UZimu uhlwitha u-Eliya
1Nakhu okwenzeka mhlana uSomnini ahlwithela u-Eliya ezulwini ngesiwuruwuru: U-Eliya bano-Elitjha gade basendleleni ephuma eGiligali, 2u-Eliya wathi kuye: “Akhe uje usele lapha ngombana uSomnini usangithume eBhethe-Eli.”
Kodwana u-Elitjha wathi: “NgoZimu ngiqinisile ngithi phila ngiphile, ngizokuba sithunzi sakho.”
Yeke bewuka baya eBhethe-Eli.
3Khonapho abafundi bomphorofidi eBhethe-Eli beza ku-Elitjha bambuza bathi: “Bewazi bona namhlanje uSomnini uzokuhlwitha kuwe ikosakho na?”
U-Elitjha waphendula wathi: “Iye, ngiyazi. Kodwana lisani indaba le.”
4U-Eliya wathi kuye: “Akhe uje usele lapha ngombana uSomnini usangithume eJerikho.”
Yena waphendula wathi: “NgoZimu ngiqinisile ngithi phila ngiphile, ngizokuba sithunzi sakho.”
Yeke baya eJerikho.
5Abafundi bomphorofidi eJerikho babandamela ku-Elitjha bambuza bathi: “Bewazi bona namhlanje uSomnini uzokuhlwitha kuwe ikosakho na?”
Yena waphendula wathi: “Iye ngiyazi, kodwana lisani indaba le.”
6Godu u-Eliya wathi kuye: “Akhe uje usele lapha ngombana uSomnini usangithume eJordani.”
Yena waphendula wathi: “NgoZimu ngiqinisile ngithi phila ngiphile, ngizokuba sithunzi sakho.”
Yeke baragela phambili bobabili. 7Amatjhumi amahlanu wabafundaba nabo bakhamba, kodwana bajamela kude lokha u-Eliya no-Elitjha bafika bajama khona eJordani.
8U-Eliya wathatha inaka lakhe walisonga, wabetha ngalo amanzi. Amanzi ahlukana phakathi, bobabili bayama bakhamba etjhwabatjhwabeni eyomileko.
9Kwathi nasele bayamile, u-Eliya wathi ku-Elitjha: “Akhese ungitjele, ufuna ngikwenzeleni ngaphambi kobana ngihlwithwe kuwe na?”
U-Elitjha waphendula wathi: “Ngibawa bona isabelo sommoyakho esabelwa abafundi bomphorofidi kimi sibuyelelwe.”
10U-Eliya wathi: “Ubawe into ebukhuni; nokho nange ungangibona lokha nangihlwithwa kuwe, kuzakuya njengesibawo sakho; nakungasinjalo kuzabe kubhalile.”
11Kwathi basakhamba njalo bacoca, ginigini kwavela ikarana yomlilo idoswa ziinjomani zomlilo yahlukanisa ababilaba. U-Eliya wakhutjhulelwa ezulwini ngesiwuruwuru. 12U-Elitjha wakubona lokhu warhuwelela wathi: “Babami! Babami! Gade ufana nebutho leenkarana kwa-Israyeli!”
U-Elitjha akhange abe asambona. Yeke wabamba izambatho zakhe wazitlebhula zahlukana kabili. 13Wadobha inaka eliwe ku-Eliya wabuyela emuva bewajama magegana neJordani. 14Yeke wathatha inaka eliwe ku-Eliya wabetha amanzi ngalo kodwana azange ahlukane. Warhuwelela wathi: “Uphi-ke nje uSomnini, uZimu waka-Eliya?”
Wabetha amanzi kwesibili, ahlukana phakathi, wabese uyayama. 15Kuthe lokha abafundi bomphorofidi beJerikho egade bajame kude nababona lokhu bathi: “Ummoya ka-Eliya sewuhlezi ku-Elitjha.”
Baya bayomhlangabeza bafese baguqa phambi kwakhe bahloma iinhloko phasi.
16Bathi kuye: “Akhese uthi uyaqala, thina nceku zakho sinabantu abamatjhumi amahlanu abanekghono. Bavumele bakhambe bayokuqala ikosakho. Mhlamunye isiwuruwuru sakaSomnini simguge sayomphosela ngenzasi kwenye yeentaba namkha yemirhoba.”
U-Elitjha waphendula wathi: “Awa, ningabathumeli.”
17Kodwana bamngena endlebeni bewathi: “Bathumeleni-ke!”
Babathumela-ke abantu abamatjhumi amahlanwabo, bafuna amalanga amathathu kodwana akhange bamfunyane. 18Babuyela ku-Elitjha ogade asele eJerikho. U-Elitjha wathi kibo: “Angithi nginitjele bona ningakhambi?”
U-Elitjha wenza imikarisomraro
19Abantu bedorobho bathi ku-Elitjha: “Umuzi lo usendaweni ehle njengombana ikosethu iwubona nje, kodwana amanzi mambi kanti nenarha yenza ifuyo ipholoje.”
20Yena wathi: “Lethanapha irhotjhana elitjha nithele itswayi ngaphakathi kwalo.”
Yeke bamlethela. 21Waya esiyalweni wathela itswayi ngaphakathi wathi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini, ‘Ngiphilisile amanzi la. Angeze kusavela ukufa namkha ukupholoja godu emanzinapha.’ ”
22Amanzi aba ngaphilisiweko bekube namhlanjesi, kwaba njengelizwi elikhulunywe ngu-Elitjha.
23Ukusuka lapho u-Elitjha wenyukela eBhethe-Eli. Kwathi asakhamba endleleni njalo, kwavela itlabelwana yabesanyana ngedorobheni yamkokomeja yathi: “Yenyuka wena pandlana ndina! Yenyuka wena pandlana ndina!”
24Wajika wayiqala emehlweni wakhuluma amanikelela ebizweni lakaSomnini. Nje-ke kwaphuma amabhere amabili ehlathini, adabula amatjhumi amane nababili wabesanabo. 25Yena waragela phambili waya entabeni iKarameli; ukusuka lapho wabuyela eSamariya.
