Eyokuqala EyamaKhosi 19:1-21
19 U-Ahabi+ watshela uJezebheli+ konke okwakwenziwe ngu-Elija lokuthi wayebulele bonke abaphrofethi ngenkemba.+
2 UJezebheli wathi esizwa lokhu wathumela isithunywa ku-Elija wathi siyemtshela sithi: “Onkulunkulu kabangijezise kabuhlungu nxa kusasa ngalesi isikhathi ngingakwenzanga wafana labaphrofethi labo obabuleleyo!”
3 U-Elija uthe ekuzwa lokho wesaba wabaleka ukuze asindise impilo yakhe.+ Wafika eBheri-shebha+ yakoJuda+ wasetshiya inceku yakhe khona.
4 Wahamba umango welanga elilodwa engena enkangala, wasehlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla wacela ukuthi afe. Wathi: “Awu Jehova, sekwanele! Susa impilo yami+ ngoba angingcono kulabokhokho bami.”
5 Walala ngaphansi kwesihlahla leso wajunywa yibuthongo. Khonokho nje kwafika ingilosi yamthinta+ yathi kuye: “Vuka udle.”+
6 U-Elija wathi ekhangela wabona eduze kwekhanda lakhe kulenkomitsho elamanzi kanye lesinkwa esasiphezu kwamatshe atshisayo. Wadla wanatha waselala futhi.
7 Ngemva kwesikhathi ingilosi kaJehova yaphenduka okwesibili yafika yamthinta yathi: “Vuka udle ngoba umango ozawuhamba mude kakhulu.”
8 Ngakho u-Elija wavuka wadla wanatha wasesiba lamandla. Wasuka lapho wahamba insuku ezingu-40 lobusuku obungu-40 waze wayafika entabeni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso, iHorebhi.+
9 Wangena ebhalwini+ walala khona ebusuku. UJehova wakhuluma laye wathi: “Udingani lapha Elija?”
10 Yena waphendula wathi: “Bengimtshisekela kakhulu uJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho+ ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli basitshiyile isivumelwano sakho,+ badiliza ama-alithare akho futhi babulala labaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba,+ kusele mina ngedwa. Khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala.”+
11 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi: “Phuma uyekuma entabeni phambi kukaJehova.” UJehova wadlula lapho,+ kwaba lomoya omkhulu olamandla kwaqhekezeka izintaba lamadwala phambi kukaJehova,+ kodwa uJehova wayengekho phakathi komoya. Umoya usudlulile kwalandela ukuzamazama komhlaba,+ kodwa uJehova wayengekho phakathi kokuzamazama komhlaba.
12 Ngemva kokuzamazama komhlaba kwaba lomlilo,+ kodwa uJehova wayengekho phakathi komlilo. Umlilo wathi usudlulile kwezwakala ilizwi elipholileyo likhulumela phansi.+
13 U-Elija wathi esizwa ilizwi lelo wahle wazivala ubuso ngesembatho somphrofethi,+ wasuka wayakuma entubeni yobhalu. Ilizwi lathi kuye: “Udingani lapha Elija?”
14 Yena waphendula wathi: “Bengimtshisekela kakhulu uJehova uNkulunkulu wamabutho ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli basitshiyile isivumelwano sakho,+ badiliza ama-alithare akho futhi babulala labaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba, kusele mina ngedwa. Khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala.”+
15 UJehova wathi kuye: “Phenduka uye enkangala yeDamaseko. Nxa ungafika lapho ugcobe uHazayeli+ ukuthi abe yinkosi yeSiriya.
16 Kumele ugcobe uJehu+ umzukulu kaNimishi ukuthi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli njalo ugcobe lo-Elisha* indodana kaShafathi wase-Abheli-mehola ukuthi abe ngumphrofethi esikhundleni sakho.+
17 Loba ngubani ozabalekela inkemba kaHazayeli+ uzabulawa nguJehu.+ Ozabalekela inkemba kaJehu uzabulawa ngu-Elisha.+
18 Ngilabangu-7 000 ko-Israyeli+ abangazange baguqele uBhali+ futhi abangazange bamqabuze ngemilomo yabo.”+
19 Ngakho u-Elija wasuka lapho wahamba. Wathola u-Elisha indodana kaShafathi elima, kulezipani ezingu-12 zenkunzi phambi kwakhe futhi yena wayelima ngesipani sesi-12. U-Elija waya kuye wafika wamphosela isembatho sakhe somphrofethi.+
20 U-Elisha wahle watshiya inkunzi ayelima ngazo wagijima walandela u-Elija wathi kuye: “Ngicela ungivumele ngiyeqabuza umama lobaba ngibavalelise, besengikulandela.” U-Elija wamphendula wathi: “Hamba, mina ngeke ngikwalise.”
21 Ngakho wabuyela wafika wathatha inkunzi ezimbili wenza umhlatshelo. Wabasa umlilo ngezinto ayelima ngazo, wapheka inyama wayinika abantu badla. Ngemva kwalokho wasuka walandela u-Elija waba yinceku yakhe.+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “UNkulunkulu uyinsindiso.”
