Yokuthoma YamaKhosi 18:1-46
18 Ngemva kwesikhathi esithileko, ngomnyaka wesithathu,+ ilizwi lakaJehova lafika ku-Eliya lathi: “Khamba uyoziveza ku-Arhabi, mina ngizokunisa izulu enarheni.”+
2 Nje-ke u-Eliya wakhamba wayoziveza ku-Arhabi, ngesikhatheso indlala beyibhokile+ eSamariya.
3 Kusesenjalo, u-Arhabi wabiza u-Obadiya, obekamphathi wesigodlo. (U-Obadiya bekamsaba kwamambala uJehova,
4 begodu lokha uJezebheli+ abulala abaphorofidi bakaJehova, u-Obadiya wathatha abaphorofidi abali-100 wabafihla erholweni ngeenqhema zabama-50, abalethela uburotho namanzi.)
5 U-Arhabi wathi ku-Obadiya: “Khambakhamba enarheni uye kiyo yoke imithombo yamanzi nakiyo yoke imirhoba. Mhlamunye singafumanela iinjomani neemeyila utjani obaneleko bona ziphile, zingafi zoke iinlwana zethu.”
6 Nje-ke bazihlukanisela inarha abazoyikhamba. U-Arhabi wakhamba yedwa ngenye indlela no-Obadiya wakhamba ngenye indlela ayedwa.
7 U-Obadiya nakasendleleni, wafumana u-Eliya amlindile. Uthe nakambonako, waguqa wahloma ihloko phasi wathi: “Nguwe lo, kosami Eliya?”+
8 Wathi kuye: “Iye ngimi. Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho uthi: ‘U-Eliya ukhona.’”
9 Kodwana wathi: “Kazi ngoneni engaka bona unganikela isisebenzi sakho ku-Arhabi bonyana angibulale?
10 Ikani uJehova uZimakho nakasaphilako, akunasitjhaba namkha umbuso ikosami engakathumeli bona uyokufunwa kiwo. Ngemva kokuthi isitjhaba namkha umbuso loyo uthe, ‘Akekho lapha,’ bekawenza ufunge ukuthi mbala awukakufumani.+
11 Kodwana nje uthi, ‘Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho ukuthi: “U-Eliya ukhona.”’
12 Nangihlukana nawe, ummoya kaJehova uzokusa+ endaweni engingayaziko bese kuthi nangitjela u-Arhabi begodu angakufumani, uzongibulala nokungibulala. Kodwana isisebenzi sakho besisolo sisaba uJehova kusukela ebutjheni baso.
13 Ikosami ayikezwa na ukuthi ngenzani lokha uJezebheli abulala abaphorofidi bakaJehova, ukuthi ngafihla abaphorofidi bakaJehova abali-100 erholweni, ngabafihla ngeenqhema zabama-50 begodu ngasolo ngibalethela uburotho namanzi?+
14 Kodwana nje uthi, ‘Khamba uyokutjela ikosakho uthi: “U-Eliya ukhona.’” Uzongibulala nakanjani.”
15 Nanyana kunjalo, u-Eliya wathi: “Ikani uJehova wamabutho engimlotjhako nakasaphilako, namhlanjesi ngizoziveza kuye.”
16 Nje-ke u-Obadiya wakhamba wayokubikela u-Arhabi begodu u-Arhabi wakhamba wayokuhlangana no-Eliya.
17 Msinyana u-Arhabi nakabona u-Eliya, wathi kuye: “Nguwe lo, mlethi wesizi elikhulu* kwa-Israyeli?”
18 Wamphendula wathi: “Akusingimi olethe isizi kwa-Israyeli kodwana nguwe nendlu kayihlo enililethileko, ngokulahla imiyalo kaJehova nokulandela aboBhali.+
19 Nje-ke tjela u-Israyeli woke ahlangane nami eNtabeni iKarameli,+ kuhlanganise nabaphorofidi bakaBhali abama-450 nabaphorofidi besigodo esicwengileko*+ abama-400, abadla etafuleni lakaJezebheli.”
20 Yeke u-Arhabi wathumela ilizwi kibo boke abantu bakwa-Israyeli begodu wabuthelela ndawonye abaphorofidi eNtabeni iKarameli.
21 Nje-ke u-Eliya watjhidela kibo boke abantu wathi: “Kuzabe kube nini nimabatha?+ Nangabe uJehova nguZimu weqiniso, landelani yena;+ kodwana nangabe nguBhali, landelani yena!” Abantu azange bamphendule.
22 U-Eliya wathi ebantwini: “Ngimi kwaphela umphorofidi kaJehova oseleko,+ kukulapho abaphorofidi bakaBhali bamadoda ama-450.
23 Abasinikele iinkunzana ezimbili bese bakhetha ikunzana yinye bayihlahlele, bayibeke phezu kweenkuni kodwana bangayitjhisi. Mina ngizokuhlahlela enye ikunzana, ngiyibeke phezu kweenkuni kodwana angekhe ngiyitjhise.
24 Ngemva kwalokho, kufuze nibize igama lakazimenu,+ nami ngizokubiza igama lakaJehova. UZimu ozokuphendula ngomlilo uzokutjengisa ukuthi unguZimu weqiniso.”+ Boke abantu bamphendula bathi: “Ukhulume kuhle.”
25 Nje-ke u-Eliya wathi ebaphorofidini bakaBhali: “Thomani qangi nikhethe ikunzana yinye bese niyayihlahlela ngombana ngini abanengi. Ngemva kwalokho, nibize igama lakazimenu kodwana ningayitjhisi.”
26 Nje-ke bathatha ikunzana abanikelwe yona, bayihlahlela, basolo babiza igama lakaBhali kusukela ekuseni bekwaba ngamadina, bathi: “Maye! Bhali, siphendula.” Kodwana bekunganalizwi namkha umuntu ophendulako.+ Basolo bagidagida magega ne-aldara abalenzileko.
27 Ngamadina u-Eliya wathoma ukubatshima wathi: “Rhuwelelani khulu! Phela unguzimu!+ Mhlamunye usazindla namkha usaye endlwaneni.* Namkha usalele utlhoga umuntu ongamvusa!”
28 Bebarhuwelela khulu, bazisika ngeensabula nangemikhonto, ngokuvumelana nesiko labo, bekwaba kulapho baphopha iingazi emzimbenabo woke.
29 Ngemva kwamadina, baragela phambili bavukwe madlharuma* bekwaba sikhathi sokwenziwa komnikelo weenthoro wantambama kodwana akunamuntu owaphendulako; akekho owabanakako.+
30 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside u-Eliya wathi kibo boke abantu: “Tjhidelani kimi.” Boke abantu batjhidela kuye. Walungisa i-aldara lakaJehova ebesele ligiriziwe.+
31 U-Eliya wathatha amatje ali-12, alingana nesibalo seentjhaba zamadodana kaJakopo, loyo okwafika ilizwi lakaJehova kuye, lathi: “Igama lakho uzokuba ngu-Israyeli.”+
32 Ngamatje lawo wakha i-aldara+ egameni lakaJehova. Ngemva kwalokho, wenza umsele magega ne-aldara, indawo ekulu ngokwaneleko bona kungatjalwa imbewu eziinlinganiso ezimbili zeseya.*
33 Ngemva kwalokho, wabeka iinkuni kuhle, wahlahlela ikunzana wayibeka phezu kweenkuni.+ Nje-ke wathi: “Zalisani imijeka emine emikhulu ngamanzi begodu niwathele phezu komnikelo otjhiswako naphezu kweenkuni.”
34 Ngemva kwalokho, wathi: “Buyelelani godu.” Babuyelela. Godu wathi: “Buyelelani kwesithathu.” Babuyelela kwesithathu.
35 Amanzi ageleza magega ne-aldara, wazalisa nomsele ngamanzi.
36 Pheze ngesikhathi sokwenziwa komnikelo weenthoro wantambama,+ u-Eliya umphorofidi watjhidela e-aldareni, wathi: “Maye! Jehova Zimu ka-Abrahama,+ ka-Isaka+ noka-Israyeli, namhlanjesi kwenze kwaziwe bona unguZimu kwa-Israyeli nokuthi ngiyincekwakho begodu ngenze koke lokhu ngelizwi lakho.+
37 Ngibawa ungiphendule Jehova! Ngiphendula bona abantwaba bazi ukuthi wena Jehova, unguZimu weqiniso nokuthi nguwe obangele bona babuyele kuwe.”+
38 Khonokho umlilo kaJehova wehla uvela phezulu, watjhisa umnikelo otjhiswako,+ iinkuni, amatje nethuli, wamunya namanzi emseleni.+
39 Boke abantu nababona lokhu, msinyana baguqa bahloma iinhloko phasi, bathi: “UJehova unguZimu weqiniso! UJehova unguZimu weqiniso!”
40 Nje-ke u-Eliya wathi kibo: “Bambani abaphorofidi bakaBhali! Ningavumeli namunye wabo aphunyurhe!” Khonokho bababamba, u-Eliya wabasa emlanjaneni weKhitjhoni+ wababulalela lapho.+
41 U-Eliya wathi ku-Arhabi: “Khamba, uyokudla bewusele ngombana kunomdumo wezulu elikhulu.”+
42 U-Arhabi wakhamba wayokudla bewasela, u-Eliya wakhuphukela esiqongolweni seKarameli waqondama ehlabathini, afake ubuso bakhe hlangana namadolwakhe.+
43 Wathi emsizinakhe: “Ngibawa ukhuphuke uqale nca ngelwandle.” Nje-ke wakhamba waqala nca ngelwandle wathi: “Akunalitho.” U-Eliya wathi kuye amahlandla alikhomba, “Buyela.”
44 Ehlandleni lekhomba umsizakhe wathi: “Kunelifu elincani elinjengesandla somuntu likhuphuka ngelwandle.” Nje-ke wathi: “Khamba uyokutjela u-Arhabi uthi, ‘Bophela ikaranakho! Wehlele enzasi bona izulu lingakubambi!’”
45 Kwathi kusesenjalo, kwaba namafu anzima tshu, kwavunguza umoya, lathoma ukurhatjha ngamandla;+ u-Arhabi wagijima ngekarana, waya eJizriyela.+
46 Kodwana uJehova wanikela u-Eliya amandla, wabopha isambatho sakhe edinini, wagijima phambi kwaka-Arhabi bewayokufika eJizriyela.
Imitlolo Ephasi
^ Namkha “wesiqalekiso.”
^ Qala Ihlathululo.
^ Namkha kungenzeka “usathethe ikhambo.”
^ Namkha “benza njengabaphorofidi.”
^ Iseya belilingana namalitha ayi-7.33. Qala Isith. B14.
