< 2 Amakhosi 2 >
1 Kwathi uThixo esezathatha u-Elija ukuba aye ezulwini ngesivunguzane, u-Elija lo-Elisha babevela eGiligali.
2 U-Elija wathi ku-Elisha, “Hlala lapha; uThixo usengithume eBhetheli.” Kodwa u-Elisha wathi, “Njengoba uThixo ephila njalo njengoba lawe uphila, angiyikutshiyana lawe.” Ngakho basuka baya eBhetheli.
3 Iqula labaphrofethi eBhetheli leza ku-Elisha lambuza lisithi: “Uyakwazi yini ukuthi uThixo uzakuthathela inkosi yakho lamuhla na?” U-Elisha wathi, “Yebo, ngiyakwazi, kodwa lingakhulumi ngakho.”
4 Ngakho u-Elija wasesithi kuye, “Hlala lapha, Elisha; uThixo usengithume eJerikho.” U-Elisha waphendula wathi: “Njengoba uThixo ephila njalo njengoba lawe uphila, angiyikutshiyana lawe.” Ngakho basuka baya eJerikho.
5 Iqula labaphrofethi eJerikho laya ku-Elisha lambuza lisithi, “Uyakwazi yini ukuthi uThixo uzathatha inkosi yakho lamuhla na?” Waphendula wathi, “Yebo, ngiyakwazi, kodwa lingakhulumi ngakho.”
6 Ngakho u-Elija wasesithi, “Hlala khonapha; uThixo usengithume eJodani.” Yena waphendula wathi, “Njengoba uThixo ephila njalo njengoba lawe uphila, angiyikutshiyana lawe.” Ngakho baqhubekela phambili ngohambo.
7 Amadoda angamatshumi amahlanu exukwini labaphrofethi asuka ayakuma bucwadlana ekhangele lapho u-Elija lo-Elisha ababemi khona eJodani.
8 U-Elija wasethatha ingubo yakhe, wayigoqa watshaya ngayo amanzi. Amanzi adabuka phakathi amanye aba kwesokunene amanye kwesokhohlo, basebechapha emhlabathini owomileyo.
9 Ekuchapheni kwabo, u-Elija wathi ku-Elisha, “Akungitshele, kambe kuyini engingakwenzela khona ngingakasuswa kuwe?” U-Elisha waphendula wathi, “Ngicela isabelo esiphindwe kabili somoya wakho.”
10 U-Elija wathi, “Usucele into elukhuni, ungangibona ngisuswa kuwe kuzakuba ngokwakho, kodwa nxa kungangabinjalo akuyikuba ngokwakho.”
11 Besahamba belokhu bekhuluma, kwafika inqola yokulwa yomlilo lamabhiza ayo avuthayo yabehlukanisa, ngakho u-Elija waya ezulwini ngesivunguzane.
12 U-Elisha ebona lokhu wamemeza wathi, “Baba! Baba! Izinqola zokulwa labamabhiza okulwa ako-Israyeli!” U-Elisha kasazange aphinde ambone futhi. Wasethatha izigqoko zakhe wazidabula.
13 Wasedobha ingubo eyayiwe ku-Elija wabuyela emuva wayakuma okhunjini lomfula uJodani.
14 Wathatha ingubo eyayiwe kuye watshaya ngayo amanzi wathi, “Ungaphi khathesi uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Elija?” Wasetshaya amanzi, adabuka phakathi amanye kwesokunene amanye kwesokhohlo, wasechaphela ngaphetsheya.
15 Ixuku labaphrofethi ababevela eJerikho, ababebukele, lathi, “Umoya ka-Elija uphezu kuka-Elisha.” Basebesiya mhlangabeza bakhothama phambi kwakhe.
16 Basebesithi, “Uyabona, thina izinceku zakho silamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu enelisayo. Yekela amadoda la ayedinga inkosi yakho. Mhlawumbe uMoya kaThixo umthethe wayambeka entabeni ethile loba esihotsheni esithile.” U-Elisha wathi, “Hatshi, lingabathumi.”
17 Kodwa baphikelela waze wakhulelwa zinhloni zokuba elokhu esala. Wasesithi, “Bathumeni.” Ngakho bathuma amadoda angamatshumi amahlanu, amdinga okwensuku ezintathu amswela.
18 Bathe sebebuyela ku-Elisha, owayesehlala eJerikho, wababuza wathi, “Bengingalitshelanga yini ukuthi lingamdingi?”
19 Amadoda omuzi wakhona athi ku-Elisha, “Akubone, nkosi yethu, umuzi lo usendaweni ebukekayo, njengoba lawe uzibonela, kodwa amanzi alapha mabi lomhlaba wakhona awulazithelo.”
20 U-Elisha wathi, “Ngiphani umganu oyingubhe liwufake itswayi.” Ngakho bawuletha umganu.
21 Wasephuma esiya emthonjeni wafika waphosela khona itswayi ekhuluma esithi, “Ilizwi likaThixo lithi: ‘Sengiwahlambulule amanzi la. Awangeke aphinde futhi abangele ukufa loba ukungatheli kuhle kwalumhlaba.’”
22 Amanzi lawo kusukela mhlalokho kuze kube lamuhla mahle, njengokwakutshiwo ngu-Elisha.
23 Esuka lapho u-Elisha waya eBhetheli. Esahamba endleleni, kwavela kulowomuzi ixuku lentanga yabatsha lamhoza lisithi, “Qhubeka, wena mpabanga! Qhubeka, wena mpabanga!”
24 Wanyemukula, wabakhangela wasebehlisela isiqalekiso ngebizo likaThixo. Kwasekuvela amabhele amabili ehlathini afohloza abangamatshumi amane lababili babo.
25 Wasesedlulela eNtabeni yaseKhameli, uthe esesuka lapho waya eSamariya.