1 Manghai 18
1 Khohnin muep a koe phoeikah a kum thum dongah BOEIPA ol te Elijah taengla pawk tih, “Cet lamtah Ahab taengah phoe pah, diklai hman ah khotlan kan paek bitni,” a ti nah.
For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
2 Te dongah Elijah te Ahab taengah phoe hamla cet. Te vaengah Samaria ah khokha tlung.
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 Te dongah Ahab loh im kah Obadiah te a khue. Te vaengah Obadiah tah BOEIPA bahoeng aka rhih la om.
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 BOEIPA kah tonghma rhoek te Jezebel loh a thup ham a om vaengah khaw Obadiah loh tonghma yakhat te a khuen tih amih te lungko pakhat ah hlang sawmnga rhip a thuh. Te phoeiah amih te buh neh tui neh a cangbam.
One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
5 Ahab loh Obadiah te, “Khohmuen kah tuisih tui boeih neh soklong boeih te paan lamtah sulrham khaw m'hmuh khaming. Te daengah ni marhang neh muli-marhang n'hing sak vetih rhamsa khaw n'hlong pawt eh,” a ti nah.
[By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
6 Khohmuen tom til hamla amamih tael uh thae. Ahab te amah bueng longpuei pakhat ah cet tih Obadiah khaw amah bueng longpuei pakhat ah cet.
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 Obadiah te longpueng ah a om vaengah anih te Elijah loh tapkhoeh a doe. Anih te a hmat coeng dongah a maelhmai dongah buluk tih, “Ka boeipa Elijah nang a te?” a ti nah.
While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
8 Te phoeiah Obadiah te, “Kai ue, cet lamtah na boeipa taengah, ‘Elijah ke,’ ti nah,” a ti nah.
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 Te phoeiah, “Kai duek sak hamla Ahab kut ah na sal nan tloeng ham khaw nang balae ka tholh?
Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
10 Nang kah Pathen BOEIPA kah hingnah dongah, nang tlap pahoi ham ka boei loh n'tueih pawh, namtom neh ram om voel pawh. Nang m'hmuh pawt te, ‘Om pawh,’ a ti uh vaengah ram neh namtom khaw a toemngam coeng.
Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
11 Tedae nang loh, ‘Na boei taengah cet lamtah “Elijah he,” ti nah,’ na ti mai.
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Kai he nang taeng lamloh ka nong tih BOEIPA kah Mueihla loh ka ming nah pawt la nang n'khuen khaming. Ahab taengla puen ham ka caeh vaengah nang m'hmu pawt mai koinih kai n'ngawn ni ta. Tedae na sal he ka camoe lamloh BOEIPA te ka rhih ngawn ne.
But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
13 Jezebel loh BOEIPA kah tonghma rhoek a ngawn vaengah ka saii te ka boeipa taengla ha puen pawt nim? BOEIPA tonghma hlang yakhat te lungko pakhat ah hlang sawmnga, sawmnga rhip ka thuh tih amih te buh neh tui neh ka cangbam coeng.
My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
14 Tedae tahae ah, ‘Cet lamtah na boei rhoek taengah, “Elijah he,” ti nah,’ na ti vaengah kai n'ngawn pawn ni,” a ti nah.
Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
15 Elijah loh, “Caempuei BOEIPA kah hingnah bangla amah mikhmuh ah ka pai coeng. Tihnin ah Ahab taengla ka phoe kuekluek ni,” a ti nah.
But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
16 Obadiah te Ahab doe hamla cet tih a taengah a puen pah. Te dongah Ahab khaw Elijah doe hamla cet.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 Ahab loh Elijah te a hmuh vaengah Ahab loh anih te, “Israel aka lawn te nang nama?” a ti nah.
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 Te vaengah, “Israel te ka lawn pawt tih namah neh na pa imkhui loh na lawn. BOEIPA olpaek te na toeng uh tih Baal hnukah na pongpa uh.
Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
19 Karmel tlang la kamah taengah Israel pum neh Baal tonghma rhoek ya li sawmnga, Jezebel caboei aka vael Asherah tonghma ya li te khue lamtah coi laeh,” a ti nah.
So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
20 Ahab loh Israel ca boeih te a tah tih tonghma rhoek neh Karmel tlang ah a tingtun sak.
So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
21 Te vaengah Elijah te pilnam pum taengla mop tih, “Pomnah panit dongah ah me hil nim na ingang uh ve? Pathen YAHWEH kah van atah a hnukah rhep pongpa uh. Tedae Baal kah van atah anih hnukah rhep pongpa uh,” a ti nah vaengah pilnam loh anih te ol doo pawh.
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
22 Elijah loh pilnam taengah, “Kai he kamah bueng ni BOEIPA kah tonghma la ka cul coeng. Tedae Baal kah tonghma rhoek tah hlang ya li sawmnga lo.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Kaimih ham vaito pumnit m'pae uh laeh. Vaito pumat te amih ham coelh uh saeh lamtah top uh saeh. Te phoeiah thing soah tloeng uh saeh lamtah hmai toih uh boel saeh. Kai khaw vaito pakhat te ka ngawn vetih thing soah ka tloeng van ni, tedae hmai toih van mahpawh.
Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
24 Na pathen rhoek kah ming te khue uh lamtah kai khaw YAHWEH ming te ka khue eh. Tedae hmai neh aka doo Pathen te tah Pathen tang la om ni,” a ti nah. Te vaengah pilnam pum loh a doo tih, “Ol then ni,” a ti uh.
Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
25 Te phoeiah Elijah loh Baal tonghma rhoek taengah, “Namamih ham vaito pumat ah tuek uh. Na yet uh dongah lamhma la saii lamtah na pathen ming te khue uh. Tedae hmai tah toih uh boeh,” a ti nah.
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
26 Te dongah vaito a khuen uh te amih taengah a paek uh tih a ngawn uh. Baal ming te mincang lamloh khothun hil a khue uh. “Baal, kaimih n'doo lah,” a ti uh. Tedae ol a om pawt tih a doo pawt dongah a saii hmueihtuk taengah ingang uh.
So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
27 Khothun a pha vaengah Elijah tah amih taengah omsaa tih, “Ol a len la pang uh, na pathen te kohuetnah om khaming, anih te bitok khaming, anih te yiin mai khaming, anih te muelh ip mai khaming, haeng uh dae,” a ti nah.
About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
28 Te dongah ol a len la pang uh. Amih kah khosing bangla a pum dongkah thii a long hil cunghang neh cai neh a hlap uh.
So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
29 Khothun a poeng tih khocang nawn hil khaw tonghma uh. Tedae ol om pawt tih a doo voel pawt dongah hnatungnah khaw om pawh.
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 Elijah loh pilnam boeih te, “Kai taengla ha thoeih uh,” a ti nah. Te dongah pilnam pum te anih taengla thoeih uh tih BOEIPA kah hmueihtuk a koengloeng tangtae te a tlaih uh.
Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
31 A taengah BOEIPA ol pawk tih, “Na ming he Israel la om saeh,” a ti nah vanbangla Jakob ca rhoek kah koca tarhing ah Elijah loh lungto hlai nit a loh.
Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
32 BOEIPA ming neh hmueihtuk lung te koep a khoeng tih hmueihtuk kaep ah cangti sum nit cet la tuilong a saii.
With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
33 Thing te a hawn phoeiah vaito te a top tih thing soah a tloeng.
He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
34 Te phoeiah, “Amrhaeng pali dongah tui than uh lamtah hmueihhlutnah soah khaw, thing soah khaw, bueih uh,” a ti nah. Te phoeiah, “Talh dae,” a ti nah tih a talh uh. Te phoeiah, “Voei thum,” a ti nah tih voei thum a saii uh.
Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
35 Tui te hmueihtuk kaepvai la long tih tuilong ah pataeng tui bae.
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 Khocang nawn tue a pha vaengah tonghma Elijah te thoeih tih, “Abraham, Isaak neh Israel Pathen YAHWEH aw, tihnin ah namah te Pathen la Israel khuiah m'ming saeh. Na ol vanbangla kai he namah kah sal ni. Na ol bangla he hno cungkuem he ka saii.
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
37 Kai he n'doo lah, BOEIPA aw kai n'doo lah. Te daengah ni he pilnam loh nang YAHWEH Pathen neh namah loh a hnuk la amih lungbuei na mael sak ham khaw a ming uh eh,” a ti nah.
Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
38 Te vaengah BOEIPA kah hmai suntla tih hmueihhlutnah neh thing khaw, lungto neh laipi khaw a hlawp tih tuilong kah tui te a laeh.
Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
39 Pilnam cungkuem loh a hmuh vaengah a maelhmai dongla buluk uh tih, “YAHWEH amah tah Pathen ni, YAHWEH amah tah Pathen ni,” a ti uh.
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 Elijah loh amih taengah, “Baal tonghma rhoek te tu uh, amih hlang te loeih boel saeh,” a ti nah. Amih te a tuuk uh phoeiah tah Elijah loh Kishon soklong la a suntlak puei tih pahoi a ngawn.
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
41 Te phoeiah Elijah loh Ahab te, “Khonal tlanthim ol halo coeng. Te dongah cet laeh, ca lamtah o laeh,” a ti nah.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
42 Te dongah Ahab te caak ham neh ok hamla cet. Tedae Elijah tah Karmel som la luei. Te phoeiah diklai la kuisu uh tih a maelhmai te a khuklu neh a khuklu laklo ah a khueh.
So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
43 Te phoeiah amah kah a tueihyoeih te, “Cet laeh lamtah tuipuei longpuei ke paelki,” a ti nah. Cet tih a paelki phoeiah, “Pakhat khaw om pawh,” a ti nah dongah voei rhih hil, “Mael dae,” a ti nah.
Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
44 A voei rhih dongla a pha vaengah tah, “Khomai ca, tuipuei lamloh hlang kut bangla ha luei ke,” a ti nah. Te dongah, “Cet lamtah Ahab te, ‘Hlah uh lamtah suntla laeh. Te daengah ni nang te khonal loh n'khaih pawt eh,’ ti nah,” a ti nah.
But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
45 Rhaih, rhaih a om phoeiah tah vaan ah khomai hmuep tih khohli neh khonal tlanthim ha pawk. Ahab khaw a ngol neh Jezreel la cet.
Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
46 BOEIPA kut te Elijah soah a om dongah a cinghen te a yen tih, nang, Jezreel la aka pawk ham Ahab hmai ah yong coeng.
Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
