguwe lona, wena olethela u-Israyeli inkathazo?”*

18 U-Eliya waphendula wathi: “Angizange ngimlethele u-Israyeli inkathazo, kodwa nguwe nendlu kayihlo eniyilethile, ngokushiya imiyalo kaJehova nangokulandela oBhali. + 19 Manje biza wonke u-Israyeli eze eNtabeni iKarmeli, + ubize nabaprofethi bakaBhali abangu-450 nabaprofethi besigxobo esingcwele *+ abangu-400, abadla etafuleni likaJezebeli.” 20 Ngakho u-Ahabi wathumela umyalezo kuwo wonke ama-Israyeli waqoqela nabaprofethi eNtabeni iKarmeli.

21 U-Eliya wasondela kubo bonke abantu wathi: “Kuyoze kube nini nigxamalaze phakathi kwemibono emibili? + Uma uJehova enguNkulunkulu weqiniso, landelani yena; + kodwa uma kunguBhali, landelani yena!” Kodwa abantu abamphendulanga. 22 U-Eliya waqhubeka wathi kubantu: “Yimi kuphela umprofethi kaJehova osele, + kuyilapho abaprofethi bakaBhali bengamadoda angu-450. 23 Masinikwe izinkunzi ezimbili, bese bezikhethela inkunzi eyodwa bayihlahlele bayibeke phezu kwezinkuni, kodwa bangayokheli. Mina ngizolungisa enye inkunzi, ngiyibeke phezu kwezinkuni, kodwa ngeke ngiyokhele. 24 Kumele nibize igama likankulunkulu wenu, + mina ngizobiza igama likaJehova. UNkulunkulu ophendula ngomlilo uzobonisa ukuthi nguye onguNkulunkulu weqiniso.” + Bonke abantu baphendula bathi: “Yisu elihle lelo.”

25 U-Eliya wathi kubaprofethi bakaBhali: “Makuqale nina nikhethe inkunzi eyodwa niyilungise ngoba nina nibaningi, bese nibiza igama likankulunkulu wenu, kodwa akumele niyokhele.” 26 Ngakho bayithatha inkunzi abayinikwa, bayilungisa, baqhubeka bebiza igama likaBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini, bethi: “O Bhali, siphendule!” Kodwa kwakungekho zwi, kungekho muntu ophendulayo. + Babelokhu bexhuga bezungeza i-altare ababelenzile. 27 Kwathi emini u-Eliya waqala ukubenza inhlekisa wathi: “Memezani ngalo lonke izwi lenu! Angithi ungunkulunkulu! + Mhlawumbe ujulile ngemicabango noma usayozikhulula.* Noma mhlawumbe ulele kudingeka avuswe!” 28 Babememeza ngalo lonke izwi labo, bezisika ngemimese nangemikhonto njengoba babevame ukwenza, baze bagxaza igazi. 29 Kwaze kwaba ntambama belokhu benza njengabaprofethi kwaze kwaba yisikhathi sokunikelwa komnikelo wokudla okusanhlamvu wakusihlwa, kodwa kwakungekho zwi, kungenamuntu ophendulayo; akekho owayenakile. +

30 U-Eliya wathi kubo bonke abantu: “Sondelani kimi.” Ngakho bonke abantu basondela kuye. Wabe eselungisa i-altare likaJehova elalibhidliziwe. + 31 Ngemva kwalokho u-Eliya wathatha amatshe angu-12, ngokuvumelana nesibalo sezizwe zamadodana kaJakobe okwakufike kuye izwi likaJehova, lathi: “Uzobizwa ngokuthi ungu-Israyeli.” + 32 Ngalawo matshe wakha i-altare + lokudumisa igama likaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho wenza umsele ozungeza i-altare. Isiyonke leyo ndawo yayingangendawo okungahlwanyelwa kuyo imbewu engamaseya* amabili. 33 Ngemva kwalokho wahlela izinkuni, wahlahlela inkunzi wayibeka phezu kwezinkuni. + Wathi: “Gcwalisani izimbiza ezinkulu ezine ngamanzi, niwathele phezu komnikelo oshiswayo naphezu kwezinkuni.” 34 Wayesethi: “Phindani futhi.” Ngakho baphinda futhi. Waphinde wathi: “Kwenzeni okwesithathu.” Bakwenza okwesithathu. 35 Amanzi aya nxazonke ze-altare, nomsele wawugcwalisa ngamanzi.

36 Ngesikhathi sokunikelwa komnikelo wokudla okusanhlamvu wakusihlwa, + u-Eliya umprofethi wasondela e-altare wathi: “O Jehova, Nkulunkulu ka-Abrahama, + ka-Isaka + noka-Israyeli, namuhla makwaziwe ukuthi wena unguNkulunkulu kwa-Israyeli nokuthi mina ngiyinceku yakho futhi ngenze zonke lezi zinto ngokuvumelana nomyalo wakho. + 37 Ngiphendule, Jehova! Ngiphendule ukuze lesi sizwe sazi ukuthi wena, Jehova, unguNkulunkulu weqiniso nokuthi ubuyisela izinhliziyo zabo kuwe.” +

38 Kwabe sekwehla umlilo kaJehova wadla umnikelo oshiswayo, + izinkuni, amatshe nothuli, wakhotha namanzi ayesemseleni. + 39 Lapho bonke abantu bebona lokho, ngaso leso sikhathi bakhothama bathi: “UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso! UJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso!” 40 Ngemva kwalokho u-Eliya wathi kubo: “Bambani abaprofethi bakaBhali! Ningavumeli ngisho noyedwa kubo ukuba aphunyuke!” Ngaso leso sikhathi bababamba, u-Eliya wabehlisela emfuleni* iKishoni + wababulalela khona. +

41 U-Eliya wathi ku-Ahabi: “Khuphuka, udle uphuze, ngoba kukhona umsindo wemvula enkulu.” + 42 Ngakho u-Ahabi wakhuphuka ukuze adle aphuze, u-Eliya yena wakhuphuka waya phezu kwentaba iKarmeli wafike waqoshama phansi, wafaka ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo. + 43 Wathi esikhonzini sakhe: “Ngicela ukhuphuke, ubheke ngasolwandle.” Ngakho sakhuphuka sabheka, sase sithi: “Akukho lutho.” Kwaze kwaba yizikhathi eziyisikhombisa elokhu ethi, “Phindela emuva.” 44 Ngesikhathi sesikhombisa isikhonzi sakhe sathi: “Kukhona ifu elincane elingangesandla elikhuphuka liphuma olwandle.” Wabe esethi: “Hamba uthi ku-Ahabi, ‘Bophela inqola! Wehle ukuze imvula ingakuvimbezeli!’ ” 45 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, izulu lahloma laba mnyama, kwavunguza umoya, lase liyidliva; + u-Ahabi waqhubeka egibele elibangise eJizreyeli. + 46 Kodwa isandla sikaJehova saba phezu kuka-Eliya, wakhwica* ingubo yakhe wagijima ngaphambi kuka-Ahabi waze wayofika eJizreyeli.