UEliya Ubalekela Ubomi Bakhe
Isisongelo esinye esivela kuIzebhele senza uEliya abalekele entlango ecela ukufa. Isithunywa simondla kabini, uthi eHorebhe umoya, nenyikima, nomlilo zidlule kungekho Bawo wethu kuzo. Isandi sokusebeza esihle simbuyisela umva ukuba aye kuthambisa amadoda amathathu.
19 1UAhabhi wamxelela uIzebhele konke awakwenzayo uEliya, nendlela awababulala ngayo bonke abaprofeti ngekrele. 2UIzebhele wathuma umthunywa kuEliya, esithi: “Mabenze njalo oothixo kum, bongeze, ukuba ngeli lixa ngomso andenzanga ubomi bakho bube njengobomi bomnye wabaprofeti.”
3Woyika uEliya, wesuka wabalekela ubomi bakhe, wafika eBher-shebha yakwaYuda, wamshiya khona umkhonzi wakhe. 4Wahamba uhambo lwemini-nye entlango, wafika wahlala phantsi komthi omnye wotsalimuna, wacela ukufa. Wathi: “Kwanele, Bawo. Thabatha ubomi bam; andingcono kunoobawo.”
5Walala, wafumana ubuthongo phantsi komthi wotsalimuna. Kwabonakala isithunywa simchukumisa, sisithi kuye: “Vuka udle.”
6Wakhangela, nanko ngasentlokweni yakhe umqhathane owosiwa phezu kwamatye ashushu, neselwa lamanzi. Wadla, wasela, waphinda walala. 7Isithunywa sikaBawo wethu sabuya okwesibini, samchukumisa, sathi: “Vuka udle, kuba uhambo lukhulu kakhulu kuwe.”
8Wesuka ke, wadla, wasela, waza womelezwe kukudla oko wahamba iimini ezimashumi mane nobusuku obumashumi mane, wada wafika eHorebhe, intaba kaBawo wethu.
Ukusebeza Kukabawo Wethu Okuthambileyo
9Wafika wangena emqolombeni, walala khona. Laza lafika ilizwi likaBawo wethu kuye, lisithi: “Wenza ntoni na apha, Eliya?”
10Waphendula wathi: “Bendinekhwele elikhulu ngoBawo wemikhosi yasezulwini. AmaSirayeli awushiyile umnqophiso wakho, azidiliza izibingelelo zakho, ababulala abaprofeti bakho ngekrele. Ndim ndedwa oseleyo, kaloku bafuna ubomi bam, ukuze bathabathe.”
11Wathi uBawo wethu: “Phuma ume entabeni phambi kwam; ndiza kudlula.” Kwabakho umoya omkhulu onamandla owawuwaqhekeza iintaba, uwaqhekeza namawa phambi koBawo wethu, kodwa ubengekho emoyeni lowo. Emva komoya kweza unyikimo, kodwa ubengekho enyikimweni.
12Emva konyikimo kweza umlilo, kodwa uBawo wethu ubengekho emlilweni. Emva komlilo kweza isandi sokusebeza okuthambileyo.
13Akuva oku, uEliya wabusonga ubuso bakhe ngengubo yakhe, waphuma wema emnyango womqolomba. Laza lafika ilizwi kuye, lisithi: “Wenza ntoni na apha, Eliya?”
14Waphendula wathi: “Bendinekhwele elikhulu ngoBawo wemikhosi yasezulwini. AbantwaSirayeli bawushiyile umnqophiso wakho, bazidiliza izibingelelo zakho, babulala abaprofeti bakho ngekrele. Ndim ndedwa oseleyo, kaloku bafuna ubomi bam, ukuze bathabathe.”
15Wathi uBawo wethu kuye: “Buya uhambe ngendlela oze ngayo, uye entlango yaseDamasko. Khona apho uze uthambise uHazaeli abe ngukumkani phezu kwama-Aram. 16Uze uthambise noYehu unyana kaNimshi abe ngukumkani phezu kwamaSirayeli, uthambise noElisha unyana kaShafati waseAbhele-mehola abe ngumprofeti esikhundleni sakho. 17Othe wasinda ekreleni likaHazaeli, uya kubulawa nguYehu; nothe wasinda ekreleni likaYehu, uya kubulawa nguElisha. 18Noko ndiya kushiya amawaka asixhenxe kwaSirayeli, onke amadolo angaguqanga kuBhahali, nemilomo yonke engamangiyo.”
UBawo Wethu Ubiza UElisha
19Wesuka ke uEliya, wafika noElisha unyana kaShafati elima ngeenkabi zeenkomo ezilishumi elinazibini, yena eqhuba eyeshumi elinambini. UEliya wagqitha kuye, waphosa ingubo yakhe phezu kwakhe. 20UElisha wazishiya iinkomo, wagidima emva kukaEliya, wathi: “Makhe ndibange ubawo noma, ndize ndikulandele.” Waphendula wathi: “Buya; kuba ndikwenze ntoni na?”
21Wabuya ke uElisha, wathabatha iinkabi zeenkomo zakhe, wazixhela. Wathi ngempahla yokulima wenza iinkuni, wayipheka inyama, wayinika abantu, badla. Wesuka ke wamlandela uEliya, wamkhonza.
