1 Bassekabaka 18
1 Awo nga wayiseewo ebbanga lya myaka essatu kasookedde enkuba ebula, ekigambo kya Mukama ne kijjira Eriya nti, “Genda weerage eri Akabu, omutegeeze nti nditonnyesa enkuba ku nsi.”
Sometime later, during the third year, a message from the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and appear before Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
2 Awo Eriya n’agenda okweyanjula eri Akabu.
So Elijah went to appear before Ahab. In the meantime the famine had become severe in Samaria.
3 Mu biro ebyo enjala ng’ennyinnyitidde nnyo mu Samaliya, Akabu n’ayita Obadiya omukulu w’olubiri eyali assaamu ennyo Mukama ekitiibwa.
Ahab summoned Obadiah, the manager of his palace (Obadiah was a very sincere believer in the Lord.
4 Olwali olwo nga Yezeberi atandika okutta bannabbi bonna aba Mukama, Obadiya n’addira bannabbi kikumi n’abakweka mu mpuku bbiri buli emu ng’erimu amakumi ataano ataano, n’abaweeranga omwo emmere n’amazzi.
While Jezebel was busy killing the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty in each of two caves, and had provided them with food and water.)
5 Akabu n’amugamba nti, “Tuuka buli wantu awali enzizi ez’amazzi n’awali obugga bwonna, oboolyawo tunaafuna omuddo ne tuwonya embalaasi zaffe n’ennyumbu okufa, tuleme okufiirwa ensolo zonna.”
Ahab told Obadiah, “Go throughout the country and check all the springs and valleys. Perhaps we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not lose any of the animals.”
6 Ne beeyawulamu bombi okubuna ensi, Akabu n’akwata ekkubo lye ne Obadiya n’akwata erirye.
So they divided the land between them. Ahab went in one direction, and Obadiah the other.
7 Awo Obadiya bwe yali ng’ali ku lugendo lwe, Eriya n’amusisinkana. Obadiya bwe yamutegeera n’avuunama wansi n’agamba nti, “Ddala ggwe wuuyo, mukama wange Eriya?”
As Obadiah went on his way, Elijah came to meet him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 N’addamu nti, “Ye nze. Genda ogambe mukama wo nti, ‘Eriya ali wano.’”
“It's me,” Elijah replied. “Go and tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”
9 Obadiya n’amugamba nti, “Kiki kye nkusobezza, okutuma omuddu wo eri Akabu ajja okunzita?
“How have I sinned that you are handing me, your servant, over to Ahab to be killed?
10 Mukama Katonda wo nga bw’ali omulamu, tewali ggwanga oba bwakabaka mukama wange gy’atatumye mubaka kukunoonya. Era buli ggwanga, oba bwakabaka obwagambanga nti toliiyo, yabalayizanga okukakasa nti tobangayo.
As the Lord your God lives, there's no nation or kingdom where my master hasn't sent someone to search for you. When a nation or kingdom said you weren't there, he made them swear that they couldn't find you.
11 Kaakano oŋŋamba ŋŋende ewa mukama wange njogere nti, ‘Eriya ali wano.’
And now you're telling me to go to my master and announce, ‘Elijah is here!’
12 Simanyi Mwoyo wa Mukama gy’anaakutwala nga kyenzije nveewo. Bwe nnaagenda ne ntegeeza Akabu n’atakusangawo, ajja kunzita, ate nga nze omuddu wo okuva mu buto bwange, nsinza Mukama.
I have no idea where the Spirit of the Lord will take you after I leave you. If I go and tell Ahab and then he can't find you, he's going to kill me, even though I, your servant, have worshiped the Lord since I was young.
13 Mukama wange totegeezebwanga, kye nakola nga Yezeberi atta bannabbi ba Mukama? Nakweka kikumi ku bannabbi ba Mukama mu mpuku bbiri, ataano ataano mu buli mpuku, era ne mbawa emigaati okulya n’amazzi okunywa.
Didn't you hear, my lord, what I did when Jezebel was busy killing the Lord's prophets? I hid a hundred of the Lord's prophets, fifty in each of two caves, and provided them with food and water.
14 Kaakano, oŋŋamba ŋŋende ewa mukama wange mugambe nti, ‘Eriya ali wano.’ Ajja kunzita!”
And now you're telling me to go to my master and announce, ‘Elijah is here.’ He's going to kill me!”
15 Eriya n’amugamba, “Nga Mukama ow’Eggye bw’ali omulamu, gwe mpeereza, siireme kweraga eri Akabu leero.”
Elijah replied, “As the Lord Almighty lives, the one I serve, I will definitely appear before Ahab today.”
16 Awo Obadiya n’agenda okusisinkana Akabu, n’amutegeeza; Akabu n’ajja okusisinkana Eriya.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Akabu bwe yalaba Eriya, n’amubuuza nti, “Ggwe wuuyo, gwe ateganya Isirayiri?”
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you—you who are causing trouble for Israel?”
18 Eriya n’addamu nti, “Sinnateganya Isirayiri, naye ggwe n’ennyumba ya kitaawo, muvudde ku biragiro bya Mukama ne mugoberera ba Baali.
“I'm not causing trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “It's you and your father's family! You have rejected the Lord's commands and are worshiping the Baals.
19 Kaakano kuŋŋaanya abantu bonna okuva mu Isirayiri yonna bajje ku lusozi Kalumeeri era oleete ne bannabbi ba Baali ebikumi ebina mu ataano wamu ne bannabbi ba Baaseri ebikumi ebina, abaliira ku mmeeza ya Yezeberi.”
Now call together all of Israel and meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who are supported by Jezebel.”
20 Awo Akabu n’atumira abantu ba Isirayiri bonna, era n’akuŋŋaanya ne bannabbi bonna ku lusozi Kalumeeri.
So Ahab summoned all of Israel and also gathered the prophets on Mount Carmel.
21 Awo Eriya n’ayimirira mu maaso g’abantu n’ayogera nti, “Mulituusa wa okutta aganaaga? Obanga Mukama ye Katonda mumugoberere, naye obanga Baali ye Katonda mugoberere oyo.” Naye abantu ne batamuddamu kigambo na kimu.
Elijah approached the people and asked them, “How long will you hobble along, hesitating between two opposite beliefs? If the Lord is God, then follow him. But if Baal is God, then follow him.” But the people gave o answer.
22 Eriya n’abagamba nti, “Nze nsigaddewo nzekka ku bannabbi ba Mukama, naye Baali alina bannabbi ebikumi bina mu ataano.
Then Elijah told them, “I am the only one left of the Lord's prophets—just me alone—but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
23 Kale mutuwe ente ennume bbiri, bo beerobozeeko emu, bagitemeeteme, bagiteeke ku nku, naye tebagikumamu. Nange naalongoosa eyookubiri, ne ngiteeka ku nku naye sijja kuzikumamu muliro.
Provide us with two bulls. Let the prophets of Baal choose for themselves the one they want, and have them cut it into pieces and place it on the firewood. But don't set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the firewood but I won't set fire to it.
24 Kale oluvannyuma mukoowoole erinnya lya katonda wammwe, nange nnaakowoola erinnya lya Mukama; anaddamu n’omuliro nga ye Katonda.” Abantu bonna ne baddamu nti, “Ky’oyogedde kirungi.”
Then you call on your god by name, and I will call on the Lord by name. The god who replies by sending fire—he is God.” Then all the people said, “We agree to what you say.”
25 Eriya n’agamba bannabbi ba Baali nti, “Mmwe musooke okweroboza ente emu ennume nga bwe muli abangi, mugiteeketeeke. Mukoowoole erinnya lya katonda wammwe, naye temukoleeza muliro.”
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, because there are so many of you. Call on your god by name, but don't light the fire.”
26 Ne batwala ente ebaweereddwa ne bagiteekateeka. Oluvannyuma ne bakoowoola erinnya lya Baali okuva ku makya okutuusa mu ttuntu. Ne baleekaanira waggulu nti, “Ayi Baali, otuwulire!” Naye ne wataba kuddibwamu, newaakubadde eddoboozi lyonna. Ne bazina nga beetooloola ekyoto kye baali bakoze.
So they took the bull provided and prepared it. Then they called on Baal by name from morning until noon. “Baal, answer us!” they pleaded. But no voice was heard, no one answered. They hobbled in a dance around the altar they had made.
27 Mu ssaawa ez’omu ttuntu Eriya n’atandika okubaduulira, ng’ayogera nti, “Muleekaane nnyo! Katonda ddala! Osanga ali mu birowoozo bingi, oba aliko ebimutawaanya, oba ali ku lugendo. Ayinza okuba nga yeebase, nga yeetaaga kumuzuukusa.”
At noon Elijah began to mock them. “Shout really loud!” he said. “Isn't he meant to be a god? Maybe he's meditating, or he's gone to the bathroom, or he's away on a trip! Maybe he's asleep and has to be woken up!”
28 Ne baleekaana nnyo nga bwe beesala n’obwambe ne beefumita n’amafumu ng’empisa yaabwe bwe yali, okutuusa omusaayi lwe gwabakulukuta.
They shouted even louder and cut themselves with swords and spears until they bled. This was their usual way of worshiping.
29 Obudde bwali buyise nnyo, naye ne beeyongera okulagula kwabwe okutuusa ekiseera eky’ekiweebwayo eky’akawungeezi. Ne wataba kuddibwamu, newaakubadde eddoboozi lyonna, wadde assaayo omwoyo.
Noon came and went, and they went on with their manic “prophesying” until the time of the evening sacrifice. But no voice was heard, no one answered, no one was listening.
30 Awo Eriya n’alyoka agamba abantu bonna nti, “Musembere kumpi nange.” Bonna ne bamusemberera, n’addaabiriza ekyoto kya Mukama ekyali kisuuliddwa.
Then Elijah told everyone, “Come over here to me.” They went over to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.
31 N’addira amayinja kkumi n’abiri, buli limu n’aliteeka ku linnaalyo ng’ebika bya Yakobo bwe byali, Mukama gwe yayogerako nti, “Erinnya lye linaabanga Isirayiri.”
Elijah took twelve stones to represent the tribes of the sons of Jacob. (Jacob was the one who received the Lord's message that said, “Israel shall be your name.”)
32 N’azimba ekyoto mu linnya lya Mukama n’amayinja ago, n’asima olusalosalo okwetooloola ekyoto, ng’alugyamu lita kkumi na ttaano ez’amazzi.
With the stones he built an altar in the Lord's name. He dug a ditch around it that could hold two seahs of seed.
33 N’atindikira enku, n’atemaatema ente, n’agiteekako. N’alyoka abagamba nti, “Mujjuze ebibya bina amazzi, mugafuke ku kiweebwayo ne ku nku.”
He put the wood in place, cut the bull into pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he told them, “Fill up four large jars with water and pour it over the offering and the wood.”
34 N’abagamba baddemu bakole bwe batyo omulundi ogwokubiri, ne bakiddamu, ate era n’abagamba okuddamu omulundi ogwokusatu ne baddamu ogwokusatu nga bwe yalagira.
“Do it again,” he said. So they did. “Do it for a third time,” he said. So they did it for the third time.
35 Amazzi ne gakulukuta okwetooloola ekyoto, n’okujjula ne gajjula olusalosalo.
The water ran down all over the altar and even filled the ditch.
36 Mu kiseera eky’ekiweebwayo eky’akawungeezi, nnabbi Eriya n’asembera mu maaso n’asaba nti, “Ayi Mukama, Katonda wa Ibulayimu, owa Isaaka ne Isirayiri, olwa leero kimanyibwe nti ggwe Katonda mu Isirayiri, era nti nze muddu wo, era nkoze ebintu bino byonna olw’ekigambo kyo.
At the time of the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went over to the altar and prayed: “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, demonstrate today that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that everything I have done has been at your command.
37 Onziremu, Ayi Mukama, onziremu, abantu bano bamanye, Ayi Mukama nti ggwe Katonda, era nti ggwe okyusa emitima gyabwe okudda gy’oli.”
Answer me, Lord! Answer me, so that these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are bringing them back to you.”
38 Omuliro gwa Mukama ne gulyoka gugwa ne gwokya ekiweebwayo, n’enku, n’amayinja, n’ettaka, ne gumalirawo ddala n’amazzi mu lusalosalo.
Then the fire of the Lord came down and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil—it even licked up the water in the ditch!
39 Awo abantu bonna bwe baakiraba, ne bavuunama ne bakaaba nnyo nga bagamba nti, “Mukama, ye Katonda! Mukama, ye Katonda!”
When all the people saw this, they fell face down on the ground and shouted, “The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!”
40 Eriya n’alyoka abalagira nti, “Mukwate bannabbi ba Baali, waleme okuba n’omu abaddukako.” Ne babakwata, Eriya n’abaserengesa ku kagga Kisoni, n’abattira eyo.
Then Elijah ordered them, “Grab hold of the prophets of Baal. Don't let any escape!” They grabbed them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.
41 Eriya n’agamba Akabu nti, “Genda olye, n’okunywa onywe; kubanga waliwo okubwatuka kw’enkuba ey’amaanyi.”
Elijah told Ahab, “Go and eat and drink, for I hear the sound of a heavy rain coming.”
42 Awo Akabu n’agenda okulya n’okunywa, naye Eriya n’alinnya ku ntikko y’olusozi Kalumeeri, n’akutama, n’ateeka omutwe gwe wakati w’amaviivi ge.
So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went to the top of Carmel. There he bent down to the ground, putting his face between his knees.
43 N’agamba omuweereza we nti, “Yambuka, olengere okwolekera ennyanja.” Omuweereza n’agenda n’alaba n’akomawo n’amugamba nti, “Teri kye ndabyewo.” Eriya n’amugamba addeyo emirundi musanvu.
“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. The man went and looked. “There's nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah told him, “Go and look again.”
44 Ku mulundi ogw’omusanvu omuweereza n’akomawo n’agamba nti, “Laba, ekire ekitono ekyenkana ng’omukono gw’omuntu kyambuka okuva mu nnyanja.” Eriya n’amugamba nti, “Genda ogambe Akabu nti, ‘Teekateeka eggaali lyo, oserengete, enkuba nga tennakuziyiza.’”
The seventh time the servant came back and said, “I saw a small cloud the size of a man's hand coming up from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Run to Ahab and tell him, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Mu kiseera kyekimu, eggulu ne libindabinda, kibuyaga ne yeeyongera, enkuba ey’amaanyi n’ejja, Akabu n’ayolekera e Yezuleeri.
Very quickly the sky grew dark with clouds, the wind blew, heavy rain started falling, and Ahab rode down to Jezreel.
46 Amaanyi ga Mukama ne gakka ku Eriya ne yeesiba ekimyu, n’adduka ng’akulembedde Akabu okutuuka e Yezuleeri.
The Lord gave his power to Elijah—he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
