1 U-Ahabi wamtshela u-Izebeli konke akwenzile u-Eliya, naphakathi kwalokho ukuthi ubulele bonke abaprofethi ngenkemba.
2 U-Izebeli wayesethuma isithunywa ku-Eliya ngokuthi: “Mabenze njalo kimi onkulunkulu, benezele futhi, uma ngingakwenzi wena ube njengomunye wabo ngalesi sikhathi kusasa.”
3 Esezwile lokho wasuka, wahamba ukuba asinde, waya eBeri Sheba elingelakwaJuda, washiya khona inceku yakhe.
4 Kodwa yena wahamba ibanga losuku ehlane, waya wahlala phansi konwele, wacela enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba afe, wathi: “Sekwanele; manje, Jehova, sale usuthatha umphefumulo wami, ngokuba angilungile kunawobaba.”
5 Walala ubuthongo phansi konwele; bheka, kwamthinta ingelosi, yathi kuye: “Vuka udle.”
6 Wabheka, nanto iqebelengwane ngasekhanda lakhe elenziwe ematsheni ashisayo, nophiso lwamanzi. Wadla, waphuza; wayesebuye walala phansi.
7 Ingelosi kaJehova yabuye yamthinta ngokwesibili, yathi: “Vuka udle, ngokuba indlela yakho inde.”
8 Wavuka, wadla, waphuza, wahamba ngamandla alokho kudla izinsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane, waya entabeni kaNkulunkulu iHorebe.
9 Wangena khona emhumeni, walala khona.Bheka, kwafika kuye izwi likaJehova; wathi kuye: “Wenzani lapha, Eliya, na?”
10 Wathi: “Ngishisekele nokushisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli balahlile isivumelwano sakho, badilizile ama-altare akho, babulele abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, kusele mina ngedwa; sebefuna umphefumulo wami ukuba bawususe.”
11 Wathi: “Phuma, ume entabeni phambi kukaJehova.” Bheka, uJehova wadlula, umoya omkhulu onamandla wadabula izintaba, waphahlaza amadwala phambi kukaJehova; kepha uJehova wayengekho emoyeni; emva komoya kwazamazama umhlaba; kepha uJehova wayengekho ekuzamazameni komhlaba;
12 emva kokuzamazama komhlaba ngumlilo; kepha uJehova wayengekho emlilweni; emva komlilo yizwi elincane elihashazayo.
13 U-Eliya esezwile lokho wagubuzela ubuso bakhe ngengubo yakhe, waphuma, wema emnyango womhume. Bheka, kwafika kuye izwi, lathi: “Wenzani lapha, Eliya, na?”
14 Wathi: “Ngishisekele nokushisekela uJehova uNkulunkulu Sebawoti, ngokuba abantwana bakwa-Israyeli balahlile isivumelwano sakho, badilizile ama-altare akho, babulele abaprofethi bakho ngenkemba, kusele mina ngedwa; sebefuna umphefumulo wami ukuba bawususe.”
15 Wayesethi uJehova kuye: “Hamba, ubuye ngendlela yakho, uye ehlane laseDamaseku; usufikile khona uyakumgcoba uHazayeli abe yinkosi yase-Aramu;
16 uyakumgcoba uJehu indodana kaNimishi abe yinkosi kwa-Israyeli, umgcobe u-Elisha indodana kaShafati wase-Abela Mehola abe ngumprofethi esikhundleni sakho.
17 Kuyakuthi obalekela inkemba kaHazayeli abulawe nguJehu; obalekela inkemba kaJehu uyakubulawa ngu-Elisha.
18 Kepha ngiyakushiya kwa-Israyeli izinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa, onke amadolo anganguqanga kuBali nayo yonke imilomo engamanganga.”
19 Wayesesuka lapho, wamfumana u-Elisha indodana kaShafati; wayelima ngezinkabi ezingamabhangqa ayishumi nambili phambi kwakhe, yena esebhangqeni leshumi nambili; u-Eliya wadlulela kuye, waphonsa ingubo yakhe kuye.
20 Wayeseshiya izinkabi, wagijima wamlandela u-Eliya, wathi: “Ake ngange ubaba nomame, bese ngikulandela.”Wathi kuye: “Hamba, ubuyele emuva, ngokuba ngenzeni kuwe na?”
21 Wabuya ekumlandeleni, wathatha izinkabi zombili, wazihlaba, wapheka inyama yazo ngempahla yezinkabi, wabapha abantu, badla. Wayesesuka, wamlandela u-Eliya, wamkhonza.