< 1 Kings 18 >

1 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.”
E MOLTO tempo appresso, la parola del Signore fu [indirizzata] ad Elia, nell'anno terzo, dicendo: Va', mostrati ad Achab, ed io manderò della pioggia sopra il paese.
2 So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
Elia dunque andò per mostrarsi ad Achab.
3 There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
Or la fame [era] grave in Samaria. Ed Achab chiamò Abdia, ch' [era suo] mastro di casa (or Abdia temeva grandemente il Signore;
4 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.
e quando Izebel distruggeva i profeti del Signore, Abdia prese cento profeti, e li nascose, cinquanta in una spelonca, e cinquanta in un'altra, e li nudrì di pane e d'acqua);
5 [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.”
ed Achab disse ad Abdia: Va' per lo paese, a tutte le fonti dell'acque, ed a tutti i torrenti; forse troveremo dell'erba, e conserveremo in vita i cavalli ed i muli; e non lasceremo che [il paese] divenga deserto di bestie.
6 So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
Spartirono adunque fra loro il paese, per andare attorno per esso; Achab andò per un cammino da parte, e Abdia per un altro cammino da parte.
7 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?”
E mentre Abdia era per cammino, ecco, Elia [gli venne] incontro. E [Abdia], riconosciutolo, si gittò in terra sopra la sua faccia, e disse: [Sei] tu desso, Elia, mio signore?
8 Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
Ed egli gli rispose: Sì, sono. Va', di' al tuo signore: Ecco Elia.
9 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!
Ma egli disse: Qual peccato ho io commesso, che tu voglia dare il tuo servitore nelle mani di Achab, per farmi morire?
10 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.
[Come] il Signore Iddio tuo vive, non v'è nazione, nè regno, dove il mio signore non abbia mandato a cercarti; ma è stato detto che [tu] non [v'eri]; anzi ha scongiurato il regno e la nazione, [per sapere] se niuno ti avea trovato.
11 Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
E ora tu dici: Va', di' al tuo signore: Ecco Elia.
12 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.
Ed avverrà che, [quando] io sarò partito d'appresso a te, lo Spirito del Signore ti trasporterà in qualche luogo che io non saprò, e quando io sarò venuto ad Achab, per rapportargli [questo], egli, non trovandoti, mi ucciderà; e pure il tuo servitore teme il Signore dalla sua giovanezza.
13 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.
Non è egli stato dichiarato al mio signore ciò che io feci, quando Izebel uccideva i profeti del Signore? come io ne nascosi cento, cinquanta in una spelonca, e cinquanta in un'altra, e li nudrii di pane e d'acqua?
14 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!”
E ora tu dici: Va', di' al tuo signore: Ecco Elia; onde egli mi ucciderà.
15 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.”
Ma Elia disse: [Come] il Signore degli eserciti, al quale io ministro, vive, oggi io mi mostrerò ad Achab.
16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
Abdia adunque andò ad incontrare Achab, e gli rapportò [la cosa]. Ed Achab andò ad incontrare Elia.
17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
E come Achab ebbe veduto Elia, gli disse: [Sei] tu [qui], tu, che conturbi Israele?
18 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.
Ma egli disse: Io non ho conturbato Israele; anzi tu, e la casa di tuo padre, [l'avete conturbato], avendo voi lasciati i comandamenti del Signore, ed essendo tu andato dietro a' Baali.
19 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.”
Ma ora, manda a far adunare appresso di me, in sul monte Carmel, tutto Israele, insieme co' quattrocencinquanta profeti di Baal, e i quattrocento profeti del bosco, che mangiano alla tavola d'Izebel.
20 So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
E Achab mandò a tutti i figliuoli d'Israele, e adunò que' profeti in sul monte Carmel.
21 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].
Allora Elia si accostò a tutto il popolo, e disse: Infino a quando zoppicherete de' due lati? Se il Signore [è Dio], seguitatelo; se [altresì] Baal [è Dio], seguitate lui. Ma il popolo non gli rispose nulla.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
Ed Elia disse al popolo: Io son restato solo profeta del Signore, ed i profeti di Baal [sono] quattrocencinquant'uomini.
23 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].
Or sienci dati due giovenchi, ed eleggansene essi uno, e taglinlo a pezzi, e ponganlo sopra delle legne, senza metter[vi] fuoco; io altresì appresterò l'altro giovenco, e lo porrò sopra delle legne, e non [vi] metterò fuoco.
24 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.
Poi invocate il nome de' vostri dii; ed io invocherò il Nome del Signore. E quel dio che risponderà per fuoco, sia Iddio. E tutto il popolo rispose, e disse: Ben dici.
25 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!”
Ed Elia disse a' profeti di Baal: Sceglietevi uno de' giovenchi, e apprestate[lo] i primi; perciocchè voi [siete] in maggior numero; e invocate il nome de' vostri dii, ma non vi mettete fuoco.
26 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.
Essi adunque presero il giovenco ch'egli diede loro, e [l]'apprestarono; poi invocarono il nome di Baal, dalla mattina infino a mezzodì, dicendo: O Baal, rispondici. Ma non [v'era] nè voce, nè chi rispondesse; ed essi saltavano intorno all'altare che aveano fatto.
27 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!”
E in sul mezzodì Elia li beffava, e diceva: Gridate con gran voce, poichè egli [è] dio; perciocchè egli è in alcun ragionamento, o in procaccio di qualche cosa, o in viaggio; forse [anche] dorme, e si risveglierà.
28 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.
Essi adunque gridavano con gran voce, e si facevano delle talgliature, secondo il lor costume, con coltelli, e con lancette, fino a spandersi il sangue addosso.
29 They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
E quando il mezzodì fu passato, ed essi ebbero profetizzato fino [all'ora] che si offerisce l'offerta, non [essendovi] nè voce, nè chi rispondesse, nè chi attendesse [a ciò che facevano],
30 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].
Elia disse a tutto il popolo: Accostatevi a me. E tutto il popolo si accostò a lui. Ed egli racconciò l'altare del Signore ch'era stato disfatto.
31 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.
Poi Elia prese dodici pietre, secondo il numero delle tribù dei figliuoli di Giacobbe, al quale il Signore avea detto: Il tuo nome sarà Israele.
32 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.
E di quelle pietre edificò un altare al Nome del Signore, e fece d'intorno all'altare un condotto della capacità d'intorno a due staia di semenza.
33 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.
Poi ordinò le legne, e tagliò il giovenco a pezzi, e lo mise sopra le legne.
34 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.
E disse: empiete quattro vasi d'acqua, e spandetela sopra l'olocausto, e sopra le legne. Poi disse: Fatelo la seconda volta. Ed essi lo fecero la seconda volta. Poi disse: Fatelo la terza volta. Ed essi lo fecero la terza volta;
35 As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
talchè l'acqua andava intorno all'altare, ed anche empiè il condotto.
36 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.
E in [su l'ora] che si offerisce l'offerta, il profeta Elia si accostò, e disse: Signore Iddio d'Abrahamo, d'Isacco, e d'Israele, conoscasi oggi che tu [sei] Dio in Israele, e che io [son] tuo servitore, e che per la tua parola io ho fatte tutte queste cose.
37 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!”
Rispondimi, Signore, rispondimi; acciocchè questo popolo conosca che tu, Signore, [sei] l'Iddio, e che tu hai rivolto il cuor loro indietro.
38 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!
Allora cadde fuoco del Signore, e consumò l'olocausto, e le legne, e le pietre, e la polvere, e lambì l'acqua che [era] nel condotto.
39 When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
E tutto il popolo, avendo [ciò] veduto, cadde sopra la sua faccia, e disse: Il Signore è l'Iddio, il Signore è l'Iddio.
40 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.
Ed Elia disse loro: Prendete i profeti di Baal, non iscampine alcuno. Ed essi li presero. Ed Elia li fece scendere al torrente Chison, e quivi li scannò.
41 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!”
Allora Elia disse ad Achab: Sali, mangia, e bevi; perciocchè, [ecco] il suon d'un romor di pioggia. Ed Achab salì per mangiare e per bere.
42 So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
Ed Elia salì in su la sommità di Carmel; ed inchinatosi a terra, mise la faccia fra le ginocchia;
43 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.
e disse al suo servitore: Deh! sali, [e] riguarda verso il mare. Ed egli salì, e riguardò, e disse: Ei non [vi è] nulla. Ed [Elia] disse: Ritornavi fino a sette volte.
44 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!”
Ed alla settima volta il servitore disse: Ecco, una piccola nuvola, come la palma della mano d'un uomo, sale dal mare. Ed [Elia] disse: Va', di' ad Achab: Metti i cavalli [al carro], e scendi, chè la pioggia non ti arresti.
45 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].
Ed a poco a poco il cielo si oscurò di nuvoli e di vento, e vi fu una gran pioggia. E Achab montò sopra il suo carro, e se ne andò in Izreel.
46 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.
E la mano del Signore fu sopra Elia; ed egli si cinse i lombi, e corse davanti ad Achab, fino all'entrata d'Izreel.

< 1 Kings 18 >