1 U-Ahabi wasetshela uJezebheli ngakho konke okwakwenziwe ngu-Elija kanye lokuthi wababulala njani abaphrofethi ngenkemba. 2 Ngalokho uJezebheli wathumela isithunywa ku-Elija ukuthi siyekuthi, “Onkulunkulu kabangihlanekele ngokwengezelelweyo nxa ngingakubulalanga kuze kube kusasa, njengoba usubulele abaphrofethi.”

3 U-Elija wasesesaba, wasuka wabaleka, wayafika eBherishebha yakoJuda, wasetshiya khona inceku yakhe. 4 Yena wahamba okwelanga elilodwa engena enkangala. Wathola khona isihlahla, wahlala ngaphansi kwaso emthunzini, wakhulekela ukuthi ngabe uyafa wathi, “Kwanele, Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami ngoba angingcono kulabokhokho.”

5 Wasecambalala elala ngaphansi kwesihlahla wajunywa yibuthongo. Khonokho ingilosi yamthinta yathi kuye, “Vuka udle.” 6 Wathalaza, lakanye wabona ngemakhanda nantiyana iqebelengwane lisatshisa emalahleni elaliphekwe kuwo, kanye lenkezo eyayilamanzi okunatha. Wadla njalo wanatha, waphinda walala.

7 Ingilosi kaThixo yaphinda yabuya okwesibili yamthinta, yathi kuye, “Vuka udle, ngoba uhambo lude luzakukhulela.” 8 Ngakho wavuka, wadla njalo wehlisa ngamanzi. Eseqiniswe yilokhokudla wahamba insuku ezingamatshumi amane lobusuku obungamatshumi amane waze wayafika eHorebhi intaba kaNkulunkulu. 9 Eselapho wangena ebhalwini walala.

Ngakho ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lisithi, “Kanti wenzani khonapha, Elija?”

10 Yena waphendula wathi, “Bengikutshisekela kakhulu, wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla. Abako-Israyeli basephule isivumelwano sakho, badiliza ama-alithare akho, babulala abaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba. Yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala.”

11 UThixo wathi kuye, “Hamba uyekuma phezu kwentaba phambi kukaThixo ngoba uThixo uzadlula khona.”

Kwaba lomoya owawuvunguza ngamandla udabula izintaba uqhekeza lamadwala phambi kukaThixo, kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulesosiphepho. Kwedlula isiphepho kweza ukuzamazama komhlaba kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulokhokuzamazama. 12 Kwedlula ukuzamazama komhlaba kwaqhamuka umlilo, kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulowomlilo. Ngemva komlilo kwezwakala ilizwi elipholileyo linyenyeza. 13 U-Elija uthe elizwa, wadonsa isembatho sakhe wamboza ubuso bakhe wasuka wayakuma entubeni yobhalu.

Khonokho ilizwi lathi kuye, “Wenzani khonapha, Elija?”

14 Yena waphendula wathi, “Bengikutshisekela kakhulu wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla. Abako-Israyeli basephule isivumelwano sakho, badiliza ama-alithare akho, babulala abaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba. Yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala lami.”

15 UThixo wathi kuye, “Buyela ngayonale indlela oze ngayo, uye enkangala yaseDamaseko. Ekufikeni kwakho khonale, ugcobe uHazayeli abe yinkosi yase-Aramu. 16 Njalo, ugcobe loJehu indodana kaNimishi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli, ubusugcoba u-Elisha indodana kaShafathi wase-Abheli-Mehola athathe isikhundla sakho sobuphrofethi. 17 UJehu uzabulala bonke abazaphepha kuleyonkemba kaHazayeli, njalo u-Elisha uzabulala labo abazasila kuleyonkemba kaJehu. 18 Kodwa ngizaphephisa abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa abangazange bakhothamele uBhali njalo abandebe zabo azizange zimange.”

19 Ngakho u-Elija wasuka lapho wathola u-Elisha indodana kaShafathi. Wamfica elima labanye ngenkabi emajogweni alitshumi lambili, yena etshayela ezejogwe letshumi lambili. U-Elija wasondela kuye wamembesa ngesembatho sakhe. 20 U-Elisha watshiya inkabi zakhe walandela u-Elija. Wasesithi, “Ngivumela ngiyevalelisa ubaba lomama, ngibuye ngizehamba lawe.”

U-Elija wamphendula wathi, “Buyela, kanti ngenzeni kuwe?”

21 Ngakho u-Elisha wehlukana laye wabuyela emuva. Wathatha inkabi zejogwe lakhe wazihlaba. Wabasa umlilo ngezinto lezo ayelima ngazo ukuze ose inyama yazo wayinika abantu bayidla. Waselandela u-Elija waba yinceku yakhe.

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