1 Amakhosi 19
1 UAhabi wasetshela uJezebeli konke uElija ayekwenzile, labo bonke ababulalayo, bonke abaprofethi, ngenkemba.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 Khona uJezebeli wathuma isithunywa kuElija esithi: Kabenze njalo onkulunkulu, bengezelele njalo, uba ngalesisikhathi kusasa ngingenzi impilo yakho ibe njengempilo yomunye wabo.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3 Esekubonile, wasukuma, wahamba ngenxa yempilo yakhe, wafika eBherishebha engeyakoJuda, watshiya khona inceku yakhe.
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 Kodwa yena wahamba uhambo losuku enkangala, wafika wahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla serotemu, wacela ukuthi umphefumulo wakhe ufe, wathi: Kwanele, khathesi, Nkosi, thatha impilo yami, ngoba kangingcono kulabobaba.
while he himself traveled on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5 Esecambalele elele ngaphansi kwesihlahla esithile serotemu, khangela-ke, khonokho ingilosi yamthinta, yathi kuye: Vuka udle.
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 Wasethalaza, khangela-ke, ekhanda lakhe iqebelengwana losiwe emalahleni, lesigxingi samanzi; wasesidla wanatha, waphinda walala.
And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasifika ngokwesibili, yamthinta yathi: Vuka udle; ngoba uhambo lwakho lukhulu kakhulu kuwe.
A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
8 Wasevuka wadla wanatha, wahamba ngamandla alokhokudla insuku ezingamatshumi amane lobusuku obungamatshumi amane, waze wafika eHorebe intaba kaNkulunkulu.
So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 Wasengena lapho ebhalwini, walala khona ubusuku. Khangela-ke, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuye lathi kuye: Wenzani lapha, Elija?
There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Wathi: Bengitshiseka lokutshisekela iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli basitshiyile isivumelwano sakho, badiliza amalathi akho, babulala abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba; yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo badinga impilo yami ukuyisusa.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
11 Wasesithi: Phuma ume entabeni phambi kweNkosi. Khangela-ke, iNkosi yadlula. Umoya omkhulu olamandla wasudabula izintaba, waqhekeza amadwala phambi kweNkosi; kodwa iNkosi yayingekho emoyeni. Lemva komoya ukunyikinyeka komhlaba; kodwa iNkosi yayingekho ekunyikinyekeni komhlaba.
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 Lemva kokunyikinyeka komhlaba umlilo; kodwa iNkosi yayingekho emlilweni. Njalo emva komlilo ilizwi elincinyane elinyenyezayo.
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
13 Kwasekuthi uElija elizwa, wathandela ubuso bakhe ngesembatho sakhe, waphuma wema emlonyeni wobhalu. Khangela-ke, leza kuye ilizwi lathi: Wenzani lapha, Elija?
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 Wathi: Bengitshisekela lokutshisekela iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, ngoba abantwana bakoIsrayeli basitshiyile isivumelwano sakho, badiliza amalathi akho, babulala abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba; yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo badinga impilo yami ukuyisusa.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
15 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Hamba, ubuyele ngendlela yakho uye enkangala yeDamaseko; lapho usufikile ugcobe uHazayeli abe yinkosi phezu kweSiriya,
Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
16 loJehu indodana kaNimshi umgcobe abe yinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli, loElisha indodana kaShafati weAbeli-Mehola umgcobe abe ngumprofethi esikhundleni sakho.
You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
17 Kuzakuthi-ke ozaphepha enkembeni kaHazayeli uJehu uzambulala, lozaphepha enkembeni kaJehu uElisha uzambulala.
Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
18 Kodwa ngitshiyile koIsrayeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, wonke amadolo angazanga aguqe kuBhali, lawo wonke umlomo ongazanga umange.
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 Wasesuka lapho, wafica uElisha indodana kaShafati; wayelima ngezipani zenkabi zamajogwe alitshumi lambili phambi kwakhe, yena wayelesetshumi lambili. UElija wesesedlula eceleni kwakhe, waphosela isembatho sakhe phezu kwakhe.
So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
20 Wasetshiya izinkabi, wagijima elandela uElija, wathi: Ake ngange ubaba lomama, besengikulandela. Wasesithi kuye: Hamba ubuyele, ngoba ngenzeni kuwe?
So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21 Wasebuyela ekumlandeleni, wathatha isipani senkabi, wasihlaba, langezikhali zenkabi wapheka inyama yazo, wayinika abantu, bayidla. Wasesuka elandela uElija, wamsebenzela.
So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s equipment, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.
