UJezebeli wezwa ukuthi kwakwenzekeni kubaprofethi bakaBhali, futhi wayethukuthele egane unwabu! Wathumela umyalezo ku-Eliya ethi: ‘Kusasa, uzofa njengabaprofethi bakaBhali.’ U-Eliya wethuka kakhulu wabalekela ogwadule. Wathandaza: ‘Jehova, sekungaphezu kwamandla. Kungcono ngife.’ Ekhathele, u-Eliya walala ngaphansi kwesihlahla.

Ingelosi yamvusa yathi kuye ngezwi eliphansi: ‘Vuka udle.’ U-Eliya wabona isinkwa esiyindilinga phezu kwamatshe ashisayo nojeke wamanzi. Wadla waphuza wabe eselala. Ingelosi yaphinde yamvusa yathi: ‘Idla. Udinga amandla njengoba uzohamba.’ Ngakho u-Eliya waphinde wadla. Wabe esehamba izinsuku ezingu-40 nobusuku obungu-40 waze wafika eNtabeni iHorebe. U-Eliya wangena emgedeni lapho walala. Nokho uJehova wakhuluma naye. Wathi: ‘Eliya, wenzani lapha?’ U-Eliya wathi: ‘Ama-Israyeli asephulile isithembiso asenza nawe. Aphihlize wonke ama-altare abulala nabaprofethi. Manje nami asefuna ukungibulala.’

UJehova wathi kuye: ‘Hamba uye entabeni ufike ume khona.’ Kwaqale kwadlula umoya omkhulu emgedeni. Kwabe sekundindizela umhlaba kwaba nomlilo. Ekugcineni u-Eliya wezwa izwi elizolile. Wamboza ubuso bakhe ngejazi ayeligqokile wabe esema ngaphandle komgede. UJehova wambuza ukuthi kungani ebaleka. U-Eliya wathi: ‘Sekuyimina kuphela osele.’ Nokho uJehova wathi kuye: ‘Akuwena wedwa osele. Kunama-Israyeli angu-7 000 asangikhonza. Hamba ufike ugcobe u-Elisha ozoba umprofethi emva kwakho.’ Ngokushesha u-Eliya wahamba wayokwenza lokho uJehova ayekushilo. Ucabanga ukuthi nawe uJehova angakusiza lapho wenza lokho akufunayo? Impela angakusiza. Ake sizwe ukuthi yini eyenzeka ngesikhathi kunesomiso.