UBukumkani bezizwe ezilishumi zakwaSirayeli babunabalawuli abangendawo yaye uAhabhi wayengoyena mbi ngaphezu kwabo bonke. Wayetshate nebhinqa elikhohlakeleyo nelalinqula uBhahali. Igama leli bhinqa yayinguIzebhele. UAhabhi noIzebhele bazalisa ilizwe ngonqulo lukaBhahali ibe kwabulawa abaprofeti abaninzi bakaYehova. Wenza ntoni uYehova? Wathumela umyalezo kuAhabhi ngomprofeti uEliya.

UEliya waxelela uKumkani uAhabhi ukuba ngenxa yobubi abenzileyo, akuzubakho mvula kulo lonke elakwaSirayeli. Ngaphezu kweminyaka emithathu, izityalo azizange zikhule, nabantu babebhuqwa yindlala. Emva koko, uYehova waphinda wathumela uEliya kuAhabhi. Ukumkani wathi: ‘Uyinkathazo! Nguwe obangele le nto.’ UEliya waphendula wathi: ‘Ayindim owenze ukuba kunganethi. Nguwe ngenxa yokuba unqula uBhahali. Sizokhe sibone. Uhlanga kunye nabaprofeti bakaBhahali mabadibane kwiNtaba YeKarmele.’

Badibana ke apho entabeni. UEliya wathi: ‘Yenzani isigqibo ngoku. Ukuba uYehova nguThixo oyinyaniso, landelani yena. Kodwa ukuba nguBhahali, landelani yena. Ukuze sibone ukuba nguwuphi uThixo oyinyaniso, abaprofeti bakaBhahali abayi-450 mabalungiselele umnikelo baze babize kuthixo wabo, nam ndiza kulungisa owam ndize ndibize kuYehova. Ophendule ngomlilo siya kwazi ukuba nguye uThixo oyinyaniso.’ Bonke bathi mayenziwe loo nto.

Abaprofeti bakaBhahali balungisa umnikelo. Imini yonke babekhwaza uthixo wabo besithi: ‘Owu Bhahali, siphendule!’ Xa uBhahali engazange aphendule, uEliya wahlekisa ngaye. Wathi: ‘Mkhwazeni kakhulu. Mhlawumbi ukobude ubuthongo, kufuneka avuswe.’ Kwada kwasebusuku, abaprofeti bakhe besamkhwaza. Kodwa akazange abaphendule.

UEliya wabeka umnikelo phezu kwesibingelelo waza wawugalela amanzi. Emva koko wathandaza esithi: ‘Owu Yehova, ndicela wenze aba bantu babone ukuba unguThixo oyinyaniso.’ Ngoko nangoko, uYehova wathumela umlilo  waza watshisa umnikelo. Abantu bakhwaza besithi: ‘UYehova nguThixo oyinyaniso!’ Wathi uEliya: ‘Ningabayeki babaleke aba baprofeti bakaBhahali!’ Ngaloo mini, kwabulawa abaprofeti bakaBhahali abayi-450.

Xa kwabonakala ilifu elincinane phezu kolwandle, uEliya wathi kuAhabhi: ‘Kuza isichotho. Khwela enqweleni ugoduke.’ Kwasibekela, kwavuthuza umoya, kwatsho izantyalantyala zemvula. Ekugqibeleni, yaphela imbalela. UAhabhi wayibalekisa kakhulu inqwelo yakhe. Ngoncedo lukaYehova, uEliya wabaleka wayishiya loo nqwelo! Kodwa ngaba yayikukuphela kweengxaki zikaEliya oko? Makhe sibone.