1 Ndị Eze 18
1 Mgbe ọtụtụ oge gasịrị, nʼafọ nke atọ, okwu Onyenwe anyị rutere Ịlaịja ntị, “Bilie, gaa gosi Ehab onwe gị. Aga m emekwa ka mmiri zookwa nʼala a.”
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 Ya mere, Ịlaịja pụrụ gaa igosi Ehab onwe ya. Ma ụnwụ dị na Sameria nʼoge a siri nnọọ ike.
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 O nwere otu nwoke na-elekọta ihe dị nʼezinaụlọ Ehab. Aha ya bụ Ọbadaya. (Ọ bụ nwoke ji obi ya niile kwere na Onyenwe anyị.
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 Mgbe eze nwanyị bụ Jezebel na-egbu ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị chọọ igbuchapụ ha, ọ bụ Ọbadaya zoro narị ndị amụma nʼime ha nʼime ọgba nkume. O zoro iri ndị amụma ise nʼotu ọgba nkume, zookwa iri ndị amụma ise fọdụrụ nʼime ọgba nkume ọzọ. Emesịa, ọ na-ewegara ha nri na mmiri nʼebe ahụ.)
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 Ehab kpọrọ Ọbadaya sị ya, “Jegharịa nʼala a niile nyochapụta na ndagwurugwu na isi iyi niile, ebe ahịhịa ndụ dị. Gbutere ịnyịnya na ịnyịnya muul m ahịhịa ahụ ka ha taa ghara ịnwụ, ka anyị gharakwa igbu ha.”
[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 Ha kere ala ahụ nʼetiti onwe ha. Ehab sitere otu akụkụ, ma Ọbadaya sitere akụkụ nke ọzọ.
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 Ọ dịghị anya, na mberede, Ọbadaya hụrụ Ịlaịja ka ọ na-abịa izute ya. Ọbadaya matara na ọ bụ ya. Nʼihi ya, ọ dara nʼala kpuo ihu ya nʼala sị, “Ọ bụ gị ka m hụrụ nʼezie, onyenwe m, Ịlaịja?”
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 Ịlaịja zara sị ya, “E, ọ bụ m. Ugbu a gaa gwa onyenwe gị, ‘mụ bụ Ịlaịja nọ nʼebe a.’”
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 Mgbe ahụ, Ọbadaya jụrụ Ịlaịja sị, “Gịnị bụ ihe m mejọrọ, nke mere i ji na-achọ inyefe ohu gị nʼaka Ehab ka o gbuo ya?
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 Dịka Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị sị adị ndụ, o nwebeghị mba maọbụ alaeze dị nke nna m ukwu na-ezigaghị mmadụ ịchọ gị. Ebe ọbụla ọ gara a na-akọrọ ya na Ịlaịja anọghị nʼebe ahụ. Ehab na-eme ka eze obodo ahụ ṅụọ iyi na ihe ọ na-ekwu bụ eziokwu.
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 Ma ugbu a, ị na-asị m gaa gwa Onyenwe m na, ‘Ịlaịja nọ nʼebe a.’
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Ọ bụrụkwanụ na m esite nʼebe a pụọ, onye ma ebe Mmụọ Onyenwe anyị ga-ebuga gị. Mgbe ahụ, ọ bụrụ na Ehab abịa hapụ ịhụ gị, ọ ga-egbu m. Nʼihi na mụ bụ ohu gị bụ onye na-efe Onyenwe anyị ofufe siterị na mgbe m bụ okorobịa.
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 Ọ bụ na onyenwe m anụghị ihe m mere mgbe Jezebel nọ na-egbu ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị? E zoro narị ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị nʼime ọgba nkume abụọ, iri ise nʼime otu ọgba nkume, iri ise nʼime otu ọgba nkume ka m zoro ha, jirikwa nri na mmiri ọṅụṅụ zụọ ha.
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 Ma ugbu a i na-agwa m sị m, ‘Gaa gwa onyenwe gị na Ịlaịja abịala.’ Ọ ga-egbukwa m!”
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 Ma Ịlaịja zara sị ya, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-adị ndụ, onye m na-ejere ozi, ana m agwa gị na agaghị m esi nʼebe a pụọ tutu ruo mgbe m gosiri Ehab onwe m taa.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Ọbadaya pụrụ gaa kọọrọ Ehab na Ịlaịja abịala. Emesịa, Ehab pụtara izute Ịlaịja.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 Mgbe ọ hụrụ Ịlaịja, Ehab sịrị ya, “Ọ bụ gị onwe gị bụ nke a, gị onye na-emekpa Izrel ahụ?”
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 Ịlaịja zara sị Ehab, “O nweghị mgbe m ji butere Izrel nsogbu. Ọ bụ gị onwe gị na ezinaụlọ nna gị na-ebutere Izrel nsogbu. Unu agbakụtala iwu Onyenwe anyị azụ, gbasoro chi Baal dị iche iche.
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 Ugbu a, kpọkọta ndị Izrel niile ka ha zute m nʼugwu Kamel. Kpọpụtakwa ndị amụma Baal ọnụọgụgụ ha dị narị anọ na iri mmadụ ise, na ndị amụma Ashera, ndị dị narị anọ, bụ ndị na-eso eze nwanyị Jezebel erikọ ihe na tebul ya.”
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 Ehab zigara ozi kpọkọta ndị Izrel niile, na ndị amụma ahụ niile. Ha niile bịakwara nʼugwu Kamel.
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 Ịlaịja gara nʼihu ndị a, sị ha, “Ọ bụ ruo ole mgbe ka unu ga-akwụsị inwe obi abụọ? Ọ bụrụ na Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu, soronụ ya! Ma ọ bụrụkwanụ na unu ekpebie na Baal bụ chi unu, soronụ ya.” Ma ndị zukọrọ nʼebe ahụ ekwughị ihe ọbụla.
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 Mgbe ahụ Ịlaịja sịrị ha, “Leenụ! Ọ bụ mụ onwe m, naanị m, bụ onye amụma Onyenwe anyị fọdụrụ, ma ndị amụma Baal dị narị anọ na iri ise nʼọnụọgụgụ.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Ugbu a wetanụ oke ehi abụọ ka ndị amụma Baal họrọ otu oke ehi, nke ha chọrọ. Ha ga-egbujasị ya, tụkwasị ya nʼelu nkụ dị nʼebe ịchụ aja, ma ha agaghị amụnye ọkụ ọbụla nʼokpuru ya. Mụ onwe m ga-akwado oke ehi nke ọzọ tụkwasị ya nʼelu nkụ ma agaghị m amụnyekwa ọkụ nʼokpuru ya.
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 Emesịa, unu ga-akpọku chi Baal unu, mụ onwe m kwa ga-akpọku aha Onyenwe anyị. Ọ ga-erukwa na chi ga-eji ọkụ za, chi ahụ bụ Chineke.” Ndị Izrel niile zara sị, “Okwu gị dị mma.”
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 Ịlaịja gwara ndị amụma Baal, sị, “Ebe unu dị ọtụtụ, burunu ụzọ họrọ otu oke ehi nʼime ehi abụọ a dozie ya. Unu amụnyekwala ya ọkụ nʼokpuru, kama kpọkuonụ chi unu.”
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 Ya mere, ndị amụma Baal weere oke ehi ahụ e nyere ha doziekwa ya. Mgbe ahụ, ha kpọkuru aha Baal, chi ha. Site nʼụtụtụ tigide mkpu ruo nʼetiti ehihie na-asị “O Baal, biko, zaa anyị.” Ma o nweghị ihe ha nụrụ site nʼọnụ Baal. Ọ dịkwaghị onye zara ha. Ha malitere ite egwu gburugburu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ ha kwadoro.
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 Nʼihe dị ka nʼetiti ehihie, Ịlaịja malitere ịchị ha ọchị, na ịkwa ha emo. Ọ gwara ha okwu sị ha, “Tisienụ mkpu ike ka Baal nwe ike ịnụ arịrịọ unu. Nʼezie, ọ bụ chi! Ma eleghị anya ọ nọ nʼoke echiche, maọbụ o ji ọrụ nʼaka, maọbụ ọ gara njem. Ma eleghị anya ọ na-arahụ ụra. Ọ chọrọ onye ga-akpọte ya.”
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 Ndị amụma a tiri mkpu nʼoke olu dịka ha si eme. Ha ji mma na ùbe na-egbukasị onwe ha ahụ, tutu ruo mgbe ọbara malitere isite ha nʼahụ na-agbapụta.
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 Ma mgbe etiti ehihie gasịrị, ha nọgidekwara na-ebu amụma ruo mgbe oge ịchụ aja uhuruchi ruru, ma o nweghị onye zara ha, o nwekwaghị olu a nụrụ. Ọ dịkwaghị onye ṅara ha ntị.
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 Mgbe ahụ, Ịlaịja kpọrọ ndị Izrel sị ha, “Bịaruenụ m nso.” Ha niile bịaruru ya nso, o doziri ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị, bụ ndị ahụ a kwaturu nʼala na mbụ.
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 Ịlaịja chịịrị nkume iri na abụọ, nke otu nʼime ha nọchiri anya otu ebo Jekọb, onye okwu Onyenwe anyị rutere si ya, “Aha gị ga-abụ Izrel.”
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 O ji nkume ndị a wuzie ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị. Emesịa, o gwuru olulu miri emi, nke gbara ebe ịchụ aja ahụ gburugburu.
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 Ọ tụkwasịrị nkụ nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ, tụkwasịkwa otu oke ehi o gbujasịrị nʼelu nkụ ndị ahụ. Emesịa, o nyere ndị nọ nʼebe ahụ iwu sị ha, “Gbajuonụ ite anọ mmiri. Butekwanụ mmiri ahụ bịa wụkwasị ya nʼelu aja nsure ọkụ a, na nʼelu nkụ ndị a.” Mgbe ha mesiri nke a, Ịlaịja gwara ha okwu sị,
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 “Gbajukwaanụ ite mmiri ndị ahụ, bute ha bịa wụkwasị mmiri ahụ nke ugboro abụọ nʼelu aja nsure ọkụ a.” Ha mere dịka Ịlaịja kwuru. Ịlaịja nyekwara ha iwu sị, “Gbajukwaanụ ya nke ugboro atọ, bịa wụkwasị ya.” Ha mekwara otu a.
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 Mmiri jupụtakwara nʼebe ịchụ aja ahụ, na olulu ahụ dị ya gburugburu.
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 Mgbe oge e ji achụ aja anyasị ruru, Ịlaịja, onye amụma bịara ebe ịchụ aja ahụ nso kpee ekpere sị, “O, Onyenwe anyị Chineke Ebraham, na Aịzik, na Izrel, biko gosi taa na ọ bụ gị onwe gị bụ naanị Chineke nʼIzrel, na mụ onwe m bụkwa ohu gị. Gosikwa na m bụ onyeozi gị, na ọ bụ ihe i nyere m nʼiwu ka m mere oge ndị a niile.
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 Biko, Onyenwe anyị m, zaa m ekpere m, zaa m ya, ka ndị Izrel niile mata na gị onwe gị, Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke, na gị onwe gị na-atụgharịkwa obi ha ịlaghachikwute gị.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, na mberede, ọkụ Onyenwe anyị sitere nʼeluigwe daa, rechapụ oke ehi ahụ, na nkụ ahụ, na nkume, na ntụ, ma rechapụkwa mmiri niile dị nʼime olulu ahụ dị gburugburu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ.
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 Mgbe ndị mmadụ ahụ niile hụrụ ihe a mere, ha niile dara nʼala kpuo ihu nʼala, na-eti mkpu na-asị, “Onyenwe anyị, ya onwe ya bụ Chineke! Onyenwe anyị ya onwe ya bụ Chineke!”
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 Mgbe ahụ, Ịlaịja nyere ha iwu sị, “Jidenụ ndị amụma Baal niile. Unu ekwekwala ka otu onye nʼime ha laa.” Ha jidekwara ha niile. Ịlaịja dukwaara ha niile gaa na ndagwurugwu iyi Kishọn, gbuo ha nʼebe ahụ.
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 Emesịa, Ịlaịja gwara Ehab okwu sị, “Gaa rie nri, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ; nʼihi na anụrụ m ụzụ oke mmiri ozuzo ka ọ na-ada.”
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 Nʼihi nke a, Ehab sitere nʼebe ahụ pụọ gaa iri nri na ịṅụ ihe ọṅụṅụ ma Ịlaịja rigooro nʼelu ugwu Kamel gbuo ikpere nʼala, kpuokwa ihu ya nʼala nʼetiti ikpere ya abụọ ikpe ekpere.
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 Nʼoge a, ọ gwara nwokorobịa na-ejere ya ozi sị ya, “Gaa lee anya nʼụzọ oke osimiri.” Ọ rịgoro lee anya, sị, “Ọ dịghị ihe ọbụla m hụrụ.” Ịlaịja gwakwara ya otu a, ugboro asaa, sị ya, “Jeghachi.”
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 O ruo na nke ugboro asaa, nwokorobịa ahụ bịaghachiri sị Ịlaịja, “Onyenwe m, ahụrụ m igwe ojii dị nta dịka ọbụ aka mmadụ ka o si nʼoke osimiri na-apụta.” Ya mere, Ịlaịja sịrị, “Gaa gwa Ehab, ‘dozie ụgbọ agha gị, gbadaa tupu mmiri ozuzo egbochi gị ịla.’”
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 Ọ dịghị anya, eluigwe gbajikọtara nnọọ oji. Oke ifufe bidokwara ife. Mmiri dị ukwuu bidokwara izo. Mgbe ahụ, Ehab gbaara ụgbọ agha ya laa Jezril.
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 Ma ike Onyenwe anyị bịakwasịrị Ịlaịja. Ọ fanyere ọnụ uwe mwụda ya na belịt o kere nʼukwu, gbapụ ọsọ buru Ehab ụzọ gbaruo obodo Jezril.
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.
