1 Amakhosi 18
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwensuku ezinengi ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuElija ngomnyaka wesithathu lisithi: Hamba, uziveze kuAhabi, sengizanisa izulu ebusweni bomhlaba.
After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go and show yourself to Ahab, so that I may grant rain upon the face of the earth.”
2 UElija wasesiya ukuziveza kuAhabi. Njalo indlala yayilamandla eSamariya.
Therefore, Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. For there was a severe famine in Samaria.
3 UAhabi wasebiza uObhadiya owayephezu kwendlu yakhe. UObhadiya wayeyesaba-ke kakhulu iNkosi.
And Ahab called Obadiah, the manager of his household. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
4 Ngoba kwathi lapho uJezebeli ebhubhisa abaprofethi beNkosi, uObhadiya wathatha abaprofethi abalikhulu, wabafihla ngamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini, wabondla ngesinkwa langamanzi.
For when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord, he took one hundred prophets, and concealed them, fifty and fifty, in caves. And he fed them with bread and water.
5 UAhabi wasesithi kuObhadiya: Hamba elizweni uye emithonjeni yonke yamanzi lezifuleni zonke; mhlawumbe singathola utshani, silondoloze amabhiza lezimbongolo kuphila, ukuze singabhubhisi okwezifuyo.
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go into the land, to all fountains of water, and to all the valleys, for perhaps we will be able to find plants, and save the horses and mules, so that the beasts of burden may not perish entirely.”
6 Basebesehlukaniselana ilizwe ukuthi badabule phakathi kwalo; uAhabi wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa, uObhadiya laye wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa.
And they divided the regions among themselves, so that they might travel through them. Ahab went one way alone, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 Kwasekusithi uObhadiya esendleleni, khangela-ke, uElija wamhlangabeza; wamnanzelela, wawa ngobuso bakhe wathi: Nguwe yini, nkosi yami, Elija?
And while Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him. And when he had recognized him, he fell on his face, and he said, “Are you not my lord Elijah?”
8 Wasesithi kuye: Yimi. Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
And he responded to him: “I am. Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here.”
9 Wasesithi: Ngoneni ukuthi unikele inceku yakho esandleni sikaAhabi ukuthi angibulale?
And he said: “How have I sinned that you would deliver me, your servant, into the hand of Ahab, so that he would put me to death?
10 Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, kakulasizwe lombuso inkosi yami engathumelanga kukho ukukudinga. Lapho besithi: Kakho; yafungisa lowombuso lalesosizwe ukuthi kabakutholanga.
As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent, seeking you. And when all responded, ‘He is not here,’ he swore each kingdom and nation to an oath, because you were not found at all.
11 Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba utshele inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
And now, you say to me, ‘Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here.’
12 Kuzakuthi-ke sengisukile kuwe, uMoya weNkosi akuthwale akuse lapho engingazi khona; lapho sengifike ngatshela uAhabi, angakutholi, uzangibulala; kodwa mina inceku yakho ngiyayesaba iNkosi kusukela ebutsheni bami.
And when I will have departed from you, the Spirit of the Lord will transport you to a place that I do not know. And entering, I will report to Ahab. And he, not finding you, will put me to death. Yet your servant has feared the Lord from his infancy.
13 Kakutshelwanga inkosi yami yini engakwenzayo lapho uJezebeli ebulala abaprofethi beNkosi, ukuthi ngafihla amadoda alikhulu kubaprofethi beNkosi, ngamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini, ngabondla ngesinkwa langamanzi?
Has it not been revealed to you, my lord, what I did when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord: how I hid one hundred men from the prophets of the Lord, fifty and fifty, in caves, and how I fed them with bread and water?
14 Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela uElija ulapha. Abesengibulala.
And now you say: ‘Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here,’ so that he may kill me!”
15 UElija wasesithi: Kuphila kukaJehova wamabandla engimi phambi kwakhe, oqotho lamuhla ngizaziveza kuye.
And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whose face I stand, this day I will appear to him.”
16 Ngakho uObhadiya wahamba ukuhlangabeza uAhabi, wamtshela; loAhabi wayahlangabeza uElija.
Therefore, Obadiah went away to meet Ahab, and he reported to him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Kwasekusithi uAhabi ebona uElija, uAhabi wathi kuye: Nguwe yini ongumhluphi kaIsrayeli?
And when he had seen him, he said, “Are you the one who is disturbing Israel?”
18 Wasesithi: Kangimhluphanga uIsrayeli, kodwa nguwe lendlu kayihlo, ngokuyitshiya kwenu imilayo yeNkosi, lalandela oBhali.
And he said: “I have not troubled Israel. But it is you, and the house of your father, who have abandoned the commandments of the Lord, and have followed the Baals.
19 Ngakho-ke thuma, ubuthanisele kimi uIsrayeli wonke entabeni iKharmeli, labaprofethi bakaBhali abangamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu labaprofethi bezixuku abangamakhulu amane abadla etafuleni likaJezebeli.
Yet truly now, send and gather to me all of Israel, on Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of the sacred groves, who eat from the table of Jezebel.”
20 Ngakho uAhabi wathuma phakathi kwabo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, wabuthanisa abaprofethi entabeni iKharmeli.
Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and he gathered together the prophets on mount Carmel.
21 UElija wasesondela ebantwini bonke wathi: Koze kube nini liqhula emicabangweni emibili? Uba iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, landelani yona; kodwa uba kunguBhali, mlandeleni. Kodwa abantu kabamphendulanga ngalizwi.
Then Elijah, drawing near to all the people, said: “How long will you waver between two sides? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is, then follow him.” And the people did not respond a word to him.
22 UElija wasesithi ebantwini: Mina ngedwa ngingumprofethi weNkosi oseleyo; kodwa abaprofethi bakaBhali ngamadoda angamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu.
And Elijah said again to the people: “I alone remain as a prophet of the Lord. But the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Ngakho kabasinike amajongosi amabili, bazikhethele ijongosi elilodwa, baliqume iziqa, bazibeke phezu kwenkuni, bangafaki mlilo; lami ngizalungisa elinye ijongosi, ngilibeke phezu kwenkuni, ngingafaki mlilo.
Let two oxen be given to us. And let them choose one ox for themselves, and, cutting it into pieces, let them set it on the wood. But they may not place fire under it. And I will prepare the other ox, and set it on the wood. But I will not place fire under it.
24 Njalo bizani ibizo likankulunkulu wenu, lami ngizabiza ibizo leNkosi; uNkulunkulu ozaphendula ngomlilo nguye uNkulunkulu. Bonke abantu basebephendula bathi: Lelilizwi lilungile.
Call upon the names of your gods. And I will call on the name of my Lord. And the God who will have heeded with fire, let him be God.” And in response, all the people said, “Excellent proposition.”
25 UElija wasesithi kubaprofethi bakaBhali: Zikhetheleni ijongosi elilodwa, lililungise kuqala, ngoba libanengi, libize ibizo likankulunkulu wenu, kodwa lingafaki mlilo.
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: “Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first. For you are many. And call on the names of your gods, but do not place fire under it.”
26 Basebethatha ijongosi ababelinikiwe, balilungisa, babiza ibizo likaBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini, besithi: Bhali, siphendule! Kodwa kakubanga lalizwi, kakubanga lophendulayo. Basebeseqa phezu kwelathi elalenziwe.
And when they had taken an ox, which he had given to them, they prepared it. And they called on the name of Baal, from morning even until midday, saying, “O Baal, heed us.” And there was no voice, nor did anyone respond. And so they leaped upon the altar that they had made.
27 Kwasekusithi emini uElija wadlala ngabo wathi: Memezani ngelizwi elikhulu, ngoba ungunkulunkulu; ngoba uyanakana, loba umonyukile, kumbe usekuhambeni, mhlawumbe ulele, njalo kudingeka ukuthi avuswe.
And when it was now midday, Elijah ridiculed them, saying: “Cry out with a louder voice. For he is a god, and perhaps he is talking, or at an inn, or on a journey, or certainly he may be asleep, and must be awakened.”
28 Basebememeza ngelizwi elikhulu, bazisika njengokomkhuba wabo ngezinkemba langemikhonto, kwaze kwantshaza igazi kubo.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves, in accord with their ritual, with knives and lancets, until they were entirely covered in blood.
29 Kwasekusithi sekwedlulile imini, baprofetha kwaze kwaba sekunikelweni komnikelo, kakubanga lelizwi, njalo kakubanga lophendulayo, njalo kakubanga lonakekelayo.
Then, after midday had passed, and they were prophesying, the time had arrived when the sacrifice is usually offered. And there was no voice heard, neither did anyone heed or respond to the praying.
30 UElija wasesithi ebantwini bonke: Sondelani kimi. Bonke abantu basebesondela kuye. Waselungisa ilathi leNkosi elaselidilikile.
Elijah said to all the people, “Draw near to me.” And as the people were drawing near to him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down.
31 UElija wasethatha amatshe alitshumi lambili, ngokwenani lezizwe zamadodana kaJakobe, okwafika kuye ilizwi leNkosi lisithi: Ibizo lakho lizakuba nguIsrayeli.
And he took twelve stones, in accord with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 Ngalawomatshe wasesakha ilathi ebizweni leNkosi, wenza umgelo ozingelezela ilathi, ngokwesilinganiso samaseya amabili enhlanyelo.
And he built from the stones an altar to the name of the Lord. And he made a trench for water, like two furrows of plowed land, all around the altar.
33 Waselungisa inkuni, waliquma iziqa ijongosi, walibeka phezu kwenkuni, wasesithi: Gcwalisani izimbiza ezine ngamanzi, liwathele phezu komnikelo wokutshiswa laphezu kwenkuni.
And he arranged the wood, and he cut the ox into pieces, and he placed it on the wood.
34 Wasesithi: Kwenzeni okwesibili. Bakwenza okwesibili. Wathi: Kwenzeni okwesithathu. Basebekwenza okwesithathu.
And he said, “Fill four containers with water, and pour it over the holocaust, and over the wood.” And again, he said, “Do this a second time.” And when they had done it a second time, he said, “Do it also a third time.” And they did so a third time.
35 Amanzi asehamba azingelezela ilathi, lomgelo lawo wawugcwalisa ngamanzi.
And the water was running down around the altar, and the pit of the trench was filled with water.
36 Kwasekusithi ekunikelweni komnikelo uElija umprofethi wasondela wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaAbrahama, uIsaka, loIsrayeli, kakwaziwe lamuhla ukuthi unguNkulunkulu koIsrayeli, lami ngiyinceku yakho, lokuthi ngizenzile zonke lezizinto njengokwelizwi lakho.
And when it was now time for the holocaust to be offered, the prophet Elijah, drawing near, said: “O Lord, God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, reveal this day that you are the God of Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have acted, in all these things, in accord with your precept.
37 Ngiphendule, Nkosi, ungiphendule, ukuze lababantu bazi ukuthi wena uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu, lokuthi uyiphendulile futhi inhliziyo yabo.
Heed me, O Lord, heed me, so that this people may learn that you are the Lord God, and that you have converted their heart again.”
38 Wasusehla umlilo weNkosi, waqothula umnikelo wokutshiswa lenkuni lamatshe lothuli, wakhotha lamanzi asemgelweni.
Then the fire of the Lord fell down and devoured the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and even the dust, and it absorbed the water that was in the trench.
39 Kwathi abantu bonke bekubona bathi mbo ngobuso babo, bathi: UJehova nguye onguNkulunkulu; uJehova nguye onguNkulunkulu.
And when all the people had seen it, they fell upon their face, and they said: “The Lord himself is God! The Lord himself is God!”
40 UElija wasesithi kibo: Babambeni abaprofethi bakaBhali, kungaphunyuki lamunye wabo. Basebebabamba. UElija wasebehlisela esifuleni iKishoni, wababulalela khona.
And Elijah said to them, “Apprehend the prophets of Baal, and do not let even one of them escape.” And when they had apprehended them, Elijah led them down to the torrent Kishon, and he put them to death there.
41 UElija wasesithi kuAhabi: Yenyuka, udle unathe, ngoba kulomsindo wobunengi bezulu.
And Elijah said to Ahab “Ascend; eat and drink. For there is the sound of an abundance of rain.”
42 UAhabi wasesenyuka ukuyakudla lokunatha. UElija wasesenyukela engqongeni yeKharmeli; wakhothamela phansi emhlabathini, wafaka ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo akhe.
Ahab ascended, so that he might eat and drink. But Elijah ascended to the top of Carmel, and bending down to the ground, he placed his face between his knees.
43 Wasesithi encekwini yakhe: Yenyuka khathesi, ukhangele ngaselwandle. Yasisenyuka, yakhangela, yathi: Kakulalutho. Wasesithi: Buyela, kasikhombisa.
And he said to his servant, “Ascend, and gaze out toward the sea.” And when he had ascended, and had contemplated, he said, “There is nothing.” And again, he said to him, “Return seven times.”
44 Kwasekusithi ngesikhathi sesikhombisa yathi: Khangela, iyezana elingangesandla somuntu lisenyuka olwandle. Wasesithi: Yenyuka uyetshela uAhabi: Bophela inqola, wehle, hlezi izulu likuvalele.
And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud ascended from the sea like the footstep of a man. And he said: “Ascend, and say to Ahab, ‘Yoke your chariot, and descend; otherwise, the rain may prevent you.’”
45 Kwasekusithi kungakafiki lesosikhathi isibhakabhaka sasesisiba mnyama ngamayezi langomoya, kwaba lezulu elikhulu. UAhabi wasegada, waya eJizereyeli.
And as he was turning himself this way and that, behold, the heavens were darkened, and there were clouds and wind, and a great rainstorm occurred. And so Ahab, going up, went away to Jezreel.
46 Lesandla seNkosi sasiphezu kukaElija; wabopha ukhalo lwakhe, wagijima phambi kukaAhabi, uze ufike eJizereyeli.
And the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah. And cinching his waist, he ran before Ahab, until he arrived at Jezreel.
