39 – UEliya nabashumayeli bakaBhali

₂₉Ngonyaka wamashumi amathathu anesibhozo wokulawula kuka-Asa kwaJuda, uAhabhi waba ngukumkani wakwaSirayeli, waza walawula iminyaka emashumi mabini anambini kwaSirayeli eSamariya. ₃₀UAhabhi unyana kaOmri wathi kratya ngobubi *kuNdikhoyo kunabo bonke ababengaphambi kwakhe. ₃₁Akanelanga nje ukwenza izono zikaJerobhowam unyana kaNebhati, kodwa wongeza nangokuthatha uJezebhele intombi kaEtibhali ukumkani wamaSidon, waza ke wangena ekunquleni uBhali. ₃₂Wenzela uBhali iqonga lamadini kwisibingelelo awamakhela sona eSamariya. ₃₃UAhabhi wamisela isibonda esifanekisa uAshera, waza ngokwenjenjalo wawuxhokonxa umsindo kaNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli, nto leyo yamenza wabalasela ekuqumbiseni uNdikhoyo kunabo bonke ookumkani bakwaSirayeli ababengaphambi kwakhe.

₃₄Ngexesha lika-Ahabhi uHiyeli waseBhetele waphinda wayivusa iJeriko. Iziseko zayo zamenza walahlekelwa ngunyana wakhe wamazibulo uAbhiram, kanti ke xa amisa amasango ayo walahlekelwa ngunyana wakhe omnci uSegubhi. Yonke loo nto yenzeka ngokomlomo kaNdikhoyo kuYoshuwa unyana kaNune.

₁Ke kaloku uEliya waseTishbhi eGiliyadi wathetha noAhabhi, wathi: “Ekho nje *uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli, lo ndimkhonzayo, kuza kubakho imbalela kungabikho mbethe namvula kule minyaka izayo kungengalo ilizwi lam.”

₂UEliya wafikelwa lilizwi likaNdikhoyo lisithi: ₃“Mka kule ndawo, ubheke ngasempuma, uye kuzimela ngasentlanjeni iKeriti kwimpuma yomlambo iJordan. ₄Apho ke uya kusela kuloo ntlambo; futhi ke amahlungulu ndiwayalele ukuba akondle.”

₅Ngoko ke uEliya wenza ngokwelizwi likaNdikhoyo. Wahamba waya kuloo ntlambo yaseKeriti kwimpuma yeJordan, wahlala khona apho. ₆Ke amahlungulu amphathela isonka nenyama kusasa, aza amzisela isonka nenyama emalanga, esela kuloo ntlambo.

₇Kuthe ke ngokuhamba kwexesha yatsha loo ntlanjana, kuba kwakungekho mvula kwelo lizwe. ₈Lafika ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuye lisithi: ₉“Hamba uye eZarfati eSidon, uhlale khona. Nalapho ndiyalele umhlolokazi wakhona ukuba akuphe ukutya.”

₁₀Ngoko ke wahamba waya eZarfati. Ekufikeni kwakhe ke esangweni lesixeko eso, wafika kukho mhlolokazi uthile echola-chola iintsasa. Wambiza waza wathi: “Khawundiphathele amanzi ngendebe ukuze ndisele.” ₁₁Uphinde wayaleza xa ahambayo wathi: “Uze uncede undiphathele neqhekeza lesonka.”

₁₂Waphendula wathi: “Ngenene, ekho nje uNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, andinaso isonka. Into ekhoyo ngumgubo ongephi osengqayini, kunye nentwana yamafutha omnquma asendebeni. Undibona ndichola-chola ezi ntsasa nje, ndenzela ukuba ndigoduke nazo, ndize ndiphekele mna nonyana wam lo, ukuze sitye sife ke emva koko.”

₁₃UEliya wathi kuye: “Musa ukoyika. Goduka wenze njengoko uthethile. Kodwa ke kuqala yenzela mna iqebengwana lesonka ngaloo nto unayo, uze ulizise apha kum, kamva ke wenzele wena nonyana wakho lowo. ₁₄Kaloku utsho uNdikhoyo uThixo kaSirayeli ukuthi: ‘Loo ngqayi yomgubo ayiyi kuphela, naloo ndebe yamafutha ayiyi kuphela, yohlala kude kube yiloo mini ayinethisa ngayo imvula uNdikhoyo kweli lizwe.’ ”

₁₅Umhlolokazi lowo ke wemka waza wenza ngokomyalelo kaEliya. Kwahlala kukhona ke ukutya okwanele uEliya nomhlolokazi lowo nosapho lwakhe. ₁₆Kaloku loo ngqayi yomgubo zange iphele, kananjalo naloo ndebe yamafutha ayiphelanga, ngokomlomo kaNdikhoyo kuEliya.

₁₇Ekuhambeni kwethuba ke unyana waloo mhlolokazi wayengumnikazi ndlu, wahlabeka wagula. Wakhula umkhuhlane ayabi kuko, waza ke ekugqibeleni wayeka ukuphefumla. ₁₈Wabhekisa kuEliya umhlolokazi, wathi: “Undenza ntoni kodwa, mntundini kaThixo? Ngaba apha uze kundikhumbuza ngezono zam, ubulala unyana wam nje?”

₁₉UEliya waphendula wathi: “Mzise apha kum unyana wakho lowo!” Wamthatha ke apho kuloo mhlolokazi, waza waya naye kwigumbi eliphezulu, apho wayehlala khona, wafika wamlalisa kumandlalo wakhe. ₂₀Waza ke wadanduluka wathandaza kuNdikhoyo, wathi: “Ndikhoyo, Thixo wam, ngani ukuba umzisele isithwakumbe esinje lo mhlolokazi ndihlala kuye? Kutheni ukuba umbulale unyana wakhe?” ₂₁Waza ke wazolula apho phezu kwaloo mntwana kwakathathu, wakhala kuNdikhoyo wathi: “Hayi bo, Ndikhoyo, Thixo wam, wubuyisele kuye umphefumlo walo mntwana!”

₂₂UNdikhoyo waliva ilizwi likaEliya, waza ke wabubuyisela kwakuloo mntwana ubomi bakhe, waphila. ₂₃UEliya ke wamfunqula umntwana lowo, waphuma naye kwelo gumbi, waya naye kwelikanina. Wamnikezela kunina, waza wathi: “Uyabona ke, unyana wakho uphilile!”

₂₄Loo mhlolokazi ke wathi apho kuEliya: “Ngenene ngoku ndiyaqonda ukuba wena ungumfo wakwaThixo, yaye ke nelizwi olithethayo lelikaNdikhoyo, liyinyaniso.”

₁Ke kaloku emva kwethuba, kunyaka wesithathu waloo mbalela, uEliya wafikelwa lilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lisithi: “Hamba uye kubonana noAhabhi; ke mna ndiya kuyinisa imvula elizweni.” ₂Ngenene ke uEliya waya kuAhabhi.

Ngelo xesha ke imbalela yayibhokile eSamariya, ₃waza ke uAhabhi wabiza uObhadiya owayengumaqhuzu apho komkhulu. (UObhadiya wayenqula uNdikhoyo enyanisekile. ₄Kwathi xa uJezebhele wayebaphumele ngokubabulala abashumayeli bakaNdikhoyo, uObhadiya wathatha ikhulu labashumayeli, waya kubafihla emiqolombeni emibini, wafaka amashumi amahlanu kumqolomba ngamnye, wamana ebapha ukutya namanzi.) ₅UAhabhi ke wathi kuObhadiya: “Khawuhamba-hambe kuwo wonke lo mhlaba, ujonge ngasemithonjeni nasezintilini, hleze kuthi kanti sisengayizuza ingca, ukuze afumane ukutya amahashe neemeyile, abe nokuphila, nathi singade siyibulale imfuyo yethu.” ₆Umhlaba lowo ke bawahlula-hlula, waza uAhabhi waya kwelinye icala, no-Obhadiya waya kwelinye.

₇Uthe ke esahamba uObhadiya, wadibana noEliya. UObhadiya wamnakana, waza wakhahlela, waguqa phantsi, wathi: “Ngaba ngenene nguwe na lowo, nkosi yam Eliya?”

₈UEliya waphendula wathi: “Ewe, ndim kanye! Hamba uye kuxelela inkosi yakho uthi: ‘Nanku uEliya!’ ”

₉“Ngaba ndenze bugwenxa buni kodwa,” ubuzile uObhadiya, “le nto isicaka sakho usinikela esandleni sika-Ahabhi ukuze sibulawe? ₁₀Ekho nje uNdikhoyo uThixo wakho, akukho lizwe nabukumkani ingathumelanga mntu kulo inkosi yam izingelana nawe lo. Isizwe okanye ubukumkani obuthe bakulandula, ubeqononondisa abafungise ukuba ngenene awufumaneki ndawo khona. ₁₁Ngoku ke wena uthi mandiye enkosini yam, ndifike ndithi kuyo: ‘Nanku Eliya.’ ₁₂Kaloku andinakwazi apho wokusa khona uMoya kaNdikhoyo, sakuba sahlukene. Ukuba ndinokuya kuye ndimxelele, aze yena uAhabhi angakufumani apha, angandibulala, ndibe ke mna, sicaka sakho, uNdikhoyo lo ndamnqula kwasebuntwaneni. ₁₃Ngaba akuyivanga na, nkosi yam, into endiyenzileyo ngokuya uJezebhele ebebulala abashumayeli bakaNdikhoyo? Kaloku ndathatha ikhulu labashumayeli bakaNdikhoyo, ndalifihla emiqolombeni, ndafaka amashumi amahlanu kuwo ngamnye, ndaza ndamana ndibapha ukutya namanzi. ₁₄Uze ke wena ngoku uthi mandiye enkosini yam, ndiyixelele ndithi: ‘Nanku uEliya.’ Ngenene angandibulala!”

₁₅UEliya wathi: “Ekho nje uNdikhoyo uSomandla lo ndimkhonzayo, inene, ngayo yona le mini ndiza kubonana noAhabhi.”

₁₆Ke kaloku uObhadiya wemka, waza ke wadibana naye uAhabhi, wamxelela. Ke uAhabhi wahamba, waza wabonana noEliya. ₁₇Akubona uEliya uAhabhi wathi: “Ngaba nguwe lowo, wena ohlisela amaSirayeli intlekele?”

₁₈UEliya waphendula ngelithi: “Khange ndiwahlisele mna intlekele amaSirayeli. Kodwa nguwe nendlu kayihlo lo uhlisele amaSirayeli intlekele. Imithetho kaNdikhoyo uyityeshele, waza walandelana nooBhali. ₁₉Khawubaqokelele bonke abantu bakwaSirayeli, ukuze ndihlangane nabo phezu kwentaba iKarmele. Uze ungabashiyi abashumayeli bakaBhali abamakhulu mane namashumi amahlanu, kananjalo nabashumayeli baka-Ashera abamakhulu mane, abo batya kwisithebe sikaJezebhele.”

₂₀Ngoko ke uAhabhi wathumela ilizwi kuSirayeli ephela, wabaqokelela kwintaba iKarmele bonke abashumayeli. ₂₁UEliya wasondela kubo ke abo bantu, waza wathi: “Koda kube nini na nimbaxa! Ukuba uNdikhoyo nguye uThixo, landelani yena; kanti ke ukuba uBhali nguThixo, landelani yena kaloku.” Kwasuka kwathi cwaka.

₂₂UEliya wabhekisa ebantwini wathi: “Ndim ndodwa umshumayeli kaNdikhoyo oshiyekileyo, kodwa ke yena uBhali usenabashumayeli abangamakhulu amane anamashumi amahlanu. ₂₃Sinikeni iinkunzana zeenkomo zibe mbini. Abashumayeli bakaBhali mabazikhethele ibe nye, baze bayixhele bayixhaxhe, bayibeke phezu kweenkuni, kodwa bangaphembi mlilo. Nam ke ndozilungiselela enye inkunzana leyo, ndiyixhaxhe, ndiyibeke phezu kweenkuni, kodwa ndingaphembi mlilo. ₂₄Ze ke nibize igama lothixo wenu, nam ndibize igama likaNdikhoyo. Ke uThixo othe waphendula ngomlilo ngoyena-yena Thixo!”

Ke abantu baphendula bathi: “La mazwi uwathethileyo mahle.”

₂₅UEliya wabhekisa kubashumayeli bakaBhali wathi: “Makuqale nina baninzi, nizikhethele inkunzana ibe nye, nizilungiselele yona. Nakugqiba ke, bizani igama lothixo wenu, kodwa ningawuphembi umlilo.” ₂₆Ngenene ke bayithatha eyabo inkunzana yenkomo, bayixhela, bayixhaxha.

Baza ke banqula igama likaBhali, besukela kusasa kwada kwasemini emaqanda, besithi: “Khawuncede usiphendule, Bhali!” Kodwa ke akwabikho mpendulo, akwabikho bani usabelayo. Hayi ke, baxhentsa bejikeleza elo qonga babelenzile.

₂₇Emini emaqanda uEliya waphoxisa ngabo esithi: “Khanibe ngathi niyakhwaza. Kaloku nguthixo lo! Mhlawumbi usaminxwe ziingcinga, okanye ziingxaki, angathi kanti useseluhambeni. Mhlawumbi usalele, abe ke usavuswa.” ₂₈Ngoko ke bathath' unyawo ukukhwaza, bezicenta ngemikhonto namakrele ngokwesiko labo, lada latsaza igazi kubo. ₂₉Yadlula imini emaqanda, bona baqhubela phambili betaka-taka bekrotsha lada lafika ixesha lamadini asemalanga. Kodwa nangoko kwathi cwaka, akwabikho mpendulo, akwabikho bani usabelayo.

₃₀Ke uEliya wabhekisa kubo bonke abantu, wathi: “Yizani kum apha.” Beza kuye bonke, waza ke yena walilungisa iqonga likaNdikhoyo elaliselonakele. ₃₁UEliya wathatha amatye alishumi elinambini, ngalinye limele indlu kwezo zizwe zikaYakobi, yena lowo wafikelwa lilizwi likaNdikhoyo lisithi: “Igama lakho kothiwa unguSirayeli.” ₃₂Ngala matye wakha iqonga egameni likaNdikhoyo, waza wenza umsele walijikeleza. Lo msele wawubanzi, unokungena iilitha ezimalunga neshumi elinesine. ₃₃Wazilungisa iinkuni, wayixhaxha inkunzi leyo, wayibeka phezu kweenkuni ezo. ₃₄Waza wathi kubo: “Zalisani iingqayi ezinkulu zibe ne ngamanzi, nize niwagalele kwelo dini nakwezo nkuni.” Waza wathi: “Phindani okwesibini!” Baphinda okwesibini. Wathi: “Phindani okwesithathu!” Baphinda okwesithathu. ₃₅Amanzi lawo ke ehla apho eqongeni, angena kuloo msele, wazala thwahla.

₃₆Kwathi ke ngexesha lamadini angokuhlwa umshumayeli uEliya wasondela eqongeni, waza wathandaza wenjenje: “Ndikhoyo, Thixo ka-Abraham, Thixo kaIsake, Thixo kaSirayeli, namhlanje mayaziwe into yokuba nguwe uThixo kaSirayeli, mna ke ndisisicaka sakho, nezi zinto zonke ndizenzileyo ndizenze ngokuyalelwa nguwe. ₃₇Ewe, ndiphendule kaloku, Ndikhoyo, khon' ukuze naba bantu bakuqonde, bakwazi, wena Ndikhoyo, ukuba unguThixo, babone ukuba wena ngoku uziguqulele kuwe iintliziyo zabo.”

₃₈Ke kaloku wehla umlilo, uvela kuNdikhoyo, waza walitshisa idini elo, kunye neenkuni, amatye, nomhlaba, wada walenca naloo manzi ayesemseleni.

₃₉Bakuyibona ke le nto, abantu basuka baziphosa phantsi, bathi: “UNdikhoyo nguye uThixo! UNdikhoyo nguye uThixo!”

₄₀Ke uEliya wathi kubo: “Babambeni abashumayeli bakaBhali, kungasindi noba abe mnye!” Ngenene ke babanjwa, waza uEliya wathi makuyiwe nabo kwintili yeKishon, apho wababulalela khona.

₄₁Waza ke uEliya wathi kuAhabhi: “Hamba, uye kutya usele, kuba kuvakala ukundila kwemvula enkulu.” ₄₂Ke uAhabhi wahamba, watya wasela.

Kambe ke yena uEliya wenyuka waya encotsheni yentaba iKarmele, waza wagobela emhlabeni, wafaka ubuso phakathi kwamadolo.

₄₃UEliya wathumela ihlakani lakhe, wathi: “Khawuhambe ukhangele ngaselwandle ukuba awuboni nto na.”

Laya ke lajonga, labuya lisithi: “Hayi, akubonakali nto.”

Ke uEliya lo walithuma kwada kwasixhenxe, emana esithi: “Khawuphume ujonge.”

₄₄Ngesihlandlo sesixhenxe ihlakani lakhe elo labuya lisithi: “Nalo ilifu elingangesandla somntu, lisithi thu elwandle.”

UEliya wathi kulo: “Yiya kuxelela uAhabhi, uthi kuye: ‘Bopha inqwelo yakho ugoduke, hleze uvalelwe yimvula.’ ”

₄₅Kananjalo ke saxubayela isibhakabhaka, kwavela izibhaxu zamafu amnyama, kwavuthuza nomoya, yaza yagaleleka imvula, yatsho ngezantyala-ntyala; wabe ke yena uAhabhi ekhwele esendleleni egodukayo eya eYizereli. ₄₆UEliya ke wafikelwa ngamandla kaNdikhoyo, waza wazibhinqa ngebhanti izambatho zakhe, wabaleka wamshiya uAhabhi ukuya kufika eYizereli.

₁Ke kaloku uAhabhi waxelela umkakhe uJezebhele ngako konke awayekwenzile uEliya, nendlela ababulele ngayo abashumayeli bakaBhali ebaqhushek' ikrele. ₂Ngoko ke uJezebhele wathumela kuEliya esithi: “Mabandohlwaye oothixo, nokuba kuqatha kangakanani na, ukuba lide lafika ingomso ungekabi njengabo abo bashumayeli bakaBhali.”

₃Akuluva olo daba uEliya woyika, wabaleka, esindisa ubomi bakhe. Uthe akufika eBheshebha kwelakwaJuda, walishiya khona ihlakani lakhe. ₄Ke yena wathatha uhambo lwemini enye, wangena entlango. Wathi ke akufumana umthi wonwele, wahlala phantsi kwawo, wathandazela ukuba afe. Wathi: “Kwanele ngoku, *Ndikhoyo! Buthathe ubomi bam; kuba andilunganga ukugqitha oobawo.” ₅Wasuka ke wangqenqa apho phantsi kwaloo mthi wonwele, wasindwa bubuthongo, walala.

Kwabonakala isithunywa sezulu, samshukumisa uEliya, sathi: “Vuka, utye!” ₆Wathi khwaphululu walaqaza, waza wabona iqebengwana lesonka ebesojiwe ngamalahle ashushu, kunye nendebe yamanzi. Wathatha ke, watya wasela, waza waphinda walala.

₇Siphinde sabuya isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo, samshukumisa sathi: “Vuka utye, kuba lude uhambo lwakho.” ₈Wavuka ke, watya wasela. Oko kutya ke kwamomeleza, waza wathatha uhambo lweentsuku ezimashumi mane nobusuku bazo, wada waya kufika eHorebhe, intaba kaThixo. ₉Apho ke wafumana umqolomba, waza walala khona.

Ke kaloku uEliya wafikelwa lilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lisithi: “Ukho ngani apha, Eliya?”

₁₀Ke yena wathi: “Ndenziwe likhwele ngenxa kaNdikhoyo uThixo uSomandla. Kaloku amaSirayeli awukhabile umnqophiso wakho; awadilizile namaqonga akho, nabashumayeli bakho ababulele ngekrele. Ngoku ke sendisele ndodwa; nam ngokwam ke afuna ukundibulala.”

₁₁UNdikhoyo waphendula wathi: “Hamba uye kuma phezu kwentaba phambi koNdikhoyo, kuba uNdikhoyo uza kudlula khona.”

Ke kaloku kwabhudla isitshu somoyakazi omkhulu owaqhaqhambisa amawa, watsho kwacandeka neentaba; ukanti ke yena uNdikhoyo wayengekho apho kuwo. Emva komoya lowo kwabakho inyikima, kanti ke nalapho kuyo wayengekho yena uNdikhoyo. ₁₂Emva kwaloo nyikima ke kwavela umlilo, ukanti ke nalapho kuwo wayengekho uNdikhoyo. Wakudlula umlilo kwabakho impepho ethi sebe-sebe. ₁₃Akuyiva ke uEliya wazigquma ubuso ngomnweba wakhe, waphuma wema emnyango apho kuloo mqolomba. Kwavakala ilizwi lisithi: “Ukho ngani apha, Eliya?”

₁₄Ke yena waphendula wathi: “Ndenziwe likhwele ngenxa kaNdikhoyo uThixo uSomandla. Kaloku amaSirayeli awukhabile umnqophiso wakho; awadilizile amaqonga akho; nabashumayeli bakho ababulele ngekrele. Ngoku ke sendisele ndodwa. Nam ngokwam ke afuna ukundibulala.”

₁₅UNdikhoyo ke wathi kuye: “Hamba ubuyele apho ubuvela khona, uye kwintlango yaseDamasko. Wakufika khona ke uze uthambise uHazayeli abe ngukumkani wama-Aram. ₁₆Kwakhona uze uthambise uYehu, unyana kaNimshi, abe ngukumkani wamaSirayeli; kananjalo uthambise uElisha, unyana kaShafati waseAbhele-mehola, ukuze abe *ngumshumayeli emva kwakho. ₁₇UYehu uya kubabulala bonke abasinde kwikrele likaHazayeli, aze yena uElisha ababulale abo basinde kwikrele likaYehu. ₁₈Kambe ke kwaSirayeli apha ndozigcinela loo mawaka asixhenxe abantu abamadolo angazange aguqe kuBhali, nabamilomo ingazange iwange umfanekiso wakhe.”