1 Amakhosi 18
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwensuku ezinengi ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuElija ngomnyaka wesithathu lisithi: Hamba, uziveze kuAhabi, sengizanisa izulu ebusweni bomhlaba.
And it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
2 UElija wasesiya ukuziveza kuAhabi. Njalo indlala yayilamandla eSamariya.
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. And the famine was severe in Samaria.
3 UAhabi wasebiza uObhadiya owayephezu kwendlu yakhe. UObhadiya wayeyesaba-ke kakhulu iNkosi.
And Ahab summoned Obadiah, the steward of the house. (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.
And it came about, when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them, fifty by fifty in a cave, and 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.
And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the wadis. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."
6 Basebesehlukaniselana ilizwe ukuthi badabule phakathi kwalo; uAhabi wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa, uObhadiya laye wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa.
So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way alone, and Obadiah went another way alone.
7 Kwasekusithi uObhadiya esendleleni, khangela-ke, uElija wamhlangabeza; wamnanzelela, wawa ngobuso bakhe wathi: Nguwe yini, nkosi yami, Elija?
And as Obadiah was on the way, look, Elijah met him; and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"
8 Wasesithi kuye: Yimi. Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
He answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, 'Look, 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 your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
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, where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they did not find you.
11 Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba utshele inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, 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.
It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I do not know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
13 Kakutshelwanga inkosi yami yini engakwenzayo lapho uJezebeli ebulala abaprofethi beNkosi, ukuthi ngafihla amadoda alikhulu kubaprofethi beNkosi, ngamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini, ngabondla ngesinkwa langamanzi?
Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela uElija ulapha. Abesengibulala.
Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, Elijah is here";' and he will kill me."
15 UElija wasesithi: Kuphila kukaJehova wamabandla engimi phambi kwakhe, oqotho lamuhla ngizaziveza kuye.
Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today."
16 Ngakho uObhadiya wahamba ukuhlangabeza uAhabi, wamtshela; loAhabi wayahlangabeza uElija.
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Kwasekusithi uAhabi ebona uElija, uAhabi wathi kuye: Nguwe yini ongumhluphi kaIsrayeli?
It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
18 Wasesithi: Kangimhluphanga uIsrayeli, kodwa nguwe lendlu kayihlo, ngokuyitshiya kwenu imilayo yeNkosi, lalandela oBhali.
He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and you 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.
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20 Ngakho uAhabi wathuma phakathi kwabo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, wabuthanisa abaprofethi entabeni iKharmeli.
So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at 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.
Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you keep limping between two positions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.
22 UElija wasesithi ebantwini: Mina ngedwa ngingumprofethi weNkosi oseleyo; kodwa abaprofethi bakaBhali ngamadoda angamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu.
Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of Asherah four hundred.
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 them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Njalo bizani ibizo likankulunkulu wenu, lami ngizabiza ibizo leNkosi; uNkulunkulu ozaphendula ngomlilo nguye uNkulunkulu. Bonke abantu basebephendula bathi: Lelilizwi lilungile.
You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the god who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "It is well said."
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 one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but put no 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 they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no voice, nor any who answered. And they limped about the altar 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 it came about, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Maybe he is thinking about it, or he is busy, or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."
28 Basebememeza ngelizwi elikhulu, bazisika njengokomkhuba wabo ngezinkemba langemikhonto, kwaze kwantshaza igazi kubo.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and spears, until the blood gushed out on them.
29 Kwasekusithi sekwedlulile imini, baprofetha kwaze kwaba sekunikelweni komnikelo, kakubanga lelizwi, njalo kakubanga lophendulayo, njalo kakubanga lonakekelayo.
And when midday was past, they prophesied until the offering up of the offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.
30 UElija wasesithi ebantwini bonke: Sondelani kimi. Bonke abantu basebesondela kuye. Waselungisa ilathi leNkosi elaselidilikile.
Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
31 UElija wasethatha amatshe alitshumi lambili, ngokwenani lezizwe zamadodana kaJakobe, okwafika kuye ilizwi leNkosi lisithi: Ibizo lakho lizakuba nguIsrayeli.
Elijah took twelve stones, according to 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 with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
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 cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood.
34 Wasesithi: Kwenzeni okwesibili. Bakwenza okwesibili. Wathi: Kwenzeni okwesithathu. Basebekwenza okwesithathu.
And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood." And they did so. And he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the second time. And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third time.
35 Amanzi asehamba azingelezela ilathi, lomgelo lawo wawugcwalisa ngamanzi.
And the water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench 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.
It happened at the time of the offering up of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
37 Ngiphendule, Nkosi, ungiphendule, ukuze lababantu bazi ukuthi wena uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu, lokuthi uyiphendulile futhi inhliziyo yabo.
Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again."
38 Wasusehla umlilo weNkosi, waqothula umnikelo wokutshiswa lenkuni lamatshe lothuli, wakhotha lamanzi asemgelweni.
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up 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 saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God. The LORD, he is God."
40 UElija wasesithi kibo: Babambeni abaprofethi bakaBhali, kungaphunyuki lamunye wabo. Basebebabamba. UElija wasebehlisela esifuleni iKishoni, wababulalela khona.
And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there.
41 UElija wasesithi kuAhabi: Yenyuka, udle unathe, ngoba kulomsindo wobunengi bezulu.
And Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of a heavy rain."
42 UAhabi wasesenyuka ukuyakudla lokunatha. UElija wasesenyukela engqongeni yeKharmeli; wakhothamela phansi emhlabathini, wafaka ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo akhe.
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down toward the ground, and put 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, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." Then he said, "Go again" seven times. And the servant went again seven times.
44 Kwasekusithi ngesikhathi sesikhombisa yathi: Khangela, iyezana elingangesandla somuntu lisenyuka olwandle. Wasesithi: Yenyuka uyetshela uAhabi: Bophela inqola, wehle, hlezi izulu likuvalele.
It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Look, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you.'"
45 Kwasekusithi kungakafiki lesosikhathi isibhakabhaka sasesisiba mnyama ngamayezi langomoya, kwaba lezulu elikhulu. UAhabi wasegada, waya eJizereyeli.
It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
46 Lesandla seNkosi sasiphezu kukaElija; wabopha ukhalo lwakhe, wagijima phambi kukaAhabi, uze ufike eJizereyeli.
The hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
